LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 October titles public library staff across the country love:
Top Pick
Mad Honey: A Novel by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (Ballantine, $29.99, 9781984818386). "First love between golden boy Asher and intriguing new girl Lily ends with one teen dead and the other under suspicion of murder. This stellar collaboration is more layered, surprising, and emotional than any story has a right to be--and readers should eagerly devour every page. For fans of: The Bad Daughter, and Defending Jacob." --Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, Huntington Station, N.Y.
Anywhere You Run: A Novel by Wanda M. Morris (Morrow, $28.99, 9780063271821). "This fast-paced heart stopper is set in Jim Crow Mississippi, where two sisters are on the run after a murder in their town. And as they run, their secrets follow. With pulse-pounding suspense that's also filled with empathy and hope, give this to fans of historical thrillers such as Lady in the Lake and American Spy." --Carol Ann Tack, Merrick Library, Merrick, N.Y.
Demon Copperhead: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper, $32.50, 9780063251922). "From abusive foster homes to the collapse of the coal and tobacco industry and rise of the opioid epidemic, this masterpiece follows one of the most unforgettable characters in recent literary history, who comes-of-age in an Appalachian Virginia community filled with people of extraordinary character. For fans of Dopesick and Raising Lazarus." --Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier Public Library, Warrenton, Va.
The Family Game: A Novel by Catherine Steadman (Ballantine, $28, 9780593158067). "Novelist Harriet 'Harry' Reed is blissfully engaged to the scion of the Holbeck family, a clan with the money and power to hide the darkest secrets. Harry knows something about secrets herself, but when she embarks on a mysterious game with the Holbecks, she realizes they're stranger, and more dangerous, than fiction. For fans of Ruth Ware." --Jenifer French, Shreve Memorial Library, Shreveport, La.
Hester: A Novel by Laurie Lico Albanese (St. Martin's Press, $27.99, 9781250278555). "This darkly bewitching reimagining of The Scarlet Letter centers Isobel Gamble as Hester. Estranged from her poppy-addled husband, Isobel works as a talented seamstress in puritanical Salem. A friendship with Nat Hathorne blooms into forbidden intimacy, highlighting America's cruel and dangerous double standards. Try The Daughter of Dr. Moreau or other new takes on classics." --Lori Hench, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Md.
Jackal: A Novel by Erin E. Adams (Bantam, $27, 9780593499306). "Liz goes back to her small hometown for a wedding, but then Caroline, her friend's biracial daughter, goes missing. Liz discovers that black girls go missing yearly, but the police don't care, so she hopes to uncover this serial killer. This is a well-written suspense novel with supernatural elements. The plot was well-paced, and there were enough twists." --Claire Sherman, Clearwater Countryside Library, Clearwater, Fla.
Lavender House: A Novel by Lev AC Rosen (Forge Books, $26.99, 9781250834225). "This mystery, just a step past cozy, is set in 1950s San Francisco, where a P.I. is hired by a woman who needs to know the truth about the death of her wife. When he discovers their home is a protective haven for a found family of queer couples, it opens his eyes. This is an absorbing, locked-room mystery that works in commentary." --Rebecca Swanson, Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg, Wis.
Mistakes Were Made: A Novel by Meryl Wilsner (St. Martin's Griffin, $16.99, 9781250841001). "Cassie and Erin hook up at a bar, but then unexpectedly meet again the next morning at breakfast with Parker, Erin's daughter and Cassie's friend. This affecting romance is steamy. The tension is from their 'forbidden' relationship--and it's because they're lying to Parker, not because they're bi or the age gap. For fans of Alexandria Bellefleur." --Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Twinsburg, Ohio
Our Missing Hearts: A Novel by Celeste Ng (Penguin Press, $29, 9780593492543). "Can a book shout quietly? This one does. In a dystopian society desperately seeking scapegoats, young Bird's missing mother is deemed 'un-American.' He traverses a perilous landscape in search of her: What's left when a country sells its soul for a semblance of security? Unforgettable and heartbreakingly beautiful. For fans of Margaret Atwood and Octavia Butler." --Beth Mills, New Rochelle Library, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty (Ace, $17, 9780593098110). "A science fiction murder mystery that was a blast to read, cinematically written with amazing characters. Lafferty introduces new aliens and their culture slowly enough to take in the details. The plot is Murder She Wrote meets sentient Deep Space Nine. It's all over the place but comes together satisfyingly." --Carri Genovese Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis, Ind.
