Books by Cal Flyn

It’s an ideal combination: literary ambition and a rollicking good plot packed with intrigue and drama. We asked deputy editor Cal Flyn to pull together a list of five Booker Prize-nominated mystery novels, from an astrologically-inspired murder mystery set in goldrush-era New Zealand to an unusually intellectual noir starring a jaded reporter in rustbelt America.

What are the unmissable new novels of the season? We have some suggestions. We asked Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn to put together a selection of some of the most exciting new fiction being published in early 2026.

Those who love historical fiction have plenty of choice among the list of past Booker Prize-winning novels. We asked Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn to put together an overview of the Booker’s past victors that will sweep you from Tudor England to 20th-century India by way of the 19th-century Australian outback.

We asked Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn to compile an overview of the memoirs that won major literary prizes in the 2025 awards season: from the posthumously-published autobiography of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to a graphic memoir that wrestles with a legacy of intergenerational trauma.

Biography can be a tricky category to keep track of—being so varied in subject matter—so we asked our deputy editor Cal Flyn to put together an overview of the new biographies that won major British or American literary prizes in 2025: from a dual biography of rival Enlightenment scientists to a “compassionate” portrayal of a troubled trans icon.

What are the most highly acclaimed novels of the year? We asked Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn to put together a summary of award-winning fiction of 2025—novels that won major literary prizes in the English-speaking world—as one answer to this impossible question.

Fall 2025 is an exciting season for new novels, says Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn. Here, she selects her autumnal highlights including autofictional work from Patricia Lockwood and Chris Kraus, plus a literary detective story set in an apocalyptic future from the “old master,” Ian McEwan.

If you are looking for your next favourite read, why not try one of these five buzzed-about novels published in the summer of 2025? We’ve put together a summary of the new fiction books that have caught our eye this season, from the latest, brilliantly ambitious offering from Susan Choi to the most hotly anticipated debut novels.

In the mood for a tall tale that will make you laugh? We’ve rounded up five of the best funny short story collections that will entertain you, surprise you, and maybe even shock you.

Our seasonal round-up of notable new releases in fiction: Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn offers an overview of the spring 2025 novels you should have on your literary radar: new work from Nobel laureates, a buzzy new debut set in Berlin, and a conceptually thrilling Scandinavian sci-fi septology.