Reading Ahead: March 2019, part 3

Gothics, suspense, historical fiction are all on the menu next month. Ready for a new favorite?

The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See. Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends living on the Korean island of Jeju, though they come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working with their village's all-female diving collective. As time goes on, however, (the story begins in the 1930s during a period of Japanese colonialism and runs to present day) their country is caught between warring empires, pitting family against family, the force of dark secrets tearing at their friendship. Fans of See's earlier work (The Teagirl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) won't want to miss this.

The Night Visitors, by Carol Goodman. When Alice flees a relationship gone dangerous with her ten-year-old son Oren in tow, she meets up with social worker Mattie. Mattie doesn't take the pair to a shelter, however, but home to her ramshackle house in the woods. While Mattie's heart is in the right place, and she has plenty of room, Oren also reminds her very much of her younger brother, who died thirty years ago. And Mattie isn't the only one harboring some unsettling secrets. Goodman is a personal favorite, and this latest gothic thriller is already on my to-read list this spring.

All the Wrong Places, by Joy Fielding. After being let go from her advertising job due to a merger, and breaking up with her cheating boyfriend, Paige Hamilton is in serious need of some personal validation. On impulse, she signs up for a dating app, the same one her friend Chloe uses, it turns out. When both women, as well as another person close to Paige, start dating Mr. Right Now, no one could predict that something so innocuous could have such dangerous consequences...

The Mark (The Big Kahuna) , by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich. FBI Agent Kate O'Hare and charming con-man Nicolas Fox team up again on another case that the FBI would ordinarily shrug off: finding a missing Silicon Valley billionaire, nicknamed The Big Kahuna. Beyond the man's greedy trophy wife and shady business partner, neither of whom seem terribly interested in the man's whereabouts, the investigation's only real lead seems to be the beach bum son, living the dream in Hawaii. What can Kate and Nick do but go undercover, posing as a married couple in the laid-back surfer community. Expect lots of Evanovich's signature humor here.

Silent Night, by Danielle Steel. The daughter of Hollywood royalty, Paige Watts has channeled her own acting aspirations into her daughter's career--by age nine, Emma has the lead role on a hit TV show. But after the unthinkable happens, Emma goes to live with her aunt Whitney, who chose a very different path from sister Paige. This isn't a bad thing, because Emma needs all the help she can get in the wake of tragedy, and her road to healing will change her, and everyone around her.

Reading Ahead: March 2019, part 2

Lots of suspense series and sequels to be had next month. Are your favorites on the list? Or will you discover a new favorite? Read on!

Black and Blue, by David Rosenfelt. This is the third entry in Rosenfelt's thriller series featuring New Jersey state police office Doug Brock, following Blackout and Fade to Black. Brock has been working hard to recover after being shot in the line of duty, but between lingering amnesia and solving two murder cases, his recovery hasn't been particularly restful. Now a new murder fits the MO of one of Brock's old, cold cases and he must retrace steps he doesn't remember taking to solve the case before the killer can strike again. Rosenfelt is steadily building on to his fan base, so if you're a thriller reader in search of a newer series to jump in on, here's your chance!

Wolf Pack, by C.J. Box. Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett returns in this nineteenth series outing. The good news is that Pickett has his job back after the adventures of The Disappeared (2018). The bad news is that he's discovered that someone is using a drone to kill wildlife, and that someone turns out to be the wealthy, mysterious man dating Joe's own daughter, Lucy. When Joe tries to get the drone's owner to abide by some rules, he's met with resistance, not just from the owner, but also from the FBI and the Department of Justice. On full alert now, Joe also has a vicious group of cartel assassins, known as the Wolf Pack, in the area who are bent on taking down Lucy's new beau, and anyone he's associated with...

The Malta Exchange, by Steve Berry. Former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone returns in Berry's latest novel, on the trail of some potentially history-shaking letters between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini that vanished in 1945. This leads him to the Knights of Malta, now controlled by the Secreti as the election of a new pope looms. Fans of Dan Brown, if you're not reading Steve Berry, you should be!

The Last Act, by Brad Parks. Based on the real life case of Wachovia Bank, this latest by Parks finds an out-of-work stage actor Tommy Jump about to pose as a felon to go into a low-security prison and cozy up to Mitchell Dupree, a banker arrested for laundering money for a particularly vicious Mexican cartel. This may just be the hardest role of Tommy's life, if he survives. For thriller readers who like a twisty plot and lots of surprises, this should absolutely be on your reading list this spring.

Crown Jewel, by Christopher Reich. Bestseller Reich brings readers a new new Simon Riske novel (following his debut in 2018's The Take). Here, the restorer of high-end automobiles who moonlights as a problem solver to the wealthy is working for Toby Stonewood, managing partner of the Casino de Monte-Carlo. The casino is losing millions and Toby is sure he's being cheated, but cannot figure out the culprit, turning to Simon to unravel the mystery. What follows is a 007-worthy tale of fast cars, rich women, Bosnian bad guys, and the beauty of Monaco. Perfect.

Dark Tribute, by Iris Johansen. Number 25 in Johansen's long-running Eve Duncan series. Despite a tragic childhood, violin prodigy Cara Delaney has finally found her stride in her career as a professional musician and in her relationship with her guardians, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and ex-Navy SEAL Joe Quinn. Cara's sense of peace is upended when she's kidnapped by a man who has a score to settle with her family. With everyone she loves in immediate danger, Cara will have to use every skill she has to stay alive and protect those closest to her at all costs.

Reading Ahead: March 2019, part 1

I know, I can't believe we're talking about March already, but it'll be here before you know it. And it is bringing so many great new fiction titles with it, I hope I can manage to pack them all in here!* Let's get started!


Run Away, by Harlan Coben. What will one family do to save their daughter from self-destruction? That's just what Coben's latest novel explores, in terrifying detail. Simon Greene watches a struggling street performer in Central Park, a young woman who won't accept the help she so obviously needs. This young woman is his daughter, Paige, and she disappears again, after Simon has an altercation with her abusive boyfriend, Aaron. Then Aaron turns up dead, and Simon has to descend into a world of drugs, violence, secrets and the missing in order to try and save Paige, once and for all. Early reviews have called this a thriller that begs to be read in one sitting, so clear your calendar!

The Perfect Alibi, by Philip Margolin. Convicted of rape owing to solid DNA evidence, a college athlete is granted a new trial when a second rape is committed while he is behind bars, yet the DNA matches that of the first case. Then his lawyer vanishes and the lawyer's partner is murdered. Defense attorney Robin Lockwood reluctantly steps up to the plate even as circumstances get even more dire. Margolin is great with a plot that twists and turns, and fans should be in for a real treat with new lead Lockwood.

The Last Second, by Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison. This writing duo's latest entry in the Brit in the FBI series, following 2018's The Sixth Day, pits special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine against the eccentric treasure-hunting head of France's version of SpaceX, Galactus, and his power-mad second in command, who has placed a nuclear device on a recently launched satellite. Coulter and Ellison have drifted pretty seamlessly into SF territory, potentially winning themselves a more diverse readership in the process.

Blood Oath, by Linda Fairstein. Book number 20 in Fairstein's long-running Alexandra Cooper series! If you're new to the series and want to start at the beginning, Cooper debuted in 1996 with Final Jeopardy. Cooper, now the ADA of the Manhattan Sex Crimes unit, is finally back to work after a leave of absence and is quickly brought in on the case of Lucy, who testified years ago at a landmark federal trial, and now reveals that she was assaulted by a prominent official during that time. Fairstein herself was a pioneer in sex crimes investigation, bringing additional depth and plausibility to the novel.






*In the interest of space and time here on the old blog, I'm going to stop including reviews for James Patterson titles, though the library will obviously continue to order them. With several Patterson titles being issued within the same month more and more often lately, I've decided use this space to do a bit more highlighting of authors who don't have quite the same status...yet!

What I've Been Reading: January 2019

January's short days and bitter cold made for excellent weather to cozy up with a good book, so I've made the most of it!

Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed. Recommended by a friend, this collection of essays by Wild author Strayed was a good start to the new year. This "best of" compilation from The Rumpus's Dear Sugar advice column is a heartfelt, gentle and gorgeous read. Strayed pulls no punches as she answers queries about what to do when life is hard, and how sometimes even the good things in life are difficult to trust. I highly recommend it.

Verses for the Dead, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Eighteenth in the duo's long-running and best-selling Special Agent Pendergast series finds Pendergast in his strangest set of circumstances yet: working with an assigned partner, junior agent Coldmoon. Their case takes them to Miami, where a killer is cutting out his victims' hearts and placing them, along with cryptic notes, on gravestones in local cemeteries. To make things stranger still, the gravestones all belong to women who committed suicide. Can this odd new pairing of agents get to the killer before he can strike again? It's a race against the clock, and one of the best in the series to date.

The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine. This was a reread for my January book club meeting. Knowing what was going to happen made it even more entertaining--it's still a gleeful story of greed and revenge. If you haven't read it yet, I'd really recommend it. You can read my original review here.

Dark Sacred Night, by Michael Connelly. The second of Connelly's novels to follow young Hollywood Detective Renee Ballard, this one also includes Harry Bosch, now retired. The two meet when Ballard stumbles over a stranger, Bosch, going through old file cabinets, working a case fifteen years cold that's gotten under his skin. Ballard can't just give this guy access to the station's files but, intrigued, she decides to join him on the hunt. I really enjoyed this pairing more than I thought I would--it made for a fast, compelling read.

Knitting, by Ann Bartlett. I stumbled over this sweet gem of a read while out working in the stacks last month. That's one of my favorite things about this job, the serendipitous book that simply makes its way home with me from time to time, completely unsolicited. Sandra is unmoored after losing her husband to cancer. But the unlikeliest person to help with this would be Martha, an eccentric professional knitter. When the two are brought together by chance, what follows is a strange, symbiotic friendship, each of them turning out to be just what the other needs. These are characters that will stay with me for a very long time.

Eliza's Home, How to Knit a Heart Back Home, Wishes & Stitches, Cora's Heart, Fiona's Flame, all by Rachael Herron. I'd read Herron's memoir, A Life in Stitches, eons ago and I really enjoyed her style. Now I'm completely hooked, reading most of her Cypress Hollow series in just a few weeks. They're lovely, fast reads, funny and heartwarming and wise. I'd recommend her to fans of Robyn Carr. Fair warning, while a few titles are available here at the library or on Overdrive, I did go out and buy copies of these for myself.

Meg's Picks: February 2019, part 2

Need something different to keep you company? I have a few suggestions!

The Last Romantics, by Tara Conklin. Conklin, whose 2013 debut, The House Girl, was a huge reader favorite, returns here with a new novel. Celebrated poet Fiona Skinner, when asked about the poem that made her famous, The Love Poem, recounts a summer of her youth that she shared with her three older siblings. This summer, after Fiona's father passed away unexpectedly and her mother sank into a crippling depression, is known as the Pause, and while it created a shared bond among the siblings, it also  affected each of them differently as they grow up. Also available in Large Print. 

The Lost Girls of Paris, by Pam Jenoff. Jenoff (The Orphan's Tale, etc.) returns to World War II fiction, this time with the story of Grace Healy, who in 1946 finds a suitcase in Grand Central terminal. In it are the photos of  dozens of women, all of whom turn out to have been spies deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of them, however, never returned home, and Grace cannot help but pick up their trail, eager to learn more about what happened to them. For fans of Jenoff's other work and of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, this should be a on your to-read list.

Finding Dorothy, by Elizabeth Letts. In 1938 Hollywood, Maud Baum, widow of author Frank Baum, has been trying to find a way onto the set for The Wizard of Oz since she found out about the film. She's the only one who can keep the producers true to the spirit of the book, now nineteen years after Frank's passing, since she's the only one who knows its secrets. When she hears Judy Garland sing, Maud realizes that Judy is perfect for the role and vows to protect her, just as she tried to protect the real Dorothy. Written as fiction but deeply researched and holding closely to the fact, this is perfect for any who loved the iconic book and/or film.

Meg's Picks: February 2019, part 1

Fiction is full of history and high-rises next month. Here are a few of my picks!

The Age of Light, by Whitney Scharer. Part love story, part coming of age tale, Scharer's debut it set across the backdrop of glamorous 1930's Paris and later, the devastation of World War II. Vogue model turned photographer Lee Miller moves to Paris to reinvent herself. There she meets surrealist artist and photographer Man Ray, where she becomes his student, his lover and his muse. Even as they mingle through the opium dens and smoky bars that cater to the day's art-world elite, Miller slowly begins to pull away, making a name for herself, much to her lover's jealous rage. Historical fiction fans are already beginning to line up for this, myself among them.

More Than Words, by Jill Santopolo. Santopolo's bestselling 2017 novel, The Light We Lost, has been a reader favorite, and is in development for film. So it's only natural that her newest novel is generating buzz already. Heiress Nina Gregory grieves for the perfect and successful father she idolized, but in the aftermath of his death, Nina begins to uncover the disastrous secrets he had been keeping from her. Knowing that she was meant to carry on the family business running luxury hotels, she finds herself torn between duty and desire, expectations and aspirations. How can she trust anything or anyone when the man she trusted most has let her down so completely? I'm recommending this to readers who like romance and drama with some substance.

The Huntress, by Kate Quinn. Recommended for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Quinn's previous book, The Alice Network. In post-war Europe, Nazi hunters and a former Russian bomber pilot search for Nazi war criminal Lorelei Vogt,aka The Huntress, who committed unspeakable atrocities during the last days of World War II before vanishing. The trail leads from Poland to the United States, where in Boston a young woman welcomes her widowed father's new bride, an Austrian refugee named Annelise, with more than a little suspicion. How long will it take to track down the Huntress? And what will happen when they do? Also available in Large Print.

Reading Ahead: February 2019, part 3

There's more than one way to warm up in the midst of winter. Humor, family, warmer climes and comfort food are all on the menu!

I Owe You One, by Sophie Kinsella. Youngest sibling Fixie Farr has always believed in her father's motto: "Family first." So after her father passes and leaves his family with his home goods store legacy, Fixie spends most of her time working and picking up the slack for her mother, brother, and sister. But when her mother takes a much-deserved vacation, everything goes hilariously awry for Fixie and her siblings. Add some romantic interests diverting her attentions further and Fixie is in a fix and a half. Those looking for a light, funny read for a chilly evening should definitely reach for this.

California Girls, by Susan Mallery. Three California sisters lean on one another as life hands each of them lemons. Talkshow host Finola is blindsided by her husband's confession of infidelity just before she's to go on air for a live interview with a country-music superstar...who happens to be her husband's lover. Ali finds herself flabbergasted when her fiance sends his brother to Ali with news he's breaking off their engagement. And surfer-girl Zennie agrees to act as her best friend's surrogate, which turns out to be more complicated than she'd anticipated. Mallery fans will swoon!

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, by Joanne Fluke. When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting for a televised special, owner Hannah Swensen hopes the focus will be on her bakery, with her personal life pushed safely out of the spotlight. But a visit from an ex and a murdered body found in her bedroom cause more drama than she could have imagined. Suspects emerge and secrets are uncovered, but how long can Hannah stay safe?

Reading Ahead: February 2019, part 2

Thrillers, mysteries, big cities, small towns--we have a bit of something for everyone today.

The Next to Die, by Sophie Hannah. Bill Dead Mates is the new serial killer making headlines: he picks of pairs of best friends, one at a time, presenting them with a little white handmade book before each murder. People are scared, especially comedian Kim Trebbick, who was handed one such book at a recent gig. Only Kim hasn't got any friends to be murdered with, so was that stranger really the killer? Or is there something even more nefarious at stake?

Connections in Death, by J.D. Robb. This latest entry in Robb's (aka Nora Roberts) long-running Eve Dallas series finds the lieutenant's old friend, night-club owner Crack, dating Roarke's latest hire, Dr. Rochelle Pickering. When Rochelle's brother is found dead of an apparent overdose in her apartment, Eve and her team of detectives delve into the dirty underground of NYC sex clubs, drug dealers, and gang wars, a world where double-crosses and dirty deals reign supreme. A fast-paced plot and a familiar cast of characters make this series a fan favorite. 

A Justified Murder, by Jude Deveraux. In this sequel to Deveraux's 2018 A Willing Murder, amateur sleuths Sara Medlar, her niece Kate, and friend Jack Wyatt find themselves reluctantly drawn into a new murder investigation, this one of a sweet older woman, Janet Beeson. Janet, it appears, has been shot, stabbed, and poisoned. In a small town where gossip moves quickly, the trio are quickly embroiled, searching for a killer among their friends and neighbors. Who knows more than they're saying? Almost everyone, it seems. Deveraux's delve into the mystery genre seems to be paying off!

Reading Ahead: February 2019, part 1

There's so much great fiction being published next month, I'm going to have to work hard to fit all the reviews into January! Ready to see what's on the horizon?


Never Tell, by Lisa Gardner. Sgt. Detective D.D. Warren and victim advocate Flora Dane are back working together on a third case(following 2018's Look For Me), and they have a sense of deja vu when Conrad Carter is shot dead...and his wife Evie is found holding the gun. D.D. is familiar with Evie from an investigation 16 years earlier, when Evie's father was found dead in a shooting death that was ruled an accident. But two accidental shootings is too much of a coincidence for D.D. And Flora is familiar with Conrad from her time as a hostage--her captor knew Conrad. Each determined to find the truth, D.D. and Flora begin to strip away lies and half-truths, making them wonder: just how many secrets can one family have? Also available in Large Print. 

The Lost Man, by Jane Harper. Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature, brings readers a new standalone novel set in the furthest reaches of the Australian outback. Two brothers, Nathan and Bub, meet at the fence-line that divides their two ranches--their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet. In this lonely part of the outback, the brothers were one another's nearest neighbors, a three-hour's drive apart, with Cameron running the family homestead. But as the family grieves, they also begin to suspect one another--the isolation makes for a short suspect list. What might have driven one of their own to such an end?

The Girl in the Glass Box, by James Grippando. Julia Rodriguez and her teenage daughter have fled El Salvador for Miami, escaping violence both gang-related and domestic. They're hoping for a fresh start, but an anonymous tip leaves Julia awaiting deportation. Attorney Jack Swyteck battles her case for asylum, to reunite her with her daughter, and to help her escape her abusive husband one and for all. Also available in Large Print.

Mission Critical, by Mark Greaney. Eighth in Greaney's popular Gray Man series following 2018's Agent in Place, Mission Critical finds Court Gentry's place on a CIA transport plane compromised when a hooded prisoner is escorted on board. CIA headquarters intervenes on Gentry's behalf and the transport heads for the UK, where the prisoner will be interrogated jointly by a team comprised of CIA and MI6 members. Upon landing, however, they are attacked by hostile forces who kidnap the prisoner and only Gentry escapes. His handlers send him after the attackers. One man against an elite force? If that man is the Gray Man, anything is possible.

What I've Been Reading, 2018 wrap-up

By the very skin of my teeth, I finished my 100th book of 2018 on December 30th! I should note that a few of these (the first title and the last three) are all books I have in my personal collection and are not currently available in the Trumbull Library collection. Links for these go to Amazon instead of the regular Library catalog links.

Reunion at Red Paint Bay, by George Harrar. Simon Howe is a native resident of quiet Red Paint Bay, Maine, a place that advertises as "the friendliest town in Maine". He's the editor of the local paper, a stable husband and father. And then he starts to receive anonymous postcards, each increasingly menacing in tone, alluding to a pending threat not just to Simon, but to his family as well. It's a story of guilt, denial, and the secrets that haunt us, all with an unexpected twist ending. A fast read and something a bit off the beaten path, definitely more than your average psychological suspense novel. This title is also available to Trumbull residents via Overdrive.

Nine Perfect Strangers, by Liane Moriarty. Nine people gather at a remote health resort for a ten day retreat. Some are here to lose weight, or to jump start a life transition, or to deal with life's stressors. Most of the guests don't really seem to "need" a health resort, and yet, here they are at Tranquility House. The most intriguing person there, however, is the enigmatic guru who runs the place and who will test each of her guests to their limit, and possibly beyond, during the course of their stay. This was absolutely a page-turner, and if the story lines were not all of equal strength, I really didn't care. It was just what I needed it to be. Also available in Large Print and Audio. 

Merry Ex-Mas, by Sheila Roberts. I was advised that I'd been a little grinchy this holiday season and should consider a holiday novel to get me in the proper spirit. While the advice might have been good, I'm not sure this particular title was the best choice for me. Three friends in picturesque Icicle Falls are dealing with some serious relationship issues. Ella, newly divorced, is still living with her ex-husband while they try and sell their house, which is super awkward. Bakery owner Cass is having to try and make her daughter's dream wedding happen, on a budget, while dealing with the holiday rush AND the presence of her ex and his trophy wife...in her house. And Charlene's ex-husband resurfaces wanting to kiss and make up after the ultimate betrayal, but does he have ulterior motives? It was okay, but not my favorite thing ever.

The Reckoning, by John Grisham. I haven't read Grisham in years and years, but the subject matter of this new novel really intrigued me. Clanton, Mississippi's favorite son Pete Banning returned from World War II a decorated hero, having survived hell during his years stationed in the Philippines. Then, not long after returning home, this family patriarch drives into town one cool autumn morning and commits an act that shocks and horrifies his family and his community. Regardless of who asks or how many times they ask him why, Pete refuses to give any explanation for his actions, resigned to taking his secret to his very grave. Tremendously fascinating. Also available in Large Print and Audio.

The Songbirds of Darling Bay Trilogy, by Rachael Herron. (The Darling Songbirds, The Songbird's Call, The Songbird Sisters) Sisters Adele, Molly and Lana Darling were once a country music sensation who poised to hit the big time when a family tragedy causes the band to break up...and their family ties to fracture. A decade later, Adele comes back to the town they'd called home as girls, feeling the need to leave Nashville behind and put down real roots. As she finds a place and a purpose, she gradually reaches out and pulls middle sister Molly back, too. Molly has ended a long stint working for a cruise line and is, essentially, without a place to go. And once she's back in Darling Bay and finding her life's work, it seems like only a matter of time before Lana makes her way home, too. In the end, the trilogy is obviously about family, but also about love and friendship, about letting go of the past and moving forward, starting over. I'm a huge fan of Herron's characters, who are very flawed and that much more endearing for it.

And that rounds out 2018! I'm going to try for another 100 in 2019, and will be tracking over on Goodreads.com. I hope you'll join me!