The best fiction of 2024
From Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo to Alan Hollinghurst’s Our Evenings, Percival Everett’s James and a host of inventive debuts – this year’s highlights in fiction
Five of the best young adult books of 2024
Perilous journeys, a crocodile god’s curse, Lord of the Flies as a graphic novel and more
‘It’s got everything you want, plus dragons’: Brandon Sanderson on the joy of writing fantasy
The hugely popular author reveals his excitement at the release of his latest Stormlight saga, how he extracted himself from Amazon and why JK Rowling should have stuck to novels
Irvine Welsh to publish new sequel to Trainspotting
Men in Love will pick up the stories of the original crew immediately after the close of the 1993 classic as they become serious in their quest for romance
Five of the best translated fiction of 2024
An indigenous epic, macabre short stories from Spain, Aztec adventures and more
The best children’s books of 2024
Get lost in a fox’s quest; plus snowman magic, a wily genie and cookery from around the world
The best crime and thrillers of 2024
A choice of whodunnits, a return for le Carré’s Smiley, and dark, disturbing encounters in the woods
Ferdia Lennon wins Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for ‘delightful’ novel
As part of the award, the author will have a gloucestershire old spots pig named after his debut book which is set in ancient Sicily
‘I had this animal, physical desire to be with my child’: author Rachel Yoder on writing Nightbitch
The novelist’s cult book about a stay-at-home mother who turns into a dog is now a film starring Amy Adams. She talks about modern parenting, breaking taboos, and how Trump’s win spurred her to write
Five of the best romance books of 2024
Wedding mayhem, a story of lifelong love and fake‑relationship comedy are among the highlights
The best graphic novels of 2024
Arthurian legend, dark family secrets, monsters, princesses and a Russian detective in this year’s picks
Stranger than Fiction: Lives of the Twentieth-Century Novel review – 100 years of magical thinking
Edwin Frank’s finely judged survey of modern fiction from Dostoevsky to Sebald will have you reaching for novels you hadn’t thought about in years
Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo review – a playful tale of interspecies affection
The Finnish novelist’s reissued debut, about a man who rescues and cares for a troll, still feels fresh and bright 20 years on
The House of Gazes by Daniele Mencarelli review – a slow-burn tale of lives on the margins
A poet’s job in a children’s hospital relieves his depression in the Italian’s rewarding debut novel
In brief: Eurotrash; Overcoming: A Workbook; What Writers Read – review
An unsettling semi-autobiographical road trip; practical life advice from Michelle Obama; and essays by leading writers on the books they love