The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to tales of murder. As a literature teacher specialising in the Gothic writer R.M. Holland, she teaches a short course on them every year. Then Clare’s life and work collide tragically when one of her colleagues is found dead, a line from an R.M. Holland story by her body. Not knowing who to trust, Clare confides her darkest suspicions about the case to her journal. Then one day she notices some other writing in the diary. Writing that isn’t hers…

I love anything Gothic and this new novel from bestselling author Elly Griffiths has been billed as Susan Hill meets Gone Girl, which sounds like the perfect combination.

Release date: 1st November

House of Glass by Susan Fletcher

June 1914 and a young woman, Clara Waterfield, is summoned to a large stone house in Gloucestershire. Her task: to fill a greenhouse with exotic plants to create a private paradise for the owner of Shadowbrook. Yet, on arrival, Clara hears rumours: something is wrong with the house. Something – or someone – is walking through the corridors at night. In the height of summer, she finds herself drawn deeper into Shadowbrook’s dark interior, and into the secrets that haunt the house.

This seems to be the time of year for Gothic thrillers, and Fletcher’s new novel – said to be reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier – sounds like perfect reading for the cold, dark month of November.

Release date: 1st November

Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey

Liz Kendall wouldn’t hurt a fly. Even when times get tough, she’s devoted to bringing up her kids in a loving home. But there’s another side to Liz, one that’s dark and malicious. She will do anything to get her way – no matter how extreme. And when her alter-ego takes control, the consequences are devastating.

This modern take on the Jekyll and Hyde tale from the author of The Girl with All the Gifts has been called ‘original, thrilling and powerful’ by the Guardian.

Release date: 8th November

Heroes by Stephen Fry

There are heroes – and then there are Greek heroes. Few mere mortals have embarked on such bold and heart-stirring adventures, overcome myriad monstrous perils, or outwitted scheming vengeful gods, quite as stylishly and triumphantly as Greek heroes. Join Jason aboard the Argo as he quests for the Golden Fleece. See Atalanta outrun any man before being tricked with golden apples. And discover how Bellerophon captures the winged horse Pegasus.

In a companion to his bestselling Mythos, Stephen Fry retells classic Greek stories of mortals, monsters, quests and adventures with his trademark wit and enthusiasm.

Release date: 1st November

Becoming by Michelle Obama

As First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women around the world. In her memoir, she invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her – from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her time spent at the world’s most famous address.

This highly anticipated memoir promises to be incredibly powerful and inspiring, offering a glimpse into the life of a woman who has continued to defy expectations.

Release date: 13th November

Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb

After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together – only to discover the body of a murdered woman washed into the shallows. Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is a dead infant. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before, in her dreams. One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets.

Another Gothic novel on offer this November is this chilling mystery from award-winning author Wendy Webb, whose fans have taken to calling her ‘the queen of northern Gothic’.

Release date: 1st November

Gentleman Jack by Angela Steidele

Anne Lister was a Yorkshire heiress, an intrepid world traveller and a proud lesbian during a time when it was difficult simply to be female. The first woman to climb Vignemale in the treacherous Pyrenees, she journeyed as far as Azerbaijan and refused to be constrained by the mores of Regency society. Anne’s erotic confessions and lively letters in her diaries tell the story of an extraordinary woman.

Celebrated author Angela Steidele breathes new life into a cult historical figure, using Anne’s own words to explore the history of gender and sexuality.

Release date: 1st November

Land of the Living by Georgina Harding

Charlie’s experiences at the Battle of Kohima and the months he spent lost in the remote jungles of Assam during the Second World War are now history. Home and settled on a farm in Norfolk and newly married to Claire, he is one of the lucky survivors. Starting a family and working the land seem the best things a man can be doing. But a chasm exists between them. Memories flood Charlie’s mind. What should be said and what left unsaid?

This lyrical meditation on the impact of war promises to be both engrossing and poignant.

Release date: 1st November

Fox 8 by George Saunders

Fox 8 has always been curious, and a bit of a daydreamer. And, by hiding outside houses at dusk and listening to children’s bedtime stories, he has learned to speak ‘Yuman’. The power of words is intoxicating for a fox with a poetic soul, but there is ‘danjur’ on the horizon: a new shopping mall is being built, cutting off his pack’s food supply. To save himself and his fellow foxes, Fox 8 will have to set out on a harrowing quest into the dark heart of suburbia.

From the author of the Man Booker Prize-winning Lincoln in the Bardo comes an illustrated comic fable about human greed and nature.

Release date: 15th November

What Would Cleopatra Do? by Elizabeth Foley

This new book shares the wisdom and advice passed down from Cleopatra, Queen Victoria, Dorothy Parker and 47 other heroines from past eras on how to handle an array of common problems women have encountered throughout history and still face today. From sticking up for yourself, improving body image, feeling like an imposter, and dealing with gossip, we can learn a lot by reading motivational stories of heroic women who took control of their own destinies.

Elizabeth Foley’s latest book – complete with whimsical illustrations by Bijou Karman – promises to be both funny and inspirational, and could very well be a great gift come Christmas.

Release date: 6th November