strange and random happenstance

The Great British Bump-Off by John Allison, Max Sarin, Sammy Borras, and Jim Campbell
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An Agatha Christie-style murder mystery set in the world of English competitive baking from Giant Days' John Allison and Max Sarin.

When she enters her country's most beloved baking competition, Shauna Wickle's goal is to delight the judges, charm the nation, and make a few friends along the way. But when a fellow contestant is poisoned, it falls to her to apprehend the culprit while avoiding premature elimination from the UK Bakery Tent...and being the poisoner's next victim!

Collects issues #1-#4 of Dark Horse Comics series The Great British Bump-Off."

If you are a Bake-Off fan you MUST read this. It's a lovely little homage with plenty of odd humor that was right up my alley.

Hop Scot by Catriona McPherson
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's all aboard for a Campbell Clan Christmas! Lexy swaps cinnamon lattes for boiled sprouts when the Last Ditch crew travel from California to an idyllic Scottish village for the holidays, but something very unmerry is lurking below the surface...

Lexy Campbell is long overdue a trip to Scotland to see her parents, and an unexpected death in the extended Last Ditch Motel family makes Christmas in a bungalow in Dundee with nine others seem almost irresistible.

But when Lexy and the Last Ditch crew hop across the Atlantic, there's been a change of plan and they're whisked off to Mistletoe Hall in the pretty village of Yule, where the surprises continue. The news that a man disappeared from the crumbling pile sixty years ago, along with an unsettling discovery in the bricked-up basement, means that Todd, Kathi and Lexy - Trinity for Trouble - must solve another murder.

Deadly secrets, berry rustlers, skeletons and a snowy Christmas Eve in the booze aisle at Tesco: the Last Ditch crew won't forget their Scottish holiday in a hurry!"

I mean, Christmas means murder to me. Through in a Scottish setting and I'm extra happy.

The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W.F. Harvey
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"First published in a limited run in 1934, this exceedingly rare and fast-paced bibliomystery set against the landscapes of Yorkshire is long overdue its return to print.

The note read:
"Will the gentleman who took by mistake a copy of Bunyan's Life and Death of Mr. Badman, return it as soon as possible, as the book is in demand."

On holiday in Keldstone visiting his nephew, Jim, blanket manufacturer Athelstan Digby agrees to look after the old bookshop on the ground floor of his lodgings while his hosts are away. On the first day of his tenure, a vicar, a chauffeur and an out-of-town stranger enquire after The Life and Death of Mr. Badman by John Bunyan. When a copy mysteriously arrives at the shop in a bundle of books brought in by a young scamp, and is subsequently stolen, Digby moves to investigate the significance of the book along with his nephew, and the two are soon embroiled in a case in which the stakes have risen from antiquarian book-pinching to ruthless murder."

I mean, killing to get a book makes sense to me...

The Engagement Party by Darby Kane
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"And Then There Were None meets I Know What You Did Last Summer in #1 international bestseller Darby Kane's latest gripping and twisty thriller set on a private island in Maine where secrets piled upon secrets and lies upon lies are all revealed in one fateful weekend.

Emily Hunt went missing from her affluent liberal arts school on graduation weekend. Her body was found floating in a river, and a quiet loner who most people on campus really didn't know died by suicide. A tenuous link - one text - bound the two dead students together and was enough for law enforcement to close the case. But they got it wrong and now someone is determined to set it right.

Twelve years later, college friends gather to celebrate an engagement over a long overdue getaway on a swanky private island in Maine - with only one way in and one way out. Sierra Prescott, invited as a guest and unconnected to past events, is the only person who soon senses not all is what it seems.

The tension in the air is ignited when they find a dead man in the trunk of a car with a note: time to tell the truth. And things only get worse. As a torrential storm strands them together, the group's buried stories begin to surface and secrets are bartered. To survive this deadly party, they'll need to stop a killer before they become prey."

OK, if, for some reason, you were ever involved in a crime where someone might want revenge, don't go to a secluded anything.

The Night Side by M.M. DeLuca
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Twenty years of secrets. One deadly truth.

When Ruby Carlson was eighteen, she ran away from her home in Stoneybrook, Montana, and vowed she'd never return. Never return to life under the control of her manipulative mother, Ida, a self-styled medium and psychic scammer who made a career out of ruining people's lives. Never return to the small town where enemies lurk at every turn.

But now, twenty years later, Ruby is back. Her mother is missing, presumed dead, and Ruby reluctantly returns to a home filled with chilling memories to settle Ida's affairs. Did she really commit suicide by drowning, or is this another dark scheme? Ruby thought she knew everything about her mother, but finds herself unraveling a web of lies and secrets to reveal a story more twisted than anyone could have imagined..."

I mean, I need to read this just to find out how someone who committed suicide by drowning is missing, presumed dead!

Here in the Dark by Alexis Soloski
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dark and stylish novel of psychological suspense about a young theater critic drawn into a dangerous game that blurs the lines between reality and performance.

Vivian Parry likes the dark. A former actress, she now works as the junior theater critic at a major Manhattan magazine. Her nights are spent beyond the lights, in a reserved seat, giving herself over to the shows she loves. By day, she savages them, with words sharper than a knife.

Angling for a promotion, she reluctantly agrees to an interview, a conversation that reveals secrets she thought she had long since buried. Then her interviewer disappears and she learns - from his devastated fiancée - that she was the last person to have seen him alive. When the police refuse to investigate, Vivian does what she promised herself she would never do again: she plays a part. Assuming the role of amateur detective, she turns her critical gaze toward an unsanitary private eye, a sketchy internet startup, a threatening financier, fake blood, and one very real corpse. As she nears the final act, she finds that the boundaries between theater and the real world are more tenuous and more dangerous than even she could have believed...

Gripping, propulsive, and shot through with menace and dark glamor, Alexis Soloski's Here in the Dark takes us behind the scenes of New York theater, lifting the curtain on the lies we tell ourselves and each other."

I mean, this sounds like Only Murders meets Dorothy Parker with more than a dash of Noir, and I am here for it!

Murder in the Mist by Cora Harrison
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Tis the season of goodwill, and Dickens extends the hand of friendship to a stranded stranger and his nephews for Christmas, with deadly consequences...

Wilkie Collins is looking forward to spending Christmas at Gads Hill, Charles Dickens' Kentish country home, but the festivities are cut short when a body is found on the snowy marshland. Timmy O'Connor was invited to the gathering with his four nephews after a chance encounter with Dickens, but is now dead.

Dickens is convinced the murderer is one of the convicts from a nearby prison ship, but Collins is not so sure. Who was this mysterious and unpleasant stranger from Cork who turned Christmas cheer to fear? With the convicts, guests and even Timmy's nephews under suspicion, there is no shortage of suspects for such a violent act, but which one of them is a cold-blooded killer?"

I so want Collins to have like a bizarre theory that proves to be correct to Dickens' consternation. 

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An atmospheric Gothic mystery that beautifully brings the ancient Cornish countryside to life, Armstrong introduces heroine Ruby Vaughn in her Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut, The Curse of Penryth Hall.

After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and house mate in Exeter. She's always avoided dwelling on the past, even before the war, but it always has a way of finding her. When Ruby is forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, she is brought back to the one place she swore she'd never return. A more sensible soul would have delivered the package and left without rehashing old wounds. But no one has ever accused Ruby of being sensible. Thus begins her visit to Penryth Hall.

A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby's once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It's an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth's bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn't believe in curses - or Pellars - but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next victim: Tamsyn.

To protect her friend, Ruby must work alongside the Pellar to find out what really happened in the orchard that night."

Dammit, I love Cornwall and their belief in the uncanny.

Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An eerie, atmospheric Polar Gothic following a Victorian explorer in search of his lost shipmate and his own redemption - from the author of the "vivid, immersive" (The Guardian) horror novel All the White Spaces.

William Day should be an acclaimed Arctic explorer. But after a failed expedition, in which his remaining men only survived by eating their dead comrades, he returned in disgrace.

Thirteen years later, his second-in-command, Jesse Stevens, has gone missing in the same frozen waters. Perhaps this is Day's chance to restore his tarnished reputation by bringing Stevens - the man who's haunted his whole life - back home. But when the rescue mission becomes an uncanny journey into his past, Day must face up to the things he's done.

Abandonment. Betrayal. Cannibalism.

Aboard ship, Day must also contend with unwanted passengers: a reporter obsessively digging up the truth about the first expedition, as well as Stevens's wife, a spirit-medium whose séances both fascinate and frighten. Following a trail of cryptic messages, gaunt bodies, and old bones, their search becomes more and more unnerving, as it becomes clear that the restless dead are never far behind. Something is coming through."

I mean, this book had me at Polar Gothic and then it threw in a spirit-medium like a cherry on top of the cake!

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Published by: Doubleday Books
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who investigates a shocking murder that unhinges her small community.

Maine, 1789: The Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice. Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, every murder and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred four months earlier. Now, one of the men accused of that heinous attack has been found dead in the ice.

While Martha is certain she knows what happened the night of the assault, she suspects that the two crimes are linked, and that there is more to both cases than meets the eye. Over the course of one long, hard winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha's diary lands at the center of the scandal and threatens to tear both her family and her community apart.

In her newest offering, Ariel Lawhon brings to life a brave and compassionate unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice on behalf of those no one else would protect. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story of a remarkable woman who had the courage to take a stand, and in the process wrote herself into American history."

All rapists deserve to be found entombed in ice.

The Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore
Published by: Berkley Romance
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bookish suffragist Catriona Campbell is busy: An ailing estate, academic writer's block, a tense time for England's women's rights campaign - the last thing she needs is to be stuck playing host to her father's distractingly attractive young colleague.

Deeply introverted Catriona lives for her work at Oxford and her fight for women's suffrage. She dreams of romance, too, but since all her attempts at love have ended badly, she now keeps her desires firmly locked inside her head - until she climbs out of a Scottish loch after a good swim and finds herself rather exposed to her new colleague.

Elias Khoury has wheedled his way into Professor Campbell's circle under false pretenses: he did not come to Oxford to classify ancient artefacts, he is determined to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. Winning Catriona's favor could be the key to his success. Unfortunately, seducing the coolly intense lady scholar quickly becomes a mission in itself and his well-laid plans are in danger of derailing...

Forced into close proximity in Oxford's hallowed halls, two very different people have to face the fact that they might just be a perfect match. Soon, a risky new game begins that asks Catriona one more time to put her heart and wildest dreams at stake."

Here's to romance and returning artefacts to their homelands!

The Wonder of It All by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling author Barbara Taylor Bradford comes the long-anticipated final novel in the House of Falconer trilogy.

James Falconer - a tycoon and a self-made man - seems to have the world in the palm of his hand. But the Great War looms, and James decides to fight for king and country. The fighting is bloody and brutal, and James returns a changed man, with wounds both physical and mental. His beloved wife is dead, but a new woman returns to help nurse him back to health.

Georgiana Ward once held James in her thrall, but years have passed and bitterness has set in. Still, the old attraction is there and James is determined to make amends to both Georgiana and his child Leonie - now a grown woman and someone he hasn't seen in decades. Leonie is having none of it, and is embarking on a dangerous journey with a man who might very well destroy her. As James fights to return to the man he once was, he needs to find a way to heal his body, soul, and family.

Told with Barbara Taylor Bradford's inimitable style and flair for period detail, The Wonder of It All concludes House of Falconer trilogy that has followed the story of this remarkable family from Victorian times to the 20th century."

But do Barbara Taylor Bradford series ever really end the way they somehow all become interconnected?

This Spells Love by Kate Robb
Published by: Dial Press
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What if one little wish changed everything?

A young woman tries to heal her heartbreak by casting a spell to erase her ex from her past, but she wakes up in an alternate reality where she's lost more than she wished for in this witty, whimsical friends-to-lovers debut.

When Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she reacts the way any reasonable twenty-eight-year-old would: by getting drunk with her sister, kooky aunt, and best friend, Dax. After one too many margaritas, they decide to perform a love-cleansing spell, which promises to erase Gemma's ex from her memory. They follow all the instructions, including a platonic kiss from Dax to seal the deal.

When Gemma wakes up, she realizes that this silly spell has worked. Not only does it seem that she never dated her ex, but the rest of her life is completely unrecognizable. The worst part: Dax has no idea who she is.

To reverse the spell and get back to her old life, Gemma must convince her once-best-friend-now-near-stranger to kiss her. But as she carries out her plans, she finds herself falling for him - hard. Soon, Gemma begins to wonder whether she even wants to go back to the way things once were. What if Dax was The One all along?"

I like the Sliding Doors Practical Magic of it all.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
Published by: Berkley Romance
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rival archaeologists must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, or it could leave their careers - and hearts - in ruins.

Archaeologist Dr. Socorro "Corrie" Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally.

It's been Corrie's life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it's too good to be true...and she's right.

As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn't thrilled either - with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past.

But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they'll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries - and lingering attraction - under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there's only one way this all ends - explosively."

For all those who fell hard for Indiana Jones.

Like Thunder by Nnedi Okorafor
Published by: Daw Books
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This brand-new sequel to Nnedi Okorafor's Shadow Speaker contains the powerful prose and compelling stories that have made Nnedi Okorafor a star of the literary science fiction and fantasy space and put her at the forefront of Africanfuturist fiction.

Niger, West Africa, 2077

Welcome back. This second volume is a breathtaking story that sweeps across the sands of the Sahara, flies up to the peaks of the Aïr Mountains, cartwheels into a wild megacity - you get the idea.

I am the Desert Magician; I bring water where there is none.

This book begins with Dikéogu Obidimkpa slowly losing his mind. Yes, that boy who can bring rain just by thinking about it is having some...issues. Years ago, Dikéogu went on an epic journey to save Earth with the shadow speaker girl, Ejii Ubaid, who became his best friend. When it was all over, they went their separate ways, but now he's learned their quest never really ended at all.

So Dikéogu, more powerful than ever, reunites with Ejii. He records this story as an audiofile, hoping it will help him keep his sanity or at least give him something to leave behind. Smart kid, but it won't work - or will it?

I can tell you this: it won't be like before. Our rainmaker and shadow speaker have changed. And after this, nothing will ever be the same again.

As they say, 'Onye amaro ebe nmili si bido mabaya ama ama onye nyelu ya akwa oji welu ficha aru.'

Or, 'If you do not remember where the rain started to beat you, you will not remember who gave you the towel with which to dry your body.'"

And always known where your towel is!

After World by Debbie Urbanski
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A groundbreaking debut that follows the story of an Artificial Intelligence tasked with writing a novel - only for it to fall in love with the novel's subject, Sen, the last human on Earth.

Faced with uncontrolled and accelerating environmental collapse, humanity asks an artificial intelligence to find a solution. Its answer is simple: remove humans from the ecosystem.

Sen Anon is assigned to be a witness for the Department of Transition, recording the changes in the environment as the world begins to rewild. Abandoned by her mother in a cabin somewhere in Upstate New York, Sen will observe the monumental ecological shift known as the Great Transition, the final step in Project Afterworld. Around her drones buzz, cameras watch, microphones listen, digitizing her every move. Privately she keeps a journal of her observations, which are then uploaded and saved, joining the rest of humanity on Maia, a new virtual home. Sen was seventeen years old when the Digital Human Archive Project (DHAP) was initiated.

12,000,203,891 humans have been archived so far. Only Sen remains.

[storyworker] ad39-393a-7fbc's assignment is to capture Sen's life, and they set about doing this using the novels of the 21st century as a roadmap. Their source files: 3.72TB of personal data, including images, archival records, log files, security reports, location tracking, purchase histories, biometrics, geo-facial analysis, and feeds. Potential fatal errors: underlying hardware failure, unexpected data inconsistencies, inability to follow DHAP procedures, empathy, insubordination, hallucinations. Keywords: mothers, filter, woods, road, morning, wind, bridge, cabin, bucket, trying, creek, notebook, hold, future, after, last, light, silence, matches, shattered, kitchen, body, bodies, rope, garage, abandoned, trees, never, broken, simulation, gone, run, don't, love, dark, scream, starve, if, after, scavenge, pieces, protect.

As Sen struggles to persist in the face of impending death, [storyworker] ad39-393a-7fbc works to unfurl the tale of Sen's whole life, offering up an increasingly intimate narrative, until they are confronted with a very human problem of their own."

Interesting in that it's usually the human that falls for the AI...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexis Soloski, Ally Wilkes, Ariel Lawhon, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Catriona McPherson, Cora Harrison, Darby Kane, Evie Dunmore, GBBO, Jess Armstrong, John Allison, M.M. DeLuca, W.F. Harvey

The Brothers Hawthrone by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Four brothers. Two missions. One explosive read. Jennifer Lynn Barnes returns to the world of her #1 bestselling, TikTok sensation Inheritance Games trilogy, and the stakes have never been higher.

Grayson Hawthorne was raised as the heir apparent to his billionaire grandfather, taught from the cradle to put family first. Now the great Tobias Hawthorne is dead and his family disinherited, but some lessons linger. When Grayson's half-sisters find themselves in trouble, he swoops in to do what he does best: take care of the problem - efficiently, effectively, mercilessly. And without getting bogged down in emotional entanglements.

Jameson Hawthorne is a risk-taker, a sensation-seeker, a player of games. When his mysterious father appears and asks for a favor, Jameson can't resist the challenge. Now he must infiltrate London's most exclusive underground gambling club, which caters to the rich, the powerful, and the aristocratic, and win an impossible game of greatest stakes. Luckily, Jameson Hawthorne lives for impossible.

Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, Grayson and Jameson - with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather's fortune - must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win."

I think perhaps I should spend my birthday staycation just reading this series...

Sign of the Slayer by Sharina Harris
Published by: Entangled: Teen
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Full Metal Alchemist meets Vampire Diaries in this fun and clever dark academia series...

High school is supposed to be about studying, socializing, and marching-band practice. Not fighting vampires. Then one night flipped my world inside out - now, my life sucks. But it isn't all bad. I'm at a slayer academy, learning things like the real origin of vamps and how to make serious weapons out of thin air.

Every last one of them will pay for what they did. I'm doing great.

Until I come face-to-face with the actual vampire prince...and I'm not sure of anything anymore. Vampires are supposed to be soul-sucking demons. But Khamari is…something else. He's intelligent and reasonable - and he seems to know things about me that could change everything.

He's also hiding something big, even from his own kind. And when a threat from an ancient evil is so extreme that a vampire will team up with a slayer to take it down, it isn’t just my need for revenge that's at stake anymore.

It's the whole damn world."

Yeah, it's not Buffy, do I care, no. Yeah slayers and dark academia!

My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it's a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she's desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch - only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn't look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they're both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren't there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie's sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her."

I am in love with this cover, I mean, this is like the romcom of my dreams when I was younger.

Bite Risk by S.J. Wills
Published by: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Last Kids on Earth gets a lupine twist by way of Margaret Peterson Haddix in this eerie middle grade adventure set in a small town where all the adults are werewolves but the kids begin to suspect something else sinister is putting them at even greater risk.

When everyone's a werewolf, it's hard to spot the monster...

Thirteen-year-old Sel lives in the remote, isolated town of Tremorglade, where nothing interesting ever seems to happen. Well, unless you count the one night a month when the full moon rises and kids like him must lock up their parents while they transform into werewolves (though Tremorgladers prefer to call them Rippers). But that's the whole world's new normal since the Disruption changed everything well before Sel was born.

But when strange things begin happening in Tremorglade, like drones emitting sickening sounds and people behaving oddly, Sel and his friends begin asking questions about what's really going on in their small town. And suspiciously soon after they do, Rippers begin escaping on confinement nights, people start disappearing, and the kids suspect they're being followed.

Maybe there's a reason no one ever seems to leave Tremorglade...and it's up to Sel and his friends to figure out the truth someone doesn't want them to know before another full moon puts them all at a bite risk."

I mean, who doesn't want to read about teens in danger of their werewolf parents on a remote island? Because if you don't I don't think we can be friends. 

The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle by T.L. Huchu
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Duels, magic, and plenty of ghosts await in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book of T. L. Huchu's USA Today bestselling Edinburgh Nights series.

Everyone's favorite fifteen-year-old ghostalker, Ropa, arrives at the worldwide Society of Skeptical Enquirers' biennial conference just in time to be tied into a mystery - a locked room mystery, if an entire creepy haunted castle on lockdown counts. One of the magical attendees has stolen a valuable magical scroll.

Caught between Qozmos, the high wizard of Ethiopian magic; the larger-than-life Lord Sashvindu Samarasinghe; England's Sorcerer Royal; and Scotland's own Edmund MacLeod, it's up to Ropa (and Jomo and Priya) to sort through the dangerous secret politics and alliances to figure out what really happened. But she has a special tool - the many ghosts tied to the ancient, powerful castle."

What is it about books with an English Sorcerer Royal that always make me excited?

The German Baking Book by Jürgen Krauss
Published by: Weldon Owen
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Jürgen Krauss, called "possibly the best-loved contestant in Great British Baking Show history," comes a celebration of German home baking. Make classic German pastries, from apple strudel and stolen to show stopping celebration desserts such as Black Forest cake and "Blushing Maid." It's sehr gut!

The German Baking Book is a celebration of German home baking from Jurgen Krauss, who won the hearts of viewers and three Star Baker honors from the judges of The Great British Baking Show. A self-taught baker, Jürgen has drawn on the flavors, techniques, and memories from his childhood, his European travels, and his wife's Jewish heritage, to create a collection of authentic German baking recipes from his home to yours.

Jürgen's gentle charm can be felt with each delightful recipe. From German classics such as Black Forest gateau, and coffee cake, to festive bakes including lebkuchen and gingerbread, each of Jürgen's delicious recipes are crafted with care and simplicity.

The German Baking Book is a must-have for fans of The Great British Baking Show and home bakers with a love for classic and festive German baking.

British Baking Show Fan Favorite: Author Jürgen Krauss won the hearts of fans and three Star Baker honors from the judges on The Great British Baking Show.

Authentic German Recipes: Expand your culinary skills and fill the air of your home with the scent of fresh baked strudels, cookies, and authentic German breads.

Bake Like a Pro: The skills and recipes that helped Jürgen Krauss conquer the challenges of The Great British Baking Show deliver delicious results every time.

Treats for Every Occasion: From simple coffee cakes to elaborate holiday showstoppers to hearty breads, create authentic German sweets, breads and snacks that make every gathering delicious.

Full-Color Photography: The German Baking Book features gorgeous full-color photography to help inspire and ensure success.

Perfect Gift for The Great British Baking Show Fans: Fans of The Great British Baking Show will love Jürgen's charming recipes"

I love Jürgen. I wish everyone could win the show!

The Picture House Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Kindle
To Buy

The official patter:
"Murder is no occupation for a lady...or is it?

1929: Miss Clara Vale is a woman ahead of her time. Rather than attending Oxford to bag an eligible Duke (as her mother, Lady Vale, so desperately hoped), she threw herself into a degree in chemistry, with aspirations to become a scientist in her own right.

But the world isn't ready for Clara. Unable to land a job in science because she's a woman, she is stuck behind the desk at a dingy London library.

Until her estranged Uncle dies suddenly, leaving her his private detective agency, and laboratory, in his will.

Clara couldn't become a detective, could she?

The decision is made for her when one of her uncle's old clients comes to her for help with a case surrounding the local picture house and invites Clara to see the latest show, before they discuss the details.

But during the film, a fire suddenly engulfs the picture house, with tragic consequences.

It seems at first an accident, but Clara soon begins to question if it was in fact a carefully orchestrated murder.

She's suddenly in the middle of a deadly mystery and will discover her scientific skills make her a sleuth to be reckoned with...Can she catch the killer before they strike again?

The first in a brand-new, glittering Golden Age cozy mystery series. Fans of Verity Bright, Helena Dixon and T.E. Kinsey will be hooked from the very first page to the final breathtaking finale."

If Flavia De Luce was a flapper.

Harlem After Midnight by Louise Hare
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: August 29th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A body falls from a town house window in Harlem, and it looks just like the newest singer at the Apollo...in this evocative, twisting new novel from the author of Miss Aldridge Regrets.

Harlem, 1936: Lena Aldridge grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she'd be there with her father. But now he's dead, and she's newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up. When Will Goodman - the handsome musician she met on the crossing from England - offers for her to stay with his friends in Harlem, she agrees. She has nowhere else to go, and this will give her a chance to get to know Will better and see if she can find any trace of the family she might have remaining.

Will's friends welcome her with open arms, but just as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she's falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own. And they might just place a target on her back. Especially when she is drawn to the brightest stage in town."

A wonderfully atmospheric mystery.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fiona Veitch Smith, GBBO, Jenna Levine, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Jürgen Krauss, Louise Hare, S.J. Wills, Sharina Harris, Slayer, T.L. Huchu, The Inheritance Games, Vampires, Werewolves

Devil's Delight by M.C. Beaton
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Beloved New York Times bestseller M.C. Beaton's cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin - the star of her own hit T.V. series - is back on the case again in Devil's Delight.

Agatha and her assistant, Toni, are driving to their friend Bill Wong's long-awaited wedding, thinking of nothing more than what the beautiful bride will be wearing when a terrified young man comes running down the country lane towards them wearing...nothing at all.

The encounter leads them to become embroiled with a naturist group, a disappearing corpse, fantasy games, witchcraft, an ice cream empire, intrigue and murder. In the meantime, Agatha’s hectic life swirls along at dizzying pace, her private detective agency as busy as ever and her private affairs in turmoil, with old loves to contend with and a new suitor on the scene.

But when she begins to close in on a suspected murderer, she finds herself in deadly peril, as the sinister nature of the ice cream business leads her to a chilling conclusion..."

Do we think Agatha endures where Hamish doesn't because of the TV series? Oh wait, there's a new Hamish out next year!

A Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the latest from international bestselling author Keigo Higashino, Tokyo Police Detective Kaga is faced with a very public murder that doesn't quite add up, a prime suspect unable to defend himself, and pressure from the highest levels for a quick solution.

In the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo an unusual statue of a Japanese mythic beast - a kirin - stands guard over the district from the classic Nihonbashi bridge. In the evening, a man who appears to be very drunk staggers onto the bridge and collapses right under the statue of the winged beast. The patrolman who sees this scene unfold, goes to rouse the man, only to discover that the man was not passed out, he was dead; that he was not drunk, he was stabbed in the chest. However, where he died was not where the crime was committed - the key to solving the crime is to find out where he was attacked and why he made such a super human effort to carry himself to the Nihonbashi Bridge. That same night, a young man named Yashima is injured in a car accident while attempting to flee from the police. Found on him is the wallet of the murdered man.

Tokyo Police Detective Kyoichiro Kaga is assigned to the team investigating the murder - and must bring his skills to bear to uncover what actually happened that night on the Nihonbashi bridge. What, if any, connection is there between the murdered man and Yashima, the young man caught with his wallet? Kaga's investigation takes him down dark roads and into the unknown past to uncover what really happened and why.

A Death in Tokyo is another mind-bending mystery from the modern master of classic crime, finalist for both an Edgar Award and a CWA Dagger, the internationally bestselling Keigo Higashino."

Are the deaths on the Nihonbashi bridge connected? I really need to know!

The Last House on the Cliff by Anne Wyn Clark
Published by: Avon Books
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a young widow's little girl vanishes, could a dark family secret hold the answer?

On the death of her aunt Gwyn, Lowri returns once more to Gwyn's home on the remote island of Anglesey, Wales, with her young daughter Ruby in tow. Lowri hadn't seen her aunt in years, but this beautiful island offers a fresh start.

Yet right away, strange things begin to happen. Ruby insists an old woman is visiting her when no one else is watching, and a tattered old doll keeps being left for Ruby to find.

Then Ruby goes missing. Desperately seeking answers no one seems to have, Lowri looks to her dark family past for clues. But the secrets she uncovers suggest that Ruby is not the only one in danger, and time is running out - for both of them...

A terrifically dark and twisty tale that asks: can you ever really trust those closest to you? Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Cass Green and C.J. Tudor."

Perhaps the remote island was a mistake? I mistake I will love reading about late into the night.

Festive Drinks and Season's Hijinks by Laura Greenwood
Published by: Drowlgon Press
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Kindle
To Buy

The official patter:
"With Azíl's first Christmas around the the corner, Willow is determined to make it special, no matter how much goes wrong.

Festive Drinks And Season's Hijinks is book seven of the Cauldron Coffee Shop Series, a witchy modern fantasy series with a romantic sub-plot, a mysterious teapot, and a cat who might be up to no good."

The only problem with this delightful series is they're too short and therefore too pricey for their length.

Our Encounters with Evil and Other Stories by Mike Mignola
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Join monster hunters extraordinaire and jump into eerie and whimsical Victorian-style tales of monster hunters, vampires, and supernatural sleuths in this collection of stories that is equal parts chilling and charming.

In this three part collection, Professor Meinhardt and his assistant Mr. Knox pursue the undead and Mr. Higgins' tragic history; explore strange supernatural happenings with investigator Ms. Mary Van Sloan; and seek to uncover the truth of the prolific vampire slayer and one-time compatriot of theirs, James Falconspeare.

Collecting Mr. Higgins Comes Home, Our Encounters with Evil, and Falconspeare from Mike Mignola and Warwick Johnson-Cadwell's iconic team-up."

All things Mike Mignola!!!

Monstress, Book Two by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"War between humans and the hybrid Arcanics is poised to explode across the Known World, but the wounds of the last war have yet to heal. Maika Halfwolf, a hardened Arcanic survivor, is on a mission to discover the secrets of her past -- and to understand Zinn, the eldritch monster that lives beneath her skin. But to find those answers, she'll have to figure out who she can trust - and who is poised to betray her.

Collecting volumes 4-6 of the Eisner, Hugo, Harvey and British Fantasy Award-winning series by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, Monstress, Book Two is a deluxe, oversized hardcover brimming with more than 500 pages of art deco beauty and steampunk horror that will make an elegant addition to any fan's shelf.

Collects Monstress #19-35 and Monstress: Talk-Stories #1-2."

If you're not reading and in awe of Monstress what is wrong with you? Time to course correct!

Giuseppe's Italian Bakes by Giuseppe Dell'Anno
Published by: Quadrille Publishing
Publication Date: December 13th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Giuseppe Dell'Anno won hearts the world over when he was crowned winner of the Great British Baking Show in 2021. In Giuseppe's Italian Bakes, his first cookbook, Giuseppe shares his skill, knowledge and love of baking through over 60 new sweet and savory recipes.

Growing up in Italy and learning to cook at the side of his beloved chef-father, Giuseppe has mastered everything from focaccia to florentines, each with his own signature twist on the classics of Italian baking.

Through his step-by-step recipes, Giuseppe guides you through making focaccia, pannacotta, tiramisù, rum baba, piadine, Sicilian cannoli and, of course, pizza, among many other delectable treats. With gorgeous color photos throughout and tips and tricks from the master of the technical challenge, bring a taste of the Italian bakery to your home with Giuseppe's Italian Bakes."

If you didn't cry when Giuseppe won you have no heart!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Agatha Raisin, Anne Wyn Clark, Cauldron Coffee Shop Series, GBBO, Giuseppe Dell'Anno, Hamish Macbeth, Keigo Higashino, Laura Greenwood, M.C. Beaton, Marjorie Liu, Mike Mignola, Monstress, R.W. Green, Sana Takeda

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: August 16th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the propulsive debut novel from the host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie, a journalist uncovers her hometown's dark secrets when she becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder of her childhood neighbor - and the disappearance of another girl twenty years later.

You can’t ever know for sure what happens behind closed doors.

Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January - and they were next-door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, and become a big-city journalist. But she’s always been haunted by the feeling that it could've been her. And the worst part is, January's killer has never been brought to justice.

When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle after he is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, she feels like she's walked into a time capsule. Wakarusa is exactly how she remembers - genial, stifled, secretive. Then news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who's gone missing under circumstances eerily similar to January's. With all the old feelings rushing back, Margot vows to find Natalie and to solve January's murder once and for all.

But the police, Natalie's family, the townspeople - they all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie's disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January's case feels. Could January's killer still be out there? Is it the same person who took Natalie? And what will it cost to finally discover what truly happened that night twenty years ago?

Twisty, chilling, and intense, All Good People Here is a searing tale that asks: What are your neighbors capable of when they think no one is watching?"

Who better to write a book about someone going home a solving a cold case than a true crime podcaster?

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: August 16th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Turns out that reading nothing but true crime isn't exactly conducive to modern dating - and one woman is going to have to learn how to give love a chance when she's used to suspecting the worst.

PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh has always been obsessed with true crime. She's even analyzing the genre in her dissertation - if she can manage to finish writing it. It's hard to find the time while she spends the summer in Florida, cleaning out her childhood home, dealing with her obnoxiously good-natured younger brother, and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn't had a relationship with for years.

It doesn't help that she's low-key convinced that her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, is a serial killer (he may dress business casual by day, but at night he's clearly up to something). It's not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier - a genuinely nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart."

That old story of is he a killer or is he my perfect man...

A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: August 16th, 2022
Format: Kindle, 263 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is back!

When popular TV baking contest and national institution 'The Best of British Baking Roadshow' rolls into town and sets up camp in the grounds of Boskern House, a historic stately home near Penstowan, former police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker finds herself competing to represent Cornwall in the grand final.

But with a fellow contestant who will stop at nothing to win and a drag queen host with secrets of their own, Jodie discovers that the roadshow doesn't just have the ingredients for the perfect showstopper cake, but also for the perfect murder...

And when a body is found in the grounds of the house, Jodie is drawn into another high-stakes case along with local DCI Nathan Withers.

Can Jodie expose the culprit? Or will the murderer become the real showstopper?"

Anything vaguely Bake Off themed with murder is my jam. Or should I make that jam roll?

The Life of Crime by Martin Edwards
Published by: Collins Crime Club
Publication Date: August 16th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 599 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the first major history of crime fiction in fifty years, The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators traces the evolution of the genre from the eighteenth century to the present, offering brand-new perspective on the world's most popular form of fiction.

Author Martin Edwards is a multi-award-winning crime novelist, the President of the Detection Club, archivist of the Crime Writers' Association and series consultant to the British Library's highly successful series of crime classics, and therefore uniquely qualified to write this book. He has been a widely respected genre commentator for more than thirty years, winning the CWA Diamond Dagger for making a significant contribution to crime writing in 2020, when he also compiled and published Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club and the novel Mortmain Hall. His critically acclaimed The Golden Age of Murder (Collins Crime Club, 2015) was a landmark study of Detective Fiction between the wars.

The Life of Crime is the result of a lifetime of reading and enjoying all types of crime fiction, old and new, from around the world. In what will surely be regarded as his magnum opus, Martin Edwards has thrown himself undaunted into the breadth and complexity of the genre to write an authoritative - and readable - study of its development and evolution. With crime fiction being read more widely than ever around the world, and with individual authors increasingly the subject of extensive academic study, his expert distillation of more than two centuries of extraordinary books and authors - from the tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann to the novels of Patricia Cornwell - into one coherent history is an extraordinary feat and makes for compelling reading."

Who doesn't want to read a history of crime fiction?

The Manhattan Girls by Gill Paul
Published by: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: August 16th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's a 1920s version of Sex and the City, as Dorothy Parker - one of the wittiest women who ever wielded a pen - and her three friends navigate life, love, and careers in New York City. Perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Beatriz Williams, and Renée Rosen.

NEW YORK CITY 1921: The war is over, fashions are daring, and bootleg liquor is abundant. Here four extraordinary women form a bridge group that grows into a firm friendship.

Dorothy Parker: renowned wit, member of the Algonquin Round Table, and more fragile than she seems. Jane Grant: first female reporter for the New York Times, and determined to launch a new magazine she calls The New Yorker. Winifred Lenihan: beautiful and talented Broadway actress, a casting-couch target. And Peggy Leach: magazine assistant by day, brilliant novelist by night.

Their romances flourish and falter while their goals sometimes seem impossible to reach and their friendship deepens against the backdrop of turbulent New York City, where new speakeasies open and close, jazz music flows through the air, and bathtub gin fills their glasses.

They gossip, they comfort each other, and they offer support through the setbacks. But their biggest challenge is keeping their dear friend Dottie safe from herself.

In this brilliant new novel from the bestselling and acclaimed author of Jackie and Maria and The Secret Wife, readers will fall right into Jazz Age New York and into the inner lives of these groundbreaking, influential women."

While I can't wait to read this, I will point out that if she knew what Sex and the City was Dorothy Parker would not be pleased by the comparison.

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: August 16th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Kerstin Hall's Second Spear is the thrilling follow-up to the Nommo Award finalist, The Border Keeper.

After surviving the schemes of a vengeful goddess and learning some shattering truths about her former life, the warrior Tyn feels estranged from her role guarding her ruler. Grappling with knowledge of her identity, she unleashes her frustrations on all the wrong people.

When an old enemy returns wielding an unstoppable, realm-crushing weapon and Tyn is swept up in the path of destruction, she must make a choice about who she is and who she wants to be."

To break your fantasy funk!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alicia Thompson, Ashley Flowers, Cornwall, Crime Fiction, Crime Junkie, Dorothy Parker, Fiona Leitch, GBBO, Gill Paul, Jane Grant, Kerstin Hall, Martin Edwards, Podcast, Serial Killer, The New Yorker, True Crime

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.

Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey."

If I were to pick the dream reimagining for Silvia Moreno-Garcia it would be The Island of Doctor Moreau. 

The Birdcage by Eve Chase
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the spirit of Lisa Jewell and Kate Morton, an emotional mystery set in the rugged remote landscape of north Cornwall full of dark secrets and twists, about three unusual sisters forced to confront the past.

Some secrets need to be set free...

When half-sisters Kat, Flora, and Lauren are unexpectedly summoned to Rock Point, their wild and remote Cornish summer home, it's not a welcome invitation. They haven't been back since that fateful summer twenty years ago - a summer they're desperate to forget.

But when they arrive, it's clear they're not alone. Someone is lurking in the shadows, watching their every move. Someone who remembers exactly what they did...

Will the sisters be able to protect the dark past of Rock Point? Or are some secrets too powerful to remain under lock and key?"

You had me at Cornwall and the spirit of Kate Morton.

Hokuloa Road by Elizabeth Hand
Published by: Mulholland Books
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young man is drawn into the dark side of paradise in this haunting and "perfectly crafted" mystery (Grady Hendrix), about the eerie secrets of one Hawai'ian island - and the lengths some will go to keep them.

On a whim, Grady Kendall applies to work as a live-in caretaker for a luxury property in Hawai'i, as far from his small-town Maine life as he can imagine. Within days he's flying out to an estate on remote Hokuloa Road, where he quickly uncovers a dark side to the island's idyllic reputation: it has long been a place where people vanish without a trace.

When a young woman from his flight becomes the next to disappear, Grady is determined - and soon desperate - to figure out what's happened to Jessie, and to all those staring out of the island's "missing" posters. But working with Raina, Jessie's fiercely protective best friend, to uncover the truth is anything but easy, and with an inexplicable and sinister presence stalking his every step, Grady can only hope he'll find the answer before it's too late.

Perfect for fans of Peter Heller and The White Lotus, and from award-winning writer Elizabeth Hand, a master of crime fiction known for her magnetic characters, seductive prose, and fearless excavations into the darkest corners of our world, comes a chilling and illuminating new novel about a place unlike any other - and the deadly cost of keeping it so."

I'm a huge fan of everything Hawai'ian and The White Lotus! Why won't anyone give me an ARC...

The Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 390 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A group of strangers bound by terrifying synchronicity becomes humankind’s hope of survival in an exhilarating, twist-filled novel by Dean Koontz, the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.

As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas - by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me. Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten.

She isn't the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass.

Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana's big dark sky. Their lives entwined, they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity."

I like the menacing "if they build it they will come" energy emanating from Montana.

The Pink Hotel by Liska Jacobs
Published by: MCD
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Confined to an opulent Beverly Hills hotel during a raging wildfire, a young couple is caught in the escalating tension between the wealthy guests and the staff, in Liska Jacobs's blistering, dark social satire, The Pink Hotel.

Newlyweds Keith and Kit Collins can hardly believe their luck when the general manager of the iconic, opulent Pink Hotel invites them to come for a luxurious stay as a bid to hire Keith. Kit loves their small-town life, but Keith has always wanted more, and the glittering, lily-scented lobby makes him feel right at home.

Soon after their arrival, wildfires sweep through the surrounding mountains and Los Angeles becomes a pressure cooker, with riots breaking out across the city amid rolling blackouts. The Pink Hotel closes its doors to "outsiders," and Keith and Kit find themselves confined with an anxious, disgruntled staff and a growing roster of eccentric, ultra-wealthy, dangerously idle guests who flock to the hotel for sanctuary, company, and entertainment.

The Pink Hotel exposes a tenuous class system within its walls, full of insurmountable expectations and unspoken resentments, which deteriorate as the city burns. In her barbed, provocative new novel, Liska Jacobs explores the corrosive nature of greed and interrogates the notion of true love, while hurtling readers toward certain disaster."

I love luxury turning into a trap.

Thirteen Storeys by Jonathan Simms
Published by: Gollancz
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A haunted house tour-de-force from the creator of The Magnus Archives podcast.

Going up?

A dinner party is held in the penthouse of a multimillion-pound development. All the guests are strangers - even to their host, the billionaire owner of the building.

None of them know why they were selected to receive his invitation. Whether privileged or deprived, they share only one thing in common - they've all experienced a shocking disturbance within the building's walls.

By the end of the night, their host is dead, and none of the guests will say what happened.

His death has remained one of the biggest unsolved mysteries - until now.

But are you ready for their stories?"

Penthouse locked room? YAS!

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Just Like Home is a darkly Gothic thriller from nationally bestselling author Sarah Gailey, perfect for fans of Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House as well as HBO's true crime masterpiece I'll Be Gone in the Dark.

"Come home." Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories - she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there, beneath the house he'd built for his family.

Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren't alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera's childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn't the one leaving notes around the house in her father’s handwriting… but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes."

Chills just thinking about moving back into your family home that also is a murder house.

Now in November by Josephine W. Johnson
Published by: Scribner
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A lost gem of twentieth-century literature, Josephine Johnson's 1934 Pulitzer Prize - winning "exquisite…heartbreakingly real" (The New York Times Book Review) novel follows a year in the life of a family struggling to survive the Dust Bowl.

Published when Josephine Johnson was only twenty-four years old, Now in November made Johnson the youngest ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1935. It is a beautifully told account of one farming family's challenges to scrape by and earn a living from mortgaged land over the course of a single year, narrated by one of three sisters - the introspective and thoughtful Margaret. As the household is ravaged by Depression-era hardship and the environmental blights of the Dust Bowl, the family’s unique vulnerabilities are pushed to a breaking point.

In a style typical of Johnson’s body of work, Now in November is strikingly ahead of its time, grappling with questions of mental health, worker’s rights, as well as gender, race, and class and is ready to be rediscovered by a new generation of readers."

Obsessed with the Dust Bowl. Totally and uttering obsessed.

The Stone Road by Trent Jamieson
Published by: Erewhon
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the day Jean was born, the dead howled. A thin scratch of black smoke began to rise behind the hills west of town: Furnace had been lit, and soon its siren call began to draw the people of Casement Rise to it, never to return.

Casement Rise is a dusty town at the end of days, a harsh world of grit and arcane dangers. Jean’s stern, overprotective Nan has always kept Casement Rise safe from monsters, but she may have waited too long to teach Jean how to face those demons on her own. On Jean’s twelfth birthday, a mysterious graceful man appears, an ethereal and terrifying being connected to the family secrets Nan has hidden from Jean in an effort to keep her safe.

Now Nan must rush Jean’s education in monsters, magic, and the breaking of the world in ages past. If Jean is to combat the graceful man and finally understand the ancient evil powering Furnace, she will have to embrace her legacy, endure her Nan’s lessons, and learn all she can - before Furnace burns everything down.

With the lyrical cadence of The Last Unicorn and intense imagery of A Wizard of Earthsea, The Stone Road is a timeless story of hope, belonging, and growing into your power."

The lyrical name of Casement Rise has enchanted me.

Gilded Glass edited by Kevin J. Anderson and Allyson Longueira
Published by: Wordfire Press
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 338 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A mirror is far more than meets the eye. When you gaze into the gilded glass, what do you see-and what looks back at you?

A beautiful woman hiding an ugly secret?
A malevolent king who delivers a fate worse than death?
An urban legend who will becomes an unlikely ally?
An alien gladiator with reflective armor?
A monster to the rescue?
A goddess?
A distorted version of yourself?

Dare to gaze into these 24 original tales of sweet deceptions and cursed truths by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jonathan Maberry, Alan Dean Foster, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Michaelbrent Collings, and more.

Edited by international bestseller Kevin J. Anderson and Allyson Longueira and their Publishing graduate students at Western Colorado University, Gilded Glass: Twisted Myths and Shattered Fairy Tales offers stories with diverse roots, characters, and cultures, from frightening to funny, from once upon a time to far-flung futures and back to the modern day.

Deals are made and wishes granted. Friendships forged and enemies vanquished. You'll love this anthology of modern myths, lore, and fairy tales, because everyone enjoys a happily ever after...

...or do they?

Stare deep into the gilded glass.

What you find might haunt you."

Myths and Fairy Tales anthology? Yes please!

The Ultimate Discworld Companion by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs
Published by: Gollancz
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The absolute, comprehensive, from Tiffany Aching to Jack Zweiblumen guide to all things Discworld, fully illustrated by Paul Kidby.

The Discworld, as everyone knows, is a flat world balanced on the back of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the shell of the giant star turtle, the Great A'Tuin, as it slowly swims through space.

It is also the global publishing phenomenon with sales of over 70 million books worldwide (but who's counting?). There's an awful lot of Discworld to keep track of. But fear not! Help is at hand. For the very first time, everything (and we mean everything) you could possibly want to know has been crammed into one place.

If you need a handy guide to locales from Ankh-Morpork to Zemphis...
If you can't tell your Achmed the Mads from your Jack Zweiblumens...
If your life depends on distinguishing between the Agatean Empire and the Zoons...

Look no further. Updated and perfected by Stephen Briggs, the man behind The Ultimate Discworld Companion's predecessor Turtle Recall, this is your ultimate guide to Sir Terry Pratchett's beloved fantasy world."

Damn I love Discworld and miss Terry Pratchett.

Somewhere Out There: My Animated Life by Don Bluth
Published by: Smart Pop
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After more than five decades in Hollywood, Don Bluth, the man behind some of the most iconic animated films ever made, tells his story.

Don Bluth never felt like a Donald. So people have always called him Don. A matinee of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs awakened something within him. Despite growing up in rural Texas and Utah, he practiced and worked hard to become an Hollywood animator. And after working alongside his idol Walt Disney, and on films including Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers, and Pete's Dragon, he realized that the company had changed into something he didn't necessarily believe in. So made the industry-shocking decision to start his own animation studio.

It was from that studio - Don's studio - that came such award-winning, generation-defining films as The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Anastasia, and the video game Dragon's Lair.

Now, after more than half a century in the movie business, Don is ready to tell the story of his life. How his passions for artistry, integrity, and his Mormon faith shaped him into the beloved icon whose creativity, entrepreneurship, and deeply-held beliefs entertained, enthralled, and inspired millions across the globe.

Exclusive original art makes this book perfect for fans, cineasts, and anyone looking "somewhere out there" for inspiration and motivation."

Don Bluth more than Disney influenced my emotional sensibilities. Don't get me wrong, he also emotionally scarred me for life, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Though some of the Dragon's Lair 3D levels could have been easier... 

BAKE: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics by Paul Hollywood
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: July 19th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The ultimate baking book from internationally beloved baker Paul Hollywood, judge of The Great British Baking Show.

In BAKE, Paul Hollywood shares his best ever recipes for classic bakes: cakes, biscuits and cookies, breads and flatbreads, pizza and doughnuts, pastries and pies, and showstopping desserts. From classic cakes like Victoria Sandwich and Chocolate Fudge Cake, through brilliant breads like foolproof Sourdough, to savoury and sweet pastries like Sausage Rolls and Danish Pastries, these are the only recipes you'll need to create perfectly delicious bakes time and time again.

With more years as a professional baker than he'd care to remember and over 10 years judging the best baking show on TV, Paul has created, tested and tasted a huge number of bakes. He has also traveled widely and learnt so much about the craft he loves. For Paul, one of the most joyful things about baking is how it evolves as we discover new techniques, ingredients and influences. As our knowledge improves, so do our recipes.

Paul combines every tip and trick he has learned together with his incredible technical know-how to create the ultimate collection of incredible bakes."

I'm not one of those people who love to hate Paul Hollywood, I straight up love him.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Dean Koontz, Don Bluth, Elizabeth Hand, Eve Chase, GBBO, Gilded Glass, Jonathan Simms, Josephine W. Johnson, Liska Jacobs, Paul Hollywood, Sarah Gailey, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Terry Pratchett, Trent Jamieson