Blade of Hearts (Das Herzflorett), by Marica Bodrožić
Luchterhand Literaturverlag

Bodrožić brings together sensuous descriptions of nature with insightful, sometimes witty commentary on cultural differences in this lyrical coming of age story set between Yugoslavia and Germany and exploring cultural and generational differences

Reichskanzlerplatz (Reichskanzlerplatz), by Nora Bossong
Suhrkamp Verlag

Nominated for the German Book Prize 2024
A fictionalised retelling of the life of Magda Goebbels, Reichskanzlerplatz is an accomplished literary novel by poet and author Nora Bossong.

Billie: To Heaven on Wild Horses (BILLIE »Ich fliege Himmel an mit ungezähmten Pferden«), by Stefan Cordes
Penguin
A powerful debut by TV director/producer Stefan Cordes, Billie imagines two years in the life of Sibylla Schwarz, a little-known 17th-century poet.

Journey to Laredo (Reise Nach Laredo), by Arno Geiger
Carl Hanser

Nominated for the Austrian Book Prize 2024
Geiger takes ailing ruler Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (who died in 1558) on a fantastical journey to the Spanish seaside town of Laredo, where he hopes to fulfil a last wish: to bathe in the sea.

July, August, September (Juli, August, September), by Olga Grjasnowa
Hanser Berlin
Olga Grjasnowa’s latest novel delights with the author’s trademark cynicism and keen eye for observation, following one woman over the course of three months, as she questions not just her marriage and the tales passed down to her as family history, but also her own identity and purpose in life.

Martha and Her Kin (Martha und die Ihren), by Lukas Hartmann
Diogenes Verlag
Number 1 on Swiss best-seller lists
Based on the author’s own family history, Martha and Her Kin is a compelling work of historical fiction by one of Switzerland’s best-known novelists.

Deserted Nests (Verlassene Nester) by Patricia Hempel
Tropen
Nominated for the Alfred Döblin Prize 2023
This is a beautifully crafted queer coming of age story set against the backdrop of the early days of German reunification. It is 1992, and the aftershocks of German reunification are making themselves felt in the small town on the Elbe where Pilly lives. Unemployment is rife, and there are tensions between the townfolk and the new Viestnamese guest workers.

The Disappearing World (Das Verschwinden der Welt), by Lin Hierse
Piper Verlag
The second novel by Berlin-based author Lin Hierse, The Disappearance of the World is a highly evocative tale about the decline of an old Shanghai apartment block, spanning several decades from World War II up to the present day.

Midnight Blue Flowers (Nachtblaue Blumen), by Alexander Kamber
Limmat Verlag
Raw, moving and eerily plausible, Alexander Kamber’s second novel, Midnight Blue Flowers, is a striking tale that shines a light on the treatment of women deemed ‘hysterical’ at the fin de siècle.

I’m Not Coming Back (Ich komme nicht zurück), by Rasha Khayat
DuMont Verlag
Rasha Khayat’s I’m not coming back is a slim, poetic novel exploring friendship, racism and the words we leave unspoken, which will appeal to readers who enjoyed Zadie Smith’s NW and Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire.

The World Between the News (Die Welt zwischen den Nachrichten), by Judith Kuckart
DuMont Verlag
Shortlisted for the Wilhelm Raabe Literature Prize 2024
This latest book by Judith Kuckart is a playful and thought-provoking fictionalised memoir, which captures both Kuckart’s own biography and the socio-political cornerstones of the last sixty years.

The Hermit Crab (Unser Ole), by Katja Lange-Müller
Kiepenheuer & Witsch
An enjoyable yet sobering novel about motherhood, trauma and loneliness as we age, The Hermit Crab takes an unusual approach to themes that have long been popular in fiction.

Punk (Punk), by Eckhart Nickel
Piper
PUNK is the latest novel by German author and journalist Eckhart Nickel, whose previous book, Spitzweg, topped bestseller lists and was shortlisted for the German Book Prize. Set in Germany in the near future, PUNK is a satire-infused dystopia brimming with nostalgia and pop culture references.

The Penultimate Woman (Die vorletzte Frau), by Katja Oskamp
Ullstein Buchverlage
In concise prose that conveys deep emotions and explores a variety of complex themes, The Penultimate Woman is by turns light-hearted and quietly devastating, reminiscent of the autofiction of Rachel Cusk and Annie Ernaux.

It is only us (Es sind nur wir), by Martin Peichl
Haymon Verlag
A literary novel with elements of the surreal, It is only us by prize-winning Austrian author Martin Peichl is a reflection on grief and trauma through the eyes of a narrator whose grip on reality loosens as he gradually becomes a survivalist.

Sitting In The Thicket, Crying (Wir sitzen im Dickicht und weinen), by Felicitas Prokopetz
Eichborn
A multigenerational tale of motherhood and illness, Sitting in the Thicket, Crying is an exciting debut by rising talent Felicitas Prokopetz. Praised for its sensitive handling of complex family relationships, and a light touch that makes it enjoyable despite its weighty themes, this is an Austrian novel with a refreshing style and broad appeal.

Antichristie (Antichristie), by Mithu Sanyal
Hanser Verlag
Longlisted for German Book Prize 2024
A post-colonial reworking of classic British stories (Doctor Who, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes) that explores identity politics and the seeds of radicalisation while critiquing the established historical narrative written by the victor, Antichristie is a thought-provoking and imaginative novel with great relevance for today’s world.

Flicker in the Ear (Flimmern im Ohr), by Barbara Schibli
Kampa Verlag
Charting the course of one woman’s life within the context of broader sociopolitical change, Flicker in the Ear is a powerful reflection on whether idealism can be sustained, how we overcome challenges, and which forces – from music to protests to relationships – help shape our identity.

Everything in between, beyond (Alles dazwischen, darüber hinaus), by Maë Schwinghammer
Haymon Verlag
Everything in between, beyond by Maë Schwinghammer is an innovative and engaging literary autobiography, exploring themes of gender, neurodivergence, family and class.

When the Widow Wants Someone To Talk to Her, She Puts the Watering Can on the Grave with the Spout Facing Forward (Möchte die Witwe angesprochen werden, platziert sie auf dem Grab die Gießkanne mit dem Ausguss nach vorne), by Saša Stanišić
Luchterhand Literaturverlag

Filled with sharp observations, offbeat humour and a playful engagement with German poetic tradition, If The Widow Wishes is an inventive study of everyday lives on the fringes of society.

Happiness (Glück), by Jackie Thomae
Claassen
With well-developed characters and a nuanced structure, intriguing glances into the future and narrative quirks that subvert expectations, Jackie Thomae once again proves herself a consummate storyteller and observer of social issues.

The Most Beautiful Version (Die schönste Version), by Ruth-Maria Thomas
Rowohlt
Nominated for the German Book Prize 2024
The Most Beautiful Version by Ruth-Maria Thomas is a powerful and affecting debut exploring friendship, domestic violence, and coming of age in the early twenty-first century.

Dizzy (Schwindel), by Hengameh Yaghoobifarah
Blumenbar Verlag
Ava uses an intricate matrix to manage assignations with her three lovers, Robin, delia and Silvia. But it all falls apart one afternoon when she finds herself trapped on the roof of her apartment block with all of them.

Nothing New on the Western Front: a Muslim life between the Alps and the Hindu Kush (Vom Westen nichts Neues. Ein muslimisches Leben zwischen Alpen und Hindukusch), by Emran Feroz
C.H.Beck
Writer, war reporter and political commentator Emran Feroz takes the reader on a journey from his childhood to his professional life in this book which spans three decades and interweaves personal memories with the history and present-day situation of Afghanistan.

Hitler’s Interviews. The Dictator and the Journalists (Hitlers Interviews. Der Diktator und die Journalisten), by Lutz Hachmeister
Kiepenheuer & Witsch
Given the current rise in far-right ideology not just in Germany but across Europe and the USA, Hitler’s Interviews is a highly prescient read; Hachmeister draws explicit comparisons between his material and ongoing conversations about the role of social media, trolls and fake news in the political sphere.

Dawn of the New Era – The Dramatic 16th Century (Anbruch der neuen Zeit. Das dramatische 16. Jahrhundert), by Marina Münkler
Rowohlt · Berlin Verlag GmbH
Dawn of the New Era: The Dramatic 16th Century by academic and author Marina Münkler is an engaging new history of the sixteenth century. This work of popular non-fiction successfully decentralises Europe by foregrounding the interdependence of global empires, from the Ottoman Empire to the Aztecs.