PEOPLE Picks the 10 Best Debut Fiction Books of 2024

Mar. 15, 2025

‘Martyr!,’ ‘Housemates,’ ‘God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer’.Photo:Knopf; Hogarth; Grand Central Publishing

Knopf; Hogarth; Grand Central Publishing

Falling in love with a debut novel is always an exciting moment. Like skiing down an unmarred slope or diving into the mirror-like surface of a quiet lake, reading a new author for the first time can feel like striking out into deliciously uncharted territory.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!This year was an especially good one for fiction, with a number of debut novels topping bestseller lists and in the running for some of the top awards in literature. Here are 10 of our favorites debut writers to watch.

Falling in love with a debut novel is always an exciting moment. Like skiing down an unmarred slope or diving into the mirror-like surface of a quiet lake, reading a new author for the first time can feel like striking out into deliciously uncharted territory.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

This year was an especially good one for fiction, with a number of debut novels topping bestseller lists and in the running for some of the top awards in literature. Here are 10 of our favorites debut writers to watch.

01of 10

‘Martyr!’.

In 1988, the U.S. shot down an Iranian plane carrying 290 civilians. No one survived. Spinning dervish-like around this fact, Akbar’sNational Book Award-nominated debutis brimming with love, fury and wisdom. Protagonist Cyrus Shams — son of one of the passengers, poet and recovering alcoholic — is coming straight for your heart.

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02of 10

‘Housemates’.Hogarth

Hogarth

In this exceptional, keenly observed meditation on art and love, queer roomies Bernie and Leah embark on a road trip through Pennsylvania. Along the way, photographer Bernie and journalist Leah document their travels in post-COVID America after Donald Trump’s first term.

03of 10

‘God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer’.Grand Central Publishing

Grand Central Publishing

A Black former Army medic is toiling as an EMS worker while studying for his doctorate — and just trying to survive in Philly — despite all the odds stacked against him. This lyrical treat will stick with you long after the last page.

04of 10

‘Honey’.Celadon Books

Celadon Books

05of 10

The Ministry of Time.Avid Reader Press; Simon & Schuster

Avid Reader Press; Simon & Schuster

This romp of a spy thriller-meets-romance sees a civil servant help a time traveler from 1847 adjust to the modern world. But as sparks begin to ignite between them, they soon begin to question the program that united them.

06of 10

‘Ours’.Viking

Viking

In this captivating, complex debut, a conjurer named Saint frees enslaved Black people from plantations and establishes Ours, a town she makes invisible to protect its inhabitants. But when two strangers arrive, the once-invincible conjurer’s powers weaken, leaving the town in danger.

07of 10

‘The Storm We Made’.S&S; Marysue Rucci Books

S&S; Marysue Rucci Books

In this gripping spy novel, Cecily Alcantara, a housewife in British-colonized Malaya, meets General Fujiwara, who leads her toward a life of espionage. A decade later, Cecily’s family is in danger because of her actions, and she must do whatever it takes to save them.

08of 10

‘The Husbands’.Doubleday

Doubleday

Lauren comes home from a night out to discover her attic is offering her an unlimited supply of husbands. Over and over, she tries them out and sends them back after discovering some small (or not-so-small) flaw with each of them. The story is twisty, fast-paced and absolutely hilarious. Come for the premise, stay for the discussion-worthy ending.

09of 10

Shanghailanders.Spiegel & Grau

Spiegel & Grau

This time-traveling novel follows the Yang family from 2040 to 2014 and across three continents. It follows the wealthy Shanghai real estate investor Leo Yang, his posh Japanese-French wife, Eko, and their children Yumi, Yoko and Kiko as they deal with a climate disaster, quibbles that come to feel monumental and much more. A gorgeous, resonant novel that balances a peek into the future with the urgency of the present moment.

10of 10

‘Hombrecito’.Riverhead Books

Riverhead Books

source: people.com