Pack up your beach bag and don’t forget to bring a book! We’re soaking in the last little bit of summer this holiday weekend and there’s still time to squeeze in a few more pages before the season really changes. Whether you’re in the mood for intense family drama, a sweet romance, a journey through history or something entirely different, there’s a Jewish book for every type of reader.

For the mystery lover:

The Lost Girl of Craven County
 By Emily Matchar (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

It’s a decade into the Great Depression and Millicent Green, a 25-year-old “old maid,” is living with her mother and older brother in the stifling Jewish community of New Bern, N.C. But when she discovers an unconscious young woman, Millie is drawn into a mystery that uncovers long-buried secrets and an unexpected friendship.

Purchase the book here.

For the literary fiction lover:

Long Island Girls
By Gabrielle Korn (St. Martin’s Press)

Looking for a nostalgic coming-of-age story placed against the backdrop of the indie music scene? Set in 2005, Gabrielle Korn’s novel follows Susan and Eliza as their complicated connection unfolds while Susan builds a life in music and navigates queer identity, friendship and her future aspirations.

Purchase the book here.

For the romance lover:

Soon by You
By Dahlia Adler (St. Martin’s Griffin)

If you like the movie 27 Dresses, you’ll love Dahlia Adler’s adult rom-com debut. The book follows Arielle, a perpetual bridesmaid in the Modern Orthodox community who doesn’t want to settle down, and Judah, a popular wedding singer ready to find his forever person. As the two repeatedly meet, they begin to wonder if they might be exactly what each other needs.

Purchase the book here. 

For the women’s fiction lover:

All Afternoon 
By Susan Kleinman (Volume 36 Books)

Set in 1978 in New Jersey, Susan Kleinman’s debut novel centers on Marilyn Weisfeld, a Modern Orthodox homemaker who gave up her writing ambitions to raise her family. As the story progresses, Marilyn finds her voice and reignites her passion and creativity.

Purchase the book here.

For the historical fiction lover:

Off the Record 
By Sara Goodman Confino (Lake Union)

This book has it all! A historical fiction mystery with a little romance sprinkled in, Sara Goodman Confino’s latest novel follows Judy Greenberg, a young Jewish woman working in a 1962 Washington, D.C., typing pool who dreams of becoming a journalist.

Purchase the book here.

For the thriller lover:

Behind the Trigger
By Yariv Inbar (Genera Ventures)

Set in the world of Israeli espionage, this psychological spy thriller follows Irit, a Mossad field agent balancing dangerous work with her family life, and Noor, the wife of a Syrian missile engineer. When their lives intersect during a mission, long-buried secrets resurface.

Purchase the book here. 

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Courtney Shapiro is the Assistant Digital Editor for Hadassah Magazine. She has written for Woman’s World, First for Women and Best Life. Follow her on Instagram for book recommendations, reviews and more.