Many libraries are interested in adding indie content to their collections, but the challenge remains identifying the best new indie titles. We have six fall titles that you won’t want to miss!
The Story of the Forest by Linda Grant – This intergenerational family saga reflects on the European Jewish experience from WWI to the present. Grant is known for writing about Jewish experiences, and her previous work has been shortlisted for the Booker and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. This title will be published as part of Sarah Jessica Parker’s SJP Lit imprint and is sure to garner media and book club attention.
Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet by Samantha Allen – This offbeat story follows Adam, a writer who is ghostwriting a celebrity memoir for Roland Rogers, a closeted A-list actor who is finally ready to tell his story. The catch is that Roland is a ghost. Sparks fly, and the two of them grow closer as they try to write Roland’s story before his body is found beneath the avalanche that killed him. Allen is a previous Lambda Literary Award finalist. With comparisons to Ashley Poston and Casey McQuiston, this opposites-attract story will appeal to pop culture fans.
Those Opulent Days: A Mystery by Jacquie Pham – This debut historical murder mystery is set in 1920s French-colonial Vietnam where four men who have been friends since childhood gather for an evening of indulgence, but one of them will not survive the night. The resulting mystery is told from multiple perspectives. This title is one of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Mysteries of the fall.
Midwestern Gothic by Scott Thomas – Horror continues to trend in libraries, and this collection of four gothic novellas from Thomas will only raise his profile with readers. This title already has a starred review from Library Journal, calling it “[a]n immersive, chilling, and unsettling read that will put Blantonville on the horror map right next to Castle Rock,” as well as a blurb from Stephen Graham Jones.
Welcome to Dorley Hall by Alyson Greaves – The publisher marketing for this dark debut thriller sums up the story best. “[A] closeted trans girl infiltrates an underground forced feminization facility and decides, with the help of someone on the inside, to exploit it for free transition healthcare.” Greaves has already built a following, and the story has been serialized on Patreon and Wattpad. This is the first novel in the Sisters of Dorley Hall trilogy.
L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood by Anne Soon Choi – This true crime biography brings readers the story of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner for Los Angeles County from 1967-1982. During that time, he performed the autopsies of some of the most high-profile celebrities of the day, including Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, and Natalie Wood. Noguchi’s press conferences made him a controversial (and legendary) figure. Choi’s extensive archival research brought to light never-before-published details about Noguchi’s cases, so share this title with readers of true crime and Hollywood history.
Want to boost your library's indie collection? My colleague Wendy Rancier and I just hosted a webinar on the top indie titles for fall 2024 and essential collection development tips. Check it out to stay ahead of the trends!
