The 10 Best Fiction Books of 2024

The best of this year's fiction features characters who, like so many, feel like they don't belong anywhere, even when they're with the people they love. Some are foreigners in their cities, others feel like foreigners in their own bodies. Three recently came back from the dead. One is even a clandestine alien living in Philadelphia, observing life as it unfolds around her. As these lonely characters navigate worlds brought to life by authors like Kelly Link, Kaveh Akbar, and Percival Everett, their stories push us to consider our relationships to the places we hold dear and the communities we surround ourselves with. Taken together, these books offer a reminder: even outsiders are never truly alone.

Here, the best fiction books of 2024.