In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’s Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.

1. “Leave the World Behind,” by Rumaan Alam (Ecco, fiction, on sale Oct. 6)

What it’s about: Unexpected visitors interrupt a family’s vacation in a remote house over a long weekend gone wrong in a suspenseful tale that examines the complexities of race and class.

The buzz: A ★★★★ (out of four) Review for USA TODAY calls it “an exceptional read that will stay with you long after you’ve sped through its final pages.”

2. “Is This Anything?” by Jerry Seinfeld (Simon & Schuster, nonfiction, on sale Oct. 6)

What it’s about: The stand-up legend and television star features his best comedy work across five decades. And he’s saved everything. “Whenever I came up with a funny bit, whether it happened on a stage, in a conversation, or working it out on my preferred canvas, the big yellow legal pad, I kept it in one of those old school accordion folders,” Seinfeld writes.

The buzz: “This sharply observed, life-in-gags treasure trove offers essential reading for comedy fans, from a master of the form,” says a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

3. “Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee,”by Shannon Lee (Flatiron, nonfiction, on sale Oct. 6)

What it’s about: The daughter of the martial arts master and actor illuminates the concepts at the core of her father’s life philosophies, encouraging readers to apply them to their everyday lives. “Empty your mind; be formless, shapeless like water.”

The buzz: “An inspirational commemorative for Lee aficionados and those sharpening their personal-growth skills,” says Kirkus Reviews.

4. “Earthlings,” by Sayaka Murata (Grove, fiction, on sale Oct. 6)

What it’s about: Murata follows cult hit “Convenience Store Woman” with a strange and dreamlike story of a young girl who comes to believe she’s an alien.

The buzz: “This eye-opening, grotesque outing isn’t to be missed,” says a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

5. “The Searcher,”by Tana French (Viking, fiction, on sale Oct. 6)

What it’s about: Retired Chicago cop Cal Cooper moves to a fixer-upper in a bucolic Irish village. After a bad divorce, he thought it would be the perfect start of a new life. But then a kid named Trey starts bugging Cal to investigate his brother’s disappearance, and he finds the darkness of this quiet town.

The buzz: “The author does, ultimately, deliver plenty of twists, shocking revelations, and truly chilling moments,” says Kirkus Reviews.