38 in ’15

Books
A guide to the best books coming out in the first half of 2015

The new year promises to be an excellent one for readers of all varieties. Here are 38 titles to look for at your local library and bookstore in the first six months of 2015.

JANUARY
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: An emotionally unwell woman must figure out if what she saw was real after a woman she spies from a train goes missing.

Marching Home: Union Veterans and Their Unending Civil War by Brian Matthew Jordan: Jordan discusses the tragic lives, wounds, and treatment of Civil War soldiers following the conclusion of the war.

Almost Famous Women by Megan Mayhew Bergman: Amazing short stories about the less-famous relatives or partners of celebrities, each given the spotlight for one brief moment.

Inside a Silver Box by Walter Mosley: The author of the Easy Rawlins mystery series delves into sci-fi again with a novel about two people brought together to fight an alien race.

Arrows of Rain by Okey Ndibe: The novel follows the investigation of a young woman’s drowning amid corruption and political strife in Madia, based on the author’s native country, Nigeria.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven: Two unhappy teens find love and happiness amid peer pressure, tragedy, and problems at home.

The Jaguar’s Children by John Vaillant: A Mexican abandoned in the back of a locked truck by a smuggler while trying to cross the border tells the story of his family as his time — and air — runs out.

FEBRUARY
After Birth by Elisa Albert: A humorous, slightly dark novel about life as a new mother.

Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman: A collection of new short stories from Mr. Amanda Palmer.

Single, Carefree, Mellow by Katherine Heiny: An astonishing debut collection of stories.

Fram by Steve Himmer: A minor bureaucrat tasked with inventing discoveries in the Arctic is sent on an actual secret mission.

Welcome to Bragsville by T. Geronimo Johnson: College students stage a protest during a Civil War reenactment.

Get in Trouble by Kelly Link: The queen of strange short stories does it again with her best collection yet.

Satin Island by Tom McCarthy: A corporate anthropologist must write a daunting report about everything pertaining to the present era.

Canary by Duane Swierczynski: A college student turned accidental police informant ends up on the run from the bad guys.

Find Me by Laura van den Berg: People who are immune from a flu epidemic sweeping the U.S. are housed and studied in an old psychiatric hospital.

MARCH
An Exaggerated Murder by Josh Cook: A very smart detective must decide what to make of some very stupid clues in a missing persons investigation.

Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed edited by Meghan Daum: Essays from 16 writers on their decision not to have children.

Delicious Foods by James Hannaham: A young boy searches for his mother, who went missing after the unforeseen death of her husband.

The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter: The search for women missing from a Victorian asylum.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro: His first novel since “Never Let Me Go” hit shelves in 2005!

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson: Another outstanding book from the author of “The Devil in the White City.”

Hammer Head by Nina MacLaughlin: The true story of an English major who applied to be a carpenter’s assistant.

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson: This should be required reading for anyone who uses social media.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara: Eight words: Buy this as soon as it comes out.

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley: A girl who is allergic to air spies a spaceship in the sky.

APRIL
Gutshot by Amelia Gray: Short stories from a fantastic writer.

The Dig by Cynan Jones: Pitched as “Cormac McCarthy meets Marilynne Robinson.” Yes, please.

God Help the Child by Toni Morrison: A student makes allegations against a teacher.

The Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy: Lewis and Clarke explore America after the apocalypse, in hopes of saving the country.

I Refuse by Per Petterson: The “Out Stealing Horses” author’s first novel in five years!

MAY
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson: The sequel to “Life After Life,” centered around Ursula’s brother, Teddy.

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi: A water cutter gathers water for the rich in the drought-filled American Southwest of the future.

The Scarlet Gospels by Clive Barker: Rumors of this book from the horror-master have existed for years — now it’s finally happening!

The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard: A young boy and his family are driven from their home into the Warsaw Ghetto.

JUNE
Saint Mazie by Jami Attenberg: A wonderful novel based on a real woman in New York City who helped those down on their luck during the Great Depression.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik: An amazing fairy tale like no other — this is an epic nerdpurr.

Liberty Hardy works at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth and is a contributing editor for Book Riot (bookriot.com). She lives in Kittery, Maine.