Showing posts with label Hannah Kaner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hannah Kaner. Show all posts

Monday, March 31, 2025

Tuesday Tomorrow

Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Brian Selznick, a profoundly romantic YA novel about two boys finding each other and falling in love over one summer in Rome.

"I'm going to call you Danny. What are you going to name me?"

"Angelo."

Danny is spending his sixteenth summer in Rome. As his mother spends the day at work in a mysterious museum, he wanders the ancient sites and streets. Soon after his arrival, he encounters a shadow...who becomes a voice...who becomes a boy his age. Angelo.

Soon Danny and Angelo are spending as much time as they can together, piecing together stories of the city while only gradually letting their own histories be shared. Attraction leads to affection, and affection leads to both an intimate closeness and a profound fear of what happens next. Danny has never really had a home, or known the love of another boy. Angelo seems to have more experience...but he also has secrets just out of Danny's reach.

Run Away With Me is a stunning creation, weaving words and illustration to tell the story of a transformative love over the course of one Roman summer."

You will fall in love with Danny and Angelo and the city of Rome. I know it's only April, but there's a strong chance this will be in my top ten reads of 2025.

Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A stray cat brings together five strangers over the course of one fateful summer in this heartwarming novel about love, found family, and the power of connection.

Núria, a single-by-choice barista with a little resentment for the "crazy cat lady" label, is a member of The Meow-Yorkers, a group in Brooklyn who takes care of the neighborhood's stray cats. On her volunteering days, she starts finding Post-it notes left by a secret admirer in an area where her feeds her favorite stray - a black cat named Cat. Like most felines, he is both curious and observant, so of course he knows who the notes are from.

Núria, however, is clueless.

Are the notes from Collin, a bestselling author and self-professed hermit with a weakness for good coffee? Are they from Lily, a fresh-out-of-high school Georgia native searching for her long-lost half sister? Are they from Omar, the beloved neighborhood mailman going through an early midlife crisis? Or are they from Bong, the grieving widower who owns Núria's favorite bodega?

When Cat suddenly falls ill, these five strangers find themselves bonding together in their desire to care for him, and discover that chance encounters can lead to the meaningful connections they've all been searching for."

Cats are what will unite us all.

The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke
Published by: DK Children
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Caspia's summer is transformed when she discovers a bundle of letters containing ten plant-based riddles in this enchanting adventure for children ages 10 and up.

All right, she had to admit it: it really was an adventure to be in a new place. A different Caspia emerged here. A Brooklyn-Caspia, just like the Brooklyn-dandelion.

Twelve-year-old Caspia hates big cities, especially New York. So, she isn't thrilled by the news that her parents are taking her to Brooklyn for the whole summer.

But everything changes when Caspia discovers a bundle of letters, written by a blind girl many years ago, and hidden in an old chest of drawers. Each letter contains a 'green' riddle, with clues leading to a different plant.

Caspia sets out to solve the riddles and, as she does, she meets friends she could never have imagined and finds, to her surprise, that sometimes you can put down roots where you least expect it."

A wonderful way to appreciate the start of spring and new life.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century's worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy's life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses.

After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney's bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, hidden history, but also a future for herself - and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women."

Elise Hooper had me mysteriously discovered dollhouses!

Death at the Playhouses by Stuart Douglas
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A second witty, fun, 1970s-set whodunnit in the Lowe and Le Breton mysteries series, featuring two ageing actors attempting to solve a murder after their famous co-star is found dead in a doorway outside the theatre in which they're performing. Nostalgic cosy crime that's perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Death and Croissants.

It's 1971 and, in between filming seasons of Floggit and Leggit, ageing actors Edward Lowe and John Le Breton sign up for a short run of Shakespearean tragedies at the Bolton Playhouse. But, once in Lancashire, they discover they have been invited to join the theatre's repertory company for two reasons - because the company manager is keen to take advantage of the publicity surrounding their successful BBC comedy series, and because Sir Nathaniel Thompson, the much-lauded star of the show and knight of the realm, has been sacked for drunkenness.

John fears an awkward scene, should Thompson - who he knew during the war - return to reclaim his job, but when the great actor's body is found, bludgeoned to death in a nearby alleyway, the unlikely crime-solving duo find themselves investigating another fiendish mystery that takes them from the northwest of England to the Netherlands, and which, rather inconveniently, seems to have John's ex-wife Sally at its heart.

Death at the Playhouses is the second in The Lowe and Le Breton Mysteries series."

Stuart's first book in this series is so delightful I can't wait to read this one. And yes, I've already preordered it.

Written in Stone by Paige Shelton
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Written in Stone, the tenth installment in the Scottish Bookshop series by Paige Shelton, set in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.

When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan's studio, she isn't sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts - complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair - recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts' language really sounded like.

Or at least that's what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.

With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace's past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace's shady background - selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case…or risk becoming a pile of bones herself."

At first I was here for the Picts, but now I'm hear for 3D-printing artifacts! I mean, did he want to get caught!?!

Dead Post Society by Diane Kelly
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The seventh in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.

This year's honor roll is killer...

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are no strangers to murder. After all, they've encountered corpses on their properties before. But this is the first time they'd decided to take a chance on a property where two suspicious deaths have already occurred. Most buildings on the former boarding school property will be repurposed for an upscale retirement community, but the developer has no use for the headmaster's house given its violent history. The headmaster and his wife were killed there decades earlier, their deaths remaining unsolved to this day.

Still, it seems a shame to see the beautiful Victorian give way to decay or the wrecking ball, even if many claim the unsettled souls of the victims still wander its halls, seeking retribution and justice. Can Whitney and Buck exorcise the structure's demons, solve the cold case, and give the building new life? Or will ghosts from the past seek to silence them forever?"

Trying to fix up a murder house? Yes please!

The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Asia Village is in peril when Private detective Lydia Shepard returns to enlist the help of Lana Lee to solve a rash of unsolved murders and thefts.

When Lydia brings Lana onto the case, three of the members of an elite Asian order known as the Eight Immortals have already been murdered. Each member of the order holds one item that represents their immortal counterpart, and someone is dying to get their hands on them all. Lydia's client insists he - and only he - knows who will be next and wants the murderer captured before there is another victim.

Riding below the line of three cities of law enforcement and Lana's own boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, the two women must tread lightly as they infiltrate a secret organization that even the Mahjong Matrons know nothing about. And somehow protect the next victim without letting on that she’s in danger.

As they dig deeper into the case, Lana finds there are unexpected associations within Asia Village and potential ties to her own family that could be devastating. With the stakes raised on the toughest case she's ever worked, will Lana be able to keep her own emotions out of the investigation? And will the murderer be found before they become the ultimate "immortal"?"

I can't help but feel that Interior Chinatown stole Lana Lee from this series...

Vera Won'd Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 338 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers....

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She's surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer - who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law."

Yeah, perhaps don't go rummaging around in her briefcase if you want her to become your daughter-in-law...

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When the Village Blend opens a Writer's Block Lounge, a cold case crime turns up the heat on Clare and her crew in this gripping new entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs - driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway - while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest.

Includes a knockout menu of recipes!"

Oh, could a killer in the present be linked to a past darkness?

Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This cozy horror novel set in modern-day Toronto includes phenomenal characters, fantastic writing, and a queer romance - the perfect balance of dark and delightful.

This stand-alone novel from the bestselling author of the Peacekeeper novels mixes the creepy with the charming for plenty of snarky, queer fun - for fans of T. Kingfisher, Grady Hendrix, Sangu Mandanna, and Erin Sterling.

Generations ago, the founders of the idyllic town of Lake Argen made a deal with a dark force. In exchange for their service, the town will stay prosperous and successful, and keep outsiders out. And for generations, it's worked out great. Until a visitor goes missing, and his wealthy family sends a private investigator to find him, and everything abruptly goes sideways.

Now, Cassidy Prewitt, town baker and part-time servant of the dark force (it's a family business) has to contend with a rising army of darkness, a very frustrated town, and a very cute PI who she might just be falling for…and who might just be falling for her. And if they can survive their own home-grown apocalypse, they might even just find happiness together.

Queer, cozy, and with a touch of eldritch horror mixed in just for fun, this is a charming love story about a small-town baker, a quick-witted PI, and, yes, an ancient evil."

A love just a touch of eldritch horror!

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A spellbinding novel about sisters separated by centuries, but bound together by the sea, from the author of the runaway New York Times bestseller Weyward.

2019: Lucy awakens from a dream to find her hands around her ex-lover's throat. Horrified, she flees to her older sister's house on the Australian coast, hoping she can help explain the strangely vivid nightmare that preceded the attack - but Jess is nowhere to be found.

As Lucy awaits her return, the rumors surrounding Jess's strange small town start to emerge. Numerous men have gone missing at sea, spread over decades. A tiny baby was found hidden in a cave. And sailors tell of hearing women's voices on the waves. Desperate for answers, Lucy finds and begins to read her sister's adolescent diary.

1999: Jess is a lonely sixteen-year-old in a rural town in the middle of the continent. Diagnosed with a rare allergy to water, she has always felt different, until her young, charming art teacher takes an interest in her drawings, seeing a power and maturity in them - and in her - that no one else has.

1800: Twin sisters Mary and Eliza have been torn from their loving father in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia. For their entire lives, they've feared the ocean, as their mother tragically drowned when they were just girls. Yet as the boat bears them further and further from all they know, they begin to notice changes in their bodies that they can't explain, and they feel the sea beginning to call to them...

A breathtaking tale of female resilience and the bonds of sisterhood across time and space, The Sirens captures the power of dreams, and the mystery and magic of the sea."

Right now any even Australia tangential is up my alley. Women luring men to their deaths? Added bonus.

Wicching Hour by Seana Kelly
Published by: NYLA
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Kindle, 389 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I'm Arwyn Cassandra Corey, the Sea Wicche of Monterey. My new art gallery is finally open, my boyfriend is the new Alpha of the Big Sur pack, and my sorcerer cousin is still on the loose. It's been a lot. I'm just sayin'.

Detectives Hernández and Osso are asking for my help again. Bodies have been found torn up in the woods in a manner that has those in the know thinking werewolf. Declan, as Alpha, will need to investigate his pack and help hunt the killer.

We're narrowing in on Calliope and her demon. She can't hide forever, and my uncle might just have the map to where she's been holed up. If it's the last thing I do, I'll make her pay for her treachery.

Did I mention there's a new podcast, hosted by a human, who is coming dangerously close to telling the kind of secrets the supernatural community kills to keep quiet? His latest season is about a certain artistic wicche.

Oh, and I finally met my dad. Like I said, it's been a lot."

I love Seana Kelly. Though her families are quite A LOT.

A Thorn in Every Heart by Kate King
Published by: Kate King
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Kindle, 517 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What if Belle never returned to the enchanted castle?

After her cheating husband ruins her life, twenty-nine-year-old musician, Alixandria Knight, moves from Chicago to Ironhill, Pennsylvania - a near-abandoned Appalachian ghost town with a fiery history. Officially, she's there to help her aging grandmother. Unofficially, Alix just wants to escape reality.

She'll get her wish.

When a one night stand with a wickedly handsome stranger turns out to be more than she bargained for, Alix is whisked away to the land of the fae. There, she uncovers her family's darkest secret: sixty years ago, Alix's grandmother, Isabelle, broke her promise to marry a beastly king. Now, the fae are hungry, and it's up to Alix to clear her family's debt.

Beauty and the Beast meets Anastasia in this spicy and addictive modern fairytale mashup from the USA Today bestselling author of Wilde Fae."

I mean, don't you think it's only fair of your family to warn you if they've accidentally entered a fae bargain...

Reluctant Witch by Melissa Marr
Published by: Bramble
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Magicians meets One Last Stop in the sequel to Remedial Magic by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr!

After discovering she's a witch and being whisked away to the magical land of Crenshaw, Ellie wants nothing more than to spend time with her new wife, Prospero, who has magically altered Ellie's memories to convince her of exactly that.

Prospero herself is guilt-wracked after erasing Ellie's memories and being forced into a sham marriage with the woman she loves for real. But Crenshaw is dying, poisoned by Prospero's enemies who want their community to return to the human world, and she will do anything to save it.

The most powerful witch in anyone's memory is in Prospero's home, in her bed, with no idea that she's a prisoner there...yet.

As the very fabric of their world is being destroyed, Ellie and Prospero must find a way to work together and save the world, and themselves."

Yeah, witch memory erasure... Gives such Buffy vibes.

Give Up the Night by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with Give Up the Night, the astonishing conclusion to their Moonstruck duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Since becoming Moonstruck on her eighteenth birthday, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magick was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions - some want the ritual completed and their freedom - and others are so terrified of change that they're willing to end Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ritual Selene ruined can be completed.

Between his overbearing father's arrival, Rottingham delegating him more and more responsibility, and Celeste taking a special interest in him, Lee Young has been struggling to find his own path. As much as Lee wants to take his place in the Moonstruck hierarchy, he knows something's not right at the Academia de la Luna. He thinks if he can talk some sense into Wren and get her to return to the Academia, that everything will turn out alright.

As Wren and Lee both battle for what they believe is right, they'll have to uncover who their true allies are...and if they're even on the same side of this magickal fight."

I so love a good duology. 

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire's reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air - vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder - and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.

Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana's moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can't defeat."

Fantasy locked room mystery!?! My two favorite genres in one!

Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the epic finale to the #1 internationally bestselling Fallen Gods trilogy that started with Godkiller, the fate of Middren hangs in the balance as mighty gods and mortal heroes clash in a final battle for supremacy.

War has come. The fire god Hseth is leading an unstoppable army south, consuming everything in her path. Middren's only hope of survival is to unify allies and old foes against a common enemy.

Elo navigates an uneasy alliance with Arren - his friend, his enemy, and his king. Now they each must decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to turn the tides of war.

Meanwhile, Inara joins her mother on their ship, the Silverswift, to seek aid. Still grappling with her powers, Inara must reconcile who she is and where she belongs, while Skediceth has to question if their bond will be enough to keep them safe.

Kissen has no allegiance to the old ways of Middren. But, as she tries to find her family, she is forced to question what, and whose, future she is fighting for.

In Faithbreaker, Hannah Kaner delivers a powerful conclusion to the Fallen Gods trilogy, masterfully weaving together love and sacrifice, loyalty and betrayal, and the true meaning of faith."

If you haven't started this trilogy yet, good news! Unlike the rest of us you don't have to wait for the final volume!

Deadstream by Mar Romasco-Moore
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rear Window meets The Ring in this sinister YA thriller, in which a teen girl witnesses the livestreamed murder of a popular online streamer by a paranormal entity...and could be its next victim.

After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. Since then, her only solace and window to the outside world has been the online community she found through streaming.

But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favorite's streamer's video, and his behavior mysteriously changes over the next few days before he dies in front of thousands of viewers. Teresa finds herself at the center of a life-and-death investigation as the world tries to figure out what or who this figure could be...especially as it begins appearing in the other people's streams, compelling them to "open the door" and let it in - including Teresa's own. In order to save herself and the rest of the internet from this relentless entity, Teresa must venture outside of the mental and physical walls she's created. But will she be able to conquer her fears before anyone else loses their life?"

Well, seeing as the entity has already shown up at her door, yes, it's time for Teresa to get out of there!

The Scientist and the Serial Killer by Lise Olsen
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The true story of how one dedicated forensic scientist restored the long-lost identities of the teenaged victims of the "Candy Man," one of America's most prolific serial killers.

Houston, Texas, in the early 1970s was an exciting place - the home of NASA, the city of the future. But a string of more than two dozen missing teenage boys hinted at a dark undercurrent that would go ignored for too long. While their siblings and friends wondered where they had gone, the Houston police department dismissed them as runaways, fleeing the Vietnam draft or conservative parents, likely looking to get high and join the counterculture.

It was only after their killer, Dean Corll, was murdered by an accomplice that many of those boys' bodies were discovered in mass graves. Corll, known as the "Candy Man," was a local sweet-shop owner who had enlisted two teens to lure their friends to parties, where they would be tortured and killed.

All of Corll's victims' bodies were badly decomposed; some were only skeletal. Known collectively as the Lost Boys, many were never identified and some remained undiscovered. Decades later, when forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick discovered a box of remains marked "1973 Murders" in the Harris County Medical Examiner's office, she recalled the horrifying crime from her own childhood, and knew she had to act. It would take prison interviews with Corll's accomplices, advanced scientific techniques, and years of tireless effort to identify these young men.

Investigative journalist Lise Olsen brings to life the teens who were hunted by a killer hiding in plain sight and the extraordinary woman who would finally give his unknown victims back their names and their dignity. With newly uncovered information about the case, The Scientist and the Serial Killer immerses readers in an astonishing story and reveals why these horrific events remain relevant decades later."

Because as much as we, as a society, focus on the criminal, we should be remembering the lost. This book does the lost justice.

Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.

Where there’s a will, there’s a war.

Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.

Or at least, so they like to think.

Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.

Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father's approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.

Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father's company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth - by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.

On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins - but which Wren will come out on top?"

Magical Succession.

To Catch a Thief by David Dodge
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It takes a thief...

"Le Chat" ("The Cat"), an infamous thief, has come out of retirement and is again liberating expensive jewelry from wealthy tourists on the Frerch Riviera. Or is it a "copycat" who is stealing fortunes?

John Robie thought he had left his larcenous past behind. Once responsible for a string of daring thefts and escapes, he was caught and sent to prison just before the outbreak of World War II. Freed during the German occupation of France, Robie joined the French Resistance and received unofficial amnesty after the war ended. He retired to a simple life in the country where he befriended the local commissaire, Oriol, and tended his gardens. Now it's 1951, and someone has been at work using his old MO. When the police come to arrest him, Robie escapes to Cannes. There, he reconnects with his former comrade Bellini, who convinces Robie to help catch the copycat.

Disguised as a pudgy, middle-aged American businessman, Robie scouts the local nightclubs and casinos and tries to outthink the new thief. When he meets Francie Stevens, the daughter of a wealthy tourist, she becomes Robie's unwelcome ally, and together they hatch a dangerous plan to catch the thief at a gala party. But soon they both realize that Robie really is a thief at heart. With Oriol and the police on his trail, will he escape capture? Will the real thief be caught? And will Robie give up the thief?"

A perfectly timed reissue because...

To Catch a Spy by Mark Oneill
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Estate approved sequel to the novel To Catch a Thief by David Dodge and 1955 Academy Award-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock.

It's been a year since John Robie, notorious Riviera jewel thief, proved his innocence by catching a copycat burglar. And it's been a year since John has seen Francie Stevens, the adventurous socialite who not only saw through his disguise, but helped him catch the copycat. Now Francie is returning to the Riviera for its first-ever Fashion Week as a model for a top French designer, and John plans on rekindling their romance. But there's a problem. While helping a friend, John chases down a mysterious courier, whose ruthless associates now want John dead. To make matters worse, when Francie arrives, she has a boyfriend in tow, and tells John that she wants nothing to do with him.

John has to figure out why he's a hunted man, and why Francie is acting suspiciously. Digging deeper, he discovers a spy ring with evil intent. As John works unofficially to gather evidence, a question begins to haunt him - could Francie Stevens be a spy? With his enemies closing in, John turns to his cat burglar skills to try to save his life and expose the traitors. To survive, he has to catch the spies before they catch - and kill - a retired thief!"

And his years working with the French Resistance shall also come in handy!

The Gatsby Gambit by Claire Anderson-Wheeler
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"America's most beloved literary characters.
A page-turning mystery.
The gilded opulence of the Roaring Twenties.
And a clever young woman of unusual persistence.

Be ready to re-think the world of Gatsby.

Freshly twenty-one and sporting a daring new bob, Greta Gatsby - younger sister to the infamous Jay - is finally free of her dull finishing school, and looking forward to an idyllic summer at the Gatsby Mansion, the jewel of West Egg. From its breathtaking views to its eccentric denizens, Greta is eager to inhale it all - even to the predictable disapproval of Mrs Dantry, Jay's exacting housekeeper. Indeed, nothing could disrupt the blissful time Greta has planned…except finding out that Jay's cadre of dubious friends - Daisy and Tom Buchanan, along with Nick Carraway and Jordan Baker - will be summering there, too.

It's hard to be noticed when the luminous Daisy Buchanan is in the room, and Jordan keeps rather too close tabs on handsome Nick Carraway for Greta's liking. But by far the worst is Daisy's boorish husband, Tom, whose explosive temper seems always balanced on a knife-edge. But soon, bad blood is the least of their problems, as a shocking event sets the Gatsby household reeling.

Death has come to West Egg, and with it, a web of scandal, betrayal, and secrets. Turning sleuth isn't how Greta meant to spend her summer - but what choice does she have, when everyone else seems intent on living in a world of make-believe?

Deftly subverting romantic notions about money, power, and freedom that still stand today, The Gatsby Gambit is a sparkling homage to, and reinvention of, a world American readers have lionized for generations."

I mean, the people Jay runs with are a rum lot...

A Recipe for Murder by Verity Bright
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 342 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches, apple tarts and...poison? Lady Swift is trying to plan the menu for her wedding, until murder strikes in kitchens across the village!

Lady Eleanor Swift's marriage to dashing Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is just days away. There's a lot to organise from the dress to the catering, including, of course, the all-important wedding cake.

But Eleanor is heartbroken when their chef, apple-cheeked Annie Tibetts, dies of poisoning. And as the doctor confirms her death wasn't an accident, accusations fly around the whole community.

With more of the village struck down by the poison, Eleanor must unmask a killer who seems intent on spreading chaos amongst her nearest and dearest. Everyone is accusing their neighbour...and Eleanor is in a pickle as the seating plans for the wedding fall apart. But she soon has bigger fish to fry when the source of the poison is traced to a trusted establishment in town. Eleanor is certain they are being framed and that sabotage is afoot...

And when a sample of poisoned wedding cake is delivered anonymously to Hugh working at his station miles away in Oxford, Eleanor realises that while she has been planning for the future, her past has been catching up with her. Eleanor must race across the countryside to save her love from certain death. Can Eleanor find the proof in the pudding and save Hugh in time? And will the poisoner finally get their just desserts?

A gripping and totally twisty historical cozy mystery set in an English village. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Catherine Coles, and L.B. Hathaway won't be able to put this down."

I mean, was the seating plan falling apart because too many guests were killed? One needs to know...

Monday, March 11, 2024

Tuesday Tomorrow

Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy
Published by: Gillian Flynn Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sister Holiday is back with a newly minted PI apprentice certificate, a twisty mystery to solve, and something to prove in this fast-paced, blistering follow-up to Scorched Grace.

Tattooed from her neck to her toes and sporting a gold tooth as sharp as her wisecracks, Sister Holiday struggles to stay on the righteous path. Never one to make things easy for herself, she's committed to taking her permanent vows with the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and joining former fire inspector Magnolia Riveaux's latest venture, Redemption Detective Agency - both in service of satisfying her eternal quest for answers.

When Sister Holiday and Riveaux set out to bust a philandering husband, they instead find the body of a priest floating in the swollen Mississippi River, and with it, Redemption's next case. It's significantly more gruesome than their original mission, but Sister Holiday feels called on by God to hunt down the murderer and keep her community safe.

As a torrential rainstorm drowns New Orleans for three harrowing days over Easter weekend, Sister Holiday and Riveaux follow the clues. With the stakes rising alongside the relentless floodwaters, our favorite punk nun-sleuth throws herself into the deep end yet again.

A lacerating and lyrical plunge into obsession, deception, and the questions that hold us captive, Blessed Water is a lights-out mystery that will leave you breathless."

Called by God to hunt down the murderer! Preach it!

The Mermaid Murder by Maggie Shayne
Published by: Oliver Heber books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 248 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hey, I'm Rachel de Luca, a self-help guru with a potty mouth and a penchant for crime-solving. My partner, soon to be husband if I can get over my paralyzing fear, is Mason Brown, a detective with the Binghamton PD.

Ten years ago, professional mermaid Eva Quaid disappeared without a trace from The Sapphire Club. Now, my niece Misty is working at the same club, doing the same job. Coincidentally, (not) Misty's college roommate is in the thick of her self-produced true crime podcast about the same cold case. Misty has kept every bit of this from our way-too-close-for-privacy family.

None of this would be a big deal, except that I've been having nightmares. It's my wedding day, and I look from my adoring groom to my twin nieces, face down in the shallows of the reservoir behind the altar.

I dreamt, too, of a dying mermaid who's been trying to get my attention ever since.

When my sister Sandra says she's worried about her twin daughters, Mason and I agree to do a little snooping - only to find Misty has been keeping some big secrets, and is not where she's supposed to be. Nobody knows where she is.

I'm pretty sure that Misty's gone off the grid with her podcasting partner Zig to surveil their favorite suspects in the ten-year-old case of the missing mermaid.

I'm even more sure the mermaid is dead, and that her killer is determined to keep their oldest, deadliest secret, even if it means taking another young woman's life.

I have to find my beloved niece before my visions come true - the way they always do."

There's something seedy and mysterious about people who make their living as a mermaid. It's a whole world riff with dark possibilities. 

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud's. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why?

Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain - a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?"

I mean, the killer is Vincent Price right?

The Hedgewitch of Foxgall by Anna Bright
Published by: Harperteen
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this gorgeous stand-alone fantasy romance perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Allison Saft, a rebellious witch undertakes a last-ditch quest to restore magic to medieval Wales - as two princes vie for her heart.

Magic is fading from Wales - choked off by King Offa's Dyke, the enemy earthworks that spans the entire border. Even the dragons have disappeared. And now an attack is imminent.

Prince Taliesin would love to watch magic die. Prince Dafydd fears it, and the throne. But when their father promises the crown to whichever son can destroy the dyke and restore magic to Wales, the brothers are forced into an uneasy rivalry.

Ffion works hedgewitch magic for poor folk, not princes. Unlike the power-hungry Foxhall coven, she uses only what nature can spare. But when the coven's greed costs Ffion everything, she will need power beyond her wildest dreams to get back what she's lost.

So when Prince Taliesin arrives, begrudgingly seeking a witch's aid, Ffion agrees to help him - even if it means walking from one end of Wales to the other with the most useless peacock she's ever clapped eyes on. Even if it means striking a bargain with Dafydd behind Tal's back. The fate of Wales depends on their quest...and so might the fate of Ffion's heart."

Love me a good hedgewitch.

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A passionate tale of plague, fire, and forbidden love in seventeenth-century London from the acclaimed author of Solomon's Crown.

It is 1666, one year after plague has devastated England. Young widow Cecilia Thorowgood is a prisoner, trapped and isolated within her older sister's cavernous London townhouse. At the mercy of a legion of doctors trying to cure her grief with their impatient scalpels, Cecilia shows no sign of improvement. Soon, her sister makes a decision born of desperation: She hires a new physician, someone known for more unusual methods. But he is a foreigner. A Jew. And despite his attempts to save Cecilia, he knows he cannot quell the storm of sorrow that rages inside her. There is no easy cure for melancholy.

David Mendes fled Portugal to seek a new life in London, where he could practice his faith openly and leave the past behind. Still reeling from the loss of his beloved friend and struggling with his religion and his past, David is free and safe in this foreign land but incapable of happiness. The security he has found in London threatens to disappear when he meets Cecilia, and he finds himself torn between his duty to medicine and the beating of his own heart. He is the only one who can see her pain; the glimmers of light she emits, even in her gloom, are enough to make him believe once more in love.

Facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, David and Cecilia must endure prejudice, heartbreak, and calamity before they can be together. The Great Fire is coming - and with the city in flames around them, love has never felt so impossible."

And not to spoil anything, but history shows us that England isn't that religiously tolerant as one might hope...

The Swan's Nest by Laura McNeal
Published by: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.

On a bleak January day in 1845, a poet who had been confined to her room for four years by recurrent illness received a letter from a writer she secretly idolized but had never seen. "I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett," Robert Browning wrote, "and I love you too."

Elizabeth Barrett was ecstatic. She was famous for her poetry but completely cut off from the kind of international travel that Browning used to fuel his obscure, unsuccessful, innovative poems, one of which was written from a murderer's point of view. They began an affectionate correspondence, but Elizabeth kept delaying a visit. What would happen when he saw her in person? What was Robert really like? Could she persuade her father and brothers that he was honorable, even though she had never met his family? And what would happen if she gave in to Robert's wild proposal that they go to Italy and see if the sun could cure her?

McNeal brilliantly tells the story of how Robert and Elizabeth fell in love with each other's words and shocked her conservative, close-knit family and the literary world. Sensitively and lyrically written, as rich as the lovers' own poetry, The Swan's Nest will sweep up readers in the triumphant story of two people forced to choose between a safe, stable life and the love they felt for each other."

When I was clearing off my shelves I had a set of poetry books, the only ones I decided to keep where Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett's.

At the Stroke of Midnight by Jenni Keer
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's 1923 and in a decade that promises excitement and liberation, Pearl Glenham and her father are invited to a mysterious country house party on the Dorset coast, by a total stranger.

Her father claims not to have any prior association with Highcliffe House, but upon arrival, it is apparent that he has a shared history with several of the guests, although he won't admit it. Belatedly discovering that her father was blackmailed into attending, Pearl's worries are compounded when their host fails to arrive...

Intimidated by everyone at the party, she escapes to the nearby cove and stumbles upon a mysterious mercury clock hidden in a cave. This strange encounter sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in an horrific house fire, claiming the lives of all the guests, including Pearl herself.

But then Pearl wakes up back in the cave, seemingly destined never to live past midnight. She can repeat the day. But can she change its outcome?"

Time loop at a country house party? My catnip!

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier by Emily Matchar
Published by: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Four generations. One remarkable hotel. Countless secrets.

Nestled in the hills of West Virginia lies White Sulphur Springs, home to the Greenbrier Resort. Long a playground for presidents and film stars, the Greenbrier has its own gravitational pull. Over ten decades, four generations of the Zelner family must grapple with their place in its shadow...and within their own family.

In 1942, young mother Sylvia is desperate to escape her stifling marriage, especially when it means co-running Zelner's general store with her husband. When the Greenbrier is commandeered for use as a luxury prison, Sylvia finds her fidelity strained and her heart on the line.

Seventeen years later, Sylvia's daughter, Doree, struggles to fit in, eagerly awaiting the day she'll leave for college and meet a nice Jewish boy. But when a handsome stranger comes to town and her brother Alan's curiosity puts him and Sylvia at risk, Doree is torn between loyalty and desire.

An immersive family saga rich with historical detail, In the Shadow of the Greenbrier explores the inevitable clash between past and future and the extraordinary moments in ordinary lives."

I want to stay at Greenbrier.

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski
Published by: Avon Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Armed with a Crock-Pot and a pile of recipes, a grandmother, her granddaughter, and a mysterious young man work to bring a community together in this uplifting novel for readers of The Chicken Sisters.

Esther Larson has been cooking for funerals in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for seventy years. Known locally as the "funeral ladies," she and her cohort have worked hard to keep the mourners of Ellerie County fed - it is her firm belief that there is very little a warm casserole and a piece of cherry pie can't fix. But, after falling for an internet scam that puts her home at risk, the proud Larson family matriarch is the one in need of help these days.

Iris, Esther's whip-smart Gen Z granddaughter, would do anything for her family and her community. As she watches her friends and family move out of their lakeside town onto bigger and better things, Iris wonders why she feels so left behind in the place she is desperate to make her home. But when Cooper Welsh shows up, she finally starts to feel like she's found the missing piece of her puzzle.

Cooper is dealing with becoming a legal guardian to his younger half-sister after his beloved stepmother dies. While their celebrity-chef father is focused on his booming career and top-ranked television show, Cooper is still hurting from a public tragedy he witnessed last year as a paramedic and finding it hard to cope. With Iris in the gorgeous Ellerie County, though, he hopes he might finally find the home he's been looking for.

It doesn't seem like a community cookbook could possibly solve their problems, especially one where casseroles have their own section and cream of chicken soup mix is the most frequently used ingredient. But when you mix the can-do spirit of Midwestern grandmothers with the stubborn hope of a boy raised by food plus a dash of long-awaited forgiveness - things might just turn out okay."

I will read anything set in Wisconsin. Anything.

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The sequel to Ripley Jones's unforgettable YA thriller Missing Clarissa, The Other Lola is about what happens when the people you love the most are the people you can trust the least.

In the months after Cam and Blair broke their small hometown's legendary missing-girl story and catapulted to accidental fame, they vowed never to do it again. No more mysteries, no more podcasts, and no more sticking their heads where they don't belong.

Until Mattie Brosillard, a freshman at their high school, shows up on their doorstep, begging Cam and Blair for help. Mattie's sister Lola disappeared mysteriously five years ago. No trace of her was ever found. Now, she's back - but Mattie is convinced the girl who returned is an impostor. Nobody believes Mattie's wild story - not Mattie's brother, not Mattie's mother, and not even Cam and Blair. But something is definitely wrong in the Brosillard family. And Blair has her own reasons for wanting to know what really happened to Lola while she was gone.

With Cam and Blair still struggling with the aftermath of their first mystery - and with new secrets swirling between them - the stakes are higher than ever in this can't-miss sequel to Missing Clarissa."

I'm always fascinated by stories where people might not be who they say they are...

Chrysalis and Requiem by Quinton Li
Published by: Quinton Li Editorial
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 310 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art.

Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another.

But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death.

Chrysalis & Requiem is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love."

What would you do if a killer asked you to solve a murder they committed?

Moon Soul by Nathaniel Luscombe
Published by: Dragon Bone Publishing
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 184 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""I don't think I can justify it any longer. I'm going to quit my job."

August has never been good with change and isn't sure who she is beyond her job of reading memories in the sand. When she comes to the conclusion that she has to quit her job, she's left with an overwhelming sense of emptiness. What follows is the quiet chaos of a girl regaining control over her life on a small desert moon.

Deciding to take a job in the hanging gardens of the Spire, August discovers more to life as she meets new friends, forms a different connection with her home, and faces an unexpected visitor from her past.

Rich in relatable emotions and experiences, inspiring in message, and written in prose that will hook you from page one, Moon Soul is a science fantasy novella unlike any you've read before. It will leave you feeling seen and understood."

Strong Little Prince vibes.

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Return to the world of Godkiller in this thrilling sequel to the #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut.

When Middren falls to the gods, your kind will be the first to die.

Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren - but now they are stirring, whispering of war. Godkiller Kissen sacrificed herself to vanquish the fire god Hseth, who murdered her family and endangered her friends. But gods cannot be destroyed so easily, and Hseth's power threatens to reform with even greater strength and a thirst for vengeance. As tensions rise throughout the land, the kingdom needs its Godkiller more than ever.

Still reeling from the loss of Kissen, young noble Inara and her little god of white lies, Skedi, have set out to discover more about the true nature of their bond. As the divide between gods and humans widens, Inara and Skedi will uncover secrets that could determine the fate of the war to come.

Meanwhile, Elogast, no longer a loyal knight of King Arren, has been tasked with killing the man he once called friend. The king vowed to eradicate all gods throughout the land, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all. And where his heart once beat, a god now burns..."

Seriously, I have such cover lust for this series.

Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography by Jessica Max Stein
Published by: Rutgers University Press
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 346 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography tells the life story of a gifted performer whose gleeful irreverence, sharp wit and generous spirit inspired millions. Richard Hunt was one of the original main five performers in the Muppet troupe. He brought to life an impressive range of characters on The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and various Muppet movies, everyone from eager gofer Scooter to elderly heckler Statler, groovy girl Janice to freaked-out lab helper Beaker, even early versions of Miss Piggy and Elmo. Hunt also acted, directed and mentored the next generation of performers. His accomplishments are all the more remarkable in that he crammed them all into only 40 years.

Richard Hunt was just 18 years old when he joined Jim Henson's company, where his edgy humor quickly helped launch the Muppets into international stardom. Hunt lived large, savoring life's delights, amassing a vivid, disparate community of friends. Even when the AIDS epidemic wrought its devastation, claiming the love of Hunt's life and threatening his own life, he showed an extraordinary sense of resilience, openness and joy. Hunt's story exemplifies how to follow your passion, foster your talents, adapt to life's surprises, genuinely connect with everyone from glitzy celebrities to gruff cab drivers - and have a hell of a lot of fun along the way."

It's hard for me to pick a favorite Muppeteer, but Richard Hunt is definitely the one who died the youngest and that breaks my heart.

Older Posts Home