The new literary fiction and non-fiction books insiders can't wait to read in 2026
Booksellers and BookTokers reveal their most anticipated new and debut literary reads.
We spoke to booksellers and members of the BookTok and Bookstagram community about what they look for in literary fiction, and which new books they were looking forward to reading in 2026.
When it comes to what makes for the best literary fiction, two things really stood out: great characters, and something fresh and original. 'I want really compelling character arcs. I think even if there’s a more subtle plot, having really compelling characters and really compelling relationships that I can fall in love with – that for me, makes the book,' says bookseller Angela. 'I love character driven novels,' agrees BookToker Meg (aka @readwithmeg). 'I want to read something from a perspective I haven’t read from before or told in a different way,' bookseller Tom tells us, 'literary fiction is great at exploring new things and new ways.' Avni, also a bookseller, feels the same: 'I want something I feel like I’ve never read before; something new.'
With this in mind, which new literary fiction books are on their must-read lists for 2026? Read on to find out.
The Hill in the Dark Grove
by Liam Higginson
Why read this: Exquisite writing and an increasing sense of unease combine to create a sinister, chilling story, based on Welsh folklore. When Carwyn discovers a buried prehistoric ruin in one of the fields on his land, his curiosity quickly descends into obsession. As the harsh winter closes in, his wife, Rhian, finds herself alone with her increasingly peculiar husband, and the mountains, and the looming megalithic stones.
If you’re looking for: Literary/horror crossover, books based on folklore, rural isolated setting, books with a growing sense of dread.
Great for fans of: Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller, The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley.
What the experts think: 'I love literary horror, and you don’t get to see it that often so I’m very excited for this one.' – @joe.reads
Related reads
Sublimation
by Isabel J. Kim
Why read this: A story of doppelgängers and corporate intrigue: in this literary speculative fiction crossover, when you emigrate, you leave a version of yourself behind. Literally. Some keep in touch with their separated identities, hoping for future reintegration. Others, like Soyoung Rose Kang, leave home at age ten and never speak to their other selves again. But then her grandfather dies, and her Korean instance calls her back home from New York. . .
If you’re looking for: Speculative fiction, books on identity and immigration, a nerve-wracking read.
Great for fans of: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang, Past Lives (film).
What the experts think: 'It explores some really important topics on the immigrant experience and the idea of doppelgängers is really interesting. I can't wait to get to this one.' – Andrea, bookseller at Waterstones Chichester. 'The fact that it’s taking the dystopian element of coming from a different country, and taking literally the split in that, really interests me.' – Avni, bookseller at Waterstones Hitchin. 'I am super excited for Sublimation. I’m a huge fan of books on displacement and identity, and this brings that together with speculative fiction.' – Thuvaja, bookseller at Waterstones Trafalgar Square. 'I just love speculative fiction.' Jenn aka @bookmarkonthewall
Related reads
Venus, Vanishing
by Rebecca Birrell
Why read this: The world of 1930s Berlin becomes a lethal game of survival for two women consumed by desire and art, in the debut novel from art historian Rebecca Birrell. Hannah is an artist and a runaway, finally creating and loving without boundaries. But when she begins an affair with a powerful man’s wife, it threatens to do more than ruin their reputations. People are disappearing. The shadows of something unspeakable are growing darker. And Hannah's art could be the thing that secures her survival – or that will deny her any chance of escape.
If you’re looking for: Gripping historical fiction, LGBTQIA+ love story, books about art.
Great for fans of: In Memoriam by Alice Winn, The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden, Sarah Waters.
What the experts think: 'I love character driven novels, but I also really like lyrical writing, and queer stories when I can get them. I am really looking forward to Venus, Vanishing.' – @readwithmeg
Related reads
The Killing Age
by Clifton Crais
Why read this: This bold history reassesses the making of the modern world through the lens of mass violence. Professor Clifton Crais redefines the era between 1750 and the early 1900s – seen by many as the birth of the Anthropocene (the period during which humans have been the dominant influence on Earth) – as the Mortecene: the Age of Killing. Killing, Crais argues, is what brought the world together and tore it apart. It has shaped who we are, what we value, what we fear, and the precarious planet we must now confront.
If you’re looking for: People-driven history, thought-provoking non-fiction, books that change your mind.
Great for fans of: The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow, Fear by Robert Peckham, Legacy of Violence by Caroline Elkins.
What the experts think: 'I think it’s very relevant: we need to talk about these issues more, and we need to know what happened in the past.' – @readingwithynaii
Related reads
Frostlines
by Neil Shea
Why read this: This is a breathtaking and epic exploration of the transforming Arctic, once a place seemingly frozen in time, now emerging anew through the melting ice. Travel with the wolves of Canada’s Ellesmere Island and follow the track of caribou in Alaska, via visits to the Indigenous Netsilingmiut and Tlicho peoples of Nunavut and the bears of the Barren Lands.
If you’re looking for: Travel writing, books about the climate crisis, beautiful photography, wildlife and the natural environment, exploration.
Great for fans of: National Geographic, Underland by Robert McFarlane, Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn.
What the experts think: 'It’s a different take on non-fiction. I love reading about Arctic exploration and I'm interested to read about what it's like in the twenty-first century.' – Tom, bookseller at Dubray Books, Dublin
