The September 2024 Indie Next List Preview

Here are the 25 Indie Next List and 6 Now in Paperback picks on the September 2024 Indie Next List flier.

The September title list is also viewable as a collection on Edelweiss and on the Indie Next List page as an Excel file alongside PDFs for the month’s flier and shelf-talker templates. Learn more and visit Matchbook Marketing’s program page to sign up to send the free Indie Next List e-newsletter to customers.

Additionally, to mark the start of the new month, the August Indie Next List picks are available as a flier, along with past lists, on the Indie Next List page on BookWeb.org.      

The 25 September Indie Next List Picks

#1 Pick: Creation Lake: A Novel
By Rachel Kushner
(Scribner, 9781982116521, $29.99, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“Rachel Kushner turns noir on its head in this mesmerizing, philosophical, and darkly funny tale. Creation Lake is a page-turner crackling with electricity from one of our greatest living writers — a spy thriller with literary teeth.”
—Chantel McCray, Rainy Day Books, Fairway, KS

Colored Television: A Novel
By Danzy Senna
(Riverhead Books, 9780593544372, $29, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“Incisive, of the moment, and darkly funny, I loved everything about Colored Television. Very few contemporary authors can so acutely examine race and class while maintaining a razor-sharp sense of humor, but Danzy Senna is in a league of her own.”
—David Vogel, Literati Bookstore, Ann Arbor, MI

Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles #2)
By TJ Klune
(Tor Books, 9781250881205, $28.99, Sep. 10, Fantasy)
“Returning to Marsyas island is like coming home after a long trip — you are immediately enveloped in warmth and comfort. This novel is a celebration of queer families and inclusive communities. It’s exactly what we need to be reading right now!”
—Jody Hardy, Mostly Books, Tucson, AZ

Tell Me Everything: A Novel
By Elizabeth Strout
(Random House, 9780593446096, $30, Sep. 10, Fiction)
“I’ve just spent the last few days observing a grand reunion in this gorgeous book! All my old friends showed up: 90-year-old Olive, Lucy Barton, the Burgess brothers, even Amy and Isabel! Strout probes human nature and the many meanings of love.”
—Carol Katsoulis, Anderson’s Bookshops, Naperville, IL

Blue Sisters: A Novel
By Coco Mellors
(Ballantine Books, 9780593723760, $30, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“I’ve always wanted a sister; this book gifted me four. Four unique characters, each flawed but lovable in their own way, who seem like they would never be able to get along. Pick up this book, then call your therapist. Better yet, your sister.”
—Caroline Giblin, Thunder Road Books, Spring Lake, NJ

There Are Rivers in the Sky: A Novel
By Elif Shafak
(Knopf, 9780593801710, $30, Aug. 20, Historical Fiction)
“Water: the omnipresent witness to the reverberation of the underdog and the valorized, to the drenched disorderedness of security throughout civilization. Elif Shafak tackles the toxicity of human greed, cruelty, and survival through water.”
—Kayleen Rohrer, InkLink Books, East Troy, WI

Bluff: Poems
By Danez Smith
(Graywolf Press, 9781644452981, $18, Paperback, Aug. 20, Poetry)
“Danez Smith is an artist grappling with the role of art at the end of the world. These poems shine a soft light into the darkest tunnels of our history, into the precise cuts they made into your soul, and leave you with something better than hope.”
—Michelle Carroll, Powell’s Books, Portland, OR

The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts
By Louis Bayard
(Algonquin Books, 9781643755304, $29, Sep. 17, Historical Fiction)
“Bayard transports us to the British countryside, an Italian villa, the trenches of France, and back to London. Told in the language of the late 19th & early 20th centuries, The Wildes involves the entire Wilde family and the scandalous drama that ensues.”
—Mindy Ostrow, The River’s End Bookstore, Oswego, NY

The Life Impossible: A Novel
By Matt Haig
(Viking, 9780593489277, $30, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“Matt Haig’s wonderful book about climate change, aging, and recovering from guilt. Widowed Grace is left a house in Spain by a friend she hasn’t heard from in over 30 years. She heads out on an adventure where new friends and life-altering changes await.”
—Kathy Clemmons, Sundog Books, Santa Rosa Beach, FL

By Any Other Name: A Novel
By Jodi Picoult
(Ballantine Books, 9780593497210, $30, Aug. 20, Fiction)
“A fascinating story of a woman who may have written many of the works attributed to Shakespeare. While this book is fiction, Picoult digs deep into the research that’s been done to present an interesting and intriguing tale of what might have been.”
—Camille Kovach, Completely Booked, Murrysville, PA

Where the Forest Meets the River
By Shannon Bowring
(Europa Editions, 9798889660439, $18, Paperback, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“In Where the forest Meets the River, Bowring takes us back to Dalton, Maine, where some of my favorite and not-so-favorite people live. Dalton has its secrets, but Bowring spins a tale full of love, sorrow, and laughter.”
—Jayne Rowsam, Mystery to Me, Madison, WI

Madwoman: A Novel
By Chelsea Bieker
(Little, Brown and Company, 9780316573290, $29, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“This incredible story of domestic violence survivors had me on the edge of my seat. Fans of Godshot will recognize Bieker’s humor and depth. But in Madwoman, there’s growth, not always for the better, of a character trying to forget her dark past.”
—Emily Berg, Books & Books, Key West, FL

That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America
By Amanda Jones
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639733538, $29.99, Aug. 27, Memoir)
“Fierceness and bravery should not be a requirement for librarians. In this era of book banning, however, a librarian must be a warrior. Jones is fighting the good fight to give everyone freedom to read and feel safe in a library space.”
—Pamela Klinger-Horn, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN

Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian’s Journey Home
By Chris La Tray
(Milkweed Editions, 9781571313980, $28, Aug. 20, Biography)
“With Becoming Little Shell, Chris La Tray takes a very personal journey of introspection and familiar heritage and connects it to the larger social issues of the Métis and other Indigenous peoples. This book is an accomplishment.”
—Mara Panich-Crouch, Fact & Fiction Downtown, Missoula, MT

The Night Guest
By Hildur Knútsdóttir, Mary Robinette Kowal (Transl.)
(Tor Nightfire, 9781250322043, $19.99, Sep. 3, Horror)
“Why are we all so tired all the time, even after sleeping for a full night? For one woman, the answer is much darker and tied into family history and the misdiagnosis of doctors. A compelling novella that demands to be read in a single sitting.”
—William Carl, An Unlikely Story, Plainville, MA

The Examiner: A Novel
By Janice Hallett
(Atria Books, 9781668023426, $29.99, Sep. 10, Thriller)
“When faced with a new Janice Hallett mystery, there’s nothing to do but dive in and swim for the end. There’s no stopping along the way — you don’t want to get lost in the clues before you’ve figured out the solution. (Ha! Good luck with that.)”
—Linda Bond, Auntie’s Bookstore, Spokane, WA

William: A Novel
By Mason Coile
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593719602, $27, Sep. 10, Horror)
“Henry, an engineer, has created an AI marvel with William. His wife, who’s been standoffish since her pregnancy, invites some colleagues over for lunch. Suspicious of his wife, he decides to introduce them to William. This dark tale will leave you guessing.”
—Jason Kennedy, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI

We’re Alone: Essays
By Edwidge Danticat
(Graywolf Press, 9781644453025, $26, Sep. 3, Essays)
“In so few pages, Edwidge Danticat weaves language that situates us in the moment with compassion and clarity. From odes that ache and appreciate the humanity of brilliant authors, to writings about Haiti and storms to come, Danticat threads it all.”
—Mari Guzman, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC

I'll Have What He’s Having
By Adib Khorram
(Forever, 9781538739525, $28, Hardcover; 9781538739518, $17.99, Paperback, Aug. 27, Romance)
“A substitute teacher turned restaurant owner meets a sommelier in this completely charming ‘friends with benefits…oh, oops, we’re in love’ rom-com! Khorram’s impeccably-titled adult debut will surely be a big hit this fall.”
—Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC

Spirit Crossing: A Novel
By William Kent Krueger
(Atria Books, 9781982179243, $28.99, Aug. 20, Mystery)
“A work of fiction can hold an abundance of truth. In this story, it’s not until the body of a missing white girl from a prominent family is found that a missing Indigenous woman gets attention from law enforcement. Lives are at stake on the path to the truth.”
—Casey Luke, The Book Shoppe, Boone, IA

The Instrumentalist: A Novel
By Harriet Constable
(Simon & Schuster, 9781668035825, $28.99, Aug. 20, Historical Fiction)
“Inspired by a true story, The Instrumentalist immediately pulled me into 18th-century Venice. Anna Maria’s journey to find love, meaning, and purpose in life kept me turning pages. It’s so satisfying watching her learn to use her gift for good.”
—Michelle Ratto, A Thousand Stories, Herndon, VA

The Story of a Heart: Two Families, One Heart, and a Medical Miracle
By Rachel Clarke
(Scribner, 9781668045435, $28.99, Sep. 10, Biography)
“An emotionally complex tribute to an unfathomable loss, a profound love, and a choice that offers up a miracle. Dr. Clarke interweaves the emotional story with the medical history that has led up to this lifesaving gift. A stunning, memorable read.”
—Maxwell Gregory, Madison Street Books, Chicago, IL

Under the Eye of the Big Bird: A Novel
By Hiromi Kawakami, Asa Yoneda (Transl.)
(Soft Skull, 9781593766115, $27, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“What will the world look like when humanity is near its end? In short glimpses, this book gives us insight to small groups of people and how they live and survive in an ever-changing, increasingly dystopian world. This is speculative fiction at its best.”
—Miranda Myers, Changing Hands, Tempe, AZ

The Book Swap: A Novel
By Tessa Bickers
(Graydon House, 9781525836701, $27.99, Sep. 3, Romance)
“I am a sucker for a well-written and meaty romance and The Book Swap delivers. Erin and James are both imperfect people, but they also both have such a capacity for love and growth. Them falling in love through margin-writing in books is just the cherry on top.”
—Amelia Yasuda, Queen Takes Book, Columbia, MD

Best Copy Available: A True Crime Memoir
By Jay Baron Nicorvo
(University of Georgia Press, 9780820367361, $28.95, Paperback, Sep. 1, True Crime)
“Do not shy away from this memoir. It’s a hard read but it’s so worth it. Nicorvo is masterful in his ability to share the trauma of his childhood. Part memoir, part true crime, completely unforgettable!”
—Julie Slavinsky, Warwick’s, La Jolla, CA

The 6 Now in Paperback Titles

Demon Copperhead: A Novel
By Barbara Kingsolver
(Harper Perennial, 9780063251984, $21.99, Aug. 27, Fiction)
“Come for Kingsolver’s classic mastery of language and descriptions that leave you overwhelmed in the most soulful way. Stay for a heart-wrenching and compassionate story of survival that will go down as one of her best works of all time.”
—Libby Monaghan, Twice Told Tales, McPherson, KS

The Fraud: A Novel
By Zadie Smith
(Penguin Books, 9780525558989, $19, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“Zadie Smith is a literary genius. The last time I stopped to marvel at the beauty of a book’s writing was in the Neapolitan novels. This has the same notes of immersive world building and rich, complex characters. One of my favorite reads of last year!”
—Michelle Zhang, BookPeople, Austin, TX

Let Us Descend: A Novel
By Jesmyn Ward
(Scribner, 9781982104504, $17.99, Sep. 3, Fiction)
“Jesmyn Ward is one of the most important writers of our time. This may be her best to date. Heartbreaking and gorgeous, Annis carries us through her story of loss and brutal enslavement — a story of strength, love, enduring, and finding a way.”
—Jeanne Costello, Maria’s Bookshop, Durango, CO

Mother-Daughter Murder Night: A Novel
By Nina Simon
(William Morrow Paperbacks, 9780063315051, $18.99, Sep. 3, Mystery)
“I adored this twisty thriller set in the beauty of the marshlands of California. A grandmother, mother, and daughter try to solve a murder while also healing their troubled relationships. Highly recommend!”
—Elizabeth Barnhill, Fabled Bookshop & Café, Waco, TX

The Vaster Wilds: A Novel
By Lauren Groff
(Riverhead Books, 9780593418406, $18, Sep. 10, Fiction)
“Lauren Groff is at the height of her power as a writer. The Vaster Wilds explores how one young woman’s experience of survival defines her. Rich in nuance, gorgeous, and full of the mystery of spirit, this novel meditates on life itself.”
—Deirdre Kidder, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA

Whalefall: A Novel
By Daniel Kraus
(MTV Books, 9781665918176, $18.99, Sep. 10, Science Fiction)
“This masterfully researched thriller weaves the story of a young diver’s tumultuous relationship with his father with the primal terrors of the deep sea. A heart-pounding tale of humanity, science, and survival you won’t soon forget.”
—Mary Powers, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC