Literature

Here are 22 new novels and nonfiction picks for readers to check out this month.

In some long-ago October, I can vaguely recall a house that gave out books for Halloween one year instead of candy, a substitution only slightly better received than, say, a toothbrush or a single Brussels sprout. However, for me, I would have happily traded a few sleeves of Smarties or a stale Charleston Chew for the chance to stuff a good book into my pillowcase. “Just take one,” I imagine ...

It’s finally spooky season! Or close enough. Which means we can start screaming about the plethora of horror novels coming out this October. You’ve heard of an advent calendar — well, this is a demented calendar. A book a day keeps the ghosts away! But only for October. You’re on your own for Christmas. There may not be a chill in the air just yet here in Southern California, but that doesn’t ...

Ryan Lowell is the author of the debut novel, “Freight,” which is set in the world of the trucking business. His fiction has appeared in “Workers Write!” and “Overtime.” He lives in South Portland with his wife and two sons. Q. Please tell readers about your new book, “Freight.” “Freight” is a story about several desperate characters caught up in a scheme to steal a semi-truck hauling $10 ...

Even if you aren’t heading back to school this September, you might be in need of a reading list. And boy, do we have one this month: an enormous, mammoth, colossal list of books (and no, not a single thesaurus among them, believe it or not). Even more than August’s picks, September’s book offerings include award-winning authors and award-nominated titles; fiction, nonfiction and curious ...