strange and random happenstance

Six of Crows: A Darker Shore by Leigh Bardugo
Published by: Insight Editions
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 64 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a new Grishaverse short story: a mystery told through found documents and set after the events of Crooked Kingdom.

In the years since the violent upheaval caused by the auction of Kuwei Yul-Bo, the merchants of Ketterdam have been under attack. Secret businesses exposed. Ships sunk. Slavers hunted as they once hunted their victims. All the work of a mysterious sea captain and her ship, the Wraith.

Now, two investigators meet to uncover the truth behind the latest disaster: a massacre on an island off the shores of Ketterdam. Among the evidence collected is private correspondence between notorious crime boss Kaz Brekker and an anonymous sailor aboard the Wraith known only as "I."

Follow along with the lead investigator as he tries to piece together how such a disaster transpired, and explore the Grishaverse like never before with new illustrations by E.K. Belsher, original music composed by E. Aaron Wilson, and in-world collectible items."

Fans of the Grishaverse have been deprived for too many years! Yes, I know it's only been six years since new material and three years since the second season of the show, but that's forever right!?!

Everybody's Perfect by Jo Walton
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Piranesi meets Swordspoint in an elegant relay race through fantasy Venice from Hugo award-winning author Jo Walton.

The Serenissima is built from mist and belief, a mythical shadow sister to Venice and crossroads of the nine worlds.

When a laborer called Tiry has a dream that Serenissima will have a doge, and that they will marry the sea, he tells it to a fortune teller named Khadsha. She tells her apprentice, a gondolier called Taddeo, who tells a cop named Gom, who's heard it from five people this morning already. And by that point, it's already settled into the bones of the Serenissima, more than half-fated.

Everybody's Perfect is a gentle, shifting, structurally inventive narrative of startling beauty that will make you rethink everything you think you know about fantasy."

Whispers and shadows!

Carrion Crow by Heather Parry
Published by: Pushkin Press
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"There are some things only your mother can teach you...

In this viscerally dark, queer Victorian gothic, longing and transformation take wing through the secret selves we nurture when no one is watching.

Marguerite Périgord is locked in the attic of her family home, a towering Chelsea house overlooking the stinking Thames.

For company she has a sewing machine, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, and a carrion crow who has come to nest in the rafters. Restless, she spends her waning energies on the fascinations of her own body, memorising Mrs. Beeton's advice and longing for life outside.

Cécile Périgord has confined her daughter Marguerite for her own good.

Cécile is concerned that Marguerite's engagement to a much older, near-penniless solicitor, will drag the family name - her husband's name, that is - into disrepute. And for Cécile, who has worked hard at her own betterment, this simply won't do. Cécile's life has taught her that no matter how high a woman climbs she can just as readily fall.

Of course, both have their secrets, intentions and histories to hide. As Marguerite's patience turns into rage, the boundaries of her mind and body start to fray.

And neither woman can recognise what the other is becoming.

Strange, intense, and darkly beautiful, this haunting gothic novel from award-winning author Heather Parry is a story of mothers and daughters, and the dual capacity for both great kindness and unfathomable cruelty."

Once you have someone locked in an attic, the Gothic vibes are bound to follow!

Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cursed Ever After is a dazzling romantic fantasy debut brimming with snark, humor, and banter-filled romance perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and Once Upon a Broken Heart.

Love is not for cursed girls. Risa is better off without it.

Risa Porto is a Bad Thing who was born on a Bad Day and is cursed with Bad Luck. After years of taking the blame for every calamity, mishap, and minor inconvenience that befalls the townspeople of Barrow, Risa longs to escape her village. And on her seventeenth birthday, her wish is granted.

Sort of.

Risa owes a (very annoying) witch a favor, and it comes in the form of a quest: She must escort Prince Javi - the youngest, handsomest, and least significant of the kingdom's princes - through the dark (and deadly) Bosque to his wedding. This measly errand quickly spirals into a struggle with greedy assassins, a murderous cult, a vicious tyrant, and Risa's own curse.

Most unfortunate of all...

Risa is not immune to Javi's charms. The more time she spends with the prince, the stronger - and more irritating - her urge to kiss him becomes.

Don't miss this action-packed, Latinx subverted fairytale!"

If you actually want a prince to get somewhere, perhaps his guide shouldn't be cursed? 

The Anatomy of Magic by Alexis L. Menard
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of TikTok sensation House of Bane and Blood comes an unmissable new romantasy duet packed with searing chemistry and razor-sharp banter, perfect for fans of Quicksilver, Sarah J. Maas and Rachel Gillig.

Enter a world of forbidden magic...where falling in love could be the last mistake you ever make.

Nina Veyr has a dangerous secret - illegal magical abilities she cannot explain. If the city of Valveron's enforcers found her, she would be executed...or worse. For years, Nina has stayed in the shadows, picking pockets and smuggling enchanted relics to get by. Then she steals from the wrong man.

Max Antonin is the most powerful crime boss in the city. Cold, deadly, and breathtakingly attractive, Max has his sights set on Nina, and nothing will stand in his way. But when Nina is framed for a shocking murder, Max offers to help her find the true killers. She knows she can't trust him - that deals with a devil always come at a cost. But there's no way she can survive on her own.

As they follow a trail of bodies into the city's underworld, Nina feels a dangerous attraction pulling her ever closer to him. But can she trust her life and her heart to the city's most ruthless criminal?"

I so love a good forbidden magic story.

The Feywild Job by C.L. Polk
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sparks fly when bitter exes are forced to team up for an elaborate Feywild heist, in this cozy fantasy romance by the bestselling author of the Kingston Cycle and Even Though I Knew the End.

Saeldian has sworn never to fall in love. That oath isn't just a personal promise, but rather a magical pact, granting them powerful abilities. The only catch? They must never give their heart away - a deal that Saeldian is perfectly content with. They've seen firsthand how messy love can get.

Saeldian prefers their no-strings-attached life as a con artist, pulling off heists and leaving a trail of broken hearts behind them. But when a grift goes horribly wrong, they catch the eye of a mysterious patron with a job offer they can't refuse.

The mission? Steal a gem called "The Kiss of Enduring Love" and return it to the Feywild. Simple enough, until Saeldian discovers their ex-partner, Kell - a charming bard - is part of the team.

The last time Saeldian saw Kell, things hardly ended on good terms. A kiss became a betrayal, leaving Kell hurt and confused for almost a decade. But Kell can't just walk away - not when this job might finally be his ticket back to the Feywild.

Forced to work together again, their adventure takes them from high-society parties to Feywild couple's therapy. But as Saeldian and Kell rekindle their chemistry, they realize the gem is much more than a fey bauble, and their simple heist has summoned powerful enemies...."

Not just a wonderful entry in the LitRPG genre, but a hearty welcome to C.L. Polk to its ranks!

When Dealing With Dragons by Dana Swift
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bonding with dragons gave humans magic to craft metal - now, two school rivals have to work together to protect a priceless secret, all while fighting their growing attraction to each other, from Dana Swift, author of Cast in Firelight.

Copper-crafter Farren Walsh is set on following in her father's footsteps to become a dragon veterinarian. The only thing more powerful than her love for these magnificent creatures is her hate for those who exploit them for their precious metal. That includes her classmate, an arrogant dragon racer named James Murphy, whose silver-crafting family represents the worst of human greed and dragon abuse - plus, he's the biggest competition for the college scholarship she desperately needs.

When James strongarms his way into interning at her family's dragon sanctuary for the summer, it puts everything at risk. Farren isn't just the plain copper-crafter she seems. She's hiding a secret that could not only change her life, but their society as a whole. And James, trying to find refuge from his controlling father, harbors his own secret, years-long crush on Farren. Hating James might be harder than she thought, but Farren can't risk getting too close: the fate of an endangered species is at stake.

When Dealing with Dragons is a delightful young adult dual-POV romantasy about cross-class romance, finding family, and creating a better world for creatures big and small."

I always find it interesting that I was rather ambivalent about metal work considering how lore ties it to dragons and I adore dragons.... Maybe I should give it another go.

The Sisters and the Sword by Sam Davey
Published by: Diversion Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the second in the Pendragon Prophecy series, Sam Davey plunges into the heart of the Camelot story and the fraught relationships between grown siblings Morgause, Morgan, and Arthur.

A dark and mesmerizing retelling of Camelot - where magic and destiny entwine with sibling rivalries, forbidden love, and looming rebellion.

One year after the death of Uther Pendragon, High King of Britain, a lavish tournament is held in his memory, and as an opportunity for the nobles and allies to swear another year's fealty to King Lot of Orkney and his wife Queen Morgause. At the tournament, Arthur, an unknown youth, is seeking a replacement sword for his foster brother. He succeeds in pulling a mysterious sword from a stone anvil in the courtyard at Caer Lundein and is proclaimed King of all Britain. Merlin prepares the bewildered Arthur for kingship and reveals to Morgause that Arthur's reign will end if he faces in battle a noble knight born at Beltane (May 1) in the first year of his reign.

Morgan, a powerful priestess and sister to Morgause and Arthur, becomes Lady of the Lake - and she and Morgause, who blame Arthur for their violent and traumatic childhood, plot against him. Morgan, who has concealed her identity from Arthur, seduces her brother and becomes pregnant. At a grand Tournament and celebration in Caerleon, Merlin finally tells Arthur of the prophecy of the Beltane child, and Arthur is horrified to learn that Merlin can see no solution but to kill all of the noble children born on Beltane that year. Arthur tells Lot he will not follow Merlin's advice, but when he discovers Morgan is actually his sister, he believes Lot has helped to deceive him and turns back to Merlin's guidance. Lot joins the rebels, his four sons remaining loyal to Arthur, as the Once and Future King seals his fate."

Camelot has a lot of darkness in it. I love it!

Witch Season by Julia Bianco
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Exhilarating, dangerous, and seductive, Witch Season is an action-packed and fiercely romantic contemporary fantasy from debut author and screenwriter Julia Bianco.

That is the price of magic - not just the blood, but the pain to bring it out.

Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It's her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches - people who aren't aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst - into the coven's fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.

When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine's dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, his coven's dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.

But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war."

I just love the location!

It's About Time by Carol J. Perry
Published by: Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this delightfully spooky series spin-off of Carol J. Perry's beloved Witch City Mysteries, Lee Mondello and her detective husband have plenty of experience solving crimes in Salem, Massachusetts - and now Lee's Aunt Ibby is starting a sleuthing career of her own in the witch city...

Nothing can spoil the mood at a one-year-old's birthday celebration like the cops arriving - but it's not because the party got too rowdy. Instead, Detective Pete Mondello has a search warrant for a tenant's apartment. When Lee's aunt Ibby leads the police to Josh Alper's locked door, she's surprised to learn that her renter has redecorated...with what appear to be masterpieces stolen from a museum back in 1972.

The paintings may be found, but Alper - an artist involved with a shady, cult-like group - is officially missing. So Ibby and her pals, who hold weekly watch parties of their favorite show, Midsomer Murders, decide to jump in and do some real-life sleuthing using the skills they've learned from DCI Barnaby. Ibby, a semi-retired librarian, may be in her sixties, but her tech skills are top-notch...and with some help from her friends Betsy and Louisa, as well as O'Ryan the clairvoyant cat, that spells trouble for any criminals in Salem.

But when Alper's body is found in the Salem Woods - felled by an unusually sophisticated weapon - Ibby must buckle down with her team and prove that she's just as talented an investigator as her beloved niece..."

I mean, can I go to their weekly Midsomer Murders watch parties? I'd also totally help solve crime.

The Loom Tree by Angela Mi Young Hur
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ninth House meets Babel for fans of myth and folklore in this contemporary fantasy about a Korean-American college student at a magical university where fairy tales intersect with family heritage to unleash powers beyond imagining.

"You always wanted magic to be real."

Sharon and her daughter V's points of origin hold common threads - both Korean American teenagers, raised by single mothers and searching for identity in the California suburbs. But during a Finals week celebration, high schooler V, compelled by strange impulses, crawls into a hollow tree trunk. That night in a fever haze, she sees gleaming strands of illegible text hovering over her body - flowing between her and her mother, leading to a long-forgotten diary.

With the aid of a luminous quill, a fountainhead of Sharon's memories spill onto the faded pages. V witnesses her mother map out her past through drawings, diagrams, and reclaimed histories of her brief time at Alvsdahl, an exclusive East Coast college. Here, legacies and heiresses claimed descent from Bluebeard or Cinderella, grappling for control over family stories that could grant them terrifying abilities or burn them to ash. An Asian girl with an unknown inheritance was no one - until her discoveries cracked open Alvsdahl's secrets.

Sharon's rewritten narrative - of classroom rivalries, animal professors, debauchery in the woods, threatening Godmothers, and world-shattering powers - unfolds line by line as V desperately tries to help her mother, ultimately learning how to wield Sharon's story to transform them both.

Lyrical and tender, Angela Mi Young Hur's The Loom Tree is a magical campus novel centering two young women walking the thorny path toward adulthood, the fractures between parents and their children, and the global mythologies connecting us all."

Here's to the stories that form us and are universal.

These Immortal Truths by Rachelle Raeta
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Both epic and intimate, These Immortal Truths is an enchanting and romantic historical fantasy that explores not only what it means to live forever, but what it means to truly live at all.

"Did I not tell you, Anna? Death will not come for you."

Anna is used to hunger and hardship. Ever since the pale shadows on her skin were mistaken for leprosy, she has lived alone in exile, each day focused only on survival.

Then a single act of kindness towards a beautiful stranger changes her life forever.

Suddenly, neither time nor harm can touch her, and Anna strives to embrace a life with boundless potential, one that isn't only about survival. But as decades and centuries pass, she is continually forced to abandon each new life before it has the chance to feel like home.

The only constant in her eternal existence is Khiran - the shapeshifting god who gave her immortality. No matter the years or distance, he always finds her when she most needs him.

But there is more to immortality than Anna knows, and as she travels the ages, she will discover the beauty - and cost - of a life without end."

I think the cost of life without end isn't worth it. 

4 Janes by Marian Yee
Published by: Little a
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 269 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Through time, space, and the transcendence of maternal love, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is reimagined in the parallel lives of one soul searching for meaning, connection, and a place to belong.

Jane Eyre is a missionary's wife.

A bookseller in Vietnam.

A time traveler.

A hero in a modern gothic tale.

What if Jane's story didn't end with her marriage to Edward Rochester? What if she never married him at all?

In one lifetime, Jane travels to India and Burma as Mrs. St. John Rivers. In another, she's Trang, a young woman selling books in Vietnam, vying for the love of the local priest. Yet another picks up where Brontë left her, now grieving the loss of her child and crossing time and space to find him. And finally, a young Vietnamese-American man searching for himself in Boston, a tutor whose relationship with a veteran feels strangely, achingly familiar...

Each thread tells Jane's story in sweeping, heartbreaking shades of loss, vulnerability, yearning, and the fierce love of mother and child that withstands time and space. While she may long for something more out of a life she didn't get to choose, she can still decide what to make of it."

This proves that Jane Eyre's struggles are universal and that's why her story endures. 

The Abduction of Rosalind Thorne by Darcie Wilde
Published by: Kensingtons
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Brimming with intrigue, the latest novel in this charming Jane Austen-inspired mystery series finds resourceful Rosalind Thorne - a discreet sleuth for Regency London's ladies of ton - facing her most perilous, and awkward, predicament yet...

Rosalind is newly, happily engaged to ex-Bow Street officer Adam Harkness, but lunching with the new fiancée of her old love is still discomfiting. Yet, Clara Kinsdale needs her help, and Rosalind is not one to turn away a lady in distress. It seems Clara's father, Sir Anthony Kinsdale, has fallen for beautiful widow Mrs. Sylvia Lynn - who may be a fortune hunter, or worse...

Sir Anthony is a profligate baronet, who has pinned his financial hopes on two events: Clara's marriage, and his horse winning the upcoming sweepstakes at Lansdown, on which he has wagered heavily. Clara is afraid that her father is being fleeced by the charming - and cunning - Mrs. Lynn and wants Rosalind to expose her.

But Clara does not realize that her sisters, Elizabeth and Cynthia, are harboring their own secrets and Elizabeth especially will do whatever she must to obstruct plans to separate their father from Mrs. Lynn.

Rosalind and Adam travel to Bath to meet the family. But their gathering is interrupted by Admiral Walsingham, who is leasing Kinsdale House. Despite his dire finances, Sir Anthony is evicting the admiral - though his reasons appear laughable. Not laughable is that Sir Anthony is found dead soon after their argument, having apparently tumbled from his bedroom window while intoxicated.

It would be easy to assume the tragedy was an accident, except Admiral Walsingham is found dead at nearly the same time. Secrets, schemes, fraud and forbidden love all drag Rosalind and Adam into a web of high-stakes gambling, murder - and extreme danger. But can they unravel it before they become the next victims..."

Oh, so many intrigues, I can barely contain my anticipation! 

The King's Collar by Jeff Tanner
Published by: Koehler Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 316 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Boston, May 1929. Expelled from Harvard and disowned by his father, Charlie Bohannon is down to his last nickel when he stumbles across a chance at salvation: a priceless Egyptian statuette hiding in the smoky recesses of a speakeasy. Learning it was stolen from a long-ago expedition led by his college dean, he sees returning it as his only shot at redemption - but the plan shatters when the artifact is stolen and the thief is murdered.

From the corrupt halls of power where Joseph Kennedy pulls the strings to the seedy docks of the Atlantic, Charlie suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs of several dangerous men. They don't just want the statue; they want its legendary counterpart: the jewel-encrusted King's Collar. They think Charlie can find it. And they'll happily kill for it.

Aided in his quest to find the King's Collar by daring socialite Olivia and salty ex-sailor Punchy, Charlie plunges into a shadow-game where killers hide in plain sight. When his friends are kidnapped, the hunt for the Collar becomes a race against time. In the cutthroat world of the Prohibition era, Charlie must find the treasure - or pay for it with their lives."

Stolen Egyptian artifacts? Yes please!

The Secret Thread by Eve Chase
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At a lavish summer party on an English country estate, tensions between social classes lead to deadly consequences that won't stay buried in this twisty, engrossing suspense novel by the author of The Midnight Hour.

Even the darkest secrets unravel in time....

2024: Jo O'Mara, a young writer, lands a job working for Mimi Mott, a wealthy style icon and legendary founder of a decorating empire. Newly widowed and in her seventies, Mimi is preparing to auction off her possessions, through them finally telling the story of her early life. Famously private, Mimi has kept her past shrouded in mystery. Jo doesn't dare reveal how closely it touches her own.

Tasked with collecting the untold tales behind each auction lot, Jo peels back the layers of Mimi's origin story and discovers it's far darker than anyone ever suspected.

1969: Mimi and her sister, Pamela, live in a cramped, musty staff cottage on the grounds of Rushwood, an idyllic English country estate owned by the Caswell family, their demanding new employer. Working alongside their gardener parents, the girls have been raised with their hands in the soil and know only a traditional, simple life - but spirited Mimi hungers for more.

When the Caswells' adult children, Nancy and Lawrence, arrive at Rushwood for the summer, the sisters are drawn into a privileged, intoxicating world, unsettling their own, and passions spark under the blazing sun - until a shattering death at Rushwood's high-society party tears Mimi and Pamela apart.

Now time is running out. Jo discovers both a missing auction piece and a missing sister and vows to find them no matter how dark the secret they expose - or the cost to herself."

I love that this is basically, writing auction catalog leads to mystery! It's like an episode of Lovejoy!

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale offers up mystery, romance, and a lot of fun in the second book in the Austenland series.

Newly updated edition with brand new content!

Preorder the third book in the series, Christmas in Austenland, coming in September 2026!

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his new wife, her children, and the rest of her recently upended life in America. It's been a long time since Charlotte has felt hopeful, let alone loved. Maybe doing something as outrageous as donning a bonnet and staying at an English manor house can help re-start her damaged heart.

Yet once the parlor games begin at Pembrook Park, Charlotte finds herself more uncertain than ever. Can she trust the feelings she has for a certain actor, or is his roleplaying that quality? Is the world-famous starlet concealing more than her real name? Has the respite of the country given her too much time to question her life choices? And when Charlotte suspects murder among them, she can't help but wonder how much of their true selves everyone may be hiding...

The second book in this utterly delightful series gives readers the chance to relish all the fun of Regency romance and mystery, from the comfort of their modern lives."

I loved how this second book veered straight into Agatha Christie from Bridget Jones. I can't wait to re-read it in anticipation of the third volume!

Sweet Spot by Kemper Donovan
Published by: A John Scognamiglio Book
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The USA Today bestselling host of the "All About Agatha" podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age Murder Mystery into the present day, as a ghostwriter-turned-sleuth must find a devious killer who's transforming her new assignment into a real-life thriller...

Ghostwriters, just like ghosts, shouldn't exist. Knowing that the latest juicy memoir was penned by a stranger for a paycheck tends to ruin the illusion of intimacy. But not every ghostwriter is in it for the money alone.

For Belle Currer - as the ghostwriter extraordinaire prefers to be known - Genevieve Caraway's memoir is an irresistible project, a tale of tragedy overcome. At 14, Genevieve was abducted from her bedroom by a couple and held hostage for three months. She's now a happily married mother with a flourishing career, a poster child for thriving after trauma. Still, the scars haven't entirely faded.

Genevieve's lavish Utah home, "Sweet Spot," is a guarded compound impregnable to outsiders - theoretically, at least. But Belle's arrival coincides with the parole of Deirdre Gregory, one of Genevieve's kidnappers. When Deirdre shows up at Sweet Spot begging to see Genevieve, she is refused. The next day, Deirdre's dead body is found on the grounds.

How did Deirdre get in? More importantly, who killed her? Belle soon joins Detective Kay Adams, the pregnant Mormon detective assigned to the case, in sifting through the suspects. The compound is filled with family and friends - and also with secrets, including one the ghostwriter has been carrying for far too long. She knows how guilt, remorse, and love can drive people to do unthinkable things. And that no matter how much you try to keep the world at bay, the best and worst of it may find a way to get in..."

Belle Currer, LOL! For anyone NOT in the know, Charlotte Brontë wrote under the pseudonym Currer Bell. 

Winners and Liars by Aleema Omotoni
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Knives Out meets Death at Morning House in this thrilling standalone mystery layered with family secrets, the whitewashing of history, and a high-stakes literary competition for the keys to a Victorian-era English estate - from Aleema Omotoni, the NAACP Image Award-winning author of Everyone's Thinking It.

Derin's acceptance into Cambridge University is the end of an era - just not the one she expected.

When she and her ultra-competitive Uni prep group, the Kenfield Set, were first invited to Professor Darnley's summer ball, they planned on celebrating the group's success, surrounded by the riches of his historical Kenfield estate - not kicking off the festivities with the professor's will reading.

But when the Darnleys' aristocratic children are disinherited, the students are offered the opportunity of a lifetime: compete in a Victorian, literary-inspired inheritance competition to be named the new heir - winner takes all!

For Derin, it's a chance to help her working-class family. But the remaining Darnleys won't take losing their stately home and its multimillion-pound inheritance lying down. And added to the mix, a mysterious note is slipped under Derin's door alluding to a dark family secret lying in wait.

Now Derin must balance the cutthroat games; scheming relatives; and a cute Kenfield intern amid her dawning realization that the history of this inheritance might be soaked in lies...and blood."

I so want to compete in a Victorian, literary-inspired competition. I would totally lose, but I'd love playing.

Not What It Seems by Lisa Jackson
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson brings her own brand of Southern Gothic back to the Spanish moss-draped shade of Savannah and the swampy marshes of Lowcountry Georgia, as crime writer Nikki Gillette and her husband, Detective Pierce Reed, race to expose an obsessive killer with an enigmatic M.O....

The stone is small and round, easy to miss among the junk surrounding Billy Huber's body. The man was a hoarder for sure. At first, police assume he fell from a ladder, injuring his throat and smashing his head in the process. Only on closer inspection do they see the polished stone nearby, with a number on one side etched in blood, and a strange symbol on the other.

Reporter Nikki Gillette seizes on the story and visits Huber's sprawling property in Georgia's low country. She gains little except the uneasy feeling of being watched. Within days, another body is found - a wealthy, thrice-married Savannah socialite dead in her lavish home. More victims follow, each one pierced through the throat. Beside each body, a stone engraved with a different number and symbol.

Detective Pierce Reed, Nikki's husband, cautions her against getting in too deep. She's a mother now and can't keep putting herself in danger. Nikki knows he's right, but her instincts are in overdrive. This is what she's good at - finding answers and driving toward justice at any cost. Yet she knows, too, that the most terrifying killers don't look like monsters at all. And by the time you realize how close they really are, it may already be too late to save yourself."

Is it wrong that I really want to know if the killer polishes and tumbles their own rocks or buys them in bulk from Michaels? 

Until Midnight by Luanne Rice
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 379 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When lies and betrayals are exposed, the perfect wedding becomes a nightmare in a gripping novel of psychological suspense by the New York Times bestselling author of Last Night and The Shadow Box.

Rhode Island's picturesque Ocean House is the perfect setting for Kate Woodward and Conor Reid's fairy-tale wedding weekend. But there may not be a happily ever after.

When an old friend of Conor's disrupts the rehearsal dinner and reveals a blindsiding secret - a claim that she and Conor share a child - Kate calls off the wedding, thinking things can't get any worse. Until the next morning, when that same woman is found with her throat slashed.

As investigators close in and suspicions mount, the evidence points to a mystery deeper than anyone imagined. The soundproof boat with telltale signs of something sinister. The mansion on the hill that lures in young girls and doesn't let them go. A secret society whose members might be more familiar than not. And the truth of the dead woman's past that draws Kate and Conor into a nightmare."

Wait, isn't this world of secret and lies par for the course if you can afford to have your wedding at a luxury hotel?

Beware the Abbot Boys by Chelsea Ichaso
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Three brothers. Two deaths. One girl, caught in the middle.

The Abbott boys, fraternal triplets Henry, Bram, and Adam, live in a mansion on the outskirts of Silver Creek. For decades, their family's been at odds with the town, long before Mariana Flores died in a fiery accident on the Abbott property last year. The police ruled out foul play, but ask anyone in Silver Creek about it and they'll say one of the Abbott boys killed her. They just don't know which one.

But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend - maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.

When the new school year brings a new victim - a popular girl, found dead in the woods - the hunt for a monster begins anew. The security camera footage doesn't show the face of the boy she was last seen with, but from his hoodie he could be any one of the Abbott brothers.

To clear their names, Hayden starts investigating the new death, but the deeper she digs, the more uncertain she becomes. Is one of the Abbott brothers a killer? Or could they all be monsters? And what will the boys do to protect themselves and the truth?"

I vote that they're all probably monsters, some are just better at hiding it.

What Happened to Those Girls by Carlyn Greenwald
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pretty Little Liars meets The Blair Witch Project in this harrowing thriller from the author of Murder Land, brimming with betrayal, unsettling town secrets, and a killer lurking in the woods.

Emma knows her friends all lie to her. And everyone knows Emma is the outcast of their group. She's usually fine with that, until her friends go on a camping trip that she planned...without her. The next morning, she wakes up to the news that all three of them died at the campsite.

When Emma starts receiving unnerving videos of the girls the night they died from an anonymous source, it becomes clear their deaths weren't an accident. And if this becomes a murder case, Emma will be suspect number one. Because while everyone knows she had been excluded from the plans, what they don't know is that she went to the campsite that night after all, and someone has proof.

Emma teams up with Beck, one of the victims' sisters, to return to the woods and figure out what really happened the night her friends died, uncover who is behind the mysterious videos she is receiving, and make sure that nobody can pin their murders on her. But stranded in an eerie town that doesn't welcome outsiders with a murderer on their heels, Emma and Beck just might be next..."

If you were going to murder a whole bunch of "friends" in the woods, you wouldn't go to the trouble of planning the trip and then not providing yourself an alibi... 

Songbird in the Gallows by Alta Hensley
Published by: Avon a
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of He Sees You When You're Sleeping comes a dark romance about a murder-sober retired serial killer and his murder-curious protégé. Perfect for fans of Brynne Weaver, this twisted romance inspired by the Bluebeard folktale is filled with dark humor, sizzling chemistry, and spice.

Murder is their love language...

Five years ago, Saylor Mitchell's father was brutally murdered in front of her, shattering her world. Now his killers have tracked her down to finish the job. She is unexpectedly saved by her father's closest friend, the enigmatic Blue. Saylor's savior - and captor - is a reformed, murder-sober assassin struggling to escape the clutches of his own violent history.

Blue's gothic mansion, perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking a stormy sea in the town of Grimlock, is a labyrinth of secrets. And so is Grimlock, a small town whose residents all seem to have a penchant for murder that they've managed - mostly - to overcome.

Saylor soon realizes that Blue holds the key to avenging her father's murder at the hands of the Crow, a gang of amoral contract killers. Only problem? Saylor has never killed before. Good thing those who can't kill...teach.

Blue finds Saylor an apt pupil and the attraction between them morphs into a dangerous obsession. Can their love conquer Blue's final, darkest secret?"

I'm loving this resurgence in Bluebeard.

Teach the Torches to Burn by Christina Dodd
Published by: A John Scognamiglio Book
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Romeo and Juliet (yes, that Romeo and Juliet) invite you to join them in celebrating the union of their spinster daughter, Rosie (she's 20!) to Escalus the younger, prince of Verona, where murder is the unexpected guest at the wedding.

My Lady Jane meets Knives Out in Fair Verona, as New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd brings you the wedding of the season star-crossed with poison most discreet.

Joining us will be the royal and decorous kin of the groom, the Leonardis, as well as the famously rival families, the upstart Montagues and the snooty Capulets. All will be armed with swords and knives; at least one is skilled with poison. At this joyous event, who could foresee what direful occurrences might befall?

If I, the aforesaid Rosie, blushing bride, noted cynic and sleuth, were asked to identify when the pre-wedding events spiraled out of control, I'd point to that moment when elderly Princess Ursula observed the display of gleaming swords and bared teeth and announced that she would hold a public séance to determine the future of the marriage...

With the aid of Yorick's skull and her own considerable dramatic nature, Princess Ursula prophesied three things: the marriage would be joyous and fertile (the guests yawn,) a long-lost treasure would be found...and foul and most unnatural murder would disrupt the fragile peace of Verona.

Before the day was done, two prophesies had been fulfilled. Hint: not the fun fertility one. As one death follows another and it's clear a skilled poisoner lurks among us, coming ever closer to striking down those I love, I use all my wit and skill to discern the reason for the vendetta and uncover the killer's identity...for I would have the holy church bells that now ring a sad lament peel instead for the wedding ceremony and the joyous and fertile future foretold..."

I never say no to a séance!

Midsummer Nights by Lara Stokes
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 287 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Life imitates art when a down-on-her-luck TV star returns to her hometown stage and redefines her dreams in a funny and heartwarming spin on Shakespeare's most magical romantic comedy.

Miranda Belmont is a regular on a popular TV series, but her acting career is not exactly moving forward. After she's publicly humbled, her next steps are definitely backward: playing Helena in a community theater production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in her stifling hometown, directed by her parents, and sharing the stage with her high school boyfriend.

Backstage, it's borderline Shakespearean drama. Between her ex, an intriguing costar making sweet overtures, and an unwelcome blast from the past, Miranda is caught in a real-life, nearly magical tangle of romantic confusion that threatens the production at every turn.

Opening night will bring them all down to earth - especially Miranda, who's navigating her way, onstage and off, through all the chaos these mere mortals create. As she reconnects to her roots, the creative spark she's been missing awakens Miranda to who she truly is."

But a return to home and where you started, while humbling, can also be a launchpad. 

The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel by Meg Cabot and Bethany Crandall
Published by: HarperAlley
Publication Date: June 30th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot's hilarious classic The Princess Diaries is back and better than ever in an all-new, full-color graphic novel adaptation!

Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there's nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine frizzy-haired freshman, who also happens to be flunking algebra.

Is she ever in for a surprise.

First, her mom announces that she's dating Mia's algebra teacher. But her dad's announcement is even worse: he is the crown prince of Genovia, and guess what that makes Mia?

A frizzy-haired freshman who is flunking algebra, and also happens to be a PRINCESS.

Mia might not be ready for the throne, but one thing totally rules: #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot has adapted her classic The Princess Diaries into a royally hilarious graphic novel with art by Bethany Crandall!"

I love the movie, and while I tried, I could not get into the books, so this will be an interesting liminal test....

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alta Hensley, C.L. Polk, Carlyn Greenwald, Carol J. Perry, Chelsea Ichaso, Christina Dodd, Dana Swift, Darcie Wilde, Eve Chase, Kemper Donovan, Lara Stokes, Leigh Bardugo, Lisa Jackson, Luanne Rice, Meg Cabot, Shannon Hale

The first time I ever heard of The 39 Steps was when my mom got her complete set of The Franklin Library of Mystery Masterpieces. I spent hours pouring over the covers of the books. The one that fascinated and intrigued me the most was The 39 Steps. It was a pen and ink drawing of what appeared to be a giant black cloud or rock hovering over a staircase going down the side of a cliff. It was unnerving and strange so it should come as no surprise that it was done by Edward Gorey. At the time I was not yet an avid reader so books were all about their outward aesthetic and this one has always stayed with me. Which is why when I started to get into film, and in particular Alfred Hitchcock, I was really excited to watch his adaptation of The 39 Steps. Hitchcock, especially in his early films, is very hit or miss. I feel like 1940 and Rebecca was his turning point. Therefore The 39 Steps, made five years earlier, suffers. It doesn't help that a lot of outdoor scenes were filmed on sound stages. This is something that is a personal pet peeve of mine, primarily because of Hitchock's Suspicion. Therefore when it was announced that there was a new version of The 39 Steps coming out staring Rupert Penry-Jones I was more than a little excited. He is Captain Wentworth in my favorite version of Persuasion, so I was all in, even if he wouldn't reach the pinnacle of his career until a year after The 39 Steps with Whitechapel. When creating this adaption they wanted to go all in on the Bond meets Bourne vibes, but I think of it more as Lord Peter Wimsey meets Indiana Jones. There's an elegance to Penry-Jones as Hannay that is more upper class English gentleman than Bond ever was. He's also just reacting to situations he's thrust into, much like Bourne, but oh so British. Bond was almost always in control and too cool a customer. This was just a thrilling adventure with some of the best of British television stars where sadly David Haig was playing against type as the baddie. Which is why I feel it's more in the territory of Indiana Jones. This could be an exciting serial at the cinema back in the day. And much like Professor Jones, I objected to some of Hannay's more sexist attitudes towards women. But by the end his partner in crime, Victoria Sinclair, had more than corrected all of his attitudes with her competence and cunning. The fact that a woman with eidetic memory saves the day really warmed my cold embittered heart. Yet the highlight for me, and for Rupert Penry-Jones according to interviews, is that they totally did the crop duster scene from North by Northwest. Now you might think they just added this as a little nod to Hitchcock's film but that isn't the only reason why. In the book when he arrives in Scotland Hannay's pursuers use a plane to find him. So maybe Hitchcock liked the scene from the book so much that instead of using it in his adaptation he kept it to use on a later film? I'm just saying it's a possibility. But the biggest possibility I wished for this movie hasn't come to pass, and that's a sequel. As I mentioned before it has that vibe of adventure serials which inspired Indiana Jones, and it's not like John Buchan wrote only one Richard Hannay adventure. He appears in eight books! Why can't we just have more fun shows like this? Well, probably because of all the people bitching about the wrong make and model of cars in this and not just taking it as it is.... But I can't blame them too much, I'm a pedant too depending on the topic.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: David Haig, Edward Gorey, Fifty-Five Years a Masterpiece, Hitchcock, Indiana Jones, James Bond, Lord Peter Wimsey, North by Northwest, Persuasion, Rebecca, Richard Hannay, Rupert Penry-Jones, Suspicion, The 39 Steps, Whitechapel

When this adaptation of Tess of the D'Urbervilles first came out I tried to watch it. I thought I had only made it through one of the four episodes but apparently I somehow actually made it through two of them. Now you might be thinking, oh, she had a problem watching this because Thomas Hardy is quite bleak and this is about rape, abuse, and eventual death, but you'd be wrong. It's not that I was OK with how horrible this story is, it's that I could barely get into the story due to the piercing headache I got at the hands of the score. Rob Lane's score is horrible, shrill, and just bores into my right eye socket and makes me almost pass out in pain. Every. Single. Time. The strings and the strings and the strings. Just make it stop! If his goal was to make me feel in pain to understand Tess's pain, well, good job. Now hopefully I'll be able to see out of my right eye again in the near future. People talk about the power of music, damn, this music packed a punch. And not in a good way. Just thinking about it makes my face hurt. What annoyed me even more about the score is once I was able to sit with the pain of the cluster headache behind my right eye I realized that the recurring theme of the score was triggering me to hum another song. You know how Tom Petty sued Sam Smith for similarities in Smith's song "Stay With Me" to Petty's song "I Won't Back Down?" Well, if you didn't, you now know. Petty won and is now listed as a co-writer. This came as no shock to me because every time I heard "Stay With Me" I'd get "I Won't Back Down" in my head. The same thing happened once I pushed through the pain here. I started getting the theme to Gosford Park by Patrick Doyle in my head. Which made me extra angry. Because not only is this music horribly painful to listen to, it's not even original. I really just can't with this miniseries. I was promised Anna Massey and instead I have baby voiced Gemma Arterton and a whole bunch of actors I have previously loved either being evil or miserable. Poor Jodie Whittaker, what this miniseries does to her makes the backlash of her becoming the Thirteenth Doctor look like child's play. And what do you get if you actually make it all the way through the miniseries!?! Fuck all. The love of Tess's life, Angel Clare, there has to be a special hell just for him. Let me recount for you what happened at the beginning of the third episode for your enlightenment. Oh, and to set the scene, it's their wedding night! Angel, in the depths of agony: I hired a whore once. Tess: I forgive you. BTW I was raped. Angel: You're a whore! Here's £25. I'll see you when I see you, I'm off to Brazil. Me: Hopefully to die from some horrible tropical disease. Fuck you Angel Clare. Fuck you and your hypocrisy. You could have all been happy, instead you chose misery. In fact, I wish for you to have to listen to the score to this miniseries for an eternity. That might just make up for what you did to Tess. Maybe.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Angel Clare, Anna Massey, Fifty-Five Years a Masterpiece, Gemma Arterton, Gosford Park, Jodie Whittaker, Patrick Doyle, Plagiarism, Rape, Robe Lane, Sam Smith, Score, Strings, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy, Tom Petty

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