The most popular prison books of 2025

Prison books are set behind walls and wire. Inmates, guards and the rules of a closed world shape stories of survival, friendship, injustice and escape. Novels and memoirs here are harsh and often deeply humane. This list shows the ones first published in 2025.

Results

Lag's lexicon
Cover of Lag's lexicon

Lag's lexicon

Paul Tempest

Published 2025

234 pages

Political girl
Cover of Political girl

Political girl

Marii︠a︡ Alekhina

Published 2025

472 pages

City Time
Cover of City Time

City Time

David Campbell, Jarrod Shanahan

Published 2025

328 pages

Prisons Must Fall
Cover of Prisons Must Fall

Prisons Must Fall

Mariame Kaba, Olly Costello, Jane Ball

Published 2025

38 pages

Free
Cover of Free

Free

Amanda Knox

Published 2025

City Time
Cover of City Time

City Time

David Campbell, Jarrod Shanahan

Published 2025

Contractor

Contractor

Davis Raymon, Raymond Davis

Published 2025

224 pages