The Best New Books Of Fall 2024

As much as I dread the arrival of cooler temperatures, September also means the beginning of book season. Every year, publishing houses save up their buzziest new titles for back-to-school releases, which are rolled out primarily though September and October — and this year is no different.

At Bustle, we’ve pored over the debut novels, celebrity tell-alls, and nonfiction standouts. And it’s truly a knockout year. There’s definitely something for you, as well as everyone else on your holiday list.

Thematically, the literary world seems to be thinking about the corrosive effects of fame and power (see: Entitlement, The Most Famous Girl in the World), as well the ways that families tangle with each other, particularly when mental health and substance misuse is involved — there are even two buzzy “sister” books (Blue Sisters and Shred Sisters), although I’ll let you decide whether they’d make or ruin a family gift exchange.

Many beloved writers are also back with new titles, such as Sally Rooney, Liane Moriarty, and André Aciman. And if you’re looking for celebrities outside of book world, actors like Uzo Aduba and Keke Palmer have been cooking up memoirs, as has actual kitchen whiz Ina Garten.

Below, our favorite books of Fall 2024.

Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner

Out Sept. 3. For fans of Killing Eve, this madcap, highly evocative novel follows 34-year-old secret agent Sadie Smith, who’s assigned to embed in a commune of French subversives. Sadie relies on her sex appeal — she’s described as having large fake breasts and being a conventional beauty — to convince a young, wealthy French man named Lucien to help bring her into the fold, the ramifications of which are far more devious and destructive than either could imagine. — Samantha Leach, associate director of special projects

Colored Television by Danzy Senna

Out Sept. 3. In this punchy, satirical novel, Senna’s protagonist is finally within grasp of her Hollywood dream. Sure, she’s only house-sitting, and she’s banking on her second book — “her ‘mulatto War and Peace’” — being successful. But assuming that works out, her family will be a Hanna Andersson-wearing image of Black American success. What could go wrong? — Brianna Kovan, deputy editor, entertainment and features

Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson

Out Sept. 3. After making history as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson is sharing new insight into her life. Although justices rarely give interviews, they have a long tradition of writing books. Members of the Supreme Court have penned more than 350 titles to date, and two-thirds of the current bench either has a memoir out or one on the way. Jackson’s, however, may be the most anticipated; she commanded an advance of almost $900,000. — Stephanie Topacio Long, copy editor and contributing editor

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

Out Sept. 3. The four sisters of Coco Mellors’ sophomore book have inherited many things from their parents: beauty, self-reliance, a Manhattan apartment… and addictive personalities. While the latter manifests differently in each sister — one is a recovering from heroin misuse, another abstains from substances all together, the youngest is partying her life away, and the middle sister has died suddenly — together they paint a heart-rending and vital portrait of what it means to live with this family disease. — S.L.

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

Out Sept. 10. Liane Moriarty’s latest novel follows the passengers of a domestic Australian flight who are told how and when they will die — by another passenger, nonetheless — and who then must reckon with that information, especially as the predictions start to come true. This is Moriarty (Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers), so expect a journey full of twists, turns, and mystery. — S.T.L.

By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle

Out Sept. 10. Journalist and podcast host Rebecca Nagle starts her debut book with the 1999 murder of George Jacobs in rural Oklahoma, which resulted in a death sentence for fellow Muscogee citizen Patrick Murphy. But if the murder occurred on tribal land, the case should have fallen within tribal jurisdiction — “should” being the operative word. The author, a citizen of Cherokee Nation, then pulls readers back to generations past, showing how the violent expulsion of Native Americans from their lands set the scene for Jacobs’ case. — B.K.

Shame on You by Melissa Petro

Out Sept. 10. Equal parts memoir and investigative reporting, Melissa Petro’s debut dives deep into unpacking how a single emotion can permeate so much of our lives. I rarely refer to nonfiction books as “page-turners,” but Shame on You is exactly that. If you enjoy the work of Jia Tolentino, Roxane Gay, and Rebecca Traister, this is an absolute must-read. — Hayley Schueneman, senior newsletter and lifestyle editor

Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff

Out Sept. 10. In the debut book from the ambitious new romantic fiction company 831 Stories, a political strategist gets a second chance at the spotlight (and possibly love) from her teenage boy band crush. Think: If Huma Abedin had somehow found herself ending up with Justin Timberlake rather than billionaire George Soros’ son. — S.L.

Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte

Out Sept. 17. The depiction of porn addiction in Tony Tulathimutte’s first novel, Private Citizens, made me laugh out loud, and the depiction of Internet gender discourse in his short story “The Feminist” made me wince with recognition. So when I heard his next book was a novel-in-stories about “the comic tragedies of sex, relationships, identity, and the Internet” called Rejection, it was an automatic pre-order for me. — Kat Stoeffel, features director, Bustle Digital Group

Health and Safety by Emily Witt

Out Sept. 17. If you already follow Emily Witt’s writing for The New Yorker, you’ll love hearing behind-the-scenes stories from some of her recent articles, on topics like gun-control activism, the 2020 protests, and the pandemic. As the world reckoned with change, her personal life did as well — memories she approaches with the care and clarity she grants her reportage work. — Grace Wehniainen, staff writer

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

Out Sept. 17. Maybe you first encountered Rumaan Alam last year, when Netflix adapted Leave the World Behind. Maybe it was before then, like with his zeitgeisty 2018 novel, That Kind of Mother. Maybe you’re just now joining the fan club, in which case, welcome. This fall, he introduces Brooke, a 30-something Black woman who trades in a teaching career to work for an elderly billionaire’s foundation. But as she enters this monied landscape, its proximity to power begins seeping into her decision-making and corroding her sense of self. — B.K.

The Most Famous Girl in the World by Iman Hariri-Kia

Out Sept. 17. In Hariri-Kia’s second book, journalist Rose Aslani is the Frankenstein to scam artist Poppy Hastings’ monster. Rose is the one who wrote the massively viral feature that exposed Poppy as a grifter, but never in a million years did she think that it would transform Poppy into the Internet’s favorite celebrity. Or that Poppy’s ascent would consume her so fully, causing Rose’s own downfall. — S.L.

The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk

Out Sept. 24. It was Olga Tokarczuk’s afterword for The Hearing Trumpet that convinced me to finally crack the cover of Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, and I’m so glad I did — I don’t think I’ve read a better literary whodunnit. As the second Tokarczuk novel I read, The Empusium had a lot to live up to, but did not disappoint. Set in a pre-WWI health retreat, the story follows a naive young man struggling with himself and his place in the world. It’s a gimlet-eyed book about ideas and ideologies, and the dangers of drawing neat categories in a beautifully un-neat world. — Chloe Joe, features editor

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Out Sept. 24. Two brothers enter into different types of romances after the death of their father. Like in Rooney’s previous books, Intermezzo concerns itself with interpersonal relationships, primarily these romantic ones. In the author’s staccato prose, she chronicles them, almost dispassionately, bringing to light the characters’ quiet motives and vulnerabilities. — B.K.

Disney High by Ashley Spencer

Out Sept. 24. Culture writer Ashley Spencer grew up watching Disney Channel, so she approaches its early aughts shows with nostalgic familiarity in this book, compiling research and interviews to take readers behind the scenes of network juggernauts like High School Musical and Hannah Montana, but also smaller titles, like my personal favorites, Phil of the Future and Stuck in the Suburbs. — G.W.

The Road Is Good by Uzo Aduba

Out Sept. 24. Uzo Aduba once lamented to her mom, Nonyem, that her classmates couldn’t pronounce her full Nigerian name, Uzoamaka. Nonyem wasn’t having it: “If they can learn to say Tchaikovsky, and Dostoyevsky, and Michelangelo, then they can learn to say Uzoamaka,” she told her young daughter. That memory takes on new significance in the actor’s debut memoir, the title of which is both the translation of her name and a thematic undercurrent in the book. The Emmy winner dubs herself the “family historian” and tells the story of her and Nonyem’s pasts with remarkable clarity and gratitude. — G.W.

Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner

Out Oct. 1. In Lerner’s debut novel, the memoirist and literary agent wrestles with mental health and family dysfunction, told from the perspective of Amy, the younger of two sisters growing up in 1970s Connecticut. Over two decades, Amy tries to cope with the impact of her charming yet erratic older sister, Olivia, and the chaos she brings. — S.T.L.

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

Out Oct. 1. Erdrich has had an illustrious fiction-writing career, with a National Book Critics Circle Award (1984) and a Pulitzer Prize (2021) to her name. Her latest work, which has already been named a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, is a North Dakota-set story stretched at the seams from a high-school love triangle, young desperation, and looming environmental and economic danger. — S.T.L.

Q: A Voyage Around the Queen by Craig Brown

Out Oct. 1. If you’re interested in the royal family but overwhelmed by all of the reading options (same!), Craig Brown’s book offers a fun entry point. The humorist shares anecdotes about the late Queen Elizabeth II with verve, and like the title suggests, he’s equally happy to take a leisurely trip around the subject. As the author cops to early on, he’s not a “doggedly chronological” biographer — and the book is more fun for it. — G.W.

Be Ready When Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Out Oct. 1. Through her cookbooks and Food Network series, Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten has cultivated an aspirational lifestyle of Nancy Meyers kitchens and chic button-ups, and her memoir’s title is another maxim to live by. Just in time for the cozy entertaining season, she tells the story of her life and career thus far, including her love story with Jeffrey, whom fans know as the ever-obliging taste-tester of Garten’s lovingly prepared spreads. — G.W.

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Out Oct. 1. Coates’ latest is broken into three sections: one in which he visits Senegal; in another, South Carolina; and lastly, Israel and Palestine. Throughout each, although his reporting focuses vary, he melds personal biography with what he finds, providing reflections on mythmaking and the oft-destructive power of prevailing narratives. — B.K.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Out Oct. 1. Jean Hanff Korelitz seems to be having the best time writing about bad writers — people who are stealing each others’ ideas, sending ominous threats, and making muck in the literary scene. She started this series of standalone books with 2021’s bestseller The Plot, and continues with The Sequel, in which a widow is promoting her late husband’s posthumously published work. But everything’s not as it seems, and at least one person at her book event knows it. — B.K.

The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

Out Oct. 8. Fall is the perfect time for a paranormal romance. Enter The Wedding Witch, the third standalone book in the bestselling Ex Hex series. This time, the heroine is Tamsyn Bligh, a human who seeks and sells magical artifacts. She has no desire to get involved with a witch — even the dreamy Bowen Penhallow, whose brothers found love in Sterling’s two previous books — but when they’re forced to rely on each other through time-traveling, magical mayhem, sparks fly. — S.T.L.

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough

Out Oct. 8. Lisa Marie Presley’s posthumous memoir adds a firsthand perspective to the revived fascination with Elvis in the last few years (e.g., 2022’s Elvis and 2023’s Priscilla). Told with the help of her daughter, actor Riley Keough, who listened to “countless hours” of tapes in order to put her mother’s life story to page, the book is all the more poignant following Presley’s sudden passing in 2023. — G.W.

Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark

Out Oct. 15. Christmas books don’t usually interest me, but I adored this festive, sexy rom-com: three queer love stories, one famous (and absurd) matriarch, big feelings, depth, and real humor. It feels cozy, like the literary equivalent of a great new sweater — except it’s hot, not just warm. — Hannah Orenstein, deputy editor, lifestyle and wellness

Roman Year by André Aciman

Out Oct. 22. Five years after André Aciman revisited Elio and Oliver’s love story in Find Me, he revisits his own adolescence, particularly the years he and his family spent in Rome as Egyptian refuges. He’s so good at placing readers into his stories by noting sensory details, so I expect to become as enamored with Rome as he is. — B.K.

Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer

Out Oct. 22. Don’t come to Jeff VanderMeer’s latest expecting cut-and-dried answers. Yes, Absolution is the surprise fourth entry in the author’s famed Southern Reach series, and it does (literally) retread some familiar ground. But this novel is something stranger, more elliptical, and more delicious — another slanted view of Area X’s always-slanted world. — C.J.

Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik

Out Nov. 12. There would be no “literary it girl” if not for Joan Didion and Eve Babitz. The friends-turned-rivals both wrote about 1960s Los Angeles, their highly cultivated aesthetics (each captured in Julian Wasserphoto shoots), and proximity to the American New Wave. But as Lili Anolik argues in this joint biography, Didion and Babitz represent more than what it means to be a woman who writes: They’re two halves of American womanhood. It’s a big swing, but one that Anolik knocks out of the park, showing readers how Didion was the sun to Babitz’s moon, the superego to her id. — S.L.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

Out Nov. 19. Internationally acclaimed author Haruki Murakami is back with his first novel in six years, which is based on a short story he published more than 40 years ago that he wasn’t “satisfied” with. Fans can expect a thought-provoking love story and a quest involving shadow selves and true selves, layered with deeper meaning and delivered through his customarily vivid and poetic prose. — S.T.L.

Welcome to Pawnee by Jim O’Heir

Out Nov. 19. Who better than Jim O’Heir — aka Jerry, the good-hearted office underdog — to guide this comprehensive trip through Parks and Recreation history? Just in time for the sitcom’s 15th anniversary, the actor combines accounts from the cast and creative team with his own memories from set, told in the style of a cozy chat across a waffle-filled breakfast table. — G.W.

Master of Me by Keke Palmer

Out Nov. 19. Keke Palmer’s off-the-cuff interview moments have a way of going viral, and in Master of Me, the follow-up to 2017’s I Don’t Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice, the Emmy-winning actor and host puts her wit to long form. The result is a vulnerable walk through her personal and professional life — or, as Palmer put it, a “full-on exploration of my intrusive thoughts and self-examination. In true Virgo fashion!” — G.W.

Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousens

Out Nov. 19. If you’re not already a Sophie Cousens fan, this book is going to convert you. We follow divorced mom Anna as she jumps back into the dating pool with a twist: All her dates are chosen by her children. Funny and heartfelt, this book opens with quotes from Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, which tells you exactly what you’re in for. — H.S.

The Stone Door by Leonora Carrington

Out Dec. 3. I fell hard for Carrington’s absurdist, luminous novel The Hearing Trumpet — originally written in the ’70s, but republished in 2021 by NYRB — when I read it a couple of years ago. Weird old ladies! A batsh*t abbess! The holy grail! If you, like me, love the intersection of batsh*t and brilliant, it’s a must-read. And as I’ve only fallen harder since learning more about her, and reading her memoir Down Below, I can’t wait to dive into The Stone Door, her long-out-of-print novella. — C.J.