How was your experience writing your sophomore novel, after your debut experience in 2024. What did you learn from your previous experience? Did anything come up that you weren’t expecting?

I’ve learned to incorporate feedback from people I trust as early as possible. Having other voices and perspectives guide a story is truly invaluable. External points of view can catch and highlight so many things that are simply impossible to see when you’re in the weeds of a story. Having friends and family read early drafts or even outlines really helped the overall process and the final product. I’m self-conscious about sharing work with people, so I need to find folks that I trust to be honest, and kind. People who can point out a plot hole by simply asking a thoughtful question. 

As far as surprises, I think the book ended up being much more personal and darker than I had planned.

Writing a book is no small task, and taking a story from a Reddit short to full length novel must come with its own set of rules and challenges. Were there any surprises or changes that you faced while adapting THE CARETAKER for publication?

This book was way more difficult to adapt/write than WE USED TO LIVE HERE. My original “Caretaker” short was rigidly structured around three “Rites,” and things happen so fast in the short, our main character doesn’t really have time to think about leaving the house. 

To me the central support beam of a “haunted” house story is: the characters reason for staying in the house. Are they trapped? Are they financially tied down? Without this, readers will be internally screaming “WHY DON’T THEY JUST LEAVE?” If there isn’t a logical answer to that question, the entire story risks falling apart. It can still be entertaining, sure, but usually in an unintentional way. That doesn’t mean the reader needs to agree with all the character’s choices, but they at least need to understand where those decisions might be coming from.

You provided readers of WE USED TO LIVE HERE with a fully immersive experience including found documents and a morse code cypher, making it a book fans are still dissecting almost two years later. Can readers expect to find similar puzzles in THE CARETAKER? And can you provide any hints or sneak peaks?

Don’t expect the same amount of puzzles and mixed media, this is a much more “traditional” narrative than WE USED TO LIVE HERE. However, there might be two or three easter eggs and/or secrets for the extra observant reader …

From a house flipping project that flipped a woman’s life upside down, to a Craigslist job nightmare straight from the online stranger danger panic, you have a talent for unsettling readers with how horrifying the everyday can be. Where do you find the inspiration for your unique take on the horror genre?

For me, the more grounded and relatable something is, the scarier.  I call it “low-budget horror writing.” I pretend the book I’m writing is a film with limited monetary resources, and I can’t just have “CGI insanity” for every single scene. This pushes me to come up with grounded and practical scenarios. More often than not, those scenarios end up being way scarier than what I’d initially planned.

Case and point: in the earliest drafts of Caretaker, the house was an ultra modern mega mansion. The story didn’t really grab me until I dialed it back to something much more ordinary and relatable: a two-story rancher. Very few people have set foot in an ultra modern mega mansion, therefore it feels less scary to most readers. It gives us the safety net of: “Well I’m never going there anyways so I’m safe.”

That’s not to say over the top “high-budget” insanity can’t be scary or a hell of a lot of fun. Many of my favorite horror books/movies employ non-stop insanity and set-pieces, and I plan to incorporate into future books.

What authors, films, or other creative influences shaped THE CARETAKER, whether consciously or subconsciously?

The online horror community r/Nosleep in general has been a huge influence, they’ve really mainstreamed the “Rules” genre in a way that most folks don’t even realize. 

As for movies: Take Shelter, House of the Devil, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Blair Witch Project, Us, Lake Mungo, The Cabin in the Woods, Parasite, It Follows, Talk to Me, and, for better or worse, Gremlins. THE CARETAKER was also massively influenced by Japanese horror films like Odishon and Ringu.

And with books, there are too many to count, but off the top of my head: Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, I’m Thinking of Ending Things and Foe by Ian Reid (Reid is a master of uncanny horror/thrillers), Old Country by the Query brothers, Bird Box by Josh Malerman, Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levine, How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix, and Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt.

Your work often plays with atmosphere, tension, and what’s left unsaid. How do you decide what to reveal to the reader and what to keep hidden?

Yes, it’s a constant question in every story I tell. Admittedly, it’s much easier to be coy and ambiguous, than it is to come up with a surprising and satisfying conclusion that answers everyone’s questions. And when it comes to ambiguity, people will often ascribe genius (or stupidity) that was never planned. That being said, I try to be as intentional as I can with every scare, image, and unanswered question (even if that intention is never put on the page). 

You have a unique relationship with your readership, having first shared your work online. How has that early, direct interaction with readers influenced the way you write novels today?

I am so grateful to that community and especially my earliest readers who left comments asking when the next part of a story was coming or checking in when a story missed its scheduled drop.

I think writing on Reddit really pushed me to hook the reader early on and find ways to keep them reading. I was always asking myself: how can I start this post in a way that grabs the reader’s attention, and end it in a way that makes them want to read the next. 

Dividing longer stories into smaller parts also made the whole prospect of writing a novel much less daunting. It becomes a collection of scenes and sequences rather than a 70,000 word block of text. Every day I sit down to write, I’m not thinking about writing a book, I’m thinking about writing a sentence. Then I’m thinking about writing a paragraph, then a chapter, a part, and so on.

As your career continues to grow rapidly, how do you stay grounded in your creative process and protect the original spark that drew you to storytelling in the first place?

I feel so fortunate that I’m able to do this for a living. Ultimately, I keep that spark by focusing on stories with characters and scenarios that I care about. I’m a very private and introverted person, so I try to avoid reading comments online as much as possible. As for staying grounded, I take my dog for long walks, watch movies with my cats, and do my best to no life things too seriously, lest I lose my already tenuous sanity.

Will you be picking up The Caretaker? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Marcus Kliewer, Author of ‘The Caretaker’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Get ready to look forward to some great fiction book releases in 2026! We’ve rounded up just a few fiction books releasing between January and June from thrillers and historical fiction, to stories of friendship and family, and more. With new releases from Jennifer Niven, Simone St. James, Claire Heywood, Catriona Ward, CG Drews, Natalie Haynes, Megan Lally, Xochitl Gonzalez, Emma Straub, Kylie Lee Baker, Nick Cutter, Catherine Adel West, Jennifer Saint, Rob Hart, and more, plus debut novels, you’ll be sure to find quite a few exciting new reads within this list!

Be sure to check out our other 2026 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Romance, Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and Young Adult lists!

JANUARY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Funny, big-hearted, and deeply moving, Meet the Newmans is a rich family story about the dual lives we lead. Because even when our lives aren’t televised weekly, we all have a behind-the-scenes.

Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.

Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, this powerful and shockingly timely story of resistance and resilience exposes the real government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century.

Dandelion Is Dead by Rosie Storey

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places.

Skylark by Paula McLain

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The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

You’ll Never Forget Me by Isha Raya

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In this captivating cat-and-mouse thriller, a struggling actress is only just beginning to enjoy the life sheʼs always wanted after inadvertently killing her rival—but now she must contend with the woman who threatens to take it all away.

Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane

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Inspired by long-buried true stories of enslaved people who dared to fight back, this powerful novel offers a searing portrayal of resistance. 

The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn

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The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants in this enchanting, darkly glittering story of grief, obsession, revenge, and enduring love.

The Briars by Sarah Crouch

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The USA TODAY bestselling author of Middletide returns with a lush and atmospheric novel of suspense following a young woman whose job as a game warden puts her in the path of a murderer in a small town eager to protect its own.

Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg

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Fleabag meets Big Swiss in this bold debut about a charismatic misfit who livestreams her life for seven days and nights to raise money to save her comatose sister—a poignant and darkly funny exploration of grief, forgiveness, and redemption.

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

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Simone St. James, the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel, returns with her scariest, most shocking novel yet in this pulse-pounding story about siblings who return to the house they fled 18 years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request: Come home.

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

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From the two-time Emmy Award–winning producer and host of the Black and Published podcast comes a sweeping multi-generational epic following seven generations of Dupree women as they navigate love, loss, and the unyielding ties of family in the tradition of Homegoing and The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois.

FEBRUARY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The Exes by Leodora Darlington

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Who hasn’t wanted to murder an ex—figuratively, at least? In this explosive debut thriller, a woman’s seemingly perfect romantic life is on the verge of collapse as she uncovers a hidden history surfacing dark secrets that have deadly consequences.

A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe

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A sumptuously vivid and poignant account of the Lusitania’s fateful last days, drawn from the true story of an extraordinary young actress who survived the unthinkable—for fans of Marie Benedict, Louis Bayard, Fiona Davis, Kate Quinn, and HBO’s The Gilded Age.

The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood

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An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage, from the author of the national bestseller Daughters of Sparta.

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris

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From acclaimed author Terah Shelton Harris comes a poignant story of survival and redemption that questions what it means to stop existing and start living.

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

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From the internationally bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon comes a haunting Gothic novel set in 1911 China. Two young women living in a crumbling, once-grand Shanghai mansion face danger as secrets of their pasts come to light, even as the mansion’s own secret threatens the present.

Out of the Loop by Katie Siegel

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The Seven Year Slip meets Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers in this wholly original time loop mystery.

Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

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From National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree Jenny Tinghui Zhang, a novel about a pop idol and his superfan, whose stories shockingly collide

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera

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When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.

Adrift by Will Dean

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A high-tension thriller about a family’s descent into darkness that is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Lisa Jewell.

A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by MK Oliver

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A whip-smart and darkly funny crime novel—perfect for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer and The Maid—that follows a wife and mother with a deadly secret that she must suppress if she wants to maintain her picture-perfect façade.

Bad Asians by Lillian Li

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From the acclaimed author of Number One Chinese Restaurant comes an affecting novel about an unforgettable group of friends trying to make their way in the world without losing themselves, or one another.

Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward

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Nowhere Burning is a harrowing tale of survival that places the dark fairy tale of Peter Pan and the ruthless dangers of Lord of the Flies into the unforgiving maw of the Colorado Rockies.

MARCH 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

No Friend To This House by Natalie Haynes

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
No Friend to This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes.

Wretch by Eric LaRocca

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From rising horror star and award-winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke comes a nightmarish, haunting, tech-Gothic thrill ride about sorrow, memory, and the unabashed complexity of love as a transgressive act.

You Did Nothing Wrong by C.G. Drews

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Domestic suspense meets haunted house horror in this adult debut from the New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Let the Forest In.

Strangers In The Villa by Robyn Harding

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From the international bestselling author of The Drowning Woman, a psychological thriller about a couple rocked by infidelity who moves to a villa in Spain’s Costa Brava to rebuild their relationship, only to welcome a pair of visitors who have no intention of leaving.  

How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Two sisters face the real consequences of a fake marriage scheme in an emotional yet hilarious novel about immigration, healing, and family from USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev.

Bloom by Robbie Couch

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of If I See You Again Tomorrow comes a delightful and heartwarming novel about family, love, grief, and one precocious houseplant, that reminds us of the beauty of living a life in full Bloom.

Dig by J. H. Markert

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
J. H. Markert returns with a surreal horror novel, perfect for fans of Graveyard Shift and What Moves the Dead.

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Best friends Benny and Joy like to say they’ve been saving each other’s lives since the moment they met. Until the day Joy disappears and Benny is suspected of murder . . .

Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Two women living centuries apart are bound by the same dark secret in this haunting novel that “upends everything you think you know about ghost stories” (Jennifer McMahon, author of The Winter People).

Sweetbitter Song by Rosie Hewlett

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and from the award-winning author of The Witch of Colchis comes a profoundly moving story of two women on the shores of Ithaca, in the shadows of a legendary war, who must face their own battle – one of sisterhood, survival, and a forbidden love that could destroy them both.

What We Did To Survive by Megan Lally

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens’ sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Finlay Donovan Crosses The Line by Elle Cosimano

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line—the highly anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

APRIL 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a captivating story about a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor’s secret past

A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Guncle meets Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies in this fun, twisty mystery following a spoiled nepo baby forced to work at a struggling summer camp who stumbles into a real-life murder mystery he has no choice but to solve.

We Would Never Tell by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A high-glamour, high-stakes thriller trailing three ambitious women as they navigate Hollywood’s secrets, sins, and scandals during 12 days at the Cannes Film Festival. 

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From New York Times bestselling author of This Time Tomorrow, an irresistible story about what happens when your teenage fantasy comes true after you’re already an adult.

The Girls Trip by Ally Condie

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick and instant USA Today bestseller The Unwedding, a novel of suspense and friendship about three friends who decide to disappear from their lives for a few days while on a trip to a national park—only to have one of them vanish.

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Fans of Agatha Christie’s locked-room mysteries and modern tales like Knives Out will fall for The Ending Writes Itself, which masterfully blends classic mystery elements with genre-bending tropes. Crafted with razor-sharp wit and a meta twist, this satirical take on the publishing world ensures readers will hang on every word, right up to its breathtaking finale.

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

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Come along with the Book Witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From Marcus Kliewer, a new “titan of the macabre and unsettling” (Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author), comes a supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

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In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison

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Set against the sun-drenched beaches of Balboa Island, with its prim and proper 1950s facade, The Island Club is a story of love, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves―and what can be gained when the truth is finally revealed.

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A nearly divorced trophy wife enrolls in culinary school to win back her husband, only to find a fresh start in the unlikeliest of places in this new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.

Go Gentle by Maria Semple

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The New York Times bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette returns to form in her most exuberant and life-affirming novel yet with the story of one woman’s cheerful determination to live a life of the mind only to have the heart force its way in.

MAY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A bookseller must escape the infamously haunted library that holds her darkest secrets, but with a murderer in her tour group, escaping alive is not as simple as it seems, in this twisty locked-room thriller from bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited.

The Dorians by Nick Cutter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The all-new novel of terror from “one of the hottest horror authors on the planet” (Paste) and writer of the #HorrorBookTok sensation The Troop!

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
How far would you go to rescue your child? A mother races against the clock—and finds herself on the wrong side of the law—in a desperate fight to save her teenage daughter in this pulse-pounding thriller.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to underestimated women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Twisty, high-concept, and emotionally charged, this novel is an utterly compelling story of the hunt for a serial killer. But it’s also a heartfelt―and heartrending―novel about fate, innocence lost, and two souls who find that sometimes being broken is the only way for the light to get in. 

The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung

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A sweeping novel about a correspondent trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War, and the women who help her find her way home, from the national bestselling author of Daughters of Shandong.

Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Boys meets Assistant to the Villain in the electrifying, sharp, violent, and hilarious sequel to the highly acclaimed novel, Hench. Filled with a queer and neurodiverse cast, Villain asks the question: what happens when a diabolically brilliant henchperson looks back at their already storied career and thinks, I can be so much worse.

The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the New York Times–bestselling author of Ghosted and The Love of My Life comes an unmissable emotional thriller: an up-all-night, page-turning love story with a very dark secret at its heart.

Homebound by Portia Elan

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Five interlocking lives. One beloved story. A dazzling adventure across centuries and continents in search of the things that hold us together.

Lady X by Molly Fader

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The search for a notorious vigilante exposes the secrets among three generations of women in this propulsive novel of female resistance and rage, sweeping from contemporary L.A. to gritty 1970s New York.

The Hope Keeper by Heather Webb

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Set in Jazz Age D.C., the story of possession and obsession, and the ever-looming curse of the legendary Hope Diamond, comes to life as the socialites scheme and the jewels glitter in the evening light. 

The Players Club by Rachel Mills

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For fans of Lessons in Chemistry and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, a bold, big concept debut about a secret club of women who risk everything to ask the question: If you could be anyone…who would you dare to become?

JUNE 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Tell Your Friends by Lauren Wilson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A former child star and an envious fan collide in this cat-and-mouse psychological thriller about obsession, self-invention, and the dark side of internet fame.

There’s Only One Sin In Hollywood by Rasheed Newson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A cinematic, razor-sharp novel following a backlot fixer’s daring investigation into the suspicious death of a closeted Black actor within the glamorous world of Hollywood, from the bestselling author of My Government Means to Kill Me.

A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law—a prosecutor and a madam—who team up to bring down notorious mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian.

Strangers Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Adel West

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A twisty thriller about a woman who vanishes from a luxury hotel, and the detective who believes the case is tied to the unsolved disappearances of other Black women in the city.

The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An undercover journalist goes to expose an exclusive psychological wellness clinic where women go to recover from heartbreak, with dire consequences, in this creepy thriller from The Bachelorette Party author Camilla Sten.

A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The daughter of an automotive magnate escapes to an artistic retreat that holds more secrets—and more intrigue—than she could have ever imagined, in this Prohibition-era novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea.

Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From a dazzling new talent, a sensual and spellbinding novel about one summer that shatters the balance between three best friends, forcing them to confront the line between friendship and desire.

This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The epic, captivating tale of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who must reconcile her mind and heart when she is drawn against all odds to Ares, the god of war, from the internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera.

Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes

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A gripping blend of historical fiction and Southern gothic psychological horror, Our Sister’s Keeper is a fierce exploration of Black sisterhood, rage, and resistance.

Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Welcome back to Assassins Anonymous, where family is everything and danger lurks around every corner.

Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Bestselling young adult author Mary H.K. Choi debuts a brilliantly observed adult novel about mothers, daughters and the complexity of family set against the backdrop of Hollywood.

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An ambitious young woman insinuates herself into a tight-knit social set, shaking up friendships and marriages in a small seaside town.

What 2026 fiction book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2026 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

About We Used To Live Here: Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit. Out 18 June 2024.

While writing my debut novel We Used to Live Here, I ran into creative roadblocks at least once a month. Whenever that happened, I forced myself to take a step back and focus on other things. You may call that procrastination — I call it ‘searching for inspiration’. And more often than not, this inspiration was found in the groundbreaking world of video game narratives.

Video games have been influencing me since childhood. Many of my earliest stories were unabashed ripoffs of games like Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda. These writings, now lost to the defunct Nintendo Nsider forums, still hold a special place in my heart.

Here are five horror video games that have profoundly influenced me. All of which directly, or indirectly inspired my book, ‘We Used to Live Here’.

Inside
Playdead Games

Inside thrusts the player into a dystopian nightmare. From the first frame you’re scrambling through the woods, running for your life. Masked men with tranquilizer rifles and vicious hunting dogs in close pursuit. Who are you? Why are you being chased?

This game allows the player to theorize their answers rather than spoon-feeding a forced narrative.

Filled with surprising moments of beauty and shocking turns of horror, Inside is a masterclass in ‘show, don’t tell’ world-building. Not a single word is spoken throughout its 3-4 hour runtime. A towering reminder to storytellers everywhere that less is often more.

One of my favorite pieces of media ever created, period.

Phasmaphobia
Kinetic Games

Investigate dangerous supernatural entities with your friends.

When it comes to writing authentic scenes, firsthand experience is the best form of “research.” Unfortunately, firsthand experience of getting chased by demons is hard to come by. In that case, try playing games like this.

Resident Evil 7: Bio Hazard
Capcom

Bringing the iconic franchise into a first-person perspective, RE7 is a claustrophobic and truly harrowing masterpiece. I first played it in VR on PS4, an experience that has influenced every single horror story I’ve written since. There’s something about literally having to peek your head around a corner, then venturing forward into a dark hallway that will likely be the death of you.

It’s essentially one big game of hide-and-seek: locked in a decrepit manor with a family of murderous and ever-mutating psychopaths. RE7 is a standout in a series filled with horror classics.

Firewatch
Campo Santo

“You are here, and it’s beautiful, and escaping isn’t always something bad.”

An atmospheric and heartbreaking exploration of grief and isolation. Firewatch is more of a character study/ mystery thriller than a horror, but the experience impacted me so much that I had to include it here. Almost a decade later, its world and characters remain vivid in my memory.

Inscryption
Daniel Mullins Games/ Devolver Digital

“Another challenger… it has been ages.”

Imagine being trapped in a dingy cabin, forced to play a strange card game with a shadowy figure who may or may not be human. Daniel Mullin’s brilliant game only gets weirder from there. I can’t even say how it inspired my novel without spoiling the experience. But if you enjoy dark humor, addictive gameplay, and mind-bending narratives, look no further.

The post 5 Fantastic Horror Video Games Recommended By Author Marcus Kliewer appeared first on The Nerd Daily.