strange and random happenstance

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as "old maids" to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.

When Lord Evan - a charming escaped convict who has won Gus's heart - needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evan's complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy task - the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.

In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan's past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen's clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?"

Oh my, I love Alison Goodman and everything about this book, but the "everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers" had me on the floor.

The Wordsworth Key by Julia Golding
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dead body, a missing manuscript, and a villain intent on revenge...

1812
Investigative duo, Dora Fitz-Pennington and Dr Jacob Sandys, have escaped London and headed north to the Lakes, both needing time away from danger after their two most recent cases. Death, unfortunately, hasn't got the message that it isn't welcome to join them.

Now, as William Wordsworth's opus goes missing, and disappearances and a murder follow in quick succession, Dora and Jacob are forced to abandon their holiday and use their unique skills to track down a reckless killer intent on destroying the Romantic poets and all they stand for..."

Isn't it annoying when you just want a nice vacation and then there's death? I mean, Poirot probably likes that, but I can't really think of anyone else who would.

My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father - and herself.

In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.

To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man's pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.

As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny.

A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name Is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart."

The voice of Emilia is so strong.

The Artist and the Feast by Lucy Steeds
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Longlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, The Artist and the Feast is a captivating novel of love, art, food, desire and thwarted ambition, which builds propulsively over one scorching French summer in 1920s Provence.

During a scorching summer in 1920s Provence, a young journalist, Joseph Adelaide, turns up at the farmhouse of reclusive artist Edouard Tartuffe, hoping to write an article about him. There, he meets Ettie, Tartuffe's niece, who appears to do everything for her uncle - from cooking and cleaning to catering to his maniacal moods. Joseph is beguiled by where he finds himself, not just by this foreign place or Tartuffe himself, but by Ettie, who watches everything so quietly from the periphery. Both Joseph and Ettie carry scars from their pasts and it's as they get to know each other that they start to lay bare those scars to themselves and to each other.

As the summer wears on, and as new ideas and passions are explored, Joseph, Ettie, and Tartuffe are propelled toward a finale that reveals long-held secrets and sets the world on fire.

Fans of Sarah Winman's Still Life and Paula McClain's The Paris Wife will be enchanted by this compelling novel."

There's something magical that happens in the right place at the right time with the right temperature that just coalesces into the perfect window onto another world.

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dive into the charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city. When their journey through the Structure in E.'s garden strands them in a peculiar society preoccupied with the pleasures and perils of knowledge, E. and Henerey come to accept - and, more surprisingly still, embrace - the fact that they may never return home.

A year and a half later, Sophy and Vyerin finally discover one of the elusive Entries that will help them seek their siblings. As the group's efforts bring them closer to E. and Henerey, an ancient, cosmic threat also draws near..."

Underwater, cosmic threat!?! Has Cthulhu shown up?

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.

Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.

But when he arrives at the dock, he's stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she's not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn't the police who are after them, it's a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans...or so Mae claims.

It's lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can't refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey."

Personally, I think he could have said no. But then again, we wouldn't have one of Christopher Golden's memorable stories it that were the case.

The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li
Published by: Avid Reader Press / Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mexican Gothic meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in Christina Li's haunting novel about the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet, and the intertwined fates of the two Chinese American families fighting to inherit it.

Vivian Yin is dead. The first Chinese actress to win an Oscar, the trailblazing ingénue rose to fame in the eighties, only to disappear from the spotlight at the height of her career to live out the rest of her life as a recluse.

Now her remaining family members are gathered for the reading of her will, and her daughters expect to inherit their childhood home: Vivian's grand, sprawling, Southern California garden estate. But due to a last-minute change to the will, the house is passed on to another family instead - one that has suddenly returned after decades of estrangement.

In hopes of staking their claim, both families move into the mansion. As Vivian's daughters race to piece together what happened in the last weeks of their mother's life, disturbing visions and bizarre behaviors start to take hold of everyone in the house, forcing them to realize they are being haunted by something far more sinister and vengeful than their regrets. After so many years of silence, will the families finally confront the painful truth behind the house's origins and the last, tragic summer they spent there - or will they cling to their secrets until it's too late?

Told in dual timelines, spanning three generations, and brimming with romance, betrayal, ambition, and sacrifice, The Manor of Dreams is a thrilling family Gothic that examines the true cost of the American Dream - and what happens when the roots we set down in this country turn to rot."

I mean, making your estranged family live in a haunted house is a good way to get your revenge...

Drop Dead by Lily Chu
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One mysterious mansion. Two rival journalists. Three weeks to uncover the story - and love - of a lifetime.

Obituary writer Nadine Barbault doesn't mind being called "Lady Death." It suits the ice queen persona she's cultivated to survive the fast-paced Toronto Herald. So when Nadine learns that famous (and reclusive) author Dot Voline has died, she doesn't hesitate to run the obituary...only to discover that Dot is very much alive.

Nadine's screw-up has brought Wesley Chen of the rival Spear no end of joy - she's been a thorn in his extremely ambitious side for years. But the renewed interest in Dot also surfaced chatter about a mysterious past scandal. Intrigued, Wes goes to the source to learn more - only to discover Nadine had the exact same idea...and the infuriating woman isn't willing to respect dibs. Typical.

At first, Dot refuses to speak to either of the squabbling pair, but then they receive an unusual request - work together, and Dot will share everything. The offer seems too good to be true...and of course, it is: in a bitter twist of irony, Dot dies for real before she can finish recounting her story. Not all is lost, however. The estate's executor allows Wes and Nadine access to Dot's sprawling wonderland of a mansion for three weeks to find their answer. That's three weeks of working together...three weeks of endless sweltering in tight spaces...three weeks of learning there could be something more between them than a desire to win at any cost.

And maybe, just maybe, under the rubble of all those could-have-beens they'll uncover more than the secret of Dot Voline's long-ago scandal - and Lady Death will finally embrace what she's wanted from life all along."

If it wasn't so cute I'd say it's a V.C. Andrews series in the making.

The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon
Published by: Picador
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Suddenly witness to a man's dreadful death, Inspector Maigret finds himself faced with a series of sordid events that drove the man to despair in this haunting tale of guilt and tragedy.

While stopped at a railway station on the northern edge of Holland, Inspector Maigret catches sight of a traveler acting oddly: the man glances around furtively, pulls out handfuls of coins to pay for purchases, and guards a small suitcase. Maigret decides to follow the man, thinking he'll help catch a crook - but then the inspector witnesses something terrible. The stranger leaves behind only a passport with a false name and an old, large, dirty gray suit. Struck by guilt, Maigret resolves to figure out who this man was and why events ended so tragically. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien is a moving and deep exploration into the burdens of conscience and the lengths one might go in pursuit of absolution."

A LOT of Maigret books being reissued, I wonder if it has anything to do with the new show?

In Progress (Revised Edition) by Jessica Hische
Published by: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This revised edition of design-world darling Jessica Hische's career-spanning art book offers a fascinating inside look at her work in progress, featuring highlights from her most exciting recent projects and new tips for lettering with digital tools.

In Progress is an inspiring and informative book that showcases the creative prowess and technical expertise behind artist, author, and type designer Jessica Hische's distinctive lettering and typography styles. In explanatory captions throughout these pages, Hische guides readers through the phases of each hand-lettered project - for major clients such as Wes Anderson, NPR, Nike, and more - from gathering inspiration and sketching out rough ideas to revising and refining final designs.

With this new edition, readers have the chance to:
-Revisit the beloved artist's sketchbook.
-Follow the evolution of her process over the arc of her career.
-Learn more about how Hische has integrated digital tools into her practice.
-Discover more ways to be creative and improve one's own work.

NEW MATERIAL: This revised edition offers up-to-date information about Hische's technical process and go-to tools. Learn more about her approach to drawing digitally on an iPad and delve into inspiring new projects, following them from the first sketch to the final design.

DESIGN WORLD LEGEND: Considered a pioneer in the modern lettering movement, Jessica Hische has enjoyed a multi-faceted career with a diverse range of compelling projects - from blockbuster movie titles, book covers, and logo redesigns to original posters and prints. She's spoken at over 100 conferences, colleges, and other design events on nearly every continent, including FITC, Creative Mornings, AIGA, The Brand New Conference, the Build Conference, and more.

IN-DEPTH VISUAL RESOURCE: A perfect self-purchase or gift for artists and designers of all levels, from aspiring letterers to professional illustrators looking to hone their skills. With more than 250 full-color images and metallic silver ink used throughout to represent Hische's penciled sketches, this highly visual book is an essential - and entirely enjoyable - resource for those who practice the art of hand lettering or calligraphy or for anyone who appreciates typography in all its styles and forms. The book also includes a preface by internationally celebrated creative director, graphic designer, type designer, and author Louise Fili.

Perfect for:
-Admirers of Jessica Hische's lettering work and followers of her popular social media accounts
-Hand-lettering and calligraphy fans
-Art and design students, professionals, and enthusiasts
-Professional designers
-Bullet journalers, casual creatives, people looking for new artistic hobbies"

Um, I'm literally everyone this book is "perfect for."

His Face Is the Sun by Michelle Jabès Corpora
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new reign is coming...Romance, magic, adventure, and horror collide in the start to this lush, epic, Ancient Egyptian inspired trilogy perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas.

Princess. Priestess. Rebel. Thief.

Tensions run as hot as the Khamsin winds in the great kingdom of Khetara. Rumors of the pharaoh's mysterious illness abound, and with them, murmurs of rebellion grow. Meanwhile, in the quiet desert, a forgotten oracle begins to unfold, setting a dark prophecy into action and drawing together four strangers...

Princess SITA lives in the abundance of the palace, and in a moment of passion, she unmasks a betrayal that will put her life - and the entire royal court - in grave danger.

A priestess-in-training, NEFF strives to understand her intense visions from the gods, except theirs is not the only magic at play in the grand temple.

As a farmer's daughter, RAE knows how much the pharaoh's men have taken from her land, her people. Still, who will step forward to confront the king?

KARIM was raised among the pyramids of the Red Lands and survives on the wealth of the dead as a tomb robber. But amid the spoils, an ancient evil awakens...

Bloodshed is coming. Only together do these four have the potential to save the kingdom from destruction. But when the dust has settled, who will sit on the throne of Khetara?"

Oh. Oh my. I couldn't be more excited, it's Egyptian inspired!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alison Goodman, Christina Li, Christopher Golden, Georges Simenon, Ill-Mannered Ladies, Isabel Allende, Jessica Hische, Julia Golding, Lily Chu, Lucy Steeds, Michelle Jabès Corpora, Regency, Sylvie Cathrall

The Hedge Witch by Cari Thomas
Published by: Voyager
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An enchanting new novella set in the magical world of Sunday Times bestseller Threadneedle.

Rowan is visiting her aunt - Winne the hedge witch - in the Welsh countryside, to get back to nature and hone her skills, as well as taking a break from her annoying sisters and enjoying some peace and quiet. However, Rowan soon comes to realise that hedges are a serious business and this isn't quite the opportunity to rest and escape she thought it might be.

Not only that, but mysterious events around the town are causing panic in the secret magical community and cowans - non-magical folk - are starting to take notice.

Can Rowan hone her hedge craft, try to make some friends and solve the riddle of the mysterious goings-on, or is magic about to be revealed to the world...or at least Wales?"

I have been waiting for this novella ever since I got my copy of Threadneedle, which I ordered from England because it wasn't coming out soon enough here!

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality by Kate Khavari
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Brilliant botanist Saffron Everleigh is back and ready for adventure in Kate Khavari's next mesmerizing historical mystery.

1920s London isn't the ideal place for a brilliant woman with lofty ambitions. But research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to beat the odds in a male-dominated field at the University College of London. Saffron embarks on her first research study alongside the insufferably charming Dr. Michael Lee, traveling the countryside with him in response to reports of poisonings. But when Detective Inspector Green is given a case with a set of unusual clues, he asks for Saffron's assistance.

The victims, all women, received bouquets filled with poisonous flowers. Digging deeper, Saffron discovers that the bouquets may be more than just unpleasant flowers - there may be a hidden message within them, revealed through the use of the old Victorian practice of floriography. A dire message, indeed, as each woman who received the flowers has turned up dead.

Alongside Dr. Lee and her best friend, Elizabeth, Saffron trails a group of suspects through a dark jazz club, a lavish country estate, and a glittering theatre, delving deeper into a part of society she thought she'd left behind forever.

Will Saffron be able to catch the killer before they send their next bouquet, or will she find herself with fatal flowers of her own in Kate Khavari's second intoxicating installment."

Just like my favorite Enola Holmes mystery! Never discount the danger of the language of flowers!

The Horror of Haglin House by M.R.C. Kasasian
Published by: Canelo
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 455 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jilted thriller writer Lady Violet Thorn has withdrawn to the Suffolk market town of Montford with two servants and her leading character, the adventuress Ruby Gibson, for company.

Violet's peace is disturbed when a stranger asks her for help, claiming that a friend is being kept prisoner in her own home. Her visitor seems so afraid that Violet, despite her scepticism, is persuaded to investigate.

A woman is killed outside Violet's house, then another murdered in the town and, as the deaths mount up, she becomes convinced that they all lead to one place: the increasingly forbidding Haglin House, and whoever lives there...

M.R.C. Kasasian returns with a fresh, witty and totally enthralling take on the classic crime genre, perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz, M. C. Beaton and Oscar De Muriel."

I love me the classic crime genre!

The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne
Published by: Harper Muse
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An archaeologist's estranged daughters.

1907: The dawn of Egyptology is a time of imperialism and plunder, opulence and unrest, and Dr. Warren Ford, esteemed archaeologist, is the man of the hour. His daughters - intellectual Lila, on the eve of her debut as a Manhattan socialite, and nonconformist Tess, who dreams of following in his footsteps - have always lived in his shadow, and their lives couldn't feel more different. But when a secretive organization seeks to find a lost relic legendary for its dangerous power, it isn't Dr. Ford they turn to - it's his two remarkable daughters.

A legendary artifact known as the Serpent's Crown.

Rumored to reside in the mysterious Tomb of the Five Ladies, the Serpent's Crown will only be found by solving a seemingly impossible riddle that will open the tomb - and the organization believes that one of the Ford daughters holds the key to deciphering the code. What was supposed to be an elegant debutante ball for elder sister Lila quickly turns sinister when Tess is kidnapped and put on a ship across the Atlantic. When Lila and her father realize that Tess's life is in danger, they must act quickly to track her down and stop the Serpent's Crown from falling into the wrong hands.

A puzzle three millennia in the making.

A race for the Crown begins, with Lila and her father in hot pursuit of the organization and Tess. With lives at stake, the fractured family must keep their wits about them, find the artifact, and escape the ruthless men who are also determined to possess the Crown and use it to their own advantage - no matter the cost.

In this women-centered nod to the beloved Indiana Jones stories, The Antiquity Affair is a high-stakes, trans-Atlantic thrill ride, with the page-turning excitement and romance of classic adventure novels and a poignant story of sisterhood at its core."

And don't forget Egyptology! 

The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In The Last Drop of Hemlock, the dazzling follow up to Last Call at the Nightingale, even a dance can come with a price...

The rumor went through the Nightingale like a flood, quietly rising, whispers hovering on lips in pockets of silence.

Life as a working-class girl in Prohibition-era New York isn't safe or easy. But Vivian Kelly has a new job at the Nightingale, an underground speakeasy where the jazz is hot and the employees look out for each other in a world that doesn't care about them. Things are finally looking up for her and her sister Florence...until the night Vivian learns that her friend Bea's uncle, a bouncer at the Nightingale, has died.

His death is ruled a suicide, but Bea isn't so convinced. She knew her uncle was keeping a secret: a payoff from a mob boss that was going to take him out of the tenements and into a better life. Now, the money is missing.

Though her better judgment tells her to stay out of it, Vivian agrees to help Bea find the truth about her uncle's death. But they uncover more than they expected when rumors surface of a mysterious letter writer, blackmailing Vivian's poorest neighbors for their most valuable possessions, threatening poison if they don't comply.

Death is always a heartbeat away in Jazz Age New York, where mob bosses rule the back alleys and cops take bootleggers' hush money. But whoever is targeting Vivian's poor and unprotected neighbors is playing a different game. With the Nightingale's dangerously lovely owner, Honor, worried for her employees' safety and Bea determined to discover who is responsible for her uncle's death, Vivian once again finds herself digging through a dead man's past in hopes of stopping a killer."

Because if there's one thing you don't do you don't target the weak.

Marion Lane and the Raven's Revenge by T.A. Willberg
Published by: Park Row
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The raven had struck. And the thing was, she knew exactly who was next...

London, 1960. Marion Lane, a twenty-five-year-old apprentice detective at the elusive Miss Brickett's Investigations and Inquiries, is busier than ever and determined to prove herself worthy of an official Inquirer badge. But when her close friend's girlfriend, Darcy, is targeted by a dangerous gang leader and seeks out the Inquirers' assistance, Marion cannot help but get involved.

Just when Marion thinks she has the situation under control, Darcy disappears and the agency receives a package containing a dead raven. Everyone is puzzled by what the threat could mean, except for Marion. She recognizes it as the same calling card left on her mother's doorstep just before she died.

With harrowing twists and turns, Marion Lane and the Raven's Revenge follows Marion's most personal case to date. To uncover who is behind these ominous packages and find Darcy, she must piece together how they are related to her mother's mysterious death and secretive past."

But to be fair, a dead raven on your doorstep is never a good sign.

Death in Fine Condition by Andrew Cartmel
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Launching a new series, a cast of lovable rogues face fiendish puzzles and murderous villains in this love letter to Agatha Christie murder mysteries and classic whodunnits.

Introducing a new series from the creator of the beloved, bestselling Vinyl Detective novels.

Cordelia knows books. An addict-turned-dealer of classic paperbacks, when she's not spending her days combing the charity shops and jumble sales of suburban London for valuable collector's items, she's pining for the woman of her dreams and nimbly avoiding her landlord's demands for rent.

The most elusive prize of all, her white whale, has surfaced - a set of magnificent, vintage Sleuth Hound crime novels. Gorgeous, and as rare as they come. Just one problem. They're not for sale. Still, that won't stop a resourceful woman like Cordelia...One burglary later, the books are hers. Unfortunately, the man she's just robbed turns out be one of London's most dangerous gangsters, and now he's on her trail and out for blood.

Cordelia's best laid plans to pay the rent and woo the object of her affections start to fall apart, and she realises she may have placed herself in the crosshairs of a villain torn straight from the pages of her precious novels."

I mean, who hasn't stolen a book before?

A Cornish Seaside Murder by Fiona Leitch
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 270 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Don't miss the next Jodie 'Nosey' Parker cozy mystery!

A Siren's call...to murder.

Former Met police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers - while still trying to grow her catering company - brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie’s attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman.

While tourists and locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real - and very dangerous - turf war. As the casualties start to stack up, they must face the likelihood that something sinister has been going on under their noses for some time..."

But don't discount the danger of mermaids either!

The Game She Plays by Siena Sterling
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of Tell Us No Secrets comes a twisty new novel. A young American woman is thrust into the closed social circle of English aristocrats, but beneath their charm and glamor lay secrets and dark betrayals that follow them - and her - around every corner. Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Sherry Lapena, Ruth Ware, and Gilly MacMillan.

To everyone else it was "just" a weekend house party - complete with a pheasant shoot, inside jokes, and after-dinner games. But for American Nicola Harris, swept off her feet by aristocratic Englishman James Shuttleworth, the weekend is her first chance to penetrate his close-knit circle of posh friends - people with names like Badger and Trez, people who will soon have the titles of Earl and Countess. Nicola is eager to fit in, but she can't seem to navigate this insular world, where everyone speaks a private language and secrets are hinted at behind the jolly jokes and witty barbs.

Just as Nicola begins to feel welcome, Juliet arrives. Mysterious, stunning, charismatic Juliet is also James' first love - the one who left him heartbroken ten years before. Juliet holds the men in thrall and the women under her spell. And although it seems she can do no wrong, outsider Nicola senses something poisonous in her presence, something that sparks insecurity, jealousy, betrayal, and violence. Because Juliet is a champion game-player, able to lure you into her circle by finding your most vulnerable spot...and when the game she plays turns deadly, everyone is a suspect."

Oh, this sounds like the most recent season of You. I'm sold!

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""That place has been my whole life. Everything I thought I knew about myself was constructed in those few months I spent within touching distance of the sea. Everything I am is because Alistair loved me."

Rachel has been in love with Alistair for fifteen years. Even though she's now married to someone else. Even though she was a teenager when they met. Even though he is twenty years older than her.

Rachel and Alistair's summer love affair on a remote, sun-trapped Greek island has consumed her since she was seventeen, obliterating everything in its wake. But as Rachel becomes increasingly obsessed with reliving the events of so long ago, she reconnects with the other girls who were similarly drawn to life on the island, where the nights were long, the alcohol was free-flowing and everyone acted in ways they never would at home. And as she does so, dark and deeply suppressed secrets about her first love affair begin to rise to the surface, as well as the truth about her time working for an enigmatic and wealthy man, who controlled so much more than she could have ever realized.

Joining a post #MeToo discourse, The Girls of Summer grapples with themes of power, sex, and consent, as it explores the complicated nature of memory and trauma - and what it takes to reframe, and reclaim, your own story."

Because sometimes what you thought was a fairy tale really was a nightmare.

The Summer Party by Rebecca Heath
Published by: Head of Zeus
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An atmospheric psychological thriller about a glamorous family living on the coast of southern Australia. 2023's most addictive beach read. A perfect family. A devastating secret.

Summer, 2000. In the tranquil town of Queen's Point in southern Australia, the Whitlam family marks the end of every season with a lavish party in their clifftop mansion. Here, clutching her first glass of real champagne, the summer breeze intoxicating on her skin, sixteen-year-old Lucy Ross is kissed for the very first time. And then, in the shadows of the rose garden, she sees something she shouldn't.

Winter, 2019. After two decades of silence, Lucy is back in Queen's Point. She hasn't planned on staying long. But when human remains wash up on the freezing beach, the police close the town. Unable to leave, Lucy is forced to rekindle old friendships - and examine old truths - she has long ago tried to forget. As long-buried secrets start to surface, Lucy must decide. Will she confront the past and tell the truth? Or will she still do anything to protect the people she loves?

A glamorous, escapist psychological thriller set in Australia, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, A.A. Torre and Adele Parks."

Oh, what did she see!?!

Starring Adele Astaire by Eliza Knight
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight returns with a story full of glitz and glam as she delves into the life of Adele Astaire, a spirited and talented woman who served up smiles and love both on and off the stage - with and without her also famous brother Fred Astaire - along with a determined young dancer with rags-to-riches dreams.

A spirited rising stage star...
Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Astaire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when she meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true - but at what cost?

A determined young dancer ...
Ever since Violet Wood could walk she's wanted to dance on the London stage. Befriended by Adele, filled with ambition, she is more than willing to make the sacrifices it will take to becomes a star herself, and her rags-to-riches hopes are within reach. But the road to fame is never easy.

Two women with unquenchable spirit ...
From the fast-paced world of roaring 20s New York to the horrors and sacrifice of wartime London, Adele's and Violet's lives intertwine, and each must ask themselves is fame worth the price you must pay?"

Perhaps the price of dreams is being forgotten by time.

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This powerful and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and Violeta weaves together past and present, tracing the ripple effects of war and immigration on one child in Europe in 1938 and another in the United States in 2019.

Vienna, 1938. Samuel Adler is five years old when his father disappears during Kristallnacht - the night his family loses everything. As her child's safety becomes ever harder to guarantee, Samuel's mother secures a spot for him on a Kindertransport train out of Nazi-occupied Austria to England. He boards alone, carrying nothing but a change of clothes and his violin.

Arizona, 2019. Eight decades later, Anita Díaz and her mother board another train, fleeing looming danger in El Salvador and seeking refuge in the United States. But their arrival coincides with the new family separation policy, and seven-year-old Anita finds herself alone at a camp in Nogales. She escapes her tenuous reality through her trips to Azabahar, a magical world of the imagination. Meanwhile, Selena Durán, a young social worker, enlists the help of a successful lawyer in hopes of tracking down Anita's mother.

Intertwining past and present, The Wind Knows My Name tells the tale of these two unforgettable characters, both in search of family and home. It is both a testament to the sacrifices that parents make and a love letter to the children who survive the most unfathomable dangers - and never stop dreaming."

Survive!

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young noblewoman must pair up with an alleged witch to ward off a curse in this irresistible sapphic romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material.

It is the year 1814, and life for a young lady of good breeding has many difficulties. There are balls to attend, fashions to follow, marriages to consider, and, of course, the tiny complication of existing in a world swarming with fairy spirits, interfering deities, and actual straight-up sorcerers.

Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into high society hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at a high-profile ball, a scandal she narrowly manages to escape.

However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, Miss Mitchelmore must seek out aid, even if that means mixing with undesirable company. And there are few less desirable than Lady Georgianna Landrake - a brooding, alluring young woman sardonically nicknamed "the Duke of Annadale" - who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune. If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress. Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs.

With the Duke's help, Miss Mitchelmore delves into a world of angry gods and vindictive magic, keen to unmask the perpetrator of these otherworldly attacks. But Miss Mitchelmore's reputation is not the only thing at risk in spending time with her new ally. For the reputed witch has her own secrets that may prove dangerous to Miss Mitchelmore's heart - not to mention her life."

Um, methinks this counts as Regency Magic!

Saint Juniper's Folly by Alex Crespo
Published by: Peachtree Teen
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cemetery Boys meets The Haunting of Bly Manor in this spellbinding debut!

For Jaime, returning to the Vermont town of Saint Juniper means returning to a past he's spent eight years trying to forget. After shuttling between foster homes, he hopes to make something out of this fresh start. But every gossip in town already knows his business, and with reminders of his past everywhere, he seeks out solitude into the nearby woods - Saint Juniper's Folly - and does not return.

For Theo, Saint Juniper means being stuck. He knows there's more out there, but he's scared to go find it. His senior year is going to be like all the rest, dull and claustrophobic. That is until he wanders into the Folly and stumbles on a haunted house with an acerbic yet handsome boy trapped - as in physically trapped - inside.

For Taylor, Saint Juniper is a mystery. She tries to practice the magic her dad banned from the house after her mom, an accomplished witch, suddenly died. But without someone to guide her, she's floundering. Then a wide-eyed teenager barges into her life, rambling about a haunted house and a trapped boy. He needs a witch.

The Folly and its ghosts will draw these three teenagers together. But can they each face their demons to forge a bond strong enough to escape the Folly's shadows?

Alex Crespo's queer haunted house mystery is equal parts spine-tingling thrills, a celebration of found family, and must-read for paranormal romance fans."

Queer haunted house mystery centering on found family? Yes, yes, yes!

The Endless Vessel by Charles Soule
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: June 6th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Combining the wonder of The Midnight Library, the inventiveness of Ready Player One, and the artistry of Cloud Atlas, this novel by the bestselling author of The Oracle Year and Anyone explores the way we're all connected - and what can happen when we lose our capacity for joy.

A few years from now, in a world similar to ours, there exists a sort of "depression plague" that people refer to simply as "The Grey." No one can predict whom it will afflict, or how, but once infected, there's no coming back.

A young Hong Kong based scientist, Lily Barnes, is trying to maintain her inner light in an increasingly dark world. The human race is dwindling, and people fighting to push forward are increasingly rare. One day, Lily comes across something that seems to be addressing her directly, calling to her, asking her to follow a path to whatever lies at its end. Is this the Endless Vessel to happiness? She leaves her life behind and sets out through time and space to find out.

From its opening heart-stopping scene in the present day at the Louvre in Paris, through the earthly meetings between Lily and her loved ones past and present, to a shocking and satisfying conclusion in a truly enchanted forest, Charles Soule has channeled history, science and drama to create a story for the ages - a story of hope and love and possibility. This is a novel you will not soon forget."

I'm totally banking on Charles Soule to write a book nothing like the three books namechecked in this blurb.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexis Hall, Andrew Cartmel, Cari Thomas, Charles Soule, Eliza Knight, Fiona Leitch, Isabel Allende, Jennifer Thorne, Kate Khavari, Katharine Schellman, Katie Bishop, M.R.C. Kasasian, Siena Sterling, T.A. Willberg

The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Everyone has the same questions about best friends Owen and Luna: What binds them together so tightly? Why weren’t they ever a couple? And why do people around them keep turning up dead? In this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Passenger, every answer raises a new, more chilling question.

Owen Mann is charming, privileged, and chronically dissatisfied. Luna Grey is secretive, cautious, and pragmatic. Despite their differences, they form a bond the moment they meet in college. Their names soon become indivisible - Owen and Luna, Luna and Owen - and stay that way even after an unexplained death rocks their social circle.

They’re still best friends years later, when Luna finds Owen’s wife brutally murdered. The police investigation sheds light on some long-hidden secrets, but it can’t penetrate the wall of mystery that surrounds Owen. To get to the heart of what happened and why, Luna has to dig up the one secret she’s spent her whole life burying.

The Accomplice brilliantly examines the bonds of shared history, what it costs to break them, and what happens when you start wondering how well you know the one person who truly knows you."

There are only a handful of must buy authors for me. Lisa Lutz is high on that list!

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
Published by: Park Row
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf.

True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn't mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she's retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.

As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls - haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn't as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them."

Snow storms and murder go together like peanut butter and jelly!

The Appeal by Janice Hallett
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this "dazzlingly clever" (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child - but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their fellow castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival.

But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy - nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material - emails, messages, letters - with a growing suspicion that a killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.

A wholly modern take on the epistolary novel, The Appeal is a "daring…clever, and funny" (The Times, London) debut for fans of Richard Osman and Lucy Foley."

When I first heard about this book in my Waterstones newsletter I knew it was for me. I love how authors are uniquely using modern technologies to reinvent the epistolary novel.

Road of Bones by Christopher Golden
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An American documentarian travels a haunted highway across the frozen tundra of Siberia in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden’s Road of Bones, a "tightly wound, atmospheric, and creepy as hell" (Stephen King) supernatural thriller.

Surrounded by barren trees in a snow-covered wilderness with a dim, dusky sky forever overhead, Siberia’s Kolyma Highway is 1200 miles of gravel packed permafrost within driving distance of the Arctic Circle. A narrow path where drivers face such challenging conditions as icy surfaces, limited visibility, and an average temperature of sixty degrees below zero, fatal car accidents are common.

But motorists are not the only victims of the highway. Known as the Road of Bones, it is a massive graveyard for the former Soviet Union’s gulag prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of people worked to death and left where their bodies fell, consumed by the frozen elements and plowed beneath the permafrost road.

Fascinated by the history, documentary producer Felix "Teig" Teigland is in Russia to drive the highway, envisioning a new series capturing Life and Death on the Road of Bones with a ride to the town of Akhust, “the coldest place on Earth”, collecting ghost stories and local legends along the way. Only, when Teig and his team reach their destination, they find an abandoned town, save one catatonic nine-year-old girl - and a pack of predatory wolves, faster and smarter than any wild animals should be.

Pursued by the otherworldly beasts, Teig’s companions confront even more uncanny and inexplicable phenomena along the Road of Bones, as if the ghosts of Stalin’s victims were haunting them. It is a harrowing journey that will push Teig beyond endurance and force him to confront the sins of his past."

Yes, it's January and I'm leaning heavily into murder and snow. But this is Christopher Golden. He's in a separate category. A must buy category.

Devil House by John Darnielle
Published by: MCD
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From John Darnielle, the New York Times bestselling author and the singer-songwriter of the Mountain Goats, comes an epic, gripping novel about murder, truth, and the dangers of storytelling.

Gage Chandler is descended from kings. That’s what his mother always told him. Years later, he is a true crime writer, with one grisly success - and a movie adaptation - to his name, along with a series of subsequent less notable efforts. But now he is being offered the chance for the big break: to move into the house where a pair of briefly notorious murders occurred, apparently the work of disaffected teens during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. Chandler finds himself in Milpitas, California, a small town whose name rings a bell– - his closest childhood friend lived there, once upon a time. He begins his research with diligence and enthusiasm, but soon the story leads him into a puzzle he never expected - back into his own work and what it means, back to the very core of what he does and who he is.

Devil House is John Darnielle’s most ambitious work yet, a book that blurs the line between fact and fiction, that combines daring formal experimentation with a spellbinding tale of crime, writing, memory, and artistic obsession."

Look at the cover. That beautiful retro cover. Now don't let it draw you in. This might be one of the worst books I've ever read.

Hold My Place by Cassondra Windwalker
Published by: Black Spot Books
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 170 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the Helen Kay Chapbook Award-Winning poet Cassondra Windwalker, an unsuspecting librarian falls head-over-heels for a married man, but when she finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance, she discovers her new husband’s past wives have all met early deaths - and some aren’t ready to let go yet.

Obsession never dies.

When librarian Sigrun falls head-over-heels for the sophisticated and very married Edgar Leyward, she never expects to find herself in his bed - or his heart. Nevertheless, when his enigmatic wife Octavia dies from a sudden illness, Sigrun finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance worthy of the most lurid novels on her bookshelves.

Sigrun soon discovers Octavia wasn’t Edgar’s first lost love, or even his second. Three women Edgar has loved met early deaths. As she delves into her beloved’s past through a trove of discovered letters, the edges of Sigrun identity begin to disappear, fading into the women of the past. Sigrun tells herself it’s impossible for any dark magic to be at play - that the dead can’t possibly inhabit the bodies of the living - but something shadowy stalks the halls of the Leyward house and the lines between the love of the present and the obsessions of the past become increasingly blurred - and bloody.

Mixing lyrical prose with simmering terror, Hold My Place is a modern gothic horror worthy of Shirley Jackson’s nightmares and Daphne Du Maurier’s dangerous lovers."

What was that about Shirley Jackson and Daphne Du Maurier?

Never Tell by Stacey Abrams
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From popular national leader and #1 New York Times bestseller Stacey Abrams writing under the name Selena Montgomery comes Never Tell a novel of spinetingling romance and unforgettable suspense.

Criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott wants nothing more than to live a quiet life. That means no danger, no intrigue - and absolutely no romance. But when Erin suspects a serial killer is roaming New Orleans, her investigation throws her straight into the arms of the one man who can help her.

Journalist Gabriel Moss is hot to find his next big story - and he knows Erin is onto something that will rock the city to its core. However, Erin is also a mystery he must solve. From the moment they meet, Gabriel senses that she is hiding more than her beauty behind her boxy suits and sensible shoes. When she reluctantly agrees to work with him to uncover the most shocking story they have ever come across, explosive secrets are revealed and danger and passion begin to rise."

I have been "patiently" waiting for Stacey Abrams's books that she wrote under a pseudonym to be reprinted. The day is finally here!

Violeta by Isabel Allende
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.

Violeta comes into the world on a stormy day in 1920, the first girl in a family with five boisterous sons. From the start, her life is marked by extraordinary events, for the ripples of the Great War are still being felt, even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth.

Through her father’s prescience, the family will come through that crisis unscathed, only to face a new one as the Great Depression transforms the genteel city life she has known. Her family loses everything and is forced to retreat to a wild and beautiful but remote part of the country. There, she will come of age, and her first suitor will come calling.

She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others, recounting times of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Her life is shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women’s rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and ultimately not one, but two pandemics.

Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion, determination, and sense of humor carry her through a lifetime of upheaval, Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional."

I like epics and I hope you do too.

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City's most impressive Gilded Age mansions.

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate - the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion - a building that, ironically, bears her own visage - Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family - pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career - and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home - within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she - along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua - is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family."

What's my favorite museum in New York? If you guessed The Frick, you are correct!

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie!

She changed the world with her discovery. Three men took the credit.

Rosalind Franklin has always been an outsider - brilliant, but different. Whether working at the laboratory she adored in Paris or toiling at a university in London, she feels closest to the science, those unchanging laws of physics and chemistry that guide her experiments. When she is assigned to work on DNA, she believes she can unearth its secrets.

Rosalind knows if she just takes one more X-ray picture - one more after thousands - she can unlock the building blocks of life. Never again will she have to listen to her colleagues complain about her, especially Maurice Wilkins who'd rather conspire about genetics with James Watson and Francis Crick than work alongside her.

Then it finally happens - the double helix structure of DNA reveals itself to her with perfect clarity. But what unfolds next, Rosalind could have never predicted.

Marie Benedict's powerful new novel shines a light on a woman who sacrificed her life to discover the nature of our very DNA, a woman whose world-changing contributions were hidden by the men around her but whose relentless drive advanced our understanding of humankind."

I have been reading about Rosalind Franklin EVERYWHERE lately. She is the woman of the moment. So that makes this THE BOOK of the moment. Go read it!

Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Changed the Science of Prehistoric Life by Cheryl Blackford
Published by: Clarion Books
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A fascinating, highly visual biography of Mary Anning, the Victorian fossil hunter who changed scientific thinking about prehistoric life and would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists of all time. Perfect for children learning about woman scientists like Ada Lovelace, Jane Goodall, and Katherine Johnson.

Mary Anning grew up on the south coast of England in a region rich in fossils. As teenagers, she and her brother Joseph discovered England’s first complete ichthyosaur. Poor and uneducated, Anning would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists ever, though in her time she supported herself selling by fossils and received little formal recognition. Her findings helped shape scientific thinking about extinction and prehistoric life long before Darwin published his famous work on evolution.

With engaging text, photographs, and stunning paleoart, Fossil Hunter introduces this self-taught scientist, now recognized as one of the greatest fossilists the world has ever known."

Speaking of another scientist who is everywhere lately, meet Mary Anning and her ichthyosaur! 

Loveboat Reunion by Abigail Hing Wen
Published by: HarperTeen
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This companion novel to Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestselling debut, Loveboat, Taipei, takes readers back to Taipei through the eyes of fan favorites Sophie and Xavier - on an unforgettable journey of glittering revelry and self-discovery that’s perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Mary H. K. Choi.

Sophie Ha and Xavier Yeh have what some would call a tumultuous past.

Hearts were broken, revenge was plotted - but at least they’re friends now. They left the drama behind them back in Taipei - at their summer program, Loveboat - forever.

Now that fall is here, they’re focusing on what really matters. Sophie has sworn off boys and is determined to be the best student Dartmouth’s ever had. Xavier just wants to stay under his overbearing father’s radar, collect his trust fund when he turns eighteen, and concentrate on what makes him happy.

But the world doesn’t seem to want Sophie and Xavier to succeed. Sophie’s college professor thinks her first major project is “too feminine.” Xavier’s father gives him an ultimatum: finish high school or be cut off from his inheritance.

Then Sophie and Xavier find themselves on a wild, nonstop Loveboat reunion, hatching a joint plan to take control of their futures. Can they succeed together...or are they destined to combust?"

After all the murder and science I've recommended this week, how about some YA fun? We could all us the diversion.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Abigail Hing Wen, Cassondra Windwalker, Cheryl Blackford, Christopher Golden, Fiona Davis, Heather Gudenkauf, Isabel Allende, Janice Hallett, John Darnielle, Lisa Lutz, Marie Benedict, Stacey Abrams

Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 3rd, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"If one must flirt...flirt with danger.

Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would much rather be using her skills to thwart the dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored, and now she's not sure whom to trust. What does the brusque werewolf dewan know? On whose side is the ever-stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way, and when it comes to fruition, Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster--in decidedly dramatic fashion, of course.

What will become of our proper young heroine when she puts her years of training to the test? Find out in this highly anticipated and thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Finishing School series!"

Ah, a bittersweet end to this series... sweet that it's over, bitter that it happened? Maybe I should finish them before the judging...

A Talent for Trickery by Alissa Johnson
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: November 3rd, 2015
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Lady is a Thief.

Years ago, Owen Renderwell earned acclaim-and a title-for the dashing rescue of a kidnapped duchess. But only a select few knew that Scotland Yard's most famous detective was working alongside London's most infamous thief...and his criminally brilliant daughter, Charlotte Walker.

Lottie was like no other woman in Victorian England. She challenged him. She dazzled him. She questioned everything he believed and everything he was, and he has never wanted anyone more. And then he lost her.

Now a private detective on the trail of a murderer, Owen has stormed back into Lottie's life. She knows that no matter what they may pretend, he will always be a man of the law and she a criminal. Yet whenever he's near, Owen has a way of making things complicated...and long for a future that can never be theirs."

Sounds like such a fun new series.

Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: November 3rd, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Each of the three Schuyler sisters has her own world-class problems, but in the autumn of 1966, Pepper Schuyler's problems are in a class of their own. When Pepper fixes up a beautiful and rare vintage Mercedes and sells it at auction, she thinks she's finally found a way to take care of herself and the baby she carries, the result of an affair with a married, legendary politician.

But the car's new owner turns out to have secrets of her own, and as the glamorous and mysterious Annabelle Dommerich takes pregnant Pepper under her wing, the startling provenance of this car comes to light: a Nazi husband, a Jewish lover, a flight from Europe, and a love so profound it transcends decades. As the many threads of Annabelle's life from World War II stretch out to entangle Pepper in 1960s America, and the father of her unborn baby tracks her down to a remote town in coastal Georgia, the two women must come together to face down the shadows of their complicated pasts.

Indomitable heroines, a dazzling world of secrets, champagne at the Paris Ritz, and a sweeping love story for the ages, in New York Times bestselling author Beatriz William's final book about the Schuyler sisters."

How does Beatriz put so many books out in a year? No, seriously, I NEED TO KNOW!

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: November 3rd, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times and internationally bestselling author Isabel Allende, an exquisitely crafted love story and multigenerational epic that sweeps from San Francisco in the present-day to Poland and the United States during the Second World War.

In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis, young Alma Belasco’s parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There, as the rest of the world goes to war, she encounters Ichimei Fukuda, the quiet and gentle son of the family’s Japanese gardener. Unnoticed by those around them, a tender love affair begins to blossom. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart as Ichimei and his family—like thousands of other Japanese Americans—are declared enemies and forcibly relocated to internment camps run by the United States government. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love that they are forever forced to hide from the world.

Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long and eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to come to terms with her own troubled past, meets the elderly woman and her grandson, Seth, at San Francisco’s charmingly eccentric Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, eventually learning about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.

Sweeping through time and spanning generations and continents, The Japanese Lover explores questions of identity, abandonment, redemption, and the unknowable impact of fate on our lives. Written with the same attention to historical detail and keen understanding of her characters that Isabel Allende has been known for since her landmark first novel The House of the Spirits, The Japanese Lover is a profoundly moving tribute to the constancy of the human heart in a world of unceasing change."

Hmm... another book to read for my love of San Francisco?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Talent for Trickery, Alissa Johnson, Along the Infinite Sea, Beatriz Williams, Finishing School, Gail Carriger, Isabel Allende, Manners and Mutiny, The Japanese Lover, Tuesday Tomorrow