Penguin Random House UK has announced an imprint for the new adult reader category, Dusk, focusing on “romance, fantasy and crossover fiction.” Carmen McCullough and Amina Parchment-Youssef will lead the imprint, which expects to publish it’s first titles fall 2026.

McCullough told The Bookseller, “Some of the most exciting energy in publishing today is coming from a generation of readers who don’t see themselves, or their reading tastes, in traditional categories… They move effortlessly between YA, new adult and adult fiction, between romance and fantasy, discovering books through friends, creators and online communities, and turning the stories they love into genuine cultural moments.”

The winners of the 2026 Colorado Book Awards were revealed at a ceremony located in Denver CO on September 26, 2026. Titles and authors of genre interest in categories with winners of genre interest include:

“We, the Fleet” by Alex T. Singer (Clarkesworld 5/25) is the winner of the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for the best short science fiction story, presented by the J. Wayne and Elsie M. Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction.

The second-place runner up was “The Sack of Burley Cottage” by Rich Larson (Reactor 6/25/25). The third-place runner up was “The Shadow on the Nest” by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Uncanny 9-10/25).

Other finalists were:

Established in 1987 by James Gunn and the heirs of Theodore Sturgeon, including his partner Jayne Engelhart Tannehill and Sturgeon’s children, the Sturgeon Award is “a memorial to one of the great short-story writers in a field distinguished by its short fiction.” This year’s jurors were Elizabeth Bear, Kelly Link, Sarah Pinsker, Noël Sturgeon, and Taryne Taylor.

The award will be presented in-person at the fifth annual Sturgeon Symposium at the Hall Center for the Humanities in Lawrence KS. The Sturgeon Award ceremony, to be held on October 15, 2026, will feature a reception, opening remarks, presentation of the award, a reading by Singer, and a Q&A session. The theme of this year’s symposium is “Expanding Speculative Horizons.” The Symposium itself is from October 15-16.

For more information, see the Gunn Center’s website.

Visit our bookshop.org page to purchase this week’s new books and support your local bookstore. And us!

Alderson, Ben & Samotin, Laura R.: The Darkness Bites Back (Angry Robot UK 978-1836730057, $19.99, 320pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. Tobias, seeking revenge against the vampire who turned him, targets the vampire’s son Alexander, only to find Alexander more principled and devoted than he thought.

Baldree, Travis: Tales from the Territory (Subterranean Press 978-1645243366, $48.00, 224pp, formats: hardcover, 09/30/2026)

Collection of five cozy fantasy stories (three new) set in the world of Legends & Lattes. The Subterranean edition is signed, limited to 1500 copies printed in two colors throughout, with illustrations. Macmillan publishes the audiobook, out on 10/6. Simultaneous with the Macmillan/Tor UK edition.

Banta, Bel: The Court of Venus (Tor 978-1250437136, $29.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Romantic fantasy novel. In a world where magicians’ powers are determined by celestial alignments, Bianca is a rare moon-blessed magician summoned to a deadly court by her onetime rival, Venus-born Roland. Simultaneous with the Macmillan/Tor UK edition.

Davey, Heather: The Memory Tree (Titan Books UK 978-1835414392, $18.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Horror novel. Minister’s wife Kate moves to her husband’s new parish in Hope-under-Barrow, a rural community whose strange rituals and noxious yew tree unnerve Kate.

Duhaime, Zoé: The Lost Spectacular (Kensington/Erewhon 978-1645663348e maladies are cured and people can’t die — seems to be facing an increasing number of ghosts.

Gregovic, Lydia: The False Vow (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 979-8217120680, $21.99, 528pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 09/29/2026)

Young-adult fantasy romance novel, sequel to The Weaver Bride. On the eve of her marriage to Weaver heir Noé, silkwitch Lovett sets out to take down the despotic reign of his father, and also solve a murder mystery.

Ireland, Liz: Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding (Kensington Cozies 978-1496763013, $18.95, 272pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 09/29/2026)

Fantasy mystery novel, seventh in the Mrs. Claus series. Rehearsals for the upcoming community production of A Christmas Carol get disrupted by a foundling baby elf and the murder of the actor playing Tiny Tim. The author also writes as Elizabeth Bass and Liz Freeland.

Janovsky, Timothy: The Invisible Roommate (St. Martin’s Griffin 978-1250394613, $19.00, 320pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 09/29/2026)

Paranormal romance. Gerard, a famed band member fleeing the spotlight, travels to a remote town in the Chesapeake where he rooms with Emory, a scientist who’s tested out his invisibility research on himself.

Kingfisher, T.: Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion (Penguin Random House/Random House Worlds 979-8217298594, $30.00, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Fantasy novel based on the computer game/D&D universe. Astarion, reluctant vampire, sees a chance to escape his servitude in a competition to find the blood of a dead god; he finds an ally in the handsome paladin Hahn. Copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast.

Langan, Sarah: Trad Wife (Simon & Schuster/Atria 978-166822965, $29.00, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Horror novel. Struggling journalist Jenny sets out to write a scathing expose of tradwife influencer Mia and her idyllic family farm, only to become unnerved as the farm itself gives her strange dreams. First US edition (Tor Nightfire UK 5/26).

Mafi, Tahereh: Escape Me (HarperCollins/Storytide 978-0063419100, $21.99, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

YA dystopian romance novel, third in Shatter Me: Series Two. Rosabelle needs to ignore her feelings for James to convince Sebastian she’s still working against the rebels.

McGuire, Seanan: A Divided Duty (Tor 978-1250375278, $29.99, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 09/29/2026)

Fantasy novel, 20th in the October Daye series. Toby is raising her baby with the help of Raysel, who’s been getting help and therapy while serving out a bond; once the bond ends, Raysel’s mother Luna steals her back and Toby must rescue her.

Miller, Sam A.: Still Lost: Tales from 2080 (Penguin Random House UK/Del Rey UK 978-0143139553, $19.00, 336pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Collection of eight linked science fiction stories set on an Earth invaded by aliens. Sardonic, humorous situations include an intelligent baboon being cyberbullied and a shocking secret about grass.

Palahniuk, Chuck & Bailey, Michael: Silent Nightmares (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668212844, $25.00, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Original anthology of 15 horror stories, all set in the longest nights of the year. Authors include Eugen Bacon, Cynthia Pelayo, Josh Malerman, Gabino Iglesias, Alma Katsu, and more.

Ravenscroft, Dorian: The White North Has Thy Bones (Bloomsbury UK/Raven N/A, $15.19, 361pp, formats: ebook, audiobook, 10/01/2026)

Historical horror novel. A London newsman seeks answers about what happened on the HMS Melpomene, a rescue ship that met disaster, amnesia, and alleged possession in the Arctic.

Rose-Teter, Marley: The Bone Brides (Page Street YA 979-8890035004, $22.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

YA dark fantasy novel. Nora, a human grieving her father, must enter the faerie realm at the bottom of a lake to save her girlfriend Lumi, a changeling.

Sanders, DaVaun: Forged in FIYAH (Tordotcom 978-1250360854, $29.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, 09/29/2026)

Anthology of Black science fiction and fantasy commemorating ten years of FIYAH magazine. Authors include Maurice Broaddus, C.L. Clark, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Sheree Renée Thomas, Tobi Ogundiran, and more.

Shinn, Sharon: Tropes (Fairwood Press 978-1958880449, $19.99, 260pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/01/2026)

Collection of fantasy stories and novellas, including one set in the Elemental Blessings universe. Features shapeshifters, unicorns, and a magical city.

Sweazy, Melissa Anderson: The Sisters of Crimson House (Sourcebooks Landmark 978-1464272356, $18.99, 416pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Southern paranormal novel. Charley, the only woman in her family not to inherit psychic gifts, saves their ancestral Memphis manor by becoming a tarot-slinging fraudster, only to have her psychic sister show up.

Tan, Shaun: Hometown (Allen & Unwin (Australia) 978-1923627215, $9.99, 110pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 09/29/2026)

YA graphic novel. A girl with an adoptive family and a community she loves is shocked to have a creature from space arrive and say she’s more like him than her family.

Thorne, Jennifer: Newbourne Park (Penguin Random House/Putnam 979-8217177769, $30.00, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Horror novel. Stressed-out Martha is grateful when a family friend offers her a not-quite-legal getaway at mega-mansion Newbourne, whose owner is supposed to be gone — only for the owner to return, different, at night. Simultaneous with the Titan Books UK edition.

Warner, Dan: Wither (Bloomsbury USA 978-1639736409, $36.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

SF horror novel. A year ago, Mick went off-grid to test Regression, a black-box technology that creates a person’s perfect digital twin — after disaster, he returns to civilization, only to find everything deserted.

Waters, Martha: Spellstruck (Simon & Schuster/Atria 978-1668215241, $18.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Historical fantasy romance novel. In an alternate 1920s London where magic is forbidden, Vesper runs a magic speakeasy but must join forces with Max Ashbridge, a government agent.

Wehunt, Michael: The Nightjars (St. Martin’s 978-1250333728, $30.00, 318pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Horror novel. In the middle of a date, Luke is given a photograph of himself as a child with a murdered body in the background, none of which he can remember; a new string of serial killings points towards him.

Wexler, Django: The Only Way Out Is Up (Orbit US 978-0316392600, $19.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Dystopian novel, first in The Sigilist series. Junkyard worker Taj is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in the Ascent, which could elevate him, his family, and his smart-ass robot Star to a richer level. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

Williams, Jen: The Dreamless (St. Martin’s/Wednesday Books 978-1250409317, $22.00, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Young-adult fantasy romance novel, sequel to The Sleepless. Elver, sacrificed yet again, comes back from the dead more jih than human, and Artair/Lucian must deal with their feelings for her in their shared body.

Yarros, Rebecca: Threshing Day (Entangled/Red Tower 978-1682818084, $24.99, 208pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/29/2026)

Collection of 13 stories featuring characters from the Empyrean fantasy romance series. Features 16 illustrations by Joe Requeza.

Zelkowitz, Jeff: The Mask of the Storyteller (EurekaSignal Press 979-8995521501, $19.95, 396pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/01/2026)

Young-adult dystopian fantasy novel. In an Arctic troubled by climate change and a bureaucratic regime, Aggie Brown and her classmate Tommy Tulugaq get entangled with an Inuit mask, a melting ice cap, and an conspiracy. A first novel.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.

The longlists for the Singapore Literature Prize (SLP) have been announced. Titles and authors of genre interest in the Prose category include:

The Bookseller has announced the shortlists for the second annual British Audio Awards, also called the Speakies, “a prestigious new awards dedicated to celebrating excellence in audiobooks and audio drama, brought to you by The Bookseller and The Stage.” Categories, titles, and authors of genre interest include:

Six titles debut in the top 10 on one or more lists this week. The two most prominent are Leigh Bardugo’s Dead Beat (Flatiron), third in the author’s Ninth House trilogy, ranking #1 at New York Times, and Emily St. John Mandel’s Exit Party (Knopf), ranking #1 at Los Angeles Times. Other debuts are by Keri Lake, Jasmine Mas, B.K. Borison, and Devney Perry.

The table shows the current rank of each book and the change since last week, where:

= same as last week

+/- change since last week

+ back on list

++ new on list

x no longer on list (number of x’s: weeks off list)

All lists rank hardcovers and paperbacks separately, except for the USA Today list, which is a single list combining fiction and nonfiction in all formats. Dates shown are posted dates, except those in parentheses, which are dates compiled. New York Times posts its list one week in advance of print publication.

Note that some sources do not compile paperback bestsellers, and some exclude YA books (like the Harry Potter series) from their hardcover and paperback fiction lists.

S.C. Bandreddi, The Game of Oaths (Candlewick 6/26) Bandreddi’s debut outing is a young-adult historical dark fantasy novel about a magical circus in 1896 Paris. Performers trapped by contracts are forced to compete in a deadly tournament to entertain the elite while promising freedom for the winner – but one competitor is more interested in revenge. Full of magic and brutal action, with a diverse cast dealing with issues of colonialism that add a serious touch.

Maurice Broaddus, A City Dreaming (Tor 6/26) The third and final volume in the Astra Black trilogy offers a complex mix of political intrigue and action, as a signal from a wormhole promises new arrivals, triggering conflicts across the solar system that threaten the Muungano Empire.

Ellen Datlow, ed., Lovecraft’s Brood (Tachyon 7/26) A new anthology by noted editor Datlow offers 19 stories of cosmic dread from the last 20 years, with new takes on Lovecraftian themes. Authors include Laird Barron, Elizabeth Hand, Caitlín R. Kiernan, T. Kingfisher, Steve Rasnic Tem, Paul Tremblay, and L. Marie Wood.

Kate Heartfield, Mercutio (Harper Voyager UK 5/26) In this ‘‘prequel’’ to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s witty friend Mercutio gets his own story told, as he and Dante Alighieri team up to stop a Faerie invasion into the real world.

Allan Kaster, ed., The Year’s Top Hard Science Fiction Stories 10 (Infinivox 6/26) The latest volume in this popular SF year’s best anthology presents 11 stories from 2025 by an impressive roster of writers, including Vera Brook, Isabel J. Kim, Nancy Kress, Allen M. Steele, Bruce Sterling & Paul Di Filippo, and Peter Watts.

Justin C. Key, The Hospital at the End of the World (Harper 2/26) This near-future SF novel imagines a world ‘‘in which hospitals are run entirely by AI and where doctors are little more than glorified software engineers.’’ [Ian Mond] Pok, a medical student, is forced to work in the only hospital not run by algorithms and learn how to deal with patients in a human way, all while trying to uncover his father’s secret.

Haralambi Markov, The Language of Knives (Mythic Delirium 7/26) A collection of 13 dark fantasy/horror stories, four new, many involving elements of Slavic myth, dark humor, and questions of queer identity. This is Markov’s first collection, with an introduction by Ann VanderMeer.

Alex Shvartsman, The Best of All Possible Planets (UFO Publishing 7/26) A satirical SF space opera novel, inspired primarily by Voltaire’s Candide (and not a little Douglas Adams), but with dozens more inspirations (and targets) from genre and pop culture (a list is provided). ‘‘But an exhaustive hunt for every Easter Egg would go against the spirit of this breezy read. Just relax and let the ride take you away from the actual world for a bit.’’ [Adrienne Martini] A small group sets out to get a new protective force shield for Earth, AKA Planet Dirt, and chaos naturally ensues.

Jen St. Jude, Where You’ll Find Us (Bloomsbury US 6/26) This young-adult fantasy novel follows a disowned queer teen who finds a farmhouse out of time where queer kids from different decades have found refuge and share their experiences – until one day the clock starts ticking again.

Adrian Tchaikovsky, The Best of Adrian Tchaikovsky (Subterranean 6/26) A hefty collection of 37 stories, chosen by the prolific author as his best, and with an Introduction by John Scalzi. Tchaikovsky notes he chose to omit some previously collected stories (notably those in his Shadows of the Apt series and his Lovecraftian Mythos stories) – what remains is a plentiful and entertaining mix of SF, fantasy, and ‘‘weirdness’’ that spans most of Tchaikovsky’s career, from early to recent tales.

#noinsta

What new books are worth adding to your reading list this week? Our September 22, 2026 new releases video explores the newest titles arriving across Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult fiction.

From vast futuristic worlds and magical adventures to eerie horror, supernatural discoveries, and captivating YA stories, this week’s lineup offers plenty of fresh possibilities for speculative fiction readers. We’ve gathered a selection of new and notable releases to help you discover your next book to pick up.

Be sure to subscribe for more weekly videos covering the latest Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult releases. Thanks for watching, and join us next week as we take a look at another wave of new books hitting shelves!

Union Square & Co. has launched Singularity, a new line of paperback novellas led by Union Square editorial director Mika Kasuga. They plan to publish “10-12 titles each year” of “high-impact, one-sitting fiction.”

Works of genre interest scheduled for Fall 2026 include Zero Lives Remaining by Adam Cesare, a new edition of I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison, and The Waiter by Kwan Ann Tan. Those scheduled for early 2027 include You Just Have to Ask Me by Hadeer Elsbai, The Upper Tentacle by Amanda Helms, Sweet Saints by Cassandra Khaw, and Shouting Distance by Cherie Priest.

Senior vice president and publisher at Union Square Emily Meehan said,

The Singularity program was born out of conversations Mika and I had about reduced attention spans and the desire for more a more snack-sized reading experience that doesn’t compromise depth for length. We wanted to celebrate the novella as a format and use the program as yet another platform to showcase Union Square’s commitment to create books that resonate deeply with readers—especially ones looking for accessible, sophisticated stories in our ever more distracted, digital reality.

For more information, see the official announcement.

COVER REVEAL: Check out this dramatic cover for Battle for the Drømme, by Charles R. Cooke and Christopher X. Ryan, coming out September 29 from Driller Press.

From the publisher:

The Underground expands with Battle for the Drømme, the next action-packed novel from Charles R. Cooke and Christopher X. Ryan.

Häzzel has never ventured beyond the Drømme, the notorious trading post where smugglers, gangsters, and politicians all do business under the same roof in the frozen north of Tovsta.

When Ruslan, the newly crowned Supreme Archdeacon, begins tearing through the underground, demanding submission to his ruinous new tax, he sets his sights on the Drømme. Not to control it, but to destroy it.

With no army and no time, Häzzel does the unthinkable. She journeys into the Ulak Mountains in search of the legendary City of Lost Soldiers, a refuge for exiled warriors, disgraced soldiers, and mercenaries who fight for one thing alone: a price.

To reach them, she’ll risk everything. To hire them, she’ll have to survive them.

If she fails, the Drømme burns. If she succeeds, the battle for the Drømme begins, and something far worse may rise with it.

[sponsored content]

The six-title shortlist for the 2026 Booker Prize has been announced, with works and writers of genre interest including The End of Everything by M. John Harrison (Serpent’s Tail) and The Disappearers by Marlon James (Riverhead).

Harrison, James, and other shortlisted authors receive £2,500. The winner, to receive £50,000, will be announced November 9, 2026.

For previous titles of genre interest listed for the Booker, see past Locus coverage of the award.

Visit our bookshop.org page to purchase this week’s new books and support your local bookstore. And us!

Bellefleur, Alexandria: Damned if I Do (Penguin Random House/Berkley Romance 978-0593952528, $20.00, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Contemporary fantasy romance novel. Effie sold her soul to Lucifer centuries ago, and to proceed with her engagement to demon Belphagor, she has to persuade the reincarnation of her past human husband to divorce her.

Bhathena, Tanaz: Witch Daughter (Grand Central 978-1538780862, $29.00, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Fantasy novel based the epic poem Shahnameh. With her royal father in poor health, Princess Tahmineh rashly commits herself to a prophesied romance with warrior Rostam, only to discover that their fated marriage has dire consequences for him and their son.

Blue, Sarah: The Slayer Seduction (self-published No ISBN, $3.99, 328pp, formats: ebook, audiobook, 09/25/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, third in the Celestial Witches series. Convinced she’s a demon, Slayer courts a woman, possessing a man’s body to do so — and she’s torn between freeing the man, Adam, and her attraction to Slayer.

Due, Tananarive: Mazywood (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668075142, $32.00, 512pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. Filmmaker Johnny brings his family to Mazywood, cabin retreat of his grandmother, famed Black actress Mazelle Washington, and discovers dark, terrifying secrets there. Simultaneous with the Titan UK edition.

Garber, Stephanie: The Mirror of Infinite Endings (Macmillan/Flatiron 978-1250462039, $21.99, 256pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Fantasy novel, a companion to the Once Upon a Broken Heart series. A secret might reshape the story of Jacks and Evangeline in the Hollow. Features ttwenty full-page illustrations by Lotusbubble. Simultaneous with the Gollancz UK edition.

Golden, Christopher: Carry Me to My Grave (Titan Books UK 978-1835419472, £9.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. Malcolm holds a vigil at the bedside of his dying mother and alleged witch, about whom local children used to chant: Maggie Wise will take your eyes. First UK edition (St. Martin’s 7/26).

Grace, Adalyn: The Wretched Divine (Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends 978-1250397751, $32.99, 512pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. Aurelie, a knight raised to kill demons, is torn between demon Severin and her family’s angel Yuriel as they seek a cure to turn demons back into humans. The author’s first adult novel. Simultaneous with the Gollancz UK edition.

Graudin, Ryan: Bright and Broken Things (Orbit US/Redhook 978-0316419185, $19.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Historical fantasy novel. World War 1 survivor Ezra, haunted with magical abilities, stumbles into a lethal high-society Order and is drawn into a high-stakes treasure-hunt race during the “Egyptomania” craze of the 1920s.

Hardy, MK: The Haunting of Avis Lovelock (Profile/Solaris UK 978-1837866960, £9.99, 350pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/24/2026)

Historical haunting novel. Professional debunker Avis is brought aboard to the ocean liner Excambion to prove it’s not haunted, though twin spiritualists, apparitions, and a death complicate things. The author is a pen name for Morag Hannah & Erin Hardee.

Hellisen, CL: The Shape of Monsters (Macmillan/Tor UK 978-1037401190, £20.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/24/2026)

Fantasy novel. Estranged siblings Aleks and Vaira return to their family’s old gothic mansion, a locus of dark and wild magic. First UK (Orbit US 2026).

Helm, Deena: Our Cut of Salt (Tor/Nightfire 978-1250434661, $27.99, 288pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. Marina and her mother return to their grandmother’s home in Haifa, Palestine, but the deeper Marina reaches into their family’s history, the more she becomes affected with a mysterious illness and potential haunting.

Katsu, Alma: Incarnate (Penguin Random House/Putnam 979-8217177707, $21.00, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. Dorothy, onetime influencer now working at a tech company, uses deepfake software to create the viral sensation Isabella, only for violence to break out when someone gets too close to the truth.

Moore, Marshall J.: The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing (Penguin Random House/Bantam Dell 979-8217374168, $21.00, , formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Paranormal novel. Overworked henchman Igor forms a bond with fellow underlings — witch’s cat Grimalkin and vampire’s bride Cornelia — and together they decide to rise up against their servitude.

Mortlock, Amanda: Strange Bedfellows (Simon & Schuster/Atria/Bestler 978-1668205778, $20.00, 448pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. College student Cleo meets brooding musician Wes, though sometimes she shapeshifts into his pet cat — in fact, he’s a witch and she’s his familiar, with a dark shared history. A first novel.

Mostyn-Brown, Megan: The Need (Penguin Random House/Del Rey 979-8217093984, $28.00, 288pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. In a world where a hereditary condition called The Need makes some people desperate to eat human flesh, a single mother and her kids are drawn by secrets towards an affluent, fashionable cannibal family in New York.

O’Donnell, Tom: Lucy Kline: Necromancer (St. Martin’s/Wednesday Books 978-1250353122, $13.99, 336pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Young-adult horror novel. Nancy-Drew-like detective Lucy thought she solved the grim case and presumed murder of her sister Luisa, but a girl who looks just like Louisa goes missing, and Lucy starts to suspect there’s more necromantic things going on.

Panatier, Chris: Worry Box (Angry Robot 978-1836730323, $19.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. The Martin family moves into a house whose cozy attic might help their foster child, Lailah, deal with her intrusive thoughts; but these thoughts start to get more violent, to her panic.

Reyes, Sonido: To Our Untamed Core (HarperCollins/Versify 978-0063358447, $19.99, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Young-adult dystopian novel. In an alternate world where the Holy Order rules in the wake of the conquistadors, Temo, a teen trans boy living in secret, enters the battle-to-the-death game El Torneo to save his boyfriend Ollin.

Ridley, Erica: Insatiable (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 979-8217117413, $12.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Young-adult horror novel. Catriona receives a mysterious scholarship to an island boarding school where the girls are outnumbered and harassed by boys. After a violent attack, she develops powers and a hunger to devour predatory males.

Rosson, Keith: Crone (Penguin Random House/Random House 978-0593733431, $30.00, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. Ex-detective, ex-addict, and grieving father Eli Lamp works as an enforcer for a drug gang, only for a murder to bring him closer to his own daughter’s disappearance ten years ago.

Rushby, A.: All Her Beautiful Deaths (Penguin Random House/Berkley 978-0593954676, $30.00, 464pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Gothic horror novel. In 1865 London, maid Minnie discovers odd behavior in the Culpepper family’s twins, including glassplate photography of a dead woman. In the present, artist Hadley finds herself involved with the centuries-old photographs…and the Culpepper estate trying bury them. Author also writes as Allison Rushby and A.J. Rushby.

Shepherd, Ben: Blood Drunk (Macmillan/Tor UK 978-1035083831, £20.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/24/2026)

Urban fantasy novel. After a failed hit for his gangster uncle, Freddie stumbles into an underworld of vampires and monsters, where he’s aided by his ability to draw magical strength from deaths.

Smith, Bryan: Monstrous (Flame Tree Press UK 978-1787589940, $26.95, 256pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 09/22/2026)

Cosmic horror novel. An aspiring serial killer, his intended first victim, and a woman with a dark secret are on a remote mountain, where they’re transported to a surreal, endless field with a seemingly abandoned skyscraper that they must enter.

Smyth, Courtney: The Undetectables: The Unfathomable Curse (Titan Books UK 978-1835412213, $18.99, 496pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Fantasy mystery novel, third in The Undetectables series. Broadwick heiress Cornelia finds herself estranged from her family, only for a new serial killer — the Wickermere Reaper — to snatch her twin sisters and force her back into contact with her relatives. An international edition with US and UK prices.

South, Carrie Lee: In the Woods They Wait (Little, Brown/Mulholland Books 978-0316608985, $29.00, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 09/22/2026)

Horror novel. Park ranger Audrey Figg investigates the disappearance of a child in Devil’s Den, a park in the Ozarks, eerily similar to her little brother’s case there fifteen years before. A first novel.

Strahan, Jonathan: Revolution in the Heart (Titan Books UK 978-1835412749, £22.00, 496pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 09/22/2026)

Original anthology of 15 new stories inspired by the work of Ursula K. Le Guin. Authors include Karen Joy Fowler, AI Jiang, Ann Leckie, Darcie Little Badger, Kelly Link, Premee Mohamed and E. Lily Yu.

Watts, Peter: Fold Catastrophes (Tachyon Publications 978-1616964672, $18.95, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 09/22/2026)

Collection of 11 science fiction stories about future technology: a weaponized water supply that reprograms the brain, an accidental hive mind, a ship trying to pass through a sun by shielding itself with an ice planet, and more. Introduction by Richard K. Morgan.

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The most prominent debut this week is Penn Cole’s Burn of the Everflame (Atria), fourth in the Kindred’s Curse Saga, ranking #1 on three of the print lists compiled here. Other debuts: Alice Hoffman’s The Witches of Cambridge (Scribner), on three lists, and associational novel Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang, ranking in the top 10 on four lists.

The table shows the current rank of each book and the change since last week, where:

= same as last week

+/- change since last week

+ back on list

++ new on list

x no longer on list (number of x’s: weeks off list)

All lists rank hardcovers and paperbacks separately, except for the USA Today list, which is a single list combining fiction and nonfiction in all formats. Dates shown are posted dates, except those in parentheses, which are dates compiled. New York Times posts its list one week in advance of print publication.

Note that some sources do not compile paperback bestsellers, and some exclude YA books (like the Harry Potter series) from their hardcover and paperback fiction lists.

The post Weekly Bestsellers, 21 September 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Longlists for the National Book Awards (NBA) have been announced. Categories, authors, and books of genre interest include:

Fiction

Young People’s Literature

Translated Literature

The judges for the Fiction award are Matt Bell, Caro De Robertis (chair), Danielle King, Akhil Sharma, and Diane Wilson. Judges for the Young People’s Literature award are Edith Campbell, Brandy Colbert (chair), Tricia Ebarvia, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and Anne Ursu. Judges for the Translated Fiction award are Shelley Fairweather-Vega, Javier García del Moral, John Keene, Christopher Merrill (chair), and Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi.

The Poetry and Nonfiction longlists were also announced, and Lifetime Achievement recipients Salman Rushdie and Perri Klass were previously announced. Finalists, who receive a prize of $1,000, a medal, and a judges’ citation, will be announced October 6, 2026. Winners, who receive $10,000 and a bronze sculpture, will be honored at the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony on November 18, 2026.

For more information, including the complete longlists, see the National Book Foundation website.

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Matt Dinniman had a very good June, with four books in his Dungeon Crawler Carl series taking the top four spots on our hardcover list. Carl’s Doomsday Scenario came in first, followed closely by The Gate of the Feral Gods. We Burned So Bright (Tor), TJ Klune’s new end-of-the-world standalone novel, was our first runner-up. There were 51 nominated titles, up from 45 last month.

Matt Dinniman continued his dominance on the trade paperback list with Dungeon Crawler Carl flipping last month’s order, and coming in first over Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, last month’s winner and this month’s second place. Our new runner-up was Sarah J. Maas’s Kingdom of Ash (Bloomsbury US), the seventh book in her Throne of Glass series. Seventy-two titles were nominated, up from last month’s 63.

Two books by Dan Abnett tied for first place on our media and gam­ing-related list, Warhammer 40,000: Eisenhorn: The Omnibus and Warhammer 40,000: The Horus Heresy: Horus Rising. Critical Role: Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon come in a close second. There were no new runners-up. We had 20 titles nominated, up from 15 last month

Compiled with data from: Bakka-Phoenix (Canada), Book Moon (MA), Borderlands (CA), McNally Robinson (two in Canada), Mysterious Galaxy (CA), Toadstool (two in NH), White Dwarf (Canada).

Data period: June 2026

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Ready to find your next book to dive into? Our September 15, 2026 new releases video takes a fresh look at this week’s latest arrivals in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult fiction.

This week brings another mix of imaginative settings, epic journeys, chilling encounters, supernatural mysteries, and engaging YA stories. Whether you’re looking for your next big speculative-fiction read or simply want to see what’s new on bookstore shelves, we’ve rounded up a selection of titles worth checking out.

For more weekly coverage of new Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult releases, make sure to subscribe and join us each week as we explore the latest books hitting shelves. Thanks for watching, and we’ll be back next week with another batch of new releases!

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Montréal 2027, the 85th World Science Fiction Convention, has added Linda D. Addison and Cory Doctorow as guests of honor. Doctorow will be toastmaster for Montréal 2027.

Addison and Doctorow join previously announced guests of honor Chris Barkley, Jeph Jacques, Yves Meynard, and Jo Walton. Montréal 2027 Worldcon will be held September 2-6, 2027 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in Québec, Canada. For more information, see the official website.

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The National Book Foundation has announced that it will present Salman Rushdie with the 2026 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (DCAL) at this year’s National Book Awards Ceremony on November 18, 2026. Author Kiran Desai will present the award.

The DCAL Medal was created in 1988 “to recognize a lifetime of literary achievement.” Prior recipients of genre interest include Ursula K. Le Guin, Toni Morrison, and Walter Mosley. The recipient receives a solid brass medal, as well as $10,000.

For more information, see the official announcement.

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