THE VISITORS 
In her debut novel, Catherine Burns tells the story of spinster Marion, who's in her 50s and lives with her overbearing older brother, John. Marion is forced to follow her brother's rules—she is never to venture to the cellar (even though she's sometimes curious as to what's making all the noises she hears), nor is she to pay any attention to mysterious women's clothing in the laundry. But then, John has a heart attack and everything changes. Marion is forced to seek out what her brother has been hiding. Her discovery reveals the truth about John, but she learns that her brother isn't the only one in the family with a dark side. 

The Visitors (Scout Press) by Catherine Burns, $22; out Sept. 26.

THE DARK FLOOD RISES
Fran is obsessed with her mortality—she finds herself contemplating life and why she keeps on living. She's determined to spend the rest of her days doing what she loves most; she enjoys a good glass of red wine, dyes her hair, goes for a reckless drive around the British countryside, lives in a dodgy area away from her sedentary ex-husband, son and daughter and still works inspecting the housing of senior citizens, who are pretty much her peers. Though the subject of the book is definitely dark—Fran is dying—you'll admire her stoicism, humour and sharp take on what aging means to her ("It's a disaster," she says). 

The Dark Flood Rises (Canongate Books) by Margaret Drabble, $22; out Sept. 15.

FEEDING MY MOTHER
One of Canada's favourite (and funniest) singers, Jann Arden has turned her insanely popular Instagram and Facebook feeds into an honest, humorous and inspirational book about how she has learned to deal with a parent who has Alzheimer's disease. Her diary delves into what it's like to switch places and parent her ailing mother, who forgets more and more with each passing day. There are more than 100 photos, plus 24 family recipes that Arden developed in her kitchen with her mom. Immerse yourself in her story and you'll be mesmerized and inspired by the sunny outlook she's known for. 

Feeding My Mother: Comfort and Laughter in the Kitchen As My Mom Lives With Memory Loss (Random House Canada) by Jann Arden, $32; out Nov. 21. 

THE VANITY FAIR DIARIES 
It was the early '80s when a young Tina Brown—a journalist from England who transformed British society magazine Tatler—was summoned to New York to save Vanity Fair, a flagship magazine at a major publishing house. Brown took the helm as editor-in-chief at 30, and under her leadership, the publication flourished: It won awards, made money, broke the story about the fractures in Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage, and put a pregnant—and naked—Demi Moore on its cover. What's so intriguing now, more than 30 years later, is the daily diary Brown religiously kept of the eight years she spent at the magazine. In this delicious read, she shares what it was like behind the scenes at the glamorous publication, the inside stories of her most famous juicy "scoops" and making a home and raising a family in the U.S. 

The Vanity Fair Diaries (Henry Holt and Co.) by Tina Brown, $45; out Nov. 28.