Dive into these 13 new books for summer
Our summer reading list includes the adventures of a time-traveling Idaho “tradwife,” a romance scammer who meets his match, and a serial killer who suddenly strikes again 25 years later.
Check out 13 fresh fiction and nonfiction titles that should appeal to Inland Northwest readers.
You’ll also want to dive into three bestselling books by novelists Shelby Van Pelt and Peter Heller and actor George Takei that have inspired new adaptations and community book club gatherings.
Fiction
“Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke. In this buzzy new release, “tradwife” influencer Natalie (think ‘50s-era gender roles) discovers her house in rural Idaho is a portal to the past when she suddenly wakes up in the year 1855. Her perfectly curated life, which was never all that perfect behind the social media screen, unravels as she is forced to confront a world without any of the conveniences she takes for granted. “Yesteryear,” a Good Morning America Book Club pick, is the debut novel from Burke, co-host of the culture podcast “Diabolical Lies” and a writer active on TikTok and Substack. Actress Anne Hathaway (who said she read the book in a single sitting) has signed on to play Natalie in the movie version. (Knopf, published April 7)
“The Pillagers’ Guide to Arctic Pianos” by Kendra Langford Shaw. In the remote Arctic north, the Spahr family is barely getting by when one of their neighbors dredges up a centuries-old piano, in perfect condition after years submerged in frigid waters. Apparently a relic from the days when homesteaders commonly hauled heavy musical instruments to civilize the rugged frontier, the discovery sets off a gold rush of sorts as descendants of those original settlers hunt for valuable, sunken antiques. The book is the first novel from a writer who was raised in Alaska and Montana, and now serves as a city councilwoman in Billings. “The Pillagers’ Guide to Arctic Pianos … is as wild as its title,” Alta Journal reported. “Buckle up.” (Pantheon, May 12)
“Whistler,” by Ann Patchett. The bestselling author of “Bel Canto,” “The Dutch House” and “Tom Lake” is back with a new novel about two people reconnecting decades after a fateful event that changed their lives. Patchett, a favorite author in Northwest Passages reader surveys, tells the story of Daphne Fuller, a woman in her 50s who crosses paths with her stepfather after many years of separation. “Ann Patchett sent me an advance copy,” chef Ina Garten wrote on Substack. “It’s so beautifully written I felt like Ann was sitting next to me telling me the story herself.” (Harper, June 2)
“The Intrigue” by Silvia Moreno Garcia. People magazine, Book Riot and others have hailed “The Intrigue” as one of the most-anticipated books of 2026. Readers meet Ulises, a con artist who romances lonely women to steal their money. His latest target is Perla, owner of a boardinghouse in Veracruz, Mexico. But Perla’s niece Inés wants in on the scheme, and the simple plan is not so simple anymore. Mexico-born Moreno-Garcia, who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the author of a dozen genre-spanning novels including the award-winning “Mexican Gothic,” a New York Times bestseller. (Del Rey, July 14)
“The Talking Bone” by Rene Denfeld. The Portland writer is known for exploring some of the darkest human impulses. Denfeld shared “The Butterfly Girl” with Northwest Passages Book Club readers in 2019 and returns with a new thriller featuring Ruby Spencer, an investigator who seeks to free innocent men from death row. The plot brings together threads from Denfeld’s work as a licensed investigator focused on death penalty cases and as a foster mother who has helped many abused children. This latest novel takes Ruby Spencer to Georgia, where her investigation uncovers crimes that lead to danger and startling revelations about her own life. (Harper, July 21)
“Yellow Pine” by Claire Vaye Watkins. A fiction writer, essayist and college professor, Watkins has made a name for herself in the literary world with her stories of the desert West. In “Yellow Pine,” she unfurls the story of Rose, who is navigating single parenthood among a community of misfits and climate activists deep in the Mojave. “This book is a love story, a warning, and a prayer to the earth and to the children who will soon inherit it,” says an early reader review on Goodreads. (Riverhead, July 21)
“Heart of Glass” by Jennifer Hillier. What happens when an imprisoned serial killer recants a long-ago confession and the body of a new victim suddenly washes ashore? That’s the scenario that confronts Barb and Nicolette, 25 years after their friend Lorelei was murdered by the so-called Carnival Killer in fictional Seaside, Washington. Hillier is the author of seven previous psychological thrillers, including “Things We Do in the Dark,” which Amazon editors rated one of the best books of 2022. (Minotaur Books, Aug. 25)
“Sunrise,” by Téa Obreht. Sunrise, Wyoming, is a mysterious place, “where the secrets of the past refuse to stay buried.” Obreht’s new novel takes place across multiple timelines, from 1902, when the gunslinging town founder returns to take charge of the search for a missing boy, to 2024, when the crash of a small plane leads protagonist Nina to this strange Old West location. It’s the fourth book from Obreht, whose 2011 debut “The Tiger’s Wife” was a finalist for the National Book Award. The author, who was born in the former Yugoslavia, now lives in Wyoming. (Random House, Aug. 11)
Nonfiction
“When the Forest Breathes” by Suzanne Simard. The trailblazing scientist who pioneered the concept of sophisticated communication between trees has a new bestseller that places nature’s own cycles of renewal at the center of a vision for the future of our forests. “When the Forest Breathes” is a reminder of what the natural world can teach us about adaptability, resilience and community. The author is a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia. “Few people can speak about trees with quite as much conviction as Simard,” reviewer Mythili Rao wrote in the Guardian. “One part Indiana Jones, one part Mister Rogers, she is a Canadian national treasure and global environmental icon.” (Knopf, March 31)
“The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing: How to Explore and Enjoy Your Local Waters” by Marc Fryt. We’ve always admired people who fish in urban lakes, streams and other waterways and wondered: Do they eat what they catch? Marc Fryt, a Spokane-based fly-fishing guide, has answers in his new book. “A fishing rod doesn’t just help you find and catch fish, it pulls you into a different relationship with the places you fish, whether those waters are a block away or beyond,” Fryt writes. When it comes to the Spokane River, Fryt says fishing is generally catch-and-release only, with an exception for hatchery-raised trout released into the Upper Falls Reservoir. (Chelsea Green, April 28)
“Vintage Spokane: The Art of Chris Bovey, Vol. 2” by Chris Bovey. The Spokane artist is the owner of Vintage Print and Neon, the Boulevard Building store that features his prints highlighting iconic scenes and landmarks of the Inland Northwest, such as Mount Spokane, Loon Lake and Dick’s Hamburgers. Bovey has compiled a second collection of graphic works, including full-color images of more than 240 original murals, neon signs and posters. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown is writing the forward. (Self-published, June 1)
“52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest” by Kara Patajo. This new guide explores offbeat and little-known destinations, such as eastern Oregon’s beautiful Painted Hills region, and coastal Brookings, Oregon. The book is organized around four seasons of getaways, with detailed recommendations on dining, lodging and activities both indoor and outdoor. It’s a worthwhile addition to your travel bookshelf. (April 14, Sasquatch Books)
“Secret Spokane: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure” by Adriana Janovich. For adventures close to home, the former Spokesman-Review reporter shares ghost tales, favorite finds, historic treasures and even the place where Charles Manson’s mother is buried. (April 1, Reedy Press)
Keep reading
One Book, One Coast: Libraries across Washington, Oregon and California are joining forces to host community discussions of “They Called Us Enemy,” the bestselling graphic memoir by “Star Trek” icon George Takei. The 2019 book tells the story of how 5-year-old Takei and his family were taken from their Los Angeles home and imprisoned as part of the 1940s war-era campaign that sent 125,000 Japanese-Americans into detention camps. More than 100 libraries are participating in what is being called the West Coast’s largest book club, a celebration of community reading that continues through June 6. The Spokane Public Library has three events in May and has partnered with Asians for Collective Liberation Spokane. Digital copies are available on the Libby app. Mark your calendar for a May 31 conversation with Takei that will be livestreamed on Zoom.
From page to screen: Colorado writer and former Northwest Passages guest Peter Heller is known for novels that take his rugged, outdoorsy characters into life-or-death situations and thrilling challenges. This summer, acclaimed director Ridley Scott is adapting Heller’s best-known novel, “The Dog Stars,” into a movie starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin and Margaret Qualley. The post-apocalyptic story centers on Hig (Elordi), a pilot who has survived a pandemic that has wiped out much of humanity, including everyone he knows. A radio transmission inspires Hig and his rifle-toting friend Bangley (Brolin) to fly in search of civilization. Read it now, and catch the movie this summer. (Release date Aug. 28)
A remarkable friendship: On May 8 “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” the bestselling book club favorite about a woman who befriends an octopus, comes to Netflix in a screen adaptation starring actress Sally Field. Four days later, on May 12, author Shelby Van Pelt will join the Northwest Passages Book Club for a (sold-out) conversation with Spokesman-Review Managing Editor Lindsey Treffry about her debut novel and the book’s journey from page to screen. This special event will be available for online viewing.
Martin Wolk is a writer and editor who previously worked for Reuters and NBC News, among other news outlets. He divides his time between Washington state and Utah.