There are a lot of new books coming out every week. With New Release Radar, I’ll help you narrow down the week’s new book releases into the titles you should get excited about. We have another light week as the year winds down, but I still have four great books to share. Read on.
The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
Edinburgh, 1828: Eager to study surgery, James Willoughby leaves his privileged Oxford life for the medical wonders of Edinburgh’s university. However, he needs to dissect a real human cadaver to succeed. Desperate, he partners with Nye MacKinnon, a talented yet reckless dissectionist. James becomes entangled in the grim world of body snatching. As rival Resurrectionist gangs, including the infamous Burke and Hare, escalate their cutthroat competition for corpses, James and Nye must navigate a deadly underworld where ambition, morality and survival collide.
The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction into a twisty, macabre gothic debut. A. Rae Dunlap’s novel has elements of dark academia, historical fiction and true crime that tell a grisly story of the origins of modern medicine.
RELATED: GGA’s 10 Best Fantasy Books of 2024
Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin
At the Chester Square Cookery School, chef Paul Delamare reluctantly agrees to teach a week-long course as a favor to his old friend, TV host Christian Wagner. Surrounded by a mix of distracted students and culinary challenges, Paul begins enjoying the role until a student is found murdered with a cleaver he used earlier that day. Now, while clearing his name and perfecting poaching techniques, Paul must uncover whether the crime was a cooking mishap or a long-brewing vendetta before he becomes the next victim.
The Maid meets Knives Out in MasterChef semi-finalist and cookbook writer Orlando Murrin’s first work of fiction. Knife Skills for Beginners is a light-hearted, locked-room mystery perfect for foodies.
After the Ocean by Lauren E. Rico
Thirty years after her husband’s mysterious disappearance on their honeymoon cruise, Emilia Oliveras — now Emily Oliver — receives a call suggesting he may still be alive. Determined to uncover the truth, she embarks on a search, unknowingly shadowed by her estranged daughters, Meg and Gracie, who wrestle with their own struggles and questions about their family. As their journeys intertwine, the three women confront long-buried secrets, fractured relationships and their own identities, seeking forgiveness and clarity as they uncover Paul’s fate and redefine their futures.
RELATED: New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on December 17
Lauren E. Rico’s new book release is a story of redemption after decades of heartbreak and intergenerational trauma. With dual timelines and multiple points of view, After the Ocean is a beautifully written, twisty thriller.
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
After seizing power in Huaxia, Zetian discovers a more formidable enemy manipulating her world from the shadows. Soon, she’s forced into a precarious alliance with a man she can’t fully trust. Together, they must navigate a web of deceit and perform their roles flawlessly to dismantle a corrupt system and save a hostage close to Zetian. As political unrest mounts and enemies close in, Zetian must decide whether to rule with justice or give in to her thirst for vengeance.
I’m so excited that Heavenly Tyrant is finally coming out. Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut, Iron Widow, was incredible, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting a sequel since it came out in 2021.
RELATED: 7 Cozy Books to Read During the Christmas Season
You can check out these new book releases at Bookshop.org or your local bookstore. What December 24 new release are you most excited to read? Let us know below, and tune in next week to grow your TBR.
- New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on April 15 - April 16, 2025
- Book Review: DON’T SLEEP WITH THE DEAD - April 9, 2025
- New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on April 8 - April 8, 2025
