Hot reads: 25 new books for summer

Show Caption Hide Caption 5 new books to read this summer This summer offers a host of intriguing books for your vacation read.

Summer in the Valley means one of two things: You're leaving town or staying indoors. We've got the books to accompany you for either option.

Here are 25 of the most promising titles coming out in the new few weeks, including some books already available.

So, whether you're reading on a plane, on the beach or just in your air-conditioned bedroom, there should be something here to pique your interest.

CRIME AND SUSPENSE

'Dragon Teeth,' Michael Crichton

He fused science and suspense in “The Andromeda Strain” and “Jurassic Park,” and although Crichton died in 2008, he left behind this manuscript inspired by science history: a knock-down, drag-out rivalry between two rival fossil hunters scouring the Old West for dinosaur bones. (Harper, $28.99. Out now.)

'Defectors,' Joseph Kanon

Cain and Abel in the Cold War? The latest historical thriller from the author of “The Good German” travels to Moscow in the late 1960s, where onetime double agents from the West live in an odd limbo as heroes to the Soviet cause who still, as traitors to their own countries, can never be trusted. Among them is CIA turncoat Frank Weeks, who persuades his brother Simon to travel behind the Iron Curtain to help him edit his memoirs – but might be playing a deeper, deadly game. (Atria Books, $27. Out now.)

'The Force,' Don Winslow

One corrupt New York cop becomes a window on a dysfunctional justice and political system in this highly praised novel from the author of “Savages” and “The Cartel.” It’s drawn comparisons to everything from “The Shield” to “The Godfather” – the latter by Stephen King – and a film adaptation is in the works, possibly to be directed by James Mangold (“Logan”). (William Morrow, $27.99. June 20.)

'Unsub,' Meg Gardiner

The title is short for “unknown subject,” the labeled attached to the serial killer in this mystery that launches a new series starring San Francisco detective Caitlin Hendrix. The daughter of a cop, she finds herself investigating a killer who might be the same one her father failed to catch years ago. The setup doesn’t sound all that unusual, but Gardiner is getting rave reviews (Publishers Weekly: “sympathetic characters play against a terrifying villain, who will crawl beneath your skin and trouble your sleep”), and CBS has already snapped up the rights for a TV adaptation. (Dutton, $26. June 27.)

'The Right Side,' Spencer Quinn

Mystery buffs and dog lovers united behind Quinn’s quirky Chet and Bernie series, told from the point of view of a detective’s loyal canine companion. Now the author removes his tongue from his cheek and digs deeper for another dog-related story. It’s about war veteran LeAnne Hogan, who lost an eye in Afghanistan and battles PTSD back home. “There’s a minor road-trip thread, and a mystery too, but this is primarily a psychological drama,” says Kirkus Reviews. (Atria Books, $26. June 27.)

ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMOUS AUTHORS

‘I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons,’ Kevin Hart with Neil Strauss

The superstar comedian tells his story, touching on his relationship with a drug-addicted father and an overprotective mother in addition to life on Hollywood’s A-List. The chapters are interspersed with so-called “life lessons.” Sample: “The toughest transition is the transition to understanding that being yourself is all you need to be.” (Atria Books, $26.99. Out now.)

‘Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens,’ Eddie Izzard

The brilliant comedian offers a memoir that not only includes the expected “rise to fame” stories, but such topics as losing his mother at age 6. “It was the loss of her affection that affected me so deeply,” he tells Publishers Weekly. “I don’t feel her death caused my creativity, but my own sense of determination to succeed as a comic performer did.” (Penguin Group, $28. June 13.)

‘Who I Am,' Charlotte Rampling

And who is she? Well, she’s a veteran British actress who made her film debut in 1966’s classic “Georgy Girl” and received an Oscar nomination just last year playing a troubled wife in “45 Years.” Her book is not a conventional memoir: “Who Am I: not a biography, or a song, or a betrayal, barely a novel — let’s say a ballad, one of those you hum, like ‘The Ballad of the Ladies of Time Past,’” she writes in the opening. (Icon Books, $16.95. June 13.)

‘Do You Know Who I Am?,' Tim Pigott-Smith

The British actor made a name for himself with the 1984 miniseries “The Jewel in the Crown,” and he also appeared on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination in 2016 for “King Charles III.” His career was very diverse, ranging from guest spots on “Doctor Who” to big-budget films like “Clash of the Titans” and “Quantum of Solace.” Pigott-Smith died in April at age 70, shortly after completing his memoir. His autobiography has already been published in England, where it's been acclaimed: "He has no qualms about baring his soul for us with candor, humor and an undertow of melancholy," Simon Williams writes in the Telegraph. (Bloomsbury Continuum, $28. June 20.)

RELATED: Acclaimed actor Tim Pigott-Smith, 'Jewel in the Crown' star, dies

‘Go Slow: The Life of Julie London,’ Michael Owen

This is the first biography of London, the sultry blonde bombshell whose unique career encompassed both acting — she starred in films and was a regular on TV’s “Emergency!" — and a 14-year year stretch as a recording artist in which she emerged as a vixenish pin-up for jazz fans. She introduced the standard “Cry Me a River” in 1955, and her recording became a classic, thanks to her intimate vocal style. Owen's fascinating, clear-eyed portrait examines her work and looks at her decision to walk away from show business in the ‘70s, as well as her apparent indifference to her career. (Chicago Review Press, $29.99. July 1.)

HORROR, FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

'Gwendy’s Button Box,' Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

Horror icon Stephen King serves up a supernatural coming-of-age story. The title character spends her teenage years as the caretaker for a mysterious box with buttons and levers that might dispense treats … or change someone’s fate. It’s a short read, and the bonus for King fans is a return to the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, the setting of faves such as “Cujo” and “The Dead Zone.” (Cemetery Dance, $25. Out now.)

'Valerian: The Complete Collection, Volume 1,' Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin

With Luc Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” hitting the big screen later this summer, the influential French comic-book series it’s based on is getting a re-release. Launched in 1967, “Valérian and Laureline” is about a pair of agents for the Spacio-Temporal Service, who travel across the galaxy and back and forth through time. Sort of like a French “Doctor Who.” (Cinebook, $29.99. Out now.)

'Dear Cyborgs,' Eugene Lim

Superheroes, protest politics and Asian-American identity are major themes running through this novel that splits its time between the Midwest and the cosmic stage of comic books. Genre-bending author Jonathan Lethem says it “blew me away with its deceptively blithe mixture of cryptic humor, philosophical ingenuity, and genuine political yearning.” (FSG Originals, $14. Out now.)

'The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.,' Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland

“Blend time travel with Bourne-worthy skulduggery, throw in lashings of technology and dashes of steampunk, and you have the makings of this overstuffed, disbelief-begging storyline,” says Kirkus Reviews of this collaboration, which critics are finding as hard to describe as to put down. Stephenson is a sci-fi giant who wrote the cyberpunk romp “Snow Crash” and the codebreaking epic “Cryptonomicon.” Galland writes historical novels including “Revenge of the Rose” and “I, Iago.” (William Morrow, $35. June 13.)

'Seven Stones to Stand or Fall,' Diana Gabaldon

Hometown heroine Gabaldon (she lives in Scottsdale) is prolific. Her time-traveling romance series “Outlander” has eight epic volumes (and a Starz TV adaptation), but it is also the setting for numerous short stories. The author’s latest collection includes two novellas published here for the first time. (Delacorte, $30. June 27.)

BEACH READS

‘The Almost Sisters,’ Joshilyn Jackson

The latest from the author of “Gods in Alabama” involves a protagonist who gets drunk at a comic book convention, which leads to a one-night stand and an unexpected pregnancy at age 38. But there’s more! Her grandmother is battling dementia and a family secret threatens to change her world forever. (William Morrow, $26.99. July 11.)

‘The Bookshop at Water’s End,’ Patti Callahan Henry

A woman returns to her childhood summer home in the South, where she reunites with two old friends, including a bookstore owner. Henry’s books include “The Stories We Tell” and “The Idea of Love.” "Henry creates a world that feels rich and real — readers can practically hear the rushing river, see the ocean waves and smell the hydrangea bushes," according to Kirkus. (Berkley, $16. July 11.)

‘Hello, Sunshine,’ Laura Dave

What happens when the computer belonging to a beloved celebrity chef is hacked? Well, for Sunshine Mackenzie, the heroine of Laura Dave’s new book, it’s a public relations nightmare that leads to the loss of her apartment, her fans and even her husband. The book already has been optioned for a film, according to deadline.com.(Simon & Schuster, $25. July 11.)

‘Young Jane Young,’ Gabrielle Zevin

The author of “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” offers a book with a plot that sounds strangely familiar: A young woman is caught in a sex sandal with a high-powered politician. She takes more of a fall than he does, becoming a punchline for late-night talk-show hosts, but eventually rises from the ashes. The book features a “choose your own” section, which should make for a unique reading experience. (Algonquin Books, $26.95. Aug. 22.)

'The Right Time,’ Danielle Steel

The almost impossibly prolific author returns with a novel about a young woman, raised by nuns, who becomes a wildly successful author of crime fiction. However, she writes under a masculine pseudonym, creating a double life that both scares and excites her. (Delacorte Press, $28.99. Aug. 29.)

LITERARY FICTION

'Rich People Problems,' Kevin Kwan

The Singaporean writer made a splash in 2013 with his semi-autobiographical “Crazy Rich Asians,” a social satire now in the Hollywood pipeline. His latest novel completes the trilogy that continued with “China Rich Girlfriend” – yes, you detect a trend in the titles. “In Kwan’s world, where bloodlines are scrutinized and mere multimillionaires are considered poor relations, bitterness and humiliation lurk around every corner,” says USA Today. (Doubleday, $27.95. Out now.)

'Isadora,' Amelia Gray

Isadora Duncan, the godmother of modern dance, inspired this wrenching novel of grief, which takes place in the wake of the tragic drowning of the dancer’s two young children in 1913. “Gray is a fearless writer,” says the Los Angeles Review of Books. “It is a brutal novel in many ways, completely unrelenting in its depiction of pain, yet that makes it exhilarating, too.” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $27. Out now.)

'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness,' Arundhati Roy

Twenty years after her Booker Prize-winning debut, “The God of Small Things,” the Indian author is finally ready to unveil her second novel. It follows the two women whose lives converge; one is a hijra, raised male but now a woman, who finds herself living in a cemetery. Publishers Weekly calls it a “sweeping, intricate … vision of a bewilderingly beautiful, contradictory, and broken world.” (Knopf, $28.95. Out now.)

'The Answers,' Catherine Lacey

Desperate for money to pay for an exotic medical treatment, Mary answers an ad to join a famous actor’s “Girlfriend Experiment,” with a variety of women paid to meet his various needs. As the “Emotional Girlfriend,” her job will involve texts and tears – but, inevitably, there is more to the experiment than meets the eye. The author made her debut in 2014 with “Nobody Is Ever Missing.” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $26. Out now.)

'Stephen Florida,' Gabe Habash

This intriguing debut novel takes the reader inside the mind of a troubled athlete, a wrestler at an out-of-the-way college in North Dakota. Drawing comparisons to John Irving, it’s for aficionados of unreliable narrators. (Coffee House Press, $25. Out now.)