5 debut novels by female authors to add to your bookshelves in 2024

Avid readers understand the joy of adding new books to their collection. And while we all have our favourite authors, reading novels by debut authors is always exciting. So, if you're looking to embark on new a literary journey, here are five books by new female authors that make for quite an intriguing read.

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

Chan’s first book follows the adventures of a Malayan mother whose life is upended when she becomes a spy for the Japanese forces during World War II.

 

Breakdown by Cathy Sweeney 

Sweeney presents a startling premise many may find thrillingly relatable. What if, instead of going to work, you began to drive in the opposite direction—and never came back?

 

 

Jaded by Ela Lee

Jade seemingly has a perfect life, but after a work party goes wrong, she begins to reassess her blithe assumptions.

 

The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams

A Black London family relocates to a small farming village in Somerset in this poetic tale of love, belonging and rural landscapes, inspired by the author’s own experience.

 

The Beholders by Hester Musson

A gothic story of maids and mistresses set in a grand Victorian house, where mysterious domestic objects start to give glimpses of a hidden history.

This piece originally appeared in the February 2024 print edition of Harper's Bazaar UK.