Which debut novels should you be reading in 2026?

Which debut novels should you be reading in 2026?

Author: Penguin Books UK June 4, 2026 Duration: 51:56

What are the best books get you out of a reading slump? How did Snakes on a Plane inspire a literary sensation? What did James Joyce and Pakistani rap teach one of our debut novelists? And does a writer need to be completely delusional to finish writing a novel?  


This week on Ask Penguin we sit down with three breakout debut authors, Angela Tomaski, Sufiyaan Salam, and Madeline Cash, to discuss the messy, hilarious reality of writing a first novel. And as always, we answer all your bookish questions and provide some much-needed reading recommendations. 


Discover all the books mentioned in this episode here


About the books

Wimmy Road Boyz is a blistering story of masculinity, violence and love set over the course of a single, surreal night, told in energetic and cinematic prose.


The Infamous Gilberts is a novel buoyed by love, buffeted by loss, and tangled together in an unputdownable story where the lines between eccentricity and madness, cruelty and love become hilariously heartbreakingly blurred.


Lost Lambs is a novel of quick-witted observation and surprising tenderness, conspiracies, loss and humour, a family saga for the twenty-first century, all held together with crazy glue.


About the authors


Sufiyaan Salam is a writer and former animator from Blackburn. He’s working on several TV & feature projects, and co-wrote the short film MAGID / ZAFAR, premiering in 2025. Wimmy Road Boyz, winner of the #Merky Books New Writers’ prize, is his first novel.


Angela Tomaski was born in Oxford and raised in Somerset with her four brothers and sisters. She has had a variety of different jobs, including as a waitress, cleaner, English teacher and activity coordinator in a care home. She has a daughter and two grandsons, and now lives in rural Dorset.


Madeline Cash is the founder of Forever Magazine and the author of the story collection Earth Angel. Her fiction has appeared in Granta, The Baffler, The Sewanee Review, The Drift, and Bomb, among other publications. Lost Lambs is her debut novel.


For more information about the National Year of Reading, click here https://goallin.org.uk 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever find yourself staring at a bookshelf, utterly paralysed by choice, or finishing a masterpiece only to feel that peculiar emptiness of not knowing where to go next? Ask Penguin is for that exact moment. Guided by host Rhianna Dhillon, this podcast from Penguin Books UK transforms those universal readerly dilemmas into lively conversation. Each episode tackles real questions from listeners-the quirky, the tricky, the desperately urgent-about what to read next. The answers don’t come from an algorithm, but from genuine dialogue with bestselling authors and the editors, designers, and passionate insiders who help bring books to life. You’ll find yourself revisiting beloved classics with fresh eyes and being introduced to hidden gems you might have otherwise missed. It’s a warm, insightful space that feels like having a brilliant friend in the publishing world, one who knows that a great book recommendation is about more than just plot; it’s about connection, mood, and the next perfect story waiting to crack open your world. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that celebrate the sheer breadth of literature, from page-turning fiction to groundbreaking non-fiction, all within the vibrant landscape of arts and culture. This is where curiosity meets its match, and your next favourite read is always just an episode away.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Ask Penguin
Podcast Episodes
The Best Of the Penguin Podcast 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:09
This week on the Penguin Podcast we're recapping the year with a selection of the brilliant guests we've welcomed onto the show. We hear from Jane Fallon, Chris van Tulleken, Julian Barnes, David Mitchell and more. We th…
Sebastian Faulks with Nihal Arthanayake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:34
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by national treasure and bestselling author, Sebastian Faulks.Together they they discuss the tweet that helped inspire his latest book, The Seventh Son, his t…
C Pam Zhang with Nihal Arthanayake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:57
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by Booker Longlisted author, C Pam Zhang.Together they discuss Zhang's latest novel, The Land of Milk and Honey, as well as the effects of extreme wealth on t…
Peter Singer with Nihal Arthanayake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:03
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by one of our time's most important moral philosophers and animal rights activists, Peter Singer.In this episode, they discuss Singer's experience of animal r…
Yanis Varoufakis with Nihal Arthanayake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:47
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by the former Finance Minister of Greece and co-founder of the international grassroots movement DM25 as well as a Professor of economics at the University of…
Alain de Botton with Isy Suttie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:07
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by bestselling author, public speaker, and founder of The School of Life, Alain de Botton. His latest book, A Therapeutic Journey, deals with mental ill-health and r…
David Mitchell with Isy Suttie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:02
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by comedian, writer and actor David Mitchell for a chat about Unruly, a thoughtful, funny exploration of the founding fathers and mothers of England and, subsequentl…
Megan Nolan with Isy Suttie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:59
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by journalist and award-winning writer, Megan Nolan.Megan joins Isy for a chat about her latest novel, Ordinary Human Failings. They also discuss the amorality of ta…
Rob Rinder with Isy Suttie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:47
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by Barister, TV host and Novelist, Rob Rinder. Rob joins Isy for a joyful conversation about his number one Sunday Times best-selling novel, The Trial.Also on the po…
Michael Magee with Nihal Arthanayake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:45
This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by debut novelist Michael Magee.Michael joins us to discuss his critically acclaimed novel, Close to Home, which has already been shortlisted for the Watersto…