Well, readers, it’s time to bid 2017 adieu. The year saw its share of notable titles although no one blockbuster dominated the scene as in previous years. Instead, it was a year for rediscovering old classics such as The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984, word-of-mouth hits (A Gentleman in Moscow and Before We Were Yours being prime examples) and of course, a new political book or memoir appearing on shelves seemingly every week. But that was the old year, and new titles of 2018 beckon. Forward, readers!
-If 2017 was a good year for Wisconsin authors, 2018 looks to be no different. Milwaukee-based thriller author Nick Petrie releases his third Peter Ash novel, Light It Up, mid-month. This time Ash gets embroiled in Colorado’s legal cannabis business when a friend who provides secure transport for the cash-rich industry comes to grief. Meanwhile, Madison based author Chloe Benjamin follows up her debut The Anatomy of Dreams with her sophomore effort, The Immortalists. The novel opens with a group of siblings learning the dates of their deaths from a local fortune teller, and how this knowledge affects their lives. This one is already getting attention as a great book club pick. Look for it in early January.
-Winter has arrived! Or at least it arrives on shelves this month. Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard, best known for his My Struggle series, continues his series of autobiographical writings based on the seasons with Winter, meditations written in anticipation of the birth of his daughter. British author Ali Smith carries on with her novel series based on the four seasons with Winter, a follow up to Autumn, which was a local and critical favorite on its appearance in early 2017. Winter captures a family in Cornwall during the Christmas season coping with long-buried memories while grappling with the realities of Brexit and uncertain futures.
-Although January is traditionally a slower month for publishers, there are still an abundance of big names and debuts hitting shelves. One sure to get attention is A. J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window, a title that was generating enough buzz to see a film in the works before the book was even published. Fans of domestic noir along the likes of Gillian Flynn or mystery readers of Louise Penny (both authors have endorsed the Finn) will want to take a look. Perennial favorite Jojo Moyes presents Still Me, a continuation of the story that began with Me Before You; this latest follows Louisa Clark to New York City. James Lee Burke adds to his acclaimed Louisiana-based series with Robicheaux, Robert Harris turns his attention to pre-world war politics with Munich and for those readers who like to venture farther for good fiction reads, the 2014 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, arrives in translation late January.
Click on through for the full list of titles. Happy reading!