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It’s that time of the month again, when I share some of the best new books to keep an eye out for. And I feel like I’ve said this in my last few roundups, but this month might just feature some of our most highly anticipated reads of the entire year.
I mean, there’s the eighth book in both the Murderbot and Dungeon Crawler Carl series, a new Veronica Roth story to keep us going until the upcoming Divergent book comes out later this year, as well as great thrillers, sci-fi, and even a horror compendium.
So, these are the new May 2026 books that you won’t want to miss.
A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
Release date: May 12
Dungeon Crawler Carl fans rejoice – Carl and Donut are back in the eighth instalment of the hit series this month – and we even have an exclusive excerpt and an interview with the bestselling author himself, to tide us over until then.
Finding themselves on the tenth floor of the dungeon, the tasks seem surprisingly simple, but as we know from previous books, all is never what it seems. With bizarre glitches taking place more and more frequently, and mysterious whispers about the eleventh floor, no one – not even the showrunners – are certain what this means. But given that the system AI is referring to it as “a coming-out party for the ages,” it’s probably not going to be a good thing, is it? Which is why Carl is planning a party of his own, to hell with the consequences. And even though it might not appear that way from initial inspection, the stakes have never been higher for our beloved characters.
Seek The Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth
Release date: May 12 (US) and May 14 (UK)
With news that a new Divergent book will be hitting shelves later this year, Veronica Roth has a brand new book to keep us all going until then. Seek The Traitor’s Son is gripping, tense, and impossibly intriguing. It revolves around two characters in particular – Elegy and Rava – after a prophecy is linked to them that could apply to either individual. One is a soldier, destined to defend her country from a mighty enemy, while Rava is a general for that same powerful entity.
And when the prophecy declares that only one of them will be victorious, it means that either Elegy or Rava will be the last one left standing in the end, whereas the other will perish, and obviously, Elegy needs to survive. I’m so captured by this one, especially when it features a Fever that brings death to every single person that it touches, that is unless it resurrects them into someone completely different. Thankfully there’s not too long to wait to find out.
Platform Decay by Martha Wells
Release date: May 5
We feel like we’ve been counting down the days until we can get our hands on a new Murderbot story for years now, and thankfully our prayers have been answered in the form of Platform Decay. Following on from book seven – System Collapse – this time our favourite SecUnit will be spending a lot more time with humans, including human children at that.
Packed full of the clever banter, sarcasm and action that the series is known for, the story begins with Murderbot and Three taking on a rescue mission, which of course becomes a lot more complicated than anticipated. All we can say is, this has climbed straight to the top of our TBR list for the month of May, that’s for sure.
I Hear A New World by Alan Moore
Release date: May 21 (UK) and May 26 (US)
If Alan Moore’s The Great When happened to pass you by when it was released back in 2024, you’ll definitely want to get caught up before the second book in the historical fiction series drops at the end of this month.
The year is 1958, and despite Dennis believing that he’s done with the Great When for good, it’s not done with him, and he soon finds himself drawn back into the magical shadow version of London after he discovers that his first love has journeyed there to investigate a series of strange goings on in both cities. Let’s just say, it doesn’t look likely that the Great When will let him get away for a second time, and as easily as he did last time, at that. But could the iron key that he covertly brought back with him last time come in handy? You’ll have to pick up a copy to find out.
The Franchise by Thomas Elrod
Release date: May 12
Now, when we heard that this book had been compared to “Game of Thrones meets The Truman Show,” it’s safe to say that we were immediately intrigued. And to us, it’s even giving us some Westworld vibes, too. So, if you’re the kind of reader who is drawn to books featuring magic, dragons, warriors and wizards – but with a bit of a twist – we have a feeling that this could just be your new favourite read.
With a multigenerational story featuring a number of epic time jumps, it blends satire with sci fi adventure, as the entire population of a Hollywood-owned fantasy world aren’t aware that their lives aren’t in fact real and that they are being completely controlled by the studio in charge. That is until a fan-favourite of the franchise starts to doubt what’s going on. However, freeing himself and the rest of his people won’t be as simple as he thinks it will. We can’t wait to give this one a read.
The Midnight Train by Matt Haig
Release date: May 21 (UK) and May 26 (US)
As someone who adored Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, Haig is back with a new twist on that original concept in The Midnight Train. And as you might have gleaned from the title, this time our main character finds themselves stepping aboard a mysterious train that allows them to take a journey back in time.
Yes, no one can change the past, but when Wilbur’s life comes to an end he has the opportunity to relive some of the most pivotal and seemingly inconsequential moments from his life. And in doing so, he’s able to reassess what went right – and what went wrong – while simultaneously realising just what he lost when it came to the love of his life, Maggie, who he drifted apart from as the years passed by. A time-travelling love story with Haig’s signature wit and compassion, we can’t wait to see if this lives up to its predecessor.
I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours by Nat Cassidy
Release date: May 5
If, like us, you simply couldn’t put down Nat Cassidy’s brilliant When The Wolf Comes Home, you’ll be happy to know that he’s back with a compendium of short stories in I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours.
Assembled in what essentially feels like a travelogue, it features a number of locations, ones where shadows and darkness gather and preside. From a tech millionaire’s haunted kitchen, to a curiously empty gas station rest stop that just so happens to be adorned with googly eyes, to a yoga retreat where all is quiet, apart from the screaming, it even includes Cassidy’s critically acclaimed novella, Rest Stop, alongside a slew of short stories that are being published for the very first time. So, if horror is your thing, you won’t want to miss this.
Storm Breaker by Nisha J. Tuli
Release date: May 5 (US) and May 7 (UK)
Speaking of Divergent, if you’re looking for a book that captures some of the same magic of that series, Storm Breaker by Nisha J. Tuli should 100% be on your radar. The story follows nineteen-year old Poet – making this a great new addition to the dystopian YA genre – as she dreams of becoming a Storm Breaker.
Even though her future and fate has technically already been decided, her time at Amery Academy is nothing like she imagines it to be. From the ruthless trials to the stringent rules, all of which are designed to separate the best from the rest, every moment is a struggle to keep going. However, Poet has a secret that could change everything – not only do the storms not fear her, they answer her back. And when an outsider arrives at the academy, she begins to question everything that she’s been brought up to believe.
The Anniversary by Alex Finlay
Release date: May 12
We’ve read quite a few of Alex Finlay’s mystery thrillers over the years – with a number of them being available to read on Kindle Unlimited, if you happen to live in the UK – and it’s safe to say that The Anniversary sounds just as captivating.
As you might have gleaned from the title, this story revolves around one day – May 1st – and that day just so happens to be the one day of the year that the elusive May Day killer strikes before going dormant for another year. Yet, in 1992, our two main characters’ lives are changed forever, while being inextricably linked, as one of the popular crowd, Jules, narrowly survives an attack by the serial killer, on the very same night that Quinn is arrested for trying to break up a fight and nearly killing someone.
Exactly one year later, Jules is still haunted by what happened to her, and Quinn finds himself released from juvie only to discover that his mother has been murdered. As the story progresses, we get a chance to revisit them both year after year on May 1st, as the May Day Killer continues to rack up more death and destruction.
Ellis is a freelance journalist, based in the UK, with a love of all things books. She also routinely chairs bookish events up and down the country, getting the scoop from some of the biggest and bestselling authors to keep you in the know.
