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31 Must-Read Novels to Watch for This Summer

Explore a diverse lineup of 31 captivating novels arriving this summer—from cosmic love stories and gripping thrillers to tales of family, identity, and supernatural intrigue.

Leo Maxwell
Published • Updated May 22, 2025 • 8 MIN READ
31 Must-Read Novels to Watch for This Summer

by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

This suspenseful thriller, the third collaboration between the former president and bestselling novelist, follows a grieving journalist covering the murder trial of Cole Wright, an NFL star and the president’s husband. Patterson remarked that when they began writing, they could never have imagined this storyline.

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Reid, known for “Daisy Jones & The Six,” delivers a cosmic love story set against the high-stakes tension of a 1980s space mission. Joan Goodwin, an astronomy professor and newcomer to NASA’s shuttle program, grapples with her beliefs about life and love as her space journey begins—only to face escalating challenges after liftoff.

by Susan Choi

Choi’s novel explores themes of absence—family, memories, and history—through the story of a Korean American family’s fateful trip to Japan. After a walk on the beach with her father, Louisa, the only daughter, is found alone with no memory of how she ended up there or what happened to her father.

by Megan Giddings

Seven enigmatic doors suddenly appear worldwide, attracting attention from religious groups, billionaires, and curious individuals. Olivia and Ayanna, Black teenage siblings from the Midwest, hold differing views about the doors—until one sibling steps through and mysteriously disappears.

by Edward St. Aubyn

St. Aubyn’s latest novel interweaves the lives of characters confronting childhood trauma, environmental crises, and serious health diagnoses over a year, highlighting fragile relationships and profound challenges.

by Lucas Schaefer

Schaefer’s ambitious debut follows 16-year-old Nathaniel, who vanishes during a visit to his uncle in Austin, Texas. The story features an eclectic cast including a phone sex worker, a sinister clown, and a Haitian boxing coach, delving into themes of identity and the fabric of American society.

by Rob Franklin

David’s life spirals downward following the death of his roommate, a famous soul singer’s daughter. Arrested for cocaine possession in the Hamptons and burdened with guilt, he retreats to Atlanta seeking solace from invasive media and an overwhelming emotional pain.

by Jess Walter

Reclusive journalist Rhys Kinnick lives off the grid near Spokane, Washington, until his grandchildren are kidnapped. Rallying an unlikely team, Rhys embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue them, even if it means entering a violent confrontation.

by S.A. Cosby

The bestselling Southern crime author returns with a gripping narrative about a finance manager who becomes entangled in his brother’s dealings with a ruthless drug cartel while visiting his injured father in Virginia.

by V.E. Schwab

Spanning 16th-century Spain, 1827 London, and modern-day Boston, Schwab’s novel follows three queer women turned vampires. They navigate love, jealousy, forbidden relationships, and the isolating nature of immortality.

Tor Books, June 10

by Jonas Hassen Khemiri

This sweeping narrative, partly told by a writer resembling the author, follows the lives of three eccentric daughters of a Tunisian carpet merchant and a mysterious Swedish man. Their stories unfold across Stockholm, Tunis, and beyond as they navigate adulthood’s trials.

by Michelle Huneven

Huneven portrays a middle-class California family shattered by the tragic drowning of Ellis, the eldest son, during his first college semester. The story chronicles decades of attempts by the Samuelsons to heal and reunite in the face of profound loss.

by Megan Abbott

After fleeing debt in 2008, Harper returns home to find her older sisters thriving after joining a female-led pyramid scheme. When they persuade her to participate, complications quickly arise.

by Hal Ebbott

The families of Emerson, a cunning lawyer, and his psychiatrist college friend Amos gather to celebrate Emerson’s birthday at his country estate near New York City. Over the weekend, small incidents reveal deep-seated resentments and culminate in a stunning betrayal.

by Amy Bloom

Set after World War II, Gazala, a young Frenchwoman aided by writer Colette, escapes Paris and begins a new life in New York as a baker. She forges close friendships and reconnects with her adopted brother in this multigenerational tale of love and found family.

by Nishant Batsha

Against the backdrop of World War I, this love story explores the intertwining of the personal and political between Cora, an idealistic writer, and Indra, a Bengali revolutionary. As America enters the war, their radical beliefs are challenged, forcing reassessment of their hopes and ambitions.

by Clémence Michallon

Siblings Frida and Gabriel reunite at a luxury resort in Utah seeking to mend their relationship. Their hopes are shattered when a guest is found dead and Gabriel becomes the main suspect. To clear their names, Frida must confront their shared traumatic past in a cult.

by Gary Shteyngart

Narrated by Vera, a precocious half-Jewish, half-Korean 10-year-old, this complex family drama is set in a dystopian near-future America. As her father and stepmother’s marriage unravels, Vera searches for her enigmatic birth mother to understand her place in a chaotic world.

by Sarah MacLean

Following the sudden death of her billionaire father, Alice Storm reluctantly returns to her estranged family’s Rhode Island estate. What begins as a funeral turns into a series of challenges her father left behind for his heirs, sparking unexpected romance and family reckonings.

by Charlotte Runcie

Hayley, a struggling actress, wakes up after a one-night stand to discover the man she was with is a theater critic who gave her show a career-derailing one-star review. Humiliated, she reinvents her performance into a viral critique confronting misogyny and nepotism, shifting the power balance between artist and critic.

by Kashana Cauley

Three mall employees, evading enforcement from a harsh new Debt Police, devise an “Ocean’s Eleven”-style heist targeting their student loan company to erase their debts and seek revenge.

by Hannah Pittard

Novelist and English professor Pittard tells the story of Hana P., whose quiet academic life is disrupted when her ex-husband portrays her negatively in his debut novel. This autofictional narrative examines the repercussions of blending fact and fiction.

by Sangu Mandanna

After resurrecting her recently deceased great-aunt, witch Sera Swan loses much of her power and is left managing an enchanted inn. Amid guest demands and a mischievous talking fox, she discovers an ancient spell and a magical historian who might restore her to Britain’s most powerful witch.

by Jackie Thomas-Kennedy

Following an unexpected loss, lawyer Zuzu returns home and faces a midlife crisis, questioning her past choices—whether she should have pursued art over law, or followed her college best friend rather than her current spouse—and wonders if it’s too late to change her path.

by Holly Jackson

Y.A. author Jackson’s adult fiction debut centers on Jet Mason, a rebellious daughter of a wealthy Vermont family. After a violent attack, Jet learns she has days before a head injury causes a fatal aneurysm, sparking a desperate race to solve her own murder before it happens.

by Daniel Kraus

Set in World War I France, five soldiers embark on a mission into No Man’s Land to end the suffering of a wounded comrade. Instead, they encounter a literal fallen angel whose presence may help them confront their inner demons and bring the war to a close.

by Jason Mott

This follow-up to a National Book Award-winning novel intertwines the experiences of two Black authors—one on a global book tour and another facing a deadly school shooting—in a comedic and surreal meditation on love and grief.

by Aisha Muharrar

After a disorienting encounter at her ex-boyfriend’s funeral, Julia finds herself on a collision course with Elizabeth, her ex’s former partner. This story, penned by a TV comedy writer, explores a ‘relationship post-mortem’ as both women reassess their past romances and connection.

by Isabel Cañas

To escape a regional plague, Alba, her fiancé, and her parents take refuge in a Mexican silver mine. But new dangers arise: Alba becomes possessed by a demon and finds herself captivated by her fiancé’s troubled cousin, Elías.

by T. Kingfisher

Hugo Award-winning author Kingfisher offers a horror-infused retelling of Snow White. Healer Anja is summoned to save the king’s dying daughter, Snow, but when traditional methods fail, she turns to a magical mirror harboring a dark realm for answers.

by R.F. Kuang

Two rival graduate students form an uneasy alliance to rescue their esteemed Magick professor Jacob Grimes, who is trapped in hell. Guided by spells, Greek mythology, and classic literature, they navigate the underworld to save his soul and protect their futures.

Leo Maxwell
Leo Maxwell

Leo provides commentary on the arts and cultural scene, alongside analysis of key political elections and campaigns.

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