By Chloe Brown, Laila Hulatt, Faith Manalili Megan Levick and Mollie Boardman
With September in full swing and the cold air creeping in, we have chosen to take a closer look at bookshops’ autumnal reads for 2024. We are sharing highlights from bookshops across the UK, whether that be inspiration for your reading list, ideas for getting out of the cold by browsing bookshelves or coffees you can grab from the fantastic cafés inside bookstores (first pumpkin spice latte of the year coming up from talented baristas!). If you’d rather explore the online autumnal bookshop selection, we have that covered too!
So whether you’re looking for a cosy read or a spooky story, we have something for you to discover as the seasons change.
Waterstones
Bluewater Shopping Centre, Greenhithe, DA9 9SE
As soon as I entered the Bluewater Waterstones branch, I was delighted to see several tables piled with new reads for the autumn season, many of which fell under the crime thriller genre.
Amongst the pile was Katy Watson’s newest mystery, Seven Lively Suspects, which is the third book in her cosy crime series The Three Dahlias, and which was published in July 2024. Lee Child’s newest book, Safe Enough, was published in August of the same year. Child treats his readers to twenty gripping, action-packed tales, each one a story full of twists and turns. Gaining five out of five stars from Waterstones is Susie Dent’s latest read for linguaphiles and crime lovers alike, Guilty by Definition.
Waterstones’ Thriller of the Month is Moscow X by David McCloskey, which was published in October 2023. McCloskey is a former CIA analyst, and his background influenced his story, which follows a CIA operation in the Kremlin. Waterstones says the book is “abounding in secrets, divided loyalties and shrewd political commentary.”
London Review Bookshop Online
With summer drawing to a close, some brilliant books have hit the shelves. On London Review Bookshop’s website, you can explore new releases in various categories. For this September, LRB has also selected William Boyd as their Author of the Month. His novel Gabriel's Moon was published at the beginning of September and is currently listed as Book of the Week on LRB’s website. If you’re looking for a suspenseful, historical read, check it out!
On LRB’s front page, they also spotlight the latest title from Hazel Press: Greencombe by Ella Duffy, published just last month. This collection, consisting of twenty-nine poems, is set in the scenic, flower-filled, wooded paths in the eponymous garden on Porlock Hill in Somerset, which is also a prime vantage point to view the Bristol Channel. You can find the book here.
Waterstones Liverpool
12 College Lane, Liverpool, L1 3DL
In celebration of the autumn months, Waterstones in Liverpool are highlighting their top reading pick for autumn with a cosy, curated display featuring the new “spicy romance” of the season: The Cinnamon Bun Book Store.
The new novel by Laurie Gilmore, who happens to be the same author behind the TikTok sensation and Sunday Times Bestseller The Pumpkin Spice Café, is on display amongst pumpkins and orange foliage to truly cultivate the warmth and charm of autumn. On their Instagram post showing off their display dedicated to the new release, Waterstones Liverpool shared that the main tropes of the book include “opposites attract”, “small town”, “forced proximity” and “he falls first”, making it the ideal seasonal romance!
To add to the excitement, these exclusive editions of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store are signed by the author, which is another wonderful excuse to add it to your bookshelf to enjoy with a pumpkin spice latte and a cinnamon bun this month.
Pritchard’s Bookshop
Unit 3, Glenn Buildings North, 17 Moor Lane, Crosby, Liverpool, L23 2SE
As we anticipate the browning of the leaves, the drops in temperature and the onslaught of rain and wind that signals the start of autumn, Pritchard’s Bookshop has prepared itself perfectly for the season.
Since moving into a bigger unit, Pritchard’s Bookshop has consistently updated their window displays with illustrations from new children’s books. The new window is the perfect choice to get you in the autumnal mood. Rachel Dean, a children’s illustrator, visited the shop to paint some illustrations she created for Nicola Baker’s Rescuing Ruby, complete with falling leaves, a collection of pumpkins and a wrapped-up Ruby on a bicycle. She even signed some copies of the book, as well as Star of the Show by Jacqueline Wilson, which she also illustrated. If you’re looking for a book to gift a child this autumn, why not pop into Pritchard’s Bookshop to pick up one of these signed copies?
What’s more, the bookshop has a wave of colourful new hardbacks in, from cosy mysteries and academic fantasies to delightful rom-coms and literary fiction. And if you’re looking for something you wouldn’t necessarily choose yourself, Pritchard’s Bookshop also offers “Blind Date with a Book” to its customers, only sharing the book’s genre and little details on top of its cute packaging.