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Audio horror, fantasy, mystery, social sciences, and more. This winter’s audiobook stars offer auditory delights across a wide range of subjects and genres.

Captivating mystery audios, showcasing octogenarian amateur detectives, intricate psychological thrillers, and a pulse-pounding installment in a beloved series.

Chilling listens for every taste, from crime fiction laced with folkloric and cosmic terrors to epic postapocalyptic gore.

Deliciously swoony stories and second-chance love, exquisitely rendered in audio. 

Exhilarating listens, from classic high fantasy to thrilling tales of intrigue in extraterrestrial settings.

O’Brien’s fiction debut is a highly intriguing vision of the near future that examines the role of memory in a functional aspect, which also underscores the utility of forgetting: “Funes the Memorious” by Jorge Luis Borges meets Total Recall by Philip K. Dick, with a wry narration that balances the grim reality.

Four iconic writers of Golden Age crime fiction—Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham—help DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID, solve a case. 

Key fiction, nonfiction, and reference titles.

A stand-alone fantasy from Tan’s world of the Celestial Kingdom provides all of the beautiful worldbuilding and heart-wrenching emotions of her previous books.

Historical personalities bring this real story to life in a riveting account of the first U.S. murder trial for which there is a transcript.

This quirky, humorous romance is well-written and plotted, and readers will quickly fall in love with its interesting characters. Fans of Olivia Dade’s “Spoiler Alert” series will especially fall for this superfan homage from Danan.

Family stories, trailblazing actors and activists, a wedding crasher, and more populate these engaging novels.

Explore powerful titles by marquee-name and debut authors, a translator, several poets, and short-story scribes.

Love wins—eventually—in 10 delightfully trope-filled tales from fake dating to enemies-to-lovers.

Sea dwellers, fortune tellers, tricksters, faeries, roving robots, and other fantastical creatures inhabit the pages of these out-of-this-world novels.

Readers will need to leave the lights on as they devour these tales of terror that are sure to delight.

Eight meaningful, whimsical, philosophical, historical, and fantastical works that are a joy for both reading and viewing.

Moving memoirs, historical accounts, lively performing arts books, and scientific inquiries number among these real-world reads.

Discover the delights of illustrated nonfiction about crafts, travel, cooking, self-help, and gardening.

As much as LJ editors love to read, we also hold deep admiration for book and cover design. Each year we gather to debate how image, text, and color help create the mood of a book and invite readers into the story. These 10 choices represent the standout covers from our best books and highlight trends in jacket design, arresting imagery, and just how important the aesthetics of book art can be.

Blue Bloods showrunner Wade showcases his talents on the page with this compelling police procedural.

This sexy, swoon-worthy romance is an unputdownable debut.

Highly recommended for readers of sci-fi thrillers, cli-fi, and bioterrorism thrillers, and Tom Clancy fans who enjoy a bit of SF in their political thrillers.

Titles not to miss across fiction, nonfiction, audio, and reference.

With fluid writing and an unputdownable story, Jessen’s witty rom-com leans hard into the fake-dating trope with great success.

This momentous tour de force overtops existing works on robots by leaps and bounds, approaching the subject with a subtlety that allows readers to focus on the effects robots are sure to have in the future.

Appearances are deceiving in this fast-paced thriller, and the characters are introduced gradually so as not to overwhelm the outstanding series debut.

The fall edition of Life+Style features great reads across cooking, crafts, fashion, self-help, travel, and more.

Stars’s drag-themed cozy mystery debut is a must-purchase. Give it to fans of Kitty Murphy, Rob Osler, and Frank Anthony Polito.

This heartfelt novel will surely garner an enthusiastic following for debut author James.

Leong’s debut is a delightful cozy fantasy that will appeal to fans of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne.

Wonderful reads across audio, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and reference.

A gritty crime novel with a pace that never lets up; Mosley’s best work since the incomparable Easy Rawlins series.

This fun, well-written adventure romance from Segura is unputdownable. Perfect for readers who enjoy a slow burn, witty banter, and plot twists and turns.

Readers who have been swept up in the cozy charm of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee will fall hard for the mix of magical realism, fantasy mystery, and star-crossed romance in this novel.

Full of personality and flavor, this book will be welcome in all collections.

Even those well versed in slashers and their tropes will be surprised by the directions Jones takes. Readable both as representative of slasher films and book and as an exploration of the rules of the genre, this novel will have wide appeal to readers who are new to Jones’s work as well as established fans. Recommended as a contrast for fans of recent “final girl” books like the ones by Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager and readers who enjoyed The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay.

This novel is effective in innumerable ways, particularly with its attention to the generational gap and the emotional disconnection created by the internet. Pargin’s deft combination of mystery and satire will appeal to the YA audience and to older readers.

For readers curious about how museums work, this engaging new look at MoMA’s origins will whet appetites for further scholarship on these fascinating figures.

Boyd’s treasure trove of information about the global impact of world music (particularly on the United States) is a tour de force that will fascinate music lovers.

Buttar makes brilliant use of primary sources and provides readers with a rich understanding of the unique nature of Leningrad, its military, and its people during a perilous time.

Lahey’s passion for great tasting bread and his easy, accessible recipes will inspire a new batch of bakers to try their hand at turning out artisanal quality bread at home.

As readers saw in Alam’s previous novel, Leave the World Behind, there is a palpable sense of dread running through this highly recommended book as well. In this case, it is not an existential threat to humanity; it’s the train wreck that is Brooke’s life. Readers may see it coming, but they won’t be able to look away.

Harrow’s breathtaking debut delves deep into the raw emotions of grief and the pure beauty of rediscovering joy in an exquisite tale of second chances, featuring an enemies-to-lovers romance.

An extraordinary, incomparable work of world literature that requires and rewards multiple readings.

Audio cookbooks, memoirs, fantasy, horror, and more. This fall’s audiobook stars offer auditory delights across all genres.

Emotional, entertaining, funny, and flirty, these audio romances offer something for every taste.

This season’s unputdownable audiobooks include irreverent adventures, heart-pounding thrillers, and nuanced crime fiction.

Alien adventures, lush underwater worlds, and cli-fi spy drama make for spectacular listens.

From bloody folk horror to the terrors lurking behind small-town facades, audio horror fans will find nightmares aplenty.

Originally self-published and now receiving a special edition with additional content from a big publisher, this debut novel and Book Tok sensation is highly recommended for romantasy lovers, especially fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

A must-have for fans and a fitting tribute to an amazing artist.

This Ghibli-esque slow-burn fantasy delivers on every promise it offers when it drops Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle inside Patricia A. McKillip’s The Forgotten Beasts of Eld.

This is a must-read for fans of queer romance and those interested in the behind-the-scenes world of video games. Tai’s storytelling is both fun and thought-provoking, making this debut a standout in contemporary romance fiction.

Fans of Patricia A. McKillip’s The Forgotten Beasts of Eld or Marie Brennan’s Driftwood will be in awe of Berry’s (The Manual of Detection) wonderfully odd ode to language, story, and family.

From yummy new options for easy, quick snack dinners to scrumptious choices that will help readers up their charcuterie board game, Sheehan’s book has got home cooks covered. In fact, the only challenge cooks will face once they get their oven mitts on Sheehan’s marvelously inventive, tasty treat of a cookbook will be deciding where to start.

This exceptional book’s stories of plagiarism showcase persistence and the insidious and enduring ways in which sexism informs and shapes the contemporary world. Murphy will motivate readers to challenge stereotypes.

Cardinal (The Storyteller’s Death) deftly blurs the boundaries between literary and relationship fiction, crafting a novel full of magical realism that unfolds with leisurely grace as it traces a plot that is deeply engaging. Swift yet reflective, intimate yet universal, this is a novel of deep rewards.

Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner Erdrich (The Sentence) yet again displays her storytelling skills.

Fantasy fans and steampunk enthusiasts will enjoy Glover’s astounding, creatively envisioned Prohibition-era United States, where magical and historical events intertwine in a thrilling plot full of adventurous characters.

This sequel to Gilliland’s first romance, Witch of Wild Things, is sure to be just as popular.

Penny’s follow-up to A World of Curiosities plays on readers’ fears as she launches a new story arc that is completed in this installment but presents a cliffhanger. It’s a frightening novel of duality, of good versus evil, with an allegorical tale for today’s world, as only Penny can write.

Titles not to miss across fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and reference.

The setting, characters, and structure of the novel are compelling, and, as the title suggests, there are secrets and lies aplenty. For fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins.

This must-have anthology is a treasure trove not to be missed.

Readers looking for a wild romp of a sci-fi caper story, complete with long games, big plans, wild heists, and epically flirtatious banter, are going to fall in love with Ada Lamarr every bit as much as Agent Rian White does in this first of a projected trilogy from Revis (Museum of Magic). Perfect for fans of Valerie Valdes and Constance Fay.

A superb, marvelously informative introduction to Latine cooking and cuisine in the U.S., enriched with intriguing snippets of Salazar’s heritage and culinary journeys.

With an eminently likable group of characters, a generous helping of wine and foodie culture, and an extra steamy and tender love story, YA author Khorram’s (The Breakup Lists) first foray into adult fiction will warm readers’ hearts.

Nguyen’s delicious efforts to bring her unique cuisine and personal style to print will be a hit with fans and newbies alike.

An affecting book and always slightly to the side, as indeed were all of Kafka’s writings.

Nail-biting suspense makes for an engaging and compulsively readable intro to yet another ambitious series from this writing team.

The weather conditions are an essential component in this sequel to All We Buried. Readers who appreciate the strong woman police chief in Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder books or the vivid landscapes of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire mysteries will appreciate Taylor’s riveting crime novel.

Fans of Carmen Maria Machado will find in this debut novelist a new author to follow every bit as voraciously.

Well written and informative, with extensive research notes. Highly recommended for fashion merchandising and women’s studies readers.

Highly approachable and friendly to all skill levels, this book fits the bill for anyone who hesitates to prepare meals; a must-have for time-constrained cooks. Essential for every collection.

With its focus on books and book lovers, eccentric villagers and frauds, this first mystery from the author of The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a delightful traditional, filled with fascinating characters. Those who escape to Louise Penny’s Three Pines might want to check out Great Diddling.

Lush scenery, well-drawn secondary characters, and believable, grounded conflicts lead to a sweet and satisfying ending for Kit and Theo in McQuiston’s (I Kissed Shara Wheeler) funniest, sexiest novel to date, here in a special edition with painted edges.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy reimagined legends.

This sparkling novel is highly recommended for all collections.

This compelling mix of horror, found family, and intricate mythology will appeal to those who loved Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys and The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin.

Wassmer’s debut novel succeeds in being the opposite of its title. He might become a new favorite for fans of John Scalzi and David Wong (a.k.a. Jason Pargin).

Readers who fell hard for Hazel Beck’s “Witchlore” series and Ann Aguirre’s “Fix-It Witches” books will be thrilled with these turn-of-the-century sister-witches in Sivinski’s debut.

To the oft-invoked online debate of man vs. bear, Tama offers a new question: man vs. bird. The magpie narrator offers more nuance and understanding to human relations than do most people. Chidgey (Pet) is a skilled storyteller and doesn’t stop surprising with this gorgeously haunting work. Endlessly faceted and highly recommended for book clubs.

A highly readable suspense novel in the style of Riley Sager, Alice Feeney, and Lisa Jewell, with a dash of Liane Moriarty thrown in for good measure.

Bowen is adept at writing mysteries filled with intriguing clues, satisfying solutions, expertly captured historical settings, and a little romance. A must-add to popular mystery collections.

“Warm and human even as it’s post human,” as Jo Walton observes in her introduction, Reed’s remarkable debut skillfully blends mind-bending speculation with riveting intrigue, alluring romance and harrowing drama, set in a prescient de-souled future.

Readers who enjoy the work of Nadia Hashimi and E.M. Tran are likely to embrace this deeply engaging and satisfying tale. Thanki is a new voice to definitely keep an eye on.

Clever, empathetic characters, an unusual world, and a rapidly paced story that keeps readers guessing will delight fans of Caruso’s (The Ivory Tomb) and create new ones.

Three pros unite again (after The Lost Summers of Newport) for this fun, dramatic mystery with an exotic setting and delightful characters. Readers who recognize and like satire will enjoy.

Robb’s (This Spells Love) sophomore outing has a swoon-worthy romance that gets an extra kick with the unique supernatural twist.

Titles to note across fiction, nonfiction, audio, graphic novels, and reference.

Short story fans might just discover their new favorite author in this arresting collection, a must-have.

Marked by Harkness’s deft evocations and appreciation of learning, this is a book to treasure. The portentous ending, rife with new story threads and threats, will leave readers hoping that she doesn’t wait another six years to continue the series.

With its mix of astute cultural analyses, quippy personal anecdotes, and deeper dives into sociopolitical and theoretical factors, this book does more than show disabled and chronically ill people that they belong. It also serves as a reminder that it matters how one shows up on dating apps and in relationships, in order to counteract the systems that try to render invisible the people whose bodies don’t conform to social norms.

Collecting one of the most popular, beloved, and influential comic strips ever created, this volume and the four preceding it are essential purchases for all libraries.

This brief, potent book offers a fresh understanding of diaspora; readers of contemporary poetry will seek it out.

An incredibly helpful guide for beginners, but readers who just want a refresher on crocheting techniques will appreciate this title too.

This touching, funny, sexy novel from Simone (Ravaged) is a joy to read and is sure to be popular where contemporary sports romances and multicultural fiction circulate well.