The top bestselling books by Black authors in October

While October ushered in major new releases from Black authors across genres, many readers seem to be stuck on several titles published throughout the year in particular, including Mara Brock Akil’s “The Revelation of Dionne Daphne.”

The novel, which hit shelves in June, has remained on the African American Literature Book Club’s Black Bestsellers List ever since it was released, landing at No. 9 among the top 10 bestselling books by Black authors in October.

Set in the early 1990s, “The Revelation of Dionne Daphne” follows the two weeks in the life of Dionne Daphne, a 33-year-old Black woman at the height of her career as a lifestyle writer who seemingly has it all together, as she anxiously awaits the results of an HIV test and the sometimes painstaking and at other times clarifying process of notifying former intimate partners of their potential exposure. Intimate, deeply moving, and gorgeously written, “The Revelation of Dionne Daphne” pulls readers in from its opening pages and doesn’t let go.

“I think that we are collectively at a place where I think we’re carrying a lot of forms of shame,” the writer and creator behind cultural juggernauts such as “Girlfriends” and Netflix’s breakout hit “Forever” told theGrio in an interview shortly after the book’s release.

“Our inability to release that out of us creates behaviors that create shame,” Akil continued. “And I think Dionne is a brave character to raise her hand and say, ‘I’ll go first. I’ll tell you my story, and in telling my story, I’ll share some of my discoveries, my lessons, so I can let go and move on.’”

Since it hit shelves, Akil’s novel has led women to go and get tested for sexually transmitted infections, share their own experiences, and open up about subjects that have long carried stigma and shame. And while “The Revelation of Dionne Daphne” continues to find new readers, it’s hardly the only book enjoying a lengthy stay on the bestseller list. From Marlon James’ “The Disappearers” and Tayari Jones’ “Kin” to Percival Everett’s two-year-old “James,” the top 10 bestselling books by Black authors in October include plenty of titles worth adding to your fall reading list. Below, we take a closer look at the other nine books joining Akil’s novel on the list.

“The Disappearers” by Marlon James

In his latest, “The Disappearers,” a gripping crime novel, Marlon James takes readers to 1980s Jamaica and follows what happens after eight gay men’s lives become entangled in the aftermath of a brutal attack, as they must contend with the homophobia, the violence, secrets, and what it means to survive in a society that refuses to accept them.

“Daggermouth” by H.M. Wolfe

There’s a lot going on in H.M. Wolfe’s “Daggermouth,” set in a dystopian society controlled by a mysterious masked ruling class, which follows a mercenary whose failed attempt to kill a powerful figure lands them in an unexpected marriage to the president’s son, where matters of the heart become just as complicated as the fight to stay alive.

“Kin: A Novel” by Tayari Jones

Acclaimed author Tayari Jones has returned with “Kin,” a novel that explores the complicated bonds of friendship, family, and identity as two childhood friends from a small Louisiana town, whose lives take vastly different directions, are brought back together by tragedy, bringing their shared history and unresolved past into focus.

“Judge Stone” by Viola Davis and James Patterson

In “Judge Stone,” Viola Davis and bestselling thriller author James Patterson introduce readers to a respected judge in a small Alabama town whose latest case puts her convictions to the test as she grapples with difficult questions of justice, morality, and the personal consequences of upholding the law.

“Cool Machine” by Colson Whitehead

Colson Whitehead returns to the streets of 1980s New York City in “Cool Machine,” following a successful furniture dealer whose efforts to protect his family and the life he has built become increasingly complicated as the criminal underworld and violent legacies of his past threaten to pull him back in.

“Mazywood” by Tananarive Due

Something sinister lurking in the California mountains collides in Tananarive Due’s “Mazywood,” which follows a filmmaker whose investigation into his grandmother’s past uncovers generations of buried rage, painful truths, and a terrifying presence that refuses to stay hidden.

“A Pair of Aces” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Set in 1930s New York, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray’s “A Pair of Aces” follows a pioneering prosecutor and a madam from vastly different worlds who form an unlikely alliance to take down a powerful mob boss while challenging the social conventions and expectations placed on women of their time.

“The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman” by Deesha Philyaw

The picture-perfect life of a megachurch pastor’s wife begins to unravel when, after reaching her 40th birthday, her past comes bubbling back to the surface in Deesha Philyaw’s “The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman,” forcing her to confront questions of faith, ambition, shame, and who she really is beneath the expectations of her congregation and community.

“Burn Down Master’s House” by Clay Cane

Through an ensemble of characters, including the quick-witted Luke, defiant Henri, sharp Josephine, and formidable Charity Butler, Clay Cane’s “Burn Down Master’s House” explores the courage, cunning, and determination of enslaved people in the American South who resist the brutality of slavery and fight for their humanity and freedom.