23 April Releases We're Excited About

And what you can read in the meantime

Reading ahead

Our TBR piles may be weighing down our bedside table, but we keep finding new books we want to pile on. From complex family stories to high-stakes thrillers to compelling historical accounts, April’s most anticipated list is especially packed with must-reads! Here are 23 upcoming releases across a mix of genres. These titles are available for preorder, but in the meantime, peruse our recommendations for similar reads that you can enjoy now.

Contemporary fiction 

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez (Apr. 2)
Alma Cruz, the writer at the center of this inventive novel, has an unusual plan for the piece of land she has recently inherited in her native Dominican Republic. She creates a graveyard for her unpublished manuscripts. But her characters won't be silenced and Filomena, the groundskeeper, becomes their sympathetic listener.  

What to read first: In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza (Apr. 2)
After the failure of her business and marriage, Sara Marsala's grief is compounded by the loss of her beloved great-aunt. But Aunt Rosie's death provides an unexpected escape from her life in the form of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a plot of land, and a bombshell family secret.

What to read first: The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr (Apr. 9)
Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, Clayton Stumper was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists. When his mother figure, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away, the esteemed crossword compiler leaves him one final puzzle to solve—one that will change Clay forever.

What to read first: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Real Americans by Rachel Khong (Apr. 30)
1999: Twenty-two-year-old Lily is an unpaid intern at a NYC media firm when she meets Matthew. The two are completely different, yet they fall in love. 2021: Raised by Lily, his single mom, fifteen-year-old Nick embarks on a search to find his biological father—a journey that raises more questions than answers.

What to read first: Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

The Mother Act by Heidi Reimer (Apr. 30)
Sadie Jones, a larger-than-life actress, never wanted to be a mother. No one feels this more deeply than Jude, the daughter Sadie left behind. Set against the sparkling backdrop of the theater, this propulsive debut looks at what it means to be a devoted mother and a devoted artist—and whether it is possible to be both.

What to read first: I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins

Mystery, thriller, and suspense 

The Reaper Follows by Heather Graham (Apr. 2)
Deep in the Florida Everglades, the body of a woman is discovered in pieces, the cuts too precise to be the work of an alligator. Soon many more bodies are discovered. FDLE special agent Amy Larson and Hunter Forrest, her FBI special agent partner race to zero in on the killer before it's too late.

What to read first: Danger in Numbers by Heather Graham

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (Apr. 2)
Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished. Her daughter Bel, now eighteen, has come to terms with the fact that her mother is gone. When the Price family agrees to participate in a true crime documentary, the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears and upends everything.

What to read first: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Toxic Prey by John Sandford (Apr. 9)
Dr. Lionel Scott is a renowned expert in infectious diseases, but his larger preoccupation seems to be the threat humanity poses to Earth. When Scott disappears, Letty Davenport and her father, Lucas Davenport, are tasked with tracking him down before the virus he created becomes the perfect weapon.

What to read first: The Investigator by John Sandford

A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci (Apr. 16)
It's 1968 in southern Virginia and Jack Lee is a white lawyer who has never challenged the racist system around him. Until now. When he decides to represent a Black man charged with a brutal killing, he quickly finds himself out of his depth and enlists the help of Desiree DuBose, a Black lawyer from Chicago.

What to read first: A Time to Kill by John Grisham

A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh (Apr. 23)
Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they're in for. Each of them has a secret. If another player can guess the truth they'll be exposed live on air. When a murderer strikes, Detective Ffion Morgan knows that each of her suspects has a secret worth killing for.  

What to read first: The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh

Sci-fi and fantasy

A View from the Stars: Stories and Essays by Cixin Liu (Apr. 2)
"We sci-fi fans are people from the future." With essays and short stories side-by-side, this mind-bending collection features a range of short works from China's most beloved author of speculative fiction. Hear directly from Liu about his experiences and trace the evolution of his imaginative voice.

What to read first: Supernova Era by Cixin Liu

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (Apr. 9)
In a shabby house, on a shabby street in medieval Madrid, Luzia uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil. When her powers are discovered, Luzia seizes the opportunity to better her fortunes, but as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath.

What to read first: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Extinction by Douglas Preston (Apr. 24)
Erebus Resort offers guests the experience of seeing long-extinct animals like woolly mammoths resurrected through genetic manipulation. When a couple of wealthy patrons are murdered, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frances Cash partners with county sheriff James Colcord to track down the perpetrators.

What to read first: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Historical fiction 

Table for Two by Amor Towles (Apr. 2)
The bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and A Gentleman in Moscow returns with a collection of short fiction including six stories set in New York City around the year of 2000. Also included is a novella set in the Golden Age of Hollywood and continuing the story of one of his most beloved characters.

What to read first: The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton (Apr. 9)
With the Great War behind them, wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, settle in South Florida, building a glamorous estate. Years later, Carmen Acosta arrives at the grand home of her estranged older sister. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but the house has a treacherous legacy.

What to read first: Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

The Beautiful People by Michelle Gable (Apr. 16)
It's 1961, and for Margo Hightower, everything is about to change. True, her engagement is off, her family has fallen in scandal, and she's completely broke. But with a job as assistant to famed photographer Slim Aarons, she's suddenly thrust into the glamorous world of high society, royalty, and Hollywood.

What to read first: The Summer I Met Jack by Michelle Gable

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles (Apr. 30)
This richly drawn novel is based on the true story of Jessie Carson, the American librarian who went to France after World War I and worked to establish children's libraries before mysteriously disappearing. The dual storyline reimagines her quest, along with that of a 1980s librarian researching her story.

What to read first: The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

Romance 

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (Apr. 2)
Justin is cursed and now, thanks to a viral reddit post, everyone knows. Every woman he dates meets the love of her life as soon as they break up. When Emma slides into his DM with the same problem, they come up with a crazy idea. Date each other, break up, and go on to meet their own soulmates. It could work, right?

What to read first: Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George (Apr. 23)
American heiress Cora Dove is looking for a suitable husband and a fresh start far from New York. English earl Leopold Brendon needs the backing of a wealthy wife in order to pass his clean water legislation. Neither expects love. But could this marriage of convenience turn out to be something more?

What to read first: Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale

Funny Story by Emily Henry (Apr. 23)
Having landed her dream job as a children's librarian, Daphne's new life in her fiancé's hometown was going great. That is, until he realized he was actually in love with his childhood bestie, Petra. Now she needs a roommate. Who better than the only person who can understand her predicament: Petra's ex, Miles.

What to read first: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Nonfiction

Like Love: Essays and Conversations by Maggie Nelson (Apr. 2)
Arranged chronologically, this raucous collection brings to life the author's passion for dialogue and dissent. Recurring themes include: intergenerational exchange; love and friendship; feminist and queer issues; subversion, transgression, and perversity; and the profound sustenance offered by art and artists.

What to read first: The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Apr. 16)
Dick and Doris Goodwin were married for forty-two years and part of U.S. history even longer. In their twenties, each served in the White House; he, as a part of JFK's New Frontier and both worked in Lyndon Johnson's administration. This book offers an intimate look at history—both their own and that of America. 

What to read first: A Political Education: A Washington Memoir by Harry McPherson

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson (Apr. 30)
From the celebrated author of The Splendid and the Vile and The Devil in the White City comes a propulsive account of the pivotal five-month period between the closely fought election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War—a political horror story that captures the forces that led America to the brink.

What to read first: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Hopefully there’s something here that you want to add to your TBR list! Let us know which new books you’re most excited about this month.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon