New Murder Mystery Named in Barnes & Noble's ‘Best Books of June' Is Drawing Major Buzz
A billionaire's murder, five genius heirs and a mansion full of secrets are helping turn "The Heirs" into one of the buzziest new mystery novels of the summer.
The new novel by bestselling author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé was recently featured in Barnes & Noble's "Best Books of June" roundup, with the retailer highlighting the book's high-stakes family drama and locked-room mystery setup.
The novel follows the five adopted children of billionaire Leontes Button, each raised under their father's brutal "Button Method," an experiment designed to transform children into elite prodigies.
There's Octavius the Maestro. Fola the Brain. Bilal the Olympian. Perdita the Artist. Romeo the Failure.
But everything changes when their father is murdered during his lavish annual Prodigy Ball.
Now trapped inside the sprawling Button Manor while police investigate the killing, the siblings are forced to confront not only the mystery surrounding their father's death, but the dangerous secrets they've all been hiding.
Barnes & Noble described the novel as "perfect for fans of 'The Inheritance Games,' 'Umbrella Academy,' and 'Knives Out,'" while praising its tangled family dynamics and murder-mystery intrigue.
The retailer is also selling a special edition featuring stained page edges, a detail that has already helped the book gain traction among BookTok and collector communities.
Àbíké-Íyímídé first broke out with her 2021 thriller "Ace of Spades," which became a New York Times bestseller and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teens.
According to Forbes, the author secured a seven-figure publishing deal while still in her early twenties after "Ace of Spades" exploded internationally. The publication recently named her to its 30 Under 30 list for 2026.
Part of what has helped "The Heirs" stand out is the vivid personality of its sprawling cast.
On Instagram, Àbíké-Íyímídé introduced readers to each of the heirs individually, describing Fola as a "Type A eldest daughter" and chess genius, while calling Octavius the family's "chaotic middle child" and "scene disruptor."
The author also revealed that Romeo, the sibling cruelly labeled "the Failure," may be the emotional core of the novel.
"I think he is my thesis statement," Àbíké-Íyímídé wrote on Instagram. "I hope everyone loves him as much as I do."
The book's mix of elite-family dysfunction, locked-room mystery and dark academia-style atmosphere has already made it one of the most talked-about thrillers heading into summer reading season.
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 12:57 PM.