August’s best new books have something for every mood: a wartime story told from a dog’s point of view, a haunted-island thriller, a 1950s love story, a courtroom drama and a novel about a friendship tested over the years. Here are five to add to your list.
1. Etna by Paul Yoon
A puppy named Etna is taken from a quiet farm and trained to work alongside American soldiers. Years later, wounded, she sets out on a dangerous journey home across a war-torn landscape, meeting unexpected allies along the way. It’s short, but it hits hard. Pick it up if you like: animal stories with real emotional weight.
2. The Unknown by Riley Sager
A century ago, five psychic mediums vanished from a remote island. When actress Marin Keane goes there to research a film about the mystery, history starts repeating itself. Pick it up if you like: twisty, atmospheric thrillers to read in one sitting.
3. Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty
Nora and Leonard fall in love in 1950s St. Petersburg, Florida, despite coming from completely different worlds. When Leonard leaves to fight in the Korean War, Nora faces a choice that could change both their lives. Pick it up if you like: sweeping historical love stories.
4. The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
A tragic accident involving a teenage caddy and a golf prodigy leads to a shocking trial, and addiction, family dysfunction and an affair come out along the way. Pick it up if you like: dark legal dramas and family secrets.
5. Take What You Can by Naima Coster
Milly and Val become close while studying in France. Years later, as mothers, old tensions over ambition, class and the choices they made come back to the surface. Pick it up if you like: thoughtful novels about female friendship.
Our pick
For book clubs, Take What You Can offers the most to talk about: friendship, motherhood and how ambition changes relationships. For a beach read you won’t put down, go with Riley Sager’s The Unknown.
