Tuesday Tomorrow
Winter's Gifts by Ben Aaronovitch
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 232 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"We do things differently over here.
When retired FBI Agent Patrick Henderson calls in an 'X-Ray Sierra India' incident, the operator doesn't understand. He tells them to pass it up the chain till someone does. That person is FBI Special Agent Kimberley Reynolds. Leaving Quantico for snowbound Northern Wisconsin, she finds that a tornado has flattened half the town - and there's no sign of Henderson. Things soon go from weird to worse, as neighbors report unsettling sightings, key evidence goes missing, and the snow keeps rising - cutting off the town, with no way in or out...Something terrible is awakening. As the clues lead to the coldest of cold cases - a cursed expedition into the frozen wilderness - Reynolds follows a trail from the start of the American nightmare, to the horror that still lives on today..."
A book in the Rivers of London series set where I live!?! Oh my, I just can't with all the joy in me.
The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater
Published by: Olivia Atwater
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 322 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Olivia Atwater returns to the world of Half a Soul with "a sharp and beautiful gothic romance" (Alix E. Harrow). Dive into The Witchwood Knot, and enjoy a dark faerie tale set in a magical version of Victorian England.
The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.
Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn't believe in faeries - which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.
Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness...but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?"
Olivia Atwater is THE AUTHOR with the most books on my TBR list. I think I better start working on that...
Cocktails and Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 136 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson, being trapped in the body of a Victorian housemaid means overcoming endless obstacles. Her current challenge is winning over the suspicious young parlormaid, Alice. Mallory's plan starts with teaching the girl to make Molotov cocktails, which is a perfectly valid science experiment and not at all a desperate ploy to gain Alice's attention. Before the lesson can begin, though, Alice receives a letter that has her slipping off in the night. Concerned for her safety - and naturally curious - Mallory follows. Mallory finds Alice at what seems like a simple dance hall, watching young men and women flirting and whirling in pretty dresses and dapper suitcoats. But nothing here is what it seems, and what starts as a simple surveillance exercise turns into a full-scale spy mission with Mallory's boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, at her side. Before the evening is done, those Molotov cocktails are probably going to come in handy."
I mean, who wouldn't want to learn how to make Molotov cocktails?
The Pantomime Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 289 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Someone is killing fairy godmothers in Cinderella...Can Miss Clara Vale crack the case before the clock strikes twelve?
1929, December: Snow is falling, and Miss Clara Vale is wrapped up against the cold as she braves the icy streets of Newcastle in her latest investigation.
When a young actress from the touring pantomime of Cinderella arrives at her door, Clara isn't sure what to make of her request. Sybil Langford, the legendary fairy godmother in their production, has mysteriously vanished. Could Clara help track her down?
But a few days into Clara's search, Sybil's body is pulled from an icy river, and Clara finds herself in the middle of yet another murder mystery.
With scheming stepsisters waiting in the wings, handsome princes who aren't all they seem, and clues as elusive as glass slippers, Clara will need every one of her scientific skills to catch the killer...
And when Sybil's replacement meets her own tragic end, Clara is in a race against time before the murderer sends a third cast member to their unhappily ever after...
The perfect Golden Age mystery to curl up with by the fire. Fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright will be gripped by this historical crime novel from the very first page."
Murder during holiday pantos are really my thing.
Death on the Scotland Express by Fliss Chester
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 243 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Someone on board has a deadly destination in mind...can Cressida stop them before it's too late?
After an eventful trip to the Scottish Highlands, Cressida Fawcett is looking forward to being back among her society friends in London. Enjoying an ice-cold martini in the lounge car of the express train, loyal pug Ruby on her lap, she's ready to blow off some steam!
But Cressida's hopes for a relaxing journey are dashed when a gunshot resounds through the carriages. Industrial tycoon Lewis Warriner has been shot dead in his cabin. And as this train has been racing through the countryside, the culprit must be among Cressy's fellow passengers...
Teaming up with Detective Andrews of Scotland Yard, also on his way back to London, they work their way through the suspects. Did Warriner's mistress, a famous dancer, see his death as her ticket on to the silver screen? Or was it the mysterious man who can’t take his eyes off Lewis’s close companion?
When the murder weapon is found in the compartment Mr Warriner's wife occupies alone, she becomes the chief suspect. Until there's another gunshot. When Cressida finds out that Andrews is hit, panic sets in, but she must try to stay calm.
But with her friend and co-investigator out of action, can Cressida get the journey, and the investigation, back on track? And will she catch the murderer before they reach their final destination?
Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss will absolutely love this addictive Golden Age cosy mystery."
Agatha Christie knew it, a locked room mystery involving a train will always be a classic, especially if the time period is just right.
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A new mess. A new mystery. It's up to Molly the maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty, in this standalone novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid, a Good Morning America Book Club pick.
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead - very dead - on the hotel's tearoom floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly's old foe, investigates the author's unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author's secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel's beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel's pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer's identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there's one thing she knows for sure, it's that secrets don't stay buried forever."
More secrets from the maid, a book I think everyone read.
The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor
Published by: Park Row
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From USA Today-bestselling Jillian Cantor, The Fiction Writer follows a writer hired by a handsome billionaire to write about his family history with Daphne Du Maurier and finds herself drawn into a tangled web of obsession, marital secrets, and stolen manuscripts.
The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel - a retelling of Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca - was a flop, her boyfriend of nine years just dumped her and she's battling a bad case of writer's block. So when her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA.
At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry "Ash" Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice named People's Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne Du Maurier. But when Olivia arrives at his Malibu estate, nothing is as it seems. The more Olivia digs into his grandmother's past, the more questions she has - and before she knows it, she's trapped in a Gothic mystery of her own.
With as many twists and turns as the California coast, The Fiction Writer is a page-turner that explores the boundaries of creative freedom and whose stories we have the right to tell."
I will ALWAYS read anything Du Maurier adjacent, especially if it plays with the supposed plagiarism of Rebecca.
Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Published by: 47north
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A gifted healer unravels the mysteries of a cursed estate - and its enigmatic owner - in a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre.
Salt and broom, make this room.
Safe and tight, against the night.
Trunks packed with potions and cures, Jane Aire sets out on a crisp, clear morning in October to face the greatest challenge of her sheltered girls'-school existence. A shadow lies over Thornfield Hall and its reclusive master, Edward Rochester. And he's hired her only as a last resort.
Jane stumbles again and again as she tries to establish a rapport with her prickly new employer, but he becomes the least of her worries as a mysterious force seems to work against her. The threats mount around both Jane and Rochester - who's becoming more intriguing and appealing to her by the day. Jane begins to fear her herb healing and protective charms may not be enough to save the man she's growing to love from a threat darker and more dangerous than either of them imagined."
I like to think the Daphne Du Maurier is looking down and is happy that I paired a book "about" her with a Bronte retelling...
Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Godly Heathens is the first book in H.E. Edgmon's YA contemporary fantasy duology The Ouroboros, in which a teen, Gem, finds out they're a reincarnated god from another world.
Maybe I have always just been bad at being human because I'm not one.
Gem Echols is a nonbinary Seminole teen living in the tiny town of Gracie, Georgia. Known for being their peers' queer awakening, Gem leans hard on charm to disguise the anxious mess they are beneath. The only person privy to their authentic self is another trans kid, Enzo, who's a thousand long, painful miles away in Brooklyn.
But even Enzo doesn't know about Gem's dreams, haunting visions of magic and violence that have always felt too real. So how the hell does Willa Mae Hardy? The strange new girl in town acts like she and Gem are old companions, and seems to know things about them they've never told anyone else.
When Gem is attacked by a stranger claiming to be the Goddess of Death, Willa Mae saves their life and finally offers some answers. She and Gem are reincarnated gods who've known and loved each other across lifetimes. But Gem - or at least who Gem used to be - hasn't always been the most benevolent deity. They've made a lot of enemies in the pantheon - enemies who, like the Goddess of Death, will keep coming.
It's a good thing they've still got Enzo. But as worlds collide and the past catches up with the present, Gem will discover that everyone has something to hide."
It's never a good thing when your past life you can't remember comes calling.
Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A hilariously fresh and romantic send-up to You've Got Mail about a gamer girl with a secret identity and the online bestie she's never met IRL until she unwittingly transfers to his school, from the bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, and Well, That Was Unexpected.
Seventeen-year-old Kiki Siregar is a fabulous gamer girl with confidence to boot. She can't help but be totally herself...except when she's online.
Her secret? She plays anonymously as a guy to avoid harassment from other male players. Even her online best friend - a cinnamon roll of a teen boy who plays under the username Sourdawg - doesn't know her true identity. Which is fine, because Kiki doesn't know his real name either, and it's not like they're ever going to cross paths IRL.
Until she transfers to an elite private school for her senior year and discovers that Sourdawg goes there, too.
But who is he? How will he react when he finds out Kiki's secret? And what happens when Kiki realizes she's falling for her online BFF?"
Firstly, so here for the You've Got Mail vibe, but also, I know so many people who've played different genders in games for protection, that I am so here for it.
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Heartstopper meets A Knight's Tale in this queer medieval rom com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.
It's been hundreds of years since King Arthur's reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other.
They're forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen's childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom's only lady knight, Bridget Leclair.
Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, they make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen's royal brother. Lex Croucher's Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love."
I am here for this swoony Arthurian tale!
The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"This gloriously transportive reimagining of The Nutcracker tells the tale of twin sisters, divided by envy and magic, set against each another one fateful Christmas Eve.
Light and dark - this is the cursed birthright placed upon Clara and Natasha by their godfather, Drosselmeyer, whose power and greed hold an entire city in his sway. Charming Clara, the favorite, grows into a life of beauty and ease, while Natasha is relegated to her sister's shadow, ignored and unloved.
But Natasha seizes the opportunity for revenge one Christmas Eve, when Drosselmeyer arrives at the family gala with the Nutcracker, an enchanted gift that offers entry into an alternate world: the Kingdom of Sweets.
Following Clara into the glittering land of snow and sugar, Natasha discovers a source of power far greater than Drosselmeyer: the Sugar Plum Fairy, who offers her own wondrous gifts...and chilling bargains. But as Natasha uncovers the truth about a dark destiny crafted long before her birth, she must reckon with forces both earthly and magical, human and diabolical, and decide to which world she truly belongs."
I've never been a fan of The Nutcracker until I read Leigh Bardugo's short story retelling, and now I can't get enough of them! Bring on the better Nutcrackers!
The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper
Published by: Harper Muse
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A botanical illustration of a butterfly, a missing baby, and a twisty mystery fifty years in the making.
1868, Morpeth. Theodora Breckenridge, still in mourning after the loss of her parents and brother at sea, is more interested in working quietly on her art at the family's country estate than she is in finding a husband in Sydney society, even if her elder sister Florence has other ideas. Theodora seeks to emulate prestigious nature illustrators, the Scott sisters, who lived nearby. She cannot believe her luck when she discovers a butterfly never before seen in Australia. With the help of her maid Clarrie and her beautiful drawings, Theodora is poised to make a scientific discovery that will put her name on the map. Then Clarrie's newborn son goes missing and everything changes.
1922, Sydney. When would-be journalist Verity Binks is sent an anonymous parcel containing a spectacular butterfly costume along with an invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball the same day she loses her job at The Arrow, she is both baffled and determined to attend. Her late grandfather, Sid, an esteemed newspaperman, would expect no less of her. At the ball, she lands a juicy commission to write the history of the Treadwell Foundation, an institution that supports disgraced young women and their babies. As she begins to dig, her research quickly leads her to an increasingly dark and complex mystery - a mystery fifty years in the making. Can she solve it? And will anyone believe her if she does?"
Firstly, I am totally obsessed with Australia at the moment. Add to that a twisty historical mystery and I am all in.
Ruined by Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searle, and Niki Smith
Published by: First Second
Publication Date: November 28th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For fans of Bridgerton comes a Regency-era romance graphic novel about the unexpected passion that blooms from a marriage of convenience.
The whole town is whispering about how Catherine Benson lost her virtue, though they can never agree on the details. Was it in the public garden? Or a moving carriage?
Only a truly desperate man would want her now - and that's exactly what Andrew Davener is. His family's estate is in disrepair, but Catherine's sizeable dowry could set it to rights.
After the two wed, Catherine finds herself inexplicably drawn to Andrew. But could falling in love with her husband tear her marriage apart? In this richly detailed Regency romance, duty and passion collide in a slow-burn tale of intertwined fates."
I don't think many people remember that romance comics used to be commonplace. Let's make that happen again, starting with the swoony Regency read!
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