Archives de l’auteur : WebmasterBenisti

THIS IS AN ACTUAL TRAGEDY de Natalie Rose Richardson

A mesmerizing debut that combines the transformative friendships of Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, the suspense of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, and the varying vocal registers of Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch.

THIS IS AN ACTUAL TRAGEDY
by Natalie Rose Richardson
Knopf, May 2027
(via Writers House)

Two weeks before freshman orientation, four soon-to-be (unlikely) friends arrive at the University of Chicago as part of its token Scholars of Color (SOC) program: there’s Darwin, an insecure physics geek on a quest to lose his virginity; Nat, an elusive aspiring writer who starts secretly dating her much older mentor; Jordan, the would-be campus all-star who’s too stuck in his head to fulfill his potential, and Stephanie, the undisputed hottest girl on campus, who’s carrying a shocking secret.

Four years later, they combine their strengths to stage a protest as part of Scav – a notorious campus secret society that organizes a yearly competition, one that often spawns dark, borderline illegal situations that the school pays good money to cover up. This year’s prompt: to dramatically reenact “an actual tragedy.” Fifty-five students from SOC don shabby costumes and pitch tents in a Chicago park that, only days prior, was purged of real asylum seekers. But when the cops arrive at the scene, performance becomes reality when tragedy strikes.

Told in four parts, the novel dives into the life of each irresistibly compelling protagonist during one year of college. Their relationships to each other and themselves are tested as they each weather their own individual tragedies. It’s these friends’ complicated ties and devotion to each other that lead them to organize the asylum seeker reenactment—the consequences of which will mark the survivors forever.

With an irreverent, razor-sharp voice that dips into the serious, THIS IS AN ACTUAL TRAGEDY probes loneliness and belonging, race, class, sex, friendship, and the absurdities of American higher education, and marks the arrival of a brilliant young talent.

Natalie Rose Richardson is a writer from Oak Park, Illinois with degrees from the University of Chicago (BA), Northwestern University (MA & MFA in Poetry), and the NYU Creative Writing Program (MFA in Fiction). The manuscript was closely advised by Jonathan Safran Foer, who writes: “Natalie Rose Richardson arrives with a vibrant, irreverent, singular voice. THIS IS AN ACTUAL TRAGEDY is an actual joy.” Her work has appeared in Narrative, Orion Magazine, Poetry Magazine, and more.

HABILA de Wayétu Moore

From the acclaimed author of She Would Be King, a dazzling and daring work of magical realism that weaves through the lives of a Liberian immigrant family and the water goddess who haunts them.

HABILA
by Wayétu Moore
Viking, January 2027
(via Writers House)

In this ambitious new novel, the bestselling and prize-winning writer Wayétu Moore delivers us into the lives of a young girl, Melanctha, and her family amid the loss of their patriarch, Tokpa. In search of a fresh start, they relocate from Liberia to the backwater town of Hunt, Texas, a land that proves hostile to them—until one day, when a school bully pushes Melanctha into a lake, and she finds that she can breathe underwater. Melanctha discovers that her newfound power comes from Habila, a gorgeous, beguiling half woman half sea deity who bestows on her a gift: a comb that, if touched, can lure people into the water and make them disappear for good.

But Melanctha’s connection to Habila has not come without a price. Habila has languished alone for millennia, blaming men for her loneliness. She harbors a hatred so potent that she has committed her existence to ridding the world of them. As Melanctha’s ties to Habila deepen, a family mystery unravels, and she learns that the siren may have secrets, too.

Inspired by the African legend of Mami Wata, HABILA is a kaleidoscopic tale tracing a family and a woman through the years as they navigate the supernatural forces and long-buried truths that shape their lives. In her signature lush, lyrical prose, Moore crafts an elegant story that probes the corners of womanhood and motherhood, immigrant identity, and the legacies wrought by men who take but never give back.

“A spellbinding epic about a fractured family haunted by a vengeful spirit, HABILA weaves mythology into a modern-day story about sacrifice, grief, and the costs of striving toward the American dream. A ferocious novel.” —Brit Bennett

Wayétu Moore is the author of the novel She Would Be King and the memoir The Dragons, the Giant, the Women. She is the recipient of the 2019 Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction and the 2022 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Moore is a graduate of Howard University, the University of Southern California, and Columbia University.

THE DIVINE GARDENER’S HANDBOOK d’Eli Snow

Perfect for fans of Tamsyn Muir and Rebecca Thorne, this joyful debut follows a gardener fighting to secure her dream job in the Divine Gardens―manipulating God, antagonizing her attractive rival, and running afoul of a brewing rebellion along the way.

THE DIVINE GARDENER’S HANDBOOK
by Eli Snow
Saturday Books/St. Martin’s, August 2026

Cyprin grows perfect apples.

No other worker tends the orchards like she can. Sick of living in a Jenga-esque megacity where she’s never alone (there’s always a rat), Cyprin dreams of a job in the Divine Gardens, tending to the plants overseen by God.

Her only way in is winning an annual flower pageant―one that’s been dominated by the Divine Gardens’ head gardener for five years running: an insufferable woman with an undeniable affinity for plants. When Cyprin plays dirty (criminally dirty) and wins, she jumps headfirst into life in the gardens and her rivalry with the head gardener, who she just can’t stop thinking about.

Pranks, backstabbing, and a lot of heated glaring unite them, until they’re both drawn into a plot to take down God―who’s really just some guy with a great garden. As they spiral through layers of the city’s history and underground rebel group, Cyprin and her rival will find they understand each other like no one else does, even if there can only be one head gardener in the end.

But rise or fall, at least Cyprin will always have the rats.

A chaotically queer exploration of love, ambition, and toxic work culture, THE DIVINE GARDENER’S HANDBOOK is a romp of a science fantasy that will leave you gasping for more.

Eli Snow (they/them) is a speculative fiction writer, editor, and former medical geneticist, based in rural Australia with their two cats. Their work tends to center queer and neurodivergent characters, as these are the perspectives they experience the world from. When not reading or writing, they should be checked for signs of life. Eli also writes YA Fantasy under the name Elias Cold. Their YA debut, The Duke Steals Hearts, is available now from Page Street Kids.

KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS de John Barklow

The ultimate wilderness survival guide from a retired Navy diver who trains special operations soldiers how to survive the world’s toughest environments.

KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS:
An Expert’s Guide to Surviving the World’s Toughest Environments
by John Barklow
St. Martin’s Press, April 2027

John Barklow has dedicated his career to teaching special operations forces and rescue groups how to survive in the world’s toughest environments. Drawing on his twenty-six years of military service and fifteen years spent developing advanced apparel systems for military and hunting applications, Barklow understands that survival depends on proper training. His approach is straightforward: teach not just what works but why it works so people can adapt when conditions change. He’s transformed complex survival skills into practical, real-world knowledge that works when it matters most. Instead of teaching single solutions, he helps people understand the principles behind survival skills, enabling them to make smart decisions in unpredictable situations.

KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS is the culmination of those lessons, written as part adventure story and part instruction manual. The book weaves together the deep information one needs to thrive and survive in austere wilderness and pursue their dreams outdoors, whether that be mountain climbing, backcountry hunting or just surviving in extreme conditions. The book comprises twenty-eight chapters that look at planning, training, equipment and survival.

“If there was one human being that I had to pick to help me survive a life-or-death emergency situation in the wilderness, without a shadow of a doubt, my choice would be John Barklow. From his extensive experience in real-world situations to his design, testing, and implementation of the most advanced outdoor gear in the world, he’s an incredibly valuable resource of information, and I can’t recommend his book enough.” —Joe Rogan

John Barklow spent twenty years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, much of it spent supporting the Navy SEAL Teams in combat diving, submarine operations, and as a survival instructor. For thirteen years, John was at the core of creating the curriculum and instructing special operations troops how to operate and survive without compromise in the world’s harsh, cold, and most remote mountain environments. In 2021, John founded John Barklow USA and created Knowledge from Storms, a platform dedicated to outdoor education, training, and the survival mindset. John maintains a social profile on his website KnowledgeFromStorms.com.

VICTIM OR VILLAIN de L.T. Ryan & C.R. Gray

From the authors of the Maddie Castle series: She came to hide from her past. Now she must fight to protect her future.

VICTIM OR VILLAIN: A Gwen Kane Thriller
by L.T. Ryan & C.R. Gray
Podium Publishing, April 2026

Having escaped her abusive husband, Gwen Kane found safety at Rhiannon’s Ranch, a secret refuge for survivors of domestic violence. Now she works at a local bakery and lives a quiet life among friends who share her scars. She’s almost convinced herself the worst is over.

But when her best friend’s abuser storms into their sanctuary, Gwen erupts in a flash of panic and rage―with deadly consequences. To protect the ranch, she must cover up the evidence of what she’s done. But burying one body doesn’t erase the past. And what’s more, somebody witnessed everything . . .

As Gwen’s fragile peace unravels, she’s drawn into a romance with the one man who could either save or destroy her. With vengeance and justice blurred beyond recognition, she must decide whether she’s still the woman that runs―or the one who fights back.

Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and Big Little Lies, VICTIM OR VILLAIN is an emotionally charged psychological thriller featuring a heroine readers won’t soon forget.

L.T. Ryan is the Wall Street Journal–, USA Today–, and Amazon-bestselling author of the Jack Noble, Rachel Hatch, and Gwen Kane series, among other mysteries and thrillers. More than eight million copies of his books have been sold worldwide. When not penning his next adventure, Ryan enjoys traveling, hiking, riding his Peloton, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and four dogs at home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

C.R. Gray is the author of gritty, emotionally charged mystery thrillers designed to linger in the minds of readers long after the final page. She also writes fantasy romance under the pen name Charlie Nottingham. When not writing, Gray enjoys hiking the Appalachian Mountains with her dog, tackling DIY projects, and reading late into the night.