Uneasy Lies the Crown by Tasha Alexander
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In Uneasy Lies the Crown, the thrilling new mystery in Tasha Alexander's bestselling series, Lady Emily and her husband Colin must stop a serial killer whose sights may be set on the new king, Edward VII.
On her deathbed, Queen Victoria asks to speak privately with trusted agent of the Crown, Colin Hargreaves, and slips him a letter with one last command: Une sanz pluis. Sapere aude. “One and no more. Dare to know.”
The year is 1901 and the death of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch has sent the entire British Empire into mourning. But for Lady Emily and her dashing husband, Colin, the grieving is cut short as another death takes center stage. A body has been found in the Tower of London, posed to look like the murdered medieval king Henry VI. When a second dead man turns up in London's exclusive Berkeley Square, his mutilated remains staged to evoke the violent demise of Edward II, it becomes evident that the mastermind behind the crimes plans to strike again.
The race to find the killer takes Emily deep into the capital’s underbelly, teeming with secret gangs, street children, and sleazy brothels―but the clues aren’t adding up. Even more puzzling are the anonymous letters Colin has been receiving since Victoria's death, seeming to threaten her successor, Edward VII. With the killer leaving a trail of dead kings in his wake, will Edward be the next victim?"
The best thing about fall is a new Tasha Alexander book, and that's basically how Alexander Autumn was born...
The Lady in the Cellar by Sinclair McKay
Published by: White Lion Publishing
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Standing four storeys tall in an elegant Bloomsbury terrace, number 4, Euston Square was a well-kept, respectable boarding house, whose tenants felt themselves to be on the rise in Victorian London. But beneath this genteel veneer lay a murderous darkness. For on 9th May 1879, the body of a former
resident, Matilda Hacker, was discovered by chance in the coal cellar. The ensuing investigation stripped bare the dark side of Victorian domesticity, revealing violence, sex and scandal, and became the first celebrity case of the early tabloids.
Someone must have had full knowledge of what had happened to Matilda Hacker. For someone in that house had killed her. So how could the murderer prove so elusive?
In this true story, Sinclair McKay meticulously evaluates the evidence and, through first-hand sources, giving a gripping account that sheds new light on a mystery that eluded Scotland Yard."
True Gothic grimness? YAS!
Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The ghosts of the past come calling in a spellbinding heart-stopper from the “Queen of the Northern Gothic.”
After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together—only to discover the body of a murdered woman washed into the shallows. Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is an infant, as cold and at peace as its mother. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before. In her dreams...
One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets. As each mystery unravels, it pulls Kate deeper into the eddy of a haunting folktale that has been handed down in whispers over generations. Now, it’s Kate’s turn to listen.
As the drowned woman reaches out from the grave, Kate reaches back. They must come together, if only in dreams, to right the sinister wrongs of the past."
I love that Halloween is this week and all these publishers are like, GOTHIC NOW!
Bright Young Dead by Jessica Fellowes
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Set amid the legendary Mitford household, Bright Young Dead is the second in the thrilling, Golden Age-style Mitford Murders series by Jessica Fellowes, author of the New York Times bestselling Downton Abbey books.
Meet the Bright Young Things, the rabble-rousing hedonists of the 1920s whose treasure hunts were a media obsession. One such game takes place at the 18th birthday party of Pamela Mitford, but ends in tragedy as cruel, charismatic Adrian Curtis is pushed to his death from the church neighbouring the Mitford home.
The police quickly identify the killer as a maid, Dulcie. But Louisa Cannon, chaperone to the Mitford girls and a former criminal herself, believes Dulcie to be innocent, and sets out to clear the girl's name...all while the real killer may only be steps away."
If I can't have any new Nancy Mitford books I can thankfully say I have this series to look forward to.
The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The first new novel in four years from the beloved superstar author of Sarah's Key, a heartbreaking and uplifting story of family secrets and devastating disaster, set against a Paris backdrop, fraught with revelations, and resolutions.
Linden Malegarde has come home to Paris from the United States. It has been years since the whole family was all together. Now the Malegarde family is gathering for Paul, Linden’s father’s 70th birthday.
Each member of the Malegarde family is on edge, holding their breath, afraid one wrong move will shatter their delicate harmony. Paul, the quiet patriarch, an internationally-renowned arborist obsessed with his trees and little else, has always had an uneasy relationship with his son. Lauren, his American wife, is determined that the weekend celebration will be a success. Tilia, Linden’s blunt older sister, projects an air of false fulfillment. And Linden himself, the youngest, uncomfortable in his own skin, never quite at home no matter where he lives―an American in France and a Frenchman in the U.S.―still fears that, despite his hard-won success as a celebrated photographer, he will always be a disappointment to his parents.
Their hidden fears and secrets slowly unravel as the City of Light undergoes a stunning natural disaster, and the Seine bursts its banks and floods the city. All members of the family will have to fight to keep their unity against tragic circumstances. In this profound and intense novel of love and redemption, de Rosnay demonstrates all of her writer’s skills both as an incredible storyteller but also as a soul seeker."
After this past summer stories set amongst floods just draw me in.
Elevation by Stephen King
Published by: Scribner
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine.
The latest from legendary master storyteller Stephen King, a riveting, extraordinarily eerie, and moving story about a man whose mysterious affliction brings a small town together—a timely, upbeat tale about finding common ground despite deep-rooted differences.
Although Scott Carey doesn’t look any different, he’s been steadily losing weight. There are a couple of other odd things, too. He weighs the same in his clothes and out of them, no matter how heavy they are. Scott doesn’t want to be poked and prodded. He mostly just wants someone else to know, and he trusts Doctor Bob Ellis.
In the small town of Castle Rock, the setting of many of King’s most iconic stories, Scott is engaged in a low grade—but escalating—battle with the lesbians next door whose dog regularly drops his business on Scott’s lawn. One of the women is friendly; the other, cold as ice. Both are trying to launch a new restaurant, but the people of Castle Rock want no part of a gay married couple, and the place is in trouble. When Scott finally understands the prejudices they face–including his own—he tries to help. Unlikely alliances, the annual foot race, and the mystery of Scott’s affliction bring out the best in people who have indulged the worst in themselves and others."
King's 50th book of the year. Well probably now exactly 50, but I bet it's close! Also yeah Castle Rock!
Driving to Geronimo's Grave and Other Stories by Joe R. Lansdale
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the Dusty Great Depression to the far future, to the wild west, to the era of big fin automobiles, soda shops and double features, as well as dark journey on an icy ocean full of ravenous sharks and a fantastic shipwreck that leads its survivors into a nightmarish Lovecraftian world of monsters and mystery, Joe R. Lansdale returns with a pack of stories for your consumption and enjoyment. There's even killer machines, a big ole grizzly bear, and entertaining story notes. Joe R. Lansdale has been writing novels and stories, as well as screenplays and comics, for over forty-five years, and this is his latest concoction, encompassing stories informed by a variety of genres, but not quite comfortably fitting into any of them. The reason is simple. Joe R. Lansdale is his own genre."
I love that Subterranean Press and Lansdale are working together!
The Librarians and the Pot of Gold by Greg Cox
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The Librarians and the Pot of Gold is an original novel based on the hit TNT television show The Librarians, by New York Times bestselling author Greg Cox.
For millennia, the Librarians have secretly protected the world by keeping watch over dangerous magical relics. Cataloging and safeguarding everything from Excalibur to Pandora’s Box, they stand between humanity and those who would use the relics for evil."
The show must go on! Even if it's in book form now...
The Books of Eathsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Published by: Saga Press
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 1008 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the timeless and beloved A Wizard of Earthsea that “reads like the retelling of a tale first told centuries ago,” (David Mitchell) - comes this complete omnibus edition of the entire Earthsea chronicles, including over fifty illustrations illuminating Le Guin’s vision of her classic saga.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea novels are some of the most acclaimed and awarded works in literature - they have received prestigious accolades such as the National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, the Nebula Award, and many more honors, commemorating their enduring place in the hearts and minds of readers and the literary world alike.
Now for the first time ever, they’re all together in one volume - including the early short stories, Le Guin’s “Earthsea Revisioned” Oxford lecture, and a new Earthsea story, never before printed.
With a new introduction by Le Guin herself, this essential edition will also include fifty illustrations by renowned artist Charles Vess, specially commissioned and selected by Le Guin, to bring her refined vision of Earthsea and its people to life in a totally new way.
With stories as perennial and universally beloved as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings - but also unlike anything but themselves - this edition is perfect for those new to the world of Earthsea, as well as those who are well-acquainted with its enchanting magic: to know Earthsea is to love it."
I recently fell in love with Earthsea, and seeing as Charles Vess is someone I already loved, this is the PERFECT pairing!
Otherearth by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Return to the series BuzzFeed compared to Ready Player One in the second book in a new fast-paced trilogy from New York Times bestselling authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller that's perfect for fans of HBO's Westworld.
Simon would have done anything to save his best friend after a mysterious accident almost killed her--including follow her into a virtual world. And what he and Kat discovered there was more terrifying than they could have ever imagined. Unwitting hospital patients are being forced to test a device that lets VR be experienced with all five senses. The technology is so advanced that it's deadly.
Now the world's biggest tech corporation is hunting Simon and Kat while war rages in Otherworld, the virtual world it created. Determined to destroy the Company, Simon and Kat must join forces with a hacker, a gangster, and a digital entity. But as they battle to save two worlds, they uncover an all-new threat to our world: the Company's latest creation, an augmented-reality game called OtherEarth. Not only does OtherEarth kill, it has the power to erase the line between what's real and what's fantasy."
A new Jason Segel book has me doing a muppet arm flail just for him!
Frost by Sam Neumann
Published by: Otter Lodge Publishing
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Kindle, 383 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A small town, a wayward woman, and the murderer who won’t leave her alone.
Amy Frost is getting desperate. When her fledgling stand-up comedy career falls flat, adding one more failure to a long list, she is forced to move back in with her mother in her hometown in the Colorado mountains. All the things she thought she had left behind have again become her reality, and at thirty-one years old, Amy is terrified of winding up in Ballast, Colorado, forever.
But she is shaken out of her self-pity when Arnold Dooley, the man who murdered his wife and was later acquitted, walks into her place of work.
The town of Ballast falls into hysteria upon learning Dooley has taken up residence on its east end, and the residents begin scheming ways to remove him. But Arnold takes an interest in Amy and begins to offer her large sums of money for seemingly innocuous tasks. Skeptical and guarded, Amy spurns the proposition until it becomes too enticing to ignore, and soon finds herself thrust into a twisted world of depravity. The only way out is for Amy to uncover who actually killed Arnold’s wife - and why they’re after her.
Frost is a gripping psychological thriller that follows its female protagonist to the depths of the human psyche."
Wrongfully accused murderer, new obsession, secrets, YAS!
Sugar Spells by Lola Dodge
Published by: Ink Monster, LLC
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Kindle, 265 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For fans of Hex Hall, The Magicians, Practical Magic, and Food Wars!
After her run-in with a jealous warlock, apprentice baker Anise Wise can’t wait to get back into the kitchen where she belongs. But thanks to her brush with death, the land of the living isn’t all cupcakes and marshmallows.
Anise’s magical mojo is way out of whack and her changed powers are stirring up trouble. The town’s abuzz with news that Anise can bake deathly spells, and unsavory characters start lining up for a taste. They’ll stop at nothing to use Anise and her witchcraft to further their own plots.
She plans to hole up researching solutions until the attention dies down, but then she discovers the horrifying terms of her bodyguard’s contract. Wynn has saved her life so many times, she can’t leave him trapped. Doing the right thing will mean risking death or worse - losing her dream job.
For this witch, justice might not be as sweet as advertised."
A book for when you're trying to scratch that Great British Bake Off and Magicians vibe at the same time.
Peggy and Me by Miranda Hart
Published by: Hodder
Publication Date: October 30th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Hello dear book browser and welcome to Peggy and Me, the story of my life since getting a beautiful Shih-Tzu Bichon Frise cross puppy (I call the breed a Shitty Frise - fun) in the form of Peggy.
Some of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally brilliant, I need hear no more, I'm sold." In which case we should be best friends and go out to tea together, every day.
Others of you may be thinking: "a book about a dog, how totally mad, she must have officially lost it." In which case I completely understand. For I once viewed dog owners with much suspicion. The way they obsessively talk about their dogs often using voices for them to reply; the way they have a light covering of dog hair all over their clothes and sofas; and worse, an alarming comfort and ease around excrement.
But I now get why people become so mad about their hounds. It wasn't instant love I have to admit. Getting a puppy when I was at a low ebb in my life wasn't easy - there was a lot of challenging, what I call, dog administration (dog-min), and the humiliating first trip to the vet still haunts me. It's been a bumpy old road, but Peggy has been lovingly by my side through some life-changing moments and I wouldn't have coped without her. Most surprisingly she has taught me a huge amount - not how to get an old pie packet out of a bin and lick it (I could already do that), but real lessons about life and love and trust and friendship.
Put aside any doggy reservations and come walkies with Peggy and me..."
To stave off my Miranda Hart addiction until the next time a rewatch her entire series which is still shockingly not available on DVD!
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny
How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin
The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman
The Spectral City by Leanna Renee Hieber
The Book of Ballads and Sagas by Charles Vess
A Bride's Story, Volume 10 by Kaoru Mori
The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles De Lint and Charles Vess
Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
Code: A Virals Novel by Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs
Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth
