After the Christmas rush, no respite for booksellers. For the months of January and February, the magazine Livres Hebdo announces the release of 507 novels, including 366 in French and 141 translated. This is 5.8% more than in 2024. In terms of sales, “previous returns have proven to be a little timid,” notes the magazine. “Publishers are however keen to renew their offering”, with 70 first French novels.
Dozens of new releases are coming out on January 2, which therefore falls on a Thursday, one of publishers’ favorite days of the week for their publications. A literary comeback in which one of the headliners should be the Japanese Haruki Murakami, his many fans waiting for more than a year for the French translation of “The City of Uncertain Walls” (Éditions Belfond).
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Newcomers…
This 2025 school year is also a launch for newcomers in literary publishing, a market where it is difficult to find a place. Hugo Publishing (Glénat group) is inaugurating, for example, a label of dark novels, called Impact, with “Génisse” by the American Mary Kate Williams on January 8.
Le Soir Ven is a house founded by the Swiss Jouvence (Flammarion group). Its first title, scheduled for release on January 13, is a nice editorial coup: “Margo has money problems” by American Rufi Thorpe, adapted into a series for Apple TV + in 2025 with Nicole Kidman. Finally, Les Nouveaux Éditeurs, a group founded by a former boss of Hachette Livre, will launch, in February, Éditions La Tribu, with Cécile Cayrel (“Aveu de tendesse”) and Jérôme Chantreau (“L’Affaire de la rue Transnonain”). .
…and sure values
But readers’ attention should above all be focused on sure values, authors seen on television and prize winners. By Leïla Slimani, 2016 Goncourt Prize, “I will carry the fire” by Gallimard, the last part of the trilogy “The Land of Others”, on Morocco after independence, will be published on January 8. By Pierre Lemaitre, 2013 Goncourt Prize, “A Radiant Future” by Calmann-Lévy, third part of his tetralogy on the Trente Glorieuses, will be released on January 21. Éditions Albin Michel are betting on two volumes, i.e. 800 pages and €43.90 in total, by Jean-Christophe Grangé. Release of “Sans soleil” scheduled for January 16.
Frédéric Beigbeder, in “A Single Man” at Grasset on January 8, will talk about his father Jean-Michel, “a Frenchman who thought he was an American even though he was English”. Finally, Philippe Besson, in “You speak about my son”, from this January 2 at Julliard, evokes the suicide of a harassed teenager.
Who is Marceau Miller?
One of the curiosities is the first novel by a pseudonymous writer, Marceau Miller, with “Le Roman de Marceau Miller” (January 17). Its publisher, La Martinière, says it has already paid for translations and an audiovisual adaptation project.
Among six “must-haves” from Livres Hebdo, two are also on the list for one of the rare literary prizes for this January start, the Grand Prix RTL-Lire awarded in March: “Tapromise” by Camille Laurens (Gallimard) and “From our wounds a kingdom” by Gaëlle Josse (Buchet-Chastel). Jean Echenoz, Prix Médicis 1983 and Goncourt 1999, is also competing in this Grand Prix, with “Bristol”, still published by Éditions de Minuit.
