A good book at Christmas can be an escape from all the noise and indulgence that the festive season brings and makes an ideal gift for family and friends.

Whether your loved one is a fan of thrillers, romances, cookery, memoirs or history, there’s something for everyone – so check out our selection of gift books to wrap up this Christmas…

THE SECRET SANTA PROJECT by Tracy Bloom

This funny festive novel about romance and friendship sees a woman throwing herself wholeheartedly into the Secret Santa office moment, when unlikely pairings and inappropriate gifts are swapped. Published by HarperCollins, available for £8.99.

KILLING TIME by Alan Bennett

This novella from the acclaimed Leeds-born writer takes a look at lockdown life in a council home for the elderly, featuring a cast of colourful characters including an ex-cruise ship hairdresser, a delusional archaeologist and a keen knitter. He weaves missing teeth and fading memories with the release Covid brings to residents as protocol breaks down and they make the most of the time they have left. Published by Faber & Faber, available for £10.

ORBITAL by Samantha Harvey

This year’s Booker Prize-winner is Harvey’s fifth novel, charted over a single day in the life of six astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. In those 24 hours they see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets, but they also see the fragility of human life while they are so far from earth. Published by Vintage, available for £9.99.

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (ULTIMATE MYSTERY EDITION) by Agatha Christie

Reviving the longstanding tradition of ‘A Christie for Christmas’, Agatha Christie’s masterpiece And Then There Were None has been re-crafted into an ultimate mystery edition, ideal for hardback collectors, where the final solution will be sealed in an envelope at the end of the story. Published by HarperCollins, available for £22.

MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE by the Reverend Richard Coles

Cosy crime-lovers can snuggle up with this Christmas novella and third book in the bestselling Canon Clement series. It begins on Christmas Day at Champton Rectory, when Canon Daniel Clement and his mother Audrey are joined by guests at a festive party which is going swimmingly until two attendees meet under the mistletoe – and one of them falls down dead. Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, available for £12.99.

THE REST IS HISTORY RETURNS: AN A–Z OF HISTORICAL CURIOSITIES by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook

An ideal book for throwing random history facts at Christmas guests, this second book from the creators of the hit podcast takes us on a dizzying A–Z through the past – from the Aztecs to zigzags. Published by Bloomsbury, available for £20.

MIDNIGHT AND BLUE by Ian Rankin

Thriller-lovers will welcome the latest page-turner and the newest instalment in Rankin’s Rebus series. The Edinburgh detective finds himself in prison, surrounded by people who hate him because he’s a copper. It’s all a bit dismal, until a murder in a locked cell sees all of his instincts kick in. Published by Orion, available for £25.

THE WAITING by Michael Connelly

Want a bit of excitement this festive season? Ask for a copy of this page-turner which sees LA detective Renée Ballard pursuing a cold case and unearthing a DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer from 20 years earlier. Published by Orion, available for £22.

DIDDLY SQUAT: HOME TO ROOST by Jeremy Clarkson

Fans of TV’s Clarkson’s Farm will enjoy this companion, in which he records failed crops, mouldy mushrooms s and the ups and downs of farming. Clarkson navigates each hurdle with punchy wit, while at the same time bringing to light serious problems farmers face. Published by Michael Joseph, available for £22.

MY ANIMALS AND OTHER ANIMALS by Bill Bailey

Love animals? You’ll enjoy this. The comedian and Strictly winner is now focusing his energies on a memoir told through his lifelong love of all creatures great and small. He recalls stories of the animals he has encountered over his life, as well as those who have occasionally joined him on stage. It’s heartwarming, life-affirming stuff. Published by Quercus, available for £25.

GINO’S AIR FRYER COOKBOOK by Gino D’Acampo

If you’re buying an air fryer for Christmas, chuck in a copy of Gino D’Acampo’s new air fryer cookbook, in which he creates Italian classics in the popular kitchen gadget, including roasted pumpkin lasagne, aubergine parmigiana, cannelloni with spinach and ricotta and even the perfect chocolate fondant. Published by Bloomsbury, available for £22.

THE TRAVEL BUCKET LIST (various authors)

This is perfect for wanderlusters who want to travel the world or simply cross some locations off their bucket list. It features 500 of the world’s best places and experiences to inspire travellers, from road trips like America’s Route 66 to natural wonders like Mount Fuji and epic music and arts festivals like the UK’s own Glastonbury. Published by DK, available for £30.