Top new literary-fiction books in July 2023
Last updated:
July 31, 2023
July 2023 featuring new releases by Colson Whitehead, Laura Barrow, Amy Engel, Eliza Clark, Patrick deWitt, Richard Russo, Colin Walsh, Lindsey Kelk, Kim van Alkemade, Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi and many more.
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Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead continues his Harlem saga in a novel that summons 1970s New York in all its seedy glory.It's 1971. Trash piles up on the streets, crime is at an all-time high, the city is careening towards bankruptcy, and a shooting war has broken out between the NYPD and the Black Liberation Army...historical-fiction · fiction · literary-fiction · mystery · crime · contemporary · poc-author · urban · family · thriller -
![Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow]()
Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow
Three estranged sisters reconnect in their Louisiana hometown to face an unresolved past in a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness.Savannah was four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town, fracturing their family...fiction · mystery · contemporary · drama · audiobook · womens-fiction · family · literary-fiction · suspense · friendship -
![I Did It For You by Amy Engel]()
I Did It For You by Amy Engel
A twisty thriller from the beloved author of The Familiar Dark, in which a woman returns to the town where her sister was murdered and finds a presumed copycat on the looseIt’s been fourteen years since Greer Dunning’s older sister, Eliza, was murdered, and Greer’s family has never been the same... -
![Penance by Eliza Clark]()
Penance by Eliza Clark
One of Granta's Best Young British Novelists 2023From the author of the cult hit Boy Parts comes a chilling, brilliantly told story of murder among a group of teenage girls—a powerful and disturbing novel as piercing in its portrait of young women as Emma Cline’s The Girls...fiction · mystery · contemporary · crime · literary-fiction · horror · audiobook · thriller · true-crime · lgbtq -
![The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt]()
The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt
From bestselling and award-winning author Patrick deWitt comes the story of Bob Comet, a man who has lived his life through and for literature, unaware that his own experience is a poignant and affecting narrative in itself. Bob Comet is a retired librarian passing his solitary days surrounded by books and small comforts in a mint-colored house in Portland, Oregon...fiction · historical-fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · humor · audiobook · friendship · satire · book · adult -
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![Somebody's Fool by Richard Russo]()
Somebody's Fool by Richard Russo
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls returns to North Bath, in upstate New York, and to the characters that captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers in his beloved best sellers Nobody's Fool and Everybody's Fool... -
![Kala by Colin Walsh]()
Kala by Colin Walsh
A gripping literary page-turner from a rising Irish talent in which former friends, estranged for twenty years, reckon with the terrifying events of the summer that changed their lives.In the seaside village of Kinlough, on Ireland’s west coast, three old friends meet for the first time in years...europe · british-isles · ireland · mystery · fiction · crime · literary-fiction · audiobook · suspense · contemporary -
![Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk]()
Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk
She may have given up on love – but she can still play Cupid for somebody else . . .Lovelorn Brit Phoebe Chapman has barely set foot in her sister’s house in the Hollywood Hills when she’s swept up by lovable Bel, her sister’s personal trainer, and handsome Ren, the sweet and sensitive carpenter next door.Bel has a head-over-heels crush on Ren but Ren has no idea Bel even exists...romance · contemporary · womens-fiction · friends-to-lovers · mystery · fiction · love-triangle · insta-love · new-adult · family -
![Counting Lost Stars by Kim van Alkemade]()
Counting Lost Stars by Kim van Alkemade
New York Times bestselling author of Orphan #8, Kim van Alkemade returns with a gripping and poignant historical saga in which an unmarried college student who's given up her baby for adoption helps a Dutch Holocaust survivor search for his lost mother...fiction · historical-fiction · historical · female-mc · lgbtq · ww2 · literary-fiction · 20th-century · book · adult -
![The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi]()
The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi
A darkly comic, boundary-pushing debut following an adrift Pakistani translator in London who attends a mysterious language school which boasts complete fluency in just ten days, but at a secret, sinister cost...fiction · mystery · horror · contemporary · sci-fi · literary-fiction · audiobook · dark-academia · lgbtq · suspense -
![One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris]()
One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris
A compelling debut that glows with bittersweet heart and touching emotion, deeply interrogating questions of family, redemption, and unconditional love in the sweltering summer heat of Savannah, as two people discover what it means to truly forgive.It's been eight years since Sara Lancaster left her home in Savannah, Georgia...romance · fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · audiobook · drama · season-summer · family · poc-mc · womens-fiction -
![Goodbye Earl by Leesa Cross-Smith]()
Goodbye Earl by Leesa Cross-Smith
Four women take fate into their own hands in this big-hearted story of friendship, resilience, and revenge on monstrous men, from the award-winning author of Half-Blown Rose.Taking inspiration from the infamous, empowering song, Goodbye Earl follows four best friends through two unforgettable summers, fifteen years apart...fiction · contemporary · womens-fiction · suspense · audiobook · thriller · friendship · literary-fiction · abuse · found-family -
![How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long]()
How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long
"I am in awe of her talent."— Julia Quinn In USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s thrilling new romance in the Palace of Rogues series, an infamous privateer’s limits are put to the test when he’s trapped during a raging tempest with a prickly female at the Grand Palace on the Thames. He clawed his way up from the gutters of St. Giles to the top of a shadowy empire...romance · historical · historical-fiction · industrial-era · regency · outlaws · fiction · fake-relationship · forced-proximity · wlw -
![Under the Radar by Melanie Moreland]()
Under the Radar by Melanie Moreland
When two new roommates discover their mutual crush, New York Times bestselling author Melanie Moreland takes us on a journey of falling in love.One of the Donner boys. Troublemakers.That was the reputation that followed Chase his whole life. Until he grew up and realized he could do better. Be better.But that choice cost him. His freedom, his family, his chance at love...romance · contemporary · humor · small-town · friends-to-lovers · found-family · multi-pov · forced-proximity · kind-mc · suspense -
![With a Kiss We Die by L.R. Dorn]()
With a Kiss We Die by L.R. Dorn
Two college lovers suspected of a brutal double homicide enlist a podcasting crime journalist to proclaim their innocence in this psychologically riveting and compulsively readable novel of love, lies, and murder.I'm Ryanna Raines. And welcome to "The Raines Report".Ryanna Raines is the host of a popular true-crime podcast...mystery · audiobook · fiction · contemporary · suspense · crime · thriller · dark-academia · murder · psychological -
![Begin Again by Helly Acton]()
Begin Again by Helly Acton
The Good Place meets Sliding Doors , Begin Again is an uplifting novel about life's what if's, missed chances and new beginnings.Despite living firmly in her comfort zone, Frankie McKenzie feels unsettled. She can't help feeling something's missing...romance · contemporary · audiobook · fiction · sci-fi · humor · coming-of-age · friendship · family · literary-fiction -
![The Beast You Are: Stories by Paul Tremblay]()
The Beast You Are: Stories by Paul Tremblay
A haunting collection of short fiction from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club, A Head Full of Ghosts, and The Cabin at the End of the World.Paul Tremblay has won widespread acclaim for illuminating the dark horrors of the mind in novels and stories that push the boundaries of storytelling itself...horror · fiction · anthologies · literary-fiction · fantasy · suspense · gothic · sci-fi · magical-realism · supernatural -
![Triple Trouble by Jesse H. Reign]()
Triple Trouble by Jesse H. Reign
Two dude-bros, one beautiful femme boy, and a game of gay chicken that goes badly awry…It’s fair to say my best friend Mat and I are looking for trouble when we head out for a wild night on the town, and boy, do we find it. We find it in the form of Trouble, a guy with long, silky black hair, doe eyes, and thick, fleshy lips...romance · mlm · polyamory · contemporary · lgbtq · friends-to-lovers · steamy · new-adult · slow-burn · obsession -
![Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter]()
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
A year into her dream job at a cutthroat Silicon Valley startup, Cassie finds herself trapped in a corporate nightmare. In addition to the long hours, toxic bosses, and unethical projects, she struggles to reconcile the glittering promise of a city where obscene wealth lives alongside abject poverty...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · sci-fi · dystopia · fantasy · womens-fiction · season-summer · drama · magical-realism -
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![En Garde by M.J. Duncan]()
En Garde by M.J. Duncan
After seven years as Nina Devereaux’s executive assistant, Serena Bowers is finally getting her shot at her producing shows for The Royal Ballet. The problem is her promotion depends entirely on the success of Illyria , Nina’s latest original ballet, and that means working closely with the Honorable Rowan Alexander—Olympic fencer and Serena’s arch-nemesis from University... -
![A Good House for Children by Kate Collins]()
A Good House for Children by Kate Collins
Once upon a time Orla was: a woman, a painter, a lover. Now she is a mother and a wife, and when her husband Nick suggests that their city apartment has grown too small for their lives, she agrees, in part because she does agree, and in part because she is too tired to think about what she really does want...horror · gothic · fiction · mystery · historical-fiction · suspense · historical · spooky · haunted-places · paranormal -
![Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch]()
Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch
A glittering debut novel set in the golden age of Hollywood, following a former actress whose new career in gossip journalism grants her more power on the page than she ever commanded in front of the camera.As character actress Edie O'Dare finishes the final year of her contract with FWM Studios, the clock is ticking for her to find a new gig after an undistinguished stint in the pictures...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · lgbtq · literary-fiction · audiobook · womens-fiction · mystery · season-summer · female-mc -
![Say Yes to the Princess: A Novel by Charis Michaels]()
Say Yes to the Princess: A Novel by Charis Michaels
The first book in this USA Today bestselling author’s delicious new Hidden Royals series, in which a princess in exile searches for her lost brother—and falls for the devastatingly charming scoundrel sent to thwart her. A hidden princess… Princess Regine Elise Adelaide d’Orleans is no longer a princess, but she’s also no commoner...romance · historical · royalty · historical-fiction · fiction · female-mc · industrial-era · regency · medieval · literary-fiction -
![Hollow Veins by J. Rose]()
Hollow Veins by J. Rose
All I ever wanted was the chance to live. From the moment I left my cage, I’ve fought for every single breath. But my new life came at a cost.The rapture approaches. Hysteria is taking over the country.Michael Abaddon stole everything from me. My freedom. My sanity. My soul. As his reign of terror escalates, the time has come to take my life back.He wants to burn us all...romance · reverse-harem · contemporary · dark · mental-illness · mystery · new-adult · crime · serial-killers · found-family -
classics · literary-fiction · human-nature · historical · romantic-love · historical-fiction · fiction · book · literary · adult
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![A Trial of Lace and Bone by Kalista Neith]()
A Trial of Lace and Bone by Kalista Neith
Can there be peace without bloodshed?Now in control of a court, Faye allows those without magic entry, offering protection and sanctuary from those who possess it.But when her actions infuriate the old houses in Necromia, Faye is determined to rule without bloodshed and protect her people from the immortals who view the realm of Anaria as it has always been —the peasant lands...romance · vampires · fantasy · paranormal · retellings · dark · dark-fantasy · myths · fiction · literary-fiction -
![Beast in the Shadows by Edogawa Rampo]()
Beast in the Shadows by Edogawa Rampo
'The new crime and espionage series from Penguin Classics makes for a mouth-watering prospect' Daily TelegraphA mystery writer turns detective to protect the woman he loves. But is he hunter or hunted?The chance meeting between a crime novelist and a married woman blossoms into friendship...mystery · fiction · classics · crime · law-enforcement · murder · graphic-violence · 20th-century · literary-fiction · thriller -
![The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer]()
The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer
For readers of Margaret Atwood and Hilary Mantel, an immersive literary debut inspired by historical events—a deadly witch hunt in 17th-century England—that claimed many innocent lives. East Anglia, 1645. Martha Hallybread, a midwife, healer, and servant, has lived peacefully for more than four decades in her beloved coastal village of Cleftwater...europe · british-isles · united-kingdom · england · historical-fiction · fiction · fantasy · historical · witches-wizards · feminism -
![The Housekeepers by Alex Hay]()
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
The night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs launch a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class“Rollicking fun and entirely original... Anyone who relishes a good party gone wrong will devour this.”—Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost ApothecaryMrs. King is no ordinary housekeeper...europe · british-isles · united-kingdom · england · urban · historical-fiction · historical · mystery · fiction · suspense -
![Every Rising Sun by Jamila Ahmed]()
Every Rising Sun by Jamila Ahmed
In this riveting take on One Thousand and One Nights , Shaherazade, at the center of her own story, uses wit and political mastery to navigate opulent palaces brimming with treachery and the perils of the Third Crusade as her Persian homeland teeters on the brink of destruction...romance · historical-fiction · fiction · retellings · historical · fantasy · literary-fiction · myths · feminism · audiobook -
![Promise by Rachel Eliza Griffiths]()
Promise by Rachel Eliza Griffiths
Two Black sisters growing up in small-town New England fight to protect their home, their bodies, and their dreams as the Civil Rights Movement sweeps the nation in this "magical, magnificent novel" (Marlon James) from "a startlingly fresh voice" (Jacqueline Woodson)...historical-fiction · fiction · coming-of-age · historical · literary-fiction · family · dark · audiobook · poc-mc · war -
![The Rain by Joseph A. Turkot]()
The Rain by Joseph A. Turkot
Perfect for fans of the hit TV series The Last of Us and novels like Camp Zero , this riveting novel set in a postapocalyptic America brings us a chilling look at survival in the face of a catastrophic climate disaster and the collapse of civilization as we know it...dystopia · sci-fi · fiction · male-mc · dark · audiobook · apocalyptic · young-adult · romantic-love · post-apocalyptic -
![The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella]()
The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella
For fans of Shuggie Bain and A Burning, a queer coming-of-age novel set in 1990s India, about a young man who joins a traveling theater troupeShagun knows he will never be the kind of son his father demands. After the sudden deaths of his beloved twin sisters, Shagun flees his own guilt, his mother’s grief, and his father’s violent disapproval by enrolling at an all-boys boarding school...asia · south-asia · india · fiction · lgbtq · historical-fiction · historical · literary-fiction · family · audiobook -
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![Growing Connected: Living for Love by Penny Heart]()
Growing Connected: Living for Love by Penny Heart
Susan loves her teaching job, but lately, she’s felt adrift. When an opportunity to take on a new garden at her school presents itself, she jumps at the chance. With no gardening experience, she’s in over her head until so she heads to the local gardening store. A professional gardener with a grumpy demeanor, Jacob is better with plants than people...romance · contemporary · steamy · grumpy-sunshine · cheerful-mc · grumpy-mc · literary-fiction · female-mc · fiction · book -
![Unorthodox Love: A Novel by Heidi Shertok]()
Unorthodox Love: A Novel by Heidi Shertok
Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Sophie Kinsella, Heidi Shertok’s delightful debut about love and family will tug on your heartstrings.Twenty-nine-year-old Penina longs for true love and marriage, but being infertile in the Orthodox Jewish community means she’s rarely matched with the cream of the crop—or even skim milk two weeks past its expiration date... -
![The River Snakes by Adam Darby]()
The River Snakes by Adam Darby
Seth witnesses a murder while working in the middle of a cornfield—tries to hide but is caught by the killer—then quickly abandons his dead-end job, his mother and everything else he's ever known for a life of crime with the strangest, most dangerous man he's ever met... -
![All-Night Pharmacy by Ruth Madievsky]()
All-Night Pharmacy by Ruth Madievsky
Rachel Kushner meets David Lynch in this fever dream of an LA novel about a young woman who commits a drunken act of violence just before her sister vanishes without a trace.On the night of her high school graduation, a young woman follows her older sister Debbie to Salvation, a Los Angeles bar patronized by energy healers, aspiring actors, and all-around misfits...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · wlw · lgbtq · friendship · mystery · humor · dark · female-author -
![At the End of Every Day by Arianna Reiche]()
At the End of Every Day by Arianna Reiche
In this haunting debut novel—perfect for fans of Iain Reid, Jeff VanderMeer, and Julia Armfield—a loyal employee at a collapsing theme park questions the recent death of a celebrity visitor, the arrival of strange new guests, her boyfriend’s erratic behavior, and ultimately her own sanity...horror · fiction · cults · fundamentalism · contemporary · mystery · literary-fiction · psychological · spirituality · book -
![Grumpy Boss's Secret: An Enemies To Lovers Pregnancy Romance by Sylvia Rae]()
Grumpy Boss's Secret: An Enemies To Lovers Pregnancy Romance by Sylvia Rae
On my first day at work, I gave him a piece of my mind. Told him exactly where he could shove his manners.Then our eyes met, and time screeched to a halt.His gaze stripped me bare, leaving me squirming and flushed.They say never to mix business with pleasure.But next came the hush-hush rendezvous, the stolen kisses,And soon, my lingerie lay forgotten behind his office door... -
![The Mysteries of Udolpho: The 1794 Gothic Romance Fiction Classic by Ann Radcliffe]()
The Mysteries of Udolpho: The 1794 Gothic Romance Fiction Classic by Ann Radcliffe
Annotated ContentThis edition has been annotated with the following unique ABOUT The Mysteries of Udolpho“A well-informed mind is the best security against the contagion of folly and vice. The vacant mind is ever on the watch for relief, and ready to plunge into error, to escape from the languor of idleness...romance · classics · mystery · gothic · literary-fiction · fiction · action-adventure · book · literary · adult
