November is a slower month in publishing, coming off the heels of the deluge of books that came out in September and October. Regardless, there are gems coming out this month, including some excellent new LGBTQ books. Here are ten of the most exciting queer books out in November 2026, including a queer 1970s thriller with shades of The X-Files, an M/M tennis romance, a nonbinary fantasy adventure, a sapphic thriller that’s “The Golden Girls meets Bonnie and Clyde and Thelma and Louise,” and more.

There Used To Be People Here by Kennedy Cole (November 3)

Samuel Barkley is the only Black detective in 1970’s Wenton, Mississippi. He’s just trying to keep his head down when he’s assigned a case about a man found dead in the bathroom of a local gay bar. Keeping a low profile is made difficult by two things, though: Harvey, his vexing new partner, and a UFO crash. This promises to be a queer thriller “with shades of The X-Files and S. A. Cosby.” —Danika Ellis

Happily Ever After the Murders by Rae Wilde (November 3)

Decades ago, Ida and Jean killed their husbands. They’ve been very happy together ever since. But now, the electrical lines in their backyard are being replaced, which means the bodies are going to be discovered. Their attempts to dissuade the electrical company accidentally add another body to their count. So, Ida and Jean set off on a road trip with their cat, hoping to outrun the detective tracking them and start over in San Francisco. It’s The Golden Girls meets Bonnie and Clyde and Thelma and Louise. —Danika Ellis

Two Can Play That Game by Zakiya N. Jamal (November 17)

After a chance encounter at courtside, an influencer and a rising WNBA star try their hand at fake dating. Chelsea is all about promoting sex positivity with her platform, but she’s looking to make a change. Adrienne “AD” Davis is seen as less-than-ideal for sponsors, and a stable relationship could be the perfect shift. However, fake dating always leads to real feelings. —Julia Rittenberg

Guard Your Heart by Anna Rowan and Carla Brooks (November 3)

Tennis romance has had something of a moment this year, and this is another great entry to the subgenre. William Hagen doesn’t have a great reputation, and that matters in tennis. To make him appear kinder, his coach pairs him up with Theo Eastwood in a charity tournament. William and Theo have historical beef, and learning to play together is just one step in their journey of understanding each other. —Julia Rittenberg

The Drakon King by Terry J. Benton-Walker (November 10)

This is a queer romantasy about two princes who are each searching for something—freedom and a missing friend—and wind up stranded together in the Wraithwood. To survive and to save the world from an upcoming catastrophe, they will have to work together. (Cue the close proximity music!) —Liberty Hardy

This Knight Topples Empires by Ry Herman (November 3)

From the author of This Princess Kills Monsters comes a nonbinary fantasy novel retelling the Romanian folk tale “The Girl Who Pretended to Be a Boy.” Jules and their five sisters all have low-stakes magic, like inducing sneezing. As you can imagine, this kind of magic doesn’t get them very far, but when Jules discovers a conspiracy to overthrow the kingdom, they get pulled into a much bigger plot. (Oh, and they also very inconveniently fall in love with a princess.) —Danika Ellis

They Called Us Wicked by Gloria Muñoz (November 3)

In this sapphic YA fantasy, when fledgling witch Lucy’s new roommate, Retta, goes missing at the start of their first year of university, Lucy needs the help of her coven to find her. Lucy got the weird feeling that Retta had unrealized powers, and with the help of her bruja friends, she uncovers an anti-magic regime and a hidden forest under the school’s campus. —Liberty Hardy

Lavender and Hemlock by Lili Wilkinson (November 10)

In this sapphic YA fantasy, Merit is a Carrion Knight, raised to be a monster. When she’s injured in battle, she stumbles into the Oubliette. It’s an idyllic seaside cottage, where housemaid Tansy has spent countless peaceful days. (Actually countless: she can’t remember a life before.) As Merit and Tansy get closer, they discover that the Oubliette is not as perfect as it appears, and Merit is key to Tansy being able to escape. —Danika Ellis

Bitter Pill: Randy Shilts and the Dawn of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic by Clément Xavier and Héloïse Chochois (November 3)

This graphic biography paints a portrait of Randy Shilts, a pioneering gay journalist who wrote about the AIDS/HIV crisis in 1981, when those in power were determined to ignore it. With lives on the line, Randy Shilts went to great lengths to draw attention to the ongoing health crisis. —Danika Ellis

And If I Die Before I Wake: A Memoir by George M. Johnson (November 10)

Finally, we have the debut adult memoir from the author of All Boys Aren’t Blue. In And If I Die Before I Wake, they discuss their HIV diagnosis and their struggles with alcoholism, as well as becoming the author of the #1 most banned book in the country. “Drawing inspiration from Toni Morrison, Jesmyn Ward, and Ta-Nehisi Coates, And If I Die Before I Wake explores grief, trauma, sexuality, and the Black family through the lens of transformation, healing, and hope.” —Danika Ellis

6 More New LGBTQ Books Out This Week: November 3, 2026

As a bonus for All Access members, here are six more new queer books out this week, including an M/M/F romantasy novel and a nonbinary memoir.

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