In 2016, Pringle, an investigative reporter for The Los Angeles Times, received what turned out to be a career-changing tip: The dean of the University of Southern California medical school had been linked to a drug overdose. As he continued to report, Pringle, a Pulitzer-winning journalist, realized that the scandal was just the beginning and would result in an explosive investigation.
‘Brother Alive’ by Zain Khalid (Grove, July 12)
In a story that jumps from the US to Saudi Arabia, three adopted brothers raised by an imam on Staten Island struggle with faith, destiny and a legacy of secrets. One of the boys, Youssef, has a shape-shifting doppelganger named Brother who is “more than incorporeal but less than alive” and follows as each family member determines their place in the world.
A riff on HG Wells’ “The Island of Doctor Moreau,” this book is set in 19th century Mexico and follows the only daughter of an eccentric researcher who attempts to create animal hybrids: pigs that walk upright, dogs that can to talk. She too is subject to his experiments – her father injects her with jaguar essences – but that is only the beginning of the horror.
You might recognize Fitzgerald from his book recommendations on the Today Show or his role as founder of Buzzfeed Books, but those are just two in a long history: He’s been everything from acolyte to bartender. In this memoir-in-essays, he grapples with his past and chronicles his journey to become a better person.
‘Hawk Mountain’, by Conner Habib (Norton, July 5)
In this psychological thriller, Todd is just separated from his wife, about to start a new teaching job, and cautiously raising his son alone when a chance encounter with an old high school bully turns his life upside down. .
How could Weinstein amass so much power and how could he escape the consequences for so long? Auletta, who has covered Hollywood and the media for decades, puts Weinstein’s crimes in a broader context.
‘Honey and Spice’, by Bolu Babalola (Tomorrow, July 5)
Kiki has a following at her university for her radio show ‘Brown Sugar’, which helps fellow students avoid romantic pitfalls. But once she’s spotted on campus with a man she warned her listeners to avoid, she must work overtime to save her reputation.
‘Joan’, by Katherine J. Chen (Random House, July 5)
There is no shortage of fiction inspired by Joan of Arc, but according to Chen’s narration, the saint found the fuel to fight the English in her traumatic childhood. “What choices does a woman have for revenge, for justice?” says Joan. “When I spoke to God that morning, if I have to scream, I decided to let it be in battle.”
This debut collection of interconnected stories is set in an indigenous Maine community, where Talty grew up as a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation.
‘Putin’ by Philip Short (Holt, July 26)
A biography in the making offers an in-depth look at the Russian president’s life, career and concentration of power. Short, who has also written biographies of Mao and Pol Pot, draws on hundreds of interviews for this portrait and charts Putin’s transformation into a ruthless autocrat.
In Steubenville, Ohio, in 2012, a 16-year-old was sexually assaulted by members of the local soccer team, who shared footage and photos of the incidents on social media. Two of the players were found guilty of rape, and the case ushered in a reckoning on how the internet can exacerbate real harm — but also be a tool for justice. Schwartzman, who spent years in the city for a documentary, brings together new reporting, impressions of the consequences and a broader view of masculinity and accountability.
‘Take No Names’ by Daniel Nieh (Ecco, July 5)
Readers first met Victor Li in “Beijing Payback,” when he avenged his father’s death in China. As he tries to start over, he finds anonymous, albeit immoral, work: robbing the storage facilities of people who have been deported and setting in motion an international plan more complicated than you can imagine.
