Top new literary-fiction books in May 2024
Last updated:
May 31, 2024
May 2024 featuring new releases by Stuart Turton, Mark T. Sullivan, Kevin Kwan, Sarah Perry, Bridget Collins, Natalie Jenner, Janet Skeslien Charles, Monica Wood, Jessica Shattuck, Conn Iggulden and many more.
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The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.Outside the island there is the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists...mystery · fiction · sci-fi · dystopia · crime · suspense · post-apocalyptic · murder · literary-fiction · amateur-sleuth -
![All the Glimmering Stars by Mark T. Sullivan]()
All the Glimmering Stars by Mark T. Sullivan
Inspired by a true story, two teens kidnapped by an African warlord find salvation through love in a powerful and healing historical novel from the #1 bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Last Green Valley.Anthony Opoka and Florence Okori are coming of age in Uganda in the 1990s... -
![Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan]()
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
From the iconic internationally bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians A forbidden affair erupts volcanically amid a decadent tropical wedding in this outrageous comedy of manners from the iconic author of Crazy Rich Asians...romance · fiction · humor · contemporary · royalty · literary-fiction · fantasy · family · female-mc · book -
![Enlightenment by Sarah Perry]()
Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
A dazzling new work of literary fiction from the author of The Essex Serpent, a story of love and astronomy told over the course of twenty years through the lives of two improbable best friends. Thomas Hart and Grace Macaulay have lived all their lives in the small Essex town of Aldleigh...fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · fantasy · historical · religion · lgbtq · audiobook · family · horror -
![The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins]()
The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins
From the acclaimed author of the #1 international bestseller The Binding—a captivating story of gothic suspense about a powerful family, the magical and dangerous silk their fortune is built upon, and the exploitative history they are desperately trying to hide...fantasy · historical-fiction · gothic · fiction · historical · magical-realism · mystery · lgbtq · spooky · audiobook -
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![Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner]()
Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner
The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.In 1955, Vivien Lowry is facing the greatest challenge of her life...europe · south-europe · italy · urban · vatican · england · romance · historical-fiction · fiction · historical -
![Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles]()
Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles
The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the “captivating, richly drawn” (Woman’s World) The Paris Library returns with a brilliant new novel based on the true story of Jessie Carson—the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · ww1 · war · female-mc · romantic-love · literary-fiction · friendship · 20th-century -
![How to Read a Book: A Novel by Monica Wood]()
How to Read a Book: A Novel by Monica Wood
A charming, deeply moving novel about second chances, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories.Our Reasons meet us in the morning and whisper to us at night...north-america · usa · maine · romance · fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · family · animals · womens-fiction -
![Last House by Jessica Shattuck]()
Last House by Jessica Shattuck
"An ambitious historical epic that doubles as an intimate family saga. Jessica Shattuck captures and connects it all—the imperial ambitions of the postwar generation, the rebellion of their offspring in the Sixties, and the fallout we’re still sifting through today. . . . This is a wide-ranging novel to savor...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · political-intrigue · 20th-century · literary-fiction · family · book · adult -
![Nero by Conn Iggulden]()
Nero by Conn Iggulden
From this New York Times bestselling author, the first novel in a new trilogy that finds Empress Agrippina and her young son, Nero, fending off ambitious rivals while shaping their own destiny—if Nero is to become the most feared and notorious emperor of them all.The story begins with a hand curled around another man’s throat... -
![The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley]()
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
From the nationally bestselling author of The Guncle comes the much-anticipated sequel, in which Patrick O’Hara is called back to his guncle duties…at a big, family wedding in Lake Como, Italy.Patrick O’Hara is finally in a league of his own…professionally...fiction · lgbtq · contemporary · humor · family · season-summer · audiobook · literary-fiction · book · adult -
![A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, Hildegarde Serle]()
A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, Hildegarde Serle
Laughter, tears, the transformative power of love, unexpected revelations, and striking natural these are the ingredients that combine to make best-selling author Virginie Grimaldi’s English debut the feel-good read of 2024. Grimaldi is among France’s top ten contemporary authors and her uplifting, unputdownable literary novels have quickly garnered her millions of adoring fans...romance · fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · family · season-summer · coming-of-age · female-mc · book -
![All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker]()
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
From the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes a soaring thriller and an epic love story that spans decades.“Impeccably crafted, deeply emotional, entirely shattering. I was captivated from page one.” ―Bonnie Garmus, New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier...mystery · fiction · crime · suspense · historical-fiction · contemporary · thriller · audiobook · kidnapping · friendship -
![The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson]()
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson
"Constance Haverhill is without prospects. Her mother has just passed away, her brother is newly married, and now that the Great War is over, she has been asked to give up managing the estate she helped to run when the men all joined the army. It is suggested to her that she become a governess. But first, she will act as caretaker to Mrs...europe · british-isles · united-kingdom · england · romance · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · feminism · drama -
![I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue, Nasim Pedrad]()
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue, Nasim Pedrad
12 hours, 3 minutes In this wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy, an admin worker accidentally gains access to her colleagues’ private emails and DMs and decides to use this intel to save her job—a laugh-till-you-cry debut novel you’ll be eager to share with your entire list of contacts, perfect for fans of Anxious People and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine...romance · fiction · contemporary · humor · womens-fiction · audiobook · comedy · realistic · season-summer · mental-illness -
![Lovers and Liars by Amanda Eyre Ward]()
Lovers and Liars by Amanda Eyre Ward
Three wildly different sisters reunite for a destination wedding at an English castle in this heartfelt and rollicking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters.Once upon a time, the Peacock sisters were little girls who combed each other’s tangled hair. But decades of secrets have led them to separate lives—and to telling lies, to themselves and to one another...romance · fiction · cozy · contemporary · womens-fiction · literary-fiction · female-mc · family · book · adult -
![Korowód by Jakub Małecki]()
Korowód by Jakub Małecki
Kim jest ten trzeci, który zawsze idzie obok ciebie?Mężczyzna z dzieckiem w ramionach uciekający przez zamarznięty Bałtyk. Zakochany Feliks i jego listy pisane na statku podczas sztormu. Barbara Brzozowska, autorka poczytnych międzywojennych powieści oraz genialny matematyk Tomasz Wilczewski. Wreszcie pisarz Jakub M... -
![Behind You by Catherine Hernandez]()
Behind You by Catherine Hernandez
As terror grips a city, a young girl faces danger closer to home and chilling memories that last a lifetime.Catherine Hernandez's most gripping and affecting novel yet, Behind You is inspired by a horrifying chapter in Canadian history and follows fictional characters terrorized by a fictional perpetrator...fiction · lgbtq · literary-fiction · wlw · audiobook · mystery · crime · poc-mc · family · contemporary -
![The Twelve Saints of Christmas by Karen Baugh Menuhin]()
The Twelve Saints of Christmas by Karen Baugh Menuhin
Murder, mystery and a dog of distinction. Heathcliff Lennox investigates.Book 12 in the Heathcliff Lennox seriesTwelve Saints, who are not true saints at all. They are the great and the good, although none are entirely great, nor good - indeed one is a murderer...law-enforcement · mystery · cozy · crime · literary-fiction · historical · humor · amateur-sleuth · fiction · satire -
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![The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore]()
The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore
Caught in the great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, a female doctor who’s joined a traveling medicine show to support her disabled son is forced to weather the storm and its aftermath in a town hostile to the troupe’s unconventional ways but desperate for their help...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · western · womens-fiction · medical · family · friendship · female-mc · 20th-century -
![The F**k It! List by Melanie Cantor]()
The F**k It! List by Melanie Cantor
Daisy Settle has it all. A successful interior design firm, a happy relationship, a beautiful house and adoring friends and family. The only piece left to complete the puzzle is a baby. And even that finally seems within reach. That is, until she finds her boyfriend is a cheat.Now Daisy is 40, alone and in a world that seems built for couples... -
![The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee by Alexander McCall Smith]()
The Stellar Debut of Galactica Macfee by Alexander McCall Smith
The latest installment in the warm and welcoming 44 Scotland Street series finds all our favorite residents of Scotland's most celebrated address navigating their enchanting and eventful lives. Angus Lordie is approached in the park by a shadowy, Deep Throat-like figure with government secrets to share, who mistakes him for a journalist...fiction · humor · audiobook · friendship · philosophy · mystery · literary-fiction · cozy · contemporary · comedy -
![Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis]()
Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis
So many ways to torpedo your career and your love life…So little time.A woman accidentally reveals all her secrets in this witty and charming novel from the author of Eight Perfect Hours.Two years ago, thirty-year-old receptionist Millie Chandler had her heart spectacularly broken in public...romance · womens-fiction · fiction · contemporary · workplace · audiobook · literary-fiction · female-mc · humor · book -
![Return to the Irish Boarding House by Sandy Taylor]()
Return to the Irish Boarding House by Sandy Taylor
Mary Kate takes a deep breath as she stands outside 24 Merrion Square with its red front door and pretty rose garden. Grieving from her recent heartbreak, will returning to the Irish boarding house be the second chance she so desperately needs?Dublin, 1956: When Mary Kate Ryan loses the love of her life, she’s not sure how she can keep going...historical-fiction · small-town · literary-fiction · historical · family · fiction · female-mc · epic · romance · book -
![The Stolen Child by Ann Hood]()
The Stolen Child by Ann Hood
An unlikely duo ventures through France and Italy to solve the mystery of a child’s fate in this moving, page-turning novel from “a gifted storyteller” ( People ). For decades, Nick Burns has been haunted by a decision he made as a young soldier in World War I, when a French artist he’d befriended thrust both her paintings and her baby into his hands―and disappeared...fiction · historical-fiction · historical · audiobook · mystery · literary-fiction · war · ww2 · female-mc · 20th-century -
![Irresponsible Adult by Lucy Dillon]()
Irresponsible Adult by Lucy Dillon
'So good! Warm and funny, and I was rooting for Robyn from the very first page' MILLY JOHNSON'Funny, perceptive and oh-so-relatable, Robyn's reluctant mission to clean up her world is full of laughs and also some heart-twisting surprises' ALEXANDRA POTTER'A funny, relatable read with some surprise twists' STYLIST DEFINITELY OLDER. NOT NECESSARILY WISER.. -
![Ghost Mountain by Ronan Hession]()
Ghost Mountain by Ronan Hession
Ghost Mountain is a simple fable-like novel about a mountain that appears suddenly and the way in which its manifestation ripples through the lives of characters in the surrounding community.It looks at the uncertain fragile sense of self we hold inside ourselves, and our human compulsion to project it into the uncertain word around us, whether we’re ready or not...europe · british-isles · ireland · fiction · fantasy · literary-fiction · magical-realism · contemporary · 21st-century · technology -
![The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji]()
The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji
Shortlisted for The Women’s Prize • Named a most anticipated book by Electric Literature, Publishers Weekly, The BBC, Daily Mail (London), and moreA darkly funny, life-affirming debut novel following five women from a once illustrious Iranian family as they grapple with revolutions personal and political.Meet the Valiat family. In Iran, they were somebodies. In America, they’re nobodies...urban · new-york-state · fiction · historical-fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · family · politics · poc-mc -
![Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald]()
Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald
A striking debut exploring the power of identity, community and the Scottish working class. This coming-of-age story is an incisive look at young masculinity and the way even the most fraught childhood is not without hope.Neither Finlay or Banjo can remember the last time they had a hug.Against all odds, 18-year-old Finlay has begun his nursing degree at Glasgow University...europe · british-isles · united-kingdom · scotland · romance · contemporary · young-adult · lgbtq · fiction · mental-illness -
![Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood]()
Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood
Three women scheme to avenge an old friend in a darkly witty short story about loyalty, ambition, and delicious retribution by Margaret Atwood, the #1 bestselling author of The Handmaid’s Tale.Myrna, Leonie, and Chrissy meet every Thursday to sample fine cheeses, to reminisce about their former lives as professors, and lately, to muse about murder...fiction · mystery · contemporary · audiobook · literary-fiction · feminism · crime · humor · drama · suspense -
![Blue Ruin by Hari Kunzru]()
Blue Ruin by Hari Kunzru
From one of the sharpest voices in fiction today, a profound and enthralling novel about beauty, power, and capital’s influence on art and those who devote their lives to creating it.Once, Jay was an artist. Shortly after graduating from his London art school, he was tipped for greatness, a promising career already taking shape before him...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · 21st-century · epidemy · friendship · book · adult -
![The Night Nanny by Nelle Lamarr]()
The Night Nanny by Nelle Lamarr
“Please don’t worry, Ava. Your baby is safe with me. I’m going to take care of her like she’s my own…”Ever since my daughter Isa was born, I’ve been struggling. I can’t remember anything, and my brain is in a fog. So when my husband Ned suggests we hire a night nanny, I leap at the chance.As soon as she walks into our home, I feel a wave of relief...psychological · thriller · murder · fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · female-mc · book · adult -
![Long Island by Colm Tóibín]()
Long Island by Colm Tóibín
From the beloved, critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author comes a spectacularly moving and intense novel of secrecy, misunderstanding, and love , the story of Eilis Lacey, the complex and enigmatic heroine of Brooklyn , Tóibín’s most popular work twenty years later...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · literary-fiction · 20th-century · audiobook · parenthood · marriage · family · book -
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![Cecilia by K-Ming Chang]()
Cecilia by K-Ming Chang
A surreal novella about the intensity and eroticism of girlhood friendships, the ecstasy of desire and disgust, and matriarchal mythmaking.Seven, who works as a cleaner at a chiropractor’s office, reencounters Cecilia, a woman who has obsessed her since their school days...lgbtq · fiction · contemporary · wlw · literary-fiction · lesbian-mc · obsession · audiobook · poc-author · horror -
![The Berlin Sisters by Soraya M. Lane]()
The Berlin Sisters by Soraya M. Lane
From the bestselling author of The Secret Midwife comes a story of bravery, sacrifice and resilience in war-torn Berlin―and two sisters who will risk it all to make a difference. Berlin, 1943: Ava Müller is a proud supporter of the German war effort, working for Joseph Goebbels alongside her father, a high-ranking official in the Reich...historical-fiction · audiobook · ww2 · historical · fiction · romance · friendship · family · 20th-century · literary-fiction -
![The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly]()
The Instruments of Darkness by John Connolly
From the international and instant New York Times bestselling author John Connolly, the beloved and brilliant Charlie Parker series returns with a heart-wrenching crime only one man can solve.In Maine, Colleen Clark stands accused of the worst crime a mother can the abduction and possible murder of her child...fiction · mystery · horror · crime · male-author · suspense · paranormal · literary-fiction · supernatural · ghosts -
![Skin & Bones by Renée Watson]()
Skin & Bones by Renée Watson
From the acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a soulful and lyrical novel exploring sisterhood, motherhood, faith, love, and ultimately what gets passed down from one generation to the next At 40, Lena Baker is at a steady and stable moment in life—between wine nights with her two best friends and her wedding just weeks away, she’s happy in love and in friendship until a...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · season-summer · parenthood · friendship · family · female-mc · black-mc -
![The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr]()
The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr
The Goddess Of Warsaw is an enthralling tale of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret about her life in the Warsaw Ghetto. When the famous actress is threatened by someone from her past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now. Los Angeles, 2005...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · ww2 · war · suspense · assassinations · new-adult · vigilante · justice -
![The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton]()
The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton
In the vein of riveting historical novels such as Hamnet and Circe—with a touch of Dracula—a propulsive, feminist reimagining of the story of Erzsébet Báthory, the infamous sixteenth-century Hungarian aristocrat known as the “Blood Countess”, who was rumored to have murdered hundreds of peasant girls and bathed in their blood.In 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gives birth to an illegitimate child...historical-fiction · gothic · fiction · historical · fantasy · horror · magical-realism · retellings · vampires · audiobook -
![Mood Swings by Frankie Barnet]()
Mood Swings by Frankie Barnet
In a pre-apocalyptic world not unlike our own, a young Instagram poet starts an affair with a California billionaire who's promised a time machine that will make everything normal again—whatever that means.For fans of Patricia Lockwood and Marlowe Granados—a whip-smart, absurdly funny debut novel by a bold new talent in sad girl literature...fiction · sci-fi · literary-fiction · dystopia · humor · audiobook · time-travel · contemporary · satire · new-adult
