10 Great New Series For Adults

Find Your Next Reading Obsession

Everybody loves a good series, right? There's nothing like finishing a book you love and knowing there's new volume waiting in the wings to continue the tale. Welcome to our Best New Series series! Each installment will highlight some of the best series that have been published during the last twenty years in a variety of genres. Previous installments have focused on kids and YA reads. This week, we present some of the best new series for grownups.

Historic Fiction

We relish the opportunity to learn about history while enjoying a juicy story. Here we have two marvelous series based on the twisted tales from the English royals of olde.

The Wars of the Roses by Conn Iggulden
There are many fictional takes on The War of the Roses available, but in our opinion, this is one of the best with propulsive storytelling and finely drawn characters. The first novel begins in 1437 as Henry VI ascends the throne to an atmosphere of political unrest and uncertainty.

Thomas Cromwell Trilogy by Hilary Mantel
This acclaimed series offers a unique take on the reign of Henry VIII. Told from the perspective of one of Henry Tudor's most trusted advisors—from his humble beginnings, to his rise to a powerful advisor of the court, and finally to his eventual downfall.

Sci-fi/Fantasy

The stories in this section represent the ultimate escape. Sci-fi and fantasy books take us fully outside of this world to alternate realities, magical forces, and extraordinary flights of fancy.

The Broken Earth by N. K. Jemisin
All three of the books in this fantastic dystopian series won Hugo Awards. The story follows the epic quest of a woman as she travels through a vast and intricate landscape moving heaven and earth (literally) to save her daughter. You won't soon forget this darkly imaginative world.

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
The third book in this trilogy is expected any day now. It is the story of Kvothe, an orphan boy who becomes the most notorious wizard the world has even known. Winding between the past and present, his journey gradually emerges, full of music, magic, love, and loss.

Lady Astronaut by Mary Robinette Kowal
It's 1950s America and a meteor has decimated the earth, kicking off a climate cataclysm. This looming threat demands a radically accelerated timeline in the earth's efforts to colonize space and the tenacious Elma York defies gender stereotypes to answer the call.

Mystery

This genre is perfectly suited to the serial format. From Sherlock Holmes to Miss Marple, we never get tired of our beloved, sometimes unlikely, crime-fighting gumshoes.

Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde
Described as comic fantasy, alternate history mysteries, this series is perfect for us bookish types. Set in an alternate universe in which time travel and cloning are routine and literature is taken really, really seriously. Enter Thursday Next, renowned literary detective. Suspenseful and outlandish, absorbing and fun!

Dublin Murder Squad by Tana French
Each novel in this character-driven mystery series follows a different detective, all of whom work within the same murder squad in Dublin, Ireland. These smart atmospheric crime novels make for perfect binge reading. No need to read them in order, but if you'd like a rec for how best to do it, you can find that here.

Perveen Mistry by Sujata Massey
Set in 1920s Bombay, this fun new series (there are only two books so far!) is based on an actual person from history, Cornelia Sorabji, India's first woman lawyer. It's a richly wrought multicultural story as well as the debut of a sharp new sleuth.

Romance

We're always in the mood for love! Especially when it comes to literature. Here are some of the best new series we've found for scratching that itch.

The Loyal League by Alyssa Cole
This series follows the stories of a set of Black spies working for the Union Army during the Civil War. While on missions, however, these spies find more than just the intel they need to fight against the Confederate soldiers. They find romance, too.

Crossfire by Sylvia Day
Eva moves to New York for a chance at a new start after an abusive childhood. When she meets her new boss, Gideon, she immediately feels a connection. Then she discovers he also suffers from a troubled past. The two begin to find ways to heal one another, but at times, their dark history threatens to tear them apart.

As fall approaches, it's the perfect time to tuck into a nice new reading obsession. Hopefully you can find yours here. Feel free to add to the list with any of your favorites from recent years.

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon