The 42 new fall books we're most excited to read

The leaves are turning color and the nights are getting longer...

That means it's the perfect time to curl up with a good book. While beach reads may lay sand-encrusted in your tote bag, now you can read with a glass of something warm and a cozy blanket. Whether you're looking for a riveting memoir, an enchanting piece of historical fiction, a terrifying thriller, or engrossing literary fiction, EW has something for you.

Check out the list of books we're most excited about this fall.

<em>Herc</em> by Phoenicia Rogerson

Everyone knows the story of the world's most famous zero-to-hero, but no one has heard it told quite like this. Debut author Phoenicia Rogerson delivers a refreshing and humorous take on the demigod hero Hercules' strength and daring adventures, told from the perspective of everyone lucky (or unlucky) enough to witness it. With recognizable characters such as Megara, Princess of Thebes, and Jason, leader of the Argonauts, plus previously silenced voices including Hylas, Hercules's first friend and lover, and  Eurystheus, the cousin who oversaw (with bitter pleasure) his 12 labors, Rogerson offers a witty, queer, and heartfelt revisionist retelling worthy of the gods. (Sept. 5) —Morgan Sanguedolce

<em>Not Forever but for Now</em> by Chuck Palahniuk

Chuck Palahniuk's writing reliably straddles the taboo and grotesque with cutting cultural commentary and unshakeable imagery (see: the white male fragility support group turned terrorist org in Fight Club and writers mutilating themselves for their craft in Haunted). His latest work, Not Forever, but for Now, upholds that legacy, centering on a clan of professional killers living in the idyllic Welsh countryside when the two sons set out to take over the family business. Between their tutor's dismembered sex dolls, Mummy's pill addiction, and Daddy's disappearance after a jaunt in the "Ghost Forest," Otto and Cecil's succession won't be simple — but it's guaranteed to be sinister. (Sept. 5) —Allaire Nuss

<em>The Dance of the Dolls</em> by Lucy Ashe

The ballet world sets the stage for this terrifying psychological thriller that takes place in pre-war London. In 1933, identical twin sisters Clara and Olivia Marionetta are rehearsing for their performance in Coppelia when Clara strikes up a relationship with Olivia's own secret crush, bohemian pianist Nathan. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Olivia has caught the eye of shoemaker apprentice, Samuel. But as rehearsals grow increasingly intense, the young women start to feel like they're being watched and infatuation twirls into something far more ominous. (Sept. 5) —Maureen Lee Lenker

<em>Holly</em> by Stephen King

Stephen King's new novel takes a beloved supporting player from the author's canon and finally puts her center stage. Private detective Holly Gibney (Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider) flies solo for the first time as she investigates a little girl's disappearance in a small Midwestern town. This time, her formidable foes are married professors who are keen on keeping the secrets lurking in their home hidden — especially since they may hold the key to the crime. A chilling procedural set in the COVID era, Holly also doubles as a satisfying case study for the character that stole King's heart. (Sept. 5) —A.N.

<em>Enchanted to Meet You</em> by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is back with an all-new supernatural series about modern-day witches who live in Connecticut. When tall, blond, and handsome Derrick Winters shows up at the door of cottage witch Jessica Gold to tell her she's the Chosen One, she's not sure whether to laugh or to welcome his gorgeous, leather-clad arms inside. But as Derrick and Jessica contend with the threat to her town, they also realize that they can make magic together, no spells necessary. Cabot combines the spritely voice of her Princess Diaries and Little Bridge Island novels with the supernatural vibes of her The Mediator series for a charming, spooky season read. (Sept. 5) —M.L.L.

<em>Godkiller</em> by Hannah Kaner

An epic fantasy odyssey begins with Hannah Kaner's debut Godkiller, the first in a planned trilogy. Set after a great war that banned worship of gods, the novel follows godkiller Kissen, a disillusioned knight and a god who is "bound" to a noble girl on a grand quest. Kaner's debut is incredibly inclusive with LGBTQ and disabled characters filling its pages. It delivers high action while centering on characters that are not often depicted this fully. (Sept. 12) —Alamin Yohannes

<em>Nineteen Steps</em> by Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown may be best known for taking down Demogorgons in Stranger Things and solving impossible cases as Enola Holmes, but the actress establishes herself as an equally powerful writer with her poignant debut novel Nineteen Steps. Inspired by true events from her family history, Nineteen Steps follows Nellie Morris, an 18-year-old living and working in the London neighborhood of Bethnal Green with her family, as she attempts to find some semblance of normalcy amid the horrors of World War II. A chance encounter — and immediate connection  — with spitfire U.S. airman Ray leads Nellie to begin dreaming of a life stateside until a catastrophic air raid event shatters her hopes and dreams for the future. Brown refuses to shy away from the realities of war in her coming-of-age story, exploring love, loss, and courage in a way that is both bold and intensely moving. (Sept. 12) —Emlyn Travis

<em>Your Lonely Nights Are Over</em> by Adam Sass

Described as "Scream meets Clueless," Your Lonely Nights Are Over lets LGBTQ characters save themselves. Inseparable best friends Cole and Dearie's bond is tested like never before when their school's Queer Club is caught in the crosshairs of a serial killer. Adam Sass tells a story where LGBTQ characters get to feel like real people and not caricatures, so these besties are complicated and even unlikeable. While his latest may be horrifying, don't expect Sass' humorous style to be missing from the pages of this terrifying tale. (Sept. 12) —A.Y.

<em>Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune</em> by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe

If you can't get enough of The Gilded Age, this historical biography is a must-read. Anderson Cooper, himself a descendant of the Vanderbilt family, reteams with Katherine Howe for this in-depth look at a family that shaped American history. It tracks the Astor fortunes, from its beginnings in beaver trapping in 1783 to the 2009 arrest of Anthony Marshall, Brooke Astor's son. In an era where the divide between the haves and have-nots is the widest it has been in over a century, Cooper and Howe dig into one of the United States' most influential families and a parable of capitalism, commerce, and greed that established an American way of life. (Sept. 19) —M.L.L.

<em>Starter Villain</em> by John Scalzi

What if supervillainy isn't actually like how it's portrayed in movies? And what if there are a lot more sentient cats involved? That's what best-selling author John Scalzi (The Kaiju Preservation Society) imagines in his irreverent and subversive sci-fi novel Starter Villain. With James Bond-level bad guys set in the everyday trudge of corporate life a la The Office, the comedic thriller follows an ex-journalist who inherits his mysterious uncle's business, only to find out his late relation was the head of a supervillain business, complete with underground volcano lairs, ambitious minions, and the aforementioned talking cats… as well as plans for world domination that results in a whole slew of other baddies looking to take out their competition. If you're tired of the same old villain arcs in comic books, thrillers, and action movies, Scalzi's unique, hilarious, and oddly relatable story is the perfect fall read. (Sept. 19) —Sydney Bucksbaum

<em>Bright Young Women</em> by Jessica Knoll

Jessica Knoll puts the spotlight on women targeted by a sadistic killer in her latest thriller Bright Young Women. Two females, one who sees her sorority sisters attacked and another who travels the country looking for a young woman she connects with, are brought together in a search for justice. In a world where an obsession with true crime tends to focus on the murderers, Knoll examines the lives of those impacted by heinous acts in a manner that is just as thrilling as any docuseries about a ruthless killer.  (Sept. 19) —A.Y.

<em>Champion of Fate</em> by Kendare Blake

The best-selling author behind the Three Dark Crowns series is back with an epic duology about an orphaned child who joins a legendary order of female warriors. Immortal and nearly unbeatable on the battlefield, the fabled Aristene are hiero makers. But to officially join the sisterhood, Reed must lead the prince of a country on the cusp of war to glory. The page-turning adventure weighs the value of destiny against free will as Reed grows to question her true purpose. With its spirited protagonist, slow-burn romance, well-drawn mythology, and wondrously fleshed out characters, Blake's latest will surely leave readers wanting for its sequel. (Sept. 19) —Shania Russell

<em>The Traitor</em> by Ava Glass

Ava Glass is bringing us spyjinks from across the pond in The Traitor. Emma Makepeace, the British spy at the center of Glass' Alias Emma series, is based on an actual spy Glass met while working in the home office. In The Traitor, an investigation into the death of an MI6 officer sends Emma undercover on the luxury yacht of a Russian Oligarch. (Sept. 19) —A.Y.

<em>What About Men?</em> by Caitlin Moran

Satirist and cultural critic Caitlin Moran turns her gimlet eye to men and the ways in which modern feminism must address the needs of the other sex. Through a series of interviews, Moran interrogates everything from men's reluctance to go to the doctor to the rise of men's rights activists to porn, sex, and mid-life crises. Moran has long established herself as a riotously funny, provocatively feminist voice, but here, she shines a light on the way that men are often left out of these conversations and posits a way to reboot masculinity for the 21st century. (Sept. 26) — M.L.L.

<em>The Fragile Threads of Power</em> by V.E. Schwab

Best-selling fantasy author V.E. Schwab returns to her Shades of Magic world with the first in a new series. Taking place seven years after the final Shades of Magic novel, The Fragile Threads of Power follows the rise of a new Antari — magicians with the power to open the doors between worlds — named Kosika, who has taken the throne in White London. Kosika is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her city alive, but her growing religious fervor threatens disaster. In Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rebellion seeking to eliminate the throne entirely. Now, both Londons face the challenge of imminent destruction, as one magical girl, Tes, comes into possession of a device that has the potential to change the fate of all four worlds. Schwab's visceral, engrossing writing style delivers an unputdownable yarn once again. (Sept. 26) —M.L.L.

<em>Kiss and Spell</em> by Celestine Martin

What's a lovelorn witch to do but help a handsome prince break the curse plaguing his life? After a twist of fate sends witch Ursula Caraway's dream life off the rails, she's stuck in her small town selling crystals and trying to reclaim her magic. When Prince Xavier Alder shows up in Freya Grove looking for someone to help him break the curse the Faerie Queen set on him, Ursula is more than happy to assist in his hunt for a curse-breaking kiss. If only they can set aside their mutual attraction long enough to do so. Martin brings a fresh voice and perspective to the small-town witch trend with all the swoony feels and hilarity of a magical rom-com along the way. (Sept. 26) —M.L.L.

<em>Woke Up Like This</em> by Amy Lea

Woke Up Like This is 13 Going on 30 if Jenna (Jennifer Garner) never actually wished to be 30 years old. When 17-year-old Charlotte Yu falls off a ladder while decorating for senior prom, she face plants into her nemesis, jock J.T. Ritter, only for them to wake up and discover that they are now 30 years old and married to each other. Amy Lea crafts a charming rom-com and coming-of-age story about learning to appreciate the journey, rather than the destination. As J.T. and Charlotte try to piece together all they've missed in the intervening years, they realize that neither is what the other assumed — and desperately try to find a way back to being 17 again. (Oct. 1) —M.L.L.

<em>A Man of Two Faces</em> by Viet Than Nguyen

The Sympathizer was the biggest debut novel of 2015, earning author Viet Thanh Nguyen the Pulitzer Prize for reframing American understanding of the Vietnam War by showing the conflict from the perspective of a loyal communist spy. It's also set to be one of the biggest TV events of 2024, which is when The Sympathizer will be adapted as a miniseries directed by Park Chan-Wook (Decision To Leave) and starring a post-Oppenheimer Robert Downey Jr. There's no better way to prepare for that than to read Nguyen's new memoir, which starts with his family fleeing Vietnam as refugees and reflects on his lifelong struggle to understand himself as both Vietnamese and American. (Oct. 3) —Christian Holub

<em>The Blackwoods</em> by Brandy Colbert

Brandy Colbert would like to introduce you to the Blackwood family. Spanning decades, the novel tells the story of a fictional Black Hollywood dynasty starting with 1960s screen siren Blossom Blackwood through to her granddaughter Ardith living in present-day Los Angeles. Colbert explores the pressures of fame, what it truly means to be an artist, and more through the lens of the Black experience, which puts the author's latest in a different arena from the beloved YA novels of her past. (Oct. 3) —A.Y.

<em>The Roaring Days of Zora Lily</em> by Noelle Salazar

Noelle Salazar captures the hazy, liquor-soaked days of the Jazz Age in this mesmerizing tale of a seamstress with big dreams. When the name Zora Lily is discovered on the tag of a gown once worn by Greta Garbo, a costume curator at the Smithsonian pulls at the threads of Lily's life. Back in 1924, Zora Hough dreams of escaping her poverty-ridden life in Seattle and becoming a famous fashion designer. When her friend gets a job dancing at a club, Zora is pulled into the world of speakeasies and tempted with a path to her wildest dreams — but she'll learn that nothing comes without a price. Salazar captures the excesses of Prohibition and the dark side of Hollywood in this tale of family, ambition, love, and self-discovery. (Oct. 3) —M.L.L.

<em>Wildfire</em> by Hannah Grace

Following her Booktok success with Icebreaker, Hannah Grace returns to Maple Hills for a new story. Following the blooming relationship between Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts, Wildfire poses the question: What happens when your "one night stand" turns into a fellow summer camp counselor? Russ and Aurora find themselves in this exact situation and must face their ever-changing relationship status head on. If you're a fan of friends-to-lovers tales and forced proximity, then this should be on your TBR! In addition to lovable main characters, Grace builds friendship dynamics that you will be fully invested in by the end of the book. (Oct. 3) —Jessica Leon

<em>Touched</em> by Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley's latest, Touched, explores how innovation in technology and humans threatens existence through Martin, a man who awakens one day certain that he is the cure to the virus that is humanity. Known for writing iconic works, including Devil in a Blue Dress, Mosley offers a new novel that is an expansive dystopian fantasy that is equally sexy and incisive. (Oct. 10) —A. Y.

<em>Opinions</em> by Roxane Gay

A decade after Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay returns with a breakout collection of some of her most well-known essays. Nothing is off limits, as Gay uses her insightful wit and deep insights to dissect everything from the Fast and the Furious franchise to Trump to Janelle Monae, and weighs in on the Roseanne reboot, why she hates the beach, and more. (Oct. 10) —Yolanda Machado

<em>MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios</em> by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards

Perhaps the only thing more tangled than the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the story of how it came to be — and against all odds, that winding saga comes into focus through this fast-paced work of nonfiction. A must-have for MCU obsessives, this behind-the-scenes deep dive combines interviews with actors, writers, producers, directors, and more for an epic examination of the hard work, creativity, and sheer force of will that brought the much-beloved heroes to the big screen. (Oct. 10) — SR

<em>The Witch of Maracoor</em> by Gregory Maguire

Don't be fooled by the sentimental smash-hit Broadway adaptation — Wicked author Gregory Maguire's Oz is a gritty dystopia rife with enslaved animals, political unrest, and violent propaganda under the tyrannical Wizard. Now, after 23 years, two book series, and six novels, the writer is bidding his revisionist fantasia farewell (and, you could say, "For Good") with The Witch of Maracoor. The final chapter in the Another Day trilogy returns to Rain, the green-skinned granddaughter of Elphaba (a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West), who is called more towards the seas than the skies. A witch in her own right, Rain's journey back to Oz weaves an enchanted coming-of-age tale twinged with dark magic. (Oct. 10) —A.N.

<em>Queen Hereafter</em> by Isabelle Schuler

Isabella Schuler reimagines Shakespeare's Macbeth through the eyes of one the Bard's most famous anti-heroines. Known to us as Lady Macbeth, Gruoch, a descendant of ancient Druids, believes that her future holds the throne. But when her betrothal to Duncan, heir elect of the Picts, goes awry and she must flee, Gruoch must choose a life in the shadows or to seek vengeance as a path to her destiny. Schuler bestows the tale of Lady Macbeth with a fierce feminist eye and reclaims her character in this bruising tale of passion, ambition, power, vengeance, and desire. There's no need to screw your courage to the sticking place to lose yourself in this stunning retelling cast against the backdrop of medieval Scotland. (Oct. 10) —M.L.L.

<em>Charming Young Man</em> by Eliot Schrefer

A far cry from his sci-fi survival tale The Darkness Outside Us, Schrefer's sophomore YA novel reimagines the story of real-life piano prodigy Léon Delafosse, a modest but supremely talented teen struggling to secure his position at a prestigious Paris conservatory. While money seems the obvious answer to his problems, the higher he climbs in society, the further he gets from his small-town roots — for better or worse. His journey of self-discovery prods at questions of artistry and acclaim, with gossips and pretension running amok as Léon wavers between the anxiety and undeniable glow of the spotlight. Famed historical figures and glittering parties are aplenty, but most endearing is the novel's immense empathy for its characters as they navigate the impossibility of queerness in high society spaces. (Oct. 10) —S.R.

<em>Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession</em> by Laurence Leamer

Laurence Leamer (Capote's Women) studies Alfred Hitchcock through the lens of the renowned director's iconic leading ladies. Leamer chronicles the experiences of June Howard-Tripp, Madeleine Carroll, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedren and their time making some of Hitchcock's most memorable films. Through their work and place as the prism for Hitchcock's obsessions and desires, we come to understand the inner workings of his mind — and how these women were key to constructing a legend of his own devising. (Oct. 10) —M.L.L.

<em>Messengers: The Guitars of James Hetfield</em> by James Hetfield

To truly know Metallica frontman James Hetfield is to know his guitars. The legendary metal musician, who is currently shredding his way across the country on the band's M72 tour, reflects on how the instrument became the proverbial sword and shield that has protected and inspired him throughout his life in Messengers: The Guitars of James Hetfield. From penning influential albums Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning on his original white OGV to resolutely reflecting on his harrowing pyrotechnics accident that left handprints burned into his double-neck Montreal, Hetfield masterfully chronicles over 40 different guitars and the respective gear from Metallica's 40-year history and all of the memories, mishaps, and eccentricities that come with them. The end result, to put it simply, rocks. (Oct. 17) —E.T.

<em>The House of Doors</em> by Tan Twan Eng

Inspired by real events (Ethel Proudlock's 1911 murder trial) and people (novelist and playwright William Somerset Maugham), Tan Twan Eng weaves a magnetic tale of love, betrayal, and colonialism in The House of Doors. In 1921 Malaysia, affluent lawyer Robert Hamlyn and wife Lesley are visited by his old pal "Willie" Somerset Maugham, a famed writer seeking inspiration for his next book, and Willie's secretary (and secret lover) Gerald. Willie forges a friendship with Lesley, soon learning that she, too, has secrets of her own, including a shocking past involving ties to a Chinese revolutionary and Englishwoman (Proudlock) charged with murder. (Oct. 17) —Jessica Wang

<em>Murder by Degrees</em> by Ritu Mukerji

Inspired by real-life accounts of 19th-century female doctors in Philadelphia, Ritu Mukerji has dedicated her brains, experience, and passion for the medical field to a debut novel ripe with gorgeous Gothic settings and a compellingly written main character. Dr. Lydia Westwood is a professor at the Woman's Medical College and a brilliant anatomist who applies her knowledge and compassion to help uncover the truth behind a patient's horrific death. This twisty feminist mystery will leave readers agape, entertained, and wanting more. (Oct. 17) —M.S.

<em>Hazardous Spirits</em> by Anbara Salam

With the literary lyricism and precise historical detail of a Sarah Waters novel, Anbara Salam takes readers into the Spiritualist Movement of the 1920s. In Edinburgh, housewife Evelyn Hazard lives a routine life, until her husband, Robert, disrupts everything by telling her he has the power to communicate with the dead. The couple is brought under the sway of the Spiritualist Movement and there, secrets of Evelyn's past threaten to emerge. But she is most terrified at the prospect of uncovering whether her husband is a fraud, a madman, or a truth teller. Salam injects a wry humor into this tale of secrets, lies, and the power of the ghosts of our pasts. (Oct. 17) —M.L.L.

<em>America Fantastica</em> by Tim O'Brien

After a two-decade hiatus from fiction, National Book Award winner Tim O'Brien (The Things They Carried) returns to the literary stage with the novel America Fantastica. The timely odyssey begins with Boyd Halverson — a reporter turned internet troll turned retail worker — as he robs a bank and kidnaps a talkative teller named Angie. Now on the run, Boyd takes his captive on a cross-country revenge mission against the man who ruined his life, traveling from Northern California to the author's native Minnesota and beyond. Between an array of eclectic characters and meditations on absolutism, O'Brien paints a new, unflinching portrait of Americana that reads like a road map to our modern age. (Oct. 24) —A.N.

<em>Starling House</em> by Alix E. Harrow

A haunted house, a brooding man, a jaded woman, and a sinister small town's secrets comprise this captivating story. After years of just getting by in her town plagued by bad luck, Opal finds the home she never had within the rusty gates of Starling House, a mysterious manor once owned by a reclusive 19th-century fantasy author. And just like Alice, she soon finds herself plummeting through a rabbit hole. Harrow's lyrical prose propels this contemporary Southern gothic, offering an atmospheric fairy tale with delightfully jagged-edged characters. (Oct. 31) —S.R.

<em>Pandora's Box: How Guts, Greed, and Lust Upended TV</em> by Peter Biskind

The Sopranos. Mad Men. Deadwood. House of Cards. Orange Is the New Black. The rise of cable and then streaming unleashed an array of deranged, violent, addiction-troubled, and/or just plain nasty characters. And, according to Pandora's Box, that was just the people who made those shows! In his new book, author Peter Biskind catalogs real-life misbehavior by the principals responsible for an array of lauded series with the same unsparing eye that he detailed the excesses of New Hollywood in Raging Bulls, Easy Riders. (Nov. 7) —Clark Collis

<em>Do Your Worst</em> by Rosie Danan

With The Roommate and The Intimacy Experiment, Rosie Danan declared herself as a romance writer who is willing to push boundaries and tackle taboos. She returns with Do Your Worst, an adventure rom-com that pairs occult expert, Riley Rhodes, and disgraced archaeologist, Clark Edgeware, as they attempt to unpack the secrets of an infamous Scottish castle and get on each other's nerves at the same time. Danan's signature bawdy humor and heart explode off every page in this enemies-to-lovers tale that captures The Mummy vibes. (Nov. 14) —M.L.L.

<em>The Star and the Strange Moon</em> by Constance Sayers

Constance Sayers crafts a haunting story of the power of film and the ways in which our lives can unspool under the power of obsession. In 1968, Gemma Turner is losing relevancy as a film star, so she agrees to star in a radical new horror film. But while making the movie, she disappears and is never seen again — but Gemma is still alive within the frames of the film, and she must play her part perfectly to keep her life. In 2007, film student Christopher Kent becomes fascinated by Turner's disappearance, intrigued by the new footage that occurs with each screening of L'Etrange Lune until he decides to uncover the truth. But the quest might cost him his sanity, or even his life. (Nov. 14) —M.L.L.

<em>There Should Have Been Eight</em> by Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh combines the house party setting of Agatha Christie with a Gothic atmosphere in her latest thriller. When a group of seven friends gathers at their late friend Bea's estate in the New Zealand Alps, they plan to celebrate their longstanding friendships. But when they get snowed in, secrets and lies converge as the true story behind Bea's death begins to emerge. Singh writes with gripping passion and an acute eye for social commentary, all while delivering a divinely engaging mystery. (Nov. 21) —M.L.L.

<em>Gwen & Art Are Not in Love</em> by Lex Croucher

In this frivolous medieval romp of a queer rom-com, Lex Croucher toys with Arthurian legend to delightful effect. Arthur, a snide and boozy future duke, could not be a worse match for Gwendoline, the sarcastic wallflower best known as the Princess of England. Yet they have been engaged since birth. Thankfully, a series of events lead them to forge a reluctant pact to play nice in public so they can pursue their true romantic interests in secret. Their banter-filled medieval escapades feature tropes galore, including fake dating and enemies to allies – but most importantly, it fronts found family as Gwen, Art, and their closest compatriots forge the kind of friendships that can change a kingdom. (Nov. 28) —S.R.

<em>Here in the Dark</em> by Alexis Soloski

Theater critic Alexis Soloski goes behind the curtain in this thriller about the blurry lines between art and reality. Former actress Vivian Parry is now a theater critic by trade, but when angling for a promotion, she reluctantly agrees to an interview that exposes secrets she believed were long buried. Than her interviewer disappears and she finds herself drawn into the role of amateur detective. Soloski combines her knowledge of the theater world with the twists and turns of the best psychological suspense. (Dec. 5) —M.L.L.

<em>Raiders of the Lost Heart</em> by Jo Segura

Ever wish that the Indiana Jones movies had exponentially more love scenes between Indy and Marion? Jo Segura grants that wish with this romantic tale of archaeologist Dr. Socorro "Corrie" Mejía and her attempts to realize her dream of searching for the remains of Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire and Corrie's ancestor. But when she finally gets her shot, it's on an expedition led by her grad school nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews. As thieves and unexpected danger threaten their efforts, Ford and Corrie must work together (and keep their growing attraction under wraps). Romancing the Stone meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling adventure romance. (Dec. 5) - MLL

<em>C'mon Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock</em> by David Fantle and Tom Johnson

Journalists and entertainment writers David Fantle and Tom Johnson take readers behind the scenes of Judy Garland's final film at MGM, Summer Stock. Using a combination of interviews from their own archives, reflections from contemporary artists, and in-depth research, they break down the troubled production history of the film — and the  joyous movie that was the unlikely end result. Through their discerning approach, they unpack long-held myths about Garland's role in production delays, as well as analyze the genius of her iconic "Get Happy" number and Gene Kelly's choreography and performances. If you need a reason to forget your troubles this fall, look no further than this book. (Oct. 10) — MLL

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