The 20 best new books to read in May 2021

01 of 20

The Last Thing He Told Me, by Laura Dave

The Last Think He Told Me — Simon and Schuster

Currently in the works as an Apple TV+ adaptation starring Julia Roberts, this page-turner opens as the protagonist's husband disappears — on the same day it's announced that his company is being investigated by the federal government. He leaves her only a clandestine note about his daughter ("Save Bailey"), kicking off a wild ride that sees the mother-stepdaughter pair traveling across the country to uncover what really happened. (May 4)

02 of 20

Sunshine Girl, by Julianna Margulies

In an unflinching memoir, the Good Wife actress opens up about her disjointed childhood, her parents' messy divorce, her rise to fame, and of course, George Clooney. (May 4)

03 of 20

The Wreckage of My Presence, by Casey Wilson

The comedian, podcast host, and — perhaps most notably — People's Most Beautiful 40-year-old pens a collection of essays inspired by the grief she felt surrounding her mother's passing, and the people (and costars) who helped her through. She shares rip-roaring stories about her wacky upbringing and her early days on the comedy scene, and reflects on the lessons she's learned so far. (May 4)

04 of 20

Great Circle, by Maggie Shipstead

A gargantuan of a novel at just over 600 pages, Circle weaves two together two story lines: the coming-of-age tale of fearless female pilot Marian Graves, saved from a sinking ocean liner in 1914 and eventually lost forever attempting a record-breaking flight around the world, and the making of a movie about her life in current-day Hollywood. It's a feat of story in every sense. (May 4)

05 of 20

Secrets of Happiness, by Joan Silber

As protagonist Ethan grapples with the aftermath of a reveal about his father's second (and secret) family, he finds himself inside his own love triangle. (May 4)

06 of 20

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, by Chanel Cleeton

A historical fiction novel based on the life of Evangelina Cisneros, about three revolutionary women in 19th-century Havana. (May 4)

07 of 20

Hurricane Summer, by Asha Bromfield

Narrator Tilla is beginning a summer in Jamaica visiting her semi-estranged father when she uncovers powerful family secrets that affect her own life — all while a hurricane threatens to bear down on the island. This coming-of-age tale tackles colorism, classicism, and more. (May 4)

08 of 20

Second Place, by Rachel Cusk

Loosely based on famous art patron Mabel Dodge Luhan's relationship with D.H. Lawrence, Cusk's novel veers off course from her usual literary fare with a story about a woman living in a rural European town, enduring some light existential crises and middle-aged malaise while also entertaining a successful artist on her property. (May 4)

09 of 20

Sorrowland, by Rivers Solomon

This genre-bending debut blends gothic fiction with fantasy elements, following a woman who escapes her religious compound with her newborn twins to live in the woods. (May 11)

10 of 20

Competitive Grieving, by Nora Zelevansky

A dark comedy about a woman dealing with the sudden loss of her closest friend, who just happened to be a rising television star. (May 11)

11 of 20

While Justice Sleeps, by Stacey Abrams

The political leader, who has long moonlighted as a romance novelist under the pen name Selena Montgomery, releases her first legal thriller — starring Avery Keene, a young law clerk who uncovers a conspiracy theory that involves her boss, a beloved Supreme Court justice. (May 11)

12 of 20

The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz

A novelist and professor, who stole the idea for his latest book from his now-dead student, receives an anonymous email that simply says, "You are a thief." The plot, as they say, thickens. (May 11)

13 of 20

Unsettled Ground, by Claire Fuller

Middle-aged twins Jeanie and Julius, who live in near isolation in the English countryside (with no Wi-Fi or other modern technologies to be found) are forced to fend for themselves after the sudden death of their mother — and to come to grips with the reality that they don't have the idyllic family life they once thought. (May 18)

14 of 20

Yes, Daddy, by Jonathan Parks-Ramage

An aspiring playwright begins dating his idol, only to uncover ugliness in a glamorous world. (May 18)

15 of 20

Punch Me Up to the Gods, by Brian Broome

This devastatingly beautiful memoir about growing up Black and gay in rural Ohio introduces a major literary talent in Broome. (May 18)

16 of 20

Highway Blue, by Ailsa McFarlane

The classic road trip novel gets a modern upgrade thanks to McFarlane, a highly promising young writer who's crafted a story about a young couple forced to flee their town (the fictional San Padua) by car. (May 18)

17 of 20

Tokyo Ever After, by Emiko Jean

Izumi Tanaka is struggling to fit in in her Northern California town when she discovers that her estranged father is actually the crown prince of Japan — so she travels to meet him and get to know the country, where she encounters sinister family members, a nosy press corps, and potential love. (May 18)

18 of 20

The Summer Job, by Lizzy Dent

Protagonist Birdy takes a (what else?) summer job at a hotel in the Scottish Highlands, where she must pretend to be her best friend — who is also a wine expert. (May 18)

19 of 20

Imposter Syndrome, by Kathy Wang

A famous Silicon Valley tech company, a female COO under extra scrutiny, a Russian spy ring threatening to close in on the U.S. — Kathy Wang's sophomore novel has all the trappings of a book impossible to put down. It follows Julia, a plant sent over from Moscow who landed at Tangerine (a riff on Google), and Alice, a first-generation Chinese American who discovers a security blip that hints at Julia's two-sided work. (May 25)

20 of 20

Version Zero, by David Yoon

A tech expert gets blacklisted from all the major Silicon Valley companies and decides to enact revenge by rebooting the Internet. The entire Internet. (May 25)