11 New Winter Reads Chosen by the Experts at Denver’s Tattered Cover Book Store

Whether you’re cozying up next to a fire with a PSL or jumping on a plane to see family for the holidays, a good book is in order. To help you—and your kiddos—find that can’t-put-it-down page-turner, we asked the pros at Tattered Cover Book Store for recommendations for your fall 2024 reading list.

Below, here are 11 books with Centennial State ties to pick up over the holidays, all of which you can find at Tattered Cover.

Burn by Peter Heller

Peter Heller knows how to hook readers with the first sentence. The Denver-based author speaks often about how his stories take shape from their first lines, and his latest, Burn, is no exception. “He let the fire burn down to embers, let the dark envelop him, and stood,” he writes. This sense of foreboding fostered from the first page foreshadows a tale of two friends fighting to survive as a secession unfolds. While fear and devastation are palpable, Heller undergirds the novel with the framework of a solid friendship and the ongoing will of two young men to help a young girl survive impending terror. And in the midst of the violence of secession, Heller makes room for kindness. —Kathy Coble, bookseller

Read More: Why Denver Author Peter Heller Hopes the Plot of His Latest Novel Remains Fiction

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

The Sequel continues the story of literary widow Anna Williams-Bonner begun in The Plot. Now on a celebrated book tour of her own, Anna is living the life of an acclaimed author when it’s suddenly interrupted by the reemergence of a manuscript she thought was long gone. As Anna attempts to uncover who’s trying to sabotage her success, readers get an intriguing peek into the publishing industry and a delightful Denver cameo: Tattered Cover is one of the stops on Anna’s book tour. —Kathy Baum, buyer

Rogue Community College by David Slayton

This isn’t like Greendale Community College from the sitcom Community. David Slayton’s iteration has a few more dinosaurs, elves, and magical assassins. Set in the same world as Slayton’s Adam Binder Series (and filled with the same humor), Rogue Community College introduces a new magic system, a hitman with a dark past who wants to take down the school, and a campus that comes alive—literally. If you’re the type of person who gets engrossed in Dungeons & Dragon campaigns, we bet you’ll feel right at home in Slayton’s creative world. —Makayla Richards, barista and bookseller

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

Charlotte hasn’t seen her ex-fianceé Brighton since she left her at the altar five years ago. So, you can imagine their surprise when they end up spending the holidays together in the mountains of Colorado. A funny and sweet sapphic romance with plenty of spice, Make the Season Bright is a cozy second-chance romance that just might convince you to text your ex. Don’t. —Scott Patnesky, store manager

Gathering Mist by Margaret Mizushima

Deputy Mattie Wray has only one week until her wedding when a missing child brings her and her K-9 partner Robo to the forests of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. But poor weather, recalcitrant locals, and the child’s unforthcoming celebrity mother ensure this search will be anything but speedy. When Robo discovers two graves, things really ramp up for this thrilling ninth installment of Colorado writer Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. —Jennifer Martin, buyer

In the Event of Murder by Cynthia Kuhn

A quaint Colorado bookstore, a cat, and a killer—what more could you want out of a cozy mystery? The second book in the Starlit Bookshop series, In the Event of Murder centers around a star-studded gala that turns bloody. When the event planner turns up dead, bookseller and amateur sleuth Emma Starrs sets out to unmask the murderer and throw the party of a lifetime. Don’t let its cutesy cover fool you, this novel was penned by an Agatha Award–winning author, making it complex and addictive. —Kat Long, events director

The Blue Plate by Mark Easter

This stunning book is perfect for eco-friendly foodies. Science writer and ecologist Mark J. Easter, a researcher at Colorado State, shares powerful stories of the impact our everyday food has on the planet and how we can swap what’s in our meals to be more sustainable. You won’t find recipes inside, so don’t pick this up if you’re looking for dinner inspo. Rather, this coffee-table book is filled with beautiful photography and personal stories about where our food comes from. —Kat Long, events director

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

This hilarious holiday romance from Colorado author Meghan Quinn is packed with steamy banter and topped with all the typical tropes: small town, enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, and fake dating. Despite living in a year-round Christmas town, Cole Black is neither holly nor jolly. But when his nemesis Storee Taylor moves in next door and enters the annual Christmas competition, Black plans to get back at her by winning instead—even if it means playing dirty (yes, that kind of dirty). —Scott Patnesky, store manager

Hanukkah Pajamakkahs by Dara Henry, Illustrated by Olga Ivanov and Aleksey Ivanov

Can Ruthie keep her new pajamakkahs nice and clean through all eight nights of Hanukkah? Well, she certainly tries her best. This funny and heartwarming holiday story features bright, lively illustrations by Colorado artists Olga and Aleksey Ivanov. Wrap it up alongside a new pair of pajamas for an adorable Hanukkah gift. —Jill Osborn, children’s book buyer

Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb, Illustrated by Erin Kraan

Buffalo Fluffalo has always been the biggest, brawniest animal around. But when a rain storm soaks his puffy facade, he finds out that being tough and gruff may not be the best way to make friends. It’s a great rhyming read for little ones learning to make friends or fluffy gruff buffalos with lots of split ends. —John Michael Wolter, store manager

Critters of Colorado: Pocket Guide to Animals in Your State by Alex Troutman

This bite-sized book is perfect for learning about Colorado local wildlife on the go. Whether your kiddo needs help identifying animal tracks, wants to know what a bison eats for breakfast, or likes to memorize moose facts, this guide is a handy tool for curious Coloradans and small enough to slip in your hiking pack. —John Michael Wolter, store manager