Monday, April 20, 2026

Tuesday Tomorrow

The Antiquarian's Object of Desire by India Holton
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When two history professors and best friends are forced to fake hate to protect their reputations, chaos ensues, in the next rollicking historical-fantasy rom-com from beloved author India Holton.

Magical-antique experts Amelia Tarrant and Caleb Sterling have been best friends forever, although lately each has begun secretly wishing for more than friendship. But when rumors about their relationship spread, they're forced to fake being enemies to protect their reputations and keep their jobs.

The resulting arguments spark havoc across Oxford University, and when they cause an explosion while fighting over a magical antique, it's the final straw for their exasperated faculty head. He dispatches them to a job in Cumbria where even they can't get into trouble....

Which proves just how wrong one man can be. In a stormbound old manor house, Amelia and Caleb face magical mayhem and rampaging ghosts that make the previous havoc look mild in comparison. Most troublesome of all, though, is the secret of how they feel about each other. When it comes to tackling deadly antiques, hiding the truth in their hearts could destroy them for real."

India Holt's Love Academic series is legitimately already enshrined as a classic. Why else is Julia Quinn featuring the first book in her publishing imprint Kickstarter?

Blackthorne Faire by John Adcox
Published by: Story Plant Gold
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 688 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to Blackthorne Faire, a place of wild music and unbridled, boisterous dance! Of theatre and pageantry! Of deadly duels and rapier-fast quips! Of roasting turkey legs and drinking bouts!

Welcome to Blackthorne Faire, a place of whispered rumors of unexplained disappearances. Of mystery, intrigue, and murder.

Welcome to Blackthorne Faire, a modern Renaissance Festival where nothing is what it seems. It is a place where a lost tune rediscovered in The Hidden Book of Secret Knowledge stirs long forgotten magic, and where never-before-seen tarot cards foretell unexpected futures that always, always come true.

Welcome to Blackthorne Faire, where true love is found and lost and lost again in the shadow of a coming war between the mob and the Courts of Faerie.

Beware, mortal, oh, beware the sounds that echo over the hills, across the bluffs, and through the winding pathways, for no one can hear the horns of Elfland and remain unchanged."

Mainly due to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms I've been having Ren Faire withdrawal. This book perfectly fits the bill.

Tea and Treachery at the Infinite Pantry by Jo Miles
Published by: Jo Miles
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: eBook, 348 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A good cup of tea can fix any problem, she's always said. For this one, she's going to need more tea.

To Glendevyn, the Infinite Pantry is far more than a magical museum of the world's most treasured foods. It's the home she's always longed for. As the new head curator, she expected to wrestle with ornery funders and too-tight budgets…but when rare items in the collection suddenly start decaying, reduced to dust despite their protection spells, she's out of her depth.

The elven mage Irdruan would do anything for Glendevyn - even hide their feelings for her. She clearly doesn't return those feelings, after all, and how can they risk their friendship when she's relying on their support? But even with all Irdruan's magic, they can't find a way to do the one thing Glendevyn needs from them: to put a stop to the growing destruction.

Caught between an unknown magic threatening everything they've built and a wealthy funder pushing to take control, Glendevyn and Irdruan will do whatever it takes to save the Infinite Pantry. They'll have to learn to trust each other - and themselves - as they fight for their home with the power of love, friendship, and delicious food.

The first book in a new series, this sweet cozy fantasy is steeped in magic and deliciousness, like curling up with a warm mug of tea."

Those chonky cats on the cover have already stolen my heart.

Thristlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Faeries disappeared over one hundred years ago, as suddenly as slipping through a doorway. It was only the very foolish, or the very determined, who held out hope for their return.

Welcome to Thistlemarsh - a ramshackle estate where an impoverished orphan and a beguiling Faerie collide in an enchanting novel of love, revenge, and ruin.

In the wake of The Great War, the world is a decidedly unmagical place for Mouse Dunne. She once dreamed of becoming a Faerie anthropologist, but with one telegram, her world shattered. At the Battle of the Somme, her cousin's body disappeared into the mud, and her brother was left with debilitating shell shock. It was time, she knew, to put aside childish dreams.

When Mouse receives news that her uncle has left her the Faerie-blessed Thistlemarsh Hall, a dilapidated manor in the English countryside, she must leave her brother's side and return to her childhood home to claim her birthright. But there is a catch in her uncle's offer: If Mouse does not rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month's time, she will forfeit her inheritance and any hope of caring for her brother.

It quickly becomes clear it's impossible to repair the manor in the allotted time, until a mysterious Faerie appears with a proposition. He offers to restore Thistlemarsh...for a price. Mouse knows better than to trust a Faerie - especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant - but she is out of options. There are dark and magical forces at work in the house, and Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets of her heart or lose Thistlemarsh, and herself, in the process."

Desperate times call for desperate measures. In fact, they might call for Faerie bargains...

City of Iron and Ivy by Thomas Kent West
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 576 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This beguiling historical romantasy debut blends dark academia with the glamour of Bridgerton, as a scholar of magic investigates her sister's murder - perfect for fans of Heather Fawcett and H. G. Parry.

In an alternate London alive with botanical magic, Elswyth Elderwood is a thorn among roses: a bristly, scarred scholar in a world of socialites. Her sister Persephone is the opposite: a graceful debutante seeking a marriage that will save their family from ruin. At least, until Persephone is murdered.

Suddenly the last scion of her house, Elswyth must abandon her studies and find a wealthy husband. She is thrust into a London fueled by floromancy: hedge witches sprout nightshade from their fingertips, high-born ladies weave gowns from wildflowers...and a serial killer called the Reaper transforms his victims into plant-human hybrids.

When clues suggest the Reaper is a powerful nobleman, Elswyth's search for her sister's killer and her hunt for a husband become one and the same. But she is drawn to bastard-born archaeologist Silas Blackthor - -who may have dark, twisted secrets of his own.

Elswyth must determine friend from foe and lover from liar - or suffer the same fate as her sister."

I love a ton tormented by terror. 

Aphrodite in Pieces by Lauren J.A. Bear
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Experience the myth and magic of antiquity's most alluring - and provocative - goddess as never witnessed before, in this gorgeously rendered, unflinching, and deeply vulnerable retelling from the author of Mother of Rome and Medusa's Sisters.

Two hundred years before the common era, Aphrodite surprises an itinerant sculptor with a shocking request: Hear my story, see me for who I truly am, and carve it into stone. Never before has the goddess posed for her likeness, and as the artist works, she shares pieces of herself.

Her greatest triumphs and most grievous mistakes. The truth behind the tales of her beneficence and vengeance. And the one epic romance that slips through her perfect fingers, time and time again.

Part memoir, part fantasy, and all heart, Aphrodite in Pieces begs the eternal, essential questions: what do love and beauty truly mean? And can they last?"

Totally here for a muse baring her soul to a sculptor. 

May the Dead Keep You by Jill Baguchinsky
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Don't Let the Forest In and Wuthering Heights, this gothic horror novel is about the pasts that haunt us and the stories we decide to make for ourselves.

There's nowhere Catie East would rather be than the redwood forest that surrounds her family's unusual historic home, the Heights.

She prefers being alone in the forest. People are...complicated. But when a scientist and his son move into the estate's cottage, planning to study the woods around them, the boy catches Catie's eye. And when a dead woodpecker miraculously comes back to life in his precious hands...he captures her heart.

Necromancy isn't the only strange thing happening in the Heights. There's an unfamiliar face in the mirror. Blood on the floors. Eyes in the wallpaper. And the men around her - including her once-sweet nature boy - are becoming something else. Something possessive and frightening. Something violent.

As the Heights's dark history starts to come to light, Catie discovers that the home she loves is imbued with pain. And even though the pain isn't her own, it will corrupt her and the people around her all the same - unless she can stop it.

A story about breaking cycles of abuse and overcoming generational trauma, May the Dead Keep You is an edge-of-your-seat read - equally horrifying, heart-wrenching, and hopeful."

Confronting generational trauma can start the healing of house and home.

Odessa by Gabrielle Sher
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In a powerfully imagined Russia at the height of the pogroms, a grief-stricken family turn to ancient magic to bring their daughter back from the grave.

Yetta is a bright, quick teenage girl with a wild, searching spirit. Stifled by her mother's anxiety, her father's rules, and the path that's been laid out for her, she craves freedom, the edges of which she doesn't know. But her family has reason to be cautious and restrictive. Fear has wrapped itself around their shtetl. Jews are mysteriously disappearing, and there are whispers of an impending attack. When violence comes to their door, Yetta is killed.

Her father, in his grief, fumbles through his nascent knowledge of ancient texts and old magic to bring her back. By some miracle, Yetta is returned - but although she looks the same, she is not the girl she once was. Yetta senses there is a secret her family is keeping from her. The answer resides, in part, in the creature lurking in the woods beyond the shtetl - something that may be of her father's making, and a being that has plans of its own."

The Gothic vibes of that cover combined with necromancy make this a book that needs to be on my shelves.

Crossroads by Laurel Hightower
Published by: Shortwave
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"How far would you go to bring back someone you love?

When Chris's son dies in a tragic car crash, her world is devastated. The walls of grief close in on Chris's life until, one day, a small cut on her finger changes everything.

A drop of blood falls from Chris's hand onto her son's roadside memorial and, later that night, Chris thinks she sees his ghost outside her window. Only, is it really her son's ghost, or is it something else - something evil?

Soon Chris is playing a dangerous game with forces beyond her control in a bid to see her son, Trey, alive once again."

Yeah, I have a feeling you can see the theme I'm going for here...

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books/12:01 Books
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Follow the Rites...

Nothing less than the survival of humanity is at stake.


From Marcus Kliewer, a new "titan of the macabre and unsettling" (Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author), comes a supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater - and more dangerous - than she ever could have imagined.

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY:
Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.

Macy Mullins can't say why the job posting grabbed her attention - it had the pull of a fisherman's lure, barbed hook and all - vaguely ominous. But after an endless string of failed job interviews, she's not exactly in the position to be picky. She has rent to pay, groceries to buy, and a younger sister to provide for.

Besides, it's only three days' work...

Three days, cooped up in a stranger's house, surrounded by Oregon Coast wilderness.

What starts as a peculiar side gig soon becomes a waking nightmare. An incomprehensible evil may dwell on this property - and Macy Mullins might just be the only thing standing between it, and the rest of humanity.

Follow the Rites...

Follow the Rites...

Follow the Rites...


..--- / ..... / ---.."

Wait, is Craigslist still a thing? Also, if you're getting paid to save the world, it's not all bad...

The Black Crow Book of Best New Horror Volume 1 edited by Matt Holland and Jamie-Lee Nardone
Published by: Black Crow Books
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 200 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"13 original tales to terrify in a brand new anthology showcasing the very best and bizarre in horror fiction.

Featuring horror legends and worldwide bestsellers Olivie Blake, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Tuttle, Tim Lebbon, V Castro, Ally Wilkes, Rian Hughes, Lindy Ryan, Susi Holliday, Lily Kade, T.L. Huchu, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Clay McLeod Chapman.

Be careful what you wish for.

Whether searching for love, fame, money or revenge, remember that everything comes with a price. From stepping into an unknown in nature to ignoring the warnings of locals, to finding your perfect match or facing the hidden horrors of your past, beware.

The thirteen stories in this brand-new anthology explore the dark side of human nature and take us into the hidden, terrifying recesses of a world we never see. Until it's too late..."

Why is this cover so familiar to me!?!

The Voice Said Kill by Si Spurrier and Vanesa Del Rey
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 136 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fargo meets Deliverance in this trippy fever-dream thriller, juxtaposing gorgeously pastel sunsets and vibrant hues of the wilderness with shadowy nightmares and dark deeds.

The wet heat of the Louisiana bayou.

Alligator poachers prowl the mudbug mire.

A park ranger, heavily pregnant, raises a hateful mug of moonshine with a criminal matriarch.

And one deadly sonuvabitch, out of his mind on shrooms and retribution, loads his rifle for the human hunt and screams down the stars.

From award-winning creators Si Spurrier (Coda, X-Men, Step by Bloody Step) and Vanesa Del Rey (Redlands, The Creeping Below) comes a fever-dream Cajun crime thriller about murder, madness and motherhood.

Collects all 4 issues."

I can not tell you much I dislike the art of Vanesa Del Ray. If her name is attached to a comic I will never buy it.

Liar's Creek by Matt Goldman
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman comes Liar's Creek, which asks how far we'll go to protect the people we love.

Riverwood, Minnesota is a scenic town threaded with trout streams carving their way through limestone bluffs. But beneath its picturesque facade, danger runs rampant.

Clay Hawkins isn't a stranger to the secrets of his hometown. After twenty years away, Clay has recently returned home from abroad with his twelve-year-old son, and his relationship with his father, the recently replaced sheriff, is as strained as ever.

But when Clay's beloved uncle disappears, the three generations of Hawkinses must overturn every stone in Riverwood and confront deep familial wounds to find the one person who brings them together. As danger looms, Clay worries that it might be too late to save his uncle - and that the rest of the family might be next."

Best time to have your family at your back? When otherwise you'd die.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Sally Hepworth, the New York Times bestselling author of The Soulmate and The Good Sister, comes a twist-filled, darkly funny mystery about the two kinds of people no one ever expects to be murderers: little girls and old ladies.

Meet Mad Mabel.

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She's lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years - longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else's business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.

When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighborhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie's past start coming to light. Who was "Mad Mabel" fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?

Told with Sally Hepworth's twists, humor, charm, and heart, Mad Mabel is novel that weaves past and present together - through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion."

Well, if a little girl were nosing around why not just teach her the subtle arts of murder? Win win.

A Cute Little Murder by Molly Harper
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She used to be the sidekick. Now she might be the only one who can survive.

As teens, Harlow Drake and Lainey Piper built an online fandom solving small-town crimes. Harlow was the star, Lainey the behind-the-scenes genius (and often, Harlow's scapegoat). Years later, Harlow's hosting a hit true crime tv show. Lainey? She's working in forensics. Well, forensic accounting...from home. In pajamas. With her cat.

But when Harlow faces significant backlash over fumbling a case, she needs a quick win - like a special investigation into the decades-old disappearance of a starlet from a once-glamorous, now decrepit island hotel. The catch? It's bankrolled by Deke and Bryce of DBag Games, who are looking to shed their "frat bro" reputations. As long-time fans, they have one requirement for their funding: Lainey has to play the sidekick again.

Lainey is wary, but the offer is a lifeline in a sea of unpaid student loans. After reaching the Crossings Hotel, she realizes she's not content to be Harlow's helper anymore. As the cold case heats up, a crew member falls over dead, presenting Harlow and Lainey with a more modern mystery: what secrets does this hotel hide within its walls?

With sabotage, hidden staircases, and a killer in their midst, Lainey steps into the spotlight and takes charge of the investigation. It's up to her to crack the case - as long as she can stay alive."

Hey, working from home with your cat is a valid career path.

Flirting with Murder by Amanda Sellet
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Agathas meets Thursday Murder Club in Amanda Sellet's next YA novel, a cozy mystery with a splash of romance.

Some people visit Florida for theme parks and beaches. High school junior Virginia Tillis is there for murder. Accidents, electrocution, tainted hand lotion: every victim meets a different end at her grandmother Lainey's rococo pink condo. Such is life (and death) when you roll with a crew of theater retirees who roleplay murder mysteries from the comfort of their own home in a game they fondly call Killing Me Softly.

But this summer, fictional murder has given way to the very real death of the building's beloved owner and his dramatic last testament has the vultures circling, from estranged relatives to sleazy property developers, dead set on getting the most from his will.

Adding to the tension for Virginia is the appearance of Felix, the cute guy she met at the airport who turns out to be the grandson of one of the condo's residents. With his charm and musical theater chops, he's the person Virginia most wants to beat at Killing Me Softly. That is, until the day they discover an actual dead body while playing the game, forcing them to work together to figure out whodunit.

In this comedic mystery about finding the Watson to your Holmes, Virginia and Felix must banter their way from rivals to co-detectives in time to save their eccentric grandparents from a shocking disruption to the community they've always loved."

Seriously though, why isn't this book called Killing Me Softly!?! 

Piece by Piece by Erin Frankel and Stacy Innerst
Published by: Calkins Creek
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 48 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Stephen Sondheim learns to assemble musicals like the pieces of a puzzle on his way to becoming an American theater icon.

An inspiring nonfiction picture book on the creative process that will spark an interest in music for kids ages 7–10.

Before he became a greatest lyricist and composer, Stephen Sondheim was a boy filled with curiosity - a boy who loved figuring out how things worked. After his parents' divorce scattered the pieces of his life, he found comfort in music.

Guided by his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, Stephen learned that the best way to get better was to practice: choosing notes, choosing words, and putting it all together, piece by piece. Writing musicals wasn't easy, and not everyone loved Stephen's new and unusual shows. But Stephen loved figuring it out, and loved the way the people in every show became like a family.

Author Erin Frankel's prose and illustrator Stacy Innerst's art combine in beautiful harmony. Together, they bring to life Stephen Sondheim as he solves musical puzzles, writing hit shows like West Side Story, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, and many more!"

Wait this actually is for kids!?! When I read it I couldn't picture anyone who'd by it. Now I'm doubly sure no one will buy it if it's aimed at kids. It's too niche.

Margery and Me by Maryka Biaggio
Published by: Regal House Publishing
Publication Date: April 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 292 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the 1920s, Margery Crandon captivated both Boston society and psychic researchers with her astonishing seances.

At her gatherings, her deceased brother Walter regularly appeared, entertaining the circle with his witty and cheeky remarks.

Margery's abilities earned her the admiration of luminaries, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and William Butler Yeats.

But one man stood in opposition: Harry Houdini, the legendary magician, who was determined to expose her as a fraud.

Margery and Me tells the true story of the medium who mystified scientists, challenged skeptics, and sparked a sensation across America and Europe.

As Houdini and Margery clashed in a battle of wits and wills, the question remained: Could the master illusionist unmask her, or would her extraordinary powers be enough to convert even the most resolute of doubters?"

Always here for anything about mediums. Extra here because of Houdini.

Friday, April 17, 2026

Book Review - Twenty Seasons of Mobil Masterpiece Theatre 1971-1991

Twenty Seasons of Mobil Masterpiece Theatre 1971-1991 edited by Gregory Vitiello
Published by: Acme Printing Co.
Publication Date: 1991
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
Out of Print

Television needed something that was culturally significant. WGBH in Boston, underwritten by Mobil, brought us Masterpiece Theatre in 1971. A show to create a new golden age of television by airing the best that Britain had to offer. Not just shows by the BBC, but any British channel that produced quality could qualify. But they needed someone that would lend a gravitas and a voice to the show and that is where Alistair Cooke came in. Most known for his radio show, Letter from America, he was the voice of the Englishman abroad. Who better to be the standard bearer for this show that was being created? But he was extremely busy, but the brains behind Masterpiece Theatre were extremely persistent. Soon he was watching the shows wherever he was in America working on his thirteen-part documentary, America: A Personal History of the United States. He'd work out his thoughts, do research, and fly into Boston to film his bits making it the busiest time of his life. Aside from thinking that The First Churchills was filled with too many bewigged men who didn't know which direction the camera was facing, he knew they had something special. A feeling of the literary, a feeling of the theatrical, brought right into people's homes. A story they could follow over time that became the place to be. A place that was popular, and received many accolades in it's early years, but went stratospheric when they picked up a show that was their first wholly original show not based on historical figures. That show was Upstairs, Downstairs. Jean Marsh reminisces on how she and Eileen Atkins approached British executives about their idea for a show and how the only writer they could think of was Harold Pinter the playwright. While it was John Hawkesworth who helped bring the show to life with his stable of writers whose name you would see year after year on Masterpiece Theatre, Harold Pinter eventually did get a look in with The Heat of the Day which has a stunning poster by Bernie Fuchs. Upstairs, Downstairs ran for five seasons and won numerous awards and had Americans spellbound by the tales of the Bellamy family and their servants. It all came crashing down with the stock market crash of 1929, but the show had solidified itself as a classic of television. Year in and year out, Masterpiece Theatre was broadcasting shows that Americans were voracious for. Before the age of binge television they were the gold standard of event television. Though whomever scheduled Talking Heads: Bed Among the Lentils to repeat on New Year's Eve had a sick sense of humor. Masterpiece Theatre, no matter what it's name now, will forever be a masterpiece.

I feel so validated! Alistair Cooke didn't like The First Churchills either! And no, I did not buy this book off eBay to validate my opinion, it was just a happy coincidence that he trashed a show I deeply disliked in his introduction. I bought this book off eBay because I wanted the full color reproductions of twenty-six of the gorgeous posters Mobil commissioned for the series. Some of them I had never even seen before. In fact, there were around two-hundred movies and miniseries that aired while Mobil was a partner with PBS, and if they all had artwork that means despite my due diligence I have only seen around forty percent of them. Many of which I want on my walls. And I really want the Bleak House one with Diana Rigg if anyone is looking to buy me something really expensive. And until someone finally creates the definitive book of all the poster art over the years done by artists from Symor Chwast to Bernie Fuchs to Al Hirschfeld this is the next best thing. Other than the posters this book is thin on content. Aside from Alistair Cooke's "A Personal Memoir," Allen E. Murray, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mobil Corporation, does the forward, Brendan Gill, a journalist for The New Yorker, has a piece called "By Way of Homage," while the remembrances of Jean Marsh are probably the only writing in this book readers actually cared for as she talks about Master James polishing her Wellies. The book is organized chronologically and lists the original airdates and repeats of every single show aired over the first twenty seasons of Masterpiece Theatre. Each season has one but never more than two shows spotlighted with a paragraph or two on each and exactly three pictures. This is very much in the vein of guides you'd buy of shows before the internet era so that you'd know all the episode names and interesting facts, like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Watcher's Guide, but on nicer paper and with less detail. So IMDb in book form. Life was so much harder before IMDb. Though I have to say some of the seasons when they went with a theme this book actually lists the titles far more accurately than any website I've consulted over the years. So take that IMDb! What I took away from this book, besides lots of pleasant memories of shows I have watched and all the posters I want to own, is that in the early days they really formed Masterpiece Theatre around literature and it's importance. How by airing a story over many weeks worth of Sunday nights they gave viewers the same experience of readers back in the day when a story was serialized by the like of Dickens in his literary magazine All the Year Round. They wanted to make a televisual event where they connected with their audience and created a cultural experience. There was no binging, there was a bringing together of like-minded individuals at a certain place and time. And all these years later as I make it my goal to watch every episode of Masterpiece Theatre, many of which are sadly impossible to find, I still feel that connection. That cultural zeitgeist that took hold of a nation before I was even born is alive and well.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Season 20 - Scoop (1990-1991)

Evelyn Waugh's 1938 book Scoop was a parody of sensationalist journalism obviously inspired by the Spanish Civil War but more specifically Waugh's experience in Abyssinia covering the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. The hyperbole of this kind of journalism has only intensified as time goes on. Just look to our twenty-four hours a day news cycle where the smallest thing is blown up and overanalyzed by talking heads. Which is what makes this adaptation just as relevant today as it was in the late eighties and early nineties. As I was watching this skewering of a phoney war in order for Herbert Lom to parachute in and secure Ishmaelia's mineral rights for himself the United States invaded Venuzula and kidnapped Maduro. Why? For the country's mineral rights of course. Because the more things change the more things stay the same. Though it's hard to get a "scoop" on what the United States government is doing until they announce it after the fact on Twitter. Scoop is more like a quirky independent British film of the day than an episode of Masterpiece Theatre. This is Dr. Strangelove meets The Wrong Box with a heavy helping of Moon Over Parador and Coming to America if Terry Gilliam shot it. The Brazil vibes are strong. In other words, if I had seen it when it first came out it would have been a seminal film in my life. In fact there's one person in this world that I think was strongly influenced by this film at a young age and that's Wes Anderson. He would have been in his early twenties when this was released and every single frame and setup made me think of him. So, if nothing else, because of this film we have a signature style that became the TikTok Wes Anderson trend. As it is I am more than a little obsessed with this movie now. London socialites? Decaying relatives at a decrepit country estate? Mistaken identities? Yes please! And more! Poor Boot, a corespondent for The Daily Beast, writes about country life. He is mistaken for a novelist named Boot who asked his lover to pull some strings for him to get sent to Ishmaelia. Needless to say, our Boot is in over his head but because he's not a typical reporter and because he is part of the old boys' network he is privy to actual information about Ishmaelia and not wild conjecture and therefore knows that the leadership of the country is sending the reporters on a wild goose chase. He just stays put and comes back a hero with the biggest scoop of any paper. What makes this so memorable is the actors. We have Nicola Pagett, Donald Pleasence, Denholm Elliott, Michael Maloney, the aforementioned Herbert Lom, and just oodles of British characters actors that understand the importance of timing and keeping a straight face. Denholm Elliott trying to deal with Boot's family at the ancestral estate could be added to the list of great dinner scenes that is obviously topped by John Gielgud in Brideshead Revisited. Seriously, just check out this undiscovered gem. If anything you will get an insight into what the inside of my mind looks like.

Monday, April 13, 2026

Tuesday Tomorrow

Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cursed princess must discover what her heart truly longs for in this charmingly cozy romantic fantasy for everyone who's ever lost - or found - themselves in a bookshop.

Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar is disillusioned with life as a princess. She longs for real conversation, the chance to build a life of her own making, and uninterrupted reading time.

During a routine royal visit to the town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy's dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart's desire. Certain that someone will figure out how to break the curse eventually, and delighted by the prospect of an entire bookstore of her own, Tandy settles into life among the stacks. She finds it easy to exchange balls and endless state dinners for teetering piles of books and an irritatingly handsome pirate who seems bent on stealing her stock.

She even starts to believe she's stumbled into her very own happily ever after.

There's just one, minor problem: as Tandy's royal duties go unfulfilled, her frantic parents start sending princes to woo her, each one of them certain their kiss will break the curse. After all, what more could a princess want but a prince?"

A book pirate!?! Tell me more, he sounds ideal.

Forgive-Me-Not by Mari Costa
Published by: First Second
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A queer "enemies to lovers" journey of a lost princess and a changeling who was made to take the heir's place as part of a fey scheme.

Aisling is many things to many people: princess, heir to the throne, teenage daughter of two loving parents.... She's also about to learn a lot more about herself: changeling. Fey creature. Hunted. Feared. Loved?

Forgive-Me-Not is the name given to the true princess - the lost teenage biological daughter to the king and queen, who's grown up in the chaotic and untrustworthy realm of Faerie. When Forgive-Me-Not breaks into Aisling's room the night before their 18th birthday looking for revenge, the two embark on a long and arduous journey. And what starts as a confrontational and adversarial pairing grows into a bond of mutual understanding, friendship, and maybe something more..."

I mean, who can understand what you've gone through more than the person you were swapped with?

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Wed to one brother.
In love with the other.

Bridgerton, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince collide in this Victorian-inspired romantasy; the sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Rose Bargain.

Having won the hand of the faerie King Bram, Ivy is now Queen of England.

But with his ascension to the throne, Bram unleashed the fae into the human world. After hundreds of years of being kept from their favorite playthings, the Others are looking to make up for lost time - and they do, with wicked revelry that sweeps through the country.

To survive, Ivy acts the sweet, devoted wife. Behind the smile, she plots to banish her husband, save her sister Lydia, and reunite with the love of her life, Emmett.

Yet Emmet and Lydia are trapped in the Otherworld, where fae games are deadlier than ever - and a queen must play most viciously of all. Or see herself dethroned.

Forbidden romance, deceptive bargains, and lethal court intrigue intertwine in this mesmerizing, fae romantasy sequel that will captivate fans of Once Upon a Broken Heart and Belladonna."

The fae do love their wicked games, cue Chris Isaak music.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake by Mara Rutherford
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Wisteria, the very act of innovation is forbidden. Any creation - art, music, engineering - conjures a demon from the other side. The greater the innovation, the more dangerous the demon.

This has never stopped Aurelie from inventing - but it has made it more difficult. Her inventions are small by necessity, producing demons that she is capable of dispatching alone. But she knows she's meant for something greater, and each day has her chafing more at the boundaries of her society.

Destrier lost his parents to demons as a child, and has devoted his life to preventing more senseless murder at the hands of demons. He was young when he joined the hunters, and each year he's grown stronger. But it's never enough.

When a mysterious figure offers Aurelie a job she can't refuse - an impossible, magnificent invention - her decision to accept sets off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of their world...and sparks the connection that will change both Aurelie and Des irrevocably.

With the fierce enemies-to-lovers romance of Heartless Hunter and the high-concept worldbuilding of Arcane, The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake will thrill readers looking for their new cross-genre favorite."

It appears that an inventor and a demon hunter are perhaps the best pairing?

The Killing Spell by Shay Kauwe
Published by: S and S/Saga Press
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this spellbinding fantasy debut set in a future where language magic reigns, a young Hawaiian woman must solve a murder to clear her name.

Kea Petrova is dealing with more than her fair share of trouble.

At just twenty-five years old, she's the youngest of five Hawaiian clan leaders living on the Homestead in outer Los Angeles. Nearly 200 years ago, when a catastrophic flood submerged the Hawaiian islands and unleashed magic into the world, these clans forged a treaty with the city, establishing a new Hawaiian homeland. But that treaty is about to expire.

Kea struggles to keep her small clan afloat, scraping together rent each month through odd jobs and selling her own crafted Hawaiian language spells. While her talent for language magic is her saving grace, she feels like a shadow of those who came before her. Just when she thinks things can't get any more complicated, the murder of Angelo Reyes - LA's most prominent Filipino activist - turns her world upside-down.

Angelo was killed by a death spell - something that, due to the properties of each school of language magic, can only exist in Hawaiian. With independent spellsmithing being technically illegal, Kea quickly becomes the prime suspect, known for her spellwork on the Homestead. To clear her name, she must unravel the mystery behind Angelo's murder and confront LA's most powerful (and dangerous) players, each wielding their own type of magic. The clock is ticking - can Kea save herself, her clan, and the Homestead before it's too late?"

Refugees, magic, and murder? Oh yes.

Morsel by Carter Keane
Published by: Tor Nightfire
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Carter Keane's Morsel is a delicious folk horror debut about learning to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive.

Lou did what the children of parents with backbreaking, poorly paying jobs are supposed to do: pulled up her bootstraps, went to college, and got an office gig with coworkers who won't stop talking about their multilevel marketing scheme disguised as self-betterment.

When Lou accepts a property appraisal assignment in the rural hills of Ohio, she knows it's her last chance to save her job and keep making rent. But she quickly finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a sabotaged truck, her dog, and someone - or something - stalking her through the ancient Appalachian woods.

If she can't escape the woods in time, she'll see firsthand that her job isn't the only thing that wants to eat her alive.

Morsel is The Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual, with a generous helping of The Menu, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Paul Tremblay."

Bite the world before it bites you!

The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton by Jennifer N. Brown
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dual-timeline murder mystery set in an English country manor, when an ambitious professor discovers the long-lost manuscript of a Reformation-era prophetess.

Historian Alison Sage has made a groundbreaking archival discovery - she found a manuscript containing the prophecies of a 16th century nun, Elizabeth Barton. Barton's prophecy condemning Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn led to her execution and the destruction of all copies of her prophecies - or so the world believed.

With Alison's discovery, she is catapulted to academic superstardom and scores an invitation to the exclusive Codex Consortium, a week of research among a select handful of fellow historians at a crumbling manor in England, located next to the ruins of the priory where Elizabeth herself once lived.

What begins as a promising conference turns into a nightmare as the eerie house becomes the site of a murder. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect, and it seems that answers lie at the root of a local legend about centuries-old hidden treasure. Alison's research makes her best-suited to solve the mystery - but when old feelings resurface for a former colleague, and the stakes of the search skyrocket, everyone's motives become murky.

Alison's cutthroat world of academia is almost as dangerous as Elizabeth Barton's sixteenth-century England, where heretics are beheaded, visions can kill, and knowing who to trust is a deadly art. The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is a thrilling novel, crackling with the voices of the past and propelled by a mystery that will leave readers in suspense until the very last page."

Reasons why I never wanted to be part of a royal court or a college.

Who Knew the Ridpath Girl by Stacy Johns
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gripping mystery perfect for fans of Amy Tintera following one man's investigation into the death of his sister years earlier, forcing him to confront old faces, a strong-willed detective, and a string of new murders in his remote small town.

Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.

Gracen Ridpath has a secret. As the host of a successful YouTube channel for stay-at-home-dads, Gracen is known for his handy tips and trademark self-deprecating humor. But off camera, he struggles with the aftereffects of a tragedy that shaped him and everyone else in his hometown of Meander: the death of his eleven-year-old sister, Douggy.

When Gracen mentions his sister's long-ago death for the first time on his channel, he taps a vein of interest he hadn't known existed. Soon enough, he finds himself discussing a theory he's kept quiet for years: that Douggy chose to die. And he's finally figured out why...and who is to blame.

At first, Gracen is grateful for the jump in views, until his shift in content brings Quinn, Douggy's childhood best friend, back to Meander looking for answers. And when people start dying around them and detectives start asking questions, Gracen and Quinn find themselves at the center of an investigation that will prove to have consequences deadlier than they ever could've imagined."

If you're going to lean into true crime, be prepared for the consequences. 

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
Published by: Hanover Square Press
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn't remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge - his father's new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn't always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father's face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it."

Oh, talk about unreliable narrators! 

Death to Pachuco by Henry Barajas, Rachel Merrill, and Lee Loughridge
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 168 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Chicano noir retelling of the Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial and the Zoot Suit Riots during 1943 wartime Los Angeles, Death to Pachuco is an untold story lost from the American history books.

During the summer of 1943, Los Angeles became a hotbed of tension and conflict as a series of fierce clashes erupted between U.S. Navy members and Mexican American youth stemming from the murder of Carlos Urbano. Private eye Ricardo "Ricky" Tellez needs to find the Sleepy Lagoon Killer before the racist mob kills him in the Zoot Suit Riots.

The clock is ticking - and it's a bad time to be a Mexican.

From the author of the critically acclaimed Latinx Top Cow series La Voz De M.A.Y.O, and Helm Greycastle returns with a thrilling graphic novel, perfect for fans of true crime noir.

Collects Death to Pachuco #1-5, a facsimile of The Sleepy Lagoon Case rare pamphlet published in 1943 with a foreword by the legendary Orson Welles, and an afterword by award-winning journalist Jazmine Ulloa (El Paso)."

I've been wanting someone to do justice to this time in American history after Penny Dreadful: City of Angels butchered it.

Death Times Seven by Anne Perry
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two violent crimes challenge the investigative skills of young Daniel Pitt and his wife, Miriam, in the final novel of iconic mystery writer Anne Perry's beloved Daniel Pitt series.

1913: Junior attorney Daniel Pitt must step in for his friend, fellow attorney Toby Kitteridge, whose parents have been brutally attacked. Toby's mother is dead and his father, a village vicar, is barely alive. With Toby returning to the family home in rural Ipswich, struggling with grief and disbelief, Daniel remains in London to substitute for Toby and defend Peter Ward, on trial for the sexual assault and murder of a young woman.

Daniel is convinced that Ward is innocent, yet the evidence seems to prove otherwise. Eager to assist, his pathologist wife, Miriam fford Croft, offers her forensics expertise and exposes a community of fellow pathologists who may have purposefully omitted information from their autopsy reports. Despite Miriam's involvement in the case, Daniel finds himself distracted by his desire to help Toby, who is too distraught to investigate the attack on his parents. And when the evidence points to Toby's father as the killer of Toby's mother, Daniel faces two of the greatest challenges of his young career: proving the innocence of both Peter Ward and Reverend Kitteridge. One mistake in London and a blameless man will hang. One mistake in Ipswich and Toby's father will go to prison for life.

Death Times Seven, the seventh and final novel in Anne Perry's Daniel Pitt series, was completed by Victoria Zackheim, an author and editor as well as Perry's close friend. Rich in intrigue and courtroom drama, this engrossing novel marks a fitting finale to the career of an author widely praised as the queen of historical crime fiction."

I am sad we'll get no more novels in the Daniel Pitt series, but more than that I respect that they are ending the series and not continuing it past the author's death.

The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin
Published by: Tyndale Fiction
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When the young wife of a powerful lumber baron vanishes into the wilds of frontier Michigan, her friend is left to unravel the truth in this captivating dual-timeline novel from bestselling author Lynn Austin.

1873. After a devastating loss, Hannah Wagner never imagined she'd leave her comfortable home for the harsh, unfamiliar wilderness near Lake Michigan. But when Henry Abernathy - a friend of her husband, John - offers them a fresh start in a booming lumber town, where John's skills as a doctor are sorely needed, Hannah reluctantly agrees. There, she meets Kate, Henry's spirited, much younger wife. Kate's sharp tongue and outsider status have made her unwelcome among the town's elite, and when she begins confiding in Hannah, it's clear her marriage is not what it seems...and that a secret from her past could destroy everything.

Present day. Ashley Gilbert never planned to settle in Michigan, but when her husband lands his dream job as a conservationist, she agrees to follow. While restoring their historic home - built in the 19th century for a doctor and his wife - Ashley becomes captivated by its past and its connection to the nearby Abernathy mansion, now being transformed into a museum. While volunteering with the restoration, she stumbles upon the unsolved mystery of Kate Abernathy's disappearance. What begins as curiosity soon becomes a quest for the truth - one that will connect her to two women whose stories and struggles echo and inspire her own."

I mean, you couldn't move into a house and not be transfixed by it's history, am I right?

Fast and Fastidious by R.M. Caldwell
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pride and Prejudice meets The Fast and the Furious in this rollicking, romantic Regency adventure in which a meticulous young woman must abandon the rules of propriety to save Britain - and perhaps even find love along the way....

England, 1810. Lucy Elliot has often been described as fastidious, given her belief that there is an objectively correct and logical way to do things. And while she strives to be proper in every way, she does have one rather scandalous secret: Lucy, the prim and gentle lady, is a frequent attendee of the entirely disreputable and illicit Night Races, where unchaperoned men and women from all social classes gather on dark country lanes to gamble on the outcomes of furiously fast carriage races.

But her secret might become more than just a danger to her reputation when her mysterious new neighbor, Captain Dashwood, begins partaking in the races. Lucy can't help but feel there's something more to the handsome Captain Dashwood than meets the eye, and she suspects that his arrival in the neighborhood in the midst of a spate of curious and alarming carriage robberies is no mere coincidence - something is most certainly afoot in the county, and it's a mystery Lucy intends to solve.

Though Lucy prides herself on her preparedness, she never could have anticipated the web of lies, deceit, and espionage that she finds herself and Captain Dashwood entangled in; nor could she have known that the very fate of Britain would hang in the balance. But will her meticulous nature be the very thing that saves her, or will it be her - and England's - undoing?"

I don't think anyone today realizes how dangerous a carriage was in the early 1800s. So this Regency version of The Fast and the Furious is hella more dangerous than the modern day equivalent. Learn more about carriages from Dr. Esme Louise James.  

Murder at the Highland Games by Dee MacDonald
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Kindle, 269 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a fun day out in the Scottish Highlands turns fatal, there's only one solution: call for Ally McKinley!

It's the annual Locharran Highland Games and Ally McKinley has never seen her little village so busy or excited. Everyone's enjoying the Scottish dancing, the bagpipes, and cheering the competitors on. But there's a hitch in the proceedings when champion challenger Archie Armstrong drops dead in the middle of tossing the caber. Rushing to the scene, Ally is the first to spot that Archie's death was no accident - this was murder!

Ally flings herself into a new investigation and soon discovers that more than one person may have had a murderous motive, including some of the current residents of her cosy little guesthouse. Patti, Archie's glamourous wife, seems intent on acting like the perfect widow, but rumours of infidelity have been flying. Is her performance too good? Could her uncle, cranky gamekeeper Angus, have finally snapped, furious at Archie's treatment of his niece? Or was it one of the frustrated local competitors, desperate to end Archie's winning streak?

Determined to crack the case and fuelled by more than one piece of her famous shortbread, Ally begins to narrow down her list of possible culprits, but is thrown for a loop when her chief suspect is found dead by the loch, a mysterious and threatening note clutched in their fingers. With a killer at large, can Ally finally uncover the truth? Or, as the sun sets over the highlands, will this game be her last?

For fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase, this totally unputdownable cozy mystery set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands will have you turning the pages late into the night!"

I mean, more than one death would indicate someone was trying to off the competition...

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer by Bellamy Rose
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this witty and delightful follow-up to the "glam and glorious" (Kat Ailes, author of the Expectant Detectives Mysteries) Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder, Pom finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery that threatens her up-and-coming charity foundation and - worst of all - her romantic life.

Pomona Afton knows how to throw a memorable party. After all, for her twenty-fifth birthday, she hosted a global extravaganza that included a masquerade ball in a Scottish castle, clubbing in Ibiza, and skinny dipping on a private island. So, throwing a gala for her fledgling nonprofit should be a breeze.

Unfortunately, she has to navigate the high-stakes (and snobby) world of philanthropy, a beloved boyfriend who just can't seem to fit in, and of course, her dysfunctional family, all while planning a party that won't only affect the future of her charity, but her own future in society.

But Pom is no quitter. She pushes forward and perseveres…until, right in the middle of her party, she discovers the body of one of her biggest donors. Suddenly all her hard work is going up in flames. If she's going to salvage her new life path, she must put on her (incredibly stylish) detective hat again and figure out who wants to bring her down. One more measly little murder mystery shouldn't be that hard, right?"

I'm just saying, a big donor being murdered would more likely mean that they were the target, not Pom's reputation... 

Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Join Chet the dog, "the most lovable narrator in all of fiction" (Boston Globe), and his human partner Bernie as they scramble to solve a case exposing the dark side of internet fame.

Chet the dog is less than enthusiastic about the Little Detective Agency's next case. Chet and his human partner, PI Bernie Little, have been hired to find a missing person - only the missing person is a cat. Miss Kitty, an internet sensation, has disappeared, and Chet and Bernie have been hired to find her before her many followers realize something is wrong.

Miss Kitty belongs to Bitty, a sweet teenage girl who lives with her mom. Bitty and her mother are struggling financially, but the arrival of Miss Kitty and the chance discovery of her social media appeal has changed everything. Bitty now has sponsors, a high-powered agent, and all the tools needed to thrive online, and real money is flowing in. At least, it was. With Miss Kitty gone, the family's income is on the line.

The case presents a slew of challenges for Chet and Bernie. For one thing, a potential witness is a pig named Senor Piggy who may be in possession of an important piece of evidence. For another, it seems like a possible perp has been killed twice - and there's evidence implicating Bernie in the crime."

Killed twice you say? If it's a cat don't they have nine lives? 

American Spirits by Anna Dorn
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A love letter to pop music, American Spirits charts an icon's fall - and an obsessive fangirl's rise.

Thirty-eight-year-old Blue Velour has finally achieved the critical acclaim she's long been chasing. Over the last decade, she's released six studio albums to mixed reviews, landing her somewhere between performance artist and niche legend. But her latest album, Blue's Beard - a cheeky reference to the subreddit fanatically dedicated to her suspected secret relationship with longtime producer Sasha Harlow - has rocket-launched her reputation. Blue hires nerdy superfan Rose Lutz as her assistant to handle the pressures of the upcoming tour.

When the pandemic shuts down the tour, however, Blue decides to hole up in the redwoods with Sasha to make another album. An aspiring singer herself, Rose is frothing at the mouth to be isolated in a cabin with these two legends, but what begins as a creative retreat spirals into a flurry of chaos and betrayal - culminating in a tragic act that changes their lives forever.

Smart, entertaining, and edgy, American Spirits is a compelling exploration of the dark side of fame."

And those willing to kill to achieve it...

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell returns with a breathtakingly honest novel about a woman who lost everything - and isn't sure she wants it back.

Everybody knows that Cherry's husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie...

Almost nobody knows that he isn't coming home.

Tom is the creator of Thursday - a semi-autobiographical webcomic that's become an international phenomenon.

Semi-autobiographical. That means there's a character in this movie based on Cherry..."Baby."

Wide-hipped, heavy-chested, double-chinned Baby.

Cherry never wanted this. No fat girl wants to see herself caricatured on the page - let alone on the big screen. But there's no getting away from it. Baby looks so much like Cherry that strangers recognize her at the grocery store.

While her soon-to-be ex-husband is in Los Angeles getting rich and famous and being the internet's latest boyfriend, Cherry is stuck in Omaha taking care of the dog he always wanted and the house they were going to raise a family in...and wondering who she's supposed to be without him.

Cherry had promised to love Tom through thick and thin.

She'd meant it.

One night, Cherry decides to leave all her problems, including Tom's overgrown puppy, at home. She ventures out to see her favorite band play her favorite album...and someone recognizes her from across the room.

Russ Sutton knew Cherry when she was a young art student with a fondness for pin-up dresses and patent leather heels. Before Tom.

Russ knows Cherry. He likes Cherry.

And best of all...he's never heard of Thursday.

Tender, funny, and utterly human, Cherry Baby is Rainbow Rowell's richest, most surprising - sexiest - novel yet."

All I'm thinking is that Cherry will be able to get a huge divorce settlement, and perhaps even damages. She might not want her life back but a nice wad of cash can buy you a new life.

The Midnight Croissant by Bonnie Solomon
Published by: Bonsol Press
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Kindle, 340 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The afterlife's sassiest spirit guide is about to slay Paris. All she has to do is wrangle a few wayward souls - including her own.

Fresh off a solo incarnation where she mastered independence a little too well, spirit guide Pearly Gates is trying to follow the rules - or at least appear like she is. But when her first official charges - a prickly retiree, a guilt-ridden widower with a closeted grandson, and a young woman for whom romance has never quite clicked - hit a spiritual dead end, Pearly makes a bold move. She nudges them into a group tour of the City of Love…then tags along in disguise.

Her boss is not amused. The deal? If Pearly can raise their spiritual vibes by the end of the trip, she wins the freedom to guide her way. If not, she'll get transferred to a cosmic wasteland. No pressure.

From midnight snacks to museum flirtations, moonlit magic to Pride celebrations, Pearly's meddling sparks transformations she never expected. And when her ex-soulmate, Thunder, signs on as their tour guide - hoping to reconnect - she's forced to reconsider the walls she's built around her own heart. Can they finally break their old patterns, or are they doomed to repeat history all over again?

Set in present-day Paris, The Midnight Croissant is a warm, inclusive fantasy celebrating love in all its forms - full of found family, fresh starts, and the magic of showing up as your fabulous, flawed self.

The Good Place meets Amélie - with glitter.

This book sparkles as a standalone, while also continuing the Pearly Gates series."

I mean who doesn't want to read a glittery French take on The Good Place?

Paranormal Payback edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A superstar lineup is included in this urban fantasy collection featuring short stories from New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Holly Black, Kim Harrison, Faith Hunter, and more...

In this short story collection, our heroes get what's due to them - with a supernatural flair.

But the injustices that have been holding them back might cost them more than they realized....

In "Mister Petty," a brand-new Dresden Files story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher, a woman hires Goodman Grey to get back at her cheating husband. She's about to find out that Grey isn't your ordinary detective - he's a professional monster. And he's going to balance the scales.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, "Dying Isn't Just for the Young" follows an elderly widow reckoning with family scheming to take away her independence in a world infected by a disease of vampirism.

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter's "Razors and Revenge" finds the vampire bounty hunter Shiloh awaiting her judgement at the hands of the Dark Queen, fresh off a brutal werewolf attack and the loss of a dear friend. But Shiloh's not just a vampire anymore - and the wolfish instincts growing inside her are howling for blood.

And Kim Harrison takes us to the #1 New York Times bestselling series of the Hollows in her story "Dog-eared." The demon Algaliarept makes a bargain with the dangerously insane Newt, the last female demon, to punish an arrogant wizard for abusing his precious magical texts - but how ruthless is Al willing to be to get his petty vengeance?

ALSO INCLUDES STORIES BY Jennifer Blackstream * Maurice Broaddus * Delilah S. Dawson * Kevin Hearne * Tanya Huff * Kerrie L. Hughes * R. L. King * R.R. Virdi"

I was going to say how happy I am that another one of these anthologies is out done and I was sad there was no Patty Briggs story, but then there's a Dresden Files story so, what more do I actually need to say?

The Faith of Beasts by James S.A. Corey
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: April 14th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"James S. A. Corey's Expanse series has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 23 languages, establishing itself as a modern masterwork of science fiction.

Now, the Hugo-award winning author returns with the second volume in their New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed space opera trilogy, The Captive's War.

The monstrous Carryx empire was built by subjugation and war. Thousands of species are bound to their Sovran's command in an endless, blood-soaked test: be useful in the eternal conflict or be slaughtered.

Dafyd Alkhor, highest among their human captives, is feared and despised by the very people he champions. Ruthless in carving out his niche in the eternal war machine of the empire, he will reshape human nature itself as a tool for their alien masters' use. But Dafyd's loyalty is not what it seems.

The Swarm, an agent of the Carryx's deathless enemy, has been smuggled into the Carryx world-palace along with the human slaves. Its mission: discover a way to bring down the empire's eternal reign. But the longer it lives among and within humanity, the more it forgets that it is a weapon.

As the human captives spread through the battlefronts of empire, the awesome power of the Carryx becomes clear. And with it, a desperate plan for their destruction.

But empires hide secrets, and even the deathless enemy may not be what it appears..."

I've said it before and I'll say it again, their former boss could take a page from these two authors' output...

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