New York Times
Hardcover Fiction Bestsellers
August 16, 2026

Daggermouth by H. M. Wolfe
1. Daggermouth
by H.M. Wolfe

In a city divided by privilege and poverty, a mercenary is forced to marry the president’s son, whom she attempted to kill.
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
2. The Calamity Club
by Kathryn Stockett

As things get tougher during the Depression, several women look for ways to improve their circumstances.
Yesteryear: A GMA Book Club Pick by Caro Claire Burke
3. Yesteryear
by Caro Claire Burke

Natalie Heller Mills, a privileged tradwife social media influencer, wakes up to find she is living in the comparatively difficult reality of 1855.
Whistler by Ann Patchett
4. Whistler
by Ann Patchett

Decades after their time together, a woman reconnects with her stepfather and they look back at the directions their lives have taken.
Sea of Charms: A Spellshop Novel by Sarah Beth Durst
5. Sea of Charms
by Sarah Beth Durst

The third book in the Spellshop series. A supply runner will allow a friend to be a member of her crew if he pretends to be her boyfriend.
Meet Me in Paris by Kristin Harmel
6. Meet Me in Paris
by Kristin Harmel

During one week in spring, interconnected love stories begin, end or potentially renew for some Americans in Paris.
12. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
7. The Correspondent
by Virginia Evans

Letters from someone she used to know push Sybil Van Antwerp toward revisiting her past and finding a way to forgive.
12. Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
8. Carl's Doomsday Scenario
by Matt Dinniman

The second book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Carl and Donut confront an ancient spell and heightened dangers.
Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena
9. Getting Away with Murder
by Shari Lapena

A New York couple who are in love with their brownstone consider killing a wealthy family member to maintain their lifestyle. 
13. The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman
10. The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
by Matt Dinniman

The third book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Carl and Donut are up against a subway system filled with monsters.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
11. Dungeon Crawler Carl
by Matt Dinniman

Coast Guard vet named Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, are trapped in a fantasy dungeon.
The Country Road Murders: A Thriller by James Patterson
12. The Country Road Murders
by James Patterson and Mike Lupica

A former football player returns to the town where his father was killed.
15. The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman
13. The Gate of the Feral Gods
by Matt Dinniman

The fourth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Obstacles abound on the fifth floor of the dungeon. 
The Butcher's Masquerade by Matt Dinniman
14. The Butcher's Masquerade
by Matt Dinniman

The fifth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The action moves to the sixth floor, which is known as the Hunting Grounds.
The Shampoo Effect: A Read with Jenna Pick by Jenny Jackson
15. The Shampoo Effect
by Jenny Jackson

When Caroline Lash is pushed out of a social circle in a small seaside town, she exposes secrets that rile up the residents.
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A version of this list appears in the August 16, 2026 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending August 1, 2026.
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