Fiction

Monday – 18th December 2023

‘Politics and poetry don’t go together’ – Read an excerpt from At Fire Hour, the unforgettable and deeply moving novel by Barry Gilder

Read an excerpt from Barry Gilder’s new novel At Fire Hour, courtesy of Jacana Media.

Listen to an excerpt from The Pole – an indelible tale of life, love, death and Chopin, from Nobel Prize-winning author JM Coetzee

A pianist falls grandly, helplessly in love in this elegant new novella from the twice-Booker Prize winner JM Coetzee.

Listen to an excerpt from Jessica George’s bestselling debut Maame, a novel that explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures

Listen to an excerpt from Jessica George’s instant bestseller Maame – the debut of 2023!

Friday – 8th December 2023

‘There was nothing like a bit of controversy to sell a book’ – Read an excerpt from Each Mortal Thing, the new novel by Michiel Heyns

Read an excerpt from Each Mortal Thing, the 10th novel from critically acclaimed author Michiel Heyns, courtesy of Penguin Random House!

Thursday – 7th December 2023

[Video] ‘Fiction is really powerful’ – Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah does a deep dive into the writing of his hit novel Chain-Gang All-Stars

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah goes in-depth into the writing of his debut novel Chain-Gang All-Stars – one of the books of the year!

Listen to an excerpt from Held by Anne Michaels – a soaring and luminous story of chance and change

Held – the triumphant new novel by Anne Michaels, the author of the Orange Prize-winning Fugitive Pieces – is out now from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Wednesday – 6th December 2023

Can you ever truly wash away your past? Read an excerpt from John Boyne’s haunting new novel Water

Penguin Random House has shared an excerpt from Water by internationally bestselling author John Boyne.

Tuesday – 5th December 2023

Don’t miss the launch of Innards by Magogodi oaMphela Makhene at Book Circle Capital in Melville (7 Dec)

Jonathan Ball Publishers and Book Circle Capital invite you to the launch of Innards by Magogodi oaMphela Makhene.

Monday – 4th December 2023

Win limited edition signed copies, Penguin merch and more!

Unwrap the joy of reading this festive season with Penguin Random House SA!

Listen to the Pagecast festive special! Top picks for holiday reading and gift recommendations

This week’s episode of Pagecast, brought to you by Jonathan Ball Publishers, is a Holiday Roundup with Exclusive Books Cavendish!

Thursday – 30th November 2023

‘Sometimes you get an idea, and it won’t leave you alone’ – Val McDermid introduces her new DCI Karen Pirie novel Past Lying

The Queen of Crime Val McDermid is at the top of her game in her most gripping and fiendishly clever case yet!

‘I once went to kill a man’ – Read an excerpt from The Year of the Locust, the terrifying and eagerly awaited new thriller by Terry Hayes

Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from The Year of the Locust, the highly anticipated second novel from Terry Hayes, author of the global bestseller I Am Pilgrim.

Monday – 27th November 2023

Terry Hayes fans, enter now to win a copy of both his masterpieces, The Year of The Locust and I Am Pilgrim!

Penguin Random House is giving away copies of Terry Hayes’ highly anticipated new novel The Year of The Locust and his previous masterpiece I Am Pilgrim.

Friday – 24th November 2023

Read an extract from the pulse-pounding new Jack Reacher thriller The Secret

Penguin Random House has shared an excerpt from The Secret – the new high-octane rollercoaster ride of a novel from Lee Child and Andrew Child.

Footnotes, November 2023: Book links from around the web

At The Reading List, we’re trainspotters when it comes to interesting book links, and here are a number that caught our eye.

Thursday – 16th November 2023

[Pagecast] Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi chats to Uhuru Portia Phalafala about her epic and deeply personal novel The First Woman

In this episode of Pagecast, prize-winning author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi chats to Uhuru Portia Phalafala about her second novel, The First Woman.

Don’t miss former Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida in Joburg and get your copy of I Am Shudu signed (25-26 Nov)

Join Jacana Media for an exclusive book signing tour featuring Shudufhadzo Musida, former Miss South Africa!

Wednesday – 15th November 2023

[Video] Acclaimed actor Richard Armitage introduces his ‘atmospheric, icily tense’ debut novel Geneva

Find out more about Geneva – a bold and unpredictable debut thriller set in the biotech world (and deceptive beauty) of Switzerland, by acclaimed actor Richard Armitage.