The Best New Books in Paperback This April

Spring is here! Which means it’s time to pick up a paperback and cautiously attempt to read out of doors (if the weather cooperates). Check out our latest monthly round-up for picnic-friendly titles, as many of last year’s biggest titles get their paperback release.

Anne Perry, One Fatal Flaw, Ballantine (4/6)

“One Fatal Flaw is like a set of Russian dolls. . . . Anne Perry is a masterful writer and this series just gets better and better.”–Criminal Element

Janelle Brown, Pretty Things, Random House Trade (4/6)

“It’s Dynasty meets Patricia Highsmith.”–The Washington Post

Timothy Hallinan, Street Music, Soho (4/6)

“Heart-rending.” –Kirkus Reviews

Danielle Trussoni, The Ancestor, Custom House (4/13)

“A Gothic Extravaganza.” –Kirkus

Francesca Montplaisir, My Mother’s House, Knopf (4/13)

“Impossible to stop reading.” –Vulture

Sophie Hannah, Perfect Little Children, William Morrow (4/13)

“Hannah builds on her suspenseful premise with well-placed clues and a superb sense of timing, all the way to a crash-and-burn ending.” -New York Times Book Review

Megan Campisi, Sin Eater, Atria (4/13)

“A riveting depiction of hard-won female empowerment that weaves together meticulous research, unsolved murder—and an unforgettable young heroine.” –The Washington Post

Ivy Pochoda, These Women, Ecco (4/13)

“Ivy Pochoda is the empath of the overlooked, writing thoughtful, nuanced novels about individuals whose voices frequently go unheard in the real world…. A feminist-weighted piece of crime fiction…. While serial killers dehumanize their victims, and true crime reportage reduces them to before and after photographs, here Pochoda restores their humanity, giving these women identities beyond their relationship to the killer.”–Los Angeles Review of Books

Samantha Downing, He Started It, Berkley (4/20)

“Best for people who love Criminal Minds, research scams in their free time, and have a super f*cked up family.” –Betches

Karin Slaughter, The Silent Wife, William Morrow (4/20)

“Slaughter adds depth to her best-selling series with the investigations of old and current cases, while also advancing the key personal relationship. Another slam dunk.” –BookPage

Layne Fargo, They Never Learn, Gallery (4/20)

“Intense is the key word here.” –Booklist

Michael Connelly, The Law of Innocence, Little, Brown(4/27)

“A compelling crime novel that lingers in value long after the last page.” –The New York Journal of Books

Lee Child and Andrew Child, The Sentinel, (4/27)

“One of the many great things about Jack Reacher is that he’s larger than life while remaining relatable and believable. The Sentinel shows that two Childs are even better than one.” –James Patterson

Brian Panowich, Hard Cash Valley, Minotaur (4/27)

The plotting is skilled, as is the sleuthing, and the landscape is stunning. But it’s the hard-jawed characters, with their tough talk and scarred souls, who really get under your skin.” –Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review