The halls are decked with boughs of holly (and a LOT of tinsel/sparkly lights), Christmas songs are playing everywhere you go, far too many mince pies have already been consumed – and yes, there are now only NINE days left until Christmas! So if, like us, you’re having a mild panic that you still have those last few presents to buy and are stuck for inspiration then look no further, as our Christmas gift guide is here to help…
My uncle loves a good thriller, but has not yet discovered the brilliantly entertaining works of Simon Toyne, so now that the trilogy is complete I’ll be giving him Sanctus, The Key and The Tower. He’ll probably have read the lot before New Year’s Day.
My brother in law is more of a horror fan, and also loves cult TV, so for him I’ll be wrapping up the Strain trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (The Strain, The Fall and The Night Eternal). They’re chilling thrillers with a vampire twist – and likely to be coming to our TV screens in Summer 2014 courtesy of FX.
My Mum is an avid reader, and is usually way ahead of me in terms of new releases, but I know she hasn’t yet read one of my favourite novels of 2013, Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty. She is in for a treat. The only problem is, she might get too engrossed and forget to put the turkey in the oven…
And finally, my own little munchkin will find in his stocking The Completely Wholesome Adventures of Skeleton Bob – a macabre yet hilarious children’s picture book written and illustrated by Stuart MacBride in aid of the Million for a Morgue fund. Make your children giggle and give to charity at the same time – what could be more festive?
– Sarah, HarperFiction
Okay, this recommendation is more likely a gift for yourself than someone else, but if you think you’ll get a chance to get stuck into a new book series this Christmas, I’d HIGHLY recommend Anders de la Motte’s Game Trilogy (Book one: Game, Book two: Buzz, Book three: Bubble). When the submission came round toward the end of last year I became completely gripped and now that it’s finally published, I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know. Loads of twists and turns and just SO much fun.
– Katie S, HarperFiction
So many great books, I want to recommend them all as gifts! In fact, my bag is starting to resemble santa’s sack today, as I’m taking several home to wrap up myself!
My dad is an avid reader and basically inhales any book I give him. The Shardlake series is one of his favourites though, so I think he’ll really love the historical thrillers by S.J. Parris, featuring Giordano Bruno. As Treachery, the fourth in the series is out next year I’m going to give him the first three to get stuck into now (Prophesy, Heresy, and Sacrilege).
My sister is a huge fan of Homeland so I’m going to be wrapping up the prequel novel Homeland: Carrie’s Run, to help her fill the Homeland void in her life when the 3rd series comes to an end! Full of suspense and plot twists, this reads just like the TV-series and tells the compelling back story of some of the main characters. A brilliant read!
Finally, my mum has always been a big fan of Poirot, so I’m going to give her the beautiful Poirot box set, which features seven of Hercule Poirot’s very best cases, including a TV tie-in edition of the final book, Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case.
– Katie M, HarperFiction
For your sister:
The Shining Girls, by Lauren Beukes – the book that got everyone talking this year. Imaginative, powerful, shocking – and a gorgeously shiny addition to any Christmas stocking.
Hard to buy for men:
A Foreign Country, by Charles Cumming. I’ve given this book to loads of people (male and female), and it’s always been an absolute hit. A suspenseful, authentic spy thriller that won multiple awards – and it’s only £1.95 on Amazon. Insanely good value.
For crime thriller fanatics:
The Death Box by J.A. Kerley– you can’t go wrong with Kerley’s fantastic series featuring Detective Carson Ryder. Suspenseful, inventive, funny, terrifying, compelling – and I defy you not to fall a little bit in love with Carson.
– Kate, HarperFiction
