See PEOPLE's List of Must-Read Books for Fall 2023
Find the perfect book for your coziest reading nook. Edited by Kate Tuttle
From a novice detective agency to a feminist-focused Orwellian retelling to teenagers' takes on the climate crisis, here are PEOPLE's 2023 picks for the best books of fall.
FICTION: Search History by Amy Taylor
Curious about a new guy, Ana falls into a social media sinkhole when she sees her predecessor: gorgeous, blonde and dead. If you've ever obsessed over a partner's ex, this propulsive debut will give you chills. — Reviewed by Marion Winik
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
FICTION: Good Women by Halle Hill
These sharp stories bring gallows humor to the Weight Watchers meeting, church study group, funeral parlor, emergency room — anywhere southern Black women are doing what it takes to get by. — Reviewed by Marion Winik
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
FICTION: Absolution by Alice McDermott
Barbie's moment continues with this gorgeous novel set in 1960s Vietnam. When a local seamstress dresses an American child's doll, "Saigon Barbie" stars in a morally ambiguous do-gooder scheme. — Reviewed by Marion Winik
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
FICTION: The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak
In this delicious female spy novel, CIA up-and-comer Amanda and her mentor Kath untangle a global conspiracy involving Russian oligarchs and — gulp — Amanda's father, an agency lifer himself. — Reviewed by Marion Winik
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
FICTION: Julia by Sandra Newman
As George Orwell predicted, Big Brother is indeed watching us, making his classic novel, 1984, ripe for revival. This daring retelling moves Winston Smith to the side and centers his badass girlfriend. — Reviewed by Marion Winik
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
NONFICTION: Hell If We Don't Change Our Ways by Brittany Means
A breathtaking memoir about surviving a horrifying childhood of violence and abuse. Means somehow transforms her life's brutal memories into a moving work of art.
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
NONFICTION: Landlines by Raynor Winn
Along with her terminally ill husband, Winn undertook a 1,000-mile walk through Britain, a demanding yet ultimately fulfilling journey, lyrically recounted by a captivating writer.
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
NONFICTION: But Will You Love Me Tomorrow? by Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz
Their voices created some of our most beloved pop songs, but 1960s girl groups didn't always get their due. A belated celebration.
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
NONFICTION: To Infinity and Beyond by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Lindsey Nyx Walker
A down-to-earth guide to our cosmic neighborhood — and what pop culture gets wrong about space. Entertaining and enlightening.
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
NONFICTION: Opposable Thumbs by Matt Singer
Critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert changed how we talked about the movies. A fascinating look inside their enduring partnership.
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves
When a dead adventurer turns up on Det. Matthew Venn's turf, the investigation draws Venn into a superstition-infused mystery that touches on his own history. — Reviewed by Daneet Steffens
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Secret Hours by Mick Herron
An intricate espionage thriller from Herron, whose Slough House series is the basis for Apple TV+'s Slow Horses. Bonus: This terrific standalone offers an enticing slice of Slouh House's origin story. — Reviewed by Daneet Steffens
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
MYSTERY & THRILLER: One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley
Edie, a grandmother struggling with encroaching memory loss, pursues a burning question: What happened to her friend Lucy, who vanished decades ago as a teenager? — Reviewed by Daneet Steffens
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
The lives of two women — a privileged book editor and a Chinese immigrant navigating Manhattan's underworld — collide in this emotion-packed thriller. — Reviewed by Daneet Steffens
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Skulduggery and laughs abound as our favorite gaggle of amateur-detective retirees tackle drug runners, dodgy antique dealers, art forgers and Battenberg cake recipes. — Reviewed by Daneet Steffens
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
YOUNG ADULT: This Boy by Illene Cooper
This biography, which chronicles the early days of John Lennon and Paul McCartney in 1950s Liverpool, will delight and fasciate even those too young to remember Beatlemania. — Reviewed by Sue Corbett
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
Related: Fans Find Photos of Themselves in Paul McCartney's New Book (and Recall Beatlemania): Watch
YOUNG ADULT: The Fall of Whit Rivera by Crystal Maldonado
After a cruel summer, high school senior Whitney tries to rebound during her favorite season. A pumpkin-spice-latte-flavored treat about friends, family and the importance of fun. — Reviewed by Sue Corbett
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
YOUNG ADULT: Just Do This One Thing For Me by Laura Zimmerman
Drew's con-artist mom heads off to a concert in Mexico — and doesn't return, leaving Drew to care for her siblings in this propulsive, heartbreaking account of having to grow up too soon. — Reviewed by Sue Corbett
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
YOUNG ADULT: All You Have to Do by Autumn Allen
Two Black students, 30 years apart, struggle while enrolled at elite private schools. Masterfully interwoven narratives show what it means to challenge injustice through the decades. — Reviewed by Sue Corbett
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
YOUNG ADULT: The Twenty-One by Elizabeth Rusch
This gripping true account follows 21 tween and teen plaintiffs, who argue that government inaction on climate change violates their constitutional rights. — Reviewed by Sue Corbett
Buy it: Amazon, Bookshop.org
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
