Tuesday Tomorrow
Six of Crows: A Darker Shore by Leigh Bardugo
Published by: Insight Editions
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 64 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a new Grishaverse short story: a mystery told through found documents and set after the events of Crooked Kingdom.
In the years since the violent upheaval caused by the auction of Kuwei Yul-Bo, the merchants of Ketterdam have been under attack. Secret businesses exposed. Ships sunk. Slavers hunted as they once hunted their victims. All the work of a mysterious sea captain and her ship, the Wraith.
Now, two investigators meet to uncover the truth behind the latest disaster: a massacre on an island off the shores of Ketterdam. Among the evidence collected is private correspondence between notorious crime boss Kaz Brekker and an anonymous sailor aboard the Wraith known only as "I."
Follow along with the lead investigator as he tries to piece together how such a disaster transpired, and explore the Grishaverse like never before with new illustrations by E.K. Belsher, original music composed by E. Aaron Wilson, and in-world collectible items."
Fans of the Grishaverse have been deprived for too many years! Yes, I know it's only been six years since new material and three years since the second season of the show, but that's forever right!?!
Everybody's Perfect by Jo Walton
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Piranesi meets Swordspoint in an elegant relay race through fantasy Venice from Hugo award-winning author Jo Walton.
The Serenissima is built from mist and belief, a mythical shadow sister to Venice and crossroads of the nine worlds.
When a laborer called Tiry has a dream that Serenissima will have a doge, and that they will marry the sea, he tells it to a fortune teller named Khadsha. She tells her apprentice, a gondolier called Taddeo, who tells a cop named Gom, who's heard it from five people this morning already. And by that point, it's already settled into the bones of the Serenissima, more than half-fated.
Everybody's Perfect is a gentle, shifting, structurally inventive narrative of startling beauty that will make you rethink everything you think you know about fantasy."
Whispers and shadows!
Carrion Crow by Heather Parry
Published by: Pushkin Press
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"There are some things only your mother can teach you...
In this viscerally dark, queer Victorian gothic, longing and transformation take wing through the secret selves we nurture when no one is watching.
Marguerite Périgord is locked in the attic of her family home, a towering Chelsea house overlooking the stinking Thames.
For company she has a sewing machine, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, and a carrion crow who has come to nest in the rafters. Restless, she spends her waning energies on the fascinations of her own body, memorising Mrs. Beeton's advice and longing for life outside.
Cécile Périgord has confined her daughter Marguerite for her own good.
Cécile is concerned that Marguerite's engagement to a much older, near-penniless solicitor, will drag the family name - her husband's name, that is - into disrepute. And for Cécile, who has worked hard at her own betterment, this simply won't do. Cécile's life has taught her that no matter how high a woman climbs she can just as readily fall.
Of course, both have their secrets, intentions and histories to hide. As Marguerite's patience turns into rage, the boundaries of her mind and body start to fray.
And neither woman can recognise what the other is becoming.
Strange, intense, and darkly beautiful, this haunting gothic novel from award-winning author Heather Parry is a story of mothers and daughters, and the dual capacity for both great kindness and unfathomable cruelty."
Once you have someone locked in an attic, the Gothic vibes are bound to follow!
Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Cursed Ever After is a dazzling romantic fantasy debut brimming with snark, humor, and banter-filled romance perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and Once Upon a Broken Heart.
Love is not for cursed girls. Risa is better off without it.
Risa Porto is a Bad Thing who was born on a Bad Day and is cursed with Bad Luck. After years of taking the blame for every calamity, mishap, and minor inconvenience that befalls the townspeople of Barrow, Risa longs to escape her village. And on her seventeenth birthday, her wish is granted.
Sort of.
Risa owes a (very annoying) witch a favor, and it comes in the form of a quest: She must escort Prince Javi - the youngest, handsomest, and least significant of the kingdom's princes - through the dark (and deadly) Bosque to his wedding. This measly errand quickly spirals into a struggle with greedy assassins, a murderous cult, a vicious tyrant, and Risa's own curse.
Most unfortunate of all...
Risa is not immune to Javi's charms. The more time she spends with the prince, the stronger - and more irritating - her urge to kiss him becomes.
Don't miss this action-packed, Latinx subverted fairytale!"
If you actually want a prince to get somewhere, perhaps his guide shouldn't be cursed?
The Anatomy of Magic by Alexis L. Menard
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of TikTok sensation House of Bane and Blood comes an unmissable new romantasy duet packed with searing chemistry and razor-sharp banter, perfect for fans of Quicksilver, Sarah J. Maas and Rachel Gillig.
Enter a world of forbidden magic...where falling in love could be the last mistake you ever make.
Nina Veyr has a dangerous secret - illegal magical abilities she cannot explain. If the city of Valveron's enforcers found her, she would be executed...or worse. For years, Nina has stayed in the shadows, picking pockets and smuggling enchanted relics to get by. Then she steals from the wrong man.
Max Antonin is the most powerful crime boss in the city. Cold, deadly, and breathtakingly attractive, Max has his sights set on Nina, and nothing will stand in his way. But when Nina is framed for a shocking murder, Max offers to help her find the true killers. She knows she can't trust him - that deals with a devil always come at a cost. But there's no way she can survive on her own.
As they follow a trail of bodies into the city's underworld, Nina feels a dangerous attraction pulling her ever closer to him. But can she trust her life and her heart to the city's most ruthless criminal?"
I so love a good forbidden magic story.
The Feywild Job by C.L. Polk
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Sparks fly when bitter exes are forced to team up for an elaborate Feywild heist, in this cozy fantasy romance by the bestselling author of the Kingston Cycle and Even Though I Knew the End.
Saeldian has sworn never to fall in love. That oath isn't just a personal promise, but rather a magical pact, granting them powerful abilities. The only catch? They must never give their heart away - a deal that Saeldian is perfectly content with. They've seen firsthand how messy love can get.
Saeldian prefers their no-strings-attached life as a con artist, pulling off heists and leaving a trail of broken hearts behind them. But when a grift goes horribly wrong, they catch the eye of a mysterious patron with a job offer they can't refuse.
The mission? Steal a gem called "The Kiss of Enduring Love" and return it to the Feywild. Simple enough, until Saeldian discovers their ex-partner, Kell - a charming bard - is part of the team.
The last time Saeldian saw Kell, things hardly ended on good terms. A kiss became a betrayal, leaving Kell hurt and confused for almost a decade. But Kell can't just walk away - not when this job might finally be his ticket back to the Feywild.
Forced to work together again, their adventure takes them from high-society parties to Feywild couple's therapy. But as Saeldian and Kell rekindle their chemistry, they realize the gem is much more than a fey bauble, and their simple heist has summoned powerful enemies...."
Not just a wonderful entry in the LitRPG genre, but a hearty welcome to C.L. Polk to its ranks!
When Dealing With Dragons by Dana Swift
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Bonding with dragons gave humans magic to craft metal - now, two school rivals have to work together to protect a priceless secret, all while fighting their growing attraction to each other, from Dana Swift, author of Cast in Firelight.
Copper-crafter Farren Walsh is set on following in her father's footsteps to become a dragon veterinarian. The only thing more powerful than her love for these magnificent creatures is her hate for those who exploit them for their precious metal. That includes her classmate, an arrogant dragon racer named James Murphy, whose silver-crafting family represents the worst of human greed and dragon abuse - plus, he's the biggest competition for the college scholarship she desperately needs.
When James strongarms his way into interning at her family's dragon sanctuary for the summer, it puts everything at risk. Farren isn't just the plain copper-crafter she seems. She's hiding a secret that could not only change her life, but their society as a whole. And James, trying to find refuge from his controlling father, harbors his own secret, years-long crush on Farren. Hating James might be harder than she thought, but Farren can't risk getting too close: the fate of an endangered species is at stake.
When Dealing with Dragons is a delightful young adult dual-POV romantasy about cross-class romance, finding family, and creating a better world for creatures big and small."
I always find it interesting that I was rather ambivalent about metal work considering how lore ties it to dragons and I adore dragons.... Maybe I should give it another go.
The Sisters and the Sword by Sam Davey
Published by: Diversion Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In the second in the Pendragon Prophecy series, Sam Davey plunges into the heart of the Camelot story and the fraught relationships between grown siblings Morgause, Morgan, and Arthur.
A dark and mesmerizing retelling of Camelot - where magic and destiny entwine with sibling rivalries, forbidden love, and looming rebellion.
One year after the death of Uther Pendragon, High King of Britain, a lavish tournament is held in his memory, and as an opportunity for the nobles and allies to swear another year's fealty to King Lot of Orkney and his wife Queen Morgause. At the tournament, Arthur, an unknown youth, is seeking a replacement sword for his foster brother. He succeeds in pulling a mysterious sword from a stone anvil in the courtyard at Caer Lundein and is proclaimed King of all Britain. Merlin prepares the bewildered Arthur for kingship and reveals to Morgause that Arthur's reign will end if he faces in battle a noble knight born at Beltane (May 1) in the first year of his reign.
Morgan, a powerful priestess and sister to Morgause and Arthur, becomes Lady of the Lake - and she and Morgause, who blame Arthur for their violent and traumatic childhood, plot against him. Morgan, who has concealed her identity from Arthur, seduces her brother and becomes pregnant. At a grand Tournament and celebration in Caerleon, Merlin finally tells Arthur of the prophecy of the Beltane child, and Arthur is horrified to learn that Merlin can see no solution but to kill all of the noble children born on Beltane that year. Arthur tells Lot he will not follow Merlin's advice, but when he discovers Morgan is actually his sister, he believes Lot has helped to deceive him and turns back to Merlin's guidance. Lot joins the rebels, his four sons remaining loyal to Arthur, as the Once and Future King seals his fate."
Camelot has a lot of darkness in it. I love it!
Witch Season by Julia Bianco
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Exhilarating, dangerous, and seductive, Witch Season is an action-packed and fiercely romantic contemporary fantasy from debut author and screenwriter Julia Bianco.
That is the price of magic - not just the blood, but the pain to bring it out.
Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It's her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches - people who aren't aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst - into the coven's fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.
When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine's dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, his coven's dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.
But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war."
I just love the location!
It's About Time by Carol J. Perry
Published by: Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this delightfully spooky series spin-off of Carol J. Perry's beloved Witch City Mysteries, Lee Mondello and her detective husband have plenty of experience solving crimes in Salem, Massachusetts - and now Lee's Aunt Ibby is starting a sleuthing career of her own in the witch city...
Nothing can spoil the mood at a one-year-old's birthday celebration like the cops arriving - but it's not because the party got too rowdy. Instead, Detective Pete Mondello has a search warrant for a tenant's apartment. When Lee's aunt Ibby leads the police to Josh Alper's locked door, she's surprised to learn that her renter has redecorated...with what appear to be masterpieces stolen from a museum back in 1972.
The paintings may be found, but Alper - an artist involved with a shady, cult-like group - is officially missing. So Ibby and her pals, who hold weekly watch parties of their favorite show, Midsomer Murders, decide to jump in and do some real-life sleuthing using the skills they've learned from DCI Barnaby. Ibby, a semi-retired librarian, may be in her sixties, but her tech skills are top-notch...and with some help from her friends Betsy and Louisa, as well as O'Ryan the clairvoyant cat, that spells trouble for any criminals in Salem.
But when Alper's body is found in the Salem Woods - felled by an unusually sophisticated weapon - Ibby must buckle down with her team and prove that she's just as talented an investigator as her beloved niece..."
I mean, can I go to their weekly Midsomer Murders watch parties? I'd also totally help solve crime.
The Loom Tree by Angela Mi Young Hur
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Ninth House meets Babel for fans of myth and folklore in this contemporary fantasy about a Korean-American college student at a magical university where fairy tales intersect with family heritage to unleash powers beyond imagining.
"You always wanted magic to be real."
Sharon and her daughter V's points of origin hold common threads - both Korean American teenagers, raised by single mothers and searching for identity in the California suburbs. But during a Finals week celebration, high schooler V, compelled by strange impulses, crawls into a hollow tree trunk. That night in a fever haze, she sees gleaming strands of illegible text hovering over her body - flowing between her and her mother, leading to a long-forgotten diary.
With the aid of a luminous quill, a fountainhead of Sharon's memories spill onto the faded pages. V witnesses her mother map out her past through drawings, diagrams, and reclaimed histories of her brief time at Alvsdahl, an exclusive East Coast college. Here, legacies and heiresses claimed descent from Bluebeard or Cinderella, grappling for control over family stories that could grant them terrifying abilities or burn them to ash. An Asian girl with an unknown inheritance was no one - until her discoveries cracked open Alvsdahl's secrets.
Sharon's rewritten narrative - of classroom rivalries, animal professors, debauchery in the woods, threatening Godmothers, and world-shattering powers - unfolds line by line as V desperately tries to help her mother, ultimately learning how to wield Sharon's story to transform them both.
Lyrical and tender, Angela Mi Young Hur's The Loom Tree is a magical campus novel centering two young women walking the thorny path toward adulthood, the fractures between parents and their children, and the global mythologies connecting us all."
Here's to the stories that form us and are universal.
These Immortal Truths by Rachelle Raeta
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Both epic and intimate, These Immortal Truths is an enchanting and romantic historical fantasy that explores not only what it means to live forever, but what it means to truly live at all.
"Did I not tell you, Anna? Death will not come for you."
Anna is used to hunger and hardship. Ever since the pale shadows on her skin were mistaken for leprosy, she has lived alone in exile, each day focused only on survival.
Then a single act of kindness towards a beautiful stranger changes her life forever.
Suddenly, neither time nor harm can touch her, and Anna strives to embrace a life with boundless potential, one that isn't only about survival. But as decades and centuries pass, she is continually forced to abandon each new life before it has the chance to feel like home.
The only constant in her eternal existence is Khiran - the shapeshifting god who gave her immortality. No matter the years or distance, he always finds her when she most needs him.
But there is more to immortality than Anna knows, and as she travels the ages, she will discover the beauty - and cost - of a life without end."
I think the cost of life without end isn't worth it.
4 Janes by Marian Yee
Published by: Little a
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 269 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Through time, space, and the transcendence of maternal love, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is reimagined in the parallel lives of one soul searching for meaning, connection, and a place to belong.
Jane Eyre is a missionary's wife.
A bookseller in Vietnam.
A time traveler.
A hero in a modern gothic tale.
What if Jane's story didn't end with her marriage to Edward Rochester? What if she never married him at all?
In one lifetime, Jane travels to India and Burma as Mrs. St. John Rivers. In another, she's Trang, a young woman selling books in Vietnam, vying for the love of the local priest. Yet another picks up where Brontë left her, now grieving the loss of her child and crossing time and space to find him. And finally, a young Vietnamese-American man searching for himself in Boston, a tutor whose relationship with a veteran feels strangely, achingly familiar...
Each thread tells Jane's story in sweeping, heartbreaking shades of loss, vulnerability, yearning, and the fierce love of mother and child that withstands time and space. While she may long for something more out of a life she didn't get to choose, she can still decide what to make of it."
This proves that Jane Eyre's struggles are universal and that's why her story endures.
The Abduction of Rosalind Thorne by Darcie Wilde
Published by: Kensingtons
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Brimming with intrigue, the latest novel in this charming Jane Austen-inspired mystery series finds resourceful Rosalind Thorne - a discreet sleuth for Regency London's ladies of ton - facing her most perilous, and awkward, predicament yet...
Rosalind is newly, happily engaged to ex-Bow Street officer Adam Harkness, but lunching with the new fiancée of her old love is still discomfiting. Yet, Clara Kinsdale needs her help, and Rosalind is not one to turn away a lady in distress. It seems Clara's father, Sir Anthony Kinsdale, has fallen for beautiful widow Mrs. Sylvia Lynn - who may be a fortune hunter, or worse...
Sir Anthony is a profligate baronet, who has pinned his financial hopes on two events: Clara's marriage, and his horse winning the upcoming sweepstakes at Lansdown, on which he has wagered heavily. Clara is afraid that her father is being fleeced by the charming - and cunning - Mrs. Lynn and wants Rosalind to expose her.
But Clara does not realize that her sisters, Elizabeth and Cynthia, are harboring their own secrets and Elizabeth especially will do whatever she must to obstruct plans to separate their father from Mrs. Lynn.
Rosalind and Adam travel to Bath to meet the family. But their gathering is interrupted by Admiral Walsingham, who is leasing Kinsdale House. Despite his dire finances, Sir Anthony is evicting the admiral - though his reasons appear laughable. Not laughable is that Sir Anthony is found dead soon after their argument, having apparently tumbled from his bedroom window while intoxicated.
It would be easy to assume the tragedy was an accident, except Admiral Walsingham is found dead at nearly the same time. Secrets, schemes, fraud and forbidden love all drag Rosalind and Adam into a web of high-stakes gambling, murder - and extreme danger. But can they unravel it before they become the next victims..."
Oh, so many intrigues, I can barely contain my anticipation!
The King's Collar by Jeff Tanner
Published by: Koehler Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 316 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Boston, May 1929. Expelled from Harvard and disowned by his father, Charlie Bohannon is down to his last nickel when he stumbles across a chance at salvation: a priceless Egyptian statuette hiding in the smoky recesses of a speakeasy. Learning it was stolen from a long-ago expedition led by his college dean, he sees returning it as his only shot at redemption - but the plan shatters when the artifact is stolen and the thief is murdered.
From the corrupt halls of power where Joseph Kennedy pulls the strings to the seedy docks of the Atlantic, Charlie suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs of several dangerous men. They don't just want the statue; they want its legendary counterpart: the jewel-encrusted King's Collar. They think Charlie can find it. And they'll happily kill for it.
Aided in his quest to find the King's Collar by daring socialite Olivia and salty ex-sailor Punchy, Charlie plunges into a shadow-game where killers hide in plain sight. When his friends are kidnapped, the hunt for the Collar becomes a race against time. In the cutthroat world of the Prohibition era, Charlie must find the treasure - or pay for it with their lives."
Stolen Egyptian artifacts? Yes please!
The Secret Thread by Eve Chase
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"At a lavish summer party on an English country estate, tensions between social classes lead to deadly consequences that won't stay buried in this twisty, engrossing suspense novel by the author of The Midnight Hour.
Even the darkest secrets unravel in time....
2024: Jo O'Mara, a young writer, lands a job working for Mimi Mott, a wealthy style icon and legendary founder of a decorating empire. Newly widowed and in her seventies, Mimi is preparing to auction off her possessions, through them finally telling the story of her early life. Famously private, Mimi has kept her past shrouded in mystery. Jo doesn't dare reveal how closely it touches her own.
Tasked with collecting the untold tales behind each auction lot, Jo peels back the layers of Mimi's origin story and discovers it's far darker than anyone ever suspected.
1969: Mimi and her sister, Pamela, live in a cramped, musty staff cottage on the grounds of Rushwood, an idyllic English country estate owned by the Caswell family, their demanding new employer. Working alongside their gardener parents, the girls have been raised with their hands in the soil and know only a traditional, simple life - but spirited Mimi hungers for more.
When the Caswells' adult children, Nancy and Lawrence, arrive at Rushwood for the summer, the sisters are drawn into a privileged, intoxicating world, unsettling their own, and passions spark under the blazing sun - until a shattering death at Rushwood's high-society party tears Mimi and Pamela apart.
Now time is running out. Jo discovers both a missing auction piece and a missing sister and vows to find them no matter how dark the secret they expose - or the cost to herself."
I love that this is basically, writing auction catalog leads to mystery! It's like an episode of Lovejoy!
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale offers up mystery, romance, and a lot of fun in the second book in the Austenland series.
Newly updated edition with brand new content!
Preorder the third book in the series, Christmas in Austenland, coming in September 2026!
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his new wife, her children, and the rest of her recently upended life in America. It's been a long time since Charlotte has felt hopeful, let alone loved. Maybe doing something as outrageous as donning a bonnet and staying at an English manor house can help re-start her damaged heart.
Yet once the parlor games begin at Pembrook Park, Charlotte finds herself more uncertain than ever. Can she trust the feelings she has for a certain actor, or is his roleplaying that quality? Is the world-famous starlet concealing more than her real name? Has the respite of the country given her too much time to question her life choices? And when Charlotte suspects murder among them, she can't help but wonder how much of their true selves everyone may be hiding...
The second book in this utterly delightful series gives readers the chance to relish all the fun of Regency romance and mystery, from the comfort of their modern lives."
I loved how this second book veered straight into Agatha Christie from Bridget Jones. I can't wait to re-read it in anticipation of the third volume!
Sweet Spot by Kemper Donovan
Published by: A John Scognamiglio Book
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The USA Today bestselling host of the "All About Agatha" podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age Murder Mystery into the present day, as a ghostwriter-turned-sleuth must find a devious killer who's transforming her new assignment into a real-life thriller...
Ghostwriters, just like ghosts, shouldn't exist. Knowing that the latest juicy memoir was penned by a stranger for a paycheck tends to ruin the illusion of intimacy. But not every ghostwriter is in it for the money alone.
For Belle Currer - as the ghostwriter extraordinaire prefers to be known - Genevieve Caraway's memoir is an irresistible project, a tale of tragedy overcome. At 14, Genevieve was abducted from her bedroom by a couple and held hostage for three months. She's now a happily married mother with a flourishing career, a poster child for thriving after trauma. Still, the scars haven't entirely faded.
Genevieve's lavish Utah home, "Sweet Spot," is a guarded compound impregnable to outsiders - theoretically, at least. But Belle's arrival coincides with the parole of Deirdre Gregory, one of Genevieve's kidnappers. When Deirdre shows up at Sweet Spot begging to see Genevieve, she is refused. The next day, Deirdre's dead body is found on the grounds.
How did Deirdre get in? More importantly, who killed her? Belle soon joins Detective Kay Adams, the pregnant Mormon detective assigned to the case, in sifting through the suspects. The compound is filled with family and friends - and also with secrets, including one the ghostwriter has been carrying for far too long. She knows how guilt, remorse, and love can drive people to do unthinkable things. And that no matter how much you try to keep the world at bay, the best and worst of it may find a way to get in..."
Belle Currer, LOL! For anyone NOT in the know, Charlotte Brontë wrote under the pseudonym Currer Bell.
Winners and Liars by Aleema Omotoni
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Knives Out meets Death at Morning House in this thrilling standalone mystery layered with family secrets, the whitewashing of history, and a high-stakes literary competition for the keys to a Victorian-era English estate - from Aleema Omotoni, the NAACP Image Award-winning author of Everyone's Thinking It.
Derin's acceptance into Cambridge University is the end of an era - just not the one she expected.
When she and her ultra-competitive Uni prep group, the Kenfield Set, were first invited to Professor Darnley's summer ball, they planned on celebrating the group's success, surrounded by the riches of his historical Kenfield estate - not kicking off the festivities with the professor's will reading.
But when the Darnleys' aristocratic children are disinherited, the students are offered the opportunity of a lifetime: compete in a Victorian, literary-inspired inheritance competition to be named the new heir - winner takes all!
For Derin, it's a chance to help her working-class family. But the remaining Darnleys won't take losing their stately home and its multimillion-pound inheritance lying down. And added to the mix, a mysterious note is slipped under Derin's door alluding to a dark family secret lying in wait.
Now Derin must balance the cutthroat games; scheming relatives; and a cute Kenfield intern amid her dawning realization that the history of this inheritance might be soaked in lies...and blood."
I so want to compete in a Victorian, literary-inspired competition. I would totally lose, but I'd love playing.
Not What It Seems by Lisa Jackson
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson brings her own brand of Southern Gothic back to the Spanish moss-draped shade of Savannah and the swampy marshes of Lowcountry Georgia, as crime writer Nikki Gillette and her husband, Detective Pierce Reed, race to expose an obsessive killer with an enigmatic M.O....
The stone is small and round, easy to miss among the junk surrounding Billy Huber's body. The man was a hoarder for sure. At first, police assume he fell from a ladder, injuring his throat and smashing his head in the process. Only on closer inspection do they see the polished stone nearby, with a number on one side etched in blood, and a strange symbol on the other.
Reporter Nikki Gillette seizes on the story and visits Huber's sprawling property in Georgia's low country. She gains little except the uneasy feeling of being watched. Within days, another body is found - a wealthy, thrice-married Savannah socialite dead in her lavish home. More victims follow, each one pierced through the throat. Beside each body, a stone engraved with a different number and symbol.
Detective Pierce Reed, Nikki's husband, cautions her against getting in too deep. She's a mother now and can't keep putting herself in danger. Nikki knows he's right, but her instincts are in overdrive. This is what she's good at - finding answers and driving toward justice at any cost. Yet she knows, too, that the most terrifying killers don't look like monsters at all. And by the time you realize how close they really are, it may already be too late to save yourself."
Is it wrong that I really want to know if the killer polishes and tumbles their own rocks or buys them in bulk from Michaels?
Until Midnight by Luanne Rice
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 379 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"When lies and betrayals are exposed, the perfect wedding becomes a nightmare in a gripping novel of psychological suspense by the New York Times bestselling author of Last Night and The Shadow Box.
Rhode Island's picturesque Ocean House is the perfect setting for Kate Woodward and Conor Reid's fairy-tale wedding weekend. But there may not be a happily ever after.
When an old friend of Conor's disrupts the rehearsal dinner and reveals a blindsiding secret - a claim that she and Conor share a child - Kate calls off the wedding, thinking things can't get any worse. Until the next morning, when that same woman is found with her throat slashed.
As investigators close in and suspicions mount, the evidence points to a mystery deeper than anyone imagined. The soundproof boat with telltale signs of something sinister. The mansion on the hill that lures in young girls and doesn't let them go. A secret society whose members might be more familiar than not. And the truth of the dead woman's past that draws Kate and Conor into a nightmare."
Wait, isn't this world of secret and lies par for the course if you can afford to have your wedding at a luxury hotel?
Beware the Abbot Boys by Chelsea Ichaso
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Three brothers. Two deaths. One girl, caught in the middle.
The Abbott boys, fraternal triplets Henry, Bram, and Adam, live in a mansion on the outskirts of Silver Creek. For decades, their family's been at odds with the town, long before Mariana Flores died in a fiery accident on the Abbott property last year. The police ruled out foul play, but ask anyone in Silver Creek about it and they'll say one of the Abbott boys killed her. They just don't know which one.
But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend - maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.
When the new school year brings a new victim - a popular girl, found dead in the woods - the hunt for a monster begins anew. The security camera footage doesn't show the face of the boy she was last seen with, but from his hoodie he could be any one of the Abbott brothers.
To clear their names, Hayden starts investigating the new death, but the deeper she digs, the more uncertain she becomes. Is one of the Abbott brothers a killer? Or could they all be monsters? And what will the boys do to protect themselves and the truth?"
I vote that they're all probably monsters, some are just better at hiding it.
What Happened to Those Girls by Carlyn Greenwald
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Pretty Little Liars meets The Blair Witch Project in this harrowing thriller from the author of Murder Land, brimming with betrayal, unsettling town secrets, and a killer lurking in the woods.
Emma knows her friends all lie to her. And everyone knows Emma is the outcast of their group. She's usually fine with that, until her friends go on a camping trip that she planned...without her. The next morning, she wakes up to the news that all three of them died at the campsite.
When Emma starts receiving unnerving videos of the girls the night they died from an anonymous source, it becomes clear their deaths weren't an accident. And if this becomes a murder case, Emma will be suspect number one. Because while everyone knows she had been excluded from the plans, what they don't know is that she went to the campsite that night after all, and someone has proof.
Emma teams up with Beck, one of the victims' sisters, to return to the woods and figure out what really happened the night her friends died, uncover who is behind the mysterious videos she is receiving, and make sure that nobody can pin their murders on her. But stranded in an eerie town that doesn't welcome outsiders with a murderer on their heels, Emma and Beck just might be next..."
If you were going to murder a whole bunch of "friends" in the woods, you wouldn't go to the trouble of planning the trip and then not providing yourself an alibi...
Songbird in the Gallows by Alta Hensley
Published by: Avon a
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of He Sees You When You're Sleeping comes a dark romance about a murder-sober retired serial killer and his murder-curious protégé. Perfect for fans of Brynne Weaver, this twisted romance inspired by the Bluebeard folktale is filled with dark humor, sizzling chemistry, and spice.
Murder is their love language...
Five years ago, Saylor Mitchell's father was brutally murdered in front of her, shattering her world. Now his killers have tracked her down to finish the job. She is unexpectedly saved by her father's closest friend, the enigmatic Blue. Saylor's savior - and captor - is a reformed, murder-sober assassin struggling to escape the clutches of his own violent history.
Blue's gothic mansion, perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking a stormy sea in the town of Grimlock, is a labyrinth of secrets. And so is Grimlock, a small town whose residents all seem to have a penchant for murder that they've managed - mostly - to overcome.
Saylor soon realizes that Blue holds the key to avenging her father's murder at the hands of the Crow, a gang of amoral contract killers. Only problem? Saylor has never killed before. Good thing those who can't kill...teach.
Blue finds Saylor an apt pupil and the attraction between them morphs into a dangerous obsession. Can their love conquer Blue's final, darkest secret?"
I'm loving this resurgence in Bluebeard.
Teach the Torches to Burn by Christina Dodd
Published by: A John Scognamiglio Book
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Romeo and Juliet (yes, that Romeo and Juliet) invite you to join them in celebrating the union of their spinster daughter, Rosie (she's 20!) to Escalus the younger, prince of Verona, where murder is the unexpected guest at the wedding.
My Lady Jane meets Knives Out in Fair Verona, as New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd brings you the wedding of the season star-crossed with poison most discreet.
Joining us will be the royal and decorous kin of the groom, the Leonardis, as well as the famously rival families, the upstart Montagues and the snooty Capulets. All will be armed with swords and knives; at least one is skilled with poison. At this joyous event, who could foresee what direful occurrences might befall?
If I, the aforesaid Rosie, blushing bride, noted cynic and sleuth, were asked to identify when the pre-wedding events spiraled out of control, I'd point to that moment when elderly Princess Ursula observed the display of gleaming swords and bared teeth and announced that she would hold a public séance to determine the future of the marriage...
With the aid of Yorick's skull and her own considerable dramatic nature, Princess Ursula prophesied three things: the marriage would be joyous and fertile (the guests yawn,) a long-lost treasure would be found...and foul and most unnatural murder would disrupt the fragile peace of Verona.
Before the day was done, two prophesies had been fulfilled. Hint: not the fun fertility one. As one death follows another and it's clear a skilled poisoner lurks among us, coming ever closer to striking down those I love, I use all my wit and skill to discern the reason for the vendetta and uncover the killer's identity...for I would have the holy church bells that now ring a sad lament peel instead for the wedding ceremony and the joyous and fertile future foretold..."
I never say no to a séance!
Midsummer Nights by Lara Stokes
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 287 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Life imitates art when a down-on-her-luck TV star returns to her hometown stage and redefines her dreams in a funny and heartwarming spin on Shakespeare's most magical romantic comedy.
Miranda Belmont is a regular on a popular TV series, but her acting career is not exactly moving forward. After she's publicly humbled, her next steps are definitely backward: playing Helena in a community theater production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in her stifling hometown, directed by her parents, and sharing the stage with her high school boyfriend.
Backstage, it's borderline Shakespearean drama. Between her ex, an intriguing costar making sweet overtures, and an unwelcome blast from the past, Miranda is caught in a real-life, nearly magical tangle of romantic confusion that threatens the production at every turn.
Opening night will bring them all down to earth - especially Miranda, who's navigating her way, onstage and off, through all the chaos these mere mortals create. As she reconnects to her roots, the creative spark she's been missing awakens Miranda to who she truly is."
But a return to home and where you started, while humbling, can also be a launchpad.
The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel by Meg Cabot and Bethany Crandall
Published by: HarperAlley
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot's hilarious classic The Princess Diaries is back and better than ever in an all-new, full-color graphic novel adaptation!
Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there's nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine frizzy-haired freshman, who also happens to be flunking algebra.
Is she ever in for a surprise.
First, her mom announces that she's dating Mia's algebra teacher. But her dad's announcement is even worse: he is the crown prince of Genovia, and guess what that makes Mia?
A frizzy-haired freshman who is flunking algebra, and also happens to be a PRINCESS.
Mia might not be ready for the throne, but one thing totally rules: #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot has adapted her classic The Princess Diaries into a royally hilarious graphic novel with art by Bethany Crandall!"
I love the movie, and while I tried, I could not get into the books, so this will be an interesting liminal test....
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
This actually all started with me thinking I should reread Donna Tartt's The Secret History. You will soon find out that this didn't happen. I had every intention of doing so, but, well, maybe I should just trust my first impressions and not bow down to everyone telling me that I was wrong about The Secret History. Not every book is for everyone. And it just wasn't for me. But when I had plans to reread said book I started plotting out books to read that are set in academia. They didn't have to be dark academia, in the expected sense, they could have just a murder or two and no magic. That's dark right? But of course there would be dark academia as well. There's a reason it's so popular and I, for once, have fallen for a populist trend. Though I haven't gotten to the point where I'm redecorating to bring those vibes into my everyday life. I don't feel the need to have skulls on display. At least yet. Anything could happen. So I started gleefully composing reading lists of books that fit the loose and narrow definitions of dark academia and pretty soon I had such a long reading list I could do nothing but read this genre for years and not run out of books. Therefore I picked the ones I was most interested in, or in some cases, decided to read and belatedly realized that it was dark academia, and before I knew it I had three months plotted out. Or a summer.... And there's nothing more delicious then spending time when you don't have to be in school reading about school.... And thus Summer School was born. Get ready for some Leigh Bardugo, Olivie Blake, Lev Grossman, Maureen Johnson, Cari Thomas, Rebecca Yarros, and more! Because school is in session! 
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Against the Darkness by Kendare Blake
Catchpenny by Charlie Huston
The Vacancy in Room 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass
The Vinyl Detective: Noise Floor by Andrew Cartmel
The Poison Pen by Paige Shelton
Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen
Cast a Cold Eye by Robbie Morrison
The Clock Struck Murder by Betty Webb
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes
A Slice of Fried Gold: Taste My Memories by Nick Frost
