One of the most popular resources on this website continues to be the LabLit List, a curated and ongoing record of novels, plays, films and TV programs in the ‘lab lit’ genre. New entries are nominated by our readership and vetted and organized by various volunteers. Except for one item (The God Patent by Ransom Stephens), today’s seven novels are remarkable for all having been published within the past year; those of you who’ve been following the growth and development of new lab lit fiction along with us will know that to see more than one or two new specimens a year is worth noting. We were also pleased that a very well-known, best-selling author has used a central scientist character in her fiction (Jodi Picoult, with Lone Wolf), which could help, by example, to make lab lit more palatable to publishers.

We hope that you continue to enjoy the List, and if you think anything’s missing, please do contact us. We apologize in advance if it takes us some time for your favorite to appear post-nomination – with old books especially, we sometimes have difficulty in tracking them down for inspection. Remember, ‘lab lit’ is defined as fiction featuring a scientist as a central character, plying his or her trade as a profession in the real world – it is not science fiction. For more information about the genre, and about the new titles below, please check out The List.

Novels in today’s update:

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult (Drama)

The Heart Broke In by James Meek (Drama)

When The Killing's Done by T C Boyle (Drama)

Breathing On Glass by Jennifer Cryer (Drama)

Welcome Home, Sir by Steve Caplan (Drama)

Ghastly Business by Louise Levene (Historical fiction)

The God Patent by Ransom Stephens (Drama/Thriller)