The January 2025 Indie Next List Preview

Here are the 25 Indie Next List and 6 Now in Paperback picks on the January 2025 Indie Next List flier.

The January title list is also viewable as a collection on Edelweiss and on the Indie Next List page as an Excel file alongside PDFs for the month’s flier and shelf-talker templates. Learn more and visit Matchbook Marketing’s program page to sign up to send the free Indie Next List e-newsletter to customers.

Additionally, to mark the start of the new month, the December Indie Next List picks are available as a flier, along with past lists, on the Indie Next List page on BookWeb.org.      

The 25 January Indie Next List Picks

#1 Pick: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls: A Novel
By Grady Hendrix
(Berkley, 9780593548981, $30, Jan. 14, Horror)
“A beautifully haunting, thought-provoking story about societal views and motherhood that dabbles with witchcraft. There are moments where you laugh, feel scared, and even cry. That’s the beauty of this book: everything comes with a price.”
—Caylee Wilson, Midtown Reader, Tallahassee, FL

The Three Lives of Cate Kay: A Novel
By Kate Fagan
(Atria Books, 9781668076217, $27.99, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Rarely do I care so intensely about characters in a suspense novel, but The Three Lives of Cate Kay provides mystery with hope and redemption. With characters that you connect with and grow to love, I’ll be recommending it to everyone!”
—Tammy Watkins, The Village Bookseller, Mount Pleasant, SC

Water Moon: A Novel
By Samantha Sotto Yambao
(Del Rey, 9780593724996, $28.99, Jan. 14, Fantasy)
“This delectable treat of a book is a triumph of worldbuilding. Around every corner is a charming, creative new detail of how Hana — a pawnbroker who deals in choices — and her world work. Perfect for a cozy read by the fire.”
—Victoria Ford, Comma, a Bookshop, Minneapolis, MN

What Happened to the McCrays?: A Novel
By Tracey Lange
(Celadon Books, 9781250328434, $28.99, Jan. 14, Fiction)
“Another wonderful novel by Tracey Lange, the addictive story of a couple rediscovering love after a tragedy upended their relationship. Readers will have empathy for good-hearted Casey and Kyle, and the novel’s ties with hockey add appeal.”
—Chris Stuckenschneider, Neighborhood Reads, Washington, MO

The Favorites: A Novel
By Layne Fargo
(Random House, 9780593732045, $28, Jan. 14, Fiction)
“I loved everything about this exhilarating novel. I raced through this epic love story set within the demanding, cutthroat world of competitive ice dancing filled with fascinating characters and all the drama we love both on and off the ice.”
—Anderson McKean, Page and Palette, Fairhope, AL

Beautiful Ugly: A Novel
By Alice Feeney
(Flatiron Books, 9781250337788, $28.99, Jan. 14, Thriller)
“The queen of twist does it again! This book exceeded my expectations. The story is packed with tension and unexpected twists that kept me up all night. Feeney does such a great job weaving suspense with character drama.”
—Chelsea Praznik, Nacho Mama’s Bookshop, Hamilton, MI

Good Girl: A Novel
By Aria Aber
(Hogarth, 9780593731116, $29, Jan. 14, Fiction)
“Fans of Ocean Vuong and Kaveh Akbar, take note. Aria Aber’s bright coming-of-age novel centers a young woman grieving her mother, falling into a dangerous romance, and navigating the push and pull as the German-born daughter of Afghan immigrants.”
—Laurel Rhame, Phoenix Books, Essex Junction, VT

Rosarita: A Novel
By Anita Desai
(Scribner, 9781668082430, $22, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Approached by a tricky stranger, Bonita reluctantly embarks on a haunting and unpredictable stumble through a strange city and through her mother’s past. For fans of Laura van den Berg and Yoko Ogawa, this novella reads like a fever dream.”
—Ellen Woodall, Blacksburg Books, Blacksburg, VA

More or Less Maddy: A Novel
By Lisa Genova
(Gallery/Scout Press, 9781668026168, $28.99, Jan. 14, Fiction)
“Lisa Genova pulled me into Maddy’s compelling story, and left me with a better understanding of the challenges someone with bipolar disorder faces. A fascinating read! Highly recommend.”
—Angela Sides, Monkey and Dog Books, Fort Worth, TX

North Is the Night: Deluxe Limited Edition
By Emily Rath
(Erewhon Books, 9781645662204, $30, Dec. 17, Fantasy)
“North Is the Night is heart-pounding on every level. The worlds of Finnish gods and goddesses and mortals collide and from the ashes of the epic battle rise our heroes, Siiri and Aina. I can’t wait to see where these fierce feminists take us next.”
—Mary O'Malley, Skylark Bookshop, Columbia, MO

I'll Come to You: A Novel
By Rebecca Kauffman
(Counterpoint, 9781640096714, $26, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Rebecca Kauffman is a master of the small, quiet moment. I’ll Come to You is the story of a year in the life of a family. Her characters change and grow and fight and feel deep sorrow and love. I’ll read everything Kauffman writes.”
—Margaret Leonard, Dotters Books, Eau Claire, WI

Sweet Fury: A Novel
By Sash Bischoff
(Simon & Schuster, 9781668043257, $27.99, Jan. 7, Thriller)
“Sweet Fury is sure to please readers who want a solid, twisty, character-driven thriller with a film industry background. Obsessive love, misogyny, deceit, revenge — this carefully crafted, well-written debut has it all. Dig in.”
—Kathy Mailloux, East City Bookshop, Washington, DC

Death in the Downline: A Multi-Level Marketing Murder Mystery
By Maria Abrams
(Quirk Books, 9781683694144, $18.99, Paperback, Jan. 14, Mystery)
“I absolutely loved this twisty thriller! Centered in the world of a women’s beauty brand multi-level marketing company, this book had me guessing from the get-go and made me laugh out loud more times than I can count. An incredibly strong debut!”
—Val Partenheimer, Books Are Awesome!, Parker, CO

The Naming of the Birds: A Novel
By Paraic O'Donnell
(Tin House Books, 9781963108033, $28.95, Jan. 7, Mystery)
“Soulfully Sherlockian, with skillfully delineated characters, The Naming of the Birds susurrates easefully into deeper mystery like an enchanted spool of thread through a darkling wood. This is mesmerizing, transporting historical fiction.”
—Amanda Qassar, Warwick’s, La Jolla, CA

The Heart of Winter: A Novel
By Jonathan Evison
(Dutton, 9780593473542, $28, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“The best stories are about ordinary people living ordinary lives and The Heart of Winter is one of the best. The characters are your friends, neighbors, family, and you. It’s about the joy and hardships of our lives. This is a timeless story.”
—Susan Hildebrandt, Edmonds Bookshop, Edmonds, WA

The Note: A Novel
By Alafair Burke
(Knopf, 9780593537084, $29, Jan. 7, Thriller)
“A long overdue girl’s weekend is upended when a seemingly random stranger goes missing. Old rivalries, distant connections, and very real deaths seem unrelated…at first. In this very well-crafted novel, Alafair Burke is at the top of her game.”
—Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books & Café, Wichita, KS

Playworld: A Novel
By Adam Ross
(Knopf, 9780385351294, $29, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Playworld follows the life of teenager Griffin Hurt as he navigates the alluring, contradictory, and dangerous territories of 1980s New York and the adults who shape his life. Immersive and uncompromising, Playworld will break your heart.”
—Matt Nixon, A Cappella Books, Atlanta, GA

The Perfect Home: A Novel
By Daniel Kenitz
(Scribner, 9781668063873, $17.99, Paperback, Jan. 7, Thriller)
“The Perfect Home delivers two characters with seemingly perfect lives, then upends the story in the most diabolical fashion. If you are looking for an addictive novel, you have found the perfect prescription for a thriller that delivers!”
—Pamela Klinger-Horn, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN

All the Water in the World: A Novel
By Eiren Caffall
(St. Martin’s Press, 9781250353528, $29, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Cli-fi does one of two things for me: immediate onset panic symptoms, or a slight lessening of the ever-present climate doom. This book does the latter. Like Mister Rogers, Eiren Caffall gifts us with a propulsive and lyric story sounding in love.”
—Jennifer Carney, Sidetrack Bookshop, Royal Oak, MI

The Lost House: A Novel
By Melissa Larsen
(Minotaur Books, 9781250332875, $28, Jan. 14, Thriller)
“In trying to uncover old family secrets, Agnes Glin travels to Iceland. She will have to live with the answers that may be revealed. The frigid setting will have you reaching for a blanket and the dark, suspenseful story will keep you turning pages.”
—Betsy Von Kerens, The Bookworm of Omaha, Omaha, NE

The Business Trip: A Novel
By Jessie Garcia
(St. Martin’s Press, 9781250364418, $29, Jan. 14, Thriller)
“This story of two strangers meeting on a plane is full of suspense from start to finish. I read a lot of thrillers and I could not put this one down!”
—Marilyn Negip, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, CT

The Lotus Shoes: A Novel
By Jane Yang
(Park Row, 9780778310679, $28.99, Jan. 7, Historical Fiction)
“A suspenseful novel, The Lotus Shoes follows Linjing and her maidservant Little Flower in 19th-century China. As the two struggle to define their own relationship, they are caught between old traditions and their desire for freedom. Completely absorbing!”
—Janet Hutchison, The Open Door Bookstore, Schenectady, NY

Mothers and Sons: A Novel
By Adam Haslett
(Little, Brown and Company, 9780316574716, $29, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Adam Haslett writes interior lives like no one else. When Peter, an asylum lawyer in New York, meets a young immigrant forced to flee his homeland because he is gay, it throws Peter’s world into chaos and forces a reckoning between mother and son.”
—Sarah Brown, Zenith Bookstore, Duluth, MN

Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love: A Novel
By Marianne Cronin
(Harper Perennial, 9780063383517, $18.99, Paperback, Dec. 31, Fiction)
“Marianne Cronin writes her characters with such love and thoughtfulness. From Eddie’s sense of style to his kindness towards Pushkin, you fall in love with Eddie and only wish the best for him. Another winner from Cronin!”
—Sara Rishforth, Roundabout Books, Bend, OR

Hello Stranger: Musings on Modern Intimacies
By Manuel Betancourt
(Catapult, 9781646222292, $27, Jan. 14, Social Science)
“This examination of belonging, vulnerability, privacy, and modern courtship puts into words those feelings that can be too painful to voice. Betancourt’s expansive definition of friendship and intimacy is salient in this time of division and loss.”
—Viktor Hughes, Loudmouth Books, Indianapolis, IN

The 6 Now in Paperback Titles

The Fetishist: A Novel
By Katherine Min
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593713679, $19, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“The Fetishist is an exploration of serious emotions, accompanied by a degree of absurdity and humor. Min expertly highlights the female Asian American experience of being fetishized with unforgiving, razor-sharp prose.”
—Stuart McCommon, Interabang Books, Dallas, TX

Martyr!: A Novel
By Kaveh Akbar
(Vintage, 9780593685778, $18, Dec. 31, Fiction)
“Kaveh Akbar is a major new voice in American literature and Martyr! is his tour de force. In a mix of penetrating insight and profoundly funny stories, this entertaining and moving tale holds a mirror up to our society.”
—Casey Protti, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

The Mystery Guest: A Maid Novel
By Nita Prose
(Ballantine Books, 9780593356203, $18, Dec. 31, Mystery)
“Molly is back with another entertaining mystery to solve at the Regency Grand Hotel. This time, a famous author is under scrutiny, featuring a pack of rabid fans and a peek into Molly’s past. Pour a nice cup of tea and enjoy Molly’s next case!”
—Jenny Stroyeck, The Homer Bookstore, Homer, AK

None of This Is True: A Novel
By Lisa Jewell
(Atria Books, 9781982179014, $18, Jan. 7, Thriller)
“None of This Is True is the best Lisa Jewell yet. The action is nonstop and builds suspense from the first page. You think you have it figured out, then she wows you. She’s outdone herself on this one.”
— Margaret Holdman, The Bookhouse, Cameron Park, CA

The Reformatory: A Novel
By Tananarive Due
(S&S/Saga Press, 9781982188351, $19.99, Jan. 7, Horror)
“The Reformatory had me on the edge of my seat, in sheer terror throughout. While there are definitely ghosts in this one, it’s not the ghosts that’ll scare you — it’s the living. Fenton Haddock is a character that will haunt your dreams.”
—John Cauley, The Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops, Doylestown, PA

Yellowface: A Novel
By R. F. Kuang
(William Morrow Paperbacks, 9780063250857, $18.99, Jan. 7, Fiction)
“Equal parts modern satire, indictment of the publishing industry, and twisted ghost story, R. F. Kuang’s first foray into literary fiction pulls no punches and will have you reading late into the night.”
—Abby Bennsky, Old Town Books, Alexandria, VA