Read Between the Spines

October 2025 Most Anticipated New Book Releases

Contemporary & Literary Fiction | Historical Fiction | Romance | Thrillers & Mysteries | Horror & Gothic Fiction | Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Magical Realism | Short Stories & Essays | Biography & Memoir | Nonfiction

Contemporary & Literary Fiction

The Four Spent the Day Together

Chris Kraus

An unforgettable new novel from the “powerfully original” (Dwight Garner, The New York Times) author of the cult classic I Love Dick—a stark, witty journey into a fractured, violent America, culminating in the investigation of a teenage murder on Minnesota’s Iron Range.

Publication date: October 7

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Bog Queen

Anna North

The latest from New York Times bestselling novelist Anna North-a monumental discovery sets off a clash of worlds, past and present, over the fate of the land that holds us.

Publication date: October 14

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A Guardian and A Thief

Anna North

Megha Majumdar’s electrifying new novel, following her acclaimed New York Times bestseller A Burning—longlisted for the National Book Award—is set in a near-future Kolkata, India, ravaged by climate change and food scarcity, in which two families seeking to protect their children must battle each other. A piercing and propulsive tour de force.

Publication date: October 14

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Minor Black Figures

Brandon Taylor

A bold novel about a black painter caught up in the currents of art, faith, and desire. A vividly etched portrait, both sweeping and tender, of friendship, creativity, belief, and the deep connections among them.

Publication date: October 14

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Bad Bad Girl

Gish Jen

The award-winning author of The Resisters returns with an engrossing, blisteringly funny-sad autobiographical novel tracing a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship.

Publication date: October 21

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Sacrament

Susan Straight

From National Book Award finalist Susan Straight, a captivating new novel about a group of nurses fighting through the first year of a pandemic and the beloved California community they will risk their lives to protect.

Publication date: October 28

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Wreck

Catherine Newman

The acclaimed bestselling author of Sandwich is back with a wonderful novel, full of laughter and heart, about marriage, family, and what happens when life doesn’t go as planned.

Publication date: October 28

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Historical Fiction

Venetian Vespers

John Banville

1899. As the new century approaches, struggling English writer Evelyn Dolman—a hack, by his own description—marries Laura Rensselaer, daughter of an American oil tycoon. Evelyn anticipates that he and Laura will inherit a substantial fortune and lead a comfortable, settled life. But his hopes are dashed when a mysterious rift between Laura and her father, just before the patriarch’s death, leads to her disinheritance.

Publication date: October 7

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Boleyn Traitor

Philippa Gregory

#1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (USA Today) Philippa Gregory returns with a dazzling historical novel of ambition, betrayal, and survival in the court of Henry VIII.

Publication date: October 7

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The Wayfinder

Adam Johnson

A historical epic about a girl from a remote Tongan island who becomes her people’s queen. Evoking the grandeur of Wolf Hall and the splendor of Shōgun, the Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Adam Johnson conjures oral history, restores the natural world, and locates what’s best in humanity. Toweringly ambitious and breathtakingly immersive, The Wayfinder is an instant, timeless classic.

Publication date: October 14

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Romance

Mate

Ali Hazelwood

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Publication date: October 7

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Overdue

Stephanie Perkins

Overdue is a beautiful, slow-burn romance full of lust and longing about new beginnings and finding your way.

Publication date: October 7

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Conform

Ariel Sullivan

In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance series.

Publication date: October 14

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The Best Worst Thing

Lauren Okie

From a stunning new voice in romance, Lauren Okie’s The Best Worst Thing is an intimate story about starting over, second chances, and two people who cannot help falling into each other’s orbit once again.

Publication date: October 14

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The Devil She Knows

Stephanie Perkins

A down-on-her-luck woman makes a deal with a crafty demon to win back her ex-girlfriend after a proposal gone awry, only to discover the girl of her dreams might be the devil she knows, from nationally bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur.

Publication date: October 21

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The Isle in the Silver Sea

Tasha Suri

From World Fantasy Award-winning author Tasha Suri comes The Isle in the Silver Sea, a heart-shattering standalone romantasy of sapphic longing, medieval folklore and a love that spans the centuries.

Publication date: October 21

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Isn’t It Obvious?

Rachel Runya Katz

After a meet-disaster, a podcaster and her producer fall in love over email without realizing they know (and hate) each other in real life. A sharp, funny romance about loving the whole person and finally taking a chance on love.

Publication date: October 21

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The Everlasting

Alix E. Harrow

From Alix E. Harrow, the New York Times bestselling author of Starling House, comes a moving and genre-defying quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part–even if it breaks his heart.

Publication date: October 28

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Thrillers & Mysteries

The Hitchhikers

Chevy Stevens

The open road beckons. A chance for them to reconnect. Then they make a fatal mistake. A chilling, twist-laden ride to the final page, The Hitchhikers is that rare novel that will break your heart as well as hold you in suspense.

Publication date: October 7

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Photograph

Brian Freeman

From New York Times bestselling author Brian Freeman, Photograph is an emotional cold case mystery of hidden identities and startling twists–perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Mary Kubica, and Freida McFadden.

Publication date: October 7

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All That We See or Seem

Ken Liu

Award­-winning author Ken Liu returns with his first scifi thriller in a brand-new series following former “orphan hacker” Julia Z as she is thrust into a high-stakes adventure where she must use her AI-whispering skills to unravel a virtual reality mystery, rescue a kidnapped dream artist, and confront the blurred lines between technology, selfhood, and the power of shared dreams.

Publication date: October 14

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Boom Town

Nic Stone

Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl meets P-Valley in Nic Stone’s adult thriller debut about two missing erotic dancers from Atlanta’s most notorious gentlemen’s club and the woman committed to finding them.

Publication date: October 14

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Gone Before Goodbye

Harlan Coben & Reese Witherspoon

An unforgettable suspense novel that combines the storytelling talents of Academy Award-winning actor Reese Witherspoon and internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben. Gone Before Goodbye is the story of a woman trapped in a deadly conspiracy—where uncovering the truth could cost her everything.

Publication date: October 14

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We Had A Hunch

Tom Ryan

Nancy Drew meets Yellowjackets in We Had a Hunch—a dark and suspenseful thriller from USA Today bestseller Tom Ryan that asks a simple question: what happens to your favorite teenage detectives when they grow up?

Publication date: October 14

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The Widow

John Grisham

#1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham is the acclaimed master of the legal thriller. Now, he’s back with his first-ever whodunit, even more suspenseful than his courtroom dramas, as a small-time lawyer accused of murder races to find the real killer to clear his name.

Publication date: October 21

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Cover of The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie

The Bone Thief

Vanessa Lillie

When a Native teenager vanishes from her small town—a place with dark ties to an elite historical society—archaeologist Syd Walker is called to investigate…from bestselling author Vanessa Lillie.

Publication date: October 28

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Horror & Gothic Fiction

Sister Creatures

Laura Venita Green

A sensuous and electric novel, Sister Creatures follows three Southern women as they run far from home, only to find that home’s patterns, prejudices, and particulars inform them everywhere.

Publication date: October 7

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Happy People Don’t Live Here

Amber Sparks

In this darkly funny gothic tale, a reclusive mother and her saturnine daughter move into a haunted building brimming with eccentrics―and secrets.

Publication date: October 14

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The Unveiling

Quan Barry

From the award-winning author of We Ride Upon Sticks and When I’m Gone, Look for Me in the East, a genre-bending novel of literary horror set in Antarctica that explores abandonment, guilt, and survival in the shadow of America’s racial legacy.

Publication date: October 14

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Girl Dinner

Olivie Blake

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six, Girl Dinner is a darkly fun novel about power, lust, and eating your fill, as wealthy moms and sorority girls practice a sinister new wellness trend . . .

Publication date: October 21

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Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Magical Realism

Cinder House

Freya Marske

Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske―a queer Gothic romance perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher.

Publication date: October 7

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Alchemy of Secrets

Stephanie Garber

The hotly anticipated adult debut novel by the beloved, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series: a contemporary fantasy kicking off a brand new series!

Publication date: October 7

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The Ordeals

Rachel Greenlaw

In this lush, atmospheric romantasy, an illusionist competes in a series of deadly trials for a spot at an elite magical college.

Publication date: October 7

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The Women of Wild Hill

Kirsten Miller

A witty, spectacular, and timely tale of modern-day witches waging war on the patriarchy, from fan favorite Kirsten Miller, the author of The Change and Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books.

Publication date: October 7

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Local Heavens

K.M. Fajardo

A corporate hacker. An elusive billionaire. A society trying to survive the American Nightmare. A brilliant reimagining of Fitzgerald’s classic tale of glamour, desire, and desperation, Local Heavens examines the guardrails of morality . . . and the price of desire. 

Publication date: October 14

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Red City

Marie Lu

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Publication date: October 14

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The Works of Vermin

Hiron Ennes

Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard, a metropolis carved into the stump of an ancient tree. In its canopy, the pampered elite warp minds with toxic perfume; in its roots, gangs of exterminators hunt a colossal worm with an appetite for beauty. In this complex, chaotic city, Guy Moulène has a simple goal: keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he’ll take on any job, no matter how vile.

Publication date: October 14

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The Lost Reliquary

Lyndsay Ely

A divinely blessed warrior bound to the last living goddess plots deicide to win her freedom in this propulsive epic fantasy for fans of Godkiller and Gideon the Ninth.

Publication date: October 21

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When They Burned the Butterfly

Wen-Yi Lee

In this fierce, glamorous adult fantasy debut, Silvia Moreno-Garcia meets Fonda Lee, with the feverish intensity of R.F. Kuang’s Poppy War trilogy. Singapore, 1972: Newly independent and grappling for power in a fast-modernizing world. Here, gangsters in Chinese secret societies are the last conduits of their ancestors’ migrant gods, and the back alleys where they fight are the last place magic has not been assimilated and legislated away.

Publication date: October 21

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Short Stories & Essays

The House of Beauty: Lessons from the Image Industry

Arabelle Sicardi

So begins Arabelle Sicardi’s blazingly original collection of essays. A former beauty editor, Arabelle has devoted their entire adult life to the subject of beauty―they have analyzed it, criticized it, praised it, benefited from it, loathed it. Now, in The House of Beauty, they get to the contradictions at the heart of it: beauty and horror, two sides of the same coin.

Publication date: October 14

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Lost in the Forest of Mechanical Birds: Stories

Christian Moody

For fans of George Saunders and Haruki Murakami, Christian Moody delivers his debut speculative short story collection, Lost in the Forest of Mechanical Birds––tales of the strange beauty and shadowy fears that lurk beneath the surface of our everyday lives

Publication date: October 14

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Crawl: Stories

Max Delsohn

A darkly comic, introspective debut collection that looks beneath the surface of trans life in 2010s Seattle.

Publication date: October 21

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Memoirs & Biographies

Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age

Joy Harjo

An inspirational work of wisdom, warmth, and generosity from a three-term US poet laureate. Lyrical and compassionate, Harjo’s call for creativity and empathy is an urgent and necessary work.

Publication date: October 7

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Misunderstood

Allen Iverson with Ray Beauchamp

A compelling and candid memoir from Allen Iverson, the NBA’s most misunderstood Hall of Famer, detailing his tough childhood in Virginia, his entry into the league as the number one overall pick, and his controversial, culture-changing pro basketball career.

Publication date: October 7

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Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America

Beth Macy

From one of our most acclaimed chroniclers of the forces eroding America’s social fabric, her most personal and powerful work: a reckoning with the changes that have rocked her own beloved small Ohio hometown.

Publication date: October 7

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Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man

Gucci Mane with Kathy Iandoli

Gucci Mane, one of hip-hop’s most iconic figures and a trailblazer in Atlanta’s rap culture, reveals his struggles with mental health and drug addiction that will provide fans and readers with insights into his career and life.

Publication date: October 14

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Joyride

Susan Orlean

From the beloved New Yorker writer Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of The Orchid Thief and The Library Book and hailed as “a national treasure” by The Washington Post, Joyride is a masterful memoir of finding her creative calling and purpose that invites us to approach life with wonder, curiosity, and an irrepressible sense of delight.

Publication date: October 14

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Next of Kin

Susan Orlean

An electrifying memoir about the demise of a singular family—a stunning new book by Gabrielle Hamilton, author of the New York Times bestseller and James Beard Award winner Blood, Bones & Butte.

Publication date: October 14

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Such a Pretty Picture

Andrea Leeb

For readers of I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy and The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, a candid and heart-wrenching memoir about child abuse, family secrets, and the healing that begins once the truth is revealed and the past is confronted.

Publication date: October 14

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Vagabond

Tim Curry

This memoir is a celebration of Tim Curry’s life’s work, and a testament to his profound impact on the entertainment industry as we know it today.

Publication date: October 14

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Finding My Way: A Memoir

Malala Yousafzai

This is not the story you think you know. It’s the one I’ve been waiting to tell. A story of friendship and first love, of anxiety and self-discovery, of trying to stay true to yourself when everyone wants to tell you who you are.

Publication date: October 14

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Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur

Jeff Pearlman

Accomplished biographer Jeff Pearlman tackles his most nuanced subject, telling the definitive story of Tupac Shakur in unprecedented depth. In this authoritative look at Tupac’s life, Pearlman skillfully recreates West Coast hip hop in all its glory, going inside Death Row Records and on the sets of movies like Juice and Poetic Justice to offer the most clear-eyed rendering to date of the man who still casts a shadow over modern hip hop.

Publication date: October 21

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Nonfiction

Dear New York

Brandon Stanton

A breathtaking new book from the #1 bestselling author of Humans of New York and one of the great storytellers of our time―Dear New York is a love letter to the streets, stories, and souls that define the heart of the city and its people.

Publication date: October 7

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Bone Valley: A True Story of Injustice and Redemption in the Heart of Florida

Gilbert King

From Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King comes a chilling exploration of one of America’s most haunting wrongful conviction cases. Based on the hit podcast, Bone Valley dives into the dark heart of rural Florida, where a young man’s life was upended by a tragic miscarriage of justice.

Publication date: October 7

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Born: A History of Childbirth

Lucy Inglis

A groundbreaking history of childbirth filled with medical, political, and social triumphs, Born is the story of how we give birth set against the female struggle to govern their ability to reproduce.

Publication date: October 7

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Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It

Cory Doctorow

We’re living through the Enshittocene, the Great Enshittening, a time in which the services that matter to us, that we rely on, are turning into giant piles of shit. It’s frustrating. Demoralizing. Even terrifying. Doctorow moves the conversation beyond the overwhelming sense of our inevitably enshittified fate. He shows us the specific decisions that led us here, who made them, and―most important―how they can be undone.

Publication date: October 7

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Kicking the Hornet’s Nest: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East from Truman to Trump

Daniel E. Zoughbie

The compelling, groundbreaking investigation of how the choices of twelve US presidents, from Truman to Trump, have fueled turbulence and turmoil in the Middle East. And the one president who chose a better way.

Publication date: October 7

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Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War

Jake Tapper

In this thrilling true story, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jake Tapper uncovers an investigation—unlike any other in American history—to lock up a dangerous terrorist before he’s set free.

Publication date: October 7

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Planning Miracles: How to Prevent Future Pandemics

Siddharth Kara

A groundbreaking book about the past, present, and future of pandemics, and a behind-the-scenes portrait of the intrepid and innovative community of scientists working tirelessly to stop the next one before it starts.

Publication date: October 7

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1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History–and How It Shattered a Nation

Andrew Ross Sorkin

From the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis,”* comes a spellbinding narrative of the most infamous stock market crash in history. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, 1929 unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse—one with ripple effects that still shape our society today.

Publication date: October 14

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The Monsters We Make: Murder, Obsession, and the Rise of Criminal Profiling

Rachel Corbett

A riveting work of true crime that tells the strange story of criminal profiling from Victorian times to our own. With narrative intrigue and deft research, Corbett delves deep into the mythology and reality of criminal profilers, revealing how thin the line can be separating those who do harm and those who claim to stop it.

Publication date: October 14

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Three or More Is A Riot: Notes on How We Got Here: 2012-2025

Jelani Cobb

From one of the definitive journalists of this era—acclaimed historian, Pulitzer Prize finalist, staff writer at The New Yorker, and Dean of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism—comes a kaleidoscopic, real-time portrait of the turbulent past decade.

Publication date: October 14

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Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary

Stefan Fatsis

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Word Freak, a vibrant, lively, and illuminating journey through the exotic world of Merriam-Webster, dictionaries, and language, at a time of rapid-fire change in the way we create, consume, define, and use words

Publication date: October 14

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We Survived the Night

Julian Brave Noisecat

A stunning narrative from one of the most powerful young writers at work today, and the director of the Oscar®-nominated documentary, Sugarcane, We Survived the Night interweaves oral history with hard-hitting journalism and a deeply personal father-son journey into a searing portrait of Indigenous survival, love, and resurgence.

Publication date: October 14

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The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery

Siddharth Kara

From Pulitzer finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Cobalt Red: A notorious slave ship incident that led to the abolition of slavery in the UK and sparked the US abolitionist movement.

Publication date: October 14

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