 Are you busy making plans for this year? Why not join us on our Reading Journey and complete twelve reading resolutions that we hope will inspire and challenge you, taking you to different destinations around the world.
We're starting our journey in Sussex. January's theme is to read a book with a Sussex connection.
Where will reading take you this year…?
 Bestselling golden age crime writer Tom Mead is back with The Murder Wheel, the sequel to his 2022 debut novel Death and the Conjuror. We put our six questions to him...
What was your first job?
I was a perpetual student for a number of years, so I did a lot of part-time admin-type jobs alongside my studies. That's where I learned that I'd never flourish in a corporate setting! I stayed in the education sector for quite a long time, working in both further education and higher education, and that's when I started writing on a freelance basis on the side.
Which is your favourite fairy tale?
"Little Red Riding Hood" is about impersonation and deception, two of the key themes of detective fiction, so that is definitely a fascinating one for me. And I was always drawn to the bloodthirstiness of "Bluebeard" and "Hansel and Gretel" as well.
Which author has inspired you most?
Definitely John Dickson Carr, the so-called "master of the locked-room mystery." Discovering his work was certainly a turning point in my life. I had always loved puzzle mysteries and Golden Age detection, but it was Carr's particular style and ingenuity that compelled me to try writing within that genre for myself.
Which fictional character would you most like to spend time with – and why?
I'd probably choose either of Carr's major series detectives, Gideon Fell or Sir Henry Merrivale. They are both boisterous, Falstaffian figures, full of jokes and anecdotes. I think they'd be fun to socialise with.
Who would you like to play you in a film of your life?
Such a fun question! Let's say Tilda Swinton, who can play most things. Or maybe the late Tony Sirico, who played Paulie Walnuts on The Sopranos - just because I wish I had his hair.
What are you reading now?
Right now I'm re-reading The Hangman's Handyman by Hake Talbot. He wrote only two detective novels during the Golden Age, but they are both masterpieces. I'm doing a book club session with the Mysterious Bookshop in New York this year where I'll be talking about his second book, Rim of the Pit, so I just want to re-familiarise myself with his amazing work.
 Since the release of the TV adaptation, there has been a new rush of requests for Lessons in Chemistry. If you are still waiting for this to be available, why not try one of these other debut novels, that were also widely praised on their release?
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Wake by Shelley Burr: This novel explores the impact of an unsolved disappearance and its effect on the sister of the missing girl, who still lives on the family sheep farm in the Australian outback 19 years later.
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The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty: Set in Indiana across one week in July, this book explores the lives of the residents of a housing complex that is threatened by developers.
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Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey: An Observer debut novelist of the year, known for her screenwriting on cult show Schitt’s Creek, this book follows a young woman facing her first year of life after divorce before turning 30.
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Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead: A locked room period murder mystery, set in the 1930s, this novel introduces Joseph Spector, a stage magician turned sleuth.
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The Partisan by Patrick Worrall: Young chess prodigies, Yulia and Michael, from either side of the Iron Curtain, meet in London in 1961. The pair are destined to become unwitting pawns of their states.
 This January, Kate Atkinson's eAudiobook Shrines of Gaiety is available on BorrowBox with no waiting lists.
A mesmerising novel set in the glittering world of Soho in the 1920s - a place of gangsters and showgirls, Bright Young Things and one remarkable woman...
 In every edition of Pageturners we'll be highlighting a resource which could help expand your reading enjoyment.
Have you run out of titles by your favourite author? You might be interested to explore The Literature-Map: The Tourist Map of Literature. Just enter your favourite author in the search box and the map will show you other authors you may enjoy!
Who will you discover?
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