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Best Books 2026: Our Editorial Picks by Genre

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Last updated 31 books

Short answer

The best books 2026 has so far, one pick each: Kin by Tayari Jones for fiction, The Keeper by Tana French for mystery, Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett for cozy fantasy, A World Appears by Michael Pollan for nonfiction and Vigil by George Saunders as a short wildcard. Below: 25 books from 2026, plus 6 for 2027.

Literary and general fiction in 2026

Three adult novels with very different shapes: a long story of friendship in the American South, a short novel set on one night at the edge of death, and a big crime novel set in 1988 Kingston. All three came out between January and September 2026.

  1. Kin

    Tayari Jones, 2026

    Vernice and Annie grow up as close friends in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Vernice is raised by a determined aunt and leaves for Spelman College at eighteen, while Annie, left behind by her mother, becomes fixated on finding her. The publisher presents it as a story of mothers and daughters, friendship and what it means to be a woman in the American South. Knopf, 24 February 2026, 368 pages. Good for readers who like a long, character-led novel.

  2. Vigil

    George Saunders, 2026

    Jill Blaine, known as Doll, guides the dying into the afterlife, and her latest charge is K. J. Boone, an oil executive who believes he has nothing to regret. The publisher describes one final evening, with visitors from both worlds and questions about greed, environmental harm and whether anyone can be forgiven. Random House, 27 January 2026, 192 pages. Good for readers who want a short novel with supernatural touches. The listing shows no series number.

  3. The Disappearers

    Marlon James, 2026

    In 1988 Kingston, Jamaica, eight gay men who are strangers to one another start rehearsing a play. After a brutal attack leaves one of them dead, the survivors face the hostility around them: some look away, some want revenge and some vanish. The publisher presents it as a crime story and a portrait of queer friendship. Riverhead, 1 September 2026, 640 pages. The plot turns on a fatal attack and the listing gives no formal content warnings, so check a retailer's notes if that matters. Good for readers who want a long, ambitious novel.

Mystery and thrillers in 2026

Two crime novels from established authors and one isolated-island thriller with a gothic edge. Our full 2026 thriller list, linked under More book lists, has more.

  1. The Keeper

    Tana French, 2026

    Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has settled in the Irish village of Ardnakelty. When a young woman engaged to the son of a powerful local family is found dead in the river, old grudges split the village and Cal is pulled in. It is the third and last Cal Hooper book, after The Searcher and The Hunter, so start there if you like series in order. Viking, 31 March 2026, 496 pages. Good for readers who like slow, atmospheric crime.

  2. We Chase Shadows

    Richard Osman, 2026

    A body is found outside a villa in the Italian hills, with a threatening note signed by a mysterious man. Amy, Rosie and Steve take on their first real case, and the suspects include an ex-wife, a business rival and Sweden's most-wanted criminal. It is book two in the We Solve Murders series, and the publisher does not say whether it stands alone, so start with the first book if you like series in order. Pamela Dorman Books, 15 September 2026, 352 pages. Good for readers who like a travelling, puzzle-led mystery.

  3. The Unknown

    Riley Sager, 2026

    In 1926 five spiritual mediums vanished from New Avalon, a remote island in a Vermont lake, leaving only their dresses hanging in an oak tree. A century later actress Marin Keane joins a film crew researching the case, and when a medical emergency strands the cast on the island, the disappearances begin again. The publisher files it under suspense and thriller, with a link to gothic and horror, and shows no series number. Dutton, 4 August 2026, 368 pages. Good for readers who like a cut-off setting and a historical puzzle.

Romance in 2026

Two romances with different tones: a short workplace novella and a best-friends story built around a honeymoon trip. The publisher calls the first one spicy. Neither listing gives a heat rating or content warnings, so check a retailer description if that matters to you. Our full 2026 romance list, linked under More book lists, has more.

  1. Two Can Play

    Ali Hazelwood, 2026

    Viola Bowen is chosen to co-design a video game based on her favorite book series, but her co-lead is Jesse Andrews, a rival she has avoided for years. A winter team retreat at a remote mountain lodge leaves them snowed in together. The publisher calls it a spicy novella and adds a new bonus chapter. Berkley, 10 February 2026, 208 pages. Good for readers who want a quick workplace romance in one sitting.

  2. Our Perfect Storm

    Carley Fortune, 2026

    Frankie and her childhood best friend George have a long history of fighting and making up. When Frankie's fiancé ends their engagement by note the morning after their wedding weekend begins, George suggests she take the honeymoon week in Tofino with him instead. The publisher lists no series number. Berkley, 5 May 2026, 432 pages. Good for readers who like best friends to lovers with a travel setting.

Fantasy and romantasy in 2026

Cozy, gothic and dark fantasy from two publishers. One is the first book of a series. Longer 2026 lists for fantasy and romantasy are planned for this site.

  1. Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

    Heather Fawcett, 2026

    Agnes runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montréal and likes her life orderly. When the shelter needs a new home, the only landlord willing to take it is Havelock, a magician with an illegal magic shop in his basement and a rumored dark past. When a glamorous magician arrives to threaten the shop, Agnes has to work with him. The publisher describes a slow-burn romance. Del Rey, 17 February 2026, 368 pages. Good for readers who want cozy fantasy with cats. The listing gives no series number or content warnings.

  2. Weavingshaw

    Heba Al-Wasity, 2026

    Leena can see the dead. To pay for her ill brother's remedy she bargains with a ruthless merchant known as the Saint of Silence, who trades in secrets, and their search for a ghost leads to Weavingshaw, a cursed moorland estate. The publisher presents it as gothic fantasy romance with ghosts, demons and magic. It is the first book of a series, which the publisher lists both as Book 1 of 2 and as a trilogy, and it does not say whether this book ends cleanly. The second book, The Saint of Silence, is listed for April 2027. Del Rey, 24 February 2026, 464 pages. Good for readers who like a romance in a haunted setting.

  3. Blacktail

    Scott Hawkins, 2026

    Blacktail is a wolf loyal to his forest god. After his mate, a house dog, is killed, he attacks her owners' home, and a centuries-old cat who is also a witch offers him a way to end humanity by waking the sleeping god. The publisher files it under fantasy and literary fiction and lists no content warnings, but revenge and killing drive the plot, so it is not a gentle read. Crown, 1 September 2026, 288 pages. Good for readers who want dark, strange fantasy.

Science fiction in 2026

One literary near-future mystery and one adventure about a colony fighting for its land. Neither listing gives a series number.

  1. Exit Party

    Emily St. John Mandel, 2026

    It is 2031 and the United States has collapsed. At a party in Los Angeles the host vanishes and a bewildered double wanders off into the night. Ari Waker sets out to solve the mystery, and the story moves to a resort on the Greek coast, a domed city in Paris and a lunar colony. The publisher lists no content warnings, and its description points to themes of civil war and state surveillance. Knopf, 15 September 2026, 320 pages. Good for readers who like a near-future mystery on a large scale.

  2. Operation Bounce House

    Matt Dinniman, 2026

    Oliver Lewis wants to run his family's ranch on the colony planet New Sonora, play music with his band and keep the old farm robots going. When Earth's government plans to evict the colonists, a company turns the fight into a game and sells players the chance to pilot war machines by remote. Oliver and his friends defend their home with salvaged parts. Ace, 10 February 2026, 448 pages. Good for readers who like adventure science fiction with a rural, hands-on feel.

Horror in 2026

Two books that mix horror with another genre: a satirical cross-country trip with an AI-implanted passenger, and a ghost story built around a reality TV shoot. Our full 2026 horror list, linked under More book lists, has more.

  1. Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep

    Paul Tremblay, 2026

    Julia Flang, a former semi-professional gamer, takes a temporary job escorting a comatose man with AI implanted in his brain across the country, steering him from afar with a phone shaped like a game controller. Meanwhile the man wakes in a shifting nightmare with no memory of who he is. The bookseller's description blends science fiction, horror and dark comedy in a satire of corporate tech. William Morrow, June 2026, 336 pages. Good for readers who want horror with a sense of humor. The listing gives no content warnings.

  2. House Haunters

    KC Jones, 2026

    Grace Wonderly needs a hit reality series, and her studio is leaning on AI to pick projects. She turns to Frank Pendleton, a ghost hunter who says he cannot feel fear, to film a proof of concept, but the shoot turns deadly and Grace learns ghosts are real. The listing files it under horror and mystery and thrillers. Tor Nightfire, 6 October 2026, 368 pages. Good for readers who like ghost stories with a media twist. No content warnings are listed.

Historical fiction in 2026

Two historical novels: one set in 1865 Ireland, one in 1920s Detroit. Both publishers describe a touch of the uncanny or the gothic.

  1. Land

    Maggie O'Farrell, 2026

    In 1865 Tomás and his reluctant ten-year-old son Liam are mapping a windswept Atlantic peninsula in Ireland for the Ordnance Survey, a few decades after the Great Hunger. After an unsettling encounter in a copse, Tomás changes, and Liam must finish the survey and get them both home. The publisher mentions famine, loss, colonization and rebellion, along with ghosts and buried treasure. Knopf, 2 June 2026, 400 pages. Good for readers who like historical fiction with a hint of the uncanny.

  2. A Fortune of Sand

    Ruta Sepetys, 2026

    In 1920s Detroit, Marjorie Lennox, the overlooked youngest daughter of a wealthy family, secretly enters an elite arts program run by a mysterious patron. Locked doors and rumors of missing women suggest something is wrong. The publisher says the book is inspired by real, long-buried events and lists it as an adult novel. Ballantine, 26 May 2026, 320 pages. Good for readers who like a gothic historical mystery.

Memoir and nonfiction in 2026

A science-and-ideas book, a memoir about fame and illness, and a biography written by a brother. Each is a full-length hardcover from a US trade publisher.

  1. A World Appears

    Michael Pollan, 2026

    Pollan looks at consciousness: what it is, which beings have it and why it matters. He draws on science, philosophy, literature, spiritual traditions and his own experiences with psychedelics, and covers researchers looking for signs of awareness in plants and engineers trying to give AI systems feelings. Penguin Press, 24 February 2026, 320 pages. Good for curious readers who like big questions explored across several fields.

  2. Famesick

    Lena Dunham, 2026

    Dunham writes about chronic illness, fame, relationships and ambition in three parts that follow her rise from selling the pilot of Girls to the present. She asks whether chasing her creative goals was worth the personal cost and how the spotlight strained the people closest to her. Random House, 14 April 2026, 416 pages. Good for readers who like memoirs about creative careers.

  3. Swan Song

    Charles Spencer, 2026

    Charles Spencer tells the story of his sister Diana, from their close childhood through boarding school and their parents' divorce, to her marriage, the press pressure that followed and the week of her death in 1997. The publisher presents it as a loving, candid portrait by her younger brother. Penguin Press, 22 September 2026, 384 pages. Good for readers of royal history and family biography.

Self-improvement and big-idea books in 2026

Two practical books, one on relationships and one on time. We describe what each publisher says the book covers and make no claims about results.

  1. The Balancing Act

    Nedra Glover Tawwab, 2026

    Therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab looks at the balance between giving too much and holding back in relationships. The publisher lists topics such as boundaries versus walls, anxious and avoidant attachment, hyper-independence, parts work and the value of a varied circle of friends. Tarcher, 10 February 2026, 256 pages. Good for readers who want a practical guide to how they relate to other people.

  2. Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour

    Fran Hauser, 2026

    Written for professional women with Jodi Lipper, it targets four habits the author calls the 4 P's: people-pleasing, procrastination, perfectionism and padding. It proposes a twenty-minute mindset, with tools such as running a meeting in 20 minutes and a weekly calendar practice. The publisher says the aim is to focus on what matters, not to do more. Crown Currency, 22 September 2026, 224 pages. Good for readers who want a short book on work habits.

Young adult and debut books in 2026

One first novel for adults and two young adult mysteries and thrillers. Check the age range before you buy for a younger reader.

  1. Yesteryear

    Caro Claire Burke, 2026

    The publisher's page calls this Caro Claire Burke's first novel. Natalie Heller Mills, a popular influencer who sells a traditional rural lifestyle, wakes in a primitive home with children she does not recognize and has to work out whether she is the subject of a hoax, a reality show, time travel or something stranger. It is marketed as a dark satire and thriller. Knopf, 7 April 2026, 400 pages. Good for readers who like satire with a thriller engine. The listing gives no content warnings.

  2. I Don't Wish You Well

    Jumata Emill, 2026

    Aspiring journalist Pryce Cummings returns to his small Louisiana hometown five years after the murders of four high school football players. The killer was caught, but Pryce thinks new evidence may point elsewhere, and he hopes to use the story for his podcast. The publisher lists it for ages 12 and up. The plot centers on the murder of teenagers and no formal content warnings are listed. Delacorte Press, 20 January 2026, 400 pages. Good for teens and adults who like true-crime-style mysteries.

  3. Thornbird

    E. Kennedy, 2026

    Ryan Shipley, the daughter of serial killer Gabriel Thorn, returns to Starling, Tennessee, ten years after his capture, hoping to stay hidden. When investigators revisit the case, cryptic texts and a threatening note suggest she is hiding something. The publisher lists it for ages 14 and up and gives no content warnings, though a serial killer plot is not for younger readers. Delacorte Press, 30 June 2026, 448 pages. Good for older teens who like dark thrillers.

Most anticipated books of 2027

These six books have a 2027 publication date on the publisher's own page, checked on 6 November 2026. Most anticipated is our editorial label, not a measure of reader demand. Publishers can and do move dates, so treat each one as planned rather than fixed. None of them is on sale yet.

  1. Always One More Time

    Nicola Yoon, 2027

    Publishes 2 February 2027. Tallie shares the heart condition that killed her mother, and with surgery ahead she texts a number to find Thomas, a boy she met once. Owen, a sarcastic stranger, replies and agrees to help her search. Delacorte Press, 320 pages, ages 12 and up. A young adult contemporary romance.

  2. Zero Margin

    Lee Child and Yasmin Angoe, 2027

    Publishes 23 March 2027. The first book in a spin-off series set in the Jack Reacher world and centered on Frances Neagley, a former Army master sergeant. Her old commanding officer, now a security company CEO, asks for help after her son is abducted by a covert criminal network. Bantam, 352 pages. A thriller.

  3. The Saint of Silence

    Heba Al-Wasity, 2027

    Publishes 6 April 2027. The second book in The Weavingshaw Trilogy, so read Weavingshaw (above) first. Leena is stuck in the demon realm with Bram, who is dying, and the pair race an enemy group to find a hidden object that could free him from lifelong servitude. Del Rey, 432 pages. Gothic fantasy romance.

  4. Brothers and Sisters

    Tara Westover, 2027

    Publishes 13 April 2027. A memoir from the author of Educated about how family stories can both free and control us. The publisher says it looks at what happens after a personal story is told, including a challenge from her parents and two brothers who first backed her memories and later disputed some of them. The publisher also mentions childhood violence, so check a retailer's notes if that matters. Random House, 320 pages. Memoir.

  5. Bad in Bed

    Ali Hazelwood, 2027

    Publishes 1 June 2027 (listed for preorder). Billie van Buren, a sheltered doctoral student, is humiliated when her long engagement ends and her ex criticizes her in public. She teams up with Dr. Maxwell Austin, a confident medical fellow, in a no-strings arrangement that gradually turns into something deeper. Berkley, 224 pages. Romance.

  6. The Laws of History

    Yuval Noah Harari, 2027

    Publishes 21 September 2027, announced by the publisher on 30 September 2026. Harari sets out six laws he says all historical processes obey, with examples from ancient Rome to the Second World War, and says they explain past upheavals but cannot predict the future. Random House in the US. Nonfiction. This date comes from a publisher announcement, not yet a product page.

How we chose these books

Our best books of 2026 are editorial picks. We do not rank by sales or prizes. To qualify, a book had to be first published in 2026 and already on sale by 6 November 2026. We chose titles from publishers' catalogue pages, aiming for range across genres. Most of the books come from Penguin Random House imprints, because those pages were the ones we could check in full, so this list leans toward one publisher group. We kept the list short on purpose.

The title, author, publisher and date of every book were checked against a publisher, publisher catalogue or bookseller page, linked at the bottom of this page. The notes are in our own words, based on those publisher descriptions and catalogue details. Where a publisher lists a content or age note we pass it on. Where it lists none we say so rather than guess. Dates shown are for the US edition, and some books have a UK edition with a nearby date.

More books will be added after the late-2026 releases and the year-end award announcements.

Awards and lists to watch

Year-end awards and lists start to appear from November. The Goodreads Choice Awards are voted on by Goodreads members in rounds. When we checked the organiser's page on 6 November 2026, it said that books published between 12 November 2025 and 10 November 2026 are eligible for the 2026 awards, and it still showed the 2025 schedule. Results are announced after voting closes. See the Goodreads Choice Awards page for the schedule. We will update this list once the organiser has published results, and we will report only what its own results page says. Other publications and bookshops publish their own year-end lists. We do not copy them, and the books here were chosen independently.

Choosing for a group or for yourself

A 2026 book club list is planned for this site. Until then, our book club questions tool gives you discussion prompts for any title above. If you are weighing a long book against a busy month, the reading time calculator shows roughly how long it will take at your pace.

More book lists

For more from this year by genre, see our 2026 romance list, 2026 thriller list and 2026 horror list.

For older favorites, see our editorial list of the best books of all time and the most popular books of all time. For the holidays, try best Christmas books, best books to gift for Christmas, Christmas books for book clubs or Christmas picture books. For ideas that are not books, see gifts for book lovers, and for cold-weather reading try our winter reading list. The full set lives on the Books hub.

Make the new year a writing year

New Year is when many people decide to start a book. Our guide on how to write a book takes you from idea to finished draft, and how to publish a book covers what comes after. If you would rather hand part of the work to a team, the studio offers ghostwriting, book editing and book cover design. See all self-publishing services or request a quote from there.

How this list is updated

We plan to refresh this page in December, when late-2026 releases are in, and again in January, when we re-check every date in the 2027 section. The updated date at the top changes each time. We do not accept payment to include a book, and we do not use affiliate links. Titles and authors are named for information only.

Questions readers ask

What are the best books of 2026 so far?

That depends on what you read, so our list is split by genre. For one title each: Kin by Tayari Jones for fiction, The Keeper by Tana French for mystery, Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett for cozy fantasy and A World Appears by Michael Pollan for nonfiction. The page lists 25 books from 2026, plus 6 to watch for in 2027.

What are the best fiction books of 2026?

For literary and general fiction, we picked Kin by Tayari Jones, Vigil by George Saunders and The Disappearers by Marlon James. For historical fiction, try Land by Maggie O'Farrell or A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys. Each entry gives the publisher, date, page count and any content note from the publisher's own listing.

What are the best nonfiction books of 2026?

Our nonfiction picks are A World Appears by Michael Pollan on consciousness, Famesick by Lena Dunham, a memoir, and Swan Song by Charles Spencer, a portrait of his sister Diana. For self-improvement, see The Balancing Act by Nedra Glover Tawwab on relationships and Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour by Fran Hauser on work habits.

What are the best fantasy and romance books of 2026?

For fantasy and romantasy, we picked Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter, Weavingshaw and Blacktail. For romance, we picked Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood and Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune. Our 2026 romance list has a fuller shortlist, and lists for fantasy and romantasy are planned.

What are the best debut books of 2026?

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is the one on this page that its publisher calls the author's first novel. It came out from Knopf on 7 April 2026. We label a book as a debut only when the publisher's own page says so, which is why this answer names just one title.

When will the Goodreads Choice Awards winners be announced?

When we checked the organiser's page on 6 November 2026, it still showed the 2025 schedule and had not posted 2026 voting or announcement dates. It says books published between 12 November 2025 and 10 November 2026 are eligible. Check goodreads.com/choiceawards for dates. We will update this page once results are out.

What are the most anticipated books of 2027?

Our 2027 section lists six books with publisher-confirmed dates, from Always One More Time by Nicola Yoon on 2 February 2027 to The Laws of History by Yuval Noah Harari on 21 September 2027. Most anticipated is our editorial label, not a measure of reader demand. Publishers can move dates, so check before you plan around one.

How do you choose a book to read next?

Start with a genre you already enjoy and pick a length that fits your time. Our free reading time calculator estimates how long a book will take at your pace. If you are choosing for a group, our book club questions tool gives you discussion prompts once you have picked a title.

How we checked these books

Every title, author and year was checked against the publisher, retailer or library page below on. The notes on each book are our own.