strange and random happenstance

Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two storm chasers find a love that could blow them away in this electric debut romance.

Wedding photographer Sloane Michaels spends most of her year running after brides, but she lives for the six weeks each spring she chases tornadoes instead. When the prestigious magazine Nature Shots announces a storm cover contest, Sloane knows that winning could be her best opportunity to establish herself in landscape photography.

The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of reckless "Wild Wes" Talbot. A legend among storm chasers, he's been Sloane's close, personal frenemy for the last decade and is the man to beat for the cover contest.

Sloane isn't surprised when Wes gets in an accident that jeopardizes his chances. But with an active weather pattern emerging, she doubles down on her need to beat Wes fair and square, and begrudgingly invites him to join her for the remainder of the season.

As they race through hail, high winds, and stormy skies, Sloane realizes that Wes might be more than the rich, flirty, Texas wildcard she thought she knew - and that the feelings blooming between them are more charged and dangerous than the storms they're chasing."

It's officially Twister season and this book hits all the right notes. And yes, Twister season is a recognized time of year in my house when Twister is airing on TV at any time of day or night. If you find it on, you must watch. Minimally until the drive-in theater scene. 

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 3464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young widow returns to her late father's New England estate, only to be drawn into the hunt for the rumored pirate treasure that consumed his life, in this thrilling and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Husbands and Lovers.

Local history insists that a legendary pirate buried his treasure somewhere beneath Windward, the decayed Cooper estate on Winthrop Island, but Lucy Cooper never trusted the fable that broke her family apart. When a widowed Lucy returns with her young daughter to grieve her estranged father, she discovers catastrophe: The property is mired in debt she can't repay, and Ben Ressler has unexpectedly turned up on her doorstep.

Thirteen summers ago, the teenaged Lucy never meant to fall in love with Ben, a Dartmouth football star vacationing nearby at the Peabody estate and the object of an all-consuming crush by Laura Peabody, Lucy's best friend. Those few weeks were the best and worst of Lucy's life, dooming her friendship with Laura. Now, after a fatal accident ended his dazzling NFL career, Ben has returned to live quietly in the Peabodys' caretaker lodge. He's also the last person who saw Lucy's father alive.

As Lucy reconstructs her father's troubling final days, she uncovers his research on the frozen winter of 1717, when a desperately wounded pirate sought refuge on Winthrop Island with an enigmatic healer. To Lucy, this history points the way to a different kind of treasure: how to heal from the fractures of the past and earn a second chance at love. But just as Lucy's long-buried emotions sear to the surface, a shocking turn of events reveals that someone else on the island will do whatever it takes to claim the fabled plunder.

A timeless story of love and atonement, When You Loved Me maps both a centuries-old treasure hunt and the intimate territory of the human heart, weaving together past and present as only Beatriz Williams can."

I am always here for any member of Team W. Though in pirate treasure and I'm doubly there. 

Worse Than Strangers by Kyleigh Leddy
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A debut novel for fans of Jane Austen, Elin Hilderbrand, and Gilmore Girls, Worse Than Strangers is a beachy retelling of Austen's Persuasion set against the backdrop of a cottage on Nantucket about finding romance, second chances, and a new path in life.

Rose and Lily are best friends first, mother-daughter second, which is good because right now, Lily could really use a friend. Recently fired from her NYC magazine job and heartbroken, Lily has fled to the family cottage in Siasconset. She is shocked when she stumbles across her first love at the grocery store holding hands with his new fiancé - a fiancé he never mentioned on their many, many late-night phone calls.

Rose has secrets, too. A therapist about to start her own private practice, Rose's world is rocked by the handsome renter staying in their guest cottage, Thomas Wentworth: the one person she thought she would never see again and the man who has always (unfortunately) held her heart.

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion set against a backdrop of blue and purple hydrangeas, swollen brick sidewalks, tall sea grass, and uniform, shingled houses, Lily and Rose Gardner's summer journey of second chances, healing, and hope begs the question: Can you repeat the past, and is it ever too late to try again?"

I'm always a sucker for a Jane Austen retelling. Throw in some hydrangeas and I'm so there.

The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit
Published by: Slowburn
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bridgerton meets Emily Henry in this fresh take on regency romance about a wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang who arranges her own marriage to the ultimate instructor: the town rake.

1816 - Harriet Bancroft doesn't mind that she's on her fifth season with no marriage prospects, it gives her more time to write her dictionary of modern slang. Words are her passion, especially the exciting, filthy ones men have kept hidden from women for far too long.

Enter the ultimate teacher...

When Harriet accidentally finds herself in a compromising situation with the notorious rake Lord Alexander, she has no choice but to sort of kidnap him and strong-arm him into an elopement. This arranged marriage has a very particular condition - it will be in-name-only, leaving each of them to follow their own interests. For Harriet that's her work; for Alexander, that's women.

But love has a different lesson in mind...

But soon Alexander's rakish lifestyle is not nearly as fun as spending time with Harriet, and Harriet's beginning to worry that she might actually like her husband. Behind the closed doors of their respectable home, things become a little...complicated. After all, who better teach her the very thorough meaning of these indecent words than the renowned lover, Lord Alexander Stirling? 

Perhaps this marriage will teach them both a little more about that word they've been avoiding - love.

Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers / Marriage of convenience / There's only one bed / Yearning / A misunderstanding / He teaches her / Regency era / Rake x wallflower."

It's Devil in Winter but with a wordy bent!

Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A desperate debutante meets a ragtag smuggler in this sexy Regency romp by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti.

Eccentric heiress Lady Ruby Ballimore has had enough of the Marriage Mart. After offending yet another Very Important Marquess - and imperiling her father's diplomatic career - Ruby flees London for the holiday house of a glamorous (and better yet, absent) princess. Armed with a forged invitation and accompanied by her like-minded friends, Ruby arrives at the Cornwall estate expecting a summer of blissful freedom.

Instead, she discovers a derelict mansion and the most suspiciously charming man she's ever met.

Former privateer and current con artist Captain Malcolm Archer has dragged his ramshackle crew into a new life. Posing as staff at a princess's abandoned estate provides the perfect cover for Archer's smuggling scheme (not to mention free rent). Everything's going according to plan - until an unorthodox London heiress crashes the party.

But when Archer and his crew attempt to frighten off their uninvited guests, Ruby's unfazed by insect invasions and sham sea monsters. Harder to ignore? The scorching heat between the rakish pirate and the debutante who can see right through him. As sparks fly, deceptions run wild - because in this Great Cornish Fake Off, the only thing riskier than telling the truth is falling in love."

Is it weird that I very specifically find it funny when pirates try to pose as staff in a grand house?

A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady Kiera Darby plans to spend the summer reconnecting with friends and family in anticipation of the betrothal of her beloved brother. But when a future in-law is implicated in a murder, the party takes a deadly turn....

July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian's father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he's fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride's family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father - the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam - is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.

So when Mr. Birnam's secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. But neither Kiera nor Sebastian believes he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can't let an innocent man be hung for another's crime. Unfortunately, Birnam had his fair share of enemies at the house party, and any one of them might have struck out at his secretary in order to get to him. It's up to Kiera and Sebastian to uncover the truth and salvage Birnam's reputation. As the couple slowly inches their way closer to the truth and threats emerge against their loved ones, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother's future happiness."

That dress on the cover is all wrong.

The Door in Penrose Forest by Sean David Robinson
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A man returns to his strange hometown twenty years after his mother climbed a staircase in the wilderness and disappeared in this speculative mystery where We Used to Live Here meets The Midnight Library.

As a boy, Nico once accompanied his mother on a research trip to investigate a stalled migration of monarch butterflies. One night, upon hearing her sneak out of their rented cabin, he followed her to a clearing in the forest where a famed mansion once stood. Paralyzed with fear, he watched his mother climb a staircase and vanish, along with the stairs and the strange glowing door at its peak. No one believed his story, and as he grew older, he too stopped believing it was real.

As an adult, Nico returns to his hometown to care for his ailing father. But something strange is happening to the town. There are unexplained power fluctuations, people are going missing, and, reportedly, phantoms are roaming the woods. When Nico finds his mother's field journal from the week she disappeared, including her account of the vanishing staircase, he begins to pick apart the mystery.

All the tangled strings trail back to the same starting point: the Gilded Age family whose mansion burned down under mysterious circumstances in those very same woods where his mother vanished.

Equally a compelling mystery and a moving story of family and destiny, this speculative novel will spellbind readers of Emily St. John Mandel and Susanna Clarke."

Who can resist a house that wasn't there?

Little Wild by Laura Evans
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Weyward meets Atonement in a shimmering debut novel of first love, betrayal, and revenge set on a crumbling British estate.

Suffolk, 1937. As the English countryside swelters in a historic heat wave, preparations for a party at Snare House are in full swing. The Winthers' only daughter, Joanie, is returning from a summer on the Continent, a flying visit before she leaves for university at Oxford. Only Margaret, longtime ward of the family and Joanie's closest friend, knows the truth: Joanie won't be going to Oxford. Instead, the two will be leaving the stultifying society they know to live together in London, as lovers.

Then the pair is discovered, and everything goes wrong. Banished to a cabin in the nearby woods, Margaret is alone with her estranged father. As summer curdles into autumn and magpies throng the forest, Margaret begins to lose herself. Her dreams turn dark and terrifying, and she wakes from them with dirt on the soles of her feet and scratches on her back. Everything suggests that a perverse power is awakening within her - perhaps the very one that led to her mother's ostracism and eventual death. If she can harness it, Margaret may be able to secure an approximation of the love she's always crave - but at what cost?

Little Wild is at once a feminist fairy tale, a haunting meditation on the dangers of desire, and a gripping debut from a talented new voice."

I'm in for anything at a crumbling British estate. If it has feminist justice, all the better.

Hunt the Ever Wild by S.E. Kiser
Published by: Angry Robot
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gothic standalone combining the gaslamp fantasy of C.L. Polk's Witchmark with the slow-burn rivals-to-lovers romance of Isa Agajanian's Modern Divination and the whimsy of Howl's Moving Castle.

When the king calls a hunt for the Lichtenwald forest's elusive phoenix, wizard Sy jumps at the chance. Years ago, he indentured himself to the crown to pay for his magical education, and an unbreakable spell binds him to carry out the king's every wicked whim, or face certain death. The prize is enough to pay off his debt, but he can't survive the forest alone. Seeking help, he finds Anya, a skilled huntress living on the Lichtenwald's edge, and lies about splitting the prize.

But Anya's lying too. Cursed by a witch after killing her familiar, Anya must find the phoenix and bind it to the witch by the summer solstice, or else suffer a gruesome transformation. With the curse worsening and the Lichtenwald swarming with wizards, she needs Sy on her side - for now.

Neither of them can split the prize, nor win alone. And despite the growing attraction between them, betrayal remains their only option.

But anything is possible in the forest.

And the forest is hungry."

I have a feeling that forests are always hungry.

A Treason of Magic by Melissa Marr
Published by: 47north
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 315 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In a world where magic, desire, and duty collide, it is beauty who is fated to kill the beast in a lush historical fantasy of secrets and star-crossed love by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr.

Two young women. Heirs to altogether different hereditary burdens. Yet bound by a monstrous threat to their village.

Gabrielle is the first woman in Alveus to carry the mantle of Hunter, which comes with an obligation to kill the faery beasts murdering travelers in Brimmond Wood. Wary of the power she wields as guardian of her people, Gabrielle is summoned by her first love, a seductress who shattered her heart into pieces a decade ago.

Isabeau is the rarest of nobility - a lady duke. She is also afflicted by a curse that leaves her in a deep sleep between the gloaming and daylight. How can she begin her tenure as protector when she can't keep her village safe from whatever stalks its darkest hours? For that, she needs the help of the Hunter.

Against her will, Gabrielle is falling in love all over again. But what new threats will arise when Gabrielle and Isabeau's star-crossed destinies collide with the beast of Brimmond Wood?"

Bit of a Ladyhawke vibe. I like it.

All We Hunger For by Anna Mercier
Published by: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young woman sneaks her way into a magical baking contest but gets pulled into an elusive aristocrat's lavish world and his nefarious plan as rebellion brews in their city - for fans of This Woven Kingdom.

In Anespérer, where magic comes alive through artistic skill, Elara Rousseau knows she'll never be selected for the Objet d'Art. The high-stakes baking competition will elect a new Souverain to join the ruling council, and someone from the slums would never be considered. But when a brooding figure from her past sneaks her into the Objet, Elara has the chance to compete for a better future...as long as no one uncovers her traitorous secret.

Nikolas Dupont will do whatever it takes to impress his powerful father, a Souverain who hasn't officially recognized his son - like handpick a contestant to win and become his father's political pawn. But Elara is more than he bargained for, and she ignites his own subdued passions.

Against all odds, Elara excels and becomes a hero to the city's poor, all while Nik's faith in his father crumbles and the sparks between them burn brighter. As the competition heats up, Elara and Nik must choose: fight to win the competition and secure a future of safety for them both, or use the power of Elara's art to spark a revolution."

I vote for revolutionary baking!

Tales of a Monstrous Heart by Jennifer Delaney
Published by: Diversion Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An instant Sunday Times bestseller and love letter to the Brontë sisters, Tales of a Monstrous Heart is a delicious gothic fantasy, filled with forbidden romance, magic, and monsters.

Be careful of the dark and those that call it friend.

Katherine Woodrow is fey, and all she wants is to graduate from the Institute of Magic. But when the prejudiced mortal council threaten her position at the institute, she is left with only one option: accept a Mage Partnership with the elusive Lord Blackthorn.

Emrys Blackthorn is a riddle Kat is fearful of solving. The mysterious, cursed war hero with his stormy eyes and unpredictable ways leaves Kat with more questions than answers. What she does know is that she is irresistibly drawn to him...no matter how forbidden it might be.

In this intoxicating gothic fantasy where passion collides with peril, and sorcery awakens monsters, a string of murders and fey disappearances herald the return of dark magic. Kat and Emrys are thrown into a world of ancient books that hide hideous monsters, dark fiends who play with nightmares, and mortal men who wish nothing more than to see them both burn.

But what haunts them both are secrets even ghosts dare not whisper, while insidious shadows lick their teeth and sharpen their claws, waiting for the moment that all tales will come to light - even the monstrous ones."

Does Emrys have a monster in the attic?

Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A not-so-evil villain strikes a deal with a not-quite-perfect hero to fake a feud, boost their reputations...and try not to fall in love in the process - in this hilarious, tender, sexy, and outrageously fun romp that blends the humor of Assistant to the Villain with the unforgettable romance of Heated Rivalry and the cozy fantasy vibes of Legends and Lattes.

Fake nemeses. It's a dastardly plan that can't go wrong...until love crashes the act.

Nobody is more surprised than Cyrus to learn that he's no longer considered the greatest villain in the land of Athaca. Sure, he's lying about the fact that his magical power is making flowers grow. And maybe lately he's spent more time embroidering pillowcases than tormenting the locals. But that doesn't mean he's ready to be yesterday's evil news.

Enter the hero Maximillian: the realm's golden boy, complete with a blinding smile, chiseled abs, and an infuriating habit of spreading hope and joy. (Gross.) If Cyrus wants to be taken seriously, he'll have to take this guy down.

But Maximillian isn't quite as perfect as he seems. When he proposes a scheme to fake an epic rivalry and increase their fame, Cyrus can't resist. Stage the battles, soak up the spotlight, share the spoils - it's a villainously good marketing plan.

There's just one hitch. Pretending to hate your nemesis becomes a lot harder when you start falling for them instead.

Nemesis Mine is a wickedly funny, steamy, and big-hearted rom-com set in a cozy fantasy world, featuring:

-A gleefully villainous protagonist with the comedic flair of Megamind and The Grinch
-An irreverent take on a fantasy kingdom for fans of Shrek and The Princess Bride
-Enemies to reluctant allies to lovers (M/M)
-"Ye Olde Heated Rivalry" for those who love a twist on fake rivals/secret relationship
-Black cat/golden retriever energy
-Dagger to the throat moments
-Falling for the hot* villain (*added by request of Cyrus)
-"Touch him and die""

Strong Nimona energy. 

Arcana: The Cursed Fate by Sam Prentice-Jones
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In The Cursed Fate, a tarot-inspired young adult graphic novel from creator Sam Prentice-Jones, five friends must break a generational curse in order to free their futures.

After uncovering harrowing secrets about their pasts and enduring a devastating loss, James, Daphne, Koko, Sunny, and Eli are determined to break the bonds of the ancestral curse that holds their futures in limbo. Confronting the secretive Majors leads to a vital revelation: a group of rebel witches known as the New Moon Order was responsible for casting the curse, and the Majors are not quite as all-powerful as they seem.

With the might of the Majors now on their side, the group sets out to undo the curse, once and for all, returning to the place where everything began: the seemingly abandoned farm house where Eli first began exploring his magic. The five friends must face their ghosts, both real and imagined, in this compelling examination of generational trauma, power, and what it means to craft a family of your own making.

Arcana: The Cursed Fate is book two in the Arcana duology."

I love nothing more than sinking into a completed duology. 

Rainsong by Lila Riesen
Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In a small town haunted by unsolved disappearances, a teen with a secret ability must unravel a deadly mystery - before she becomes the next victim.

Mendocino is not the quaint coastal California town Zayn Pereira imagined. It's shrouded in a fog that never lets up. Posters of a missing teen girl are plastered everywhere, and just offshore is an island called Rainsong, rumored to be haunted.

At her new school, everyone is tense and suspicious of each other. So when charismatic Ollie takes Zayn under her wing, it's a relief - but is her charm hiding something? People assume brooding Tiago, the missing girl's ex-boyfriend, is responsible for her disappearance...but Zayn can't keep her eyes off him. Is he really who everyone says he is?

Besides, Zayn has a secret of her own. And when Tiago is struck by a car one night, she is forced to reveal it to save him. In doing so, Zayn discovers her connection to a generations-old feud that still rages today. Can she break herself from the grip of Mendocino's past tragedy? Or will she become the next girl on the missing poster?

Filled with angsty romance, supernatural powers, murder, and vengeance, this is a chilling and propulsive read."

I might be biased, but I'd totally trust Tiago, because there was a cute guy in my high school with that name.

Tillinghast by Clare Cavenagh
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dark and utterly original literary horror debut, following a priest whose bloodthirsty life has extended far longer than any mere human's - and is upended when a stranger comes to town.

Stutley Tillinghast lives a solitary life, ostensibly as the minister of a remote rural parish in Rhode Island. For many decades now, what little human contact he's allowed himself has been brief, frenzied and bloody, and has always ended in a shallow grave in his cellar. There's a name for what he is, but he prefers not to use it: it is simple enough that he has his needs, and that when they become unbearable, he fulfils them. In his long and lonely life, he has met only one other like him - the woman he still yearns for, the one who made him what he is.

Then a girl arrives, searching for him. She has his last name, and bears an uncanny resemblance to that woman, awakening memories Tillinghast had long suppressed; the connection he feels for her is immediate and overwhelming. She's also sick, very sick, with symptoms Tillinghast recognizes all too well...and only he knows how to cure her.

Inspired by the real events of the New England vampire panic of the nineteenth century, Tillinghast is a novel to sink your teeth into: at once a gripping, atmospheric horror that turns the classic monster narrative on its head; a literary work of exceptional prose about giving into - or resisting - our impulses; and a remarkably moving father-daughter story that will leave you unexpectedly hopeful - and rooting, despite your every instinct, for the killers."

Has all the great Chapelwaite vibes. Damn I wish that had gotten a second season.

Magic City Mayhem by Marcus X. Figuerola
Published by: Bannermen Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Archmagus Pablo Díaz is Miami's most overworked necromancer. Unfortunately, Miami keeps dying - violently, inconveniently, and in places that ruin his shoes.

Struggling to meet the expectations of his Cuban-born father and swamped by Papi's medical bills, Pablo sells his abilities to anyone willing to pay, from grieving widows to homicide detectives.

But when two mutilated corpses wash out of Biscayne Bay and point their bony fingers toward Miami's criminal underbelly, Pablo's moonlighting makes him a target of the Russian mob, the police department, and his ruthless colleagues at the College of Practical Arts.

As he struggles to clear his name, Pablo's investigation unleashes eldritch monsters on the streets of Miami. Now Pablo must balance his duty to the city against his dwindling chances of survival - and the complicated business of being a good son. Because something dark is stirring in the Magic City, and this time, even a necromancer might be in over his head."

At least if the dead hold the answers he can ask them? Always look for the silver lining, no matter how slim.

Escape by Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 184 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"SHOT DOWN. HUNTED. OUT OF TIME.

Set in a brutal, fully painted world of anthropomorphic animals - equal parts Inglourious Basterds and Watership Down - Escape is a gritty, bullet-riddled journey through war's scorched aftermath. It's about the violence we inflict, the souls we try to save, and the courage it takes to crawl out of fire.

From the creative team of New York Times bestselling author Rick Remender (Deadly Class, Uncanny X-Force) and powerhouse Daniel Acuña (Captain America, Black Panther) - the duo behind Marvel's Uncanny Avengers - comes a savage, full-throttle wartime thriller where survival isn't given...it's taken.

Milton Shaw is a battle-hardened bomber pilot, flying missions over a war-torn world ruled by a ruthless empire. But when his plane is shot out of the sky, Milton wakes up behind enemy lines - in the smoldering ruins of a city he helped burn. And in less than 24 hours, his own side is dropping the big one to finish the job.

Now, injured, unarmed, and being hunted through enemy streets, Milton's only shot at escape comes from the unlikeliest place: a grieving father and his son - civilians shattered by the same fascist regime that rules this land with an iron claw. Enemies by blood. Allies by circumstance. Together, they'll have to fight their way out before the bomb drops and erases everything...and everyone.

Collects issues #1-6"

Such a fan of Rick Remender. 

Birds of Prey edited by Harlan Coben and C.J. Box
Published by: The Mysterious Press
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The world's greatest thriller writers prove they're up to a unique challenge in this action-packed collection.

It all started with a simple, yet sneakily difficult challenge from global best-selling author Harlan Coben: Pick a bird of prey, then use it as the inspiration for a brand-new story.

The response from some of the best writers on the planet: Game on!

The result: Eleven stories that are twisty, scary, surprising, and bursting with imagination. An egg worth more than its weight in gold. A mysterious operative known only as Owl. An eagle-watcher who sees more than she should. Even a story that somehow places the Maltese Falcon in a nursing home.

Contributors include:
-Tess Gerritsen
-C.J. Box
-Kathy Reichs
-Ace Atkins
-Heather Graham
-S.A. Cosby
-Hank Phillippi Ryan
-Robert Dugoni
-Allison Brennan
-Gregg Hurwitz
-Kelley Armstrong

Commissioned by International Thriller Writers, Birds of Prey is a highly bingeable anthology that’s a treat for thriller fans."

I mean, the concept alone is killer. But I wouldn't expect anything less from Harlan Coben. 

Thrilling Tales of Modern Men by Danny McBride
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An addictive, unpredictable, darkly hilarious collection of stories from Danny McBride - the beloved creator and star of The Righteous Gemstones and Eastbound and Down.

There are many sides to Danny McBride: He's starred as the iconic character Kenny Powers in the cult classic HBO show Eastbound and Down, a series he also wrote and created - just as he did with Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones. He's produced horror films (Halloween) and starred in sci-fi (Alien: Covenant). And ever since he was young, he's been writing short fiction.

An amateur magician gets in way over his head with a deadly stunt in a local mall. A washed-up sitcom actor takes revenge on the coyote who killed his dog. Two young runaways decide to part ways, but not before embarking on one last big adventure.

Hilarious, razor-sharp, unexpectedly emotional, and full of wild twists and turns, the stories in Thrilling Tales of Modern Men are like nothing else. And yet they have one thing in common - each probes the fragile masculinity that has become an inescapable part of modern American culture. In this audacious and unforgettable debut collection, McBride redefines the tale of the modern man."

Even if you aren't aware of the genius that is Danny McBride, any fan of short fiction should pick this up.

Five Gears in Reverse by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Jacob Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A brand new Criminal graphic novel featuring the legendary Ricky Lawless and the crazy tale of how he and Mallory fell in love in the midst of a crime spree.

In one of the wildest, most action-packed books that Brubaker and Phillips have ever done, we delve deep into the life of one of Criminal's most complex and tragic characters, Ricky Lawless as he tries to pay off a deep debt to a mobster, while things just keep going from bad to worse.

Five Gears in Reverse will have long-time Criminal fans cheering the return of Ricky Lawless and new readers will find it a perfect jumping-on-point for the greatest crime comic series of the 21st century."

I agree that Criminal is the greatest crime series of the 21st century. I disagree on Ricky's legendary status. Any story where he's the star just doesn't interest me. So this is for the Criminal completists. 

Every Hunter is Hunted by Barry Lyga
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the world of Barry Lyga's New York Times bestselling I Hunt Killers trilogy comes a thrilling adult mystery about the hunt for a monstrous serial killer.

Brides are being murdered on their wedding nights. Soaked in blood and draped in lace. With nothing left behind to help them find the killer, the FBI is at an impasse. Their only, desperate hope is to convince Jasper Dent, the son of two serial killers and a former teen prodigy at hunting down such monsters, to emerge from his self-imposed exile.

When he was a teenager, both of Jasper's parents were members of a secret society of serial killers. Today, his father is in prison, and his mother is in a coma, both results of their final confrontation with Jasper years ago. Now wealthy from a bestselling memoir about his parents, Jasper still carries the scars from their parenting - and the uncanny, unwanted ability to understand killers that they instilled in him.

Jasper wants nothing more than to hide from his past - cash his royalty checks and never think about murder and blood again. But he knows the only way to find any meaning or redemption in his life is to face his demons once again. His skills rusty, his confidence shaken, Jasper races against a ticking clock, frantically seeking to solve the impossible mystery before more women meet a horrific end."

Like Prodigal Son but with both parents being evil!

Slasher Summer by E.L. Chen
Published by: Crown
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this campy love letter to the slasher films of the 1980s, seven friends reunite for a weekend of fun - only to be hunted down by a cold-blooded killer. But the real horror is not being able to escape who you were in high school....

The sleepy town of Cedar Lake is best known as the shooting location of the campy '80s horror flick Slasher. In high school, preppy Patrick, jock Jason, cheerleader Tiffany, stoner Freddy, goth Jennifer, and nerdy Mikey had played the cast of Slasher during midnight showings, with virginal Carrie as the Final Girl, of course.

Years later, the friends reunite at the remote cabin where Slasher was filmed. They've changed since high school - Carrie found a boyfriend, Patrick came out, Mikey bulked up, and, well, Freddy's still stoned - and they're looking forward to a weekend to catch up. But when night falls, and the eponymous masked killer is spotted, the reunion takes a deadly turn. The friends discover their tires deflated and the phone line disconnected, and soon they're being stalked by a mysterious assailant. Is someone trying to make their Slasher experience as authentic as possible?

One thing is for sure. Before the night is over, they each will have to take on the role they thought they'd left behind."

I love the Rocky Horror aspect of it all.

Nine Lives by Catherine Steadman
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When she begins to peer into the lives of her glamorous neighbors, one woman discovers a terrifying secret in this riveting psychological thriller with nine lives worth of twists, from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water, a Reese's Book Club pick.

These are your neighbors. One is a killer.

Reeling from a very recent divorce, Frankie has moved into a glamorous London neighborhood. This is a new chapter in her life. She's decided to put down roots with Blue, the beautiful Persian cat she left her marriage with.

But little doubts about her perfect new life start to grow, and when Blue returns one night from slipping into places he shouldn't, Frankie's concerns solidify. Two words are roughly scratched into his collar: help me. Unsettled and unwilling to ignore the incident, Frankie roots out an old unused "cat cam" collar. What slowly begins as a voyeuristic fascination with her neighbors and the secrets they're hiding soon turns into a perilous quest for the truth that threatens to bring untold terrors to her doorstep.

A riveting thriller about the terrible secrets hidden behind the pastel-colored façade of one of London's most upscale enclaves, Nine Lives is catnip for suspense readers everywhere and perfect for fans of modern classics like The Girl on the Train and The Woman in the Window."

She should not be letting her cat out OR using it for detective work. Bad human servant. 

A Twist in the River by Stig Abell
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Former London detective Jake Jackson finds his new life in the country threatened when women start disappearing in this beautifully written and deeply immersive novel that will challenge even the most diehard mystery lover's deductive skills.

A beautiful summer's day.

When young nurse Claire Davidson goes missing on the riverbank, the only clues left behind are her phone and shoes.

A mystery that sweeps the nation.

People disappear all the time, but this case sparks an online frenzy. Amateur investigators descend on the rural idyll. Everyone has a theory. Is Claire Davidson just the story of a swim that went wrong, or could there be truth to the conspiracies?

A killer growing bolder.

But when another woman is discovered dead in the river, signs point to murder. Jake Jackson, a former detective who came to the countryside searching for peace, must investigate before more lives are taken."

That's the problem of retiring to the countryside, the crimes will just follow you!

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone Lisa Jewell brings her "thrilling, chilling" (Chris Whitaker) suspense to this shocking new thriller about a lost dog, a missing woman, and a house of long buried secrets.

Jane Trevally is walking her dogs on her country estate when a small white terrier appears, alone and with no sign of the teenaged girl he'd been staying with nearby. When the teenager is reported missing, Jane offers to return the dog to his registered owner, hours away in London. Arriving at a run-down house called Thornwood in the deepest backwaters of Hampstead, she is immediately on alert - because Jane has a dark history with this house.

The man who answers the door is not the man that Jane remembers from her past. He is cagey, and claims to know nothing about the missing teenage girl. Then, through the window of the house, Jane catches a glimpse of a haunted-looking woman.

Conjuring her memories from twenty-five years ago, Jane knows this unsettling house holds the key - to the missing teenager, to her own traumatic story, and to the dark secrets of the past."

Creepy house in Hampstead!?! YES!

The Cornish Honeymoon by Fiona Leitch
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Kindle, 281 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Everyone always says that your honeymoon should be a holiday to remember...

Ex-Metropolitan Police sergeant Jodie Parker and her new husband, DCI Nathan Withers, are honeymooning at a luxurious eco-resort on a secluded Cornish island. But there's a twist: they're undercover, as the resort's owner has hired them to investigate a series of sabotages, and Jodie's mum Shirley and daughter Daisy - and their dog, Germaine - have somehow managed to get themselves invited along too.

The happy couple plan to make the most of the five star facilities, while discreetly questioning staff and guests. However, when a fierce storm traps everyone on the island, tragedy strikes - a guest is found dead in the wreckage of the boathouse, and it looks like murder...

With a killer among them, it's up to Jodie and Nathan to solve the mystery before another life is lost."

Luxury resort and locked room tropes? Yes please!

The Devil's Banquet by Phil Lecomber
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The second novel in the Piccadilly Noir series, this dark historical thriller sees Cockney private eye George Harley return to the streets of London's Soho, populated by gangsters, wide-boys and lowlifes, to investigate a missing cabaret dancer. For fans of Dominic Nolan and Laura Shepherd Robinson.

It is 1933, four years after Cockney private eye George Harley brought the infamous child-killer the 'Nursery Butcher' to justice, and he's back in business operating a new detective agency in Soho. For their first case, Harley and his new assistant Bunty are engaged to find a young girl who has run away from home to join a cabaret troupe led by the notorious 'Queen of Depravity' Ilse Blau.

But in Harley's liminal world, things are never straightforward, and the detective soon finds himself embroiled in another pitch-dark scenario, with London's decadent, thrill-seeking gentry on one side and West End mobsters and wide-boys in search of easy cash on the other.

Returning to London's frowzy alleyways and sleazy nightclubs, Harley will hunt down answers - no matter how uncomfortable they might turn out to be. But when he becomes ensnared in the mind games of a wily femme fatale, and finds himself up against ruthless Glaswegian gangsters, well-connected occultists, and undercover SS agents, those answers become increasingly hard to find."

Here for the well-connected occultists! 

A Morbid Passion by Robert Holtom
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gripping 1930s-set whodunnit and love letter to Golden Age crime, this sequel to A Queer Case features amateur sleuth Selby Bigge, who must solve a murder at Lady Malcolm's Servants' Ball in London's Royal Albert Hall. Perfect for fans of Nicola Upson's Josephine Tey novels.

London 1930.

Selby Bigge and his aristocratic sidekick Theodora Smythe are invited to dine with Doctor Hector Fortescue and his family. While the Victorians might have defined heterosexuality and homosexuality as perversions, the doctor believes the former can be redeemed and the latter cured.

Later that evening Theodora becomes Theo and attends the Servants' Ball with Selby - a fancy-dress dance for servants, which attracts queers of all classes. There they meet the impossibly glamorous singer Lady Splendid and various members of the Fortescue household, including the doctor's handsome son, Lancelot. Before the night is out Selby and Theo will have another murder to solve.

Digging deeper, the duo discover that secrets abound both above and below stairs in the Kensington home of the Fortescue family. And the stakes get even higher when Selby encounters policemen he's met before - ones who'd love to arrest him for being queer.

Can Selby solve the crime or will this be his last dance?"

I hope the murder is of the Doctor. Anyone who believes in a "cure" can go die a horrible death.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexandra Vasti, Anna Lee Huber, Beatriz Williams, Catherine Steadman, E.L. Chen, Ed Brubaker, Fiona Leitch, Harlan Coben, Heather Frances, Lisa Jewell, Melissa Marr, Phil Lecomber, Robert Holtom, Sean Phillips, Stig Abell

There are so many confined and staid and uptight and stagy adaptations of Forster's work that it's a breath of fresh air to watch one that has real passion. An adaptation that could move you literally to tears. While there might be those who criticize Andrew Davies's adaptation for playing fast and loose with the storyline, I counter that he cut to the quick of the story and kept that which was vital intact. If you weren't a Forster purist or had never read the books, just watch the old Merchant and Ivory adaptation and then watch this one, it is without a doubt that this version makes a better film. That is what it comes down to in the end, which is the better movie, and this one will always win, even with the weird transfer error of blurred behinds and a lackluster score. What I think made this version work was that, like the book, the integration of Lucy's piano playing as a window to her soul was actually incorporated throughout the movie. Instead of a few set pieces with Helena Bonham Carter rigidly sitting at a piano and obviously not knowing what to do, here Elaine Cassidy throws herself into the music and bares her soul. It is distinctly a plus that you can actually see that she is playing the music, even if the ADR team might have dropped in a more accomplished version later. One can not stress enough that to make a good movie you have to connect with your audience, and this connected with me, with passion and empathy and yes, love, and sometimes it hurts. All the feels in this movie just made it more real, more human, more alive. There's affection and attraction. If you look at the kiss between George and Lucy in the Merchant and Ivory adaptation, it's like watching two people who don't even like each other being yelled at by the director to kiss and they are going to try to stop the inevitable for as long as possible. That kiss is painful to watch. Here, well, the kiss is painful to watch for different reasons. There is abandon and discovery in it. True feeling. True connection. It's joyous. In fact, I would say that is what is at the very center of this adaptation, there is joy. Life is breathed into the story and we connect to it because it's joyous. There's this message that we are to live life now. Live for today. Don't settle, don't do what you think is expected of you. Don't go for the passionless Cecil, go for the man who makes your heart race as he sneaks a kiss behind the bushes. In this version by downplaying Cecil and actually giving George all his lines you actually connect to George in a way Forster wanted you to but was never quite able to accomplish. The speech that George gives to Lucy and Charlotte in the dinning room before he is banished from Windy Corner makes you realize how they are meant to be. I was like Charlotte, in the corner weeping, because this is what love looks like. You fight for it, you make your case, you don't go off like a wounded dog wrapped in a blanket in a carriage.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Room with a View, Andrew Davies, E.M. Forster, Elaine Cassidy, Fifty-Five Years a Masterpiece, George Emerson, Helena Bonham Carter, Italy, Julian Sands, Lucy Honeychurch, Merchant and Ivory, Passion, Piano, Rafe Spall, Score

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 7th, 2021
Format: Kindle, 369 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

Twenty years ago a tragedy befell the Hawthorne family. Tobias Hawthorne's only son, Toby, went on a cross country roadtrip of debauchery with friends he met in rehab that ended in a conflagration on his family's private island. The fire was blamed on a local girl to cover up any culpability on Toby's part as he was seen buying the accelerant. But as for Toby's body, it was never found. And that's when Tobias Hawthorne changed his will. Yet for twenty years Tobias believed his son was out there. Somewhere. So when his youngest grandson, the only one to know he was dying, requested one final game just for himself he knew he would ask Xander to find Toby. Little does Xander know that Avery might have already found him. When her mother died she took up playing chess in the park with a homeless man named Harry. When she sees a picture of Toby she realizes that she was playing chess with him. Only he has fled. Avery knows this because she tried to give "Harry" some money from her inheritance and he was already gone. The only place that she and Jameson can think to search for clues is in the bricked up wing of the house which was Toby's. There scrawled across the walls, only visible under blacklight because he was a Hawthorne after all, is the truth that drove Toby into a reckless tailspin. He was adopted. This revelation sends Avery into her own tailspin. Could it be that she really is a Hawthorne despite the DNA test? Could she be Toby's daughter? Her mother sure loved games and had a secret about the day Avery was born that Avery never learned while her mother lived. But the writing is on the wall. Literally. Toby's handwriting looks so familiar to Avery and then she realizes that she's seen it before. On her birth certificate. It might be her father's name, but Toby signed it. This makes Avery's desire to find Toby her number one priority. Nothing else matters. Not even losing her inheritance. She will find the truth whatever it takes. And it takes a lot; sifting through old wills, travelling to dangerous locales, discovering secrets long since buried, and family no one ever knew. But is the truth worth a life?

I think the problem I had with The Inheritance Games is I didn't feel there were real stakes. Sure, there was "a fortune at stake" as this book's cover proclaims but a fortune in the balance where wealthy people are concerned isn't really compelling. What is compelling is what the fortune makes other people do. Aside from some gunplay I didn't feel like anyone was really in danger. Avery was going to survive to see out the trilogy, them's the facts. The Hawthorne Legacy though upped the stakes to be about life and death while performing a wonderful bait and switch. Because anyone reading the final pages of the first installment would be convinced that this volume would be all about finding Toby, the missing Hawthrone. And while it is, it's more about Toby's legacy. The actual corpses he's left in his wake. While, like Emily's death, the death's in Toby's past were an accident, he is far more culpable. He did toy with the idea of burning it all to the ground, it's just that a tragically timed storm made the final decision for him. But another death changes everything and actually puts death on the table versus just another game. People could actually die now, and not just in the past. Finally life and death stakes! Yet oddly enough that wasn't the driving force of The Hawthorne Legacy, the driving force was the legacy of all the Hawthrones. Because here there's an interesting mirroring of the first book with the first will that Tobias wrote when Toby disappeared. That will, like the will that left everything to Avery, was meant to bring his family together. Though his daughters never saw that will it too was strewn with clues for them to reconnect and find Toby. And in their search for Toby they all learn something about themselves, Avery learns she isn't a Hawthorne by blood, Jameson and Nash find their fathers, and we learn about the truly convoluted nature of the relationship between the Hawthornes and the family retainers, the Laughlins. We get ALL the family secrets, ALL the tea is spilled, combined with actual stakes? More like this please!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Avery Grambs, Family, Family Secrets, Jameson Hawthorne, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Murder Most Foul, Stakes, The Hawthorne Legacy, The Inheritance Games, Tobias Hawthorne, Toby Hawthorne, Wills, Xander Hawthorne

What most of us turn to Masterpiece for is a good old fashioned period drama. Yes, there have been modern shows here and there, and many quite exceptional, but for most of us it's all about the period drama. Well, watching The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard now, it feels like a period drama. Looking back on a simpler time in politics before Trump and Brexit it feels so long ago that it's a different era. Plus with the cast, Steven Mackintish, Jodhi May, Janet McTeer, Carey Mulligan, Geraldine James, Tom Mison, Siobhan Finneran, and Harry Hadden-Paton to name a few, it is like the best of the best from British period dramas are represented here. Then factor in the Downton-esque music by John Lunn playing over several characters from Downton Abbey, and well, it might be modern but it feels like Masterpiece to me. Though it's an odd little miniseries, written by Sally Wainwright who has gone on to create the procedurals Scott and Bailey and Happy Valley, the feel good Last Tango in Halifax, and the sensational period lesbian romp Gentleman Jack, The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard never really finds it's feet and ends on an abrupt note, and that note was only on the DVD at that. Ros Pritchard is a woman with no political experience who ends up Prime Minister by just telling it like it is and vowing to never lie. While I adore Jane Horrocks, she doesn't have the heft needed for the role and is outclassed by everyone around her. But more importantly, I couldn't figure out the message of the miniseries. What was it trying to say? It is oddly pro-Brexit before Brexit happened with a bizarre streak of British exceptionalism. Also Ros's Purple party is almost all women, is this a commentary on women in traditional male roles and how they succeed or fail based on how much of the traditional female roles they're willing to give up, like motherhood? Also, while this was obviously written about a fake election it seems prophetic. I mean, look what we're living through here in the States! A person entirely ignorant of government being elected to the highest position in the land. Again! But in reality there have tons and tons of deaths and concentration camps instead of everyone banding together and riding a bus. So yeah... it now cuts a little too close to the bone... The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard just doesn't understand the implications of what it's attempting and failing to say. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Brexit, Carey Mulligan, Donald Trump, Downton Abbey, DVD, Fifty-Five Years a Masterpiece, Gentleman Jack, Geraldine James, Jane Horrocks, Janet McTeer, Jodhi May, Modern, Sally Wainwright, The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, Tom Mison

The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield by Claudia Gray
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The fifth book in New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray's Jane Austen sequel series, which finds amateur sleuths Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney investigating a suspicious murder at Netherfield Park.

Jonathan Darcy has recovered from the wound he received in a duel three months prior, during a disastrous London Season. But his parents aren't over the shock, and they remain convinced that, no matter how many murderers have been caught via their investigations, Jonathan must end his association with Miss Juliet Tilney - particularly now that she is a young lady of ruined reputation. He prays for some opportunity to be with her again, but unfortunately, the answer to those prayers comes in the form of murder: his uncle Charles Bingley's brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, is found dead from poisoning at Netherfield Park. Aunt Jane is desperate for answers, which means Miss Tilney must be invited to Netherfield to investigate!

Juliet, still reeling from her newfound ruination, is happy to be back in the thick of an investigation. The reunion with Mr. Darcy is difficult - Juliet has missed Jonathan terribly, but she is tormented by the knowledge that his parents will never approve their match. Adding to her troubles are the scheming Caroline Bingley Allerdyce and her daughter Priscilla, whose machinations threaten any hope Juliet might have of societal rehabilitation, much less an engagement. Then, Mr. Hurst proves to be only the first victim at Netherfield, casting a pall of danger - and worse, scandal - over the Bingleys' household. Jonathan and Juliet must find the culprit, and will ultimately be called to make a final choice between respectability...and love."

Hehe, Mr. Hurst. No one deserved death more.

The Missing Baroness by Bianca M. Schwarz
Published by: Central Avenue
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cozy Regency mystery with a hidden heiress, slow-burn romance, and layered intrigue - perfect for fans of heroines who fight for their place in the world.

No one has seen Georgina Bligh in a decade - not since the night her uncle murdered her father and tried to eliminate her as well. Hidden away with her best friend's family, Georgina has spent the intervening years preparing to claim her rightful place as Baroness of Elmsford. But when a near collision with her uncle on a London street shatters her anonymity, she's forced to act before her twenty-first birthday.

Silas Bligh is desperate. Deep in debt and determined to control the Elmsford estate, he's on the verge of having Georgina declared legally dead. But unbeknownst to him, her father's true will disinherited Silas - and Georgina must find it to expose his lies.

With the aid of her steadfast beau, Lord Bertram Redwick, and a tight-knit group of loyal allies, Georgina embarks on a tense and dangerous search through hidden ledgers, long-buried secrets, and the upper echelons of London society. As the legal deadline looms, a new threat rises - someone willing to use extortion and violence to ensure the truth stays buried forever.

For fans of Mimi Matthews's fiercely independent heroines, Sophie Irwin's nuanced character arcs, and the dark intrigue of Kelly Bowen, this first book in The Inconvenient Heirs Series blends mystery, romance, and feminist grit in a compelling fight for justice and identity - set against the opulent and treacherous upper crust of Regency London."

Justice and identity in The Ton! 

Death Was Not on the Guest List by Jenni L. Walsh
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 267 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From USA Today bestselling author Jenni L. Walsh comes a witty Jazz Age mystery where rivalry, ambition, and deceit glitter under every chandelier...and no one gets out until the killer is unmasked.

In Chicago's Gold Coast district, twenty of the city's most glamorous socialites gather for a charity whist drive at the Bellevue House mansion. Brightest among them are Ginevra King Mitchell and Edith Cummings, real-life debutantes who inspired Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby.

But when their sharp-tongued hostess turns up dead and a blizzard traps everyone inside, suspicion and gossip give way to fear. After all, one guest has a habit of burying husbands, another a proclivity for poison. Their charming veneers belie jealousies, ambitions, and deceits aplenty, enough to drive any one of them to kill.

As whispers turn to accusations, the police start closing in. Ginevra and Edith compete to solve the murder, uncovering secrets far more dangerous than the gossip columns ever revealed. But when a second body is found - strangled with Ginevra's own pearls - their restless rivalry becomes a race for survival. Who's next? And is the answer hidden in Fitzgerald's exasperating novel?"

Those pearls must have been well strung to survive a strangling! 

The Butler by Clare Mackintosh
Published by: Podium Publishing
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times-bestselling author: A glamorous French villa. A carefully curated guest list. A body in the pool.

The South of France is stunning, though not without its imperfections, from pickpockets to burglars to the occasional cold-blooded killer. But in his twenty-five years of service, Baxter - with a spotless reputation as a polished, well-mannered butler - has never run into any issues catering to the ultrawealthy. Until now.

Baxter's latest assignment is at Villa Sérénité, where Alec Prescott is hosting a colorful cast of characters, including his ex-wife, his much younger lady friend, and some Hollywood hotshots, after the Cannes Film Festival. But it doesn't take long for a week of sun, wine, and a family birthday celebration to devolve into bickering and backstabbing. And soon, secrets aren't the only thing floating to the surface...

When one of the guests is found dead in the villa's glittering pool, the gendarmes turn to the unflappable Baxter to help determine who's responsible. A good butler is expected to see everything and say nothing - but what if he too becomes a target?"

If the butler didn't do it the butler knows who did.

The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When an over-the-hill American actor finds his wife, a rising star in Bollywood, dead in their Mumbai high-rise, he quickly becomes the prime suspect in this atmospheric, razor-sharp social mystery. Perfect for fans of The White Lotus, Only Murders in the Building and Age of Vice.

Washed-up American heart throb George Abercrombie hates India, even from his apartment on the 68th floor of Mumbai's grandest luxury skyscraper. He hates the noise, he hates the heat, and just maybe he's grown to hate his wife, the newest queen of Bollywood, Sweety Sahota, decades his junior. So when George wakes from a drunken stupor (free whiskey, for which he's the national spokesperson) to find his wife murdered in their bedroom, he knows quite well just how badly he's cooked. But where is her computer, her cellphone, and where has his personal assistant gone?

The Pinnacle is a dazzling and addictive thriller that's three plots in one, as George seeks to find the killer, as a conflicted young woman working as Sweety's P.A. struggles to find out who's blackmailing her, and as a servant who knows too much goes on the run. A dark sendup of world's most privileged coexisting with the world's most desperate, from the winner of the 2025 British Book Awards Thriller of the Year."

The contrast between the worlds living side by side is astonishing. 

The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ten years ago, a teenage summer camper disappeared while searching for a rumored treasure on a remote island. Now, the long-buried truth of what happened to her and the long-lost gold threatens the lives of her friends in this thriller from the critically acclaimed author of The Chateau.

Ten years ago, a group of American teenage summer campers went to a lush and isolated Azores island for a hiking and heritage trip. But when a clue to a local legend of buried treasure emerged, the summer devolved into a frenzied hunt and culminated in the disappearance - and rumored murder - of "it girl" camper, Sydney. She was never seen again and the treasure never found.

Now, a decade later, Sydney's closest circle returns to honor her memory: Sydney's sister and fellow camper, Olivia; a group of childhood camp friends; and their beloved counselors. They've all agreed to participate in a documentary probing what really happened to Sydney.

The group reunites in paradise and retraces their old haunts, hiking along crater lakes and submerging in thermal hot springs. But not everyone has innocent motives for returning to the island. And when the documentary filming reveals explosive truths and fresh hints resurrect the tantalizing treasure hunt, the group begins to implode. Old feuds reignite - and then one of them turns up dead.

Which means that a murderer has surfaced...again."

I mean, doesn't anyone get that if you're going to do a true crime documentary there's a chance you will die!?!

The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
Published by: Run for It
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Surviving the massacre is just the beginning in this razor-sharp summer-camp slasher with a bloody twist from horror master Craig DiLouie.

It's 1992, and in the heat of Texas, camp Summer Fun rests by a crystalline lake surrounded by a shady forest. The counselors have set out the kayaks, prepped the kitchens, and refurbished the cabins. Now, on the night before camp begins, a bonfire and the teenage counselors' rites of passage await.

But the camp has a horrifying history. In the '80s, there was a massacre that left a sole survivor. One final girl. The killer never caught.

Deputy Tom Bailey is always on edge this time of year. There are rumors that the woods are haunted. That the killer might one day return. Tom has deeply personal ties to the '80s massacre, and those ties have plagued his dreams.

Then Tom gets a call reporting bloodcurdling screams coming from the camp. The real nightmare is just beginning...."

Love the concept, hate the cover.

Hemlock Bay by Martin Edwards
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The new seaside resort of Hemlock Bay offers something for everyone. For families, it's the ideal summertime playground for kids and parents alike. For artists, the seascapes are peerless. For swindlers and blackmailers, it's the perfect place to craft a new identity. And for murderers? That's what Rachel Savernake, the enigmatic heiress and brilliant amateur sleuth, is about to discover.

When crime-beat journalist Jacob Flint receives a visit from a fortune teller who insists he's had a vision of a murder soon to occur in Hemlock Bay, Jacob consults with Rachel to get her take on the man's outlandish claim. Rachel is so intrigued, she rents a cottage at the seaside resort where an artist she admires also happens to be spending the summer. Meanwhile, mild-mannered accountant Basil Palmer is en route to Hemlock Bay, determined to murder a man he's never met - a man he holds responsible for his beloved wife's death six months prior. Could this be the murder foretold by the fortune teller?

Whether pre-destined or plotted, a murder does occur. But as Rachel plunges deeper and deeper into the morass of mysterious events and suspects, and as alibis exonerate each suspect one by one, she begins to wonder whether she is equal to the case. Has Rachel finally mired herself in mystery she can't solve?"

Death foretold is a seed of death planted.

Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the second installment of the Nora Breen Investigates series - "perfect for cozy mystery lovers" (Book Riot) - beloved former nun Nora Breen returns, this time to track down a ghostly killer before it's too late.

When Dolores Chimes, a famous medium, arrives in Gore-on-Sea, even surly Detective Inspector Rideout is lured in by her promises of messages for the afterlife.

But after a reading goes disastrously wrong, Dolores loses her life - and the six sitters at the séance with her fall victim to supernatural deaths themselves in the days following the nightmare of a reading.

Determined to unveil the truth, Nora finds herself chasing a ghostly serial killer she believes to be responsible, before the sixth victim - Detective Rideout himself - perishes along with the others."

Dammit, nothing hits the spot quite like a séance gone sideways.

Tell Me My Future by Eileen M. Ruvane
Published by: Amulet Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland and Courtney Summers, this YA debut follows a girl who pretends to be a psychic to solve a long-ago murder - and starts having real visions of the future.

Kess Turner is used to starting over. Her mom has dragged her all around the country her whole life, never spending longer than a few months in one place.

But nothing is normal about their new home - a dusty psychic shop - or the the way Kess's mom was summoned when a mysterious accident left the psychic Madame Amalia in a coma. When Kess finds coded messages and cash hidden among the crystal balls and Tarot cards, she knows there's a lot more to the story than her mom is telling her.

Desperate for answers, Kess poses as a psychic in order to pump Madame Amalia's clients for information - only to start experiencing strange visions of events that actually come true. The more she investigates, the more she suspects her mom and Madame Amalia were involved in a murder years ago.

When Kess's visions escalate - and seem to predict her own death - it becomes clear that if she wants to save her future, she'll first have to unravel the secrets of the past..."

I'm even happy for a fake psychic... Though I don't think Kess will be one for long...

Such a Lucky Girl by Wendy Heard
Published by: Christy Ottaviano Books - Little Brown and Hachette
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Rory Power and Tiffany D. Jackson, this twisty horror novel follows a magnetic young influencer who gets ensnared in a web of dark, jealousy-fueled magic.

Three years ago, Bella dumped her best friend Kerry to follow her dreams of becoming an influencer. It worked; she is Such a Lucky Girl, famous for her epic manifesting glow-up and dedicated to helping other girls be "lucky," too. She's living the dream - success, sponsorships, and fame. She burned her old life to the ground and never looked back.

Leaving Kerry behind. Alone. Angry.

When Kerry picks up a vintage self-help book on shadow work, she's fascinated by the suggested rituals. Get back at those who have wronged her? Yes, please. She has one person in mind, and that girl is smiling at her millions of followers, having forgotten Kerry long ago. But there's something attached to the book, something dark and ancient, and Kerry and Bella may not be ready for what is about to be unleashed."

Anyone else think the cover girl looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar?

Three Coffin Problem by Lavie Tidhar
Published by: Jab Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 290 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Medieval Europe. A world of darkness. Of Gothic castles, isolated monasteries, of monks and knights and things that go bump in the night. A world where vampires can roam at will.... At least, as long as they obey the rules! For a vampire may not murder another vampire. Not unless they have a really good reason to, anyway.

Enter Judge Dee. Ancient. Immortal. Ascetic. His cold intellect draws him wherever a mystery is present, and he will rest at nothing to solve the puzzle. Jonathan, the judge's human assistant, on the other hand, mostly just wants cheese. With bread, if possible. And some pickles would be nice. After all, it's not easy spending your life in the company of murderous vampires who only see you as a tasty snack...

Their adventures take them from the warm Italian valleys to the heights of the French Alps as they come face to fang with fiendishly complicated puzzles - not the least of which is love! But as they are drawn inexplicably onwards to London, Jonathan wonders what awaits them when they finally arrive - and what choices he may have to make once they get there."

Cheese! I relate so hard to Jonathan. 

Blink and You'll Miss It by Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Keith Browning
Published by: BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the strange town of Perennial Harbor, time doesn't just heal wounds - it reopens them.

Decades after their love faded, Melody and Jesse find themselves caught in a spiraling mystery where the past is more alive than the present. As Melody slips further back in time, she finds herself reliving memories and rewriting fate for a time and place she thought she'd left behind. Can she discover the unsettling truth causing reality to unravel around her? Or will it ultimately destroy her and the only person she's ever truly cared for?

From the breakout writing team of Ethan S. Parker (Hello Darkness) and Griffin Sheridan (Kill Your Darlings) and featuring stunning debut art by Keith Browning, this genre-blurring emotional thriller blends sci-fi, romance, and psychological horror into one unforgettable story.

Collects Blink and You'll Miss It #1–5."

Isn't romance technically psychological horror?

Voyagers by Meg Charlton
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When the Signal - a mysterious transmission pulsing from the edge of the solar system - arrives, the world changes overnight. Planes are grounded, satellites fail, and speculation abounds. With many believing this could be first contact with extraterrestrial life, humanity holds its breath. But for Alex, a thirtysomething lawyer who's spent years distancing himself from the unexplainable, the Signal feels deeply personal - the opening of an old wound.

Decades ago, Alex and a girl named Ana both vanished for thirty-six hours while on vacation near Palm Springs. When they returned, dazed but unharmed, the six-year-olds' account of their experience had all the hallmarks of an alien abduction. The media frenzy that followed made them famous, and the long months of child stardom, of talk shows and sitcom cameos, forged a seemingly unbreakable bond between them - until the mystery behind their disappearance began to tear them apart.

Now, with the world on edge and the Signal growing stronger, Alex is drawn back to the one person who might have answers. Ana - now a professional advocate for experiencers of extraterrestrial contact - is leading a retreat near Palm Springs, a stone's throw from the site of their childhood disappearance. As the former best friends tentatively reunite, what starts as a quest to confront the reality of their original experience becomes a larger reckoning with friendship, faith, family, and truth itself - what it means to see the stories we tell ourselves for what they really are.

With the imaginative scope and propulsive storytelling of Station Eleven and The Ministry of Time, Voyagers is a thrillingly original and brilliantly ambitious literary debut about friendship at the end of the world."

I read a book recently about experiencers and this is right up my alley.

The Frenzy: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates
Published by: Hogarth
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Frenzy (noun): a temporary madness; a violent mental or emotional agitation; intense usually wild and often disorderly compulsive or agitated activity

Joyce Carol Oates is a master of the short story and one of the legends of the form. Her collections of short fiction have twice been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and have won numerous awards, including the O. Henry Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Art of the Short Story. In The Frenzy: Stories, Oates plunges us into the lives of her characters at moments of crisis and confusion, when much of what they understand about themselves and those they love comes undone.

A young woman on a supposedly romantic weekend trip to Cape May, New Jersey, turns the tables on her older, married lover. A freak bicycle accident on a bridge haunts one family for decades. A girl jealous of her popular cousin discovers she is the lucky one. A widow waits at her riverside house for her dead husband's return. A young man hiking in the woods comes upon a couple in a heated, possibly violent argument - should he intervene?

Suspenseful and psychologically astute, Oates's short stories enthrall and captivate as they dissect her character's deepest fears - revealing our own in turn. "Literature is a texture of words," says Oates of her short fiction, "evoking life in the most vivid ways - psychologically, physically." These new stories blazingly evoke life at its most vivid and perilous, when fate and free will intersect, and one ominous encounter or bad choice can be the difference between an ordinary day and the point of no return."

I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but I make an exception for Joyce Carol Oates because my Dad thinks she might be one of the greatest living writers. 

Liberty Street by Heather Marshall
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Looking for Jane comes a riveting novel about one journalist's harrowing journey into an infamous real-life 1960s women's prison - and the detective who uncovers her story decades later.

1961: Emily Radcliffe works as an editorial assistant at Chatelaine magazine, surrounded by the best women journalists in the country, whose articles tackle the controversial topics no other women's publication dares to touch. When a bombshell letter from an inmate at the notorious Mercer Women's Prison lands on Emily's desk, she senses a scoop that could launch her career as a real, hard-boiled journalist. But after going undercover to investigate the inmate's shocking claims, Emily discovers that getting into the prison is the easy part; the real challenge will be getting back out ...

1996: Unidentified female remains are discovered in an unmarked grave in a small-town Ontario cemetery, and Detective Rachel Mackenzie is tasked with unraveling the mystery. But when the investigation leads her to the now-shuttered Mercer Women's Prison, Rachel's own dark history threatens to surface from where she's kept it carefully buried.

Inspired by true events, Liberty Street weaves back and forth through time to shine a light on mental health, incarceration, and the various "prisons" that hold women captive."

After learning about Nellie Bly I vowed to never go undercover anywhere. 

Forever Stamps by Gail Anderson and Brian E. Smith
Published by: Clarkson Potter
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bold and beautiful, Forever Stamps tells the story of United States history, pop culture, and art through hundreds of vibrantly rendered stamps.

Forever Stamps is a visually stunning cultural celebration of the United States, told by the beautiful and unique stamps issued by the United States Postal Service since its inception in 1775. For the first time, this book looks at the breadth of American history through the lens of stamps. It showcases the artisty and pop culture influence of the tiny pieces of art we mail around the world in a way never seen before. Alongside the images, captions, essays, and interviews tell the stories behind the stamps and the historic moments, big and small that led to their creation.

Forever Stamps captures the essence of America's most memorable and influential stamps, including:
-Pop culture moments, from the iconic Elvis Presley stamp to the beloved Sesame Street collection
-Iconic artists who have contributed to U.S. stamps, like Ruth Asawa, Ellsworth Kelly, and Charles and Ray Eames
-Historic commemorative stamps that mark how the U.S. has changed over time, including stamps celebrating 1965 Voting Rights Act, memorializing the first openly gay elected official Harvey Milk, and honoring the Underground Railroad.

Organized into chapters covering U.S. historical events, activism and diversity, national parks and the American landscape, and pop culture, Forever Stamps covers 250 years of American history. This is a unique and captivating journey through the world of USPS stamps and the history of the United States, reminding us of the enduring impact and beauty of these miniature works of art."

Now THIS is how I want to celebrate 250 years of America. Cool books about cool things we've done. And trust me, stamps are cool. Ask any philatelist. 

Agnes, We're Not Murderers! by Jessica Alexander
Published by: Clash Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 236 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lesbian vixens from another dead world thread through moon-drenched cornfields and opulent drawing rooms in this literary horror remix of iconic gothic sagas.

Agnes is wasting away. In a bed of velvet and silk, she dreams of death - and Mary.

Mary - a wraith with bloodstained gown and mouth - drips mystery and menace. She materializes beside a lake, beneath a pear tree, outside the window. She turns servants feral and plunges the manor into anarchy. Since her arrival, nothing is right. The maids snarl. The nights grow strange. Agnes swoons.

Her brother, Arthur, calls it a sickness. A curse. He stalks the halls with scissors in his fist. He wants purity and order. He'll strike out the unintelligible. He is not the only one. Others have begun to stir - jilted lovers, disgraced doctors, moralists with sharpened knives. The disorder is spreading. It's riotous. Contagious. They'll purify the world in flame.

Written partially through footnotes and with a mystery of interwoven red text, Agnes, We're Not Murderers! is an atmospheric gothic vampire journey for fans of Kathe Koja and Mark Z. Danielewski."

I love how just the description of this book kind of breaks my brain and yet wants me to investigate further. Hence mentioning Mark Z. Danielewski is spot on. 

Six Savage Thrones by Holly Race
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From a major new voice in epic fantasy, Six Savage Thrones continues the Queens of Elben trilogy, a breathtaking epic fantasy of dragons, courtly intrigue, sapphic yearning, and the wives of Henry VIII defying their destiny.

DIVIDED HE WINS, UNITED HE FALLS.

The kingdom of Elben is in turmoil. One of its magical palaces lies in ruins at the bottom of the ocean and the king is on the hunt for the traitor Queen Seymour. He will not stop until he brings her to her knees.

No one would ever suspect Queen Howard of treachery or spy craft, but she is no longer content to be the king's songbird. She will see to Henry's downfall. But there is a new gentleman at court, one who seems to know more about her true motives than he should - is he friend or foe?

Queen Cleves has already survived a war. She knows what she must do to protect herself, but now she finds herself fighting a longing for another queen that is so fierce it might swallow her up.

Amidst the turmoil, King Henry's sister Cecilia vies for the power she has been denied. But the queens will soon learn they must work together to break the bonds that tie them to the king. For Henry is delving deeper into strange old magics, ones that could birth a monster."

While I have somewhat tired of the Tudor era, I have fully embraced Tudor era fantasy. Thank you My Lady Jane for bringing me into this amazing historical fantasy subgenre. 

Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A magical florist journeys from the kingdom's capital to its wild woods to fulfill an unusual request, and stumbles upon friendship, conspiracy, and the buds of new love in this debut cozy fantasy.

The book contains hand-drawn floral sketches inside!

Cursed from birth to always tell the truth, magical florist Felicity "Fliss" Farrow chooses her words carefully to avoid trouble. But when she receives an anonymous request for a mysterious flower, her search leads her directly into trouble's path: to Willoh Vane.

Fliss knows the outcast - yet teasingly handsome - sorcerer is rumored to have used dark magic to corrupt the northern forest five years ago. She's witnessed the resulting feud with Prince Bastion, whom her best friend, Card, is soon to marry. Despite her divided loyalty, Fliss reluctantly accepts Will's help with gathering rare flowers and finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

As the royal wedding approaches, Fliss fears the flowers she's delivered are intended for a sinister purpose. But when her warnings are ignored, can she and Will save the kingdom from disaster, and ultimately discover what Fliss has sought for so long - the truth."

There's nothing I find more interesting than death brought about by unexpected means. This is a whole new way for flowers to ruin a wedding.

The Shape of Monsters by Tessa Gratton
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A talented heretic and the emperor she both loathes and loves will learn what monsters are really made of in the second installment of the Moon Heresies trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Gratton.

Iriset - prodigy, outlaw, now sunderer - has broken the Moon-Eater god's prison at the heart of the empire. But the consequences of her actions land her in a city of monsters where the heretical magic of human architecture is freely practiced, and the only person she knows - and can trust - is Lyric, the emperor she's lied to and loved in equal measure.

As scheming kings and capricious gods drive them towards different extremes, they soon realize that to find their way home, they must remake the world...at the risk of breaking it forever."

Sometimes something has to be broken before it can be mended.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Abir Mukherjee, Becky Jenkinson, Bianca M. Schwarz, Claudia Gray, Craig DiLouie, Heather Marshall, Holly Race, Jaclyn Goldis, Jess Kidd, Jessica Alexander, Joyce Carol Oates, Lavie Tidhar, Martin Edwards, Tessa Gratton