|
|
Black Culture Fiction November 2026 |
|
|
|
|
|
Friends and Family
by Natalie Baszile
From the author of Queen Sugar, a piercing examination of friendship and loyalty as two best friends find themselves at odds over their beliefs on race, identity and allyship, especially when it comes to their teenage children Babs and Nora became friends thanks to their kids. Now, the desire to protect their children might tear them apart. Babs and Nora have spent a decade's worth of morning walks sharing family secrets, local drama, and advice--everything from tips on lingerie choices to Babs's suggestions to Nora, a white woman, on how to raise Nathan, her adopted Black son. But their worlds are turned upside down when the cops are called on their kids while they're home alone, leading to a traumatic police encounter for Nathan. In the aftermath, Babs and Nora find themselves divided as never before, and Nathan looks for refuge with Babs and her family, where, unlike in his own home, race, identity, and culture are always up for discussion. Babs can see that Nathan is a young Black man without community trying to find himself. Torn between respecting Nora's boundaries and embodying the values so important to her own family, Babs will make a choice that will shape their lives forever. Set in a tight-knit enclave in the Bay Area, Friends and Family is an eye-opening exploration of friendship and privilege, race and community, and what it means to truly be a good friend and ally.
|
|
|
|
There Used to Be People Here
by Kennedy Cole
In 1970s Mississippi, a Black detective and his temporary partner are assigned to a case that shifts from murder to paranormal conspiracy with life-altering repercussions. Wenton, Mississippi: A man enters the bathroom of a local gay bar and doesn't come back out. Instead he's found cold, on the floor, and facing the wall. And no one seems to know how this happened. Samuel Barkley is Wenton's only Black detective. Assigned to the case, Samuel's one goal is to keep his head down with eyes on moving up in the police ranks. But it's not easy with Harvey, a new, temporary partner who Samuel can't seem to like...or hate. Nor with the cold, questioning eyes and fake smiles from those in town. Persistent. Judging. Wrong. Samuel is reaching his breaking point. As his investigation leads him to a curious plane crash cover-up, Samuel's placid existence is turned on its head. Because what crashed in Wenton isn't a plane. There are others here. They like it here. And if Samuel can't stop them, they will find a way to stay. With shades of The X-Files and S. A. Cosby, There Used to Be People Here deftly explores race, queerness, and existing as other in a society that demonizes everything different.
|
|
|
|
Two Can Play That Game
by Zakiya N. Jamal
After a chance courtside encounter, a fake relationship between a rising influencer and a WNBA star gets a little too real in this swoony sapphic romance. Chelsea has never cared about sports. But when she's invited to sit courtside at a New York Rebels game, she welcomes the break from her usual routine. What she doesn't expect is a basketball nearly colliding with her face--or the six-foot-four hottie who jogs over, flashing a heart-stopping grin, to retrieve it. Adrienne AD Daniels is a player on and off the court, notorious for their inability to stay in a relationship. Still, something about Chelsea sticks with them--even though their instant connection can't bring AD to offer more than one night. But AD's agent makes a pitch: Chelsea should pretend to be AD's girlfriend. It's a strategic move. AD, hoping to retire after this season, needs to lock down some brand deals--but their identity as a Black, nonbinary lesbian with a messy dating history makes sponsors wary. Chelsea, a sex-positive influencer, is ready to take her platform to a new level, and this feels like the perfect next step. With Chelsea's network and AD's star power, they could both strengthen their public images. Once the season ends, they'll go their separate ways. As the ruse starts to work and their connection deepens, Chelsea finds herself on unsteady ground. Falling for AD wasn't part of the plan, and if she follows through, she just might lose her heart and the future she's finally starting to build. Sapphic sports fans are overdue for a WNBA romance and this propulsive story doesn't disappoint... nearly impossible to put down.--Kirkus (STARRED)
|
|
|
|
Every Story Is a Love Story
by Imbolo Mbue
From the New York Times bestselling author of Behold the Dreamers and How Beautiful We Were, a captivating novel about love lost--and the weight of regret Every Story Is a Love Story is a deeply moving, beautifully told novel about grief, regret, anger, forgiveness, and the insistent resilience of the human heart. Imbolo Mbue's generosity on the page is breathtaking.--Patrick Ryan, author of Buckeye What if I'd never gotten into that car? What if I'd pulled out of the driveway five minutes earlier, or ten minutes later? Three years ago, Wolo's wife was killed in a tragic car accident. In an instant, the great love of his life was gone, and so was their beautiful future. In the face of a loss that seemed insurmountable, Wolo has slowly rebuilt a semblance of a life: he goes to work, hangs out with a small circle of friends, and fends off the matchmaking efforts of the older women in his family. The grief that dogged him has, with time, become a little gentler. Until a letter arrives one day, unbidden, threatening to upend his life once again. It is from Victoria, the woman who was behind the wheel that terrible day. Wolo's family pastor tells him the letter is the work of the devil; his mother expressly forbids him from making further mention of it; his father's second wife calls, from Cameroon, to tell him to destroy it. But Wolo ponders it for days, and ultimately agrees to meet with the woman who killed his wife. When he does, the compassion and deep remorse of the woman affects him in ways he had never imagined, and he begins to wonder if the long road to healing can be shared. What do we owe to those who have hurt us? Are we defined by our worst moments and our deepest regrets? And, more than anything, can forgiveness ease our suffering? Moving and full of life, Every Story Is a Love Story charts the uneven path from heartbreak to healing.
|
|
|
|
Hanging and Burning: A King Oliver Novel
by Walter Mosley
A dying gangster's plea sends Joe King Oliver on a quest for a missing woman across America's coasts--unraveling a dark and violent family history along the way--in this engrossing new novel from one of the most celebrated and acclaimed crime writers at work today. Joe King Oliver is the big man you call to solve the most delicate and dangerous of problems. Fresh off unraveling the mystery of his own parents' fates, King finds himself accepting (again at his grandmother's request) a case from Arman Babylon, a powerful Los Angeles gangster now dying from cancer. Babylon's granddaughter, Twyla Mann, has been missing for years, and he's desperate to find her before he passes. The search pulls King into the Babylons' stained past and the cold case of Dalia Shorts, a torch singer who vanished without a trace and whom Arman was once suspected of killing. As King follows her trail from L.A. to New York and back, he'll realize nothing is what it seems as he uncovers a pattern of violence that has targeted the women around Babylon for decades. How much will King be willing to risk to finally set things right?
|
|
|
|
The Turning of Sally-Mae
by Nuzo Onoh
A historical African-Wild West horror story of supernatural vengeance and terrifying occultic magic from the winner of the Bram Stoker Award(R) for Lifetime Achievement. Two fearsome deities battle each other for the souls of white twins destined to either bring vengeful devastation or salvation to their community in Texas, USA, for a great injustice done to their mother. When Sally-Mae Jenkins is violated and impregnated by the twin scions of a wealthy rancher, she's sent to join the African missionary ship as a widow. Pregnant and terrified, Sally-Mae vows vengeance on all those who abused her and her family. Amara is a young woman with the body and face of an old hag. The village outcast, Amara can 'eat' the diseases ravaging the villagers and cure the most deadly ailments. But her powers drain her youth and her strength and the only help she has is the fearsome entity that claimed her soul, the spirit known as Aja-Mm, the death-giver and physician of the dead. When Sally-Mae arrives in Amara's village, her unborn twins become the focus of both the Python-Goddess, Asata, who wants the twins dead, and Aja-Mm, who wants the twins alive in her service, just like Amara. And suddenly, Sally-Mae finds the boys, with their unearthly and fearsome powers, have become the weapons of her vengeance against the unsuspecting citizens of her home town back in Texas.... A gripping tale of supernatural horror, bitter revenge and battling deities, suffused with Onoh's trademark thrilling storytelling, wit and dark humor.
|
|
|
|
What Remains Is Grace
by Tina Shelton
Award-winning author pens a moving literary tale about the inconvenience of aging and the power of going home It's 1997, and college grad Grace Downing is taking the next big step in her career: a teaching job on the North Shore of Chicago. She packs up her life and makes the journey, only to discover upon arrival that the offer has been rescinded. Reeling, she refuses to return home and ends up on the South Side, teaching Honors English at the very same high school where her childhood crush now works. Longtime family friend Candi has been living in Grace's childhood home for the last several years, and had been caring for their elderly neighbor Nelda, who passed away the year prior. So when a devastated Grace calls her, Candi welcomes her with open arms despite internal battles with grief, memories, and questions about Nelda's life-and the looming decision of whether to care for her estranged husband next. When Grace's sister comes to stay with them, the three band together to learn more about Nelda's history, her myriad secrets, and her unfinished stories. As the women wrestle with their individual pasts, they grow into roles they didn't expect--and discover God in ways new and profound for each of them.
|
|
|
|
Touchdown in Brazil
by Omar Tyree
Amid the landmark NFL game in the electric city of S o Paulo, Brazil, three very different family men cross paths and find that when it comes to what matters most, cultural differences melt away in this insightful, transporting, multi-cultural drama from New York Times bestselling, NAACP Image Award-winning author Omar Tyree. It's a long way from South Philly, but there's no way die-hard Eagles fan and amateur sports bettor Tony Costa is going to pass up seeing his team play the Green Bay Packers in South America's first-ever NFL game. Forget concerns about wildfires and gang violence, Tony needs a break from his wife and three kids--and his struggling finances need a win. When it comes to cheeseheads, Packers devotee Arthur Braddock more than qualifies as the manager of a Wisconsin cheese factory warehouse. The game provides a wonderful chance to travel with his family--including his 11-year-old daughter, who's become passionate about American flag football. In S o Paulo, the game promises great business for Mario Gabriel Santos da Silva and his wife, who own a sports bar and restaurant. But he's most excited to show his10-year-old son, already a lightning-fast flag football player, what NFL football actually looks like from the stands. As the main event approaches, the men bond over shared meals and anticipation. Game day is epic, a drama-filled battle to the very last second. But Tony is waging an internal battle as well. The only man who's left his family behind, Tony can't help envying the bond between the others. And as he reflects on their perspectives, he begins to understand what winning really means . . . Uplifting and fast-paced, Touchdown in Brazil re-creates the excitement of travel while reminding us of the unifying power of sports and the importance of family ties . . .
|
|
|
|
|
|