PEOPLE’s Best Books of December 2024: New Fiction from Marianne Cronin, Terri Parlato and More

Mar. 15, 2025

A selection of PEOPLE’s best books of December 2024.

A May-December friendship, a gripping marital mystery and self-improvement for the new year — plus new celebrity books — here are PEOPLE’s picks for the best books of December.

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When 90-year-old charity shop volunteer Eddie meets 24-year-old Bella, she’s grieving her boyfriend’s death, and he’s pining for a long-lost woman he never even got to kiss. As their intergenerational friendship blooms, Bella’s sorrow lessens, and Eddie’s hope begins to sparks. Before long, both are determined for Eddie to finally find love. A sweetly romantic read that makes you believe it’s never too late to open your heart. —Caroline Leavitt

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In the opening pages, a blinded man is trapped in a hospital bed, terrified that his wife is coming to finish the job. As the narrative jumps back three weeks to menacing and unexplained events, suspects multiply and red herrings abound. A deliciously twisty adventure. —Robin Micheli

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Start your year off on a transformative note with what the wildly popular motivational speaker calls her “ultimate self-help book.” It lays out a four-step process to help handle negative feelings like anger or self-judgment with compassion and curiosity in an approachable way.

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Kai wakes up with amnesia in a strange land populated with unrecognizable beasts, rampant sickness and a village blacksmith who annoys and titillates her in equal measure. This novel is action-packed, rich with witty banter and perfect for fans ofSarah J. Maas,Rebecca Yarrosand stories that straddle mystery, romance and fantasy. If you’ve never experienced those combined genres, start with thisromantasyfrom the author ofWhat Never Happened.

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It’s hard to catch a break in L.A. Zoe works at a flower shop after her first novel tanked, but when she starts dating a rising star, buzz for it builds. Soon someone mysterious begins stalking her with violence pulled from its plot. A dark, witty romp that nails toxic celebrity culture. —Robin Micheli

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In 1805, the tenacious widow behind Veuve Clicquot fights to protect her business while modern-day Natalie finds inspiration in her published journals when a postdivorce trip to Paris takes a shocking turn. Pop some bubbly— this fun, fizzy novel is delicious.

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BenBella Books

Jennifer Love Hewittreflects on love, life and grief, including the death of her mother from cancer, in this new book, centered on the joy of celebrating life’s small occasions. A warm, much-needed read for this time of year.

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Flatiron Books

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Henry Holt and Co.

Anyone who’s been involved with someone who wasn’t very nice to them will get chills of recognition from this stylish debut. Fortunately, Moss gives protagonist Enola not just a bad boyfriend but also a best friend, Ruth, who won’t give up on her. We all need one of those in our lives. —Marion Winik

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Vintage

“I find it easier to come up with theories of murder than to sort out my own crap,” admits Manhattan detective Claudia Lin. She makes headway in both arenas — while also investigating a dating app’s deceptive practices — in this smart, wry and rollicking follow-up to 2022’sThe Verifiers. —Kim Hubbard

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When a petty robbery escalated into a brutal murder in 1953, the beautiful but troubled Barbara Graham found herself at the center of a media circus. She was painted as a villainous femme fatale, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. In this gripping account, author and lawyer Marcia Clark — who also prosecuted O.J. Simpson — lays out her own investigation of the case.

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The spectacular sunsets at the Royal Karnak Palace hotel in Luxor, Egypt, are one of many things Maggie Burkhardt, 81, loves about her late-pandemic hideout. But her sweet-old-lady act doesn’t fool mischievous Otto, 8. This destination thriller is perfect forWhite Lotusfans. —Marion Winik

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In a 1967 Alabama town at the tail-end of the civil rights movement, Katia Daniels runs a boys’ home. Her twin brother’s disappearance in Vietnam and a crisis with one of her wards force her to accept assistance from an old friend. A story of loss, community and hope. —Wadzanai Mhute

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Adam’s ghostwriting job gets a little too literal when he has to write the late Roland’s story with the help of his ghost. When sparks fly, things get messy. Delightfully original.

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This propulsive novel spans 40 post-apocalyptic years as it explores the power of a mother’s love, humanity’s drive toward survival and whether we’re really stronger together.

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When a couple weds, they also marry their in-laws. On vacations with their very different parents, Keru, a Chinese American consultant, and her White professor spouse, Nate, find they can’t escape their polar-opposite upbringings. Her frugal immigrant parents bring their own food, and Nate’s meddlesome mom harangues her son about his career and her desperation for a grandchild. A humorous, insightful take on marriage, ambition, race and class. —Andy Abrahams

source: people.com