Baytown Library
  • New Books
  • Staff Picks
  • Teen
  • Kids
  • Home
  • African American
  • General Fiction
  • Inspirational
  • Romance
  • SciFi & Fantasy
  • Mysteries
    Cozy & Historical Thrillers
  • Large Print
    Fiction Inspirational Mystery Romance
  • Non-Fiction
    Biography & History Health & Beauty Hobbies & Home Self Help & Parenting
active
The Gallery Assistant
A Novel
by Kate Belli
September 08, 2025
Reserve

This twisty and sinister thriller follows a New York art gallery assistant reckoning with her past and now trapped in a web of deceit after an up-and-coming painter is murdered—perfect for fans of Katy Hays and Julia Bartz.

November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. Ever since the terrifying and catastrophic terrorist attack, it seems she has been on a collision course with destruction.

When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works,...

White Wolf
An Evan Ryder Novel
by Eric Van Lustbader
October 20, 2025
Reserve

In this cutting-edge installment of the acclaimed thriller series, New York Times bestselling author Eric Van Lustbader thrusts readers into a world where power is being redefined by a revolutionary communication program that renders modern encryption obsolete, one that will topple global power structures and give rise to technology-driven totalitarian states.

Evan Ryder races against time in a landscape where secrets can no longer hide behind digital walls. Ilona Shokova, the elusive, deadly assassin White Wolf, holds the key to mastering this unhackable method.

Two powerful, deadly women, one quest. Will either one of them survive?

In this pulse-pounding thriller, the...

The Ending Writes Itself
A Novel
by Evelyn Clarke
November 19, 2025
Reserve

A PROPULSIVE DEBUT MYSTERY FROM EVELYN CLARKE, THE BRILLIANT AND DIABOLICAL CREATION OF CAT CLARKE AND V.E. SCHWAB

Six authors.

One private island.

Seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives.

"Smart, original and completely addictive. . . . The Ending Writes Itself is both a great locked-room thriller and a brilliant satire on the publishing industry. An absolute must-read."--Karin Slaughter

Arthur Fletch, one of the world's bestselling novelists, is a reclusive genius known for his iconic protagonists and fiendish twists. When six struggling authors are invited to spend a weekend on his private Scottish island, they...

Private Rome
A Private Novel
by James Patterson,Adam Hamdy
December 08, 2025
Reserve

This thrilling addition to the bestselling Private series transports readers inside the halls of the Vatican itself when a priest is murdered--and the new lead agent at Private is the number one suspect.



Jack Morgan, ex-Marine helicopter pilot and CIA agent, is in Italy to open the latest outpost of his international private investigation firm. Its wealthy client base demands maximum force and maximum discretion.

But when a priest is murdered at the firm's opening party, Morgan and Matteo Ricci--a decorated former Rome police inspector, now Morgan's newly appointed deputy--come under intense scrutiny. As...

Dig Me a Grave
The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South
by Richard A. Harpootlian,Shaun Assael
October 20, 2025
Reserve

The definitive true “Southern Gothic” account of the life, crimes, conviction, and execution of Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins, the charismatic, brutal, well-liked, remorseless South Carolina serial killer who was dubbed the Charles Manson of the South—written by the prosecutor who brought him to justice.

Of the hundreds of murder cases that noted South Carolina attorney Dick Harpootlian has prosecuted, one in particular haunts him. Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins was a serial killer and rapist, a master manipulator who claimed to have killed over 100 people and is known to have murdered over a dozen, including a toddler, and his own teenage...

Previous Next
  • Home
  • African American Experience
  • Best. Books. Ever.
  • Classics
  • Fantasy
  • Feel Good Stories
  • Great Graphic Novels
  • Horror Novels
  • Long But Worth It
  • Mysteries
    Action Series Books With a Twist Cozy Series Detective Series Historical Series Psychological Thrillers
  • Nonfiction
    Books for a Better You Memoirs Narrative Nonfiction Spectacular Science
  • Romance
    Contemporary Historical Paranormal Suspense
  • Weird Fiction
active
Lonesome Dove
by Larry McMurtry
June 25, 2020
Reserve

Meet an unforgettable assortment of heroes and outlaws, whores and ladies, Indians and settlers. Richly authentic, beautifully written, always dramatic,

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
A Novel
by Susanna Clarke
June 25, 2020
Reserve

In London in 1806, a dangerous battle begins between two rival magicians - the scholarly Gilbert Norrell, intent on reviving a centuries old tradition of magic, and the young and reckless Jonathan Strange - and their dark arts are unleashed into the politics of the Napoleonic wars. 

Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold
June 25, 2020
Reserve

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.

Blood Water Paint (Teen)
by
July 23, 2020
Reserve

And listen to me love, when a woman risks her place, her very life to speak a truth the world despises? Believe her. Always.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo
by
July 14, 2020
Reserve

The immigrant story of a Syrian beekeeper, his wife, and the triumph of spirit when the world becomes unrecognizable.

Previous Next
  • Home
  • New Fiction
  • Best Fiction
active
All Better Now
by Neal Shusterman
December 31, 2024
Reserve

From New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman comes a young adult thriller about a world where happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure.

A deadly and unprecedented virus is spreading. But those who survive it experience long-term effects no one has ever seen before: utter contentment. Soon after infection, people find the stress, depression, greed, and other negative feelings that used to weigh them down are gone.

More and more people begin to revel in the mass unburdening. But not everyone. People in power—who depend on malcontents and prey on...

And They Were Roommates
by Page Powars
March 25, 2025
Reserve

A hilarious, unputdownable second-chance-romance about the most unlikely, gay roommate mishap. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Gwen & Art Are Not in Love.

Romance is the last thing on Charlie’s mind.

On his first day at Valentine Academy for Boys, Charlie’s carefully crafted plan to hide his identity as the school’s only trans student is set in motion. Only to be immediately destroyed. Charlie has been assigned the worst roommate in the world (possibly the universe): Jasper Grimes, the boy who broke Charlie’s heart the year before he transitioned.

Except, Jasper doesn’t recognize Charlie.

Who knows how long until Jasper realizes the...

Needy Little Things
by Channelle Desamours
January 24, 2025
Reserve

In this debut speculative YA mystery, a Black teen with premonition-like powers must solve her friend's disappearance before she finds herself in the same danger, perfect for fans of Ace of Spades.

Sariyah Lee Bryant can hear what people need—tangible things, like a pencil, a hair tie, a phone charger—an ability only her family and her best friend, Malcolm, know the truth about. But when she fulfills a need for her friend Deja who vanishes shortly after, Sariyah is left wondering if her ability is more curse than gift. This isn’t the first time one of her friends has landed on...

You Belong to Me
by Hayley Krischer
March 25, 2025
Reserve

The Substance meets Girl in Pieces, in this new YA psychological thriller exploring the dark secrets of the wellness and beauty world, brimming with sapphic romance, class exploration, and friendship clashes.

Frances Bean has always been content living life on the perimeter. Until she gets paired up for a class project with rich and popular Julia, daughter of famous wellness guru Deena Patterson. The "magic" skincare products, healing sound baths, and extravagant parties of Deena’s company DEEP never really interested Frances before, who wears the badge of goth outcast and bookworm proudly. But face time with the girl she...

The Faraway Inn
by Sarah Beth Durst
January 16, 2026
Reserve

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn—but the fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret—in this cozy and irresistible new YA fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

This stunning first edition of The Faraway Inn features gorgeous designed edges!

When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved...

Previous Next
  • Home
  • New Picture Books
  • New Chapter Books
  • African American Picture Books
  • Best Chapter Books
  • Best Mysteries
  • Best Picture Books
  • Novels in Verse
active
The Octopus
by Guojing
December 31, 2025
Reserve

Join a little girl as she discovers the hidden world of her new octopus friend in this stunning wordless picture book by critically acclaimed author-illustrator Guojing.

A little girl goes to the beach with her mother, never expecting the day full of magic and wonder that is ahead of her. When she scoops up a tiny octopus in her small, clear container, and they see each other eye to eye, there's a spark between them! But a little octopus cannot be happy for long in a container. So the girl sets out to discover what the octopus needs. And that's...

Bartleby
by Matt Phelan
January 27, 2026
Reserve

From New York Times-bestelling and award-winning creator Matt Phelan, Bartleby is a whimsical, yet powerful new modern classic picture book for fans of The Rabbit Listened that follows a dapper polar bear who learns the power of staying true to himself.

Everyone says NO sometimes.

Bartleby says, “I prefer not to.”

He says it a lot.

Bartleby does things his own way, in his own time.

And that's what makes him extraordinary.

Matt Phelan's Bartleby is an endearing, adorable, and humorous celebration of being yourself even when you stand out--sure to delight readers everywhere.

Moon Sailors
by Naomi Woodward
February 24, 2026
Reserve

Join in on a bedtime adventure as two siblings--and their cat--dream of the sea and the stars, and the creatures that live where the ocean meets the moon, in this beautifully illustrated story celebrating imagination.

Moonbeams light our course across a star-swept sky.

Three dreamers--two siblings, one cat--embark on a magical bedtime adventure, discovering delights of the sea, sand, and stars. In this place where the ocean meets the moon, imagination and reality mix to reveal creatures both beautiful and rare.

Explore the lunar dreamscape to find glowworms, flying fish, and moon crabs dancing with delight. Look...

Don't Do It, Doug!
by Maudie Powell-Tuck
December 31, 2025
Reserve

A humorous story for children ages 3-7 of a lovable hamster named Doug, who has a penchant for curiosity but absolutely no impulse control.

From the creative team of Hank Goes Honk comes Don't Do It, Doug!, the story of a lovable hamster with a penchant for curiosity--and a serious lack of impulse control.

Poor Doug. There's not a lever he won't pull or a button he won't push. Will he ever learn to control himself?

Children will giggle at Doug's silly antics and will love watching the unfortunate consequences of his actions unfold, while grown-ups will appreciate the themes of friendship...

Bored
by Felicita Sala
December 18, 2025
Reserve

Utter boredom leads one imaginative girl to inspiration in this clever story from much-loved creator Felicita Sala.

Rita is bored. So, so, so bored.

She's tried stretching her body across her bedroom, side-eyeing herself in the mirror, stomping her feet and swinging her arms. Time drags on, and there she remains: catatonic with boredom.

In her tragic and weakened state, her mind drifts to the beginning of a daydream. What if all the bored people in the world gathered together and got onto a bus? What if the boredom filled them up like balloons, with tiny heads...

Previous Next
Copyright © Sterling Municipal Library
(281) 427-7331
asklibrary@baytown.org

Mary Wilbanks Avenue
Baytown, Texas 77520
Map