WHAT’S NEW

“The Opium Prince” by Jasmine Aimaq (Soho Crime). The story begins in 1970, when an American diplomat, posted to Afghanistan, accidentally hits a young girl with his car. The girl’s death becomes blackmail leverage for a local kingpin, and as the drug lord and diplomat tangle, Aimaq — who, like her protagonist, grew up in Afghanistan — shows the country’s complicated history in a pulse-pounding thriller.

“Admission” by Julie Buxbaum (Delacorte Press). Buxbaum’s latest smart, funny novel examines the recent scandal of Hollywood parents bribing officials to secure competitive placement for their kids. It’s written from the perspective of high schooler Chloe Wynn Berringer, whose life is practically perfect — until her mother is arrested, and Chloe has to question more than just her choice of college.