strange and random happenstance

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas
Published by: Bloomsbury YA
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Romance, danger, and intrigue await you in the breathtaking sixth book in the #1 bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series.

What was broken will be remade.

Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.

The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.

To make matters worse, those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable.

But to defeat Koschei's creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances. To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them."

This book might be important to plans for my blog next year.

The Jewel of Corlivo by Kathleen Carr Foster
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In a reimagined Byzantine empire, a runaway courtesan and her disgraced suitor are on the hunt for ancient treasure. But in Kathleen Carr Foster's glittering debut, what they find will be far more troublesome...

Raised for the most luxurious pleasure house in mountain-ringed Corlivo, Anna has no illusions about her future. She'll be a courtesan, as her mother was before she disappeared - and like her mother, gamble that her charms attract a patron rich enough to pay her debts.

But when a gruff explorer with connections at the capital notices Anna, it's her sharp eye that draws him in. Sebastianus thinks Anna's found a clue within the pages of an ancient book to the lost city of treasure he seeks, and she might well discover more.

Together they escape to the imperial court, where marvels are commonplace - and so is treachery. Anna's courtesan training has hardly prepared her for the dangers of court life, let alone for delving into artifacts from the empire's past. But when she uncovers a secret tied to her mother's fate, Anna realizes more than her life is at stake. She holds the key to untold possibilities not only for herself, but for any of the women of Corlivo...if she can use it."

Personally, I think training for court intrigue is lesson number one for a courtesan...

Where We Go at Night by Ikwo Ntekim
Published by: HarperCollins Us
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"To name a thing is to see it, and no one can see the folk if they don't want to be seen.

As far as seventeen-year-old Trixie Godfrey is concerned, her hometown of Woods Crossing would be perfect - if not for the dark world of fae and magic lurking in the shadows. Growing up, her grandfather, Pops, never allowed her to get close to them - those aberrations, Mama used to say.

But on graduation night, when Trixie sneaks home past curfew she witnesses Pops' brutal murder in a moment so sudden, so inhuman she can no longer avoid the fae. Those without the Sight will blame wild animals, calling Pops' death an accident, a tragedy, but Trixie knows the truth because she has the Sight. She spent years burying her "gift", but she needs to revive it now.

Determined to get justice for Pops and rid Woods Crossing of its monsters, Trixie ventures into the intriguing but deceitful world of the fae - only to find herself caught in a power struggle between ancient families more terrible and crueler than hers could ever be. Or so she thinks...."

Never willingly deal with the fae. Even if you're out for revenge.

Elderwitch by Lucie Bowins
Published by: Cranthorpe Millner Publishers
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sixteen-year-old Emeline de Gournay has always dreamed of adventure.

But as the only daughter of a wealthy Norman baron, she knows her future is to marry a stranger her parents have chosen for her and remain by his side as a dutiful wife and mother.

That is, until the morning of her betrothal, when her younger brother is abducted by a terrifying, shapeshifting Elderwitch. To make things worse, her only hope of rescuing him is to join forces with Owain ap Hywel, a young Welsh half-Hazelwitch she is inexplicably drawn to...and the boy accused of her brother's kidnapping.

As they journey from her home in the turbulent Welsh Marches to a world of fighting Treewitches and mythical beasts, Emeline comes to realise that rescuing her brother will not be enough.

The only way for peace to be restored, in both her own world and the world of the Treewitches, is to destroy the Elderwitch for good."

I mean, two sides to every coin, at least she won't have to marry a stranger...

Scorpion Deep by CG Drews
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"CG Drews, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In and Hazelthorn, weaves a disturbing and intoxicating siren-call in Scorpion Deep, about a lonely boy who accidentally awakens an obsessive eldritch sea god.

The only thing Jonathan Covey wants from the gloomy, moldering isle of Kelcarrow is to leave it. Summer is ending, and his friends are looking forward to college on the mainland, unaware that Jonathan was not accepted to join them. He'll be left behind with nothing but the ocean's haunts and a rising dread of being abandoned.

In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god who many of the locals have dismissed as myth. He wants to forget the past, he wants to follow his friends, and most of all he wants to finally escape.

To his shock and horror, the ritual works - Scorpion Deep awakens. And despite his terror, Jonathan can't help but feel drawn toward the ageless entity that seems just as mutually obsessed with him. As scales start growing down his spine and Scorpion Deep's adoration of him turns bloody, Jonathan realizes the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster one way or another.

But once a god has awoken, the only way to be free is to pay a price of blood."

If H.P. Lovecraft wrote Widow's Bay.

Château Reverie by Natasha Siegel
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Another sweeping speculative, romantic novel from the author of As Many Souls as Stars, in which attendees of a magical auction must bid secrets in exchange for their greatest desires. Perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern or V.E. Schwab.

Reverie and Sons humbly requests your attendance at THE AUCTION OF SECRETS.

Genevieve de Vienne does not remember the journey to the Château Reverie. She only remembers receiving her invitation to the Auction of Secrets, writing upon it her greatest desire - to forget the woman she once loved - and setting it aflame.

Leander Sterne does not remember a life outside of the Château Reverie. When he receives his own invitation, he does not have any secrets to bid, but his greatest desire - his liberty - is worth risking everything. He has nothing to lose.

Alongside five fellow attendees, Leander and Genevieve must survive three nights in the Château in order to bid their secrets and win their hearts' desire. But the Château has a mind of its own. As guests begin to disappear and Leander and Genevieve become more and more entangled, it becomes clear that the rules of the Auction might not be in anyone's favor...and even those who win might not be allowed to leave.

Written in Natasha Siegel's transportive, lush prose and set amidst the final days of the French Revolution, Château Reverie is a rococo fairytale full of horrors and wonders: both a sweeping romance and a twisting speculative mystery."

Whomever has the ability to grant your greatest desire should not be trusted. 

Rosemary and Thyme by Olivia Atwater
Published by: Starwatch Press
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: eBook, 344 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Olivia Atwater offers up another gothic fantasy romance, full of dark magic, deceitful faeries, and "witty and nuanced enchantment" (Stephanie Burgis), in the second instalment of the Victorian Faerie Tales.

An ancient evil has awoken in Victorian England, and it knows Clarimonde Betony's name.

London is no longer safe for Clarimonde Betony. Branded as a black magician, cut off from her staid and sensible life, and hounded by a mysterious pursuer, Clarimonde has little choice but to make common cause with her foppish, self-appointed faerie adviser, Lord Foxglove - a beautiful coward with absolutely no affection for the truth.

Clarimonde's last, best hope is a weapon that lies in Whitby, under the watch of a lovely, bloodthirsty lady known as the Leanansidhe. Foxglove's keen talent for duplicity could gain them both hospitality beneath the monster's roof...but the Leanansidhe's temptations are endless, and her unearthly beauty hides a cruelty beyond mortal understanding. One wrong word might lead to a fate much worse than death…and Clarimonde always has been far too honest for her own good."

A rule I abide by, read anything Stephanie Burgis recommends.

Brown Eyed Earl by Jenny Holiday
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ted Lasso meets Bridgerton in USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday's laugh-out-loud bromantic comedy featuring three Regency-era Earls on their annual trip. These ride-or-die buddies offer one another unconditional support in everything from Lady problems to family woes, but this year, the country house retreat will be earls-plus-girls as our trio of heroes is joined by two beloved wives...and an exceedingly charming lady's companion.

Simon Courteney isn't like the other earls. He was never supposed to be the heir or the spare. Yet when his older brothers tragically died in an accident, he suddenly found himself a peer of the realm. Strait-laced and scholarly, Simon is resigned to a quiet life of work and service. The two bright spots in his calendar are the annual Earls Trip with his best friends, Effie and Archie, and his visits to Archie's mother - where he trades books with her beguiling lady's companion.

Miss Diantha Brown has long been settled into her role as Lady Harcourt's companion. On the shelf and alone in the world, it's a better life than Diantha ever imagined for herself. But her boring yet peaceful existence is upended when an old enemy returns, threatening blackmail and forced marriage.

Determined to escape her fate - and to protect Lady Harcourt - Diantha devises a shocking solution: her ruination. She needs just one thing: a kind, intelligent, brave man to help her..."

I love a good ruination that is secretly a love match. 

To All the Earls I've Loved Before by Emma Orchard
Published by: Boldwood Books Ltd
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 258 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bianca Constantine has no intention of surrendering her freedom to marriage. Newly wealthy and determined to make her name as an artist, she plans to avoid the dangers of Society altogether - until a chance encounter with a charming young lord draws her back into London's glittering world.

Commissioned to paint the boy's portrait, Bianca expects nothing more scandalous than long afternoons in an elegant townhouse. Instead, she comes face to face with the one man she hoped never to see again.

The summer Bianca spent in Venice with Xan Challender was filled with passion, freedom, and lies. She never told him she was an heiress. He never revealed that he was set to inherit an earldom.

Now Xan has returned to England to claim his title, and neither has forgotten the betrayal that tore them apart - or the desire that still burns between them.

What happened in Venice should stay in Venice - but some secrets are just too explosive to stay hidden..."

Kind of reminds me of what they're trying to do on the new version of The Forsytes.

The Killing of a Chestnut Tree by Oliver K. Langmead
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Meet Havelock Harper, gentleman detective. Dapper, delightful, and decidedly queer, he's here to solve your most magical mysteries.

Everyone in England knows Havelock Harper, the celebrated consulting detective from the papers. But if any of them read his private files, they would discover secrets that must never reach the public eye - extraordinary cases, impossible crimes, and a committed love affair with his formidable companion Major Sebastian Wright.

And their next case might be the queerest yet.

Havelock and Sebastian have been summoned to investigate the murder of the Duke of Farleigh. When they arrive at the scene of the crime - a secluded, enchanting forest - they discover that the victim is a tree!

The trees of Farleigh have begun to write words in their bark and branches, expressing themselves for all to read. The Duke is an ancient chestnut, cruelly chopped down, and to the villagers of Farleigh, he is a beloved friend. They want justice.

Havelock and Sebastian must use all their wits and wisdom to find the murderer who has shattered the peace of Farleigh."

Perhaps inspired by the Sycamore Gap tree?

Murder at Pellhurst Pond by Clara McKenna
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst and his wife Stella, an American "Dollar Princess," dive into a new investigation after discovering a body in a pond on the estate of a man rumored to have killed his wife...

When a hot air balloon lands near Morrington Hall, it draws the attention of Stella and Lyndy as well as others, including Quentin Lockyear, son-in-law of Reuben Woodridge, a recluse who is suspected of murdering his wife. Quentin is keen to invest in aeronautic ships and automobiles, and invites Stella and Lyndy to Woodridge's estate, Exbury Lodge.

Upon their arrival, they meet the mysterious patriarch, accompanied by his nurse, and his daughter, Enid. Reuben takes Stella and Lyndy on a tour of his stables and a large mill pond on the property, encouraging them to take his skiff out whenever they like. Returning the next day for a bird shoot, the couple go for a ride in the skiff only to discover a body in the pond.

The woman is dressed in expensive clothes but has no identification on her. An accidental drowning? Suicide? What is she doing on the property? When an autopsy reveals traces of poison, Stella and Lyndy attempt to discover who she was and who might have had a reason to do her harm. Rumors aside, what secrets are they hiding at Exbury Lodge?"

Please say she also fell from the sky!

Death Down the Aisle by Colleen Cambridge
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Agatha Christie's cherished housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, not only keeps the celebrated author's home running smoothly, but she has also proven herself an accomplished sleuth. So when a murderer brings mayhem to a wedding, in this USA Today bestselling series' latest installment, she's on hand to sweep up the mystery...

Phyllida is delighted to receive an invitation to the wedding of her friend Dr. John Bhatt. It's a chance to get to know his fiancée, Emily Hartparker, and to explore Coatesworth Manor - the grand seaside estate that belongs to Emily's distant relatives. Coatesworth is now managed by Lady Artemis Coatesworth and offers ample space for a celebration. But it's soon clear that some of the guests have intentions beyond cheering on the happy couple.

As is often the case when extended family gathers, there is bickering, not to mention an awkward love triangle between Emily's lovely cousin Lily, her handsome ex-husband Heath, and his new wife, Tibby. Besides that, some of the other cousins - all of whom are there simply to appease Lady Artemis, who has the power to enact a morals clause in her late husband's will that could impact the heirs' inheritances - don't seem to get along. Discomfiting, certainly. Dramatic for sure.

And the drama gets infinitely worse when a wedding guest is discovered dead in the small chapel only hours after the ceremony.

Phyllida immediately agrees to help discover what happened, and brings some of her staff over from Mallowan Hall, Mrs. Christie's manor house, for cover. But with plenty of dark secrets and ugly family dynamics, it seems the killer could be any one of the Coatesworths - and that killer is dangerously motivated to keep the grisly truth from being revealed..."

I think I'm going to bequeath the title of most prolific cozy author to Colleen Cambridge. Her output is starting to keep pace with Seanan McGuire! 

The Spiral by Rosanne Limoncelli
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Nina finds the dead body of a woman who could easily be her twin, she must divide the men in her life into two groups: the ones she can trust and the ones who might be the killer.

A refreshing new take on the noir-thriller genre, The Spiral is perfect for fans of Tana French and Stieg Larsson.

It's 1979, and nineteen-year-old Nina Esposito survives gritty Greenwich Village by tending bar with plenty of sarcasm and elbow grease. She can navigate the lewd customers, dirty streets, and danger-after-dark of NYC until a serial killer arrives on the scene targeting women who look exactly like her. Now survival for Nina means finding the killer before he finds her.

She has the constant feeling that she is prey surrounded by predators and every man she meets could be the killer: the guy following her on the subway, her leering acting coach, the restaurant owner pressuring her for a date. But is she really a target, or are the demons of her past clouding her judgment? Detective Frankie Lopez seems to be on her side - but she knows that trusting the wrong person could make her the next victim.

Set in crime-ridden New York City, when the subways were covered in graffiti and the burned-out buildings of the East Village were homes for squatters and punk rock teens, this psychological thriller is a dark murder mystery, one that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final twist is revealed."

Sometimes it's all about the atmospherics! And boy, does this book have those in spades. Like an art house thriller from the seventies. 

A Classic Case of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber
Published by: Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Personal chef and caterer Allie Catt combines her love of fiction with her love of food in the scenic North Carolina mountains - but amid her latest themed event, based on Dickens's beloved classic, A Christmas Carol, a rare-book expert's goose is cooked...

In the charming town of Bramblewood, not far from Asheville, Allie's preparing for a special seasonal soiree: a literary-themed dinner party that's a tribute to Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It'll take place at the Amber Lantern, the quaint inn recently opened by her best friend's mother, Noeline - and the holiday spirit has even led a Scroogelike local businessman to lend his prized first edition of the nineteenth-century novella for the event.

With the voices of carolers ringing in the air and the community theater staging a special performance, it looks like it will be a happy Christmas - until the priceless book disappears and someone murders the expert who authenticated it. And if the police have their way, Allie's lawyer friend Freddy will be dragged away in chains like Marley's ghost...

The crime has also cast a shadow over Noeline's fledgling business, so Allie feels doubly obliged to find the real killer among the gathered guests and local visitors - and put an end to this nightmare. It's time to investigate them all, every one..."

My question is, is the party going to be more Fezziwig or more ghostly?

Murder in the Upper Crust by Mindy Quigley
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The sixth book in the delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.

Chef Delilah O'Leary is going where no deep dish pizza chef has gone before: a swanky wellness retreat, where she's agreed to cater for a crowd of the who's who. Instead of cashing a fat check for an easy gig, though, she encounters a diabolical plot with more layers than one of her signature pies.

The exclusive event, hosted by superstar guru Rhiannon Frost, promises inner transformation - but when a spiteful attendee turns up dead during the guided meditation, Delilah smells more than incense in the air. Every guest has a motive…and access to a sinister walled garden brimming with exotic poisonous plants.

With her restaurant short-staffed, and her boyfriend, Detective Calvin Capone, splitting his time between bartender duties and undercover sleuthing, Delilah's got her hands full. Can she slice through the lies before the killer strikes again? Or will this luxe getaway turn into a one-way trip to the great beyond?"

Only in Wisconsin would deep dish be on the menu at a wellness retreat! We CAN NOT LIVE without our cheese!

The Moriarty Murders by Jack Gatland
Published by: Simon Stream
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to Moriarty and Co: who would have thought that solving crimes is more fun than committing them?

Investigative journalist Abigail Wren has spent her career chasing cases no one else cares about. But everything changes when Abbie learns she's the last living heir to the Moriarty criminal empire (yes, that Moriarty). Now, not only has she inherited a crumbling country house, she's also acquired a cellar full of ageing operatives who've spent their lives on the wrong side of the law. She wants none of it.

Her new 'employees' aren't too thrilled either. They want a Moriarty in charge - not someone who's only ever solved crimes, rather than committed them. But when Maurice Finch, one of the old guard, is found dead in circumstances nobody believes were accidental, the team wants revenge.

Abbie sees an opportunity: she decides they're switching sides and going straight to find Finch's killer. But pulling at the threads of his death turns up a second body, and a name that keeps surfacing where it shouldn't. Because someone thinks the Moriarty inheritance should have been theirs, and he's only just getting started...

With time running out to catch the killer, can they solve the case before another body turns up? Or is the world's most unconventional detective agency also going to be its most short-lived?

The Moriarty Murders is a cozy crime novel with a Sherlock Holmes twist - the first in a new series from Multi-Million Selling and #1 New York Times bestselling author Tony Lee, writing as Jack Gatland."

I'm assuming Abbie survives given that this is a series, but otherwise she'd be at the top of my list of potential victims. 

The Poison Pen Murders by Dee MacDonald
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 242 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Anonymous letters, a years-old mystery and...a dead body? Ally McKinley is on the case!

Ally McKinley might be the owner of the cosiest little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands, but she also has a reputation as an amateur detective! So when a threatening note drops through her elderly neighbour Juliet Munro's door, Ally is called in to investigate. But what first seems like a nasty prank soon proves lethal, when the very next day, Juliet is found murdered...

Her faithful dog Flora by her side, Ally soon learns that more than one woman in Locharran has received a poison pen letter. And though locals' lips are sealed over coffee and cake, Ally skilfully unlocks the old Locharran mystery that connects the recipients: they were all rumoured to be involved in the death of a young woman called Marie McKay. Is someone trying to stamp out Marie's killer? And if so, who in Locharran is not who they seem?

A faded photo of a little blond boy with pale eyes has Ally on the right track, but when a woman's scream shatters the village's gentle calm, can Ally sort through the secrets before the post delivers another murder?

Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase will love this totally addictive and cozy mystery set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands from bestselling author Dee MacDonald."

If any of the recipients of the letters had a hand in the young woman's death.... Well, let them die.

Venus, Vanishing by Rebecca Birrell
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In raucous 1928 Berlin, Hannah Sherman has deviated from the traditional arc of a woman's life. An artist and a runaway, she revels in the city's underground art scene and her newfound freedom. Working as a tailor while studying art in every spare moment, Hannah comes to know women and their bodies, first with measuring tape and silk, and later through sensuous layers of paint.

Hannah feels like she can finally call herself an artist when an intoxicating, wealthy female collector commissions an elaborate series of nude portraits. But after Hannah finishes the acclaimed Venus paintings, she discovers that her work has been tampered with and exhibited under a man's name. When lines between artist and muse are crossed in a heady but perilous affair, Hannah transforms her work into an act of revenge, finding herself caught up in a devastating game of betrayal.

Laced with queer desire and life-threatening secrets, Venus, Vanishing pulses with the hedonism and danger of 1930s Berlin as history comes to Hannah's door, offering a heart-pounding story of Jewish survival, creativity, and resistance."

And hopefully vengeance on the man exhibiting her art!

The Resurrection of Evania James by Jaime Jo Wright
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"If walls could talk, what nightmare might they expose?

1879
When Eloise James's sister, Evania, goes missing after being admitted to an asylum, Eloise is determined to find her sibling but instead discovers evidence of dying patients and missing remains. Wannabe journalist Silas Dobbs has his own suspicions that something more nefarious is at work, and that black market sales may originate at the asylum. Together, they are intent on learning whether Evania is alive, or if her body has also been stolen. But unraveling a web of underground resurrectionists proves daunting, and the dead cannot share their secrets.

Present Day
Tilly Thompson is horrified to find historical human remains entombed in a wall of the Gothic mansion her grandfather just purchased, launching her into an investigation of the original owners' questionable past. The James family legacy harbors a darkness tightly woven through decades of secrets, but the past refuses to remain ensnared by silence. Will revealing the truth resurrect dangers best kept buried forever?

Jaime Jo Wright masterfully weaves a dual-timeline gothic suspense novel that brings together a haunting historical tale and a shadowy modern-day mystery. For fans of atmospheric thrillers, spooky reads, the Victorian era, creepy mansions, and dark family secrets."

1879 is a bit late for resurrectionists...

From the Library of Jurgen Leitner by Premee Mohamed with Jonathan Sims
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enter the library of an enigmatic collector, where occult books are guarded and researched at a fatal cost, with this uncanny eldritch horror novel from Nebula Award-winning author Premee Mohamed and The Magnus Archives' Jonathan Sims.

Fear comes before the fall.

In the winding, perilous corridors of Jurgen Leitner's private library, you never know what you'll find. A starving cookbook. An ancient scroll that casts cool, predatory breezes. A cloth-bound hardback that compels you to DIG, DIG, DIG, DIG.

Free, these books are more than simply unnerving - they're deadly. But the library keeps their dangers in check and their would-be readers safe....

Or so Leitner claims.

For two of his employees, the risks are worth it. Hugh Franklin, research assistant, has finally found a place he belongs, where his skill in translation is valued, even if his employer is a bit odd. Sebastian Everett, acquisition specialist, can indulge his arcane ambitions, even if it means pretending to care about Leitner's mission.

Though their tenures at the library were years apart, Hugh and Sebastian's stories unfold in parallel, and their footsteps echo down the same eerie aisles, caught in a web spun long before either ever heard the name "Jurgen Leitner."

Will they find a way out...or will the library consume them before it's too late?"

For anyone doubting the power of books.

Public Access Aferworld by Jane Schoenbrun
Published by: Hogarth
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A mysterious realm on the other side of our screens. A dark force that draws victims into its static. The unlikely hero called to save them and herself from this electric hell. Public Access Afterworld is the profound, binge-all-night, headrush of a novel by the celebrated filmmaker of I Saw the TV Glow and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

Find the receiver. Make it real.

At 5:35 p.m. on September 3, 1988, Dallas weatherman Ray "Can You Say Sunshine" Davino makes passing reference to Public Access Afterworld during a rambling monologue, right before he puts a gun to his head on live television and pulls the trigger.

On June 12, 2009, David Sawyer and Erin Morrison, two lonely, TV-obsessed suburban teens who might be falling in love, gather in Erin's basement to watch TV's analog-to-digital transition. But in the static that follows, Erin witnesses surreal broadcasts from a pirate TV network called Public Access Afterworld, and their lives are changed forever.

Seventeen years later, Bethany Peters toils through the night shift at megacorp GlobalVill's bleak Austin campus. A trans content moderator, she spends her evenings reviewing an endless stream of horrific videos. But then a young streamer begins to crop up in her feed calling out to Public Access Afterworld.

But what is Public Access Afterworld?

Spanning decades and realities, with an unforgettable ensemble of outcasts and nerds - especially the messy but wholly relatable Bethany, who must overcome paranoia and self-doubt to transform into a hero of our times - Public Access Afterworld will have you reading through the night and rooting for its characters to survive. A mesmerizing mash-up of speculative fiction, horror, and conspiracy, it marks the arrival of a major new force in contemporary fiction by a groundbreaking filmmaker who's been compared to David Lynch and Paul Thomas Anderson."

Just the thought of being trapped in an afterlife that is just Public Access gives me the goosebumps. 

Wandering Cat's Cage by Akane Torikai
Published by: Takumigraphics
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 344 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Akane Torikai's Wandering Cat's Cage, it is the near future. Only a few women are still able to menstruate, and even fewer men will be born to them. Reproduction is limited to medical intervention controlled from on high, and the structures and lives of the past hold no weight: they are only hinted at through the remaining scraps of a world that no longer exists. Life can be good, though, if you fall in line, and the women of The City live bright, happy, tightly controlled lives. But complete obedience isn't for everyone. For the women across the river, who live in a rundown shantytown, viewing the opulence of the city from afar each night, life is different. It is humble, and often dangerous, but it is free. It is here that Sanada, a young acupuncturist, lives with the mysterious Reiho, the only male she's ever met, and who sells himself to the rich women who sneak across the river for something they've never experienced...The two form a small "family," taking in other young women ousted from the city. But a real, living, breathing male might be too precious to leave to the shabby streets. When Reiho is kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to the breeding program in the city, Sanada must join with the other outcasts to try and rescue him, and learn the difficult truths of love, self-actualization, society, community, safety, and the future itself.

Master manga-ka Akane Torikai (Sensei's Pious Lie) has produced a stunning work of relational SF through a gender-bent looking glass. Torikai pulls no punches examining the deeply messy subjects of our day - sexuality, gender dynamics, romantic love, familial trauma, freedom, and control, through immaculately realized settings and character-rich, emotive body language. Produced in partnership with MSX: Mangasplaining Extra."

You'll find me across the river.

An Uncertain Magic by A.M. Kvita
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Brooklyn's most chaotic coven is back in An Uncertain Magic. This time all they have to do is take on ancient gods (yes, gods), avoid a magical apocalypse, and save New York City. No big deal. Joan Greenwood has been adjusting nicely to her life away from her powerful family of witches. She has an apartment full of friends, her dream job at an architecture firm, and a constant companion in the sentient magic that makes up New York City. For once, everything's coming up Joan.

Until her best friend gets possessed.

There's a god wearing his skin, a new cult is springing up around him, and magic is going haywire. Things go from bad to worse when Joan's rival-turned-crush, Astoria Wardwell, arrives from California with the news that her best friend is also possessed. That's one hell of a coincidence, and the two have to work together to save their best friends before these gods corrupt them. Unless their pesky feelings for each other get in the way."

Possession is never good. Especially with higher powers involved.

The Coven of Redthorn Manor by D.M. Million
Published by: Midnight Haus
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 348 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Her ancestors are calling on her to stop The Second Burning...

All Davina wants is to finish her dissertation on the connection between Seventeenth-Century Witch Hysteria and modern witch intolerance to change the way the world perceives witch-kind. Inside Redthorn Manor, Davina is the reluctant high priestess of the Divine Moon Coven. She can't seem to wield magic with authority. Now, with the rise of a Puritan revivalist group and their leader, Patrick Parris, and the group's frequent live-streams of witch-burnings, she knows she must step up and protect her coven at all costs.

When one of her sisters is attacked outside of the coven's apothecary, Davina uses her family's grimoires and academic research skills to find a solution to keep them safe. During her research, and with the help of an old acquaintance, Nathan Graham, Davina learns of an ancient prophecy that she must fulfill to stop The Second Burning Times. Her ancestral lineage is the key to Davina accessing an ancient form of magic that will help her defeat Parris and his lackeys, the King James Brotherhood (KJB). Her destiny is written in the stars: she either defeats Parris or he burns every last witch.

Redthorn Manor is no longer a safe haven for the coven. Davina can no longer ignore the prophecy - she must fight back! Saved by new allies, The Equinox, a secret coven of elemental sorcerers, and their sexy yet infuriating high priest, Cato, the Divine Moon Coven must leave Redthorn behind to help prepare Davina for her battle with Parris.

To accomplish her goal, she needs to access sorcery magic before Parris does. He's already ten steps ahead, and the clock is ticking."

The fact that she thinks that a dissertation could change minds is so naively sweet.

Supernatural Machines by David Brandon Hodge
Published by: Insight Editions
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Supernatural Machines is a groundbreaking visual history of the devices invented to speak with the dead.

From the spectral raps of the Fox Sisters to the rise of the Ouija board, Brandon Hodge guides readers through two centuries of spiritual innovation - exploring the haunted technologies born from our longing to pierce the veil between life and death. A unique fusion of esoteric history, visual culture, and ghost story, this richly illustrated, large-format volume reveals the occult ingenuity of mediums, inventors, and mystics who crafted writing planchettes, talking boards, spirit trumpets, and other strange apparatus to reach beyond the grave. With original photography, archival ephemera, and gripping historical narratives, Supernatural Machines brings to light a forgotten chronicle of technological mysticism. Each of its 14 chapters is a portal to the past, a captivating read accompanied by stunning photographs, detailed illustrations, and haunting accounts that breathe life into the arcane artifacts that have captivated the imagination of our ancestors and ourselves."

Here's hoping the book also details how their ingenuity was used to create cons.

In My Own Time by Christopher Lloyd
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Emmy Award-winning actor Christopher Lloyd - one of the most iconic performers of his generation - shares an intimate portrait drawn from the defining moments of his life, from his early years in theater to his time on the sets of iconic television and film, his struggles with addiction, and an isolated childhood of privilege.

Whether appearing as a disembodied head in Wednesday or taking on the title role in a stage production of King Lear, Christopher Lloyd has become known for portraying larger-than-life characters with a singular intensity and imagination. Now, for the first time, Christopher shares stories from his life that he has rarely spoken about before.

In My Own Time begins with Christopher's childhood at Waveny, the sprawling Connecticut estate. Raised primarily by governesses and wandering the grounds, he became a quiet observer of the people and relationships around him, including the complicated dynamic between his creative mother and his stern father.

With New York already a familiar part of his world, Christopher immersed himself in the demanding life of the theater. On stage he developed the intensity, imagination, and fearlessness that would come to define his work. From there, Christopher's career expanded across television and film, where audiences came to know him as the intense and unpredictable Taber in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the eccentric and beloved Reverend Jim Ignatowski on Taxi, and the wild-eyed genius Doc Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy - performances that helped define some of the most enduring films and television of their time.

Christopher Lloyd offers a rare and deeply personal reflection on a life spent both onstage and on screen, told with charm, dry wit, and honesty. In sharing the stories behind his work, his struggles, and the people and places that shaped him, In My Own Time reveals the thoughtful and deeply observant man behind the iconic characters."

This detestable Fester's the echt Fester Addams!

We'd Thought They'd Never Leave by Tony Shalhoub with Josie Adams
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: October 27th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe winner Tony Shalhoub comes a delightful, heartfelt memoir about food, family, recipes, and the stories we pass down around the table.

Every summer for over five decades, more than fifty members of the Shalhoub family have gathered in Door County, Wisconsin, for a week of home-cooked meals, fiercely competitive card games, old stories, new memories, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting.

Written with his daughter Josie Adams, We Thought They'd Never Leave is Tony Shalhoub's warm and deeply personal reflection on the people who shaped him. Through stories spanning four generations - from an orphaned Lebanese boy who survived wartime hunger to the sprawling family he would one day help create - Tony traces the Lebanese American family traditions, meals, and rituals that continue to bring the Shalhoubs back together year after year.

Along the way, the beloved actor known for Monk and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel reflects on growing up as one of ten children in a lively Lebanese American household in Green Bay, Wisconsin; navigating family life, work, and parenthood; and helping preserve a reunion that has become a beloved family institution. Also included are twenty treasured family recipes, ranging from stuffed grape leaves and tabbouleh to Midwestern chili and cherry pie.

Filled with unforgettable characters, deeply moving stories, and Tony's signature humor, We Thought They'd Never Leave is an invitation to join the Shalhoub table, where everyone has an opinion, everyone is expected to pitch in, and there's always room for one more."

A table my father has been at a time or two. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Christopher Lloyd, Clara McKenna, Colleen Cambridge, Daryl Wood Gerber, Dee MacDonald, Emma Orchard, Jaime Jo Wright, Jenny Holiday, Mindy Quigley, Natasha Siegel, Olivia Atwater, Premee Mohamed, Sarah J. Maas, Tony Shalhoub

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Refugees, magic, and murder? Oh yes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bite the world before it bites you!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to Meander, where truths are best left buried.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oh, talk about unreliable narrators! 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And those willing to kill to achieve it...

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

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

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

Almost nobody knows that he isn't coming home.

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

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

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

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

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

Cherry had promised to love Tom through thick and thin.

She'd meant it.

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

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

Russ knows Cherry. He likes Cherry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Good Place meets Amélie - with glitter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amy Coombe, Anna Dorn, Anne Perry, Bellamy Rose, Bonnie Solomon, Dee MacDonald, Jennifer N. Brown, Jim Butcher, Kylie Lee Baker, Lynn Austin, Pachuco, R.M. Caldwell, Rainbow Rowell.James S.A. Corey, Spencer Quinn, Stacy Johns