Publishing, like everything, goes in cycles; spring and summer are prime time for book publications, and things tend to wane as the months get colder.

However, every year there are gems that get released after the rush, and I want to highlight a few books that are yet to come for the end of 2017.

“Heaven’s Crooked Finger” by Hank Early (Mystery – 11/7)

Hank Early brings us the beginning of a new mystery series featuring Earl Marcus, a man drawn reluctantly back into his past in order to solve a haunting mystery. The characters in this novel are as engaging and intriguing as the plot itself, and Early’s descriptions of North Georgia will draw you in. Compared favorably to James Lee Burke, this Southern crime series will leave you intrigued as it navigates unexpected twists and turns.

“Someone You Love Is Gone” by Gurjinder Basran (Literary Fiction – 11/7)

Capturing the depths and complexity of grief is not an easy task, but Basran uses beautiful prose to illustrate the loss of one family’s central member in this literary novel. We follow Simran, the eldest daughter of an Indian family living in Canada, as she learns more about her beloved late mother as well as what remains of own life after this loss. Readers who enjoy lyrical, emotional prose and literary favorites such as Jhumpa Lahiri and Marilynne Robinson will be drawn to this one.

“City of Brass” by S.A. Chakraborty (Fantasy – 11/14)

Note: I saw Chakraborty speak at a recent conference, and I was impressed by the amount of passion and research she put into her debut novel.

An adult fantasy novel that could be suitable for YA crossover, Chakraborty draws upon ancient Middle Eastern folklore to captivate her audiences. Early reviewers are raving about how fully they were absorbed into this fantasy world, one filled with trickster con-artists, mysterious djinns and political intrigue.

“Mean” by Myriam Gurba (Memoir… – 11/14)

Why the ellipses after “Memoir”? Gurba is a spoken-word performer and a visual artist by trade, and this book draws upon her unique style, resulting in a caustically hilarious yet poignant book that resists genre classification.

As a queer, mixed-race Chicana with a lifetime of intersectional observations to draw upon, Myriam Gurba has honed her “meanness” as an act of self-preservation. She turns her unflinching eye on racism, sexism, homophobia and a world of other systemic issues in this raw, engaging work. Read if you want to discover a new hero.

Why these books weren’t released during the usual hype-filled warmer months is beyond me, but I think they will all prove that the best is yet to come for 2017.

— Kate Gramlich is a readers’ services assistant at the Lawrence Public Library.