Best Fiction Books of 2024

Flip the script on an American classic as Huck Finn steps to the side and Jim takes center stage in a powerful, and often very funny, story of family, home and freedom.

We were so, so pleased when we heard that Colm Tóibín was writing a sequel to his beloved novel, Brooklyn. Family secrets and complicated choices drive this exhilarating story that we won’t forget.

A beautifully written short novel about the price of isolation and the desire for community and connection that’s perfect for fans of one of our fiction monthly picks, Paul’s Harding’s This Other Eden.

Poignant and darkly comic, smart and sharp, Akbar’s novel is a life-affirming story of addiction and art, love and loss.

Murakami creates his own intricate mythologies, and his latest is no exception.

Get everything you’ve ever wanted and lounge on borrowed time in Hollywood until it turns you upside down. Danzy Senna’s quick wit and wry voice has the big-heartedness of Dolly Alderton and the sensibility of Sally Rooney; readers of Miranda July’s All Fours and Kiley Reid’s Come and Get It will want to tell all their friends about this smart and sharp tale.

Reading a novel by Rumaan Alam (Leave the World Behind) is always a pleasure — sharp dialogue, surprising characters (even the ones that make us mad), and very smart observations about who we are and what drives us, from love and money to family and more.

We love immersive books you can read in one sitting, and Jessica Anthony’s novel of a housewife at her wits end packs a punch with clever details and an unflinching narrative voice.

A multigenerational saga of Native American heritage and culture, Wandering Stars is Tommy Orange’s long-awaited follow-up to There There, tracking back in time and telling a story across centuries. Beginning with the Sand Creek Massacre, this book is a damning indictment of America’s treatment of its Native population.

Miranda July’s latest is a reminder of everything we love about her, starting with the questions she asks about how we live and what we value. Everyone’s going to be talking about this book.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louise Erdrich returns to the world of The Beet Queen in this profound story of the natural world, place and community, perfect for fans of Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and The Overstory by Richard Powers.

The woods can’t hide everything — the family dynamics of Succession meets the intrigue of Liane Moriarty in this story of money and land, legacy and inheritance.

A story of personal and generational grief, family relationships and resilience. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a warm, uplifting novel about a young woman’s journey to discover who she truly is.

The Women is both singular and expansive in focus. Centered on one woman who goes to war in Vietnam, it is a stark reminder of the sacrifices women make for their country.

We couldn’t put this one down, and we have a feeling you won’t be able to, either. A story about the benefits and consequences of wealth and the lengths we’ll go to run from our personal mythologies — this cast of characters will hold you for ransom until the very end.

We all caught the Sally Rooney bug with her stunning debut Conversations with Friends — now we’re ready to fall in love all over again. Intermezzo absolutely soars with complicated relationships (romantic and familial) and the signature writing we can’t get enough of from a literary icon.

Coco Mellors knows how to write unforgettable characters, and her newest novel gives us a few more to fall in love with. This story about sisterhood and how grief can pull a family apart — and put them back together again — is perfect for fans of Lily King.

Other people’s families are always more interesting that our own and we really didn’t want to leave Lily and Nick (and the rest of the cast) behind… Grab a friend, this is a family you’ll want to talk about.

Embrace the unknown in this novel of discovery — of secrets and self — by an author who knows how to make us feel less alone.

Suspense and family drama, mystery and love story, The Night We Lost Him may well leave you devastated, but only in the best way.

Pushed and pulled between her parents and her children, a woman faces her past and her future, in a story about the ins and outs and joy of life. Think Vintage Contemporaries by Dan Kois or anything by Laurie Colwin.

In a life of too-lates and missed opportunities, Toshikazu Kawaguchi invites us back to the coffee shop of regrets and second-chances with brand-new patrons.

Witty, clever and biting, Good Material is an exploration of friendship, love and the many forms a relationship can take. Great for fans of Curtis Sittenfeld and Emily Henry.

Like Anne Tyler and Ann Patchett, Anna Quindlen is a gentle guide through life’s tricky bits. We’ve missed reading her fiction and we’re so excited for her first novel in years.