Tuesday Tomorrow
The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Return to the world of Truly Devious as Stevie Bell and her friends travel to New York to solve a murder in the next standalone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.
Stevie might be the greatest teenage detective Ellingham Academy and the world has ever seen, but even she can't figure out what happened with her boyfriend, David. What she needs is a distraction: a good old-fashioned murder. Stevie is much happier dealing with dead people. They're a lot less confusing - they don't send cryptic texts and make out with other girls in British pubs.
But then Stevie gets exactly what she wanted when a dead body turns up in the middle of a Manhattan apartment complex, and this one is...complicated. Caught in a web of messy alive-people feelings, Stevie finds herself questioning all human connection. Is magnetism only manipulation? Can you trust anyone? Does anyone realize that they're joining a cult - before it's too late? And are things with David really over?"
When I say this is my favorite Stevie Bell mystery, keep in mind that this is a top series for me, so I do not say this lightly. It's Only Murders in the Building as only Stevie can do it. Also it's a contender for one of my top ten of the year. Easily.
Mischief Girls by Aashna Avachat
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Every school has its secrets - but at the exclusive Ellison College, the past might prove deadly - in this twisty puzzlebox mystery.
Every school has its secrets.
Ellison College freshman Raina has no idea that her new school is hiding such a grisly past. But thirty years ago, on Mischief Night the week after Halloween, three students walked into the woods surrounding campus, and only one came out. Their killer was never caught, and the students became known as the Mischief Girls.
No one knows what happened. Or do they?
Three decades later, Anika, a classmate of Raina's, has gone missing. Turns out Anika was looking into the Mischief Girls' murders before she vanished. And Raina may have been the last person to see her.
Old lies die the hardest.
With the help of Anika's stepbrother, Rohan, Raina begins to dig into the truth. But the deeper she goes, the more she starts to wonder whether what happened to Anika really began the night she disappeared…or if it goes back further.
The past is catching up to Ellison College. And maybe, so is a killer..."
And this was recommended by Maureen Johnson, queen of the twisty academia mystery... So yeah, it's a must read.
A Game of Cat and Killer by Jiro Akagawa
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Introducing an iconic investigative duo - a hapless detective and his capable cat - in this must-read by one of Japan's most beloved novelists of crime fiction.
Detective Yoshitaro Katayama is afraid of many things: heights, dark spaces, blood and...women. When a young female student is found murdered, he's given two choices - review the harrowing crime-scene photographs or head to Hagoromo Women's College to investigate - and reluctantly opts for the latter.
But the threat escalates with additional murders, and soon Katayama has a different surprise on his hands: a calico cat named Holmes, orphaned when the dean himself falls victim.
Surely that's the last thing Katayama needs. Until Holmes begins to display some uncanny investigative instincts of her own..."
That classic cover, that cat, I NEED this book on my shelves!
Death by the Sea by Hannah Ellis
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 284 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From bestselling author Hannah Ellis comes a windswept mystery of meddling, murder and one very troublesome cat.
Jamie Sinclair is only meant to be minding the cat.
A temporary house-sitting job in a windswept Scottish seaside town feels straightforward enough. Keep the place ticking over. Tackle a few handyman jobs. Enjoy time away from London, with sea views and the steady company of a glossy black cat. What could possibly go wrong?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
When an elderly client dies after a routine repair, Jamie finds himself at the centre of local gossip and under the watchful eye of Detective Constable Emma MacLeod - who has very firm opinions about civilians meddling in police business. But Jamie knows his handiwork was solid. And in a town where everyone has history, nothing is ever quite that simple.
Drawn into an improbable team by an unlikely pair of locals - a burly gym owner and a sharp-eyed student - Jamie begins pulling at the threads of a family's buried secrets. And the more they unravel, the more he suspects that solving this mystery might be the start of something far bigger than he bargained for."
I now have ideas about DC's who might not mind civilian interference...
The Dying Light by Ann Cleeves
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"DI Matthew Venn peels back layer upon layer to discover the dark secrets one family is keeping in this searing new novel, brimming with energy and taut with claustrophobic tension.
A scorching heatwave marks the start of the summer in Devon. Detective Matthew Venn is called in to investigate a puzzling death, when the body of a young woman, Lottie, is found in the swimming pool of a luxurious holiday home. The girl's best friend, Hannah, whose family owns the house, is missing. The girls had arrived a few days earlier to celebrate the end of their school exams, quickly stirring unrest in the small community with incendiary social media videos mocking the place as parochial.
When further tragedy strikes, Venn and his team begin questioning a community filled with secrets. The fact that Hannah's father, Paul Armstrong, is a rising political star with powerful enemies draws intense media scrutiny to the case.
With the summer heat come holidaymakers, and it emerges that some of them may have stronger connections with the Armstrong family than first thought. Venn knows all too well that the real answers lie not in what people say, but in the silences that they keep.
Taut, atmospheric, and brimming with suspense, this searing new novel finds DI Matthew Venn caught between a powerful family's secrets and a powder keg of local tensions."
Because when the temperature starts to drop who doesn't want to take a dip back into summer?
The Pumpkin Vice Cafe by Ellie Alexander
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!
As autumn settles over the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, ushering in cool, crisp breezes and a stunning show of color, everyone at Torte is keeping warm by whipping up a bevy of fall treats and spicy lattes. Jules is nearing her due date, and the whole town is abuzz - placing bets on when the twins will make their grand debut. Helen and the team are working on a secret surprise baby shower, complete with cupcakes, cookies, and a feast fit for royalty, or maybe just a mother-to-be.
Meanwhile, Lance and Arlo are busy planning their nuptials in what is sure to be as close to a royal wedding as Ashland has ever seen. But when the high-end wedding planner they hired is found dead in the frigid waters of Ashland Creek, what looks like a tragic accident, a slip on an icy bridge, quickly reveals itself as something much more sinister. Jules knows at once - this was no mishap. A killer is loose in Ashland, and they may be ready to strike again."
I have a friend who lives in the real Ashland, and I like to imagine him getting drawn into these fictional lives.
The Ghost and the Dead Librarian by Cleo Coyle
Published by: Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In an utterly charming new paranormal cozy mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle, a smalltown Rhode Island bookshop owner investigates the death of an eccentric librarian with the help of a wisecracking, 1940s gumshoe ghost.
As a young widow, Penelope moved back to her quaint Rhode Island town to give her young son a safer home and her aunt's dying bookshop new life. Using her late husband's insurance money, Pen polished the store into a local treasure. But her updates did more than attract new customers. They roused a dead private eye from his big sleep.
With Pen's affection for hardboiled detective stories, it's no surprise she's developed a fondness for the wisecracking yet oddly likeable spirit. Sure, Jack's cold spots are exasperating, along with his proclivity for putting noir fiction in the cozy section. But murder was Jack's business in life, and his PI skills come in awfully handy when the body of an eccentric librarian is found amid the bookshop's mystery aisles.
For years, Dory jokingly called herself "The Dead Librarian" because of her hobby of collecting local obituaries. Now, in death, she's discovered holding her own eerily pre-written obit. Was it a suicide note? Jack and Pen say no and their certainty takes them from a ghost town's ancient cemetery to a prominent family's Newport estate. Then an intriguing stranger comes to town. Nikki Burnside takes a keen interest in Dory's death and makes Pen a shocking offer, one that may change her life - and Jack's afterlife. But unless Jack can help Pen prove who "checked out" the librarian, a ruthless killer may close the book on her."
I mean, cozy all depends on your point of view, to Jack noir would be cozy.
Paper Trails by Amelia Thorne
Published by: The Book Guild
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Kindle, 219 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"It's 1989 in London, the Cold War between East and West is finally coming to an end, and thirteen-year-old Milly has a school project to find out about her family history. But all she knows is that her grandad was a doorman at the Savoy - and that, long ago, he was supposedly a Russian prince, back when Russia still had princes. Could that really be true?
So, when she discovers an old diary written in Russian, she enlists the help of her schoolfriend Ilya, whose family has fled the Soviet Union, to unravel Nicolai's story.
As they piece together the unbelievable details of his escape from the Red Army, the adventures, the hardships and the love he encountered as he made his way across Europe, Milly sees an opportunity to heal the tragedies of the past - with unexpected consequences."
The stories of White Russians are always fascinating to me. The glamour left behind for survival.
The Midnight Guests by Alex Hay
Published by: Hanover Square Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of The Housekeepers comes a glossy, dark, page-turning mystery to rival The White Lotus - unfolding over twenty-four fateful hours in London's most lavish hotel.
1926. Diana Gold, owner and impresario, throws open the doors to the most opulent new hotel in London. As the champagne flows and the chandeliers shimmer, millionaires and gamblers rub shoulders with film stars and royalty.
Though, things at the Hotel Artemis aren't quite what they seem - including the two guests Diana expects at midnight. Powerful and dangerous, they've dragged her from the gutter and taught her all she knows. Now Diana must take perfect care of them - unless they take care of her first.
But when a body is found in the hotel's finest suite, the lavish opening night begins to spiral out of control. And over twenty-four fateful hours, the staff and guests of the Artemis will find out why they are really there."
Like The White Lotus, there seems to be meaning as to why these guests were chosen.
Spellstruck by Martha Waters
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Chemistry isn't only for cocktails in this lightly magical, enemies-to-lovers rom-com about the owner of a speakeasy supplying magical drinks and an enforcer of the ban on magic who must team up when potions begin to go awry - from acclaimed author Martha Waters.
In an alternate version of 1920s London, vestiges of England's magical past exist, but the use of magic has been outlawed, leading families still with powers to operate illegal speakeasies for a public still hungry for magic. Vesper Holloway runs her family club, where a dash of spell powder or an enchanted cocktail can add a little extra intrigue to the evening. But when a spate of accidents strikes these establishments, she worries patrons will flee her family's business.
Enter Maxwell Ashbridge, a onetime friend of Vesper's brother, who has joined the government agency tasked with enforcing the ban, and who has a personal vendetta against the magical elite. But he does not have a vendetta against Vesper; in fact, he finds her rather enticing. He promises immunity for her club if she teams up with him to investigate, which does little to quell the growing chemistry they share. As accidents continue and the fight to repeal the ban gains ground in Parliament, Vesper and Max will have to decide - is the magic between them worth fighting for?"
I love that this is basically a British prohibition story when Britain never had prohibition.
Lady of Uncanny Charms by Charlie N. Holmberg
Published by: 47north
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 299 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this thrilling final installment of the Whimbrel House series from Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg, Cora and Owein must uncover magical and secret conspiracies in the palace as the future they dreamed of is at stake.
Owein arrives in England to marry Lady Cora of Leiningen, his dearest friend and confidante he's known mostly through letters. However, Queen Victoria has other plans in store for the centuries-old wizard. The queen is obsessed with preserving magic, and she believes Owein is the key to pursuing her lofty ambitions.
Torn from his family, his home, and his betrothed, Owein is pushed into the Queen's League of Magicians, where he learns the crown's upheaval of his life is only the beginning of his problems. Meanwhile Cora must push aside her broken heart and use her own spells and resources to uncover truths the queen wants hidden.
As new threats, former loves, untapped spells, and even older souls than Owein collide, his next choice could be his last: forfeit his heart, body, and magic to the insidious machinations of the crown, or commit treason against it."
I love how in all fiction if there's a chance that Queen Victoria can keep control and extend her reign by any means mechanical or magical she takes it because she megalomaniacal.
A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A country Christmas in Victorian England takes a murderous turn in Agatha and Lefty Award winning author Dianne Freeman's delightful mystery featuring Frances Hazelton, the former Countess of Harleigh, and her husband, George.
Frances and George are looking forward to a Christmas season enlivened by all the diversions London can provide. But family comes first, and George's sister Fiona and her husband persuade everyone to gather at their Norfolk estate for the holiday. The weather will be chilly, but the prospect of snow delights the youngsters. And with blazing fires and invigorating country walks in store, Frances envisions a peaceful, jolly Christmas.
Instead of a picturesque snowfall, however, Norfolk is hit by pounding rainfall and high winds. In the aftermath of the storm, Frances, Fiona, and the children make an unpleasant discovery in a nearby field - the body of their neighbor, dead in suspicious circumstances. Joshua Penhollow was the local doctor, though not a well-respected one. Indeed, most viewed him as a quack, and even his own stepdaughter held a grudge against him.
With the menfolk gone to help clear a blocked road, the investigation falls to Frances and Fiona, who must also curb the young people's excitement at encountering a real-life murder. Combing through a village full of colorful characters and more than a few suspects, Frances feels any hope of a quiet Christmas slipping away. But more pressing is the need to stop a killer whose heart is as cold as the season..."
It's the last week of September, which means you should be compiling your Christmas reading, and this should definitely be on your list.
The Twelve Loves of Christmas by Alexandria Bellefleur, Elise Bryant, Olivia Dade, Alexis Daria, Sarah Hogle, Zakiya N. Jamal, Rebecca Jenshak, Jessica Joyce, Susan Lee, Joss Richard, M.A. Wardell, and Rebekah Weatherspoon
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Count down to Christmas with twelve sealed holiday love stories by beloved romance authors.
The Twelve Loves of Christmas is a swoon-worthy short story collection about finding love during the most magical time of the year. Including a playful forced proximity romance featuring a woman and her older brother's grinchy (yet unexpectedly endearing) best friend, a tender love story of two neighbors who decide to skip Christmas together, a second-chance spark reignited between exes stranded at the airport, and many more festive love stories, there's a little holiday magic waiting for every reader.
Open one sealed story each day in the lead-up to Christmas to unwrap a season full of love, warmth, and happily-ever-afters."
But if you like your holidays less full of murder, you could add this book.
Silent Nightmares edited by Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Bailey
Published by: S and S/Saga Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For fans of Out There Screaming and Never Whistle at Night, a chilling anthology of tales centered around the longest nights of the year, with modern horror authors like Alma Katsu and Josh Malerman paying homage to the time-honored Victorian tradition of ghost stories, edited by Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Bailey.
Great writers of centuries past like Charles Dickens, Edith Wharton, and Bram Stoker understood that darkness is always hiding amid the holiday cold and cheer, revealing sinister secrets. That in the stillness of winter, when the world is wrapped in a blanket of snow, the festive spirit masks the lurking horrors that dwell beneath the surface.
From haunted halls to malevolent delights, from vengeful spirits of the past to creatures lurking in the shadows, expect to encounter beings that celebrate the season in frightful ways in this Victorian-inspired horror anthology.
Join Chuck Palahniuk, Michael Bailey, Josh Malerman, Joe R. Lansdale, Alma Katsu, Ramsey Campbell, Cynthia Pelayo, Gabino Iglesias, and more for stories that promise nostalgia and dread, reminding us that sometimes the most silent nights can be the deadliest."
And if you like your Christmas reading list like it was compiled by M.R. James, now THIS is the book for you. And me.
The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Charlotte Holmes - aka Sherlock Holmes - becomes entangled in a puzzling missing person case that hits close to home for her beloved Mrs. Watson in this Victorian-set mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of A Ruse of Shadows.
It's been three years since Charlotte Holmes struck a decisive blow against Moriarty's operations in Britain, three years of relative calm and benign developments. In a buoyant mood, everyone gathers at Lord Ingram's seaside cottage in North Devon for what promises to be a perfect summer holiday. Until Mrs. Watson receives an invitation from Mrs. Carstairs, her long-estranged sister, to attend a house party nearby.
Mrs. Carstairs has married spectacularly well. She is the mistress of a great manor, a doyen of all domestic arts, and still an unforgettable beauty. Now she clamors for a reconciliation with her sister. Mrs. Watson does not trust Mrs. Carstairs's motives. Yet she cannot help but feel tremors of the old admiration for this once-beloved sister.
Then Mrs. Carstairs disappears without a trace. The next day a woman is discovered floating on the waves, her build and coloring matching those of Mrs. Carstairs. But her husband insists that the corpse fished out of the Bristol Channel cannot be his wife. So where is the real Mrs. Carstairs? Would she have purposely dragged Mrs. Watson into a murder investigation? Or was it Sherlock Holmes's involvement that she needed from the very beginning?"
Or was her life not so perfect and she wanted to make an escape?
The Weight of Angels by John Boyne
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 592 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Can one rash decision prove the difference between a life well lived and a life destroyed?
When the Marquess of Queensberry left his calling card at the Albemarle Club in February 1895, it bore only his name and five words: "For Oscar Wilde, posing somdomite." The most celebrated playwright of his day famously sued for libel, which led to his arrest, criminal prosecution, and ultimately prison. From then on, his gilded existence spiraled into public disgrace, humiliation, and an early death.
But what if he had simply ignored the insult? What direction might his life have taken? This is the premise of John Boyne's extraordinary new novel, The Weight of Angels. Rather than dying in penury in Paris at age forty-six, what if Wilde had lived to bear witness to the momentous events and cataclysmic changes of the first part of the twentieth century, and even influence some of them? What if the second half of his life were as dramatic, tumultuous, and exhilarating as the first?
In imagining the life that Oscar Wilde never had, John Boyne has written one of the great what-if stories of modern literature, giving the iconic Anglo-Irish poet and playwright a fresh new voice and the opportunity to take an entirely different path."
John Boyne has a heavy burden of proof to deliver. Because I think that with his personality, Oscar Wilde was bound for self-destruction.
Murder on Threadneedle Street by Andrea Penrose
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Not all that glitters in Regency London is quite what it seems, as Charlotte and Lord Wrexford discover when a counterfeiting scheme draws them into a deadly web of murder and manipulation in USA Today bestselling author Andrea Penrose's masterfully plotted mystery for readers of Victoria Thompson, C.S. Harris, Charles Finch, and Deanna Raybourn.
Lord Wrexford and Charlotte's growing family ensures that life is a source of constant adventure. The addition of Wrexford's half-sister to their household is proving an unexpected delight. But some surprises are less welcome - and trouble strikes when Hawk, one of the young boys in their care, arrives home distraught after learning that his new drawing teacher has been found murdered on Threadneedle Street.
Fletcher Campbell's death could be dismissed as a random robbery turned violent. But as an artist herself, Charlotte suspects there's more to the case than meets the eye. Closer examination reveals that a distinctive ring was taken from the victim's finger. With Hawk pleading for the family to help solve the crime, Charlotte and Wrexford suddenly find themselves entangled in a fiendish mystery that harkens back to a decade-old scandal that nearly brought down the government.
It seems Campbell's brother was the infamous leader of a counterfeiting gang that swindled the Bank of England. Most were apprehended, but forged banknotes remain a problem. Now, the Bank of England has offered £20,000 to anyone who can use the newly-invented engineering technologies to create the Inimitable Banknote - a complex design that cannot be counterfeited.
It's a prize that could tempt anyone, and Wrexford and Sloane's investigation turns even more fraught when one of their closest friends falls under suspicion. The deeper they probe, the more treachery comes to light. For when a lie so easily masquerades as truth, danger may be much closer than they think..."
It's only truly fall when I get to fall into the new Wrexford and Sloane book!
Death by Misadventure by Jane Bitomsky
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 265 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"April 29, 1585. Coroner John Derrick is summoned to the cozy village of Bramley to investigate a naked dead man found beneath a waterwheel. An unfortunate drowning, by all indications. But upon closer inspection, the case takes a macabre turn: The deceased is missing a certain piece of his anatomy.
Impelled by the grisly discovery to uncover the culprit, John must contend with bumbling villagers in his quest for the truth. Only sixteen-year-old maid Rebecca Laurence seems to offer any help.
In Elizabethan England, servants rarely get a second glance. Rebecca prefers it that way, moving quietly through her world, picking up secrets like dirty clothing. Knowledge is power at a time when women are afforded little, and she deftly wields hers to protect her own clandestine affairs.
As John wades through the evidence, Rebecca treads into dangerous waters. And if she's not careful, she could find herself in over her head."
Exactly my type of murder mystery, Elizabethan but with overtones of Midsomer Murders AND Cadfael.
Angel Pavement by J.B. Priestley
Published by: Modern Library
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: eBook, 496 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The struggling firm of Twigg and Dersingham is brought to riches - and ruin - in this kaleidoscopic portrait of late 1920s London from one of the twentieth century's great, underappreciated masters.
On a grim sidestreet of the City of London called Angel Pavement, the office of Twigg and Dersingham carries out its day-to-day operations far from the decadence of the Roaring Twenties. The firm is now run, less than competently, by the nephew of the original Dersingham; to cut costs, he knows he must fire one of his few employees to have any hope of keeping the business afloat. Longtime head clerk Mr. Smeeth is desperate to not lose his job, but Mr. Dersingham really has his eye on junior clerk Mr. Turgis - awkward, unfashionable, and convinced that he's about to stumble upon the love of his life - or typist Ms. Matfield, who left her home in the suburbs to live as a modern woman in the city, and who now wonders whether there's more to modern life than this.
Enter the Golspies. When Mr. Golspie appears at the office on Angel Pavement from whereabouts unknown, his beautiful daughter Lena at his side, he presents a business proposition that Mr. Dersingham feels sure will save them. But of course, offers that seem too good to be true often are - and this one will set the firm and each of its employees on a course for disaster.
First published in 1930, Angel Pavement is a sweeping London novel in the vein of Dickens, Thackeray, Wolfe, and Amis, populated by a cast of richly developed characters and gilded by J.B. Priestley's deft wit, which feels startlingly fresh in our own rapidly changing world."
I ADORE this cover, it reminds me of a book I had when I was little.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole and Albert Monteys
Published by: BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A graphic novel adaptation of John Kennedy Toole's Pulitzer Prize-winning cult classic - a wildly outrageous satiric portrait of 1960s America that still resonates today.
Set in the French Quarter of 1960s New Orleans, this cult-classic satire follows unforgettable misfit Ignatius J. Reilly as his misadventures ricochet from hot dog carts to Bourbon Street, and collide with the city's politics, vice, and absurdity.
A wildly outrageous, darkly hilarious portrait of America, still razor-sharp and painfully relevant, reimagined in stunning visual form for lifelong fans and new readers.
For fans of the darkly funny counter-culture satire of Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse-Five."
For those who don't have the time to read the prose version, here's a graphic novel! And for those who are fans of the prose version, here's a new version of an old favorite.
The Sisters of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmarks
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For fans of Starling House, The September House, and Practical Magic comes a haunting Southern Gothic horror following one woman from a long line of psychics who will do anything to save her family legacy and the haunted house she grew up in from an entity threatening to destroy everything she's built.
Every house has its secrets.
Charley Bryde is miserable in a house filled with magic. The only woman in a long line of famous psychics to not inherit the family gift, she spends her days inside Crimson House, the coveted family mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, living in the shadows of her talented older sister, Miranda. But when a shocking tragedy scatters the Brydes across the globe, Charley is forced to grow up on her own, and fast. As the money runs dry and Charley's ownership of Crimson House is put at risk, she's left with no other option; turn the manor into a haunted attraction and start representing the family brand with lies, cons, and expertly read tarot cards.
When a skeptic starts targeting Charley for the fraud that she is, she'll stop at nothing to save the family legacy. But the skeptics' arrival cracks something open in Charley that the Brydes wanted to remain buried. Deep. And when Miranda shows up unannounced after eight years away, the two will come to realize that Crimson House, and their own family, hold secrets even the greatest psychics couldn't foresee. Secrets that will threaten to destroy them."
Psychics! Mediums! Creepy houses! IT'S HALLOWEEN SEASON!
Nightjars by Michael Wehunt
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Memento meets Dracula in this heart-thudding, unpredictable, and beautifully crafted novel of a man exposed for crimes he doesn't remember committing, and the monsters that dwell at the heart of us all, from celebrated and critically acclaimed author Michael Wehunt.
On a rainy night, Luke Oshel gets stood up halfway through dinner. But before his date walks off to the bathroom and never returns, she leaves an old photograph under her napkin - Luke as a child, a dead body in the shadows of his bedroom, and a terrifying masked man. He has no recollection of this event.
Then more photos disrupt his life - Luke posing with murder victims, covered in blood - and he falls back into the deep paranoia and repressed memories he's tried to leave behind. All the drugs and alcohol, therapy, and hypnosis sessions have never conquered his deepest fear - that he hasn't escaped the hidden legacy of his late father, who killed his victims by blood loss. But now there is a new string of serial killings, and the evidence all points to Luke.
As his journey to uncover the truth unfolds in the North Georgia Appalachians, a threat arises that will risk everything he holds close, including his ex-wife and their young daughter. Now Luke must chase his father's darkness through a centuries-old secret and learn what monsters truly are. And decide if he's one of them."
Will he be able to slay the monster if it's himself?
Trad Wife by Sarah Langan
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A journalist descends into horror as she uncovers the sinister truth behind a trad wife influencer in this "flat-out brilliant" (Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author) blend of chilling suspense and razor-sharp commentary on modern femininity, performative domesticity, and social media - perfect for readers of Yesteryear, Mexican Gothic, and The Yellow Wallpaper.
Every day, millions watch Mia Wright, the "trad wife" queen, on her idyllic three-hundred-acre farm. With her handsome husband, seven well-behaved children, and a life of from-scratch meals and pastoral bliss, she's an icon of modern femininity. But behind every perfect image is a secret. And in this case, the secret is a horror.
Desperate to save her tarnished career, journalist Jenny Kaplan arrives at Black Swan Farm to profile Mia. Jenny is ready to write a scathing exposé, determined to expose the deception behind Mia's curated life. But soon, Jenny has more to contend with than staged videos and camera-ready poses. There's something wrong at the farmhouse. Something slithers through Jenny's dreams, and at night, the children sing strange nursery rhymes.
She's losing time. She's losing her hair. She starts to worry that she's losing her mind.
There is a horror at the heart of Black Swan, and it's waiting just for Jenny. Trad Wife will make you question what's real and what's just a perfectly curated deception...
Will you see the lie?"
Just saying, I would never go to a farm called Black Swan. That's the first big red flag.
The Unhaunting by Micaiah Johnson
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Award-winning author Micaiah Johnson invites you to Abernathy House.
A house, itself, is nothing. It's not a shelter until it is sheltering someone. A house is a housefire, waiting for its match. A house is a ghost story, waiting for its death.
At the end of the Civil War, a daughter of the Confederacy made what she thought was an innocent wish: to build a house where nothing bad could happen. But peace came at a price, and one hundred and seventy years later Shantell and her friends are about to discover where all that darkness ended up.
When Shantell's best friend, Avery, tells her he has inherited a house big enough to make their dreams of a sanctuary come true, she's too cautious to be optimistic. A lifetime of loss - her father to the Iraq war, her brother to police violence, and her mother to suicide - has taught her cynicism, and even though Avery swears the house has never experienced a tragedy, she goes along expecting everything from black mold to evil spirits.
But not only is the house in better shape than they'd expected, it makes them better too: Shantell's anxiety stops flaring up; terminally shallow Avery is suddenly capable of deeper emotions; and Tobias, Avery's older brother and the contractor for the job, even quits chain smoking.
There's an eeriness to the calm, and it's almost a relief when they realize they do not walk alone in Abernathy House. If nothing bad has ever happened here, where are all these ghosts coming from? As they dig into the house's history, Shantell, Avery, and Tobias discover that there's only one thing worse than a house that's haunted: a house that desperately wants to be."
Oh, the house wants you to stay.
The Cutting Garden by Darcy Van Poelgeest and Erin Connally
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A mysterious young girl seeks out a florist to deliver a painful truth that will forever change them both in this tender, gothic drama about our need for love and the creatures we become in its absence.
On a quiet street in early twentieth-century New Orleans, a florist works through the night to craft a floral arrangement for a peculiar customer - a precocious young girl named Adeil who pays the florist in stories. For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her narrative: a chance meeting with a disillusioned jazz singer, a dilapidated family home, an idyllic life on the fringes of an imperfect world. As dawn approaches and the arrangement takes shape, the florist is left to piece together the final details of Adeil's mysterious life and ponder what this means for her own story.
From Eisner Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird, Precious Metal) and rising-star watercolor artist Erin Connally comes The Cutting Garden, a gorgeously rendered meditation on companionship, family, and sacrifice."
Ponder away, you're not getting any answers from this book.
The House of Gardenias by Isabel Cañas
Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A stunning young adult debut from gothic master Isabel Cañas, bestselling author of The Hacienda, Vampires of El Norte, and The Possession of Alba DÃaz.
Growing up in a city wracked by political violence and a home where she's more likely to receive a beating than a meal, Minerva Treviño's cowardice has kept her alive for sixteen years. But even she has a limit. Hungry and desperate, she musters enough courage to run away and take a job as lady's maid to a wealthy widow who supports the deposed viceroy.
Minerva is happy serving Encarnación del Valle. She has food in her belly and the safety of a warm house lit by magical chispa. Why should she care who runs the country or how her employer affords the magic?
When the viceroy sweeps back into power, Minerva retreats with her gleeful employer to the family's mountainside stronghold to wait out the inevitable rebel slaughter. At la Casa de las Gardenias, Minerva faces new threats in the haughty servants and cruel, scheming del Valles.
But the living residents of the house are the least of her worries. As Minerva quickly discovers, the ancient estate is home to forces far older and more bloodthirsty than anything she could have imagined."
What is food in your belly and a roof over your head worth?
Newbourne Park by Jennifer Throne
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the USA Today bestselling author of Diavola comes a darkly funny, blood-soaked horror novel about the terrifying seduction of unlimited power.
After years of caring for her dying mother, Martha Shaw feels empty, exhausted, and far older than her twenty-six years. So when her brother invites her to a weekend getaway at the opulent, two-hundred-acre country estate where his friend works, Martha reluctantly agrees. After all, what's the harm? The owners and all their staff will be gone. Security cameras will be off. The house will be theirs. For the first time in years, Martha might actually have fun.
And it is fun, taking advantage of the historic mega-mansion and its vast grounds. Martha begins to feel human again. But when night falls, the rightful master of Newbourne Park returns - and she's not alone. Suddenly, being caught trespassing is the least of their worries, because what steps out into the moonlight is something vicious. And hungry.
What began as a lark becomes a bloody battle for survival, where greed and morality collide - and a woman must choose to bow, break, or bite back."
Always bite back!
Something Followed Us Home edited by Cynthia Pelayo
Published by: Atria/Primero Sueno Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Dive into the chilling depths of Latiné horror with this groundbreaking anthology, edited by Bram Stoker Award winner Cynthia Pelayo, where each story reimagines immigration, colonization, faith, and folklore as the fears we inherit and carry across borders and generations.
Something followed us home. It crawled in with our prayers, slipped into our beds, watched from mirrors, waited in water, and learned our names.
Gathering chilling work from some of today's most acclaimed Latiné voices, this horror anthology moves through haunted households, brutal landscapes, sacred spaces turned dangerous, and bodies claimed by forces both ancient and intimate. The dead murmur behind locked doors. Bones rebuild themselves under merciless suns. Love becomes a doorway for demonic hunger. Blood, devotion, and memory intertwine as the past presses back with teeth.
Something Followed Us Home is an unnerving, visceral, and impossible-to-shake collection that proves that what is carried forward does not remain quiet, and what follows us rarely leaves without taking something in return.
Featuring stories by: Agustina Bazterrica, Isabel Cañas, Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Zoraida Córdova, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Mariana Enriquez, Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro, Xochitl Gonzalez, Leopoldo Goût, Ananda Lima, Juan Martinez, Mónica Ojeda, Daniel José Older, Cynthia Pelayo, Lilliam Rivera, Diana Rodriguez Wallach, Alex Segura."
The best horror writers out there right now at the Latiné ones.
The Memory Tree by Heather Davey
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A sinister Gothic folk horror from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall, in which a family in modern day England find their new home beset by the terrifying ghosts of the past. Ideal for lovers of Gothic chillers by Laura Purcell, Susan Hill and Rebecca Netley.
When her husband, Ben, takes on his first parish in the rural community of Hope-under-Barrow, Kate Greenwood feels like it could be a fresh start for the family. But from the moment they arrive, something just feels...off. It could be the locals, with their strange rituals and rites. Or it could be the yew tree which stands in a graveyard bordering their garden, whose presence brings headaches, visions and disturbing, unfamiliar memories that do not belong to Kate.
As she investigates the strange things happening to her, Kate begins to delve into the history and memories of Hope-upon-Barrow, and the more she uncovers, the more she risks losing herself to something deadly and ancient.
An extraordinary new Gothic chiller from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall."
Yes. Just all of this. SO MUCH YES!
Midnight Manor by Sid Sharp
Published by: Annick Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 36 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Goodnight Moon meets the Addams Family in this deliciously backwards bedtime story and picture book debut by Eisner nominee Sid Sharp.
When the sun goes DOWN, it's time to get UP at Midnight Manor! The unusual residents have a busy night counting the caterpillars on the curtains and playing drums with the banshees in the basement. Before they know it, the sun is rising-which means it's finally time to say goodnight.
Midnight Manor is brimming with quirky characters and spooky scenarios in thoroughly domestic settings, from skeletons in the closet to bats in the laundry basket. Equal parts tribute to Edward Gorey and Maurice Sendak, this timeless bedtime book in reverse will delight kids and adults alike with each luxurious page painted in Eisner-nominated artist Sid Sharp's trademark lush style."
As I kid who demanded Adrienne Adams witch books at bedtime, I would have been obsessed with this book when I was little.
The Lost Three by Annie Barrows
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A wickedly entertaining supernatural story about three siblings finding their way in the world as ghosts from the bestselling author of the Ivy and Bean series, Annie Barrows.
Everyone at the Ghost Guild knows how the afterlife is supposed to work. But something is amiss with the case of three siblings - Genie, Fenella, and Tillotson Maconochie - who are beginning their journey as ghosts in a highly irregular way. They haven't even been issued their copy of the Ghostology, which would have helped them know how to stay out of trouble. It's no wonder that they fall prey to the infamous swindler Serena Aster, and end up trapped in her mansion to do her evil bidding for eternity. When they discover that a young orphan is trapped with them, their desire to break free and find their greater ghostly purpose takes on new urgency.
In this page-turning, beautifully illustrated yarn, perfect for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science readers will discover that at the end of their lives, the Maconochie siblings' remarkable story is only just beginning."
I love that death is just the start.
The Jungle of Carbanana by Kate McKinnon
Published by: Alvina Ling Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From Saturday Night Live legend Kate McKinnon comes the highly anticipated third book in her #1 New York Times bestselling series about mad science, three peculiar sisters, and the mysterious Millicent Quibb!
The Porch sisters are going on a trip - this time, to the beautiful almost-French city of ParisToo. Between baguettes, berets, and one very big bug - what could go wrong?
Everything, of course. You see, there's just one problem with ParisToo:
It's where the evil KRA is planning to execute their most dastardly plan yet! It's up to Gertrude, Eugenia, Dee-Dee, and their dear mentor Millicent Quibb, to stop those nefarious mad scientists from taking over the world. Though coming up with a plan is easier said than done when danger - like a tree that throws coconuts, a suspicious pile of sausage, or a glaring aunt - lurks around every corner. If Millicent Quibb and the sisters Porch are going to defeat the KRA once and for all, they'll need to uncover long buried secrets (including some that might just change everything...) and tap into the world of mad science like they never have before.
At any and all costs, the KRA MUST! BE! STOPPED!"
Glaring aunts with dogs perchance?
The Wump by Tony DiTerlizzi
Published by: Dial Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the co-creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles series comes a deliciously dark supernatural middle-grade coming-of-age story, with two-color illustrations throughout.
Timothy's grandpa has a saying: the best way to deal with bullies is to wump 'em. But Timothy would never hurt a fly - and not just because he genuinely loves bugs. He's always been a good kid…until a shadowy monster appears and begins feeding on his darkest thoughts. Facing bullies both at home and at school, Timothy cocoons himself in the monster's shadows, where he is consumed by a desire for revenge. But how much of himself can Timothy give up before he is completely transformed?
Award-winning author-illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi stuns in this creepy, brilliantly illustrated, and poignant reflection of the darkness - and light - inside of all of us."
Tony DiTerlizzi is a genius. The way he straddles the light and the dark and gives us stories that show us our true horrors and humanity make him a must read.
The Lost Spectacular by Zoé Duhaime
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Both magical fable and a tender love story, The Night Circus meets The Midnight Library in this dazzling ode to the life-changing power of books, as childhood loves-turned-rivals chase each other through the stories that shaped them, leaping through classic literature and famous paintings and private letters and family dinners, until all that's left is to confront the grief they've been running from...and decide whether they might face it together, instead.
Everything you love must leave you.
Noon Bonaventure and Munro Forrest weren't always rivals chasing each other through the pages of books. They grew up listening to stories from Munro's grandmother and arguing over their favorites. But then one night, they discovered the Spectacular, a mysterious, ever-changing festival glittering with everything lost: lone pearl earrings and apple orchards, abandoned first drafts and shipwrecks, a skyful of umbrellas. This Spectacular, found only by invitation or in the pages of misprints, is the most precious thing in the world. In its wake, stories settle. Noon has always been the sort to move on with grace, and Munro goes into the business of never letting go - their divide starker than ever after a misstep abruptly closes the door on what could have been.
Now long estranged yet forever drawn to one another, Noon and Munro's differences have defined their ways of life. Munro, an ambitious museum curator, vows his next exhibit will trap the Spectacular and return its lost treasures, while Noon, queen of cat-and-mouse, has been chosen as the next captain of the show.
As opening night for Munro's exhibit draws closer, he and Noon will have to stop running and finally agree on how their story ends - and perhaps, find a way to start again."
I can access the Spectacular through misprints!?! Let me go find my paperback copy of Christopher Paolini's Eldest!
Tales from the Territory by Travis Baldree
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The world fell in the love with the cozy fantasy world of the No.1 New York Times bestselling series that started with Legends and Lattes and continued in Bookshops and Bonedust and Brigands and Breadknives.
Now award-winning storyteller Travis Baldree takes us back to the Territory in a heart-warming set of five stories, three making their first appearances in Tales from the Territory, that give readers a brand new look at beloved characters.
The delightful "Goblins and Greatcoats" is a tale of murder and intrigue that introduces Zyll, a goblin with too many pockets and a disturbing affinity for cutlery on a rain-soaked night that features four adventurers, a pair of corpses, a junk-drawer knife, some unfortunate taxidermy, and a beleaguered Gatewarden.
We all know what happened in Legends and Lattes, where retired-soldier Viv dreamed of opening a cafe and ended up with a found family and perhaps the love of her life. "Just a Thimbleful" tells us how one of the most beloved of those family members, Thimble, found his way from a frustrating and unhappy house to creating sweet treats that brought Legends and Lattes to life.
Tandri is a succubus and being a succubus comes with...well...certain expectations and pressures. In "Mirograph" we meet Tandri as an art student at Ackers University trying to find a way to be seen as something else, something more.
And in the longest story here, "Cavaliers and Coffees," we get a glimpse of trouble for our cafe crew when a new and unscrupulous business comes into town, stealing all of Viv and Tandri's ideas, undercutting them for price and putting everything they've worked for in peril.
Tales from the Territory is another triumph of low stakes and high fantasy, of friends trying to make their way in a challenging world."
I might have had my copy for awhile because I got it direct from Subterranean Press. Yes, be jealous. Be very very jealous.
Breadknives and Boomstricks by Marie Cardno
Published by: Marie Cardno
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 418 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Runa is meant to be ferrying heroes to their next adventure, not fighting a tiny fire lizard over stolen scones.
When a magical catastrophe leaves half-troll Runa stranded far from her adventuring party, she holes up in the nearest shelter she can find: an abandoned bakery in Pothollow, a town whose quirky inhabitants jump at the chance to have someone else do their doughy work...despite the fact that Runa can't tell a croissant from a crossbow.
Runa has spent most of her life avoiding what she's meant to be. For the first time, she discovers what she wants to be, instead.
Even if she's really, really bad at it.
But when a knife-wielding priestess with the best hair she's ever seen appears in her basement, Runa's new life crumbles around her. Pothollow isn't just the coziest and most strangely welcoming place she's ever had the luck to stumble into - it's also home to a hive of secrets.
And Runa's own secrets might bring it all down in flames.
Breadknives and Boomsticks is a cozy fantasy for readers who love heroines whose domestic skills have always taken a back seat to their ability to hit monsters with a big stick, set in a world where half the wildlife is the result of wizardly experiments gone wrong, the geography has an attitude, and good customer service means not letting your clients get eaten by either."
Oh, does the geography just change at will?
Galinda by Gregory Maguire
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this sister volume to Elphie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Gregory Maguire shares the eagerly awaited origin story of Galinda, the pink-clad, effervescent, and popular favorite character.
Who was Glinda the Good Witch before she floated down in her bubble to greet Dorothy? Who was Glinda before she became Elphaba Thropp's magnetic and popular roommate at Shiz University?
Well, before then, she was Galinda. With a "ga."
The youngest of four children in a high-born family down on their luck, Galinda is both pampered and ignored. Her natural grace promises to elevate her in the district dance competitions - but these efforts distract her from seeing the growing resentments of local merchants who disapprove of her family's business strategies. Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it. However, as her father deftly pivots around the snares and nets laid for him by his competitors, Galinda begins to dance toward a life that might lift her above her proud, if hardscrabble, childhood.
Galinda reveals the girl behind the bubbly, shallow cliché - offering fans of Wicked their first richer glimpse into the life of a beloved and iconic character."
Because we can NEVER have too much Wicked!
The False Vow by Lydia Gregovic
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Love will be tested in this high-stakes, spellbinding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Weaver Bride, hailed as "your next romantic fantasy obsession" (I.V. Marie, #1 bestselling author of Immortal Consequences).
Lovett Tamerlane is engaged.
A silkwitch whose magic can only be harnessed through marriage to a Weaver, Lovett was facing life in the cloisters when Eliot Lear offered the deal of a lifetime: an invitation to the Vainglory to compete for wealthy Weaver heir Noé Alaire's hand in marriage, in exchange for her solving his sister's murder.
While they both got what they wanted, the competition was full of surprises. Lovett never expected to fall in love...and Eliot never anticipated that she'd betray him.
Now Lovett has one goal: to take down her fiancé's father - Bastian Alaire - and end his corrupt Weaver reign at any cost. But though the Vainglory may be over, danger still lurks at Fortblanche. And when Bastian presents Lovett with one last challenge - solve a murder that occurred within his walls, before the day of her wedding - she realizes the tests aren't over. To pass this one, she'll have to partner with the only person she hates more than her future father-in-law: his son, Noé.
But as Lovett will learn...sometimes love and hate are two sides of the same coin."
Is her other magic ability solving crimes? Because they seem to want her to solve a lot of crimes.
The Dreamless by Jen Williams
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Jen Williams stuns in a heartrending sequel to The Sleepless that is as romantic as it is deadly.
Will Lucian pursue chaos and power?
Will Artair choose isolation, or will he choose to walk out into the wider world?
And Elver, perhaps, has the hardest choice of all.
After being sacrificed yet again at the hands of Mother Maura, Elver has returned from the dead even more jih than human. A strange new power simmers beneath her skin alongside a warning from the Queen of Serpents: though she's been granted another chance at life, someday soon, Elver will be called from the land of mortals.
Now that Artair knows the spirit with whom he shares a body, Lucian, is an ordinary human, the two have formed an uneasy truce. While they attempt to wield their shred of Maura's stolen power - the only thing keeping her from ascending to full godhood - they're also confronted with feelings for Elver that are impossible to deny.
But Maura is out for revenge. As dangerous new alliances brew among the Twelve, Elver, Artair, and Lucian must set out to find the only being in existence capable of killing a god. And Elver will need to decide once and for all with which of the Sleepless her poisoned heart lies."
I oddly love stories with shared bodies.
The Thief and the Traitor Bride by V.L. Bovalino
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 592 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Set in the world of The Second Death of Locke, a devastatingly romantic epic fantasy between a spy and thief who were married and are now estranged enemies forced to work together, perfect for fans of The Knight and the Moth and The Six Deaths of the Saint.
A ruthless spy. A deadly mission. A thief who could ruin it all.
Nore Gordon is a woman of many talents: she can speak a variety of languages, disguise herself in plain sight, and has made a name for herself as a successful wine merchant. But unbeknownst to those closest to her, it is all a front for Nore's true role as the favoured spy of the Lindle crown.
Tasked with infiltrating enemy lands in search of a powerful relic, Nore is forced to engage the services of a great thief. Unfortunately, the only person for the job is her estranged husband Caspian.
Both Nore and Caspian bear the scars of the disastrous end of their marriage, but if they are to survive their deadly new assignment, they must pose as a happily married couple to avoid detection. As danger closes in, Nore finds herself tangled in a web of lies and deceit - and though Caspian is at the centre of it all, she may not hate him as much as she once did. But Caspian has betrayed her before, and trust can be far more deadly than deception."
Second chance romance or a second betrayal?
Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion by T. Kingfisher
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The roguish charlatan Astarion will free himself from a centuries-long fate of servitude or die (a second time) trying - in this decadently dark fantasy adventure by award-winning author T. Kingfisher.
You're too pretty to die.
Astarion Ancunin was supposed to be a magistrate, not a vampire spawn. He was supposed to serve the law, not the vicious vampire lord Cazador Szarr. And he was supposed to drink fine wine, not rat blood. Alas - the city of Baldur's Gate cares little for what's supposed to happen.
Though he has been powerless to resist his master's bidding, haunting the nighttime streets to fetch warm blood, Astarion has never surrendered his hope. One day, this nightmare must end. He just has to find out how.
When the vampire lord announces a twisted competition for his favor, an opportunity presents itself in the form of a rare prize...and an unlikely alliance. The blood of a dead god is buried deep beneath Baldur's Gate, and, to get it, Astarion will need the help of a handsome Aasimar paladin named Hahn den Suriel.
There are just a few problems. Astarion is not supposed to trust his fellow spawn. He's not supposed to go out into the city for his own ends rather than the vampire lord's. And he's certainly not supposed to strike a deal with a stranger whose golden eyes can snare even a blackened, undead heart.
But the city of Baldur's Gate cares little for what's supposed to happen."
Do I know much about the Baldur's Gate franchise? Nope. Do I care when T. Kingfisher is writing the book? Nope.
The Ship of Death by Kyle Winkler
Published by: Avon a
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The dice roll. Darkness answers.
House of Leaves meets Jumanji in this brilliantly original and twisted novel composed entirely of found documents, following an unwitting couple ensnared by a sinister tabletop role-playing game.
Cole and Lorraine playtest board games for some extra cash as they save up to buy a home. But after a series of bizarre coincidences, and signing a strange NDA, the couple finds on their porch a mysterious indie developer's tabletop role-playing game called The Ship of Death. The game relies heavily on the players' imaginations, and takes up an ever-growing amount of space: in their kitchen, and in their minds. As its true sinister nature becomes clearer, and its forces capture more in its web, the boundary between the game and reality begins to dissolve...and the pair are instructed to possess a stranger's soul.
Told entirely through game reports, emails, game forum posts, personal journals, and police reports, reading The Ship of Death feels like a dangerous dice roll. It's a sleep-stealing, possession-inducing work of intense, intelligent found cosmic horror that announces Kyle Winkler as a spectacular voice in the genre."
All of this! Anyone who plays tabletop knows how it can steal your soul. This is just taking that to the next level.
A Divided Duty by Seanan McGuire
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Seanan McGuire's New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated October Daye series finds Toby Daye torn between caring for her newborn daughter and keeping the world of Faerie -and her found family - safe.
October "Toby" Daye is settling into life with a baby, remembering the ins and outs of motherhood, and trying to find ways to balance her work with her desire to keep her baby safe at home and away from all the terrors Faerie has to offer. Her whole household is pitching in, from May all the way down to Raysel, the estranged daughter of Toby's liege lord, who is currently serving out a term of offense in Toby's home.
Naturally, as everything is beginning to find a balance, it's time for Raysel's term of offense to end, and Luna Torquill very much wants her daughter back.
But Toby has been helping Raysel get the help she desperately needs, from giving her a safe place to hide all the way to finding her a licensed therapist who works with the fae, and Raysel isn't ready to leave. Luna isn't taking no for an answer, and before anyone can realize what she's planning, she steals her own child away to Blind Michael's lands.
Not even Luna knows all the terrible secrets her father and his works hid from the world, and not even she can protect her daughter from the monsters in their lineage. All too quickly, Toby must race the clock to save Raysel - before it's too late for her to ever come home.
It's been years, but now the question will be asked again: can she get there and back by the light of a candle?"
The Fae do love babies...
The Worth of Scars by Gabriel Farrell
Published by: Lillie Arthur Press
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 650 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A bookworm, a brothel madam, a gangster, an aristocrat, a widow and a war hero walk into an inn - though it turns out there's nothing funny about what happens next.
For humanity's ancient enemy the Serafin are rumoured to have returned, and the old man who assembled such an unlikely band believes these misfits might hold the key to defeating them. United only by guilt, trauma, and the machinations of their mysterious patron, together they must journey to the centre of the continent to do battle with gods.
But only by using the Serafin's own powers do they hold any chance of victory: a magic that has a cost. Corrupted long ago, it condemns those who wield it to become the shunned, self-mutilating sorcerers known as the Scarred.
Each must decide - is that cost worth paying to save the world?
Perfect for fans of authors like Joe Abercrombie, Brian McClellan and George R.R. Martin, The Worth of Scars is an epic flintlock adventure with a twist, fusing thought-provoking, dark and intriguing themes with the classic fantasy quest."
Because every once in a while you need a nice big epic quest!
Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros
Published by: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing Day contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza."
I love how they know everyone will buy this without even a real blurb.
The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A small-time scrapper and his pet robot will fight their way out of the junk-heap in a tournament that will either make them richer than gods or rip them apart in the first book of Django Wexler's lightning paced progression fantasy adventure for fans of Cradle and Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Taj lives in a junkheap, scavenging scrap to keep his family fed and dodging the monsters who live among the wreckage. His only edge is a smart-ass construct named Star he built himself.
Taj dreams of winning big with Star in the construct fighting circuits, but victory always seems just beyond his reach and the debt collectors are at the door.
His world changes forever when someone there makes him an offer that seems too good to be true: a chance to fight in the Ascent, the ultimate fighting tournament, for a prize beyond his wildest fantasies. But things that seem too good to be true usually are, and Taj finds his new benefactor comes with plenty of new enemies.
As he ventures beyond the only world he's ever known, he discovers it's not just his money on the line in the Ascent - it's his life. When you start at the very bottom, the only way out is up..."
And there are those who will do anything to keep you at the bottom.
Night of Madness by Ryan Douglass
Published by: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Teen influencers compete in a horror movie-themed overnight competition, only to realize the real test is staying alive in this chilling, blood-soaked horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston and the production company behind Clown in a Cornfield.
Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley - the producer of the eighties. Stanley's campy slasher movies may have kept Mara's fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.
Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley's attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.
When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it's a horror fan's dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic.... They're not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn't know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise - and will she still recognize herself by the end?"
If she's that into horror movies, she will know how to be a final girl.
Fictional Selves by Kyle MacLachlan
Published by: Crown
Publication Date: September 29th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City, Fallout, and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and fame, and the projects that shaped him - and created a cult icon.
Everywhere I go I am followed by a mystery man. He looks like me but - not quite. On talk shows, I sip coffee on couches and pretend to be him; on social media, I put on his mask to engage in suburban silliness. And of course, we work together. But for him, the movies and TV shows never end. Where does this guy - this Kyle MacLachlan - end and where do I begin? And is he even real? And, holy mackerel...am I?
To be in the black suit, or not to be? Kyle MacLachlan's funny, moving, and playfully self-aware memoir charts a career that could belong to no other. Plucked from obscurity to star in David Lynch's Dune, the Hollywood blockbuster that never was, MacLachlan rebounded with a startling performance in Lynch's provocative masterpiece Blue Velvet, which would mark him as a master of the unusual and ultimately lead to his career-defining role as Agent Dale Cooper on the TV sensation Twin Peaks.
Fictional Selves is a book of doppelgangers, with MacLachlan mirrored by his own prodding ego ("Other Kyle"), the iconic characters he inhabited, and the ones that eluded his grasp but gave him a profound and surprising lens onto himself as a person and a performer. Taking us from the heights of critical success for Blue Velvet to the depths of the backyard pool in his infamous (and delightful) Showgirls love scene, MacLachlan brings us into the mind of one of the most distinctive actors of his generation, offering profound insights on collaborators like David Lynch, Laura Dern, Dennis Hopper, Anthony Hopkins, and more. Featuring lessons learned the hard way about ambition, love, and fatherhood, this memoir is an honest look into the remarkable - and often unpredictable - life of an enduring and endearing Hollywood icon."
Wait does Kyle have an innie and an outie like on Severance? Also, how can we get him on Severance? And yes, I have had this book preordered for months and months. Signed of course.
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