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Must-Read Books August 2026 |
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| Lady X by Molly FaderAfter her Hollywood actor husband cheats, devastated Margot heads to Pittsburgh with her teen daughter to escape the press. In her childhood home, she finds information about 1970s vigilante Lady X, including a blurry news photo. In troubled 1977 New York City, Ginger and her two roommates stick together, so when one is assaulted, they get a bit of payback. Signing their handiwork Lady X, they inspire copycats. For fans of: atmospheric dual-timeline novels; fast-paced stories of fed-up women. |
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| Hunger and Thirst by Claire FullerIn 1987 England, 16-year-old foster kid and aspiring artist Ursula Major's coworkers Vince and Sue invite her to squat with them in the Underwood, a creepy abandoned mansion whose previous owners were murdered -- and then Sue mysteriously disappears. Decades later, Ursula, now a sculptor, finds herself hounded by a true crime documentarian who wants to make a film about Sue. But some things in the past should stay buried. For fans of: I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. |
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| The Winged Game by Sophie KimIn this romantasy-sports mashup, a downtrodden former athlete must team up with -- and fake a romance with -- the player who destroyed her career in order to have any hope of regaining her stardom. When the beasts that they play on start falling ill, an investigation into the cause may bring the two rivals even closer. For fans of: unconventional and unique romantic genre blends with snarky, likeable characters and slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance. |
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| McKenna's Guy by Mike LawsonRoger Smith seems like an ordinary civil servant nearing retirement -- until he kills a hired assassin who breaks into his home. As a determined detective uncovers ties to a secret passport-forging operation, Roger and his longtime associate John McKenna must stay one step ahead of relentless killers in this clever, propulsive thriller. |
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| The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahonIn 1930 London, Lucy Hubbard's acclaimed debut mystery novel garners an invitation to the elite Cloak and Dagger Club led by king of crime fiction Horace Hazelmoor. Lucy joins even though her ex, Frank, is the club's rising star. When Horace is murdered shortly thereafter, Lucy and Frank team up to investigate in this witty 1st in a series. For fans of: Golden Age crime novels; cozy historical mysteries with charm and romance. |
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| Every Version of You by Natalie MessierGiven another chance at life after dying in a car accident, unfulfilled 32-year-old lawyer Josephina "Joey" Vasquez, who's been in love with her best friend Elijah for over a decade, chooses to re-live her college years in hopes of getting things right the second time. But when a jerk from her past resurfaces and shows her a different side of himself, she wonders if she and Elijah are truly meant to be. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Maybe in Another Life will enjoy Natalie Messier's moving debut. |
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| The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-GarciaIn 1940s Mexico, handsome Ulises charms lonely women to get their money. He newest mark, middle-aged Perla, is the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But things don't go as Ulises planned: Perla has a niece who wants in on his scheme. The two team up, but there's still trouble since Perla isn't the needy spinster Ulises thought. For fans of: atmospheric, pulp-inspired historical noirs with multiple points of view. |
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| Dearly Departed by Chip PonsStuck working in a small-town funeral home after his retirement, former god of the underworld Hayden Harlow is desperate to return to his life of immortality -- until he meets happy-go-lucky florist Levi Wilder, who helps him realize the mortal world isn't so bad after all. This grumpy/sunshine paranormal romance is equal parts steamy and heartfelt. Try this next: A Date with Death by Kelly Creagh. |
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| Single Girls by John SearlesAfter the success of Sex and the Single Girl, Helen Gurley Brown becomes the editor of failing Cosmopolitan magazine in 1965. She assembles a team of smart, savvy women, and their lives become the stuff of magazine cover lines (Champagne hot tubs! Clashes with Joan Crawford!). Also covering Gurley's childhood and her later years, this fun read by former Cosmopolitan editor John Searles "sparkles" (Library Journal). Read-alike: Gill Paul's Scandalous Women. |
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| Moss'd in Space by Rebecca ThorneCargo handler Torian Razner gets more than she bargained for when she discovers that the dilapidated spaceship she just bought is covered in sentient moss. Running afoul of Moss' previous owner (who has also accused Torian of stealing the ship), the unlikely pair enlist the help of Amelia Perrosk, Torian's former captain and would-be lover. This action-packed 1st in a new series is perfect for fans of Julie Leong. |
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| Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul TremblayAgreeing to remotely pilot a comatose man (whom she nicknames "Bernie") to Rhode Island, where assisted suicide is legal, disaffected Californian pro-gamer Julia begins to question the intentions of the tech corporation who hired her for the gig. Meanwhile, "Bernie" struggles to fight back against his programming and remember who he was. Fans of Philip K. Dick (whose Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? inspired this novel's title) and the theatrical dialouge of Coen Brothers films will want to check this out. |
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| The Death Row Club by V. A. VazquezFollowing the public unmasking of her father as a serial killer, Nicola Fischer is isolated, disgraced, and struggling to rebuild her life. An invitation to an exclusive retreat for the children of killers offers a chance at understanding and belonging -- until a newcomer’s disappearance and a sudden death turn the group’s fragile trust into suspicion and fear.
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| Wisdom Corner by David Heska Wanbli WeidenThough he's hoping to escape his past as a hired vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, Virgil Wounded Horse gets pulled back in when a legendary figure from the reservation is murdered. Complicating things, a street gang from a neighboring reservation wants to expand into Rosebud in this gritty follow-up to the award-winning Winter Counts. For fans of: S.A. Cosby; Craig Johnson. |
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| Cool Machine by Colson WhiteheadTaking place in the 1980s, Cool Machine focuses on successful businessman and sometime criminal Ray Carney. First, Ray agrees to a heist in order to finance his wife's business. Five years later, he risks everything to help his dead cousin's son, who's mixed up with the wrong people. In 1983, Ray's friend Pepper finds himself looking for an expensive African mask in the East Village's gritty art and club scene. This lyrical, atmospheric 3rd in Colson Whitehead's acclaimed Harlem trilogy will please fans of Walter Mosley. |
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| Teddy Bears Never Die by Cho Yeeun; translated by Sung RyuSeeking revenge on those responsible for the mass-poisoning event that killed her mother, orphaned 17-year-old Hwayoung enlists the help of Doha, a teenage boy who's trying to return to his own body after his soul was placed into a stuffed teddy bear. Drawing upon Korean folklore, this twisty and action-packed slasher will appeal to fans of I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 by Robert Brockway. |
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| The Double Dutch Fuss by Phill BranchIn his autobiography, director Phill Branch addresses the difficulties of growing up Black, queer, and artistic in an environment where strict codes of masculinity reigned, enforced chiefly by a domineering father whose love was dependent on his son’s conforming to rigid expectations. Branch found some freedom when he moved to Los Angeles after college, stopped hiding his identity, and finally patched things up with his dad. Read-alike: Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man’s Search for Home by Jonathan Capehart. |
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| Nightfaring: In Search of the Disappearing Darkness by Megan Eaves-EgenesThere is nothing much simpler, more beautiful, or more terrifying in nature than darkness, yet Earth is increasingly bathed in 24-hour artificial light, disrupting circadian rhythms, invading habitats, and obscuring our view of the stars. Travel writer Megan Eaves-Egenes, following a year marked by personal trauma, journeys to dark-sky locations around the globe, sees the Milky Way in all its glory, learns about Indigenous astronomy, and discovers the healing power of the dark, expressed with “sumptuous, confessional storytelling” (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Cruelty of Nice Folks: Why Minneapolis Is the Story of America by Justin EllisIn his sweeping debut that blends family history with exposé, journalist and Minnesota native Justin Ellis chronicles two centuries of anti-Black racism in Minneapolis, Minnesota, culminating in the 2020 murder of George Floyd. It's an "urgent critique of 'polite' racism that demands attention" (Kirkus Reviews). Further reading: Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm by Robin DiAngelo. |
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| I Eat the Stars: How to Live Fully and Beautifully in a Collapsing World by Sarah WilsonIn her bracing follow-up to This One Wild and Precious Life: A Hopeful Path Forward in a Fractured World, bestselling author Sarah Wilson draws upon conversations with philosophers, poets, futurists, scientists, and more, offering insights on how to find joy amid humanity's uncertain future. Try this next: Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse by Luke Kemp. |
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| Story Rug by Sophie Blackall; illustrated by Phoebe WahlWhen a "braiding CRAZE" takes hold of classroom 203, the whole class begins contributing fabric scraps to plait and sew while Ms. Morena reads out loud. But what can they do with the epic braid they create? Find out in this gentle story about the joy and comfort of community crafting. |
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| What Lies Beneath the Flowers by Natasha DíazTempted by a $25,000 reward, best friends Pippa and Bidi decide to find missing influencer Estella Aubergine. They infiltrate Estella’s posh private school, but Pippa’s impulsiveness clashes with Bidi’s practicality. This twisty and atmospheric mystery exposes deep truths about friendship, girlhood, and privilege. |
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| Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. JacksonAfter her grandmother's death, grieving, ghost-obsessed 12-year-old Harmony joins her blues musician dad on tour. At a stop in Savannah, Georgia, Harmony encounters what might be a real haunting, leading her to investigate a local unsolved murder -- and maybe find a missing person. For fans of: smart paranormal mysteries inspired by Black history, like those by India Hill Brown. |
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| Thornbird by E. KennedyRyan Mayfair’s assumed name separates her from her father, serial killer Gabriel Thorn. She’s back in her hometown, where Thorn’s crimes loom large. As his execution draws near, the search for his victims intensifies, pulling Ryan in. Read-alikes: April Henry’s In the Blood; Sami Ellis’ Dead Girls Walking. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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