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Must-Read Books September 2026 |
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| Crocodilopolis by John Manuel AriasAfter his brother, Costa Rica's minister of the environment, prosecuted him while he headed an oil refinery, Seth has been in exile in Washington, D.C. But now he's planning his return home and plotting revenge on his sibling. Moving across time and focused on the two brothers and their politically connected family, this evocative novel explores power, masculinity, and privilege. Try this next: Tom Lin's The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu. |
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| A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile by Angela BellIn 1895 London, Margaret Kingsley expertly creates gadgets for the Daughters of Genius Society's covert team of lady inspectors. Margaret, who has chronic pain and often needs a wheelchair, goes into the field for the first time when her expertise is needed to find out who's stealing patents. This fun, faith-filled series starter mixes historical romance and cozy mystery with elements of steampunk. For fans of: Roseanna M. White's Imposter series; Jen Turano's Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency novels. |
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| With Friends Like You by Amy ChozickBlending dark humor, sharp social satire, and psychological suspense, this novel follows Emily, a lonely new mother, who reconnects with her long-lost college roommate Daisy. Their exclusive mothers' club offers friendship and escape, but mounting secrets and shifting loyalties force Emily to question whether Daisy is saving her or destroying her. |
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| In Stormy Weather by Chelsea CurtoMeteorologists and longtime rivals Quincy Monroe and Sebastian Dunn, who are competing for the same job at the National Weather Service, reluctantly team up to cover a record-breaking Florida hurricane season in this action-packed enemies-to-lovers romance. Try this next: Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances. |
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| If Books Could Kill by Kate EberleWhen her wish to be the main character in romance novelist Anna Matthews' next book is magically granted, lovelorn Roxie Mitchell discovers that Anna has pivoted to thrillers...and that Roxie's so-called dream guy is actually trying to kill her. With the help of crime fiction-loving English professor Grant Hoffman, Roxie sets off on a globetrotting adventure to track down the killer -- and hopefully return to the real world. For fans of: meta romantic comedies like How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson. |
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| Plant Lady by Minyoung Kang; translated by Shanna Tan Yoohee's popular plant shop is known for reviving struggling plants -- but some customers seek help with far more dangerous problems. When abusive men begin disappearing, a determined detective starts asking questions. This darkly witty and atmospheric suspense novel pairs botanical charm with sharp social commentary, emotional depth, and satisfying vigilante justice. |
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| Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LacourIn 1944 New Orleans, 18-year-old Odette, from a Creole family, and her cousin Delphine share secrets, including Odette's affair with a woman and Delphine's with a married white man. To avoid Jim Crow, Odette and her sisters move to California. Passing as white, Delphine moves, too, eventually running into Odette. Inspired by the author's Creole family, this novel is "a masterpiece" (Booklist). Read-alikes: Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul; Kin by Tayari Jones. |
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| Runner by Ashton LattimoreIn 1923 Martha's Vineyard, a mysterious shipwreck kills Lena Jameson's father and his crew, so Lena takes over his rum-running business instead of attending college. With help from her brother, her on-and-off boyfriend, and Dee, a glamorous young woman with secrets, Lena branches out to Boston and Harlem while also investigating what caused her dad's shipwreck. For fans of: suspenseful Prohibition-era novels; atmospheric historical fiction featuring ground-breaking Black women. |
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| Die for Me by Shirlene ObuobiWhen cardiologist Sean Sullivan meets Julian Conrad, a mysterious younger man, at a wedding, the two have instant chemistry. But Sean can't shake the feeling that Julian is hiding something -- and he might just be something other than human. For fans of: steamy, own voices paranormal romances like Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi. |
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| The Door in Penrose Forest by Sean David RobinsonIn 1997, Nico accompanied his mother on a butterfly research trip; he watched as she walked into the forest to a mysterious mansion, stepped through a magical door, and never came back. Twenty years later Nico is seeking answers as he deals with his father's ailing health. This haunting and atmospheric historical science fiction story spanning multiple timelines will intrigue fans of Emet North's In Universes. |
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| The Masala Chai Mystery Club by MJ SoniAt loose ends after being forced to retire early, librarian Neeti Shah turns amateur sleuth after her New England neighbor dies in a fall. Was it an accident or murder? Many people wanted the unpleasant man dead, leading Neeti to think his death was deliberate, so she teams up with her niece and her mystery-loving friends to solve the case. For fans of: Eva Gates; Uzma Jalaluddin; Richard Thorogood. |
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| Misery's Wife by Joan TierneyElixane was too young to remember much about her elder sisters before they were each stolen away to wed the magical beings known as the King of the Air, the King of the Sea, and the King of Misery. But now that she's older, she sets off on a journey, determined to save them with all the luck and courage she can muster. This queer and cli-fi influenced retelling of a Portuguese folktale is a great choice for fans of J.R. Dawson's The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World and Rose Sutherland's A Sweet Sting of Salt. |
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| The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Kate WestburyIn 1951 Oxford, England, Gin Bishop is a clever student with no plans to marry the well-to-do man her aristocratic father has selected, while Sidney Braithwaite, a veteran and former spy, studies Latin and Greek. At first, Gin and Sidney annoy each other, but when a kindly librarian is murdered and they learn he had been tracking a Soviet agent, they team up to investigate in this "cracking good debut" (Kirkus Reviews). For fans of: Susan Elia MacNeal. |
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| The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. WhiteIn Nazi-occupied France, newly widowed Zelie Bellerose joins the Resistance, becoming a leader against all odds. She works with pianist Marcel Laurent, who gathers intelligence from loose-lipped music patrons and airs coded messages during radio performances. Zelie and Marcel grow close, but their world is steeped in danger. "Profound and masterful," raves Booklist. Read-alikes: Elizabeth Musser's From the Valley We Rise; Sarah Sundin's Until Leaves Fall in Paris. |
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| Etna by Paul YoonAfter Etna is selected from his farm by Soojin, who can communicate with animals, he becomes a United States military dog, sniffing out bombs and more amid an unnamed war in an unnamed country. The conflict ends after four years, and Etna quietly leaves one evening to try to find his way back home. Traveling a desolate land, he encounters others, human and animal, trying to restart their lives. For fans of: The Odyssey; thought-provoking stories narrated by dogs. |
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| All That's Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir by Emilee HackneyAfter a devastating betrayal that called her Pentecostal faith into question, debut memoirist Emilee Hackney left her small Appalachian town in Virginia for Harvard. Amidst the culture shock, Hackney realized that leaving home was the right move for her. But it also made her see that home in a new light, and she found herself defending the land of her birth against those quick to dismiss and stereotype the South and its people. For another coming-of-age memoir about feeling pulled in opposite directions, try Between Two Trailers by J. Dana Trent. |
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| The Biggest Lie: The Prehistory of American Fascism, 1818-1915 by Joseph KellyHistorian Joseph Kelly's well-researched revisionist account explores the origins of American fascism in the Antebellum South, detailing how the 1818 Missouri Compromise helped advance the ideology. Further reading: The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy by Steven J. Ross. |
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| Liberation Summer: The Moment That Changed the Women's Movement and the Future of... by Micki McElyaIn her evocative and well-researched latest, historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist Micki McElya details how the 1968 Miss America pageant, which was protested by civil rights and women's liberation activists (including the newly established Miss Black America organization), became a pivotal moment in American politics. Further reading: Looking for Miss America: A Pageant's 100-Year Quest to Define Womanhood by Margot Mifflin. |
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| Triage by Claudia RankinePoet Claudia Rankine's thought-provoking, genre-defying latest blends cultural criticism with elements of fiction and memoir, exploring our current moment through the lens of a longtime friendship between the narrator (implied to be Rankine herself) and "the theorist." Try this next: Self-Portrait in Green by Marie Ndiaye. |
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| No Place on Earth by Andrea Beatriz ArangoAfter his parents separate, anxious Puerto Rican 11-year-old Gustavo moves with his mom to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. There, his anxiety dreams get even worse -- until he meets new classmate Kordell inside a shared dreamscape. This hopeful and emotionally powerful read blends fantasy with realistic mental health challenges. |
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| Nest of Tongues by Randy RibaySiblings Lily and Caleb are Bay Area teens with a big secret: they’re vampires. When a monster hunter targets Caleb, the two seek to uncover the hunter’s identity before it’s too late. This page-turning horror novel is rooted in Filipino vampire mythology. |
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| Immortal Game by Allison SaftWhen Midir of Bri Leith, the fae High King of the Otherworld, hosts a chess tournament, the prize is the granting of a single wish. Chess grandmaster Shea Fury knows this is her chance to reclaim her sister, lost to the fae realm six years ago. Read-alikes: Malindo Lo’s Huntress; Bex Hogan’s Nettle. |
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| The Skeleton and the Cat by Brandon James ScottIn five bite-sized stories, young readers will get to know an irresistible duo: Skeleton, who lives alone in her cheerful, cozy home; and Cat, who patiently charms his way into Skeleton's quiet life. For fans of: the gentle, quirky vibes of classic easy reader series such as James Marshall's George and Martha or Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad. |
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| That You Are Here Is No Small Thing by Traci N. Todd; illustrated by Vashti HarrisonIn striking illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Vashti Harrison, a ribbon of blue light connects three contemporary Black American children to the diverse diasporic history that makes their lives possible. Publishers Weekly deems this picture book "a reverent reflection on ancestry, cultural memory, and hope." Read-alike: Zetta Elliott's A Song for Juneteenth. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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