Home
Discover
Articles
New paperbacks to read in 2026

New paperbacks to read in 2026

min read

··

We love a hardback as much as the next person – especially a beautiful special edition, complete with a gorgeous cover or illustrated endpapers. But we can’t deny that paperbacks are slightly easier to carry around on a day-to-day basis: they’re more lightweight, less chunky, and fit snugly inside a handbag – or even a coat pocket.

Paperbacks also make for excellent Christmas gifts (especially if you’re stuck on a tricky Secret Santa…). That’s why we’ve compiled the below guide to the best paperbacks out in 2026, from gripping crime thrillers and award-winning debuts, to bestselling romance fiction and thought-provoking memoirs. There’s something for every reader on our list below

Crime, mystery and thriller

The Predicament by William Boyd

Few writers do espionage fiction quite like William Boyd. In his latest thriller, the travel writer-turned-reluctant spy Gabriel Dax is pulled from investigating political unrest in Guatemala to a chilling assassination plot in Cold War Berlin. Smart, atmospheric and utterly absorbing, this is suspense fiction layered with history, moral ambiguity and impeccable storytelling.

Read it if you like: Gabriel’s Moon, The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth, Cold War spy fiction.

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell has become the master of the ‘just one more chapter’ psychological thriller, and Don’t Let Him In is no exception. With a premise built around a seemingly perfect man who slowly reveals himself to be anything but, this is classic Jewell territory: psychologically sharp, deeply unsettling and impossible to put down. We recommend it to anyone who loves domestic suspense with flawed but fascinating characters.

Read it if you like: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell, domestic thrillers, The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club is back, just in time for your summer reading list. This latest outing finds Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim pulled into another entertaining investigation involving a missing wedding guest, an uncrackable code and a tech villain who means business. Warm, witty and endlessly readable, Richard Osman’s mysteries remain the gold standard for readers who want clever crime fiction with humour, heart and characters they’d happily spend the festive season with.

Read it if you like: The Thursday Murder Club series, clever ensemble mysteries, The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen.

The Ghosts of Rome by Joseph O'Connor

For readers who like their thrillers with a rich historical atmosphere, The Ghosts of Rome is our go-to recommendation. Set in Nazi-occupied Rome, this gripping wartime novel follows a resistance network risking everything to smuggle refugees to safety while danger closes in on all sides. Tense, cinematic and packed with intrigue, this thriller balances page-turning suspense with the emotional weight of real history.

Read it if you like: My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor, wartime espionage, high-stakes historical thrillers.

The Lizard by LJ Ross

In this addictive thriller, set against Cornwall’s dramatic coastline, a luxury yacht goes under and there’s only one survivor: a man who has lost his memory. Who is he, and why does his presence feel dangerous to local restaurant owner Bryher Enys? The latest novel in L J Ross’ Summer Suspense series combines fast-paced storytelling with romance, humour and dark twists. It’s a strong choice for readers who want something immersive and easy to devour over a weekend.

Read it if you like: coastal mysteries, LJ Ross’ DCI Ryan Mysteries, twisty crime fiction with heart.

Romance

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Emily Henry has built a large and loyal fanbase with her comforting love stories, and Great Big Beautiful Life is no exception. The story sees rival writers Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson compete for the chance to write the biography of a reclusive heiress. Expect sexual chemistry, a balmy island setting, and Emily Henry’s signature wit, combined with more intrigue than her other novels. In short: it’s a compelling read that will entertain Emily Henry loyalists and newcomers alike.

Read it if you like: Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay, Carley Fortune, enemies-to-lovers romances.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid rarely does small emotions, and Atmosphere is no exception. Set against the 1980s space shuttle programme, this sweeping novel follows astronaut Joan Goodwin as ambition, heartbreak and an unexpected love story reshape everything she thought she knew about her future. If your ideal romance comes with emotional devastation, high-stakes love and far-flung destinations, this is an essential addition to your paperback pile.

Read it if you like: Orbital by Samantha Harvey, Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, ambitious women chasing extraordinary lives.

Love Galaxy by Sierra Branham

A reality dating show set in space, with political rebellion and contestants mysteriously dying? Love Galaxy fully commits to the chaos. Temmi enters an inter-galactic reality show and falls not for the prince she’s meant to woo, but for his off-limits sister. Funny, flirty and refreshingly bonkers, this sci-fi rom-com offers a great palate cleanser if your reading stack needs something light, dramatic and wildly entertaining.

Read it if you like: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, forbidden romances, stories that span different genres.

The Open Era by Edward Schmit

Sports romances are having a moment (see: Heated Rivalry and Off Campus), and The Open Era earns its place in the game. When openly gay tennis star Austin Hardy finds himself drawn to his opponent Diego Cruz, their chemistry is second only to their professional rivalry. Sharp, sexy and packed with high emotional stakes, this is a fast-paced paperback you’ll race through in a couple of sittings. It’s also one of our best new romances of 2026.

Read it if you like: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Heated Rivalry, rivals who absolutely should not be flirting.

Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

More than a decade after it became a publishing phenomenon, Fifty Shades of Grey returns in paperback for a new generation of readers (and perhaps a few nostalgic re-reads). E. L. James’ blockbuster follows literature student Anastasia Steele as she’s drawn into an intense relationship with the enigmatic Christian Grey, discovering new desires alongside the secrets he keeps carefully hidden. Few romance novels have had quite this level of cultural impact; Fifty Shades of Grey was the blueprint for the current dark romance trend. For more information, check out our beginner's guide to dark romance.

Read it if you like: Bared to You by Sylvia Day, steamy romances, Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence.

Romantasy

Silvercloak by L. K. Steven

Silvercloak has all the ingredients of a standout romantasy: revenge, undercover missions, and slow-burn yearning. Saffron lies her way into an elite detective academy, hiding her ulterior motive of avenging her murdered parents. But when her cover is blown, she’s forced to infiltrate the criminal underworld she’s spent years trying to destroy. Add rival gangs, a dark prophecy and inconvenient feelings for the enemy’s son, and you’ve got a deliciously tense fantasy packed with betrayal and high emotional stakes.

Read it if you like: Fourth Wing, enemies-to-lovers tension, Riftborne by Bree Grenwich and Parker Lennox.

Thief of Night by Holly Black

Holly Black excels at writing sharp, dark fantasy with bite. In Thief of Night, former con artist Charlie Hall is back, still entangled in a dangerous magical world where she is indebted to the corrupt Cabal that trapped her boyfriend. As Charlie takes on her latest assignment, she is forced to choose between protecting her partner and saving herself. This is a compelling read for those who like their fiction twisty, emotionally messy and laced with morally grey magic.

Read it if you like: Book of Night by Holly Black, The Magisterium series, flawed heroines.

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

An arranged marriage to a stranger, monsters roaming the realm, and a princess discovering just how dangerous she can become? Shield of Sparrows fully understands the romantasy assignment. Princess Odessa Cross is sent off to marry Prince Zavier, the ruler of a rival kingdom, and must travel to a perilous land where myths turn out to be terrifyingly real. Sweeping, dramatic and with a strong heroine at its heart, this immersive fantasy book is a guaranteed dose of escapism.

Read it if you like: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, slow-burn romance, monster-filled fantasy.

Features

The best books out in October

Discover more new releases in hardback and paperback with our roundup of the best books out this month

Read here

Contemporary fiction

Confessions by Catherine Airey

One of the most talked-about debuts of last year, Confessions transports readers from post-9/11 New York to the wild coast of Ireland, where a young woman uncovers the hidden story of her family. Catherine Airey’s ambitious novel spans generations, weaving grief, mystery and long-buried secrets into a richly told story that’s hard to put down.

Read it if you like: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray, multi-generational family dramas, emotionally layered literary debuts.

Sunstruck by William Rayfet Hunter

Few paperbacks are more immersive and atmospheric than Sunstruck. Opening amid the heat and opulence of the south of France before shifting to London, William Rayfet Hunter’s gripping debut explores desire, race and status through the intense relationship between two young men. Stylish, sharp and simmering with tension, Sunstruck is dangerously easy to finish in a day or two.

Read it if you like: Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, queer fiction, Open, Heaven by Sean Hewitt.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

Lila Kennedy’s life is quietly falling apart: her marriage is over, her house is crumbling, her career is stalling and now the father who abandoned her decades ago has reappeared. Jojo Moyes handles family chaos with her usual warmth and wit, balancing emotional honesty with plenty of humour in a story about forgiveness, friendship and what it really means to be a family. The result is a comforting and emotionally satisfying paperback that makes for a great read.

Read it if you like: Grown Ups by Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella, family dramas with heart.

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

Ocean Vuong returns with another achingly beautiful novel, this time centred on an unlikely bond between 19-year-old Hai and an elderly widow living with dementia. The Emperor of Gladness explores loneliness, chosen family, memory and second chances with extraordinary tenderness. Heartbreaking, heartwarming and quietly powerful, this is one to savour rather than rush.

Read it if you like: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak, novels about human connection.

Non-fiction and memoir

Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy’s memoir begins with grief but quickly becomes something far bigger: a reckoning with freedom, family, identity and the extraordinary woman who shaped her life. Written with the emotional force and intellectual clarity readers expect from the Booker Prize-winning author, Mother Mary Comes to Me explores Roy’s famously complex relationship with her mother in all its contradictions.

Read it if you like: Educated by Tara Westover, memoirs about complex families, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

The Finest Hotel in Kabul by Lyse Doucet

Foreign correspondent Lyse Doucet charts the recent history of Afghanistan through the story of one remarkable hotel: the Inter-Continental in Kabul. Drawing on her decades of reporting from the hotel, Doucet sheds a light on the lives of the staff and guests who have lived through war, occupation and political upheaval, within its walls. Richly immersive and deeply humane, this is history told compassionately through the people who experienced it, making global events feel vividly personal.

Read it if you like: Revolusi by David Van Reybrouck, political non-fiction, books that bring history to life through individual stories.

How to Talk to AI by Jamie Bartlett

Whether you use AI daily or still approach it with suspicion, Jamie Bartlett’s timely new book makes a compelling case for at least understanding the technology already reshaping modern life. Blending practical advice with bigger questions about manipulation, productivity, and trust, How to Talk to AI is accessible, thought-provoking and genuinely useful without an ounce of doom-mongering.

Read it if you like: The People vs Tech by Jamie Bartlett, Empire of AI by Karen Hao, non-fiction about technology.

Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood

A memoir from Margaret Atwood was always going to be a literary event. Book of Lives traces her unconventional childhood in the forests of Quebec through to her creative life, political awakenings and the real experiences that shaped some of her most iconic novels. Warm, witty and full of sharp observations, it offers a fascinating look inside one of literature’s boldest imaginations, while still feeling deeply personal.

Read it if you like: literary memoirs, A Writer’s Diary by Virginia Woolf, Manifesto by Bernardine Evaristo.

Love in Exile by Shon Faye

Shon Faye’s Love in Exile asks a deceptively simple question: who gets to feel truly loved, and why are so many of us convinced we fall outside of that definition? Drawing on her own experiences of heartbreak, addiction and longing as a trans woman, Faye explores how consumer culture, politics and social norms shape our ideas of love far beyond romance. Wise, provocative and deeply compassionate, this read will change how you think about both yourself and the world around you.

Read it if you like: The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye, Dead and Alive by Zadie Smith, feminist cultural criticism.

Discover more new releases in hardback and paperback with our roundup of the best books out this month

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more

By signing up, I confirm that I'm over 16. To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, including for our recommendations, please visit our Privacy Policy.

New paperbacks to read in 2026

Crime, mystery and thriller

21 books to read on holiday in 2026

7 small habits to help you read more this year

The best books out in October

Romance

Romantasy

New romance books to read in 2026

30 must-read romantasy books and series

Ask Penguin: What is a must-read book to make me laugh? With Bryony Gordon

The best books out in October

Contemporary fiction

Non-fiction and memoir

New autobiography books and memoirs to read this year

New historical fiction books to read now

The Penguin books that shaped us

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter

The best books out in October

New romance books to read in 2026

21 books to read on holiday in 2026

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter