If you’re looking for a thrilling page-turner to read beside the Christmas tree this year, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got the perfect books for readers who love scintillating stories that bring them to the edge of their seat. There’s murder, mayhem, magic, monsters, and more in the following reading list. Add some mince pie and you’ve got your reading adventure sorted.
Why not start your action-packed reading journey with the first book in the incredible new series from the author of Percy Jackson, the Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus . . .
‘My name is Magnus Chase. I’m orphaned and living rough on the streets of Boston. And things are about to get much worse. My day started o
ut normally enough. I was sleeping under a bridge when some guy kicked me awake and said, “They’re after you.” Next thing I know, I’m reunited with my obnoxious uncle, who casually informs me that my long-lost father is a Norse god. Nothing normal about that. And it turns out the gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Apparently, if I can’t find the sword my father lost two thousand years ago, there will be doom. Doomsday, to be precise. A fire giant attacking the city? Immortal warriors hacking each other to pieces? Unkillable wolves with glowing eyes? It’s all coming up. But first I’m going to die. This is the story of how my life goes downhill from there . . . ‘ Add Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer (Book 1) by Rick Riordan to your list!
When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own secret detective agency 
at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t.) Then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She assumes it was a terrible accident – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove one happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test? Add Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens to your list!
Imagine that all around you, hidden from sight, there are thousan
ds of tiny people. They are four inches tall, brave, stubborn and resourceful. They are the nomes. The nomes in this story live under the floorboards of a large Department Store and have never been Outside. In fact, they don’t even believe in Outside. But new nomes arrive, from – where else? – and they bring with them terrifying news: the Store is closing down and Everything Must Go . . . Don’t miss the fantastically funny first book of the nomes, from the author of the bestselling Discworld series. Add Truckers: The First Book of the Nomes by Terry Pratchett to your list!
When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in. For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions. Lucy Carlyle, a talented young 
agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive. Set in a city stalked by spectres, this is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again. Add Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase: Book 1 by Jonathan Stroud to your list!
Think you know magic? Think again. The Magisterium awaits . . . M
ost people would do anything to get into the Magisterium and pass the Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. Call has been told his whole life that he should never trust a magician. And so he tries his best to do his worst – but fails at failing. Now he must enter the Magisterium. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister. And Call realizes it has dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future. The Iron Trial is just the beginning. Call’s biggest test is still to come . . . Find out more by adding Magisterium: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare to your list!
Hetty Feather has begun a new chapter in her life story. Escaping from Tanglefield’s Travelling Circus with her dearest friend Diamond, Hetty is determined to find them positions as glamorous music hall artistes. Hetty and Diamond quickly become the Little Stars of Mrs Ruby’s show, alongsid
e many colourful acts – including an old friend from Hetty’s past, Flirty Bertie. But the Cavalcade proves a dangerous place, and Hetty must fight to protect her darling Diamond, who longs for a normal childhood. Meanwhile, Hetty struggles to understand her feelings for Bertie – and for Jem, whom she has never forgotten. Hetty dreams of a glittering future for herself and Diamond. The bright lights of the London theatre world beckon – will Hetty become a true star? Add the fifth Hetty Feather story, Little Stars by Jacqueline Wilson, to your list!
Sephy is a Cross – a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a
nought – a ‘colourless’ member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood. But that’s as far as it can go. Against a background of prejudice, distrust and mounting terrorist violence, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum – a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger . . . Add Noughts & Crosses: Book 1 by Malorie Blackman to your list!
Before the man became the legend. Before the boy became the man. James Bond hi
ts Hollywood . . . Young James Bond is back in his most action-packed, explosive adventure yet. Expelled from Eton and determined never to trust again, James Bond’s plans for a solitary summer are dashed by the discovery of a gruesome film reel – a reel someone is willing to kill for. Travelling from the English countryside to Los Angeles, James finds himself caught up in a sinister plot of blackmail, murder and revenge that goes way beyond any Hollywood gangster movie. His friends in danger, his life on the line, James must find a way out. Or die trying. Lights. Camera. Murder. Add Young Bond: Shoot to Kill by Steve Coll to your list!
When Mabel Jones unknowingly commits ‘The Deed’ she finds h
erself swiftly bundled into a sack and carried off to the pirate ship the Feroshus Maggot. Crewed by the strangest bunch of pirates you would ever want to meet and captained by the dreaded Idryss Ebeneezer Split (a wolf with a false leg carved from a human thighbone, a rusty cutlass sheathed in his belt and a loaded pistol tucked in his pants with no fear of the consequences), the Feroshus Maggot whisks Mabel Jones off on the adventure of a lifetime. Add The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt to your list!
Marcus i
s a Roman boy who is crazy about chariot racing. He loves to practise in his own homemade chariot (pulled by the family goat) and dreams of riding in the Circus Maximus himself one day. But when Marcus’s hero, the brilliant charioteer Scorpus, goes missing on the day of the big race, Marcus finds his wish coming true sooner than he’d imagined! Add Romans on the Rampage by Jeremy Strong to your list!
Follow the clues. Crack the code. Stay alive. Potions, puzzles and the occasional explosion are all in a day’s work for young apothecary 
Christopher Rowe. Murder is another matter. It’s a dangerous time to be the apprentice of Benedict Blackthorn. A wave of mysterious murders has sent shockwaves through London, and soon Christopher finds himself on the run. His only allies are his best friend, Tom; courageous Molly; and a loyal feathered friend, Bridget. His only clues are a coded message about his master’s most dangerous project, and a cryptic warning – ‘Tell no one!’ The race is on for Christopher: crack the code and uncover its secret, or become the next victim. Add The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands to your list!
In Africa only the strong survive. Teenage martial arts expert Connor Reeves i
s tasked with protecting a foreign ambassador’s family on safari. Considered the perfect assignment, the holiday turns to hell when their convoy is ambushed by gunmen. Fleeing through the bush, Connor and his assigned family become the prey in a shoot-to-kill hunt across the African plains. As they fight for their survival, Connor realizes the gunmen are the least of their problems. For no amount of bodyguard training can prepare him for the wilds of Africa and one prowling hungry leopard. Add Bodyguard: Ambush (Book 3) by Chris Bradford to your list!
Richard ‘Trick’ Hope is used to getting into trouble, but not like this . . . On the run from bullies, Trick finds himself transported to the mysti
cal Wildlands, a place where the greatest warriors throughout history have been summoned to fight in a battle for survival – from Romans and Vikings to Knights and Samurai! A cryptic old man tells Trick that he’s there for a reason – to deliver the Wildlands from the evil Boneshaker, who rules with an army of terrifying minions. Trick has been chosen to form a band of the seven greatest warriors to defeat this terrible enemy. As Trick begins his epic quest the stakes couldn’t be higher: defeat Boneshaker or never see home again. Add A New Hero (World of Warriors book 1) by Curtis Jobling to your list!
It all began with the FBI and WARP (Witness Anonymous Relocation Programme). Hiding witnesses in the past to protect the future – until now. Riley is a Victorian orphan, hurtled into the twenty-first century and on the ru
n from his evil master. Albert Garrick, the terrifying assassin-for-hire pursuing Riley through time, along with. Chevie Savano, the FBI’s youngest and most impulsive special agent. As Garrick relentlessly hunts them down, Riley and Chevie face a desperate race to stay alive and stop Garrick from returning to his own time – armed with knowledge and power that could change the world forever. Add The Reluctant Assassin (WARP Book 1) by Eoin Colfer to your list!
In his travels across time and space, the Doctor has met hundreds 
of monsters – now, he’s created this handy spotter’s guide to the biggest, smallest, tallest, hungriest, smelliest and most dangerous creatures in the Whoniverse! In this fantastic companion guide to How To Be A Time Lord, the Twelfth Doctor reveals, in tips and doodles, everything you need to know about each dangerous monster, advice for battling them and how and when to make a speedy escape. Add Doctor Who: The Dangerous Book of Monsters to your list!
Do you have a favourite story of daring-do? Let us know using #SeasonsReadings on the@PuffinBooks Twitter.
thepuffinblog.wordpress.com 