Debuts to watch out for in 2016

We all love discovering fresh, new voices in crime fiction – but thousands of books make their way to bookshops every year and it can be a little daunting knowing which ones should be added to your collection.

To help you locate the real gems we’ve asked publishers to let us know which of their debut crime novels should be on our radar for next year and we’ve compiled them into this handy list!

Debuts to watch out for in 2016

 
January

The Widow by Fiona Barton

From the publisher that brought you The Girl on the Train, buzz is already building for this book that centres on how well we really know our partners. Told from three perspectives – the widow, the detective and the investigative journalist – it’s also an interesting look into how these three roles can impact each other in a high profile case. A loving husband or a heartless killer… She’d know, wouldn’t she?
 

Fever City by Tim Baker

Violent, vivid and visceral, this book is a high-octane, nightmare journey through glamorous Mad Men-era America. Nick Alston, a Los Angeles private investigator, is hired to find the kidnapped son of America’s richest and most hated man. A tale of dark powers, corruption and conspiracy ensues featuring a cast of brilliantly complex and flawed characters.

 
The Good Liar by Nicholas Searle

An absorbing story of a man who has lied all his life – the perfect unreliable narrator – that will leave you questioning everything in the book. Suspenseful and gripping, it’s already making waves with some famous fans including Jack Reacher creator Lee Child. This is definitely one to watch out for.

 

Highbridge by Phil Redmond

Highbridge is the dramatic new novel by the writer and creator of Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks. Centring on the murder of a young girl in the centre of town three years ago, we follow her two brothers and the different paths they take to try to bring the killer to justice. With a thrilling plot and compelling characters, it’s perfect reading for fans of ITV’s Broadchurch.
 
February

The Poison Artist by Jonathan Moore

This is a gripping thriller about obsession and damage which follows a man unmoored by an unspeakable past. Blending timeless noir narratives with fascinating, accurate CSI detail, it’s told with masterful pacing and a growing sense of menace that is truly chilling.
 
March

Gone Astray by Michelle Davies

A chilling page-turner told from the perspective of the unsung hero of the police: the Family Liaison Officer who is thrust into the heart of the crisis. When a child goes missing, DC Maggie Neville is assigned to support and investigate the family before the domestic dynamics reach breaking point.
 
April

The Crow Girl by Erik Axl Sund

Already a huge success across Europe, this terrifying book about a spate of vicious murders is not for the faint-hearted. A series of plot twists will leave you open-mouthed as the Stockholm police struggle to solve the darkest and most complex case they’ve ever seen.
 
May

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan

As an agony aunt, Margot Lewis receives many letters – but none like this one. It claims to be from a kidnapped girl who’s being held prisoner – a girl who’s been missing for years. Is it a cruel hoax? Or a very real cry for help? This is a chilling, unpredictable psychological suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
 
 
 
The Trap by Melanie Raabe

Twelve years ago Linda witnessed the murder of her sister. The killer was never caught – until one day Linda spots him on TV, now a well-known journalist, and decides to write the book of her sister’s murder. An exploration of the misuse of celebrity status, The Trap blurs the lines of justice deliciously.

 

The Last Days of Summer by Vanessa Ronan

An absorbing story of redemption and vengeance, this novel begins as Jasper Curtis returns from a ten year stint in prison to live with his sister’s family. Lizzie does not know who she’s letting into her home – her beloved brother or a distant stranger. Ronan explores the powerful question of whether a community can truly forgive in this tense and sometimes uncomfortable novel.
 

A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee

This is the start of an atmospheric and enticing new historical crime series from the winner of the Harvill Secker/Daily Telegraph crime writing competition. Set in warmer climes, A Rising Man follows the trials and tribulations of a former Scotland Yard detective in Calcutta where he has been posted to the police force after the Great War. Packed full of historical detail, this is gripping escapism at its best.
 
June

The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

This is the story of Elka, a young girl who is confronted by news that breeds distrust in the small, fragile world she has built with the help of man named Trapper. Set in a remote land ravaged by an unnamed disaster, The Wolf Road is not your average thriller.

 

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

Lily has been held in captivity and tortured every day since she was abducted at sixteen. This unsettling book begins as Lily finds freedom, having found her cell unlocked, and her ensuing struggle to bring her captor to justice and reconnect with her family. A taut psychological thriller.
 
July

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

The Truman Show meets The Beach in this high-concept thriller about a woman who leaves her husband to survive in the wilderness on a reality TV show. It’s a hugely modern novel about how easily we are manipulated by the media and a timeless story of a woman’s journey home.

 
November

Pendulum by Adam Hamdy

Hamdy’s novel twists through a dangerous digital underworld as an everyday guy is targeted by a Machiavellian serial killer. Perfect for fans of Terry Hayes’ I Am Pilgrim and early John Grisham.