Force of Nature by Jane Harper

Five colleagues set out on a corporate retreat in the wilderness, but only four return. And each tells a slightly different story about what happened. Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker, and in his investigation he will discover a tangled web of friendship, suspicion and betrayal.

Harper’s debut, The Dry, was one of my favourite books of 2017, so I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel.

Release date: 8th February

The Wicked Cometh by Laura Carlin

Out of the shadows of Victorian London’s slums comes Hester White, a young woman who is desperate to escape poverty. When Hester is thrust into the world of the aristocratic Brock family, she leaps at the chance to improve her station in life under the tutelage of the fiercely intelligent Rebekah Brock. But whispers from her past slowly begin to poison her new life.

This debut novel has already received lots of praise and sounds just like the kind of dark historical novels I love.

Release date: 1st February

The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale

It is 1917, and while war rages across Europe, in the heart of London there is a place of hope and enchantment. The Emporium sells toys that capture the imagination of children and adults alike. Into this family business comes young Cathy Wray, running away from a shameful past. But Cathy is about to discover that the Emporium has secrets of its own.

Billed for fans of The Miniaturist and The Night Circus, this novel promises to be both dark and enchanting.

Release date: 8th February

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

It is meant to be a celebration but ends in tragedy. As fireworks explode overhead, Evelyn Hardcastle, the young and beautiful daughter of the house, is killed. But Evelyn will not die just once. Until Aiden – one of the guests summoned to the house for the party – can solve her murder, the day will repeat itself, over and over again.

We’ve all seen this concept done before with varying degrees of success, but this book has been described as ‘Agatha Christie on time-bending substances’ (Eva Dolan), so it’s definitely grabbed my attention.

Release date: 8th February

The Coffin Path by Katherine Clements

Maybe you’ve heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there’s something up there, something evil. Mercy Booth isn’t afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her.

I love ghost stories, and this one sounds both atmospheric and terrifying – the perfect combination.

Release date: 8th February

The French Girl by Lexie Elliott

Six university students from Oxford travelled to France for what was supposed to be an idyllic week together. It was perfect, until they met Severine, the girl next door. For Kate Channing, Severine was an unwelcome presence. And after an altercation on the last night of the holiday, Kate knew nothing would ever be the same.

It’s been a long time since I read a thriller that really blew my socks off, so here’s hoping this debut – described as ‘addictive’ and ‘gripping’ – will be the one to do just that.

Release date: 20th February

The Sealwoman’s Gift by Sally Magnusson

In 1627 Barbary pirates raided the coast of Iceland and abducted some 400 of its people. Among the captives sold into slavery in Algiers were the island pastor, his wife and their three children. Although the raid itself is well-documented, little is known about what happened to the women and children afterwards.

In this reimagining of true events, Magnusson gives voice to women in a time in which they were forced into silence.

Release date: 8th February

Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Kathryn Harkup

Frankenstein has become an indelible part of popular culture. But how did a teenager with no formal education write such an extraordinary novel? Making the Monster explores the scientific background behind Shelley’s book, charting her possible influences.

I love Frankenstein, both the novel and the various permutations it has taken in popular culture, and 2018 marks 200 years since Frankenstein was first published.

Release date: 8th February

Rise Up Women! The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes by Diane Atkinson

Between the death of Queen Victoria and the outbreak of the First World War, the campaign for women’s suffrage was fought with great flair and imagination in the public arena. Led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, the suffragettes and their actions would come to define protest movements for generations to come.

2018 marks 100 years since (some) women were allowed to vote in the UK, so you can expect plenty of books, like this one, exploring how suffragettes brought about the change – and also how far we still have to go before equal rights.

Release date: 8th February

The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica by Laurie Gwen Shapiro

In 1928, an expedition was launched to Antarctica, the planet’s final frontier. Everyone wanted in on the adventure. The night before the expedition’s flagship set off, New York high schooler Billy Gawronski jumped into the Hudson River and snuck aboard.

This intriguing non-fiction story of a scrappy New York teenager who sneaks aboard a ship bound for Antarctica sounds like it will be full of adventure and historical intrigue.

Release date: 22nd February