29 2013 debut novels

Adé: A Love Story is the debut novel of writer Rebecca Walker, first published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2013.

Ancillary Justice is a science fiction novel by the American writer Ann Leckie, published in 2013. It is Leckie's debut novel and the first in her Imperial Radch space opera trilogy, followed by Ancillary Sword (2014) and Ancillary Mercy (2015). The novel follows Breq—who is both the sole survivor of a starship destroyed by treachery, and the vessel of that ship's artificial consciousness—as she seeks revenge against the ruler of her civilization. The cover art is by John Harris.

Being Esther is the debut novel by Miriam Karmel. The novel explores the life of an 85-year-old widow, Esther Lustig, who is fully experiencing her days during which she may move from her home. She is currently living alone in a Chicago apartment building, and feels comfortable there, but her over-involved adult daughter wants her to move to an assisted-living facility.

The Black Coat is a historical novel by Bangladeshi-Canadian author Neamat Imam. It is "a meditation on power, greed and the human cost of politics." The Sunday Guardian commented that it is "destined to be a future classic" and will be used as the "gold standard for any book which seeks to engage with South Asian politics or history."

Burial Rites (2013) is a novel by Australian author Hannah Kent, based on a true story.

The Death of Bees is a 2013 debut novel by Lisa O'Donnell. The book was published on January 2, 2013, in the United Kingdom and United States by Windmill Books. Told through multiple viewpoints, and written in the present tense, The Death of Bees focuses on how the death of two local drug addicts affects their daughters Marnie and Nelly and the people around them. The novel won the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize.

Eleven Days is the first novel written by Lea Carpenter. It was published in 2013.

Geek Girl is the debut novel of Holly Smale. It tells the story of Harriet Manners, a socially awkward 15 year old English girl with a limited circle of friends and who is the target of the school bully. Plucked from obscurity to be the face of a high profile fashion advertising campaign, Manners' change of circumstance results in various conflicts which she must resolve and which in turn lead to revelations about both herself and the world in general.

Ghalib Danger is a 2013 novel by Neeraj Pandey best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed movies A Wednesday! and Special 26. He won the National Award for A Wednesday!.

Ghana Must Go is the debut novel of Taiye Selasi. It was published in 2013, and nominated for an NAACP Image Award. The novel follows the Sai family as they come to terms with their father Kweku Sai's death, and as they work through family troubles. Multiple points of view give insight into the characters' emotions and the repercussions of Kweku’s choices. The Wall Street Journal praised it as "irresistible from the first line".

A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing is the debut novel of Eimear McBride.

The Golem and the Jinni is a debut novel written by Helene Wecker, published by Harper in April 2013. It combines the genre of historical fiction with elements of fantasy, telling the story of two displaced magical creatures in 19th century New York City.

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu is the 2011 debut novel of Wendy Wan-Long Shang. It was first published in January 2011 through Scholastic Inc.. The work focuses on the concept of a young girl starting the sixth grade and dealing with the troubles that come with growing up but also with having a split cultural identity. The book is considered suitable for girls age 8-12.

The Holder's Dominion is a 2013 novel written by American writer Genese Davis. The book was published worldwide on March 1, 2013. It was Davis' debut novel and one of the pioneer novels in the new-adult fiction genre. The novel is an adventure story with major themes of video games, mourning and death.

I Am Pilgrim is the debut novel by former journalist and screenwriter, Terry Hayes. It was published on 18 July 2013 in the United Kingdom.

An Involuntary Spy is a 2013 political suspense thriller by Kenneth G. Eade. It was Eade's first novel. The novel is a fictional spy thriller that critics have said has broken wide open the GMO controversy. The story follows a rogue scientist working for an American biotech firm who goes on the run from authorities after stealing information from his employer which proves government collusion and a cover-up of fraud surrounding the dangers of the company's genetically engineered foods. In 2014, the novel was nominated for a RONE Award by InD'Tale Magazine and won an Honorable Mention for its cover. It is also used as reference material for the Environmental Ethics, Value and Justice course at Columbia University. The novel been credited with shining the light on the "revolving door" between private industry and government regulatory agencies. The novel is critically acclaimed. Midwest Book Review said, "Any who want a more realistic, modern-day James Bond complete with contemporary ethical concerns will find themselves held hostage to the fast action and intrigue in An Involuntary Spy, right up to a satisfyingly-unpredictable conclusion made all the more powerful for its real basis in today's uncertain experiments compliments of Monsanto, Dow, and other genetic manipulators." San Francisco Book Review said, "An Involuntary Spy is absolutely riveting, suspenseful, and an eye-opener to the controversial effects of genetically engineered food."

The Mahabharata Secret is the debut novel by Indian author Christopher C. Doyle and was released on 21 October 2013 by Om Books. The story follows Vijay and his friends, as they try to decipher a series of clues which would lead them to a devastating Secret hidden by a brotherhood known as the Nine Men. Doyle had initially started writing a story for his daughter, which gradually expanded into the book. The author was primarily inspired by the Indian epic Mahabharata, believing its events to be based on scientific facts. The book was followed by Doyle's second novel, The Mahabharata Quest: The Alexander Secret, which is the first book in a planned trilogy of sequels.

Nevada: A Novel is the debut novel from author Imogen Binnie, released by Topside Press in 2013. Nevada follows the adventures of transgender New York punk woman Maria Griffiths.

The Office of Mercy is a 2013 dystopian science fiction novel written by Ariel Djanikian.

The People in the Trees is the 2013 debut novel of author Hanya Yanagihara. Yanagihara stated that her novel was in part inspired by Daniel Carleton Gajdusek, who was revered in the scientific community before being accused of child molestation.

Reconstructing Amelia is the 2013 debut novel of American author Kimberly McCreight. It was first published in hardback in the United States on April 2, 2013, through Harper and received a paperback release on December 3 of the same year. An audiobook edition narrated by Khristine Hvam was released the following year through HarperCollins Audio and Blackstone Audio. McCreight did not write the book with a specific age group in mind and after completing the work commented to a friend that she "might have written an adult-YA crossover." The novel is told through three alternating points of view, that of fifteen year old Amelia Baron, her single mother, Kate, and an anonymous blog called gRaCeFULLY.

The Rosie Project is a 2013 Australian novel by Australian novelist Graeme Simsion. The novel centers on genetics professor Don Tillman, who struggles to have a serious relationship with women. With a friend's help, he devises a questionnaire to assess the suitability of female partners. His plans are set off course when he meets Rosie, who does not fit many of Tillman's criteria, but becomes a big part of his life. The work was first published on January 30, 2013 in Australia by Text Publishing and the rights have since been sold in over 40 other countries. International sales are in excess of 3.5 million copies and the book was named Book of the Year for 2014 by the Australian Book Industry Association. In the United States the novel was published through Simon & Schuster and in the United Kingdom through Penguin Books.

S. is a 2013 novel written by Doug Dorst and conceived by J. J. Abrams. The novel is unusual in its format, presented as a story within a story. It is composed of the novel Ship of Theseus by a fictional author, and hand-written notes filling the book's margins as a dialogue between two college students hoping to uncover the author's mysterious identity and the novel's secret plus loose supplementary materials tucked in between pages.

The Shock of the Fall is the 2013 debut novel by British author Nathan Filer, which tells the story of Matthew Homes, a 19-year-old boy from Bristol, dealing with the death of his older brother. It explores the central themes of loss, guilt, and mental illness. It takes place over three timelines: the present where Matt is writing; the past where Simon is alive; and the decade since Simon died.

Tampa is the debut novel by author Alissa Nutting, in which middle school teacher Celeste Price recounts her molestation of Jack Patrick, her fourteen-year-old student.

'The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic' is a fantasy novel by Emily Croy Barker. The novel takes place in the 21st century and centers around a woman named Nora, who accidentally wanders into a magical land. The story involves themes such as magic, social commentary, and romance. The novel makes several references to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

The Waste Tide is a science fiction novel by the Chinese writer Chen Qiufan. It is the debut novel by the writer.

We Need New Names is the 2013 debut novel of expatriate Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo. The first chapter of the book, "Hitting Budapest", initially presented as a story in the Boston Review, won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing. when the Chair of Judges, Hisham Matar, said: "The language of ‘Hitting Budapest’ crackles. This is a story with moral power and weight, it has the artistry to refrain from moral commentary. NoViolet Bulawayo is a writer who takes delight in language."

Wise Men is the debut novel of Stuart Nadler. It was published by Reagan Arthur Books on February 5, 2013. The plot of the novel follows Hilly Wise, who falls in love with Savannah, the niece of a black caretaker. Wise Men has received varied reviews from literary critics.