Announcing the July 2023 LibraryReads List

Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door.

“William’s lies are piling up. An extramarital affair just ended; returning home, he finds his young daughter there instead of at school. Soon after, she goes missing. If he confesses having seen her, he’s caught in his deception. Will the truth come out before it’s too late? Great pick for Gillian Flynn fans.”—Selena Swink, Lake Public Library, MS

NoveList read-alike: Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcy Bell

Internationally bestselling author Sophie Irwin brings us another delightful, escapist historical romance, led by an audacious heroine who has suddenly inherited a fortune—but it has strings attached…

“At 28, widow Eliza Balfour is the dowager Lady Somerset, and plans to enjoy her wealth and title. How Eliza relates to the people around her and how she changes are wonderfully nuanced and satisfying. Irwin’s story forges its own path with liveliness and an attention to a wider scope of high society. Highly recommended to fans of historical romance.”—Allison Smith, Minuteman Library Network, MA

NoveList read-alike: To Swoon and To Spar by Martha Waters

From the author of Looker comes this “compulsive and unforgettable novel” (Mona Awad) of razor-sharp suspense about two local librarians whose lives become dangerously intertwined.

“Margo moved to Carlyle two years ago to get a fresh start as a librarian, her days filled with helping patrons. But when a new employee is hired, Margo feels unsettled by the curious Patricia. When a patron is discovered dead in the library bathroom, Margo’s carefully crafted mundane life starts to unravel and may pull Patricia into a tangle of terrifying secrets.”—Priscilla Garvin, Cecil County Public Library, MD

NoveList read-alike: Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

“Happily Ever After” is a total scam, but at least this time the princess is the one controlling the grift—until her true love arrives and threatens to ruin the whole scheme. Intrigue, magic, and wit abound in this Cinderella fairytale reimagining, perfect for fans of Heather Walter and Naomi Novik.

“A reimagined Cinderella tale with the political intrigue and violence of Game of Thrones. Lady Aislinn is a revolutionary hiding behind the cover of the meek beautiful girl the prince fell in love with at the ball. Her plan might work except for the bandit that is now on the loose, the captive prince who gets under her skin, and her conniving stepmother.”—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, TX

NoveList read-alike: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Set in 1960s Italy, this stylish, atmospheric debut spins a bewitching web of ruthless ambition, family secrets, and the consequences of forbidden love, as an ambitious American actress snags the starring role in a mysterious horror movie shooting on location in a crumbling medieval castle outside Rome…

“1960s Italy: a horror movie filmed in a crumbling, possibly haunted, castle owned by the estranged aunt of the starlet. What could be better? As the lines between reality and the movie plot begin to blur in this tautly written novel, family secrets begin to emerge that if revealed, might lead to unforeseen (and possibly deadly) consequences for everyone.”—Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, NJ

NoveList read-alike: The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Darrow returns as Pierce Brown’s New York Times bestselling Red Rising series continues in the thrilling sequel to Dark Age.

NoveList read-alike: Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesch

A ghostwriter and a struggling actor help each other on the page and in the bedroom in this steamy romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk.

NoveList read-alike: Bet on It by Jodie Slaughter

NoveList read-alike: The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman

NoveList read-alike: Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson

NoveList read-alike: The Woman Inside by E.G. Scott