Whether you’re curling up beside a campfire in the San Juans or kicking back in a lounge chair at Water World, Centennial State summer endeavors are infinitely better with a good book. So to help you find the perfect poolside page-turner, we asked the pros at Tattered Cover Book Store to tell us what’s on their summer TBR.

From feminist vampire novels to cozy mysteries set in Alsace, France, here are six new releases—all penned by Colorado authors—sure to leave you on the edge of your beach chair.

Behold the Bird in Flight: A Novel of an Abducted Queen by Terri Lewis

Denver author Terri Lewis makes a dazzling debut with this richly imagined retelling of Queen Isabelle’s life—the oft-forgotten second wife of King John (who signed the Magna Carta.) Blending historical fact with emotional depth, the story follows a young girl who yearns for romance but winds up caught in a trap of her own making when flirtation with a king goes sideways. As Isi matures, she navigates betrayal, power, and love in a world ruled by men. Written with vivid prose and deep heart, this is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and feminist resilience.—Kat Long, director of events

Midnight in Soap Lake by Matthew Sullivan

Award-winning author—and former Tattered Cover bookseller—Matthew Sullivan returns with a haunting, character-driven mystery set in the seemingly sleepy town of Soap Lake, Washington. But when our main character, Abigail, relocates there for her husband’s job, she quickly learns that this unassuming town has a sinister underbelly. With strange characters, a deranged villain, and a magical body of water, Midnight in Soap Lake is a bingeable, genre-bending story about grief, truth, and what really haunts us.—KL

A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains and Vines by Ann Claire

Sadie Greene thought leading cycling tours through scenic French villages would be idyllic—until someone winds up dead. Enter the Silver Spinners: a group of wine-sipping senior citizens with a passion for pedaling and poking around crime scenes. What follows is a cheeky, cozy mystery laced with humor, travel, and just enough danger to keep your wheels turning. Equal parts charming and clever, it’s the perfect escape for sleuths who prefer their clues served with croissants.—Jennifer Martin, Tattered Cover buyer

There Are Reasons for This by Nini Berndt

In Nini Berndt’s dystopian Denver, connection is rare and survival is fragile. Following her brother’s death, Lucy heads to the Mile High City to track down Helen, his former love, in the hopes of getting answers. Instead, the women’s lives become increasingly enmeshed, leading to far more questions than clarity. Through the alternating perspectives of Lucy and Helen, Berndt explores the theme of family—both biological and chosen. If the immersive writing in this debut novel is any indication, I predict Berndt’s future books will be downright addictive.—Kathy Baum, Tattered Cover buyer

No Lie Lasts Forever by Mark Stevens

Set in Denver, the notorious PDQ Killer walked away from his violent past to live a quiet life. Fifteen years later, someone’s killing again—and claiming to be him. Desperate to avoid attention, the real PDQ Killer, Harry Kugel, teams up with a disgraced TV reporter to reveal the true murderer. But as the bodies pile up, so do the secrets. This fast-paced thriller from longtime local journalist Mark Stevens is gripping until the last page.—Derek Holland, managing director

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

A mandatory read for the modern Gothic bibliophile, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is the dark, twisted sister of V. E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. This queer tale of feminist rage hosts a depth of duplicitous characters, each turned into a vampire at different points in history. Although the setting spans from 16th-century Spain to modern-day Boston, the female protagonists in each era share a similar struggle for autonomy and power. If you love quality, low-fantasy world building, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and time jumps, this one’s for you.—Katie B., store manager