Thrill to a beach read by a local author

As the summer sun beckons and the call of the beach grows irresistible, there’s no better time to dive into a good book. Whether you’re lounging on a sandy shore or relaxing in a cozy hammock, a well-chosen book can transport you to distant lands, entice you with page-turning thrills and provide a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Find your perfect beach read in this roundup of recent book releases by Charleston authors.

The Villain Edit explores reality TV

Charleston author Laurie Devore’s The Villain Edit comes out July 2, a sharp and sexy satirical dramedy that was listed as one of Cosmopolitan’s “17 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in Summer 2024.”

Known for her young adult novels, (A Better Bad Idea, Winner Take All and How to Break a Boy), The Villain Edit is Devore’s long-awaited adult debut. It follows a cynical romance novelist who goes on a dating show to revive her career — only to discover that the producers have turned her into the show’s villain.

The novel capitalizes on our collective pop culture obsession with reality TV chaos — think last year’s “Scandoval” from Vanderpump Rules, or the messiness of shows like Netflix’s Love is Blind or the Bachelor/Bachelorette series.

On July 11, Devore will host an event at Blue Bicycle Books in conversation with fellow Charlestonian author, Victoria Benton Frank (My Magnolia Summer). Learn more at lauriedevore.com and bluebiyclebooks.com. The Villain Edit is out July 2 and available for preorder from HarperCollins.

Domestic suspense in Her Best Self

For a thriller featuring dark twists and winks of humor, Edisto Island author Mindy Friddle (Secret Keepers, The Garden Angel) released in May what’s been called a “fast paced, clever and wickedly compelling” novel, Her Best Self — part thriller, part drama that follows women clawing at independence.

Protagonist Janelle Wolf uncovers the truth behind her mysterious car accident with the help of an alluring psychic healer, unraveling scandals that disrupt her family and small southern town, the fictional city of Haven, S.C.

The Succession-esque story begins with that car wreck. And letting off the brakes leads to the discovery of swingers and wife swaps; swindlers and woo-woo scams; senatorial elections and campaign strategy; secrets and manipulated information; incest and inheritance and a wedding that’s more like a game of Stratego.

But at the heart of the domestic suspense novel is a question of women’s independence. Author Friddle was inspired to write it when she inherited a 1963 Good Housekeeping cookbook bookmarked with clippings from her family’s small-town newspaper — and noticed that women were often identified by their connection to men.

Written with wry humor, this diabolically entertaining tale of deception, temptation and love explores what happens when the transgressions of the past come back with a vengeance. Available now through Regal House Publishing.

Tell-all book Rainmaker from Tiger Woods’ former agent

When 21-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing 12 strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother and his agent, Hughes Norton.

Hughes Norton tells all in this newly released novel, penned with Charleston author George Peper, former editor-in-chief of Golf Magazine and bestselling author of nineteen books.

In Rainmaker, Peper and Norton draw back the curtain on Tiger Wood’s meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With never-before-told stories and exclusive insights, Norton discusses what it was like being Wood’s first agent, plus recounts his years representing Greg Norman, while also shining a bright light on his own sudden — and controversial — oust as the head of IMG’s Golf Division.

Rainmaker offers a lively tell-all from a golf super-agent — plus his thoughts on what he calls golf’s current “money-grab era.” Available now through Simon & Schuster.

Crime and sea turtles in At Loggerheads

Published last summer to great acclaim, the debut novel by Daniel Island based author Kristen Ness, At Loggerheads explores a murder on an S.C. barrier island. The story follows a sea turtle biologist and a local detective in their unraveling of a mystery which has implications for the presidential election.

A dead body surfaces as scientist Brooke Edens observes the loggerhead sea turtles’ nesting in late May. Brooke finds herself entangled in a homicide investigation with detective Drew Young, her closest friend and sometimes love interest.

At the same time, a favorite candidate is emerging for the upcoming U.S. presidential election, and he happens to be the father of Brooke’s ex-fiancé. While Brooke’s knowledge of sea turtles helps Drew to discover and decipher evidence, the many revelations, betrayals and secrets they find threaten the investigation, the election and Brooke’s closest relationships.

Captivating, clever and timely, At Loggerheads pays homage to the coastal towns of the Lowcountry, exploring the conflicting influences of Mother nature and human behavior. Available through Evening Post Books.