The Reading List

Find and share the best in books – daily!

Thursday – 2nd October 2025

Join award-winning journalist Kyle Cowan in Pretoria for the launch of Mafia Land: Inside South Africa’s Darkest Cartels (8 Oct)

Penguin Random House and Exclusive Books invite you to the launch of Mafia Land: Inside South Africa’s Darkest Cartels by multi-award-winning journalist Kyle Cowan.

Wednesday – 1st October 2025

Don’t miss the launch of Unlocked by Springbok legend Eben Etzebeth at the Mall of Africa! (8 Oct)

Join Jonathan Ball Publishers at the Mall of Africa for the launch of Unlocked by Eben Etzebeth!

Friday – 26th September 2025

Read an excerpt from Jackie Phamotse’s new novel The Advocate – a tale of power, corruption and the impossible choices love demands

Penguin Random House has shared an excerpt from Jackie Phamotse’s new novel The Advocate – the gripping follow-up to the The Tea Merchant!

Thursday – 25th September 2025

Circle of Days – join master storyteller Ken Follett in exploring one of the greatest mysteries of our age

Circle of Days by Ken Follett – from the master of epic fiction comes the deeply human story of one of the world’s greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge.

Tuesday – 23rd September 2025

Don’t miss the Cape Town launch of The Devil Made Me Do It by Nicky Falkof at The Book Lounge (1 Oct)

Penguin Random House and The Book Lounge invite you to the launch of The Devil Made Me Do It: Understanding Occult Crime in South Africa by Nicky Falkof!

Friday – 19th September 2025

Find out more about George Saunders’s wise, playful, electric forthcoming novel Vigil

Vigil – the triumphant new novel from George Saunders, the Booker Prize-winning, bestselling author of Lincoln in the Bardo – will be out from Jonathan Ball Publishers in January 2026!

Thursday – 18th September 2025

Join Bridget McNulty at The Book Lounge for the launch of Daily Glimmers: The Art of Finding Tiny Joys Every Day of the Year (18 Sep)

Penguin Random House and The Book Lounge invite you to the launch of Daily Glimmers: The Art of Finding Tiny Joys Every Day of the Year by Bridget McNulty.

Wednesday – 17th September 2025

Don’t miss the Durban launch of Unlocked by Springbok legend Eben Etzebeth! (10 Oct)

Join Jonathan Ball Publishers and Exclusive Books Gateway for the launch of Unlocked by Eben Etzebeth!

Tuesday – 16th September 2025

Mafia Land – Kyle Cowan tells the hair-raising tale of 12 of South Africa’s most dangerous cartels

In Mafia Land: Inside South Africa’s Darkest Cartels, multi-award-winning journalist Kyle Cowan rips open the terrifying truth about organised crime.

Wednesday – 10th September 2025

Don’t miss the Cape Town launch of Unlocked by Springbok legend Eben Etzebeth! (7 Oct)

Join Jonathan Ball Publishers and Bargain Books for the launch of Unlocked by Eben Etzebeth!

Tuesday – 9th September 2025

‘I found myself wondering where all the satanists had gone’ – read an excerpt from The Devil Made Me Do It by Nicky Falkof

Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from The Devil Made Me Do It: Understanding Occult Crime in South Africa by Nicky Falkof.

Thursday – 28th August 2025

New from the New Queen of SA Romance! Pillow Talk by Nivashni Nair Sukdhev

Nivashni Nair Sukdhev’s new novel Pillow Talk is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers!

Wednesday – 27th August 2025

Don’t miss the Durban launch of Death in Pretoria: Untold Stories of Political Activists Executed During Apartheid (28 Aug)

Penguin Random House invite you to the launch of Death in Pretoria: Untold Stories of Political Activists Executed During Apartheid by Peter Auf der Heyde.

Tuesday – 26th August 2025

Join Rémy Ngamije for the launch of his new literary mixtape Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space at Book Circle Capital (30 Aug)

Join Jonathan Ball Publishers at Book Circle Capital for the Johannesburg launch of Rémy Ngamije’s latest book, Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space: A Literary Mixtape.

Monday – 25th August 2025

Love and life in upmarket Johannesburg – read an excerpt from Ntombi Nkabinde’s new novel In the Late of Night

Penguin Random House has shared an excerpt from In the Late of Night by Ntombi Nkabinde!

Thursday – 21st August 2025

New book alert! Find out more about Bare Bones: Cold Cases from True Crime South Africa by Nicole Engelbrecht

Bare Bones: Cold Cases from True Crime South Africa is out in September from Jonathan Ball Publishers!

Wednesday – 20th August 2025

Don’t miss the launch of Death in Pretoria: Untold Stories of Political Activists Executed During Apartheid in Pretoria (20 Aug)

Penguin Random House invite you to the launch of Death in Pretoria: Untold Stories of Political Activists Executed During Apartheid by Peter Auf der Heyde.