What to Read This Summer: New Books by Texas-Based Authors

For readers seeking fresh voices and compelling stories this summer, the Texas Book Festival’s literary director, Hannah Gabel, has assembled a shortlist worth bookmarking. Her recommendations spotlight a range of new releases by Texas-based authors—each one a compelling companion for long, hot days and late summer nights.

“The Slip” by Lucas Schaefer

Set against the backdrop of a gritty Austin boxing gym, this buzzy debut novel follows the story of a teenage boy who mysteriously disappears after spending the summer of 1998 training with an ex-boxer. Spanning 14 years, “The Slip” traces the intersecting lives of a wide cast of characters who are all in some way connected to the local boxing gym and the missing teen.

“The Rom-Commers” by Katherine Center

Perhaps the perfect beach read, this sweet and funny enemies-to-lovers romance stars Charley, a big-time Hollywood screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love, and Emma, the aspiring writer enlisted to help Charley revise his remarkably terrible romantic comedy script. As Emma attempts to educate Charley on the art of romantic comedies, life begins to imitate art.

“The Human Scale” by Lawrence Wright

Inspired by years of reporting on the Middle East, Pulitzer-Prize winner Lawrence Wright returns with an addictive political thriller about a Palestinian-American FBI agent and an Israeli cop who team up to solve a murder. This nuanced and fast-paced narrative illuminates the complex history and human impact of the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a fictional lens. 

“Pretty” by KB Brookins

This bold and beautifully written memoir challenges conventional notions of identity, masculinity and race, as the author recounts their experience growing up queer in Texas. A searing portrait of defiance, strength and self-discovery, “Pretty” provides a vital glimpse into the mind of someone labeled as “other” by society.

“Dwelling” by Emily Hunt Kivel 

A genre-defying debut novel, “Dwelling” follows the journey of an aimless young woman who makes her way to Texas after New York City evicts all the renters. Filled with plot twists and curious characters, this surrealist story is both an enchanting fairy tale and a thoughtful exploration of home and belonging.

“The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief” by Rena Pederson

True crime fans will love this investigation into the unsolved mystery of a notorious 1960s jewel thief who stole from Texas’s wealthiest elites. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and archival records to reconstruct the case, the author uncovers dark secrets hidden beneath the shiny facade of Dallas high society.

“The Bright Years” by Sarah Damoff 

Tender and heart-wrenching, this multi-generational family drama is told from three different perspectives as it follows the Bright family across six decades. The richly drawn characters navigate love, loss, redemption and forgiveness in this epic saga that captures the complexity of familial relationships and the enduring power of hope.

RELATED: Austin Summer Bucket List: 5 Local Picks to Try Before Fall