What to read next: a dark fantasy, a charming mystery, a biography of a literary lion, and more
Normally descents into hell are kinda a drag, but not when R. F. Kuang is taking you there. This week the Amazon Editors are recommending her new dark fantasy, as well as a mystery that has captured the attention of Steven Spielberg, a biography about the lauded author of Giovanni’s Room, and a comforting read that will carry you into the clouds. Here’s what you should read next.
Out this week, Katabasis is literary fantasy at its most spectacular, and I revelled in every sentence. Alice, who is studying Magick at Cambridge, may have accidentally killed her professor. Now she must journey to the depths of hell to get him back because, frankly, she needs his recommendation to make her sacrifices to become a renowned magician worth it. Unfortunately, her friend-turned-rival Peter feels the same and insists on coming with her. What follows is an epic adventure through hell that is filled with madness, humor, and humanity. In the vein of Ninth House and The Magicians, this book is an ode to, and brutal takedown of, academia. I felt transported back to college, being challenged and exposed to new concepts. As Alice and Peter’s descent becomes more unhinged, we see them reckon with the sacrifices they’ve made for the sake of Magick, within themselves and with each other. Despite taking place in hell, this is ultimately a hopeful story that moved me in ways I wasn’t expecting. It’s destined to become a modern fantasy classic. —Abby Abell, Amazon Editor
Last weekend I got to visit one of my happy places, nestled in the foothills of the Cascade mountains in Washington State. The sights and smells and birdsong did my soul some good and reminded me of this essay collection by H Is for Hawk author, Helen Macdonald. Vesper Flights waxes poetic on things ranging from lunar eclipses, to nocturnal bird watching in Manhattan, to mushroom hunting, and even migraines. Before reading it, the only swift I knew about was Taylor, and she’s pretty good at drawing attention to herself. But that is one of Ms. Macdonald’s gifts. She notices things—the magic and the wonder and the consolation of nature, and she mines what those things have to teach us about being better humans and stewards of this planet. Need a pick-me-up this week? Pick this up. —Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor
Before The Hunting Wives was a buzzy streaming drama on Netflix, it was an Amazon Editors' Pick for best mystery and thriller upon its 2021 release. Basically everyone I know is bingeing the on-screen series, which is next on my list too. But I also want to read the juicy tale of a young family who gives up a high-pressure life in Chicago for a quieter existence in small-town Texas. Or so they think. Down South, Sophie falls in with an intriguing socialite Margot, and her "nest of vipers" clique that dubs itself the "Hunting Wives." When a dead body turns up and Sophie finds herself as a suspect, the bucolic life she was hoping for disappears. Will the show be better, or the book? Stay tuned. —Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor
I haven't been this excited about a page to screen adaptation in a very long time and this one has none other than Steven Spielberg behind it. In this first book of a now much beloved series, we meet four friends with very different backgrounds who live in the same retirement village and share a love of puzzling out true crime cold cases. When a fresh murder drops into their midst, we’re off to the races in this incredibly delightful mystery. Endearing characters and great plot twists make The Thursday Murder Club a wildly entertaining page-turner that will have you anxious to read every book in the series; I just finished the fifth book, The Impossible Fortune (September 30), which I read start to finish on a cross-country plane trip, and it made even cramped seats and a long flight enjoyable. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Here's a thought for you: the past two years, the Pulitzers have awarded the Biography Prize to icons of the Civil Rights movement, as chronicled by Jonathan Eig in King (2023) and David Greenberg's John Lewis (2024). Could Baldwin: A Love Story, be the third in a row? I'm hoping the answer is yes, which is why this biography—the first in three decades—of the writer and activist is one of the Best Books of August and was on our Most Anticipated list. Unearthing new archival material and drawing on new interviews, Nicholas Boggs dives into the life of Baldwin, taking special care to highlight his mentors, friends, and lovers that spurred on his literary talent, advocacy, and awakening. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor
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