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The Big Books of Fall
As serious bookworms know, autumn reading is particularly rewarding. The days get shorter, the air gets cooler, and curling up with a good book becomes a powerfully appealing proposition.
We have good news: For book lovers, this fall promises to be one of the best in recent memory. Due in part to the disruption of the Covid-19 crisis, many highly anticipated new books intended for earlier release are now dropping in the autumn. Like leaves from a tree, you might say. Fans of speculative fiction are about to get particularly lucky—a broad range of fantasy and science fiction titles are just around the bend.
As always, our fall book guide is based entirely on what readers are letting us know—our list is assembled according to how many times a book has been added to Want to Read shelves. New releases this time around include books from familiar authors such as Nicholas Sparks, Ken Follett, Ruth Ware, Tana French, Susanna Clarke, Don DeLillo, and Ernest Cline. But also watch for buzzed-about new titles from Yaa Gyasi, Stuart Turton, Rumaan Alam, Bryan Washington, Tiffany D. Jackson, and celebrity restaurateur David Chang. Happy reading, all.
This much-anticipated follow-up to the bestseller Homegoing traces the fortunes of Gifty, a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford and the bright shining heart of her Ghanaian immigrant family. With her loved ones in distress, Gifty looks for the scientific cause of human suffering.
Release date: September 1
Release date: September 1
A whimsical new crime novel from the author of A Man Called Ove—there’s a Tom Hanks movie adaptation on the way—Anxious People chronicles a hostage situation gone very, very wrong. What’s a self-respecting bank robber to do when he makes the wrong choice and finds himself surrounded by eight impossible people?
Release date: September 8
Release date: September 8
Pulitzer Prize–winning author Ayad Akhtar returns with a powerful and personal novel about an American man and his immigrant father finding their way in the world that 9/11 forged. Part family drama, part sociological investigation, it’s been called “unputdownable” by Salman Rushdie, and that guy knows his adjectives.
Release date: September 15
Release date: September 15
Those who have read Follett’s Pillars of the Earth already know that the writer is a flat-out master of historical fiction. With his new book, Follett provides what is essentially a prequel to that 1989 classic: It’s the tail end of the Dark Ages, and one man in England has plans for a new abbey and center of learning.
Release date: September 15
Release date: September 15
This suspenseful thriller from the author of Rich and Pretty finds two families stranded together in a Long Island rental property after some unknown catastrophe descends on New York City. With the power out and the internet down, no one knows what to do or who to trust. Throw in some complexities on race and class, and things get interesting. And by “interesting” we mean terrifying.
Release date: October 6
Release date: October 6
The author of the young adult novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post makes her adult fiction debut with this horror-comedy centered on a cursed New England boarding school for girls. This spooky gothic tale begins in 1902 when two students meet an untimely demise and continues 100 years later as infamy and legend grow around the "haunted" school.
Release date: October 20
Release date: October 20
Benson and Mike have a good thing going. Together for years, they’re still in love, even if things are getting choppy. But when Mike leaves for Japan to visit his dying father, Benson finds himself with a new roommate—Mike’s straight-talking mom. Apart for the first time in a long while, the two men find their love tested and lives changed.
Release date: October 27
Release date: October 27
In the decaying Manhattan neighborhood known as Little Syria, a closeted trans boy tries to navigate the suspicious death of his ornithologist mother. An abandoned property and an old journal reveal incredible secrets going back generations, plus a mysterious connection to a rare species of bird that appears to be haunting his family. Intriguing, isn’t it?
Release date: November 3
Release date: November 3
A Brooklyn neighborhood falls into fear and paranoia in the new thriller from Alyssa Cole (A Princess in Theory). Gentrification can get ugly in 21st century New York City, but it gets downright deadly for native Brooklynite Sydney and new arrival Theo. Where do all those people go when gentrification pushes them out? You’ll be surprised.
Release date: September 1
Release date: September 1
Readers of Ruth Ware’s latest delicious mysteries, The Death of Mrs. Westaway and The Turn of the Key, will be psyched to hear about her new book, concerning a tech company retreat, a remote mountain cabin, an avalanche, and a bloody new rearrangement of the corporate food chain.
Release date: September 8
Release date: September 8
Isabel Lincoln has disappeared, and it’s Grayson Sykes’ job to find her. But what if Isabel doesn’t want to be found? The new mystery thriller from Rachel Howzell Hall (They All Fall Down) explores the corrosive nature of secrets in a complex game of pursuit between two very smart and increasingly desperate women.
Release date: September 22
Release date: September 22
A strong case can be made that author Tana French is the single best practicing mystery writer on the planet. Her new book follows retired detective Cal Hooper to a remote village in rural Ireland, where his unique skill set once again proves useful. Read our recent interview with French for more from this modern master of the psychological mystery story.
Release date: October 6
Release date: October 6
A 30-year-old geography teacher, accused of sexual misconduct, wanders into the dark world of incels—involuntarily celibate males obsessed with their own raging insecurities. Meanwhile, a child psychologist is stalked by a former child patient who suddenly disappears. And it’s all happening on the same street. Expect some twists, then some turns. Then some more twists.
Release date: October 13
Release date: October 13
It’s the year 1634 and Samuel Pipps—the world’s greatest detective—is in big trouble on the high seas. He’s being transported to Amsterdam for execution for a crime he didn’t commit. Probably. That’s trouble enough, but then comes the dead leper stalking the decks of the ship. And the slaughtered livestock. And the arcane symbols. And the demon.
Release date: October 6
Release date: October 6
For xenobiologist Kira Navárez, it was just another routine research mission on an uncolonized planet. But the dramatic discovery of an ancient alien relic beneath the surface changes everything. Author Christopher Paolini provides an epic tale of first contact, travels to the edge of the galaxy, and just maybe the fate of all humankind.
Release date: September 15
Release date: September 15
From the celebrated author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell comes a hypnotic new novel with some elastic notions on the time-space continuum. Piranesi lives in a home of infinite rooms and endless passages. His only companion is an entity known as The Other. As Piranesi maps his new environs, which include an entire ocean, a terrible truth begins to unravel. There’s yet another resident in the house.
Release date: September 15
Release date: September 15
You think Harvard is a tough school, try Scholomance. An advanced institute for the magically gifted, Scholomance has only one rule that really matters: Succeed or die. Deadly monsters and other horrors haunt the halls. No teachers. No holidays. No fun at all. But one student, El, has a chance—if she can learn to harness the dark magic within her.
Release date: September 29
Release date: September 29
France, 1714: Addie LaRue has made a Faustian bargain. In exchange for eternal life, she’s cursed to be forgotten by everyone she ever meets. As the decades roll by, Addie discovers the aching despair at the heart of her decision. Until one day, after 300 years, she meets a young man who remembers her...
Release date: October 6
Release date: October 6
The first in an ambitious new series inspired by the civilizations of the ancient Americas, Black Sun chronicles events during and after the winter solstice in the holy city of Tova. A solar eclipse heralds deadly disruption as Xiala, captain of a ship from a distant land, arrives in the city. Xiala’s ship carries one passenger, blind and scarred. Then things get complicated.
Release date: October 13
Release date: October 13
An intriguing flight into historical fantasy, the new book from Alix E. Harrow (The Ten Thousand Doors of January) tells the story of the Eastwood sisters, three spirited siblings who have just joined the suffragist movement in New Salem. Witchcraft no longer exists in the world, except that it kinda-sorta does—you just have to dodge the dark forces who will not suffer a witch to vote.
Release date: October 13
Release date: October 13
A major release from one of the most acclaimed writers of our time, The Silence finds Pulitzer Prize winner Don DeLillo (Underworld) in a dark mood about our future prospects. On Super Bowl Sunday 2022, a catastrophic event changes the world. Five people in Manhattan turn to face an uncertain fate. DiLillo has a disturbing track record for unnerving prescience, so heads up.
Release date: October 20
Release date: October 20
This cleverly titled sequel to Ready Player One, the blockbuster novel and film, is among the most anticipated books of the fall. Advance details are scarce, but we're hoping for plenty of pop culture references.
Release date: November 24
Release date: November 24
In this new autobiography, world-famous restaurateur David Chang tells of his journey from modest NYC noodle-bar owner to industry titan. Chang opens up about his difficult childhood, feelings of paranoia, and a long struggle with depression. The memoir is said to be a deeply personal and honest telling of a culinary coming-of-age.
Release date: September 8
Release date: September 8
Recommended for fans of Anne Lamott and Cleo Wade, Keep Moving from author Maggie Smith (Good Bones) is written for anyone going through a difficult time. The collection of quotes and essays draw on various world philosophies, like kintsugi, the art of mending broken ceramics with gold. Change is difficult, almost always, but new beginnings can be amazing.
Release date: October 6
Release date: October 6
True-crime writing, memoir, and investigative reporting come together with this unique book on a 1969 murder at Harvard University. Author Becky Cooper first heard the stories as an undergrad: The dead student, the surprising suspect, the awful details. After years of research, Cooper presents some very uncomfortable answers involving violence, gender, and institutional silencing.
Release date: November 10
Release date: November 10
Pulitzer Prize finalist Laila Lalami returns with a memoir of her journey to America as a Moroccan immigrant. But that’s just the starting point. From there, Lalami digs into the concept of “conditional citizenship,” a kind of invisible caste system that perpetuates itself by keeping some Americans on top and others below.
Release date: September 22
Release date: September 22
Yadriel has a problem. He’s summoned a ghost and now it won’t go away. Author Aiden Thomas tells the story of an aspiring teenage sorcerer, or brujo, whose overly traditional Latinx family has issues accepting his gender. With the help of his best friend and cousin, Yadriel sets out to prove himself. But the ritual goes wrong and now he’s got a new spectral partner with some scores of his own to settle.
Release date: September 1
Release date: September 1
The lone Black girl in her suburban high school, Enchanted Jones has dreams of being a famous R&B singer. When music mogul Korey Fields takes an interest, things start looking up! Then Korey Fields is found dead and things start looking grim. Especially since all signs point to Enchanted as the murderer.
Release date: September 15
Release date: September 15
The debut novel from Chloe Gong is an interesting specimen—a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai, China. Eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two rival criminal syndicates, the White Flowers and the Scarlet Gang. Complicating matters, there’s a contagion in the city and a monster in the Huangpu River. It’s never easy, is it?
Release date: November 17
Release date: November 17
Three cousins are invited by their mysterious and wealthy grandmother to work at her island resort for the summer. The weird thing is, Grandma broke off relations with the rest of the family years ago, after some unspoken incident, and no one has communicated with her in years. What does she want? What’s on the island? And why is everything getting so creepy?
Release date: December 1
Release date: December 1
The second installment in Evie Dunmore’s series A League of Extraordinary Women turns to the story of Oxford suffragist Lady Lucie, who has been issued an indecent proposal from her rival Lord Ballentine. Yes, that kind of indecent proposal. What follows is an epic battle of wile, will, and words.
Release date: September 1
Release date: September 1
Genre godfather Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook) is back with the story of wounded veteran and Navy surgeon Trevor Benson. A mortar in Afghanistan has left Trevor recovering in his grandfather’s North Carolina cabin. When two women enter his life, dark secrets from the past are revealed, along with some promising paths into the future.
Release date: September 29
Release date: September 29
Holidays with the family can seem to last forever, but Maelyn Jones has a bigger problem. Her Christmas trip to Utah is literally lasting forever. Some kind of time slip has Mae reliving her vacation over and over. Her only hope is to get longtime crush Andrew under the mistletoe at just the right moment to break the time loop.
Release date: October 6
Release date: October 6
Workaholic professor Naya Turner has decided to try a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a handsome stranger in town on business, she sets some short-term goals, including a no-strings-attached hookup. And it works! Kind of. Now she’s got two options: Return to her staid life of academia or take a chance on a new direction.
Release date: December 1
Release date: December 1
Which books are you most excited to read this season? Let us know in the comments!
Check out more recent articles, including:
48 Highly Anticipated YA Novels for the Rest of 2020
Readers’ Top 40 Book Club Picks
Goodreads Members Suggest: 32 ‘Vacation’ Reads
Check out more recent articles, including:
48 Highly Anticipated YA Novels for the Rest of 2020
Readers’ Top 40 Book Club Picks
Goodreads Members Suggest: 32 ‘Vacation’ Reads
Comments Showing 101-150 of 190 (190 new)
message 101:
by
Lisa
(new)
Aug 22, 2020 01:22PM
I'm looking forward to The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie out 15/9/20, Death and the Maiden by Samantha Norman and Ariana Franklin out 20/10/20, and Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson out 17/11/20, none of which are mentioned.
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The only thing on this list I would even consider reading is the Ken Follett book. Everything else looks so generic or boring.
There are several of these that I am really excited to get!
After reading the book "The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle". I look forward to "The Devil and the Dark Water" by Stuart Turton the most!
I can’t wait to read The Evening and the Morning and Ready Player Two.
'Parenesi'' - sounds good but does it mean I have to read 'Jonathan Strange' AGAIN? It's very good but VERY long!
Some great titles here! It's also a good time for rereading. I've been thinking about some books by Pat Conroy and Wallace Stegner that I'd like to reread.
I can't wait for Unlocked by Shannon Messenger to come out! I feel like I've been waiting for it forever!!
Lets gooo!! Cemetery Boys for the win! I'm siked!
Don’t look for me should be on this list, it was great!!
I am looking forward to the new Nicholas Spark novel the most. Anxious people is my second choice.
New Louise Penny and Tana French cannot get here soon enough!
A moody, atmospheric mystery by Tana French is the perfect autumn read...
Brina wrote: "Magic Lessons 
and The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop 
"Magic Lessons should definitely be on this list - can't wait!
Just reading The Wych Elm by Tana French and can't wait for The Searcher.
Aahana wrote: "I love fall!" Same here!! Favorite season of the year x
Bernard Cornwell's next installment (I believe it's the last) in The Last Kingdom series "War Lord" - due out in October.
Kurt wrote: "Fall... my absolute favorite time of year! I already have Piranesi, The Once and Future Witches, The Silence: A Novel on my radar for this fall's rea..."THE SILENCE . That one also caught my attention .
Looks like they're several great books on this list paid can't wait for them to be published.
Me Like Reading wrote: "My interest may not have been piqued by any of the ‘Romance’ titles listed as part of this article, however, I must say that autumn is my favourite season! ❤️🍁"
Totally agree about retro reads. I have been enjoying selections from New York Review Books. Loving the Library of America publication of 3 Jean Stafford novels.
So excited about a new Christopher Paollini! (Fangirling while writing this comment)
Keep Moving (comfy empathy) and The Searcher (smitten with Ireland).
Books of autumn? One of these isn't released until January 2021...
mykittyquest17 wrote: "I need rhythm of war"YES. Me too!!!
Sasha wrote: "Omg, I want almost all of them!"Chuckles .
It may shock you all, but haF of the world is entering spring. So nice to be constantly negated.
Wow, so many books to look forward to. I must have clicked 8-10 books to add to my wish list!
Excited for this one. One of my fav writer :)
Aahana wrote: "I love fall!"Agreed, my favorite time of the year. Blanket - coffee - BOOK!! Enjoy the season.
It's so cute! Also, do add A Tale of Witchcraft.... It's the second novel to A Tale Of Magic, a prequel series to The Land Of Stories. It's releasing on October 6. Can't wait!
Yes! Can't wait to read a new book! Love fall!
Tower of Nero, the end of Trials of Apollo and the whole CHB chronicles
Curious about the R+J retelling: These Violent DelightsAlso interested in Ready Player Two, however, I'm not sure where the story will go. It really seemed like a stand-alone book.
Charlotte wrote: "Christine wrote: "Not many new books grab my attention these days I prefer to delve into retro reads...please include a section for these on Goodreads ...there are hidden gems to be found.But Anxi..."
I agree as well.....I'm really trying to read what I have on my book shelves lately. Booktube/bookstagram/GR is terrible for my pocketbook and TBR. Maybe it's FOMO? Not sure, but I feel like I have some really interesting reads that are just waiting on me.
I want to read all of these books. Can’t wait!
