Writers are constantly honing their craft, but sometimes their debut work simply dazzles. (It usually has to in order to get noticed in the vast sea of would-be authors vying for attention.) The nine books below, all released in the last few months, are debut works of fiction. They brim with confidence, boldness, and fresh ideas. These characters have lived inside the authors' heads and are ready for you to meet, root on, and sometimes wrestle with. 

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris 

In the waning days of the Civil War, two brothers, freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, seek refuge on the Walker homestead. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son and hoping to stanch their grief, hire the brothers who are planning a journey north to reunite with their mother. Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. 

 

 

The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton by Eleanor Ray 

A collector of objects, Amy Ashton, who believes it is easier to love things than people, finds her solitary existence interrupted when a new family moves in next door with two young boys--one of whom has a collection of his own.

 

 

 

 

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer 

When the man who sexually assaulted her brother-in-law, Nick, is out on bail, disputing Nick’s version of what happened, Julia, a small-town New England lawyer, soon discovers what her husband Tony is capable of as he becomes obsessed with revenge.

 

 

 

 

Future Feeling by Joss Lake 

After a real-life encounter with a fellow trans man and wildly popular social media influencer goes poorly, a disgruntled dog walker and former superfan enlists the help of his roommates to put a hex on him.

 

 

 

 

Dear Miss Metropolitan by Carolyn Ferrell 

After being abducted by Boss Man and held captive in a dilapidated house in Queens, three rescued girls rage against a local newspaper columnist who missed their tale of horror as it unfolded right across the street. 

 

 

 

 

Something Wild by Hanna Halperin

Two sisters pause their respective adult lives and travel to the Boston suburbs to help their mother pack up and move out of their childhood home. They find themselves in the place where long-kept secrets were born, where jealousy, comfort, anger, forgiveness, and repulsion coexist with the fiercest love and loyalty. What they don't expect is for their visit to expose a new, horrifying truth: their mother, Lorraine, is in a violent relationship.

 

 

 

Everyone In This Room Will Be Dead Someday by Emily Austin 

When an anxious woman takes a job as a receptionist at a local church, she becomes curious about her predecessor's mysterious death.

 

 

 

 

 

The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu by Tom Lin 

Fighting his way across the West to rescue his wife and exact revenge on the men who destroyed him, while settling old scores along the way, Ming Tsu is aided by a blind clairvoyant and a troupe of magic-show performers, some with supernatural powers.

 

 

 

 

Immediate Family by Ashley Nelson Levy

A woman struggling to write a toast for her brother’s wedding reflects on their relationship from his adoption from Thailand when she was nine and explores the bonds and complexities of family, race, motherhood and infertility.

 

 

 

 

 

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.