Other than the beginning of the year, I feel like the third quarter of the year has the biggest, buzziest books. Here are the titles that have piqued my interest…
July
Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna — July 2
A multi-generational cast of characters weather a London heatwave as their simmering tensions and secrets come to a head over a life-changing weekend. I love stories that show the same events from multiple character’s perspectives, which I think is what this book will be doing. It also is pitched as good for fans of Sally Rooney, maybe because this author is also Irish.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore — July 2
In August 1975, a teenager vanishes from the summer camp her family owns, echoing her older brother also going missing fourteen years previously. The summary describes it as a multi-threaded story involving the secrets of the family and the blue-collar community that surrounds the camp. I really liked Long Bright River by this author a couple years ago.
Daughters of Olympus by Hannah Lynn — July 9
Greek mythology retellings have been having a moment the last few years and this one is the story of Demter and her daughter Persephone. From what I’ve seen most of the Persephone retellings focus on her relationship with Hades, but I’ve always found Demeter’s fierce love for her daughter quite beautiful, so I’m excited to read a book centered on that relationship.
Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne — July 9
When a letter from the parole board arrives in the mail, Lenny Mark’s careful routines begin to fall apart. Up until now she’s been good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. For the first time, Lenny finds herself connecting with the community around her, but her past might catch up to her before she finally gets a life. Some early reviews of this have compared it to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, which I enjoyed.
The Woman in the Garden by Jill Johnson — July 16
Professor of Botanical Toxicology Eustacia Rose divides her time between her collection of poisonous plants and watching her neighbors through her telescope, particularly her beautiful new neighbor, Simone. One day, Eustacia comes home to find her garden destroyed and learns someone close to Simone has been murdered with a rare poisonous plant, which pulls Eustacia into solving the crime.
The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu — July 23
This novel starts when an elderly substitute teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead in the faculty lounge. A week later, the spontaneous scattering of his ashes on the school grounds catches the attention of some parents, setting in motion hysteria and threats of disciplinary action. I watch a lot of workplace dramas, but I don’t often read them, but I feel like I could get on board.
The Woman Who Lied by Claire Douglas — July 30
Ordinary mom and best-selling author Emilia Ward is in the middle of writing her tenth novel when life takes a disturbing turn: an incident mimicking the plot of one of her books occurs in real life. She chalks it up to a coincidence, but then it happens again. I’m hopeful this will have some meta elements given that the author is a mystery writer herself.
Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman — July 30
Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small indie publisher, has been hired by reclusive author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit title, The Secret to Wyldcliffe Heights, a Jane Eyre-esque book, the publication of which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. As Veronica dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true events that inspired the original novel. Jane Eyre is an all-time favorite of mine, so this title instantly piqued my interest.
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell — July 30
When Shiloh, a 33-year-old divorced mom of two, is invited to an old friend’s wedding, all she can think about is whether Cary—her high school best friend, who everyone thought she would end up with—will be there. Rowell hasn’t written an adult novel in almost a decade, so I’m intrigued.
August
Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson — August 6
A teen uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself. This is a stand-alone YA novel by the author of the Truly Devious series, which I enjoyed the beginning of but did abandon once the initial trilogy was complete. Given that this is not going to be part of a series makes me more interested in trying it.
It’s All Relative by Rachel McGee — August 6
A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” involving the merging of two families. Perhaps my favorite cover of the quarter.
Four Weekends and Funeral by Ellie Palmer — August 6
When Alison arrives at her ex-boyfriend Sam’s funeral she finds that no one knows he dumped her, so she agrees to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of his family and to help his best friend, Adam, pack up his apartment over four weekends. This is clearly a spin on the great film, “While You Were Sleeping.”
Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby — August 13
Pitched as a near-future whodunit for fans of “Glass Onion” and “Black Mirror,” involving a stranded start-up team, led by a charismatic billionaire; a deserted tropical island; and a mysterious, AI-driven mansion. The blurb says the team members disappear one by one, which is giving me And Then There Were None vibes.
The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis — August 13
A feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros, in this version the non-binary deity of desire, that explores queer joy and freedom. Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe, blurbed this, so I trust her to recommend the very best in retellings.
I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell — August 13
The follow-up to last year’s The Golden Spoon, which was pitched as a “Great British Bake Off” murder mystery, follows Alex Marks, who applies to be the new “Dear Constance” advice columnist after the current writer, Francis Keen, is brutally murdered. Alex is drawn into figuring out what happened to her predecessor, as her own dark secrets begin to rise to the surface and she finds herself in a game of cat and mouse with the killer. I liked the idea of The Golden Spoon more than the writing itself, but I’m intrigued enough by this premise to give the author a second chance.
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid — August 13
A reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, that gives her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story we think we know. In the words of the TikTok meme: I support women’s rights and women’s wrongs.
Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler — August 13
Anna Marie Tendler is probably best known as the ex-wife of comedian John Mulaney, but the summary of her memoir doesn’t mention him by name at all. Instead she recounts her experience of checking herself into a psychiatric hospital in 2021 and pivotal moments in her life that preceded and followed her stay. I hope Tendler’s writing is as beautiful as her photography.
The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins — August 20
Described as a gothic suspense about a powerful family, the silk their fortune is built upon, and the exploitative history they are trying to hide. The premise sounds great, but I’ll be honest and say the cover (see above) is what really interested me.
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult — August 20
Two women, centuries apart, are both forced to hide their work behind a man’s name. Modern-day playwright Melina Green has written a new work inspired by the life of her ancestor Emilia Bassano, but doesn’t think it will ever be performed until her best friend submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym. In 1581, Emilia Bassano pays an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work. I don’t know if I buy into the theories that Shakespeare didn’t write his own plays, but I am intrigued by the premise of this and I know Jodi always does extensive research.
September
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors — September 3
Three estranged siblings return to their family home in New York after their beloved sister’s unexpected death in a story of grief, hope, and the complexities of family. I did not read this author’s debut Cleopatra and Frankenstein, but it is on my list.
We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado — September 3
After a series of incidents that culminate in her being accused of plagiarism, Sol Reyes is put on probation. But her wife, Alice Song, is optimistic about their upcoming move to a beautiful, gated community. The summary references The Other Black Girl, “Midsommar,” and Jordan Peele, so I expect social commentary mixed with psychological horror elements.
This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher — September 10
Pitched as “The Princess Bride” meets Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation, this cozy quest follows a group of friends who once defended their magical land together, but haven’t spoken since. They reunite to attend a royal wedding and end up on a new adventure to save the realm. I’ll be honest and say romantasy does not usually do it for me, but (as the title suggests) this sounds fun.
The Examiner by Janice Hallett — September 10
I am so delighted Hallett’s newest novel is being released at the same time in the States as the UK, instead of a year out as has been the case up until this point. The queen of a mixed media mystery, her newest title features a group of students in an art master’s program that goes dangerously awry. I can’t wait!
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty — September 10
A mysterious, non-descript woman tells the passengers of an ordinary domestic flight exactly how and when they’re going to die. A few months after the flight a passenger dies exactly as she predicted and others soon follow. Moriarty has never done a speculative element to her mysteries, so I’m intrigued by this even though I haven’t loved any of her books as much as Big Little Lies.
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop — September 17
If you know me in real life, then you know my favorite show of all-time is “Gilmore Girls.” So what could be more delightful to me than a memoir by Emily Gilmore herself? Fingers crossed there’s an audio version narrated in her distinct smoky voice.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman — September 17
My most anticipated book of the year. I’m a long-time fan of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series and while I’m gutted we aren’t getting a new installment this year, the start to a brand new series is a good replacement. This series is going to center around Steve, a retiree who occasionally does a bit of investigation work, and his daughter-in-law, Amy, who is currently during private security on a remote island for a mega-bestselling author. A dead body and a bag of money show up, causing Amy to turn to the only person she trusts, Steve. I have so many questions, mainly where is Steve’s son/Amy’s husband in this summary? I already have this preordered from my local bookstore because I can’t possibly wait for the library hold.
A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush — September 17
I’ve been a longtime fan of Rush’s Instagram, maryoliversdrunkcousin (she also has a substack at
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney — September 24
Despite only having three titles out, I imagine Sally Rooney has become an all-time favorite author for a lot of people. I personally only loved Normal People and found her other two titles to be meh to fine. However, I will continue pick up everything she publishes to chase the high that Normal People gave me. Her newest novel follows two very different brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek, as they navigate life and relationships after their father’s death.
The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel — September 24
Alfred Smettle, a Hitchcock fanatic, owns and manages the titular hotel, a sprawling Victorian house in the White Mountains dedicated to the Master of Suspense. To celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary he invites his former best friends for a reunion, despite the fact that he hasn’t spoken to any of them in sixteen years.
Which of these titles are you the most excited for? Or do you have one on your radar that I didn’t mention? I’d love to chat about it in the comments.
I’ve been wanting to pick up Evenings and Weekends, but I’ve got a hundred other books on my self giving me a dirty look right now.
Thank you so much, I want read a lot of them