From cosy crime to second-chance romance, 15 unputdownable books to read this October

Amy, Rosie and Steve are back in business, taking on their first official case after a body is discovered at a glamorous Italian villa with a sinister note attached. The second book in Richard Osman's We Solve Murders series more delivers with the perfect cosy crime for the season.

Ruth’s quiet, unravelling life is suddenly transformed when her glamorous old school friend Sookie reappears, drawing her into a world that looks perfect on social media but is far more complicated underneath. The creeping menace of this book hits close to home in today's world, making it even more unsettling.

When eighteen-year-old Katy leaves her remote Scottish island after the death of her aunt, she is swept into the glamorous world of her estranged family on a sun-drenched Mediterranean island. This is a classic Rosamunde Pilcher romance filled with family secrets, new beginnings and complicated feelings - it's perfect for some October escapism.

The Fairway Players are back, but rehearsals for their latest production take a sinister turn when a devastating secret threatens to derail opening night. Told through a collection of documents, messages and evidence, this clever whodunnit is packed with suspicious characters, theatrical squabbles and plenty of twists and turns.

Set against the dazzling optimism of the 1951 Festival of Britain, Kate Atkinson’s latest novel follows war reporter Harry Flynn as he tries to rebuild his life, only to become entangled in the disappearance of a woman he was last seen with. The eccentric characters and post-war intrigue put a charming, unlikely spin on this detective duo.

The Cazalet family gathers for Christmas in 1962, as the older generation watches the England they knew disappear and their children navigate the complicated freedoms of midlife. Louisa Young continues Elizabeth Jane Howard’s beloved family saga with secrets, changing relationships and a new generation coming of age on the brink of the Swinging Sixties.

On opening night at London’s glittering Hotel Artemis, hotel owner Diana Gold finds herself caught between powerful old acquaintances, dangerous secrets and a body discovered in the finest suite. Set over one fateful night in 1926, Alex Hay’s twisty historical thriller is packed with glamour and deception.

Set during the brutal Greek Civil War of 1946, Victoria Hislop’s sweeping novel follows Fotini, a mother determined to find her children after they are torn from her by the conflict. Spanning families, generations and continents, it’s a moving story of love, loss and resilience - it's classic Victoria Hislop.

After losing her job and home, Julia retreats to her family’s centuries-old estate, only to discover that its unsettling secrets are far from buried. With strange occurrences, a dark history of witchcraft and generations of family lies, Freida McFadden’s chilling thriller blends psychological suspense with a deliciously eerie haunted-house atmosphere.

When Julia’s childhood sweetheart returns with a plan to save her struggling B&B by turning it into a celebrity matchmaking retreat, forced proximity soon reignites feelings neither of them has quite managed to bury. Set against an idyllic autumn backdrop, this warm small-town romance the perfect second-chance romance for October.

Rising stars Kai and Juniper find their lives transformed when they’re cast together in a buzzy new biopic, but their growing romance brings the pressures of fame sharply into focus. Tender, funny and bittersweet, John Green explores unpacks the complications of falling in love in the public eye expertly.

Set in Kingston in 1988, Marlon James’s powerful novel follows eight gay men whose lives are changed forever when a mob attacks the rehearsal of their openly queer play. Epic yet deeply intimate, it explores homophobia, trauma, rage and resilience as the survivors confront the violence that shaped their lives and search for those who disappeared.

There's been a lot of talk around this book, but why not hear the words spoken by Earl Spencer himself? In Swan Song, the Earl tells the story of growing up alongside Diana, including their childhood nicknames, Duch and Carlos. Hearing him recall their childhood adventures, difficult boarding schools and the heartache of their parents' divorce, makes it feel incredibly personal. He follows Diana's life as she becomes a global icon and a devoted mother, and as she faces a relentless press, before reaching the tragic week of her death.

This is the perfect audiobook to pop on during a walk or a Sunday tidy-up, especially as it's narrated by Dr Xand van Tulleken himself. Xand investigates the "Wild West" of the wellness industry, asking how much of the promised energy, performance and longevity is science and how much is simply marketing. Along the way he tackles supplements and vitamins, at-home blood testing, wearable trackers and consumer DNA tests too.

If you find the inner machinations of our minds fascinating, you'll love this. Josh is a psychotherapist, narrating real-life interactions with his clients, exploring the practice of therapists, their very human thoughts, and the simultaneously relatable and shocking that other people lead. It's funny, heartbreaking, horrifying, and eye-opening - the perfect balance of fiction and non-fiction.