Books
If you can believe it, it's finally the end of 2018. While this year sure has been long and hard, it has also been an incredible year for literature. It should come as no surprise that in December, eight new fiction books are coming out that will help you finish the year with a bang.
This month, American readers will be treated to writings from some international icons. Be on the look out for the first English translation from Cuban author Wendy Guerra, a new book from celebrated Somalian novelist Nuruddin Farah, a posthumously published short story collection from Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and the U.S. publication of the 2018 Man Booker Prize winner, Milkman, by Irish author Anna Burns.
If you are more in the mood for something dark and twisty to keep you turning the pages during those cold December nights, you're in luck. Lisa Jewell, author of this summer's hit And Then She Was Gone, is back with another mystery novel, and widely-adored romance author Colleen Hoover is dropping a new book — and this time it's a suspense.
But that's just a taste of what's to come this month. So hurry over to you local bookstore and get your hands on all of these fantastic books coming out in December 2018:
'Revolution Sunday' by Wendy Guerra, translated by Achy Obejas (Dec. 4; Melville House)
This is the first time internationally best-selling author Wendy Guerra has been translated into English, and the book is not to be missed. Cleo is a writer and member of a once-prominent Cuban family. When she travels to Spain, she's surprised to find that the Cuban expats there suspect her of being an informant for the Castro regime. And when she returns home to Cuba, she finds herself under suspicion again, this time by the government. Could it be that her family is not what she thought it was?
'Once Upon a River' by Diane Setterfield (Dec. 4; Atria/Emily Bestler Books)
In ancient inn on the Thames, the regulars tell each other stories. One night, a stranger bursts in holding the corpse of a young girl; but hours later, the dead girl mysteriously comes back to life. But how? This enchanting book from the author of The Thirteenth Tale is filled with folklore, romance, suspense— everything you want from a December read.
'North of Dawn' by Nuruddin Farah (Dec. 4; Riverhead)
From one of Somalia's most celebrated novelists, this book tells the story of a Somalian family in Norway, set against the backdrop of real events. Gacalo and Mugdi have lived in Oslo, where they raised their two children, for decades. After their son, Dhaqaneh, joins a jihadist movement in Somalia and kills himself in a suicide attack, Gacalo and Mugdi take in his wife and children and attempt to cope with the circumstances of their son's death.
'Milkman' by Anna Burns (Dec. 4; Graywolf Press)
After winning the prestigious Man Booker Prize, Milkman is finally coming to the United States. Set in an unnamed Irish city (which is understood to be Belfast) during the violence of the early '90s, this book tells the story of a young woman who is pursued by a paramilitary called Milkman. This novel contains a powerful message about the dire repercussions of inaction.
'At the End of the Century: The Stories of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala' by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (Dec. 4; Counterpoint)
Published posthumously, this book collects short stories from the legendary Booker Prize-winning author, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. Known for her explorations of the intersection between Indian and Western culture, Jhabvala was an absolute gift to the world.
'Radiant Shimmering Light' by Sarah Selecky (Dec. 4; Bloomsbury Publishing)
In this darkly hilarious satire, struggling pet portrait artist Lillian Quick reconnects with her social media star cousin, Eleven and gets sucked into her world. She drops everything to move to New York and enroll in The Ascendancy, Eleven's expensive three-month training seminar on "leadership, spiritual awakening, and marketing." This novel delivers an unforgettable take on authenticity, success, and storytelling in today's digital age.
'Verity' by Colleen Hoover (Dec. 18; Hoover Ink, Inc.)
You may already love Colleen Hoover for her heart-wrenching romances like It Ends With Us, but now the author is heading in an entirely new direction with this suspense novel. When writer Lowen Ashleigh is hired to finish the remaining books of a bestselling author, she discovers a secret autobiography in the author's notes, filled with hair-raising confessions.
'Watching You' by Lisa Jewell (Dec. 26; Atria)
From the author of And Then She Was Gone, this suspense is going to have you turning the pages all night long. The book is set in the prestigious, picture-perfect neighborhood of Melville Heights in Bristol, England — a place where everyone has a secret. At the center of the community is local school headmaster Tom Fitzwilliam, who is beloved by the whole town. However, some of the neighbors are starting to suspect something sinister about him.
