My usual monthly look at some forthcoming titles.

Essie Fox, The Somnambulist

A Victorian-set ‘gothic mystery’. I like a good old spooky story; this could well be worth a look.

Rachel Genn, The Cure

An Irish builder, now based in London, finds himself in a police cell, beaten up, with no memory of what happened, and (I infer from the synopsis) discovers secrets about his life. Intriguing.

China Miéville, Embassytown

After several novels with a London setting, Miéville is heading back to more exotic fantastical territory with this one. I’ll be interested to see how that works out.

Adam Nevill, The Ritual

I loved Banquet for the Damned, Nevill’s debut novel, when I read it a few years ago. It had a strong sense of place and atmosphere; this new book is set more in the wilderness, and I really think the author could do something great with that kind of backdrop.

Katie Ward, Girl Reading

This sounds an unusual debut — a series of linked novellas about the painting of portraits of girls and women reading, moving through history into the near future.

Luke Williams, The Echo Chamber

I’ve been intrigued by the sound of this novel, about a woman who can hear everything, and remember what she’s heard, ever since I first learnt about it — and still am.

Alexi Zentner, Touch

Sounds like a novel with the atmosphere of a fairy tale, set in the Canadian wilderness.