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!

What I've Been Reading: July 2018

I realize I say this every summer, but I love these long, light evenings, perfect for lounging with a good book. And I've been reading up a storm, in my usual array of different genres.

Calypso, by David Sedaris. Sedaris's new collection of cheerfully misanthropic essays, mostly autobiographical, was thoroughly entertaining. While slightly more maudlin and less raucously absurd than some of his previous work, his reflections on aging, middle age, and mortality are both wryly funny and thought provoking. Don't misunderstand me: I still laughed until my sides ached. But this collection is simply more reflective and thoughtful in some ways than his past work. I can never get enough. The audiobook, read by the author, is a stellar performance.

Only Human, by Sylvain Neuvel. Third in Neuvel's brilliant Themis Files series. As a child, Rose Franklin found a giant metal hand near her home in South Dakota. As an adult, she became a scientist who studied the hand and found the other pieces of the giant robot, assembling it and the team who would pilot Themis. She and her team used Themis to protect Earth from geopolitical conflict and an alien invasion. Now, returning to Earth after ten years on Themis's home planet, Rose finds her old alliances in shambles and the planet itself on the verge of collapse. Even as her oldest friends turn against one another, Rose must piece together the fragments of the Earth Defense Corps or all of her work will have been for nothing. This science fiction series reads more like psychological suspense, full of puzzles and twists--I love it.

Eleanor & Hick, by Susan Quinn. Having recently read Amy Bloom's fascinating latest novel, White Houses, about the relationship between AP reporter Lorena Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, of course I wanted to know more. Quinn's book briefly covers the vastly different childhoods of these two unlikely friends, and then moves on to their enduring relationship which spanned more than thirty years. These two fiercely compassionate women spurred each other on to right wrongs during their turbulent lifetimes, and held each other up through private hardships. Quinn's work was masterful, and I greatly enjoyed this in audiobook format.

Set This House in Order, by Matt Ruff. I revisited this old favorite, which I had read more than a decade ago. Andy Gage was born in 1965 and was murdered not long after by his stepfather. Only, it was Andy's soul which was murdered, and it shattered into over a hundred pieces, many of which became souls in their own rights. Now, together, these souls run Andy's body and struggle to coexist in his head. Andy's new coworker, Penny, is also a multiple, only not all of Penny's souls know that the others exist. It's only in helping Penny's souls to work together that the two discover a terrible secret that Andy has been hiding...from himself. Truly fascinating stuff.

Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. Genova, who writes about characters with neurological disorders (Left Neglected, Every Note Played, etc.), writes here about Harvard professor of cognitive psychology Alice Howland. She's esteemed in her field, has written a text book, is married to another Harvard professor and scientist. And then she starts to become increasingly forgetful, missing a conference where she was meant to be a speaker, losing track of her lectures during classes. When the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's turns her world upside down, Alice must choose how to make the best use of her time while she is still herself. A fast and compelling read which made for excellent discussion in my book club. This is also available in Large Print and audiobook. It has also been made into an award-winning film starring Julianne Moore.

The Uncoupling, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Interestings, The Female Persuasion) is adept at giving readers a fresh lens through which to look at different issues. When the new drama teacher at Stellar Plains High School chooses "Lysistrata" for the annual school play (the comedy by Aristophanes in which women stop having sex with men in order to stop a war), a strange effect falls over the community--the women lose interest in sex, for reasons they don't understand. Even more confused and upset are their husbands, boyfriends, and lovers. The result is that these couples must all reflect on their shared histories without sex in the picture, with a variety of outcomes. Unusual but enlightening. Also available as an audiobook.

Bring Me Back, by B.A. Paris. Finn and Layla, young and in love, are on vacation when Layla disappears. Authorities are alerted, and while Finn is the original suspect in her disappearance, he is eventually cleared. Layla never resurfaces. A decade later, Finn has started to finally move on. He's moved out of the cottage that he and Layla shared, though he cannot bring himself to sell it. He's engaged...to Layla's sister, Ellen. Then Finn get's a call from an old neighbor, a man who swears he's seen Layla near the old cottage. Long-lost items from Layla's past begin to appear out of nowhere. And then someone emails Finn...claiming to be Layla herself. An absolutely gripping novel from the author of Behind Closed Doors.
Also available in Large Print and audio. 

Caged, by Ellison Cooper. This debut thriller had me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put it down. You can read my original review here.

The Supernatural Enhancements, by Edgar Cantero. Told in a series of letters, journal entries, and transcripts, Cantero's debut begins months after the last of the Wells sons jumped out of his bedroom window to his death. His heir, a long-distant cousin from across the Atlantic, arrives with his sidekick/bodyguard, Niamh, a young mute teen with a punk hairstyle. They're excited about their change of fortune, and the rumors that the mansion is haunted are just an added bonus. Until, that is, they start to dig into the house's mysterious past and find that ghosts are just the beginning. Ambitious and ultimately very rewarding. His sophomore novel, Meddling Kids, is still my favorite to date, though his new novel due out today, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, may change that--we'll see!

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami. It's 1984 in Tokyo and Aomame, following the advice of a taxi driver, begins to notice the puzzling anomalies in the world around her. She realizes that she has entered an alternate, parallel existence, one that she calls 1Q84, a world that bears a question. Meanwhile, aspiring writer Tengo takes on a ghostwriting project despite some deep misgivings. It is only as their two stories converge over the course of this single year that we learn just how deeply these two strangers are connected. Also available in audiobook.

Suicide Club, by Rachel Heng. Lea Kirino is a "Lifer". Her genetic makeup has given her the opportunity to live forever, if she does everything just right. Lea is an overachiever--she's risen steadily through the ranks as a trader for the New York exchange, where they now trade organs and upgrades instead of stocks. She has a beautiful apartment and a fiance who rivals her own genetic perfection. With the right balance of calibrated nutrition, low-impact conditioning and systematic upgrades, she just might live forever. Of course, the flip side of this is that she cannot die--death is not just taboo in this culture, but illegal. Then she finds she has a connection to the Suicide Club, a group of people who reject the societal drive for immortality. There lies the choice: live forever by the governmental regime, or go rogue and have a shorter life knowing the only family she has left. Heng's debut is catalogued as science fiction, but is more psychological, and philosophical, thriller than anything else. Totally engrossing and ultimately brilliant.

The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang. Stella, at thirty, loves her work developing algorithms that predict customer purchases. For her, math is the one thing that unites everything in the world, and she revels in the logic of it. She has more money than she needs, and no social life. Definitely no boyfriend, despite her mother's repeated attempts to set Stella up with suitable bachelors--Stella's mother wants grandbabies, now. It might have something to do with Stella's seeing French kissing as akin to pilot fish cleaning a shark's teeth. She applies logic to her quandary and decides she needs lessons in relationships, from a profession. The escort she hires, Michael, agrees to go along and help her check off the boxes for the list she has compiled--he can't afford not to. And he realizes that Stella has Asperger's, which will make his approach that much more complicated. But when their partnership starts to make sense, can a real relationship follow? I have to say that this debut was one of the most surprisingly emotional novels I've read in some time. For what looks like it might be a bit of fluff, the author's deft hand with a variety of subject matters (Asperger's, cultural clashes, relationship pitfalls) and her beautifully drawn characters made this one of my favorite reads of late.

Can't Keep It To Myself: Caged, by Ellison Cooper

Ellison Cooper's debut novel Caged is a series kickoff featuring FBI Senior Special Agent Sayer Altair, a neuroscientist who studies the brains of serial killers. When she's appointed team leader on a task force tracking a brutal new serial killer, however, it seems like she's met with resistance on every side. Her boss is more worried about image and funding, it seems, than catching the real killer. And when a local senator's missing daughter is identified as one of the killer's victims, Altair must contend with the senator's press conference obsession, which is filled with confidential information leaked directly from her team. So who is the leak, and why are they undermining the case?

This page-turner is tightly plotted, peppered with red herrings, and features a relatable heroine. Fans of authors like Karin Slaughter and Tana French should absolutely check this out. I could not put it down!

Meg's Picks: August 2018, part 3

Looking for an engrossing read to tote along with you next month? Here are a few of my picks!

The Masterpiece, by Fiona Davis. Davis's historical fiction (The Address, The Dollhouse) has been a huge hit with readers. This latest features New York City both in the 1920s and the 1970s, centering on Grand Central Station. In 1928, Clara is scraping by teaching art and illustration at the Grand Central School of Art, until she finally lands a job drawing illustrations for Vogue. But even the brightest star dims with the crash of 1929, and Clara disappears from record after 1931. In 1974, divorcee Virginia gets a job working at the Grand Central information booth. While exploring the abandoned art school, she finds one of Clara's paintings, a painting that bears a striking resemblance to a Clyde painting up for auction at Sotheby's. Who really painted the Clyde, and what happened to Clara in 1931? Fans won't want to miss this one. Also available in Large Print.

Trust Me, by Hank Phillippi Ryan. In this stand-alone from the author of the Jane Ryland series (Say No More, etc.), grief-stricken journalist Mercer Hennessy has given up on hoping for good days in the aftermath of personal tragedy. Then she finds a renewed sense of purpose when she's assigned to write a true crime book about the Baby Boston murder trial. The mother of a two year old little girl stands trial for the girl's murder, and Mercer is sure the woman is guilty. But when a not-guilty verdict is delivered, Mercer must write a story of redemption, but who is redeemed and who is innocent remains to be seen.