Rushdie deserves ‘ Victory’ lap; Moyes tries on her new ‘ Shoes’

In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’s Barbara Van Denburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases. All titles are on sale Tuesday.

‘ Victory City’ By Salman Rushdie ( Random House, fiction)

What it’s about: The Booker Prize- winning author, who in August survived a knife attack as he was giving a public lecture, triumphantly returns with a tale set in a magical India, in which a girl granted power by a goddess gives rise to a fantastical empire.

The buzz: A starred Kirkus review calls it “a grand entertainment, in a tale with many strands, by an ascended master of modern legends.”

‘ Don’t Fear the Reaper’ By Stephen Graham Jones ( Saga, fiction)

What it’s about: In this sequel to “My Heart Is a Chainsaw,” Indigenous serial killer Dark Mill South escapes into the rural lake town of Proof rock to complete his revenge killing for 38 Dakota men hanged in 1862, on the same day Jade Daniels returns.

The buzz: A starred review from Publishers Weekly calls it a “blood- soaked romp.”

‘ The Critic’s Daughter’ By Priscilla Gilman ( Norton, nonfiction)

What it’s about: Growing up, Priscilla Gilman adored her father, the writer, professor and theater critic Richard Gilman. But her parents’ sudden divorce released a flood of revelations about her father that fundamentally altered her relationship with and perception of the man.

The buzz: “This is an eyeopening testament to the lasting wounds of divorce,” says a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

‘ Someone Else’s Shoes’ By Jojo Moyes ( Pamela Dorman, fiction)

What it’s about: It’s a simple mix- up when stressed- out Sam grabs the wrong gym bag and ends up with fabulously wealthy Nisha’s Louboutin shoes. But that small mistake triggers a massive change in both women’s lives.

The buzz: “The author’s fans will have a ball,” says Publishers Weekly.

‘ Hungry Ghosts’ By Kevin Jared Hosein ( Ecco, fiction)

What it’s about: Two families in 1940s Trinidad – one living in unfathomable luxury and the other in backbreaking poverty – are intertwined by a mystery that will forever change their community in this Caribbean novel exploring class, family and historical violence.

The buzz: A starred Kirkus review calls it “immersive, persuasive.”