Summer Beach Reads Plus!

Michele Coppola

50plus Magazine

When you think of a “summer beach book” you probably envision a trashy potboiler or true crime page-turner. The following best bets include recent bestsellers of that variety, and also some that might have you thinking about hitting the road or finding a new direction in mid-life.

Lessons in Chemistry — Bonnie Garmus

A brilliant scientist and single mom in the early 1950s finds herself the host of a TV cooking show. Funny, feminist, heartwarming — and soon to be an Apple TV series.

Mexican Gothic — Silvia Moreno-Garcia

If you love a good gothic novel like Rebecca or The Haunting of Hill House, you’ll enjoy this creepy thriller set in a decaying mansion full of horrifying family secrets.

The Seven Husbands of Eveyln Hugo — Taylor Jenkins Reid

A Hollywood page-turner from the author of Daisy Jones & The Six that revolves around an unforgettable old-school movie star with a lot to hide. Rumor has it a Netflix film adaptation is in the works.

Leave Only Footprints: My Arcada-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park — Conor Knighton

Can travel heal a broken heart? Find out with this honest and funny account of one man’s journey to visit all our national parks in one year. While not really a travel guide, Knighton’s descriptions will make you want to hit the road before summer’s gone!

From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life — Arthur C. Brooks

Wondering what — or who — you want to be now that you’re really grown up? While this book is geared more toward career-driven people, there is much wisdom here for anyone trying to figure out life after retirement.