Top fiction must-reads of 2019

New Delhi: Be it a holiday or just any other regular day, books can be the best companion one can have and no matter whether you admire gripping page-turners or literary novels, there's something for everyone. Yes, yes, for you too!

With 2019 being a bumper year for novels, a number of new releases by new and established authors hit the book stands, some of which will leave you inspired while others will give you the right mix of emotions.

As 2019 is nearing an end, here are five amazing reads that you shouldn't miss out reading on:

1. A Marketplace for Murder by Debleena Majumdar

Is killing a human the only kind of murder? What about the murder of a dream? Or, the murder of identity? This who and whydunit crime thriller explores the three questions through the unravelling a web of lies, murder and deceit that threaten to bring crime very close home for Leena, a business journalist.

The alternating first-person voice of the unknown killer and the third-person narrative takes the story across the modern-day Bangalore and a strange discovery at an archaeological expedition with characters you would have seen around you.

2. The Atlas of Reds and Blues by Devi S Laskar

Written in an episodic style full of segments and snapshots, this literary work dips into and dissects what it means to be a person of colour, particularly a woman (and writer) of colour in contemporary America.

The book may be small, but it's sure to make a lasting impression on anyone who reads it.

3. Ib's Endless Search for Satisfaction by Roshan Ali

This is a portrait of a young man in our present-day urban country. The eponymous protagonist, who shares a house with his schizophrenic father, is pushed to the peripheries before long.

What follows is a long-winded search--lit with dark humour, lined with angst and anxiety, and unfolding in an inimitable style.

4. The Body Myth by Rheea Mukherjee

A 'modern' marriage, mental illness, love, myths and a menage a trois (the couple, Sara and Rahil, and their new friend, Mira) make up this debut (originally published in the US by Unnamed Press).

The book leaves pre-conceived notions and expectations of relationships--and reading--outside its own plotline, and questions if togetherness can be toxic and what 'conventional' love looks like.

5. A People's History of Heaven by Mathangi Subramaniam

The author, activist and educator's debut novel for adults is a celebration of five girls (Deepa, Banu, Padma, Rukshana and Joy) on the cusp of adulthood.

Set in a tight-knit slum community, the book talks of survival despite the threat of demolishment. Despite all odds, these girls and their mothers form a bond to fight the bulldozers sent to bury their lives and homes.