Meg's Picks: September 2018, part 3

Sometimes it's a little overwhelming, looking so far ahead as I order new books for the library. (I'm already beginning to order titles for the beginning of 2019, to give you an idea.) But sometimes, like a heat wave at the end of August, it's nice to be able to look ahead and know that with great new September fiction will also, hopefully, come cooler temperatures!

The Forbidden Place, by Susanne Jansson. For fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, this chilling debut novel should be on your reading list. Biologist Nathalie grew up near the peat bogs in Mossmarken, Sweden--centuries ago, humans were sacrificed to the gods along the edge of the mire. Now returning after years away, Nathalie has two tasks ahead of her: research the mire, and also put to rest the trauma from her childhood. Then a man's unconscious body is found on the bog's edge, like a sacrifice of old. It's only a matter of time before secrets rise to the surface, for Nathalie, the village and the bog itself.

The Lost Letters of William Woolf, by Helen Cullen. In Cullen's intriguing debut, lost letters wind up in the Dead Letters Depot. Here, letter detectives survey missing zip codes, smudgy ink, terrible handwriting, and other postal mysteries in an effort to get these letters to their intended recipients. One detective becomes enthralled with the circumstances surrounding correspondence addressed only to "My Greatest Love". I'm recommending this to readers who liked Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop or Sarah Blake's The Postmistress. Also, this could make for an excellent book club read!

The Boy at the Keyhole, by Stephen Giles. I love neogothic novels, things that hearken back to authors like Daphne Du Maurier and Shirley Jackson. Lately I've been obsessed with Carol Goodman's work. And I think The Boy at the Keyhole will join these ranks in short order. In the old house, this cast of two features housekeeper Ruth and young Samuel, whose father has passed away leaving the family steel business floundering. His much-adored mother has gone to America, seeking investors. At least, that is the story Ruth has told Samuel, though his mother never said goodbye and has yet to write any letters. As time wears on without word from America, Samuel begins to concoct scenarios in which the deeply unpleasant Ruth has murdered his mother, and he begins his detective work to finally uncover the truth...whatever that may be. If you like your horror subtle and full of haunting dread, this should be on your reading list this fall--perfect for a stormy autumn evening!

Leave No Trace, by Mindy Mejia. From the author of Everything You Want Me to Be (2017). Following personal tragedy that led to a bad decision and some serious repercussions, twenty-three year-old Maya Stark is a newly minted speech therapist who has straightened herself out and knows just how lucky she is to have come so far. Working for a psychiatric hospital in Minnesota, she becomes acquainted with new patient Lucas who, at nineteen, has been missing for ten years after disappearing into the woods with his father. Her first encounter results in one of Lucas's escape attempts, but as he's non-verbal and unresponsive to most people, Maya agrees to take him on as a patient. Lucas's story slowly comes out as he and Maya form a bond...and Maya's own story eventually surfaces as well. For those who love their psychological fiction with well-drawn characters, this is a natural choice.

Enjoy the holiday weekend! I'll be back next week to share what I've been reading in August.

Meg's Picks: September 2018, part 2

Can I tell you? These are my favorite posts to write, when I get to share titles that I've been anticipating for months, and I finally get to share them with you!

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris. Originally intended as a screeplay, this debut novel is based on the author's series of interviews with Holocaust survivor Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew who was forced to tattoo his fellow inmate in Auschwitz-Berkenau. Becoming ill and left for dead, Sokolov is saved by a fellow inmate and vows to not only learn his savior's trade, but also to pay the kindness forward, assisting others in the midst of horrific brutality. Already an international bestseller, this is slated to be one of this fall's most in-demand titles. If you were a fan of books like Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale or Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls, I highly recommend placing your hold on The Tattooist of Auschwitz now.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, by Hank Green. Brother of bestselling YA author John Green (The Fault In Our Stars, etc.), Hank Green makes his debut with an adult fiction title that defies genre description. Coming home from work late one evening, April May stumbles upon a giant transformer-like sculpture. Is it street-art? A robot? With the help of her friend Andy, April records video as she climbs around on the statue (they've named him Carl), which is apparently the first of many to appear world-wide. The next day, April wakes to find that the video has gone viral and she's instantly famous, but at what cost? There is huge buzz on this title, and I'm recommending it for fans of Andy Weir (The Martian, Artemis), Ernest Cline (Ready Player One, etc.) and Sylvain Neuvel (The Themis Files).

When the Lights Go Out, by Mary Kubica. After spending her teen years caring for her terminally ill mother, Jessie Sloane is trying to find a way forward in her life as an orphan. When she tries to apply to community college, she's informed that her social security number actually belongs to a girl who died seventeen years ago. Jessie has no one to ask--she never knew her father. She also doesn't drive, so she doesn't have a license, and she can't find her birth certificate. Insomnia compounded by stress and grief takes its toll, even as Jessie digs into the past of her mother, Eden, in an attempt to find the truth behind her own identity. Kubica has been developing a strong following with past novels (The Good Girl, Every Last Lie, etc.), and I'm expecting this latest to add to her list of fans.

Meg's Picks: September 2018, part 1

Need something new to get your reading juju going again? I have some suggestions! Great sequels, twisted debuts, heart-pounding thrillers? Sounds good to me!

Vengeful, by V.E. Schwab. I am particularly eager to get my hands on Schwab's new novel, sequel to her excellent 2013 novel Vicious, which turned superhero fiction on its head. Years ago, Victor Vale and Eli Ever were roommates, friends, and mad scientists who discovered, by experimenting on themselves, the ability to create extraordinary abilities in an ordinary human. Armed with memories of betrayal and loss, they met in an epic battle. Now, it is a former sidekick, in full control of her extraordinary powers, who threatens to bring Merit City to its knees, recruiting sidekicks of her own, and pitting Victor and Eli against one another as a means to her own ends. Schwab is a particular favorite of mine, and I highly recommend checking out the first of the Villains novels before diving into this new story.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton. This diabolically inventive, mysterious debut may be just what you're looking for to get out of your reading rut. Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered every night at 11:00 pm. Aiden Bishop is tasked with inhabiting each of the bodies of eight different guests during the shared event in order to identify the killer and finally put an end to the bloody cycle--the life he saves may be his own. For fans of Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, this should be a no-brainer.

Cross Her Heart, by Sarah Pinborough. Pinborough's eerie 2017 novel, Behind Her Eyes, was a huge hit with readers. Now, her latest promises to be an encore performance. Single mom Lisa lives for her daughter, Ava, and her best friend, Marilyn. When a handsome new client shows interest her, Lisa begins to daydream. Maybe she's ready to trust again, to try a relationship again. But when a news story involving Lisa and Ava goes viral, Lisa's world implodes and the terrifying secrets from her past come roaring back. A long time ago, Lisa broke a promise. And now? Someone is out to make sure she pays the price.

Reading Ahead: September 2018, part 4

History, the future, mystery, romance... Next month's new releases have it all!

Time's Convert, by Deborah Harkness. Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches (2011), etc., returns fans to Matthew de Clermont's past, when he meets young surgeon Marcus MacNeil on the battlefields of the American Revolution. Eager at the promise of a new, immortal life free of the constraints of his Puritan upbringing, Marcus accepts Matthew's offer, only to find his transition to be difficult in many ways. Fast-forward to the present and a new transition, that of his beloved, Phoebe, to join him in immortality. While the process has been modernized in many ways, the difficulty in trading one's human existence for vampirism is still as pronounced as they were centuries earlier. It is equally troubling that shadows from Marcus's past still haunt him. Historian Harkness can be counted on to tell a great, well-researched tale.

Leverage in Death, by J.D. Robb. Eve Dallas knows who sent marketing VP Paul Rogan into a Wall Street mergers meeting with a bomb strapped to his chest, blowing the place sky-high. The culprits had forced him to do it by holding Rogan's family hostage. But why would someone take that kind of trouble to blow up a meeting room when the same thing could be accomplished by wiring the whole building, or just the floor itself. It's the why that catches Dallas, and then it's the mad chase to catch those responsible and bring them to justice. The series is endlessly entertaining.

A Willing Murder, by Jude Deveraux. Romance novelist Deveraux dips a toe in the mystery genre with her latest outing. When best-selling romance novelist Sara Medlar retires, she buys the mansion she admired as a child in her hometown of Lachlan, FL. It needs some work, so she hires a friend's grandson, Jack, to stay on the property and help her with the renovations. When her niece, Kate, gets a job in the area, Sara offers her a place to stay, too. The unlikely trio make for uneasy roommates, until they find the remains of two women on the property in the aftermath of a storm. United in the pursuit of justice for the women, who had disappeared 20 years earlier, it's now up to Sara, Jack and Kate to try and get to the bottom of things, but a small town never gives up its secrets without a fight.

Why Not Tonight, by Susan Mallery. Third in Mallery's recent Happily, Inc. series, Why Not Tonight (following 2017's Second-Chance Girl). Gallery owner Natalie Kaleta will do anything for her artists. So when she goes out to check on reclusive Ronan Mitchell during a downpour, Murphy's Law means that a mudslide cuts her off from her way home, forcing her to stay with the brooding glass artist. And of course, she kind of has a crush on him already. Is this really the perfect storm for them both? Mallery fans will be delighted.

In His Father's Footsteps, by Danielle Steel. Steel has been stepping outside of her comfort zone in the last few years, and fans have responded very positively. Following this trend, Steel's latest is the tale of two World War II concentration camp survivors, the life they build together, and the son who faces struggles of his own as a first generation American, determined to succeed and forge his own path.

Reading Ahead: September 2018, part 3

Though the weather today may make it seem hard to believe that autumn is around the corner, our bookshelves don't lie. Autumn means a new harvest of mystery titles from some of your favorite authors.

Field of Bones, by J.A. Jance. Jance's new novel features Sheriff Joanna Brady, last seen in 2016's Downfall. Brady had intended to follow through her maternity leave in its entirety, but when a serial homicide case surfaces in her beloved Cochise County, she must leave her newborn at home and head back into the field for one of the most complex cases of her career. Fans will be delighted with this new series entry, equal parts beloved small town and intriguing mystery.

Dark Tide Rising, by Anne Perry. 24th in Perry's long-running William Monk series (following 2017's An Echo of Murder) finds Police Commander Monk approached by an attorney on behalf of a wealthy man, Henry Exeter, who desire's Monk's help in orchestrating the ransom exchange with his wife's kidnappers. Monk agrees, assembles his best team, and plans the exchange carefully, only to have it end in disaster. The kidnappers must have had inside information, but who among Monk's most trusted would have leaked the information? The ensuing mole hunt in the department makes this one of the best in recent series entries.

Robert B. Parker's Colorblind, by Reed Farrel Coleman. Coleman's fifth Jesse Stone finds the police chief back at work after two months in rehab. His return coincides with an uptick in hate crimes, several of which hearken back to cases Stone investigated early in his career. Too much to be coincidence, these incidents are brought to a head when one of his officers, an African American, shoots a white man who appears to have been unarmed. Timely and weighty.

Reading Ahead: September 2018, part 2

Looking for a new title from some of the big names on the best-seller's list? Here are few to keep an eye out for next month.

Shadow Tyrants, by Clive Cussler & Boyd Morrison. This solid 13th entry into Cussler's Oregon series pits chairman of the Corporation Juan Cabrillo (the Corporation being a private ops that aids the CIA in difficult missions) against a secret cabal called the Nine Unknown. The cabal members possess ancient knowledge which could be used to take over the world. Eight of the Nine have voted to implement a plan known as Colossus, which would make them rulers of the world. The one dissenter, however, believes Colossus would mean the end of humanity. Cabrillo and crew must race to stop Colossus before the plan can begin to unfold.
Also available in Large Print.

Vince Flynn's Red War, by Kyle Mills. Russian president Maxim Krupin is determined to maintain his leadership position, despite a recent diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor. His first task, of course, it to begin killing off or imprisoning any potential rivals. Soon, however, Krupin sets his sights on something more diverting: war with the West. The CIA director knows that the US is up against an enemy with nothing to lose, and that the only way to pull the plug on global war is to send Mitch Rapp in to take out the most powerful, dangerous, well-guarded man in Russia.

Juror 3, by James Patterson and Nancy Allen. This new legal thriller from Patterson finds Ruby Bozarth new both to Rosedale, MS and the Mississippi Bar. In short order, she's tasked with defending an African American college football star accused of murdering the daughter of one of Rosedale's most prominent families. Because Ruby's still green, the judge thinks that a conviction is a sure thing, but Ruby's got some help by her side, even as she faces a jury with secrets of their own.

Reading Ahead: September 2018, part 1

I know, it's hard to think about autumn when we're heading into the dog days of summer, but a librarian always thinks ahead! So if you happen to be longing for cooler nights and a book to keep you company, here are a few to look forward to.

Sea Prayer, by Khaled Hosseini. The new work from the author who brought you The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, Sea Prayer is short but powerful, Hosseini's response to the refugee crisis. Told in the form of an illustrated letter, from father to son, it is the eve of their journey and a reflection on their life, a hope for their future, the danger that lies between them and freedom. It also vividly renders their history in Syria and their home before it became a war zone.

Button Man, by Andrew Gross. Gross, whose novels have recently taken a historical turn with excellent results, here brings his legion of fans a new novel that is equal parts historical thriller and family saga. It's the 1920s and Morris, Sol, and Harry Rabishevsky are growing up poor and rough on the Lower East Side until the death of their father forces them into fending for themselves and providing for their large family. Each of the boys finds a different path: Morris quits school to work in a garment factory, Sol studies to become an accountant, and Harry falls in with a tough crowd. Morris rises quickly and Sol joins him in the factory, but Harry becomes entangled in organized crime and won't be lured away. But when the mob set their sites on the garment workers union, a showdown will pit brother against brother. Jeffrey Archer fans might want to take a gander, too.

Transcription, by Kate Atkinson. New historical fiction from the bestselling author of Life After Life. In 1940, Juliet Armstrong is eighteen when she is recruited, reluctantly, into the world of espionage. Working for an obscure branch of MI5, she finds her work alternately tedious and terrifying. By the time the war ends, Juliet figures that she may leave the past behind her. Ten years later, however, her career as a BBC producer is threatened when figures from her past reappear. The war now is different, as is the battlefield, but the threat is no less real. This is right at the top of my to-read list next month.

Flight or Fright, by Stephen King and Bev Vincent. Stephen King hates to fly, and now he and co-editor Bev Vincent bring you an anthology of stories about just what can go wrong at cruising altitude. The compilation includes new works by King himself and son Joe Hill, as well as classic tales from legends like Ray Bradbury and Roald Dahl. Perfect for readers who like a good scare!