Lost Lambs: The Sunday Times Bestseller – 2026’s standout debut, a funny, sharp, dysfunctional-family novel

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash is an uproarious and razor-sharp debut novel that dives headfirst into the gloriously messy lives of the Flynn family. When three sisters are left to navigate the fallout of their parents' open marriage, chaos ensues in the form of ill-advised romances, secret correspondences with unsavory characters, and the youngest's unshakable belief that a local billionaire is up to no good. It’s a darkly comic, suspenseful romp that captures the universal truth that every family is a little bit broken-and that’s perfectly okay.

Set in a close-knit small town where whispers of corruption swirl around every corner, Lost Lambs blends biting literary humor with a tangled criminal conspiracy. Harper, the brilliant and paranoid youngest sister, pulls her reluctant family into an investigation that threatens to expose more than just the town’s secrets. This instant Sunday Times bestseller and New York Times Editors’ Choice pick has earned rapturous reviews for its originality, addictive pace, and heart. Perfect for readers who crave a family saga with a wicked sense of humor and a whip-smart cast of characters, Lost Lambs is the debut that literary fiction lovers and book clubs won’t be able to stop talking about.