PLDL Most Popular Titles November 2025

Portage Lake District Library (Houghton, MI) Most Popular Titles November 2025

Updated December 3, 2025
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1

Atonement
McEwan, Ian.
Paper Book
Brilliant and utterly enthralling in its depiction of childhood, love and war, England and class, this beautiful hardcover edition of the bestselling "tour de force" (The New York Times) from the Booker Prize-winning author is a profound--and profoundly moving--exploration of shame and...

2

My Friends
Backman, Fredrik
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger's life twenty-five years later. Most...

3

And to all a good bite
Rosenfelt, David
Paper Book
Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter can't wait for Christmas. He doesn't care much about the season, unless it's football season. Andy's excited to finally relax and watch the games. But when there's a murder related to an old case in Paterson, New Jersey, Andy puts the games on pause.Two years ago, a...

4

Beautiful ugly
Feeney, Alice
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Her best book yet." --Harlan Coben The million-copy bestselling Queen of Twists Alice Feeney returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . . . . . and revenge.

5

Cinder house
Marske, Freya
Paper Book
Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske - a queer Gothic romance novella perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher. You think you know Cinderella's story: the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.You're...

6

Gone before goodbye
Coben, Harlan
Paper Book
Maggie McCabe is on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge. But now, after a devastating series of personal tragedies, Maggie is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand...

7

Mate: From The Bestselling Author Of Bride And The Love Hypothesis
Hazelwood, Ali.
Paper Book
A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Bride. Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human...

8

The book of lost hours
Gelfuso, Hayley
Paper Book
A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! For fans of The Ministry of Time and The Midnight Library, a sweeping, unforgettable novel following two remarkable women moving between postwar and Cold War-era America and the mysterious time space, a library filled...

9

The intruder
McFadden, Freida
Paper Book
"A dark and stormy night. An isolated cabin in the woods. A runaway child with a mysterious past...Thriller fans, buckle up!" -- Jason Rekulak, New York Times bestselling author of The Last One at the Wedding There's someone at your front door - should you let them in? Find out in a...

10

The list
Berry, Steve
Paper Book
In the vein of David Baldacci, John Grisham, and Harlan Coben--this is Steve Berry like you've never read him before.   After a ten-year self-imposed exile, Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, a quaint town in central Georgia nestled close to the Savannah...

11

The Picasso Heist : A Thriller
Patterson, James/ Roughan, Howard
Paper Book
Instant New York Times bestseller! "Weeks before thieves broke into the Louvre, James Patterson started promoting an upcoming jewelry heist novel. The Picasso Heist is now ripped-from-the-headlines relevant." --USA Today...

12

The twelve topsy-turvy, very messy days of Christmas
Patterson, James
Paper Book
Move over, Dickens--America's favorite storyteller has written a modern Christmas story for the ages, destined to become as treasured as A Christmas Carol. "A delightful Christmas story to be shared by the whole family" --Kirkus Reviews

13

107 Days
Harris, Kamala.
Paper Book

14

A ferry merry Christmas : a novel
Macomber, Debbie
Paper Book
A delayed ferryboat brings people together in the best of ways during the holiday season in this enchanting Christmas novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. Avery and Reed Bond grew up sharing a close-knit relationship, weathering life's storms...

15

A Guardian and a Thief: The sensational new novel from the author of A Burning
Majumdar, Megha.
Paper Book

16

Apostle's Cove : a novel
Krueger, William Kent
Paper Book
The New York Times bestselling Cork O'Connor Mystery series--a "master class in suspense and atmospheric storytelling" (The Real Book Spy)--continues with Cork O'Connor revisiting a case from his past and confronting mysterious deaths in the present. A few nights...

17

Back of beyond
Box, C. J
Paper Book
A troubled cop seeks to save his son from a killer in the wilderness of Yellowstone. Back of Beyond is a gripping adventure from New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box, and the first book in the series that inspired hit TV show Big Sky. Twilight falls...

18

Battle of the bookstores
Brady, Ali
Paper Book
INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER A LibraryReads Pick Rivalry and romance spark when two bookstore managers who are opposites in every way find themselves competing for the same promotion. Despite managing bookstores on the same Boston street, Josie Klein and...

19

Being mortal : medicine and what matters in the end
Gawande, Atul
Paper Book
Modern medicine has transformed the dangers of childbirth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the face of our inevitable aging and death, what it can do often runs counter to what it should do. Through eye-opening research and gripping stories of his own patients and...

20

Boleyn Traitor
Gregory, Philippa.
Paper Book
Sister. Liar. Witness. Spy. Traitor? Her secrets shaped a kingdom. The truth will change history. Sunday Times bestseller Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor court. Where nothing is more powerful than a secret. And power rests on the edge of a...

21

Boy from the North Country : a novel
Sussman, Sam Evan
Paper Book
"This portrait of a young man caring for his mother is a rare combination of boldface intrigue and profound emotion." --Oprah Daily, The Best Fall Books of 2025 "Come for the riveting father-son mystery, stay for the most beautiful and moving mother-son story in recent memory....

22

Death at the sign of the rook
Atkinson, Kate
Paper Book
The highly anticipated return of Kate Atkinsons' "irresistible" (New York Times) private eye Jackson Brodie, whose newest adventure pays homage to Agatha Christie in the newest installment of a series hailed as "unputdownable" by Time. Marooned overnight by a...

23

End Game
Archer, Jeffrey.
Paper Book
William Warwick and Ross Hogan return, for one last time, in a gripping and unputdownable finale. Available now! London, 2012. The eyes of the world are on Britain as the country prepares to host the Olympic Games.​ But the glare of the spotlight makes London a...

24

Everyone is lying to you : a novel
Piazza, Jo
Paper Book
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER The #tradwife murder mystery we've all been waiting for. From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and the creator of the Under the Influence podcast comes an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grisly murder, a...

25

Funny story
Henry, Emily
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ A shimmering, joyful novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry. A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2024 Named a Must-Read Book of 2024 by...

26

Guess again
Donlea, Charlie
Paper Book
Silence of the Lambs meets Cruel Summer in GUESS AGAIN, as #1 internationally bestselling author Charlie Donlea dives into the long shadow of trauma on a small Wisconsin town, hybristophilia and the allure of evil, and the toll the truth can take on those who hunt for it......

27

Heart the lover
King, Lily
Paper Book

28

In the time of five pumpkins
McCall Smith, Alexander
Paper Book
Book 26 in the multi-million copy bestselling and perennially adored No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The rains are coming, but not just yet. When they do, there will be green shoots of growth throughout Botswana. Pumpkins will flourish - particularly those of Mma...

29

Kiss her goodbye
Gardner, Lisa
Paper Book
Frankie Elkin usually prefers her cases cold. Until she finds herself in the broiling streets of Tucson, Arizona, where an Afghan refugee has been missing for three weeks. 'Tense, timely and totally gripping. Lisa Gardner at her very best' Ruth Ware ...

30

Leader of the pack
Rosenfelt, David.
Paper Book
Over the course of his legal career, Andy Carpenter has lost a few cases. But that doesn't mean he forgets his clients. Andy has always been convinced that Joey Desimone, a man convicted of murder nine years ago, was innocent and believes that Joey's family's connections to organized crime played...

31

Moon of the turning leaves : a novel
Rice, Waubgeshig
Paper Book
"Waubgeshig Rice's stories are good medicine. Moon of the Turning Leaves is a restorative balm for my spirit." -- Angeline Boulley, New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper's Daughter In this gripping stand-alone literary thriller set in the world of...

32

Morbidly curious : a scientist explains why we can't look away
Scrivner, Coltan
Paper Book
"A fascinating examination of a feature of human nature that all of us have, most of us deplore (at least in others), and few of us understand." --Steven Pinker, New York Times bestselling author of Rationality and Enlightenment Now "An entertaining...

33

Mrs. Endicott's splendid adventure : a novel
Bowen, Rhys
Paper Book
Blindsided by betrayal in pre-WWII England, a woman charts a daring new course in this captivating tale of resilience, friendship, and new love by the bestselling author of The Rose Arbor and The Venice Sketchbook. Surrey, England, 1938. After thirty devoted years of...

34

Nagasaki : the last witnesses
Sheftall, M. G.
Paper Book
On August 6, 1945, the United States unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen. Then, just three days later, when Japan showed no sign of surrender, the United States took aim at Nagasaki. Rendered in harrowing detail, this historical narrative is the second and final volume in M.G....

35

Never whistle at night : an Indigenous dark fiction anthology
Hawk, Shane
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . SHIRLEY JACKSON AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST EDITED ANTHOLOGY . BRAM STOKER AWARD NOMINEE FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ANTHOLOGY . LOCUS AWARD FINALIST A bold, clever, and sublimely sinister collection that dares to ask the question- "Are you ready to be un...

36

Night watch
Phillips, Jayne Anne
Paper Book
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER * LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION * A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * From one of our most accomplished novelists, a mesmerizing story about a mother and daughter seeking refuge in the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War--and a...

37

Other people's houses
Mackintosh, Clare
Paper Book

38

Pictures of you : a novel
Grey, Emma
Paper Book
A National Bestseller A PEOPLE Magazine's Best Book of November 2024 A November 2024 Book of the Month Selection What would you do if you could start over? Imagine having a second chance with the one you never forgot. ...

39

Real Japanese Cooking : The Only Japanese Cookbook You Will Ever Need!; Traditions, Tips & Techniques with Over 600 Authentic Recipes
Itoh, Makiko
Paper Book
**Included in Booklist's Top Ten Food Books of 2025** "Maki Itoh has succeeded in creating a treasure trove in her exploration of Japanese recipes and culinary traditions...Perfect for the Japanese food loving home cook." --Elise Bauer, Founder, SimplyRecipes.com

40

Sandwich : a novel
Newman, Catherine
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Sandwich is joy in book form. I laughed continuously, except for the parts that made me cry. Catherine Newman does a miraculous job reminding us of all the wonder there is to be found in life."--Ann Patchett, New York Times...

41

Agatha Raisin: Sugar and Spite
Beaton, M.C.Green, R W.
Paper Book
'A Beaton novel is like The Archers on speed' DAILY MAIL 'The detective novels of M C Beaton have reached cult status' THE TIMES ------------ Feathers are flying in Agatha Raisin's brand new case! Agatha Raisin...

42

The Black Wolf: the brilliant new Chief Inspector Gamache novel
Penny, Louise.
Paper Book
'A wonderful, multi-layered novel: all the established characters are there for lovers of Three Pines, but it's also a political thriller, an exploration of friendship and betrayal, and a celebration of kindness' ANN CLEEVES 'It's not difficult to see why Penny and her...

43

The body keeps the score : mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma
Van der Kolk, Bessel A.
Paper Book
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER - OVER 3 MILLION COPIES SOLD 'Dr. van der Kolk's masterpiece combines the boundless curiosity of the scientist, the erudition of the scholar, and the passion of the truth teller' Judith Herman, author of Trauma and Recovery

44

The buffalo hunter hunter
Jones, Stephen Graham
Paper Book
New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2025 A Barack Obama Summer Read A Time, The Washington Post, NPR, Shelf Awareness, and Publishers Weekly Best of the Year Kirkus Reviews Best Historical...

45

The correspondent : a novel
Evans, Virginia
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Discover the word-of-mouth hit hailed by Ann Patchett as "A cause for celebration"--an intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word and the beauty of slowing down to reconnect with the people we love. "The...

46

The covenant of water : a novel
Verghese, Abraham
Paper Book
OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK * INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * SUBJECT OF A SIX-PART SUPER SOUL PODCAST SERIES HOSTED BY OPRAH WINFREY From the New York Times-bestselling author of Cutting for Stone comes a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in...

47

The decline and fall of the Roman Empire
Gibbon, Edward
Paper Book
Easily the most celebrated historical work in English, Gibbon's account of the Roman empire was in its time a landmark in classical and historical scholarship and remains a remarkable fresh and powerful contribution to the interpretation of Roman history more than two hundred years after its first...

48

The edge of lost
McMorris, Kristina
Paper Book
"On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz. A prison guard's ten-year-old daughter--one of the few civilians who lives on the island--has gone missing. Tending the warden's greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously. Only he knows the...

49

The elements
Boyne, John
Paper Book

50

The Frozen People
Griffiths, Elly.
Paper Book

51

The girl from Devil's Lake
Jance, Judith A.
Paper Book
Arizona County Sheriff Joanna Brady solves her biggest case yet, from a body in the desert to crimes spanning decades and countries, in the thrilling latest installment in the New York Times bestselling suspense series. Sheriff Joanna Brady is looking forward to the...

52

The Grave Artist
Deaver, Jeffery
Paper Book
Perfect couples are his perfect victims. Now he's hunting those hunting him in a riveting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado. A wedding reception is coming to a close in the...

53

The great white hoax : two centuries of selling racism in America
Kadish, Philip
Paper Book
A provocative new history of the forgeries, bogus science, rigged data, and fake news that keep American racism alive "Anyone interested in the intersection of race, politics, and public lies in America will want to read this book." --David S. Reynolds, Bancroft Prize-winning...

54

The gun man Jackson Swagger : a western
Hunter, Stephen
Paper Book
Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Hunter, "a true master at the pinnacle of his craft" (Jack Carr), returns with a classic Western--gunfights, horses, saloons, and looming above, the ominous presence of the railroad--about a Civil War veteran investigating the dark...

55

The handsewn wardrobe : a complete guide to making your own clothes : from patternmaking to the finishing stitches
Sonstroem, Louisa Owen
Paper Book
Discover the slow, quiet joy of sewing clothes by hand in this one-of-kind guide.  Featuring step-by-step, illustrated instructions, this hand-sewing course-in-a-book shows you how to create nine wardrobe staples, including a t-shirt, button-up, and jeans,...

56

The kingdom, the power, and the glory : American evangelicals in an age of extremism
Alberta, Tim
Paper Book
Instant New York Times Bestseller One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of the Year An Economist and Air Mail Best Book of the Year "Brave and absorbing." -- New York Times "Alberta is not just a thorough and responsible reporter but a vibrant writer, capable of...

57

The librarians
Thomas, Sherry
Paper Book
"This delicious murder mystery is a must-read for any library lover!"--New York Times bestselling author Shelby Van Pelt Murder disrupts four quirky librarians' lives when they try to hide among books to keep their secrets. A LIBRARY READS PICK! l An NPR...

58

The lost hours
White, Karen
Paper Book
The New York Times bestselling author of the Tradd Street novelsdelivers a gripping tale of family, fate, and forgiveness. When Piper Mills was twelve, she helped her grandfather bury a box that belonged to her grandmother in the backyard. For twelve years, it remained...

59

The lost story of Eva Fuentes
Cleeton, Chanel
Paper Book
A 2025 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee "This captivating story is an ode to book lovers!"--Woman's World A mysterious book with a legacy spanning from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day unites three women--and their secrets--in this...

60

The mad wife
Church, Meagan
Paper Book
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From bestselling author Meagan Church comes a haunting exploration of identity, motherhood, and the suffocating grip of societal expectations that will leave you questioning the lives we build--and the lies we live. They called it...

61

The penguin lessons : what I learned from a remarkable bird
Michell, Tom
Paper Book
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE * The extraordinary and inspiring true story about the surprising bond between a young teacher and the small penguin he rescued "The Penguin Lessons teaches an important truth: that a single act of compassion can be repaid a thousand-fold."-...

62

The possession of Alba Díaz
Cañas, Isabel
Paper Book
In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiance, Carlos, to his family's isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent...

63

Proving Ground: The Brand New Blockbuster Lincoln Lawyer Thriller
Connelly, Michael.
Paper Book
Mickey Haller - The Lincoln Lawyer - leaves criminal court behind for his first civil lawsuit. But to him, this is still a murder trial. An AI company's chatbot encouraged a sixteen-year-old boy to kill his ex-girlfriend. Can Haller prove the company knew the dangers of its...

64

The river we remember : a novel
Krueger, William Kent
Paper Book
AN EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by a shocking murder, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling novel, an instant New York Times bestseller and "a work of art" (The Denver Post). On Memorial Day...

65

The wilderness : a novel
Flournoy, Angela
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER FINALIST FOR THE KIRKUS PRIZE FOR FICTION LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION LONGLISTED FOR THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE Named one of the Washington Post's 10 Best Books of the Year ...

66

This bird has flown : a novel
Hoffs, Susanna
Paper Book
This delightfully funny and steamy novel about music, fate, and love from beloved songwriter and Bangles co-founder Susanna Hoffs is "a total knockout" and "the smart, ferocious rock-star redemption romance you didn't know you needed" (New York Times Book Review).

67

Tom's crossing : a western
Danielewski, Mark Z.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the bestselling author of House of Leaves comes a magisterial novel about two friends determined to rescue a pair of horses set for slaughter. "This is an amazing work of fiction. I absolutely loved it. At the heart you'll find a blood...

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