Welcome back to The Book Nook, Lifehacker Australia’s dedicated new book releases hub. We love to spotlight great new reads, especially from debut authors. So whether you’re looking for some gift ideas or book club inspo, we’re armed with a stack of page turners to send you on your merry way.
This month, there’s a bunch of juicy thrillers to keep you on your toes – from a modern-day Rebecca retelling to a psychological to an obsession-driven debut novel about a bookshop owner.
Then, we’ve got an eerie sci-fi read about a dystopian society where citizen’s minds are wiped and rebooted whenever they decline in health, as well as a fantasy read featuring a dragon rider academy and a Hunger Games-esque plot.
Here are all the best new book releases coming out in May that are worth considering for your 2023 reading challenge.
Best new thrillers coming out in May
Search History by Amy Taylor
About the book:
It’s Rebecca meets Fleabag in this fascinating debut novel. Sharp and witty, Search History captures on the highs and lows of modern dating through the story of newly single, Ana. When she meets oh-so-not-her-type Evan, Ana feels like her dating nightmare has finally come to an end. But just like any internet baby, she can’t resist the urge to put her good old digital detective skills to the test and find out everything about her new beau online.
Naturally, Ana stumbles upon his ex, Emily, who died unexpectedly in a hit and run. As she grapples with the ghost of girlfriends past and can’t stop comparing Evan and Emily’s former picture perfect relationship to her and Evan’s current one, Ana begins to wonder what’s keeping her boyfriend so tight-lipped about his ex.
Release date: May 2
Where to buy: Amazon ($32.99) | Booktopia ($26.95) | Dymocks ($32.99) | QBD ($32.99)
Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater
About the book:
Roach, a bookshop manager, would much rather listen to a true crime podcast than entertain another droll customer, which might be why Laura, with her floral scent and cutesy literary totes, has been sent to liven up the place. But when Roach catches wind of Laura’s shared interest in true crime, the disaffected bookseller becomes convinced both are kindred spirits.
After digging around in Laura’s family history, she discovers the girl’s secret darkness and becomes thoroughly obsessed.
Release date: April 26
Where to buy: Amazon ($16) | Booktopia ($26.95) | Dymocks ($32.99) | QBD ($32.99)
Bunny by S.E. Tolsen
About the book:
This is a haunting, psychological and supernatural thriller that’s perfect for Stephen King and Stranger Things fans. Raised by his Aunt Bunny, Silas doesn’t know the meaning of a happy childhood. So when Silas and his girlfriend are forced to move back, there’s nothing more he dreads than returning to Bunny’s clutches and the sinister presence lurking in the dark forest outside his former home.
Centring on the role addiction plays in dysfunctional families, Bunny is a chilling story about how love can conquer most, but not all.
Release date: May 30
Where to buy: Amazon ($26.25) | Booktopia ($28.50) | QBD ($34.99)
Best new fiction books coming out in May
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
About the book:
Clover Brooks is what’s called a “death doula” – she helps people through their final days and transforms their last few words into notebooks. It’s a grim job and Clover’s spent so much time with the dying that she’s forgotten how to live.
According to Brammer herself, “While at first glance this book might seem like it’s about dying, really, it’s about living. It’s about realising that, no matter how many regrets you already carry, it’s never too late to find your own unique way of living a beautiful life.” This truly is a debut novel that will stay with you.
Release date: May 2
Where to buy: Amazon ($16) | Booktopia ($26.95) | Dymocks ($32.99) | QBD ($22.99)
The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan
About the book:
From the author of Exciting Times, comes this new novel about an upcoming wedding and five intersecting lives: Luke and Celine are the happy couple, set to marry in a year’s time; Luke’s best man, Archie, wants to take the next step in his career while also moving on from his love for Luke; Celine’s sister and bridesmaid, Phoebe, wants to figure out the answer to Luke’s frequent disappearing acts; and Vivian, merely a guest, is watching all of them like ants.
As the wedding draws near, Dolan weaves a refreshing marriage plot with a sparkling ensemble of characters that are each searching for the path to their own happily ever after.
Release date: May 25
Where to buy: Amazon ($24.74) | Booktopia ($26.95) | Dymocks ($32.99) | QBD ($32.99)
The Dangers of Female Provocation by Zoë Coyle
About the book:
Drawing on the spirit of female rage comes The Dangers of Female Provocation, an enticing, character-driven novel about women stepping into their power.
From the outside, it seems like Odessa Odin has it all – the husband, the career and a close circle of friends. But beneath the surface, Odessa is filled with betrayal, neglect and unfulfilled ambition. After she discovers her husband is having an affair, her perfect life washes away to reveal the cold, hard rage that lies beneath. Setting her sights on her friends’ husbands, Odessa works to whip the men into shape or picking them off one by one.
Release date: May 3
Where to buy: Amazon ($34.99) | Booktopia ($28.90) | Dymocks ($34.99) | QBD ($34.99)
The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman
About the book:
In Elizabethan London, a falconer who can see the future and the star of a child theatre meet on a rooftop. From this collision of worlds, the Ghost Theatre is born, an underground troupe that stages magical plays in the city’s hidden corners. As the troupe’s fame grows, so too does their relationship.
Quickly, the troupe’s performances begin to fan the flames of rebellion and land them in Elizabethan court, where a betrayal will lead to their dramatic destruction.
Release date: May 11
Where to buy: Amazon ($24.74) | Booktopia ($26.95) | Dymocks ($32.99) | QBD ($32.99)
The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks
About the book:
You know him, you love him and now the Oscar winner has come out with his first-ever novel. While it’s easy to mistake from its title that this is some form of non-fiction book, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture is actually a fictional tale spanning 80 years about making a multi-million dollar superhero film and the comic book that started it all.
Hanks’ debut novel features an ensemble of characters, from a troubled soldier to an eccentric director and a pompous film star. It’s been dubbed a “wildly ambitious” recreation of America’s past and present, while painting the momentous efforts it takes to create a film. Undoubtedly, Hanks will channel his industry experience to showcase the trials and tribulations of film-making.
Release date: May 9
Where to buy: Amazon ($16) | Booktopia ($18.50) | Dymocks ($26.99) | QBD ($22.99)
Best new sci-fi and fantasy books coming out in May
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
About the book:
If you like dragons and you loved The Hunger Games, we just know Fourth Wing will be a hit with you. Hitting all the tropes in a fantasy checklist (e.g. a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance), this epic story is about a young woman who’s forced into attending a dragon-riding academy.
To survive, twenty-year-old Violet must graduate from the Riders Quadrant, or die.
Release date: May
Where to buy: Amazon ($16) | Booktopia ($26.95) | Dymocks ($32.99) | QBD ($24.99)
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
About the book:
The Ferryman is a work of science fiction with a thriller edge to it. The citizens of Prospera live in an island paradise, far away from the deteriorating outside world. Its people live long, happy lives with monitors embedded in their arms. But when their health starts to decline, they’re sent away to mysterious island facility, known as The Nursery, where they are rebooted and start life afresh.
Proctor Bennett is the ferryman, the person responsible for transferring the soon-to-be retired to The Nursery. One day, one of his passengers passes along a disturbing and cryptic message that unravels everything he’s ever known and accepted: the world is not the world.
Release date: May 9
Where to buy: Amazon ($24.74) | Booktopia ($24.75) | Dymocks ($26.99) | QBD ($26.99)
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