strange and random happenstance

The Witch Below by H.G. Parry
Published by: Redhook
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of The Magician's Daughter comes a historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn, perfect for fans of The Everlasting and The Once and Future King.

Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe and bombs fall from the sky, people all over the world begin to dream of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a fantastical plague, flooding people's sleep night after night. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights - dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Self-proclaimed prophets claim they are miracles, heralding Arthur's return at the time of Britain's greatest need.

Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn't believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum's collection from the London Blitz, and is frustrated to be sent instead to catalogue a reclusive professor's private library on the coast of North Wales. But all is not as it seems. Soon Ellie must confront what she's tried to ignore: she dreams not of Arthur, but of Nimue - the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation, but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot."

The Arthurian geek in me is screaming for H.G. Parry's newest book!

The Haunting of Old Splinter by Jack Mackay
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Innocent wishes turn decidedly sinister in this chilling horror for fans of Katherine Arden and R.L. Stine.

Peter and his half brother, Adrian, live in the shadow of Old Splinter - a formerly lavish estate now in ruins. Rumored to have once housed an eccentric magician, it's now home to little more than spiderwebs and mold. Tasked with renovating the crumbling mansion on behalf of their wealthy uncle, Peter's stepdad is at his wits' end. And the cracks are beginning to show in their once-happy cottage.

A mysterious local legend may be their only hope. The wishing claw, a magical hand that grants your deepest desires, has spell-bound townsfolk for centuries. If it's real - if he can find it - then Peter might just save his family! But wishes are tricky things and they always come with a price. What starts innocently enough soon unearths much more than Peter bargained for, including a dark secret lurking in the walls of the mansion...and a monstrous hunger that comes knocking at his door."

Because maybe the house was meant to stay abandoned... 

Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden comes a high concept horror novel about a man trying to protect his dead mother's body from the evil that is hunting them.

Maggie Wise will take your eyes.

When Malcolm was growing up, the local kids made up that chant about his mother, claiming she was a witch. He and his siblings did their best to ignore it. Now, Maggie is dying, and those same siblings have left Malcolm and his sister-in-law Violet to hold a vigil at her bedside.

But they're not as alone as they think they are. A dark figure waits and watches from beneath the willow tree across the street. Hundreds of miles away, an ancient evil stirs in its burrow under a farmer's cornfield. Across the country, other buried things begin to dream in anticipation of Maggie's demise. On her deathbed, the old woman elicits a promise from Malcolm, her youngest child - when she dies, he and Violet must return her body to her birthplace in Shediak, Maine.

From the moment she takes her last breath, before her remains are even loaded aboard the baggage car of the Imperial Limited, there are forces trying to stop Malcolm from fulfilling that promise. Violence erupts on the train, evil preys on its passengers, and once the sun goes down, those long-buried things are coming to make Maggie Wise pay for her past. God help anyone who stands in their way."

I mean, I'm always here for anything Christopher Golden writes, but damn, that specter beneath the willow has me coming out in a cold sweat. 

The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson
Published by: Hanover Square Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The cozy fantasy of TJ Klune meets the creeping horror of T. Kingfisher in this magical novel about a man who enters a deadly enchanted forest expecting it to endanger his life, but not his heart...

Clockmaker Arthur Throckmorton lives a quiet life with his sister and her children, only dreaming of adventure. So when a wealthy client offers him a job that involves traversing Shiftleaf - an enchanted forest that claimed his father decades ago - he reluctantly accepts. The forest is treacherous, but the money will change his family's lives.

The journey quickly turns perilous. Fleeing from monstrous birds, Arthur stumbles upon a hidden vale where he meets the Lord of the Wood - a figure from his father's many stories. Instead of the fairy prince Arthur always imagined, Ira is a morose man, slowly transforming into a beast, his power over a dying forest waning.

Arthur enjoys the safety of the vale, and Ira's company. But he yearns for his family. To safely return home and rescue Ira from a cursed and lonely existence, Arthur and Ira must reach the heart of the wood to heal the forest. Except the further they venture from the vale, the more beastly Ira becomes. If they can't complete their mission before he turns completely, Arthur could lose the man he's falling for - and never see his family again."

Can I just say, this cover design captures the eye and the spirit of the book. Sheer perfection.

The Winter Folk by Jen Julian
Published by: Run for It
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A woman returns to the mysterious lodge in the woods where she once worked, and to the inscrutable creature that bound her there, in this haunting Appalachian gothic horror from singular voice Jen Julian. Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher.

This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.

Every year, the mythical Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge, a place known only as Deerhaven.

Moth was a housekeeper there once. A trusted confidant of Mr. Oslin, the enigmatic master of the house.

But Deerhaven is dangerous. The rules are exacting. The consequences for break them are dire.

Moth has not been allowed back in decades. Still, she feels its call. She will finder her way back. She needs to see him again. No matter the cost."

I can never get enough of Gothic horror. Especially one you throw in a mysterious lodge and its tenants. 

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring by Patrick Horvath
Published by: IDW Dark
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Eisner-nominated cozy-horror comic series returns in this sequel to the critically acclaimed first volume!

It's been eight long years since a bloodlusting brown bear drove into the city, kidnapped a kind young duck, dissected his body, and buried the pieces in the woods. The duck's family painstakingly sought justice…but this brown bear was smart...she covered her tracks…and in the '80s, there simply wasn't a way for the duck's family to find answers.

But it's not the '80s anymore. Almost a decade after cuddly brown bear Samantha Strong solidified herself as the sole serial killer in Woodbrook, the world is entering a new era. As Samantha will soon find out, there are no secrets in the age of the internet. And those who lost loved ones to her massacre haven't given up the flame of justice.

A reckoning is coming to Woodbrook. Join visionary writer and artist Patrick Horvath as he returns to the hit series that has taken the comic world by storm!"

I simply adored the first volume in this series, but to apparently wrap it up here seemed precipitous and wrong. Mainly because the focus shifts from Samantha onto the families of the victims and it just feels off.

The Mortons by Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld
Published by: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Meet the Mortons: In this family, murder is currency - and business is booming.

The Mortons are a modern-day, old-money dynasty with impeccable taste, from their exquisitely crafted cocktails to their expertly tailored vintage garments. They are also stone-cold killers. For the Mortons, homicide is heritage.

They, along with the other crime families, send their progeny to Helshire College, where legacy students learn to exercise control over their wealthy peers. Jessica Morton has always excelled at Helshire, secure in the knowledge that she is the prodigy of her generation. Now, having committed her first kill, it should be Jessica's moment, her honor. But that kill will cut more ways than one, unknotting a series of revelations spanning the Mortons' country estate, the New York City art world, and Helshire itself.

Sharp and hypnotic, The Mortons is an epic novel of alliances and power, loyalty and kinship, and the consequences of ruthless ambition."

Ready or Not meets Dark Academia. 

Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An addictive killer-thriller following an aspiring crime journalist's investigation into a case that blurs the line between art and life - perfect for fans of Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing painting by a mysterious artist, she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately for her, her Art History professor dad buys it immediately. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town's gallery.

But when a series of gruesome crimes rock the community and her father's gallery becomes the epicenter of a deadly game, Fliss discovers that the paintings may hold the key to a killer's identity.

Haunted by the specter of a serial killer, Fliss races against time to solve the mystery before it claims another victim. In a world where every brushstroke hides a sinister secret, can she unravel the clues before she becomes a killer's muse?"

A combination of my favorite things, art and murder!

Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Natasha Mason's AA sponsor is in deadly danger, she turns to the cranky yet brilliant Julia Mann for help, in this exciting new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of One Death at a Time.

Mason, a Gen Z adrenaline junkie, and Mann, an ex-con, ex-actress, and lawyer turned sleuth, have already solved one murder together. United by their commitment to sarcasm and general disappointment with the human race, they now face a second crime that's way too close to home. Alexa Rousso keeps having accidents, and no one but her thinks it's a coincidence. Could her checkered past be coming back to get her? Mason and Mann's investigation takes them to the Bay Area, to the Central Coast, and - of course - to the hippest spots in Los Angeles. Will the Berkeley boho vibe convert Mann from vintage couture? Will the wine snobs of Ojai drive Mason to drink (or to vinicide, which isn't even a thing)? More importantly, will they solve the mystery before the murderer's sights settle on the detectives themselves, or will this new challenge also be their last?"

Vinicide should be a thing.

The Masala Chai Mystery Club by MJ Soni
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Suspects abound when a much-despised neighbor is killed, perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building and Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club.

Retired librarian Neeti Shah was hoping for a restful life with her chai-loving friends, but when the body of a neighbor, a childhood friend of Neeti's, turns up dead and the killer's MO is similar to that of Neeti's most recent book club read, things start to get out of control.

When Neeti hears a commotion at a neighbor's house, she finds Rohit's body sprawled across the bottom of the staircase with Agatha Christie's Dumb Witness nearby. Blackmailing his neighbors, threatening them with lawsuits, and calling them by nasty nicknames were only some of the hateful things that made him so disliked. But were they angry enough to kill?

Neeti is indebted to her old friend, and she's determined to find his killer. But she can't do it alone, so she enlists her mystery-loving friends, the Masala Chai Mystery Club, to get to the bottom of the murder.

But Neeti and her club members need to be careful. As more bodies turn up and more suspects start to appear, they'll need to find the killer before they end up in hot water!"

I mean, what could go wrong if the book club has read enough murder mysteries? 

Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncelli
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"DCI Lilian Wyles is confronted by a troubling case, one that only the four queens of crime can help solve - even amidst the ongoing war efforts.

Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh are back in the follow-up novel to The Four Queens of Crime.

1941, London. When DCI Lilian Wyles finds a young woman murdered at King's Cross Station, she needs the help of someone she can trust, but Richard Davidson, her former Scotland Yard partner, has joined MI5 and is busy tracking black market routes outside of London, so for now, she is on her own.

After having met the four queens of crime during a murder investigation two years earlier, DCI Wyles has kept in touch. But Agatha, Dorothy, Margery, and Ngaio are all involved in the war effort and have problems of their own.

Agatha is volunteering at the University Hospital Pharmacy, where a dangerous anesthetic has been stolen. Dorothy has heard unsettling information from her connections at the BBC regarding members of the Royal Navy. Margery, who has been in the countryside helping families escape the city from the bombing, is worried about one of her charges whose older sister has gone missing. And Ngaio, who has relocated to New Zealand and is volunteering as an ambulance driver, has begun gathering secret intelligence from wounded soldiers and sailors that may put her in danger.

When the four queens contact DCI Wyles for help, the information they share makes the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place. DCI Wyles once again finds herself collaborating with her old partners in crime to solve the mystery and close the case in this thrilling sequel, perfect for fans of Nicola Upson and Anna Lee Huber."

I mean, obviously they've all learned part of the solution in the disparate locals. 

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Novel Love Story meets Love in the Time of Serial Killers in this rom-com following Roxie Mitchell, an adventure-loving romance reader who finds herself trapped in a meet-cute turned murderous.

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favorite author's next novel, she has romance in mind - namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted and she finds herself swept into a first date with a handsome stranger who seems designed to take her breath away.

Except for one little hiccup: That handsome stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist - but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.

Thrown into a perilous genre she's never read, Roxie is desperate for help. So when her escape takes her straight into the path of Grant Hoffman, an anxious English professor with a convenient love of crime novels, she decides that kidnapping a grown man is a small price to pay for her own survival. Together, Roxie and Grant navigate a madcap story in which the lines between fiction and reality blur. They'll find out if they have what it takes to make it to The End - or maybe even Happily Ever After."

Who has never read a mystery novel!?! I mean, that's the real mystery that needs to be answered here!

Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The next delectable mystery featuring quick-witted, unforgettable Savvy Summers, owner of a soul food café in Chicago.

Savvy has her work cut out when an old friend hires her to cater a company luncheon at a nearby office building on Chicago's South Side. Stepping out of her traditional soul food comfort zone, Savvy whips together a menu of Creole classics, with her own spin, of course - mini po'boys with assorted fillings, sunburst salad, and bread pudding using Great Aunt Essie's famous buttermilk biscuits.

But when someone is found dead in the company's conference room, Savvy's culinary creations are suddenly in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. While the focus should be on their delicious flavors and inventive techniques, Savvy's beloved café instead becomes the center of a murder investigation once again.

Caught within a messy web of gossip, miscommunication, and fraught coworker relationships, Savvy will have to settle the confusion to clear her name. Somebody's hiding something, and with the help of her trusty assistant manager, Penny Lopés, Savvy sets out uncover exactly who is to blame. With familiar faces turning up the heat on her investigation and her café still in hot water, will Savvy be able to save her reputation before it's too late?"

Question, how many murder investigations centering on one restaurant have to happen before it's closed as a nuisance? 

Our Marriage is Murder by Carol Goodman
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the latest thrilling mystery from Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author Carol Goodman, a writers' conference at an Italian castle turns deadly when a killer begins using a husband-and-wife writing team's novel as a blueprint for murder.

Fred and Thea Morgan-Lane are the envy of the mystery community, the perfect partners in life and in writing. Together they coauthor the wildly successful Death Takes a Holiday series, and they've been invited to the Italian castle where it all began for a mystery conference celebrating their first novel, Death Takes the Castle.

But their story isn't quite the fairytale it seems to outsiders. Twenty years and twenty books after they met, Thea wants out. Their marriage and partnership haven't been working for some time, and what better place to announce the end of the series than where it started?

Except shortly after their arrival at the beautiful Castellarosa, a shocking death takes place when the wrong person drinks a cocktail meant for Thea. The stunned conference-goers put it down to an unknown allergy, but Thea isn't so sure. Could someone be trying to kill her? Perhaps her loving husband isn't as ok with their series ending as he pretends, or maybe Nadine, the upstart young author who is vying to take Thea's place, wants her out of the way. Suddenly, it seems like everyone has a motive, and when a second death occurs, a disturbing pattern emerges - these deaths aren't random, they're following the murders in Death Takes a Castle exactly. Murders that Thea and Fred wrote.

In order to save the day - and maybe even their marriage - the unhappy couple will have to work together to figure out who is using their book as a blueprint for a killing spree. That is, if they can trust the person they've spent twenty years plotting murders with..."

I mean, for a superfan, ending a series by ending the authors would make a kind of sick sense...

How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After the untimely death of her bestselling crime novelist mother, a young woman teams up with the fictional "ghost" of the heroine from her mother's series in order to solve her mother's murder.

After the tragic death of bestselling crime writer Annie Morrisey, her daughter, Niamh, moves into her mother's country cottage to take care of her mother's estate. Shut away from the world, Niamh doesn't actually have to deal with the grief of her mother's untimely passing. Until the day that two things happen: the advance copy of her mother's final book lands on the doorstep and Leah Rebecca Overton appears in the kitchen.

Having a stranger show up in your house would be concerning at the best of times, but Leah isn't a stranger - she's the ultra-competent sleuth heroine from Annie's novels. The antithesis of Niamh in every way, she's lived in the fictitious character's shadow for years. But why (and how) has Leah turned up now? And why can only Niamh see her? Leah is the last thing Niamh wants in her house or in her head, but she can't ignore the sleuth...especially when Leah suspects there may have been more to Annie's death than first suspected."

Shades of Aunt Dimity. 

I Know the Ants by Lang Leav
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young woman's life spirals out of her control after her childhood best friend publishes a memoir that discusses the tragic events of their childhood, in this beautiful, powerful novel from the internationally bestselling author of Others Were Emeralds.

Mei's life isn't what she thought it would be. She's still entangled in a love triangle with Jacques and Kath that began when they were teens; her parents are drowning in debt; and she's stuck pulling off identity fraud jobs for her cruel auntie and her auntie's nauseating son, who won't leave Mei alone.

But Mei's world begins to truly unravel when she hears her childhood best friend Soey's voice for the first time in years, being interviewed on the radio about her new memoir, chronicling the childhood attack that left Soey with brain damage and killed her younger sister. When Mei reconnects with Soey, the leader of their childhood friend group known as the Daisy Chain, their encounter kicks off a series of events that culminate in another shocking death, putting Mei squarely in the public eye. As past and present collide, Mei starts spiraling after Soey implores her to find out who killed Daiyu - a search that leads Mei to uncover what happened that dark day in the woods behind their school, all those years ago.

Revered for her lyrical imagery, emotional acumen, and thoughtful voice, Lang Leav uses her gifts to brilliant effect, exploring unsolved mysteries, cycles of trauma and abuse, and the answers to a timeless question: how do you honor someone's memory without losing sight of yourself?"

I mean, life often doesn't turn out as expected for those who suffer trauma at a young age.

Give Me Everything You're Got by Imogen Crimp
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hot to the touch, an "utterly addictive" (Colin Walsh) modern gothic about a promising young filmmaker pushed to the brink.

In the middle of an unrelenting heat-wave, up-and-coming filmmaker Ruby arrives at the country house of her idol, Ellen. An iconoclastic feminist director, Ellen has offered Ruby mentorship and a room of her own in which to write her next film. Ellen's home is like something out of a dream - grand and imposing, with sprawling gardens and a shimmering swimming pool. But tension thrums beneath the picture-perfect surface. Ellen's reputation is under fire, and she chastises Ruby for refusing to turn her trauma into art. Meanwhile, Ellen's mercurial twenty-year-old daughter, Lara, lounges by the pool under the blistering sun, drawing her mother's latest houseguest towards her like a moth to a flame.

As her hopes for an artistic summer retreat unravel, Ruby finds herself entangled in a dangerous dynamic between mother and daughter, waiting for the heat to break. Ellen and Lara seem to be playing games with her, and only they know the rules. Soon the house itself begins to feel haunted, and Ruby has the unnerving sensation that she's not the first promising young woman to fall under its spell.

An incendiary fever dream of a novel set during one sun-bleached July, Imogen Crimp's Give Me Everything You've Got explores the dark corners of ambition, exploitation, and what it takes to be a woman artist."

I love the cat and mouse dynamic with a side of manipulation. 

The Subtle Pleasures of Indiscretion by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Pantheon
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this latest installment of the beloved Isabel Dalhousie series, everyone's favorite moral philosopher and amateur sleuth takes on a new set of delicate disputes.

Isabel has an unwavering commitment to her principles, which means she is often asked to advise on the sensitive, personal affairs of others - even those whose business she would prefer to stay out of.

When Isabel receives a surprise visit from a friend who has recently discovered the existence of a long-lost brother, she will have to face this quandary in her usual deft and thoughtful way. The friend has always held her father in high regard, and is worried that knowledge of his affair will tarnish her siblings' perception of him. Meanwhile, Isabel's husband Jamie has been offered the gig of his dreams - the opportunity to play in a series of concerts at a prestigious venue in London. After meeting the series coordinator, it becomes clear to Isabel that the woman has a massive crush on Jamie. Isabel isn't sure whether to reveal the woman's intentions. Should she tell Jamie of her suspicions, or would that mean calling his talent into question?

And finally, the ever-frustrating Professor Lettuce returns, this time embroiled in a ridiculous dispute with his friend Professor Dove. Somehow, Isabel gets dragged into resolving the affair. As always, Isabel will have to use her pragmatic sensibility and kindness to navigate these tricky situations."

Hopefully she knows enough by now to trust her husband...

Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A fresh take on Groundhog Day with a dash of Practical Magic meets the magical escapism of One Italian Summer in this heartfelt and hilarious novel following a friend group so damaged that only a funeral could bring them back together.

When Babe - the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers - dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.

Didion arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she'd see again - along with the tensions, attractions, and unfinished business that once bound them together and broke them apart.

What should be a brief weekend of small talk quickly unravels when they wake up and discover...it's Saturday. Again. And again. And again.

Trapped in a time loop with no end and no instructions, they're forced to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that shattered them all those years ago. Because maybe, just maybe, an endless weekend is exactly what they all need to save their own lives."

Time loop to heal the trauma!

The Story Keeper by Kelly Rimmer
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the aftermath of a tumultuous year, Fiona Winslow finds solace in the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, the rambling family estate she once called home. Intent on restoring it, she discovers the keys to more than just the dilapidated mansion - beneath the crumbling plaster and dust are secrets that have been buried for a generation.

When a curious book, The Midnight Estate, catches her attention in her late uncle's library, Fiona is plunged into a tale that mirrors her own - a story of love, loss and betrayal. But as the lines between fiction and reality blur, Fiona must ask herself: Is the true mystery the one hidden within the walls of her ancestral home, or is it within the pages of a book that chose her as much as she chose it?

Told in a dual narrative and set against the Gothic backdrop of Wurimbirra, Kelly Rimmer, bestselling author of The Things We Cannot Say, weaves an intricate and compelling tale, inviting readers into the heart of a family's deepest secrets with an absorbing book-within-a-book mystery."

An estate and a book that calls to you? Where can I sign up for this experience? 

Prince of Swords by Elise Kova
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome back to Arcana Academy. Tarot magic, forbidden desire, battle, and betrayal collide for the power to change the world in the thrilling second book of this New York Times bestselling fantasy romance series.

I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.

Clara Graysword is Oricalis's most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time...until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara's fate. If she dares to trust them.

But the most dangerous alliance of all is one she's already deeply ensnared within: Prince Kaelis.

Kaelis, second-born prince of Oricalis and headmaster of Arcana Academy, is the one man she can't escape - maybe she doesn't want to escape. Ruthless, dangerous, and bound to Clara by destiny and desire, Kaelis tests her heart as much as her loyalty. Together, they grow closer to the most powerful secrets of the tarot...and to the truths they both hide that could destroy the passion that they no longer deny.

Hidden in plain sight within Arcana Academy, Clara walks the dagger's edge. Revelations about Oricalis threaten everything she thought she knew, and every choice she makes is the difference between salvation and ruin.

To change the world, Clara must risk everything - her power, her beliefs, and her heart."

Your new Romantasy obsession. 

Henry Tudor Must Die by Jillian Laine
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One queen exiled. Another headed for the gallows. Both hungry for revenge. England's most infamous queens unite in vengeance against Henry VIII.

Anne Boleyn is going to die, and neither her cleverness nor her witchery can save her. So when her late rival, Catalina de Aragón, miraculously appears in her cell at the Tower of London on the eve of her execution, very much alive and offering a daring escape plan, no one is more surprised than Anne.

Lina doesn't have Anne's magic - but she has just as much hate for England's wretched king. Severed from her daughter and stripped of all her influence, Lina breathes only for the Hellebore Sisterhood, a clandestine and powerful society with a vested interest in keeping both queens alive...and using their particular skills to advance womankind.

Anne and Lina's old rivalries pale in comparison to a common enemy. And they're not alone. Anna von Kleve, Kat Howard, and even Catherine Parr all have their own bones to pick with the king. One by one, they capture their pawns, infiltrating the court and eliminating the men who plotted against them. Always inching closer to their true target...

And they want his head."

I mean, we need more feminist reinterpretations of vengeance on Henry VIII.

Livia by Caitlin C. Gillespie
Published by: Yale University Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A bold new portrait of Livia, ancient Rome's first First Lady, who shaped the empire from behind the throne.

Livia was no ordinary Roman woman. As wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius - the first and second Roman emperors - she stood at the heart of the first imperial dynasty, wielding extraordinary influence in a world that denied women formal power. In this vivid biography, Caitlin C. Gillespie reclaims Livia (59 or 58 BCE-29 CE) from centuries of scandal and rumored villainy, tracing her journey from elite birth and early traumatic exile through her rise to wealth and influence as the matriarch of the imperial household.

Drawing on literary and archaeological sources, Gillespie explores Livia's inner life through her personal losses, including the death of her son Drusus; her political savvy; and her later life as Julia Augusta, high priestess of Augustus's divine cult. Though she never held an official political position, Livia emerges as a complex figure whose story of ambition, resilience, and maternal power resonates over millennia, captivating audiences from antiquity through today."

But I like thinking of her as having ulterior motives and perhaps a dash of villainy... 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Abbi Waxman, Alexander McCall Smith, Caitlin C. Gillespie, Carol Goodman, Christopher Golden, Elise Kova, H.G. Parry, Imogen Crimp, Jillian Laine, Kelly Rimmer, Lang Leav, Paige Harbison, Sandra Jackson-Opoku, Sarah Lotz

Royal Gambit by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A delightful and hilarious supernatural adventure featuring a lady-in-waiting who must keep the court safe from murder, from the author of The Rook.

Alexandra Dennis-Palmer-Hudson-Gilmore-Garnsey (call me "Alix"), the twelfth Lady Mondegreen, has never had any control of her life. Her ability to shatter bones with a touch made her the automatic property of the Checquy, the secret British government agency that deals with the supernatural. Her aristocratic ancestry made Alix the perfect asset for the Checquy to deploy close to the royal family. Since childhood, she has been coached to befriend Princess Louise, second in line to the throne, but the two have never been close. Now, Alix is a skilled operative who investigates unexplained phenomena for the security of the nation.

Everything changes when Louise's brother, the Prince of Wales, dies abruptly and all signs point to an assassination by preternatural means. To protect Louise, the new heir apparent, Alix is assigned to be her lady-in-waiting. Thrust into the limelight overnight - both in the everyday world and in the underground world of the Checquy - Alix must juggle her responsibilities and her loyalties as she attempts to unravel the murder, keep Louise safe, and learn how to smile graciously while eerie threats loom around every corner."

I feel spoiled. TWO Checquy books in three years!?! Heaven!

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

"Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches": That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva - stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that's why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay's most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay's manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved."

Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes Dark Academia!?! YAS!

A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands.

Stubborn, plain-spoken and from an unimpressive family, Lydia Polk never expected to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. Now, with Hitler's army rampaging across Europe, the witches of Britain have joined the war effort, and Lydia is key to the cause: she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. When a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, the coven is left shaken, exposed and divided. The elder British witches have no interest in further loss of coven life in service of a government that has forced them into hiding for decades, no matter the consequences to the world. But with the discovery of the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book that leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes, Lydia knows her mission has never been more urgent.

Alone and woefully outnumbered, Lydia makes her way to the heart of occupied France, where she finds allies in Rebecca Gagne - a fierce French resistance fighter chockful of secrets - and Henry Boudreaux - a handsome Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. Together, they traverse the country, stalked by the natural and supernatural alike, in search of the grimoire. But, as Lydia soon discovers, finding the book is only half the battle - the Grimorium Bellum has a dark agenda all its own. Lydia must subdue it before the Witches of the Third Reich can use it - but she'll have to survive the book herself, first."

I usually avoid WWII fare, unless it involves the supernatural and in particular witches. Witches for the win!

Bottling His Ghosts by S.H. Cooper
Published by: Raw Dog Screaming Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 132 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After a tragic accident leaves her widowed, Netta flees home to Daunderhead hoping for the space to process her grief. Instead, she finds her cousin, Thorn, once like a brother to her, swimming at the bottom of every bottle he can find. Her parents, unable to break him from his alcoholic stupor, have grown despondent and resigned to his fate; and her once beautiful childhood home has fallen into the grasp of nefarious ghosts whose goals remain unclear. Refusing to allow another tragedy to befall her family, Netta takes it upon herself to help her cousin and - hopefully - stop the hauntings."

Ghosts do love their drunks...

The House at Devil's Neck by Tom Mead
Published by: Mysterious Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An apparent suicide in a London townhouse uncannily mirrors a similar incident from twenty-five years ago, prompting Scotland Yard's George Flint to delve deep into the past in search of the solution to a long-forgotten mystery.

Meanwhile, Joseph Spector travels with a coach party through the rainy English countryside to visit an allegedly haunted house on a lonely island called Devil's Neck. The house, first built by a notorious alchemist and occultist, was later used as a field hospital in the First World War before falling into disrepair. The visitors hold a seance to conjure the spirit of a long-dead soldier. But when a storm floods the narrow causeway connecting Devil's Neck to the mainland, they find themselves stranded in the haunted house. Before long, the guests begin to die one by one, and it seems that the only possible culprit is the phantom soldier.

Flint's and Spector's investigations are in fact closely linked, but it is only when the duo are reunited at the storm-lashed Devil's Neck that the truth is finally revealed. Tom Mead once again creates a brilliant homage to John Dickson Carr and the Golden Age of mysteries with this intricately plotted puzzle."

A seance and a setup equal to The Woman in Black!?! YAS!

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In "a delicious escape that blends suspense, atmosphere, and heart" (Danielle Trussoni), #1 international bestselling author Lisa Scottoline crafts a sweeping Gothic tale in which a young widow, emotionally distraught after the shocking death of her husband, inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy. Twisty, transportive, and haunting - this is suspense with a passport.

Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she's cursed. She's lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.

Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard - but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.

There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse with delusions of grandeur, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi, and even to Caterina. Then she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.

Before long, Julia suspects she's being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her disturbed mind. When events turn deadly, she breaks with reality. Julia's harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival."

Well, once you start believing in astrology and break with reality is sure to follow. 

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the latest thrilling suspense novel from Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author Carol Goodman, a group of mystery authors gathers on a secluded Greek island for a writers retreat, only to discover that their enigmatic host has been murdered and everyone present is a suspect.

They'll kill for inspiration...

Fifteen years ago, Maia Gold attended a prestigious - and very exclusive - writers retreat hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander on the Greek island of Eris. It's where she wrote her first book, the one that should have launched a brilliant career. But something dark happened on that island, a betrayal that has hung over Maia ever since.

Now, Maia finds a familiar envelope in the mail. It's an invitation to return to Eris, and according to social media, she's not the only one from that first retreat who's been invited back. This could be the second chance Maia needs to jump-start her dreams. A chance for reconciliation...or revenge.

Almost all of the writers from fifteen years before have returned to Eris, bringing unresolved resentments with them. Soon, the guests learn that their illustrious host is absent, though he has left instructions for them to participate in a contest: whoever can write the most suspenseful mystery while on the island will win a fortune and literary acclaim. But this is no harmless game - when the guests gather in the morning to share their first chapters, they find Argos Alexander, dead.

Tensions simmer as the guests try to determine who's capable of murder, not just on the page, but in real life. On an island full of mystery writers, anyone could be the killer - and anyone could be the next victim. Trapped together until the next boat arrives from the mainland, they must sort out old grievances and figure out how to trust one another...or die one by one."

They're all there for revenge and it's time to die one by one. 

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The next riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party and One Big Happy Family, Jamie Day.

Will this be the best week of their lives...or the last?

Julia, David, and Erika grew up together spending summers at their idyllic Vermont lake homes for as long as they can remember. Now adults - with their own sullen teens, endless mortgages, and low-voltage sex lives - the three friends have amassed secrets over the years.

This summer, David is eager to show off his newly renovated home - which now blocks his friends' cherished lake views - and his much-younger girlfriend. He also, unwittingly, brings a nanny with a hidden agenda. What could possibly go wrong?

When David's girlfriend mysteriously vanishes after a shouting match, Julia and Erika wonder just how well they know their lifelong friend. The lake harbors a harrowing past: two young women, with no known connection, vanished without a trace thirty years ago. Did the lake take another?

As a search is mounted, an intricate web of lies, deceits, and betrayals spanning generations starts to surface, and everyone finds themselves in danger of becoming the next victim. Of the lake, or something darker."

David deserves to die for his new house.

The Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Lucy Foley and Society of Lies comes a crackling study abroad thriller that proves that a trip of a lifetime can have deadly consequences...

Ten years ago
A study abroad program like no other: a month-long trip of education and adventure, exploring everything Australia has to offer. And at first, it's everything best friends Phoebe and Claire, and the rest of the student group expects: sunshine, whirlwind romance, and all-night parties. But it isn't long before cracks begin to form within the group. Ones that lead to Phoebe's disappearance...

Now
It's the call Claire has been waiting for years for. Phoebe's remains have been found. It's time to return, for her and the others to go back to Australia. But as Claire retraces their steps and tries to piece together exactly what happened to her best friend all those years ago, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the group has secrets. Including Claire.

Because only she knows what really happened that fateful day ten years ago. The day she killed her best friend. And she'll do anything she can to keep the others from learning the truth."

Oh yes, murderous students abroad in Australia! 

The Goldens by Lauren Wilson
Published by: Flatiron Books: Pine and Cedar
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A delicious, intoxicating debut thriller about a young woman who is swept into a glamorous world of fascinating influencers, glittering parties - and possibly murder.

Chloe has always dreamed of becoming a bestselling writer. Then she meets Clara Holland, a prominent influencer, socialite, and model. Clara is enigmatic, dazzling, gorgeous. And at last, ordinary Chloe has something to write about.

Bonding instantly, Chloe moves into Clara's grand family estate. They spend long afternoons together, writing Clara's memoir, polishing social media posts, and planning sumptuous, decadent parties: fairy lights in the orangery, themed cocktails, sequined backdrops, roaring bonfires. But as Clara opens her home to more girls who want to live like her and inspire one another, the media calls them a cult.

As life becomes more claustrophobic, Chloe begins to hear unsettling rumors about Clara. When a girl goes missing after a spectacular New Year's Eve party, the rumors take on a sinister new meaning. If she can't escape Clara's influence, everything Chloe holds dear may be in danger.

Dark, gut-wrenching, and simmering with danger and atmosphere, The Goldens is about to be your newest obsession."

Totally here for the memoir turned true crime but I'm mostly here for this cover. Damn. Do you see how awesome that type is!?!

Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The #tradwife murder mystery we've all been waiting for. From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and the creator of the Under the Influence podcast comes an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grisly murder, a sudden disappearance, and the truly shocking revelation that everyone is lying to you about something...

Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.

Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a "traditional" Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.

One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition - an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.

At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.

Piazza's master storytelling and razor-sharp insight into the world of social media brings us a pulpy, juicy, and cleverly plotted read that will have you guessing all the way through and leave you gasping for more."

I love that even #tradwife can go murderous.

The Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones
Published by: S and S/Saga Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A must-have collector's item for horror fans, comprised of two novels, The Babysitters Lives and The Killer on the Road, from the new master of horror Stephen Graham Jones.

The Babysitter Lives

When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night studying: the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/Alaskan Native box on all the forms won't help if she chokes on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes.

Charlotte's last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte's mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter's worse nightmare has come true: they're not alone in the house.

The Killer on the Road

Sixteen-year-old Harper has decided to run away from home after she has another blow-out argument with her mother. However, her two best friends, little sister, and ex-boyfriend all stop her from hitchhiking her way up Route 80 in Wyoming by joining her on an intervention disguised as a road trip. What they don't realize is that Harper has been marked by a very unique serial killer who's been trolling the highway for the past three years, and now the killer is after all of them in this fast-paced and deadly chase novel that will have your heart racing well above the speed limit as the interstate becomes a graveyard."

The summer slasher double feature for those hot July nights.

Mrs Spy by M.J. Robotham
Published by: Aria
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Get ready for a pulse-pounding, laugh-out-loud ride through 1960s London as Maggie Flynn, unexpected MI5 operative and single mum, unravels the intelligence agency's most treacherous secrets.

Maggie Flynn isn't your typical 1960s mum.

She's a spy, an unsuspecting operative for MI5, stalking London's streets in myriad disguises.

Widowed and balancing her clandestine career with raising a Beatles-mad teenage daughter, Maggie finds comfort and purpose in her profession - providing a connection to her late husband, whose own covert past only surfaced after his death.

But Maggie's world spins out of control when a chance encounter with a mysterious Russian agent triggers a chilling revelation: he knew her husband. And what's worse, the agent suspects someone on home soil betrayed him.

As Maggie searches for answers, she'll question everyone - and everything - she thought she could trust. In the murky and perilous world of espionage, can she outsmart those determined to keep her silenced?"

Swinging sixties and spies? Oh yes.

Last Stop Union Station by Sarah James
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Murder, movie stars, and mystery await those who climb aboard this cross-country train, inspired by the real-life history of the Hollywood Victory Caravan.

Hollywood, 1942. Jacqueline Love's acting career is flailing. Suddenly on the wrong side of 40, parts are drying up, directors are calling her "difficult," and Humphrey Bogart has definitely stopped taking her calls. Desperate to cling to stardom, Jackie takes the only gig that will have her: the Hollywood Victory Caravan, a train full of movie stars crossing the country to fundraise for the war effort. Jackie wouldn't call herself patriotic, but with her life's work on the line, she'll do anything.

When a fellow star dies on board, everyone assumes the death was a tragic accident - but Jackie isn't so sure. Stuck in Chicago's Union Station, Jackie enlists the help of Grace, one of the few women in the police force, to investigate. But "difficult" outside of a movie set is dangerous, and when the pair fall into a homegrown Nazi scheme, Jackie must ask herself what's more important: her career, or her country?"

I love the old fashioned elegance of a train station. Union Station in Chicago is a favorite of mine.

Before the Fact by Francis Iles
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Unsettling and gripping, this innovative classic first published in 1932 was the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's film Suspicion, and remains an arresting and unique work of literary artistry. Anthony Berkeley Cox, writing as Francis Iles, flips the traditional mystery model of the crime genre to delve into the psychology, fears, and motives of a suspecting victim. This edition includes an introduction by CWA Diamond Dagger and Edgar(R) Award-winning author Martin Edwards.

"Some women give birth to murderers, some go to bed with them, and some marry them. Lina Aysgarth had lived with her husband for nearly eight years before she realized that she was married to a murderer."

With these opening words, Before the Fact ushers the reader into the dark and experimental world of Francis Iles's crime fiction.

Written in the wake of his ground-breaking murderer's-perspective novel Malice Aforethought, Before the Fact sees the author applying his signature flair for thrilling suspense and human insight. The twisting narrative is told from the viewpoint of a wife as she navigates a life with her disquieting yet charismatic husband - and the mounting peril of his murderous intentions."

I didn't know that Anthony Berkeley Cox wrote the book Suspicion was based on! Damn, he's such an awesome writer I must get this. Immediately. 

The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: eBook, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Paris, 1928: Agatha Christie and fellow writer Dorothy L. Sayers board the Orient Express, bound for Constantinople. Christie in particular is looking forward to a break from recent dispiriting events in both her work and private life - the finalisation of her divorce from her philanderous husband Archie, and the miserly reception of her latest book.

But before the duo can settle in to enjoy the luxuries of their first-class journey, their journey is derailed when a fellow guest drops dead during the dinner service. And as the last person to speak to the victim, Dorothy finds herself a prime suspect in his murder.

As the train hurtles East, Sayers' resourceful assistant Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate a maze of suspects. But with each passing mile, the stakes rise, and when another body is discovered, their search to find the killer before they reach their destination becomes increasingly complicated.

Can Eliza and Theo stay one step ahead, crack the mystery and clear Dorothy's name? Or will this be one journey too far for the amateur sleuths?"

Eh, do they really have to clear Dorothy's name?

Bandette Volume Five: The Wedding of B.D. Belgique by Paul Tobin and Collen Coover
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 120 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The three-time Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series continues with another heist!

A mysterious new villain known only as The Voice must be stopped, but they may be too much for Bandette alone...

The mysterious villain known only as The Voice has long held the reins of criminal power, and now Bandette sets out sights to thwart him...once and for all! With The Voice always seeming one step ahead, Bandette calls friends and enemies alike to her aid! She and her and crew discover that the key to taking down The Voice is to be found on the other side of a marriage altar, so it's time to prepare for...the wedding of B.D. Belgique!

The three-time Eisner Award-winning team of Paul Tobin (Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, The Mammoth) and Colleen Coover (Heart Acres, Banana Sunday) return you to the world of your favorite teenage burglar!"

I didn't know they were continuing with hardcover originals after the comics stopped being digitally released. This is a wonderful surprise.

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two fledgling tabletop gamers find themselves falling for each other - both in and out of their weekly D and D sessions - in this charming, fantasy-tinged romance.

When Sadie Brooks unexpectedly loses her marketing job, she flees New York City to spend the summer with her best friend in small-town Texas, where joining his Dungeons and Dragons campaign is the perfect distraction while she plans her next steps.

In the game, she becomes Jaylie, a powerful human cleric blessed by the Goddess of Luck. But in real life, Sadie believes her luck has run out - until she meets Noah Walker, the outgoing bartender roped into joining their party as Loren, an adventurous and charismatic lute-strumming elf. Just as Jaylie finds herself succumbing to the bard's charms over the course of their party's travels, Sadie also begins to fall under Noah's spell.

As their relationship progresses in both worlds, Sadie wonders if what they have might last beyond the game. But like his traveling bard character, Noah never stays in one place for long. When a new opportunity arises in New York, Sadie must face the truth about why she lost her job in the first place - and whether she and Noah have found something in Texas worth staying for. Torn between her career dreams in the city and the exciting uncertainty of a new adventure, she will have no choice but to roll the dice."

Walker, Texas Elf Bard!

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers - and her life - back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power...

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and just might know how to unlock the spell's secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn't have to do it alone...and that the weird, wonderful family she's made might be the best magic of all."

Here for ANY book with a talking fox.

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
Published by: Bramble
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel set in the world of The Spellshop! Follow her to The Enchanted Greenhouse, a cozy fantasy nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story...Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She's starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes - at least until she's ready to sail home.

But Terlu doesn't want to return home, and as she grows closer with the unwittingly charming gardener, Yarrow, she learns that the magic that sustains the greenhouses is failing - causing the death of everything within them. Terlu knows she must help, even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn't alone. Assisted by Yarrow and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island - and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances - to others and to yourself."

And about sentient plants. 

House of Frost and Feathers by Lauren Wiesebron
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A touch of The Bear and the Nightingale, a bit of Juniper and Thorn, and a sense of wonder and adventure makes up this lyrical debut fantasy of a young woman in search of a home, and a home in search of people to make it feel lived in.

Marisha's time is running out. She's already lost her family to the sleeping plague, and she fears she'll be next. Penniless and desperate for protection, Marisha is forced to accept a job as apprentice to the notorious koldunya, the sorceress Baba Zima.

But Baba Zima is renowned for being both clever and cruel. And most difficult of all is her current apprentice, Olena, who wants nothing to do with Marisha. Despite her fears and Olena's cold demeanor, Marisha finds herself drawn into the magical world of koldunry and delves further into Olena's research - a cure for the sleeping plague.

Accompanying Olena on an increasingly dangerous, seemingly impossible search for a cure, she finds hidden connections between the sleeping plague, her own family's history, and her bizarre, recurring dreams: dreams of a masked ball where the deep sleepers are trapped endlessly dancing - and a monstrous beaked man who haunts her every step..."

I mean, here for the Baba Yaga of it all, but REALLY here for the Labyrinth of it all.

No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde
Published by: Tyndale Fiction
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.

Miss Bridget Littleton's passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.

Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey's once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget's potential trove of artifacts. He will not - cannot - fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.

Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined."

I love Georgians obsession with Roman ruins. I can relate. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bandette, Carol Goodman, Daniel O'Malley, Francis Iles, Jamie Day, Kelly Oliver, Lisa Scottoline, Morgan Ryan, S.H. Cooper, Sangu Mandanna, Sara Ochs, Sarah Beth Durst, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Stephen Graham Jones, Tom Mead