August is one of the strongest publishing months of the year, and this year’s list looks more promising than ever.

From ambitious debuts to new novels by acclaimed authors, these are the releases worth paying attention to. Looking across this month’s publishing slate, two patterns stand out: why does literary fiction keep returning to catastrophe, and why are stories of domestic suspense continuing to resonate with readers?

Here are 19 books to expect soon, and the release dates for your calendar:

Headline Releases

Literary Novels

Literary Suspense

History, Society & Big Ideas

Contemporary Fiction

Mark the Date:

August 2026 release calendar

4 August

• The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
• Etna by Paul Yoon
• Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LaCour
• Take What You Can by Naima Coster

11 August

• A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee
• Sunrise by Téa Obreht
• The True Meaning of Love by Danielle Steel
• Under the Falls by Richard Russo
• You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue

18 August

• My Sister Is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon
• Nearshore by Steve Hawk
• Unprecedented Times by Malavika Kannan

25 August

• Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
• Fallen for France by Elizabeth Letts
• Makeshift by Peter Rock
• Seasons of Fury by Rozina Ali
• Tangled by Sarah Mesle
• The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore
• They Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough