The temps are {much} cooler and the days are shorter, which means there’s no better time than now to curl with a good book on the couch. Whether you’re looking for a good thriller or something historical, we’ve got you covered. Thanks to our writer + the woman behind @HobokenBooksta, we’ve rounded up some great books for you to crack open this month. Keep reading to discover four must-read books for your November book binge.
The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup
Genre: Thriller/Horror
One of the most anticipated thrillers of the year, The Chestnut Man, tells the gripping story of a psychopathic serial killer terrorizing Copenhagen. The only clue left behind: a little man crafted from chestnuts and matchsticks. Things begin to spiral out of control when the fingerprint of a prominent government official’s daughter turns up at an unrelated crime scene. Is it possible that after almost a year there is hope she is still alive? Are the two crimes connected or just a freak coincidence? There are too many unanswered questions and unconnected dots haunting the authorities as they try to make sense of things.
In a frantic race against the clock, two detectives are forced to work together, despite their conflicting personalities, to hunt down the killer in hopes of stopping more gruesome murders. Prepare to tear right through this bone-chilling novel and to never sleep again. The horror of The Chestnut Man will haunt you long after you put it down.
See More: 4 Local Authors To Read This Fall
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Genre: Historical Fiction
Instantly be swept away by this enchanting and witty novel by Elizabeth Gilbert about a young woman looking to make a name for herself in NYC during the 1940s. Vivian Morris is 19 and a Vassar college dropout. Much to her parents’ dismay and disappointment, she is also single with zero marriage prospects. Desperate for a break from their daughter’s antics and lackluster ambition, the Morris’ ship her off to her quirky Aunt Peg’s in New York City. Peg owns an unconventional and dilapidated theater known as the Lily Playhouse, complete with a wide range of bizarre characters from glamorous showgirls to a washed-up, reclusive playwright. Vivian is sucked right into all of the allure and charm of this new lifestyle. She befriends one of the showgirls, who shows her just how fun {and dangerous} NYC nightlife can be.
When Vivian makes a critical mistake that involves a famous actress and her famous actor husband, she learns the hard way that some things can never be undone. As the years pass, Vivian slowly but surely comes to terms with the repercussions of her actions as she establishes her individuality.
A truly whimsical novel complete with glitz, glamour, drama, and scandal — The City of Girls will transport you to another world and another time, the perfect escape from reality.
Happy as Larry by Kaethe Cherney
Genre: Coming of Age
In the 1970s, New York is not a friendly place for a fatherless {and practically motherless} teenage girl. After the devastating death of her beloved father, Saskia is beyond lost. Her siblings are on a path of self-destruction, her mother is having a wildly inappropriate affair with her brother’s friend. She feels like she’s the only one that cares about keeping their damaged family together.
When her mother abandons her children to pursue romantic interests, Saskia’s brother and sister both find solace in a dangerous psychosexual cult, leaving Saskia to fend for herself. Alone, afraid, and angry at the world, Saskia decides giving into the mind-numbing, drug-induced stupor is favorable to soberly coping with her disastrous life.
Happy As Larry is a poignant and heartbreaking story about a family, struggling to keep it together and to figure it out after their world is unfairly turned upside down.
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Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
Genre: Thriller
Desperate for a fresh start and a reliable income, Jules seizes the opportunity to take an apartment sitting gig in one of the most luxurious buildings in New York City. Being paid more than she could ever imagine just to occupy space in a stunning apartment seems too good to be true. Adjusting to life at the Bartholomew is easier than she thought it would be, despite all the strange rules. When weird things start to happen like the sudden disappearance of her neighbor/fellow apartment sitter and strange, unexplainable noises at night, Jules struggles to shake off the ominous feeling that something is amiss. But when she finally realizes there is something not right about this building and its residents, it might be too late to save herself. Pick up Riley Sager’s latest nail-biting thriller to cure those Sunday scaries.
Which of these books will you be reading this month? Let us know in the comments below!
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