The best new books to read this summer

Having had the seal of approval from Reese Witherspoon, whose production company has picked it up for a major TV adaptation starring Julia Roberts, Laura Dave’s fast-paced mystery is one to take note of. Following the disappearance of a seemingly ideal husband, a gripping relationship is built between the teenage daughter he leaves behind and the stepmother he asked to protect her, as the unlikely pair set out together to uncover the truth. Out now

Zakiya Dalila Harris’s urgent, electric debut novel is full of twists, turns and social commentary, which have seen it likened to a crossover between Get Out and The Devil Wears Prada. Set in a publishing house, it follows editorial assistant Nella Rogers who, tired of being the only Black employee, is glad when Hazel starts. Soon, however, a string of uncomfortable events and hostile messages are coming her way, and everyone becomes a suspected enemy. Out now

From the author of Daisy Jones & the Six comes a compelling story set against the glamorous and decadent backdrop of Malibu in 1983. It follows the famous and fascinating Riva family over the course of one unforgettable night, amid their annual end-of-summer celebration, after which nothing will ever be the same. Out now

If you loved Lisa Taddeo’s cult phenomenon Three Women in 2019, then the author’s intoxicating foray into fiction is a must-read and incorporates many similar themes. A dark depiction of female rage at its most visceral, it follows Joan, who has spent her life enduring male violence, and her journey from prey to predator. Out on June 24

Tipped to be the best book to read on a beach this summer (here’s hoping!), Emily Henry’s new heartfelt rom-com revolves around best friendship, a tangled web of emotions, a hidden truth to uncover, vacation romance and one last chance at love. Out now

The latest release from Helen Oyeyemi (Gingerbread; Boy, Snow, Bird; and What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours) is a captivating story set on a bizarre sleeper-train journey, as a couple take a trip well beyond their wildest imaginations, fusing their pasts and, ultimately, changing things forever. Out in the US now, and in the UK later this year

“Immigrant. Socialite. Magician.” Nghi Vo’s much-anticipated debut is a reimagining of the classic Jazz Age tale The Great Gatsby, with the story told via the lens of Jordan Baker as a young, queer, adopted Asian-American woman. Out now

Yes, Sally Rooney of Normal People and Conversations with Friends fame is back with another sharp, sure-fire hit. Featuring the author’s signature keen dissection of love and life, the plot centers on four young friends in Dublin and Rome – and their flirtations, friendships, desires, break-ups and feelings about the world. Out on September 7