strange and random happenstance

The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield by Claudia Gray
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The fifth book in New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray's Jane Austen sequel series, which finds amateur sleuths Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney investigating a suspicious murder at Netherfield Park.

Jonathan Darcy has recovered from the wound he received in a duel three months prior, during a disastrous London Season. But his parents aren't over the shock, and they remain convinced that, no matter how many murderers have been caught via their investigations, Jonathan must end his association with Miss Juliet Tilney - particularly now that she is a young lady of ruined reputation. He prays for some opportunity to be with her again, but unfortunately, the answer to those prayers comes in the form of murder: his uncle Charles Bingley's brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, is found dead from poisoning at Netherfield Park. Aunt Jane is desperate for answers, which means Miss Tilney must be invited to Netherfield to investigate!

Juliet, still reeling from her newfound ruination, is happy to be back in the thick of an investigation. The reunion with Mr. Darcy is difficult - Juliet has missed Jonathan terribly, but she is tormented by the knowledge that his parents will never approve their match. Adding to her troubles are the scheming Caroline Bingley Allerdyce and her daughter Priscilla, whose machinations threaten any hope Juliet might have of societal rehabilitation, much less an engagement. Then, Mr. Hurst proves to be only the first victim at Netherfield, casting a pall of danger - and worse, scandal - over the Bingleys' household. Jonathan and Juliet must find the culprit, and will ultimately be called to make a final choice between respectability...and love."

Hehe, Mr. Hurst. No one deserved death more.

The Missing Baroness by Bianca M. Schwarz
Published by: Central Avenue
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cozy Regency mystery with a hidden heiress, slow-burn romance, and layered intrigue - perfect for fans of heroines who fight for their place in the world.

No one has seen Georgina Bligh in a decade - not since the night her uncle murdered her father and tried to eliminate her as well. Hidden away with her best friend's family, Georgina has spent the intervening years preparing to claim her rightful place as Baroness of Elmsford. But when a near collision with her uncle on a London street shatters her anonymity, she's forced to act before her twenty-first birthday.

Silas Bligh is desperate. Deep in debt and determined to control the Elmsford estate, he's on the verge of having Georgina declared legally dead. But unbeknownst to him, her father's true will disinherited Silas - and Georgina must find it to expose his lies.

With the aid of her steadfast beau, Lord Bertram Redwick, and a tight-knit group of loyal allies, Georgina embarks on a tense and dangerous search through hidden ledgers, long-buried secrets, and the upper echelons of London society. As the legal deadline looms, a new threat rises - someone willing to use extortion and violence to ensure the truth stays buried forever.

For fans of Mimi Matthews's fiercely independent heroines, Sophie Irwin's nuanced character arcs, and the dark intrigue of Kelly Bowen, this first book in The Inconvenient Heirs Series blends mystery, romance, and feminist grit in a compelling fight for justice and identity - set against the opulent and treacherous upper crust of Regency London."

Justice and identity in The Ton! 

Death Was Not on the Guest List by Jenni L. Walsh
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 267 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From USA Today bestselling author Jenni L. Walsh comes a witty Jazz Age mystery where rivalry, ambition, and deceit glitter under every chandelier...and no one gets out until the killer is unmasked.

In Chicago's Gold Coast district, twenty of the city's most glamorous socialites gather for a charity whist drive at the Bellevue House mansion. Brightest among them are Ginevra King Mitchell and Edith Cummings, real-life debutantes who inspired Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby.

But when their sharp-tongued hostess turns up dead and a blizzard traps everyone inside, suspicion and gossip give way to fear. After all, one guest has a habit of burying husbands, another a proclivity for poison. Their charming veneers belie jealousies, ambitions, and deceits aplenty, enough to drive any one of them to kill.

As whispers turn to accusations, the police start closing in. Ginevra and Edith compete to solve the murder, uncovering secrets far more dangerous than the gossip columns ever revealed. But when a second body is found - strangled with Ginevra's own pearls - their restless rivalry becomes a race for survival. Who's next? And is the answer hidden in Fitzgerald's exasperating novel?"

Those pearls must have been well strung to survive a strangling! 

The Butler by Clare Mackintosh
Published by: Podium Publishing
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times-bestselling author: A glamorous French villa. A carefully curated guest list. A body in the pool.

The South of France is stunning, though not without its imperfections, from pickpockets to burglars to the occasional cold-blooded killer. But in his twenty-five years of service, Baxter - with a spotless reputation as a polished, well-mannered butler - has never run into any issues catering to the ultrawealthy. Until now.

Baxter's latest assignment is at Villa Sérénité, where Alec Prescott is hosting a colorful cast of characters, including his ex-wife, his much younger lady friend, and some Hollywood hotshots, after the Cannes Film Festival. But it doesn't take long for a week of sun, wine, and a family birthday celebration to devolve into bickering and backstabbing. And soon, secrets aren't the only thing floating to the surface...

When one of the guests is found dead in the villa's glittering pool, the gendarmes turn to the unflappable Baxter to help determine who's responsible. A good butler is expected to see everything and say nothing - but what if he too becomes a target?"

If the butler didn't do it the butler knows who did.

The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When an over-the-hill American actor finds his wife, a rising star in Bollywood, dead in their Mumbai high-rise, he quickly becomes the prime suspect in this atmospheric, razor-sharp social mystery. Perfect for fans of The White Lotus, Only Murders in the Building and Age of Vice.

Washed-up American heart throb George Abercrombie hates India, even from his apartment on the 68th floor of Mumbai's grandest luxury skyscraper. He hates the noise, he hates the heat, and just maybe he's grown to hate his wife, the newest queen of Bollywood, Sweety Sahota, decades his junior. So when George wakes from a drunken stupor (free whiskey, for which he's the national spokesperson) to find his wife murdered in their bedroom, he knows quite well just how badly he's cooked. But where is her computer, her cellphone, and where has his personal assistant gone?

The Pinnacle is a dazzling and addictive thriller that's three plots in one, as George seeks to find the killer, as a conflicted young woman working as Sweety's P.A. struggles to find out who's blackmailing her, and as a servant who knows too much goes on the run. A dark sendup of world's most privileged coexisting with the world's most desperate, from the winner of the 2025 British Book Awards Thriller of the Year."

The contrast between the worlds living side by side is astonishing. 

The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ten years ago, a teenage summer camper disappeared while searching for a rumored treasure on a remote island. Now, the long-buried truth of what happened to her and the long-lost gold threatens the lives of her friends in this thriller from the critically acclaimed author of The Chateau.

Ten years ago, a group of American teenage summer campers went to a lush and isolated Azores island for a hiking and heritage trip. But when a clue to a local legend of buried treasure emerged, the summer devolved into a frenzied hunt and culminated in the disappearance - and rumored murder - of "it girl" camper, Sydney. She was never seen again and the treasure never found.

Now, a decade later, Sydney's closest circle returns to honor her memory: Sydney's sister and fellow camper, Olivia; a group of childhood camp friends; and their beloved counselors. They've all agreed to participate in a documentary probing what really happened to Sydney.

The group reunites in paradise and retraces their old haunts, hiking along crater lakes and submerging in thermal hot springs. But not everyone has innocent motives for returning to the island. And when the documentary filming reveals explosive truths and fresh hints resurrect the tantalizing treasure hunt, the group begins to implode. Old feuds reignite - and then one of them turns up dead.

Which means that a murderer has surfaced...again."

I mean, doesn't anyone get that if you're going to do a true crime documentary there's a chance you will die!?!

The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
Published by: Run for It
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Surviving the massacre is just the beginning in this razor-sharp summer-camp slasher with a bloody twist from horror master Craig DiLouie.

It's 1992, and in the heat of Texas, camp Summer Fun rests by a crystalline lake surrounded by a shady forest. The counselors have set out the kayaks, prepped the kitchens, and refurbished the cabins. Now, on the night before camp begins, a bonfire and the teenage counselors' rites of passage await.

But the camp has a horrifying history. In the '80s, there was a massacre that left a sole survivor. One final girl. The killer never caught.

Deputy Tom Bailey is always on edge this time of year. There are rumors that the woods are haunted. That the killer might one day return. Tom has deeply personal ties to the '80s massacre, and those ties have plagued his dreams.

Then Tom gets a call reporting bloodcurdling screams coming from the camp. The real nightmare is just beginning...."

Love the concept, hate the cover.

Hemlock Bay by Martin Edwards
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The new seaside resort of Hemlock Bay offers something for everyone. For families, it's the ideal summertime playground for kids and parents alike. For artists, the seascapes are peerless. For swindlers and blackmailers, it's the perfect place to craft a new identity. And for murderers? That's what Rachel Savernake, the enigmatic heiress and brilliant amateur sleuth, is about to discover.

When crime-beat journalist Jacob Flint receives a visit from a fortune teller who insists he's had a vision of a murder soon to occur in Hemlock Bay, Jacob consults with Rachel to get her take on the man's outlandish claim. Rachel is so intrigued, she rents a cottage at the seaside resort where an artist she admires also happens to be spending the summer. Meanwhile, mild-mannered accountant Basil Palmer is en route to Hemlock Bay, determined to murder a man he's never met - a man he holds responsible for his beloved wife's death six months prior. Could this be the murder foretold by the fortune teller?

Whether pre-destined or plotted, a murder does occur. But as Rachel plunges deeper and deeper into the morass of mysterious events and suspects, and as alibis exonerate each suspect one by one, she begins to wonder whether she is equal to the case. Has Rachel finally mired herself in mystery she can't solve?"

Death foretold is a seed of death planted.

Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the second installment of the Nora Breen Investigates series - "perfect for cozy mystery lovers" (Book Riot) - beloved former nun Nora Breen returns, this time to track down a ghostly killer before it's too late.

When Dolores Chimes, a famous medium, arrives in Gore-on-Sea, even surly Detective Inspector Rideout is lured in by her promises of messages for the afterlife.

But after a reading goes disastrously wrong, Dolores loses her life - and the six sitters at the séance with her fall victim to supernatural deaths themselves in the days following the nightmare of a reading.

Determined to unveil the truth, Nora finds herself chasing a ghostly serial killer she believes to be responsible, before the sixth victim - Detective Rideout himself - perishes along with the others."

Dammit, nothing hits the spot quite like a séance gone sideways.

Tell Me My Future by Eileen M. Ruvane
Published by: Amulet Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland and Courtney Summers, this YA debut follows a girl who pretends to be a psychic to solve a long-ago murder - and starts having real visions of the future.

Kess Turner is used to starting over. Her mom has dragged her all around the country her whole life, never spending longer than a few months in one place.

But nothing is normal about their new home - a dusty psychic shop - or the the way Kess's mom was summoned when a mysterious accident left the psychic Madame Amalia in a coma. When Kess finds coded messages and cash hidden among the crystal balls and Tarot cards, she knows there's a lot more to the story than her mom is telling her.

Desperate for answers, Kess poses as a psychic in order to pump Madame Amalia's clients for information - only to start experiencing strange visions of events that actually come true. The more she investigates, the more she suspects her mom and Madame Amalia were involved in a murder years ago.

When Kess's visions escalate - and seem to predict her own death - it becomes clear that if she wants to save her future, she'll first have to unravel the secrets of the past..."

I'm even happy for a fake psychic... Though I don't think Kess will be one for long...

Such a Lucky Girl by Wendy Heard
Published by: Christy Ottaviano Books - Little Brown and Hachette
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Rory Power and Tiffany D. Jackson, this twisty horror novel follows a magnetic young influencer who gets ensnared in a web of dark, jealousy-fueled magic.

Three years ago, Bella dumped her best friend Kerry to follow her dreams of becoming an influencer. It worked; she is Such a Lucky Girl, famous for her epic manifesting glow-up and dedicated to helping other girls be "lucky," too. She's living the dream - success, sponsorships, and fame. She burned her old life to the ground and never looked back.

Leaving Kerry behind. Alone. Angry.

When Kerry picks up a vintage self-help book on shadow work, she's fascinated by the suggested rituals. Get back at those who have wronged her? Yes, please. She has one person in mind, and that girl is smiling at her millions of followers, having forgotten Kerry long ago. But there's something attached to the book, something dark and ancient, and Kerry and Bella may not be ready for what is about to be unleashed."

Anyone else think the cover girl looks like Sarah Michelle Gellar?

Three Coffin Problem by Lavie Tidhar
Published by: Jab Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 290 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Medieval Europe. A world of darkness. Of Gothic castles, isolated monasteries, of monks and knights and things that go bump in the night. A world where vampires can roam at will.... At least, as long as they obey the rules! For a vampire may not murder another vampire. Not unless they have a really good reason to, anyway.

Enter Judge Dee. Ancient. Immortal. Ascetic. His cold intellect draws him wherever a mystery is present, and he will rest at nothing to solve the puzzle. Jonathan, the judge's human assistant, on the other hand, mostly just wants cheese. With bread, if possible. And some pickles would be nice. After all, it's not easy spending your life in the company of murderous vampires who only see you as a tasty snack...

Their adventures take them from the warm Italian valleys to the heights of the French Alps as they come face to fang with fiendishly complicated puzzles - not the least of which is love! But as they are drawn inexplicably onwards to London, Jonathan wonders what awaits them when they finally arrive - and what choices he may have to make once they get there."

Cheese! I relate so hard to Jonathan. 

Blink and You'll Miss It by Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Keith Browning
Published by: BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the strange town of Perennial Harbor, time doesn't just heal wounds - it reopens them.

Decades after their love faded, Melody and Jesse find themselves caught in a spiraling mystery where the past is more alive than the present. As Melody slips further back in time, she finds herself reliving memories and rewriting fate for a time and place she thought she'd left behind. Can she discover the unsettling truth causing reality to unravel around her? Or will it ultimately destroy her and the only person she's ever truly cared for?

From the breakout writing team of Ethan S. Parker (Hello Darkness) and Griffin Sheridan (Kill Your Darlings) and featuring stunning debut art by Keith Browning, this genre-blurring emotional thriller blends sci-fi, romance, and psychological horror into one unforgettable story.

Collects Blink and You'll Miss It #1–5."

Isn't romance technically psychological horror?

Voyagers by Meg Charlton
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When the Signal - a mysterious transmission pulsing from the edge of the solar system - arrives, the world changes overnight. Planes are grounded, satellites fail, and speculation abounds. With many believing this could be first contact with extraterrestrial life, humanity holds its breath. But for Alex, a thirtysomething lawyer who's spent years distancing himself from the unexplainable, the Signal feels deeply personal - the opening of an old wound.

Decades ago, Alex and a girl named Ana both vanished for thirty-six hours while on vacation near Palm Springs. When they returned, dazed but unharmed, the six-year-olds' account of their experience had all the hallmarks of an alien abduction. The media frenzy that followed made them famous, and the long months of child stardom, of talk shows and sitcom cameos, forged a seemingly unbreakable bond between them - until the mystery behind their disappearance began to tear them apart.

Now, with the world on edge and the Signal growing stronger, Alex is drawn back to the one person who might have answers. Ana - now a professional advocate for experiencers of extraterrestrial contact - is leading a retreat near Palm Springs, a stone's throw from the site of their childhood disappearance. As the former best friends tentatively reunite, what starts as a quest to confront the reality of their original experience becomes a larger reckoning with friendship, faith, family, and truth itself - what it means to see the stories we tell ourselves for what they really are.

With the imaginative scope and propulsive storytelling of Station Eleven and The Ministry of Time, Voyagers is a thrillingly original and brilliantly ambitious literary debut about friendship at the end of the world."

I read a book recently about experiencers and this is right up my alley.

The Frenzy: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates
Published by: Hogarth
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Frenzy (noun): a temporary madness; a violent mental or emotional agitation; intense usually wild and often disorderly compulsive or agitated activity

Joyce Carol Oates is a master of the short story and one of the legends of the form. Her collections of short fiction have twice been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and have won numerous awards, including the O. Henry Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Art of the Short Story. In The Frenzy: Stories, Oates plunges us into the lives of her characters at moments of crisis and confusion, when much of what they understand about themselves and those they love comes undone.

A young woman on a supposedly romantic weekend trip to Cape May, New Jersey, turns the tables on her older, married lover. A freak bicycle accident on a bridge haunts one family for decades. A girl jealous of her popular cousin discovers she is the lucky one. A widow waits at her riverside house for her dead husband's return. A young man hiking in the woods comes upon a couple in a heated, possibly violent argument - should he intervene?

Suspenseful and psychologically astute, Oates's short stories enthrall and captivate as they dissect her character's deepest fears - revealing our own in turn. "Literature is a texture of words," says Oates of her short fiction, "evoking life in the most vivid ways - psychologically, physically." These new stories blazingly evoke life at its most vivid and perilous, when fate and free will intersect, and one ominous encounter or bad choice can be the difference between an ordinary day and the point of no return."

I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but I make an exception for Joyce Carol Oates because my Dad thinks she might be one of the greatest living writers. 

Liberty Street by Heather Marshall
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Looking for Jane comes a riveting novel about one journalist's harrowing journey into an infamous real-life 1960s women's prison - and the detective who uncovers her story decades later.

1961: Emily Radcliffe works as an editorial assistant at Chatelaine magazine, surrounded by the best women journalists in the country, whose articles tackle the controversial topics no other women's publication dares to touch. When a bombshell letter from an inmate at the notorious Mercer Women's Prison lands on Emily's desk, she senses a scoop that could launch her career as a real, hard-boiled journalist. But after going undercover to investigate the inmate's shocking claims, Emily discovers that getting into the prison is the easy part; the real challenge will be getting back out ...

1996: Unidentified female remains are discovered in an unmarked grave in a small-town Ontario cemetery, and Detective Rachel Mackenzie is tasked with unraveling the mystery. But when the investigation leads her to the now-shuttered Mercer Women's Prison, Rachel's own dark history threatens to surface from where she's kept it carefully buried.

Inspired by true events, Liberty Street weaves back and forth through time to shine a light on mental health, incarceration, and the various "prisons" that hold women captive."

After learning about Nellie Bly I vowed to never go undercover anywhere. 

Forever Stamps by Gail Anderson and Brian E. Smith
Published by: Clarkson Potter
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bold and beautiful, Forever Stamps tells the story of United States history, pop culture, and art through hundreds of vibrantly rendered stamps.

Forever Stamps is a visually stunning cultural celebration of the United States, told by the beautiful and unique stamps issued by the United States Postal Service since its inception in 1775. For the first time, this book looks at the breadth of American history through the lens of stamps. It showcases the artisty and pop culture influence of the tiny pieces of art we mail around the world in a way never seen before. Alongside the images, captions, essays, and interviews tell the stories behind the stamps and the historic moments, big and small that led to their creation.

Forever Stamps captures the essence of America's most memorable and influential stamps, including:
-Pop culture moments, from the iconic Elvis Presley stamp to the beloved Sesame Street collection
-Iconic artists who have contributed to U.S. stamps, like Ruth Asawa, Ellsworth Kelly, and Charles and Ray Eames
-Historic commemorative stamps that mark how the U.S. has changed over time, including stamps celebrating 1965 Voting Rights Act, memorializing the first openly gay elected official Harvey Milk, and honoring the Underground Railroad.

Organized into chapters covering U.S. historical events, activism and diversity, national parks and the American landscape, and pop culture, Forever Stamps covers 250 years of American history. This is a unique and captivating journey through the world of USPS stamps and the history of the United States, reminding us of the enduring impact and beauty of these miniature works of art."

Now THIS is how I want to celebrate 250 years of America. Cool books about cool things we've done. And trust me, stamps are cool. Ask any philatelist. 

Agnes, We're Not Murderers! by Jessica Alexander
Published by: Clash Books
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 236 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lesbian vixens from another dead world thread through moon-drenched cornfields and opulent drawing rooms in this literary horror remix of iconic gothic sagas.

Agnes is wasting away. In a bed of velvet and silk, she dreams of death - and Mary.

Mary - a wraith with bloodstained gown and mouth - drips mystery and menace. She materializes beside a lake, beneath a pear tree, outside the window. She turns servants feral and plunges the manor into anarchy. Since her arrival, nothing is right. The maids snarl. The nights grow strange. Agnes swoons.

Her brother, Arthur, calls it a sickness. A curse. He stalks the halls with scissors in his fist. He wants purity and order. He'll strike out the unintelligible. He is not the only one. Others have begun to stir - jilted lovers, disgraced doctors, moralists with sharpened knives. The disorder is spreading. It's riotous. Contagious. They'll purify the world in flame.

Written partially through footnotes and with a mystery of interwoven red text, Agnes, We're Not Murderers! is an atmospheric gothic vampire journey for fans of Kathe Koja and Mark Z. Danielewski."

I love how just the description of this book kind of breaks my brain and yet wants me to investigate further. Hence mentioning Mark Z. Danielewski is spot on. 

Six Savage Thrones by Holly Race
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From a major new voice in epic fantasy, Six Savage Thrones continues the Queens of Elben trilogy, a breathtaking epic fantasy of dragons, courtly intrigue, sapphic yearning, and the wives of Henry VIII defying their destiny.

DIVIDED HE WINS, UNITED HE FALLS.

The kingdom of Elben is in turmoil. One of its magical palaces lies in ruins at the bottom of the ocean and the king is on the hunt for the traitor Queen Seymour. He will not stop until he brings her to her knees.

No one would ever suspect Queen Howard of treachery or spy craft, but she is no longer content to be the king's songbird. She will see to Henry's downfall. But there is a new gentleman at court, one who seems to know more about her true motives than he should - is he friend or foe?

Queen Cleves has already survived a war. She knows what she must do to protect herself, but now she finds herself fighting a longing for another queen that is so fierce it might swallow her up.

Amidst the turmoil, King Henry's sister Cecilia vies for the power she has been denied. But the queens will soon learn they must work together to break the bonds that tie them to the king. For Henry is delving deeper into strange old magics, ones that could birth a monster."

While I have somewhat tired of the Tudor era, I have fully embraced Tudor era fantasy. Thank you My Lady Jane for bringing me into this amazing historical fantasy subgenre. 

Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A magical florist journeys from the kingdom's capital to its wild woods to fulfill an unusual request, and stumbles upon friendship, conspiracy, and the buds of new love in this debut cozy fantasy.

The book contains hand-drawn floral sketches inside!

Cursed from birth to always tell the truth, magical florist Felicity "Fliss" Farrow chooses her words carefully to avoid trouble. But when she receives an anonymous request for a mysterious flower, her search leads her directly into trouble's path: to Willoh Vane.

Fliss knows the outcast - yet teasingly handsome - sorcerer is rumored to have used dark magic to corrupt the northern forest five years ago. She's witnessed the resulting feud with Prince Bastion, whom her best friend, Card, is soon to marry. Despite her divided loyalty, Fliss reluctantly accepts Will's help with gathering rare flowers and finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

As the royal wedding approaches, Fliss fears the flowers she's delivered are intended for a sinister purpose. But when her warnings are ignored, can she and Will save the kingdom from disaster, and ultimately discover what Fliss has sought for so long - the truth."

There's nothing I find more interesting than death brought about by unexpected means. This is a whole new way for flowers to ruin a wedding.

The Shape of Monsters by Tessa Gratton
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: June 16th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A talented heretic and the emperor she both loathes and loves will learn what monsters are really made of in the second installment of the Moon Heresies trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Gratton.

Iriset - prodigy, outlaw, now sunderer - has broken the Moon-Eater god's prison at the heart of the empire. But the consequences of her actions land her in a city of monsters where the heretical magic of human architecture is freely practiced, and the only person she knows - and can trust - is Lyric, the emperor she's lied to and loved in equal measure.

As scheming kings and capricious gods drive them towards different extremes, they soon realize that to find their way home, they must remake the world...at the risk of breaking it forever."

Sometimes something has to be broken before it can be mended.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Abir Mukherjee, Becky Jenkinson, Bianca M. Schwarz, Claudia Gray, Craig DiLouie, Heather Marshall, Holly Race, Jaclyn Goldis, Jess Kidd, Jessica Alexander, Joyce Carol Oates, Lavie Tidhar, Martin Edwards, Tessa Gratton

The Lies That Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lies, beauty, and seduction mingle in the first book of an enthralling romantasy series where making art is considered a sin, and the shadows born from it aren't the only danger to the creators - from the bestselling author of Curse of the Wolf King.

From the art of liars, the monsters came...

Ever since art gave life to bloodthirsty shadows, creative works have been forbidden and talented creators sacrificed to the Sinless - the immortal royals who feast on human blood in return for their protection. Inana's secret storytelling nearly got her killed once, and she'll be damned if she's ever caught again. With a bounty on her head, she keeps to the city's dark underbelly, where she earns a meager living from thrill-seeking patrons desperate to hear her illicit fiction. Until Dominic, a Shadowbane, catches one of her performances.

Dominic is a half-Sinless monster hunter as fearsome as his prey. But to complete his hunt, he needs an artist to summon the shadows...he needs Inana. Dominic delivers an ultimatum: Serve him or he'll claim her bounty. When survival is all Inana has left, the choice is clear - at least until she can betray him and leave him for dead.

As their tense alliance leads them into the heart of danger, dark secrets unravel - about each other, their world, and the threats they face. But the greatest risk of all is the desire growing between them. There's something more sinful than lust at play, and it could bring the world to its knees."

I would totally be sacrificed. 

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord
Published by: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This dystopian fantasy follows a desperate girl at a cutthroat magical academy who faces a choice between life and death: become an assassin for the enchanted elite or watch her decaying body draw its last breath. For fans of Leigh Bardugo, Brandon Sanderson, Lev Grossman, and R.F. Kuang.

Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it's rotting from the inside out. But Ana can't afford to escape it, even as the wealthiest in Caimor buy and discard expensive designer bodies without a thought. When she fails to gain admittance to the prestigious Paragon Academy - and access to the healthy new forms the school provides its students - her final hope implodes. Now without options, Ana must use her illusion magic to try to steal a healthy chassis - before her own kills her.

But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor's smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith.

With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of renegades: an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters - and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for."

Well, if she has a couple of nice new bodies lined up maybe she doesn't have to choose death?

Songbird of the Sorrows by Braidee Otto
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An outcast princess turned spy embarks on a mission to infiltrate a rival kingdom, but the secrets she uncovers force her to decide whether to follow orders or defy them.

Ask no questions. Obey your orders. Respect your masters. But most of all, love no one.

Spy. Thief. Princess. Songbird.

Banished from the Palace of Sorrows as a child, Princess Aella was taken in by the Aviary, a secret intelligence network embedded throughout the Empyrieos that trains orphans as professional spies. Now twenty-three years old, she has finally earned her place as a Songbird on the most elite team of assassins, led by none other than her former flame, Raven. Everything about him calls to her - he's brave, loyal, and lethal - but their relationship is also the greatest threat to her standing as a Songbird.

Before Aella can untangle her feelings, their team is sent on a dangerous mission to the eastern kingdom. Her role is crucial yet troublesome: Aella must assume her former title of Princess of the Sorrows to compete in a series of bridal trials. But when the trials turn deadly and the mission is threatened, Aella must decide whether to follow orders or defy them.

Songbird of the Sorrows is the first novel in the sweeping, romantic Myths of the Empyrieos series, following Aella through an epic journey of self-discovery, true love, redemption, and ultimately a great war that promises to upend the lives of everyone in the realm."

Nothing makes me shudder more than "bridal trials." Obvious the author has suffered one too many bachelorette parties and thought about the ultimate form of said tradition.

The Apple and the Pearl by Rym Kechacha
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A richly atmospheric fantasy set across one day, as a ballet troupe of lost souls perform an ancient dance for the faerie realms, knowing they could be snatched away by their audience of faerie princes, imps and sprites at any moment.

For fans of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, Pantomime by Laura Lam and The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee.

As dawn breaks on All Souls Day, the lingering mists part to unveil an unending vista of serried gravestones. Between them looms a theatre like a haunted house and the sleek iron carapace of a steam train - the Pearl. On board are the cast, orchestra and crew of a travelling ballet company, performing The Apple and the Pearl.

As he stumbles toward the restaurant car the lighting director, Zach, asks the new recruit, Lara, "Have you ever worked in ballet before?"

"Have you had any contact with the supernatural?"

Everyone from the principal ballerina to the first violinist, from the wardrobe mistress to the newest members of the corps de ballet, have committed their lives to the perfection of the show. But every night they must also confront the malevolent glamour of their audience of Fae creatures only too eager to snatch them away into the Otherworld."

The conundrum, dance your best and be worthy of the troupe or dance acceptably to not be snatched by the Fae. Or what if dancing acceptably offends them and they take you? Such a lose lose situation. 

The Spectral Orchid by Tilly Wallace
Published by: Ribbonwood Press
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Kindle, 271 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Some flowers bring beauty. This one brings the dead.

In the cemetery of Drake's Bend, a most unusual flower unfurls its bloom. The spectral orchid signals that a restless soul has returned - and it has unfinished business. Fern must piece together clues to settle a soul who lived an unremarkable life, before villagers are gathered in spectral arms to join it in death.

But as Fern unravels the spirit's final days, she discovers that person's fate was bound to a far greater secret - one tied to her father's murder. When another orchid flowers, the truth she has tried to discover for five years might finally be within her grasp…except the trail pulls her beyond the veil between the living and the dead. In a realm where love can bind too tightly, how will she return before her time runs out?"

A whole new definition of poison garden.

The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui
Published by: Hell's Hundred
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A mind-bending, revisionist gothic horror story about the fabled summer Mary Shelley began work on Frankenstein, as told by her Indian housemaid, Mehrunissa "Mehr" Begum. For fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Isabel Cañas, and Kathe Koja.

"Strange how one can find they are an interruption in another person's story..."

Summer 1816: London is a hostile place for the newly disembarked Mehrunissa Begum, who's come to deliver her brother's letter of inheritance before returning to her comfortable life in Lucknow, India. Only, she can't find her brother anywhere and has no money for the return trip. With nowhere else to go, Mehr finds refuge in a boardinghouse for Indian maids. If she can't find her brother, she reasons, she will get a job and start saving.

Mehr is soon hired at the English estate of Mary and Percy Shelley, young artists of burgeoning fame who are on the run from secrets of their own. Mary is brooding and quiet, but takes a curious liking to her new maid, asking her to accompany the Shelleys and her stepsister, Claire - as well as the eccentric Lord Byron and his physician, John Polidori - to Lake Geneva for the summer.

Almost immediately, Mehr notices strange, ghostly events at the villa. The walls breathe, portraits shift, and phantoms appear like unbidden guests who refuse to leave. The weather is fierce and foreboding, showing no signs of softening its relentless pall. And as Mary Shelley begins work on what will become her earth-shattering literary phenomenon, Mehr finds herself trapped in the villa as the rest of its inhabitants descend into madness."

I mean, this is totally plausible as to what was really going on at Lake Geneva...

Sibylline by Melissa de la Cruz
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Three teens infiltrate the magical ivy league in this heart-stopping dark academia romantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Raven, Atticus, and Dorian have dreamed of attending Sibylline for as long as they can remember. But when the magical university rejects them, the friends' plans for a future studying the arcane together begin crashing down.

Until they decide to steal an education.

Getting jobs on campus, they sneak into lectures and swipe forbidden texts, dodging the administration's watchful eye. In the quiet of night, in the thrill of secrecy, their magic awakens. And so do long-buried attractions that turn their friendship into something more.

But like magic, love can create, and it can destroy. As unrequited feelings and resentment threaten to fracture their bond, the trio discovers an insidious magic that has sunk its claws into Sibylline, killing students and corroding the very bones of the university. Now the three intruders may be the key to saving the institution from wreckage...if they don't wreck one another first."

I mean, if you were named Raven, Atticus, or Dorian, obviously you are destined to study the arcane.

Carnival Fantástico by Angela Montoya
Published by: Joy Revolution
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An unputdownable romantasy following a young woman posing as fortune-teller at a magical traveling carnival, where the handsome boy who once broke her heart resurfaces and warns her that the carnival is more sinister than it appears.

Welcome to the Carnival Fantástico, a spectacle of magic and mischief, and the perfect haven for a runaway. Using her tricks and razor-sharp wit, Esmeralda becomes the carnival's resident fortune-teller, aiming for the lead role in the Big Top Show. Success would mean freedom from her former employer, the commander of the King's army.

Ignacio has defected from the army and is on the hunt for evidence of his father's corruption. But the last thing he expects to find on his father's trail of lies is the only girl he's ever loved, spinning false fortunes at a traveling carnival.

Perhaps fortune has thrown them together for a reason. They strike a deal: she'll help him expose his father if he helps her secure the main act. But old feelings don't die easily, and the commander's secret isn't the only thing they'll need to confront."

Personally I'd be far happier telling fortunes that being the main act...

Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this hilarious gay fantasy romance, a reclusive sorcerer is forced to protect a cowardly knight after a prophecy ties their fates together. Funny, touching and inventive, this brilliant debut is perfect for fans of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying and Dreadful.

In Which Many Dangerous and Homosexual Things Happen.

All his life, Sir Cameron has stayed as far away from danger as possible. He is quite frankly too handsome to die a pointless death in battle. But then the Church hands down a prophecy to his fellow knights: the only way to defeat their nemesis, the mad sorcerer Merulo, is to kill Sir Cameron. Short of ideas, Cameron throws himself on the mercy of the one person who now actually wants him to survive: the mad sorcerer.

Merulo isn't thrilled to be babysitting a spoilt, attention-seeking knight, but transmogrifying him into a vulture is at least entertaining. Cameron, meanwhile, is on a voyage of self-discovery. It turns out he's really, really into surly sorcerers who lock him up and tell him what to do. Who knew?

As a legion of knights surround their stronghold, the sorcerer's poisonous ambitions draw ever closer to fruition. Cameron is quite invested in not dying, but he finds he's also invested in Merulo. And sometimes, supporting the sorcerer you care about means taking an interest in their hobbies. Even if that hobby is trying to kill God.

Even if it might get you killed, too.

Fall in love with this laugh-out loud, genre-bending romp full of concussed elves and queer romance like you've never seen before."

I mean, true love means trying to kill God together right?

The Vanishing Cheery Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, What You Are Looking for Is in the Library, and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop comes an enchanting novel that will linger in your heart long after the last page is turned.

As the last petal falls, the final page is turned...

Welcome to The Cherry Blossom Bookshop, a haven for book lovers that only appears during the fleeting cherry blossom season. Nestled amidst the bloom of delicate petals, you'll find a sanctuary for those burdened by regrets and past sorrows. Here, Sakura, the mysterious young owner, and her wise calico cat, Kobako, patiently await the arrival of souls in need of solace and healing.

Told over four seasons, each visitor to the bookshop holds a book that bridges their past and present, guiding them towards understanding and acceptance. Within the antique charm of the shop and the soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Sakura and Kobako help their guests confront their lingering sadness through the power of stories, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope."

I can't help but wonder what would happen if a season was cut short by a storm? It's always so sad when the petals unfurl and then get pulverized. 

Book and Bewitchment by Isla Jewell
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that's been lying dormant - and a forbidden love she can't resist.

Dutiful and hard-working, Rhea Wolfe lives a simple, if mundane, life with her pet parrot in small-town Alabama. Sure, she may not love her desk job working for an insurance agency. And her on-again-off-again relationship with the local mechanic may not have the fiery passion she's read about in her favorite books. Still, things are stable, which is more than she can say about the two hopelessly immature younger sisters who rely on her.

But when Rhea's estranged grandmother dies, leaving her everything - including a magical heritage Rhea never knew she carried - she finds herself in Arcadia Falls, the quaint mountain town her mother made her swear to avoid at all costs. While the defunct video store she's also inherited needs a serious upgrade, Rhea's lucky that resident handyman Hunter Blakely is more than happy to help - and more than easy on the eyes. If only he wasn't the grandson of her grandmother's sworn enemy in witchcraft.

Yet as Rhea makes plans for the bookstore of her dreams, she learns that her grandmother made a terrible choice, one that could ruin her own chance at happiness. As she gets ever closer to solving the mystery of what exactly is happening, each clue points to Arcadia Falls's magic hanging in the balance. To keep her new home safe, Rhea must step into her enchanted birthright and harness her newfound powers...before it's too late."

I don't know, I think she should keep that video store a video story... Lean into the kitsch of it.

The Proposition of the Season by Michelle Kenney
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Kindle, 285 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for Bridgerton and Jane Austen fans! Fall in love with your favourite new Regency series, with this third installment from the Fairfax family...

'And you've come here today to read me a lecture in all my deplorable habits?'

'No…' she stalled, wracking her brain for inspiration and failing, 'I've come here to ask you to marry me!'

After three disastrous seasons, bookish Josephine Fairfax believes that she is long past the age of finding her perfect fictional hero. But when her brother's loathsome Monstrous Marriage Masterplan results in her youngest sister Matilda's engagement to the vastly unsuitable Lord Huntingly, even she must draw the line.

Josephine may be the bluestocking sister, but she is still a Fairfax who will sacrifice anything for family, even proposing marriage to a man who may be the most dangerous gentleman in the ton..."

Aw, she's willing to take the bullet for her family.

The Lost Language of Oysters by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The latest installment in Alexander McCall Smith's charming and hilarious Professor Dr Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld series.

Professor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld is not just any German professor - he is the author of the highly-regarded work of scholarship, Portuguese Irregular Verbs. His eminence in language studies is widely respected, albeit rarely acknowledged by his colleague, Professor Detlev-Amadeus Unterholzer, the writer of a far less important book on the subjunctive. Their rivalry bubbles under the surface, but is quick to come into the open if something unusual disturbs the calm waters of the institute in Regensburg where they both work.

One such event is the arrival of two visiting scholars from New Orleans. These ladies, Professor Pom Pom Boisseau and her friend, Professor Alice Martinique, are experts in the Provençal language and avid bikers. When they choose to make a dramatic entrance atop large, noisy motorbikes, Unterholzer is shocked, but von Igelfeld is rather taken with Pom Pom. In fact, he is very taken with her.

Everyone can foresee this infatuation leading to disappointment, if not worse. But for von Igelfeld, disasters often arrive in twos and threes. Von Igelfeld may suffer humiliation after humiliation, but at the end of it all is the promise of a visit to Louisiana, where important research on communication among oysters is underway..."

Who can resist a new Alexander McCall Smith?

Land of Dreams by Gian Sardar
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 299 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the 1930s, scandal, secret loves, and murder shatter a woman's Hollywood dream in a gripping novel by the USA Today bestselling author of When the World Goes Quiet.

It's 1933, and though the country is stuck in the Great Depression, movies are the ultimate escape. But Hollywood is skilled at selling lies, and nothing is as it seems.

Frankie Donnelly is scrappy, smart, and ambitious. Her knack for spinning any story into stellar publicity has made her an invaluable "fixer" at RCO Studios, where she works under the tutelage of powerful Nico Marconi. Frankie's latest fix is the upcoming marriage of Hollywood royals Jack Sawyer and June Finney, and millions of fans can't wait to see their favorite silver-screen lovers tie the knot. But Frankie knows the truth: The marriage is an artful cover for Jack and June's darkest secrets.

When a shocking murder occurs, allegiances fracture, the tabloids go wild, and a devastated public is left reeling. Frankie uncovers new layers of scandal and deception and is forced to choose which Hollywood player to protect and who to destroy. Now, more than ever, the country needs a happy ending - but at what cost?"

I love that Hollywood used to be even more of a facade than it is now, with everything staged, just so, to conceal the dark underbelly. This is what draws me to Tinseltown. 

While the Patient Slept by Mignon G. Eberhart 
Published by: American Mystery Classics
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 312 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The "timing and gothic atmosphere are second to none" in this classic mystery where "the suspense steadily builds...until the satisfying denouement" (Publishers Weekly).

From the moment nurse Sarah Keate arrives at the gloomy mansion of Adolph Federie, she senses trouble afoot, from the mysterious occupants of the house to the penetrating stare of a black cat named Genevieve. But Mr. Federie has just suffered a stroke and needs a live-in aid and Sarah is not one to shirk her duties. When a murder occurs in the same room as her patient, Sarah starts investigating along with the help of a local police officer. But how will she sleep at night knowing she's sharing a house with a killer? An early title in the career of a crime writer whose many novels landed on bestseller lists for much of the twentieth century, While the Patient Slept is a creepy and atmospheric whodunit sure to please any fan of classic mysteries. It was included in the legendary Haycraft-Queen list of the greatest mystery novels of all time."

Because of this book I am now making it a goal to read the entire Haycraft-Queen list.

Double Trouble by Joyce Carol Oates
Published by: Hard Case Crime
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 576 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A double dose of gripping psychological suspense, pairing two complete novels and two rare short stories, from six-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Joyce Carol Oates. Two serial killers - one female, one male - murder in the name of a higher cause. Ideal for fans of Alice Munro, Ann Patchett and Anne Tyler.

Celebrating 40 Years of pseudonymous suspense from Joyce Carol Oates.

Four decades ago, acclaimed literary author Joyce Carol Oates penned her first novel of psychological suspense under the name "Rosamond Smith." In the Smith books, Oates explored themes of betrayal and deception, lust and murder, through stories involving twins, doubles, and hidden second identities - initially, keeping her own double identity a secret.

Hard Case Crime is proud to bring these extraordinary works of crime fiction, long unavailable in bookstores, back into print in definitive double editions, each pairing two complete novels and two never-before-collected Oates short stories, all linked thematically, to weave a sinister web filled with dark reflections.

In This Volume...

A female serial killer seeks refuge in her twin sister's home in Starr Bright Will Be with You Soon, while a male serial killer murders for the woman he craves in Soul/Mate - and the echoes continue in the rare short stories "The Murderess" and "An Unsolved Crime.""

I love it when famous authors have a back catalog under a pseudonym that is reprinted. So many new to me books!

Murder in the Reading Room by Con Lehane
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York crime-fiction librarian - and reluctant amateur sleuth - Ray Ambler investigates a puzzling murder that's too close to home for comfort.

Raymond Ambler, crime-fiction curator at New York City's prestigious 42nd Street Library, doesn't consider it a big deal when he misses a call from visiting professor Robin Cartwright...until she turns up dead in a hotel room.

Who killed the quiet academic, and why? Ambler feels duty-bound to find the culprit, and not just because the police half-suspect he's guilty of the crime. It wasn't just Professor Cartwright's phone call he missed, but any sign that she was in danger.

Robin was researching accidental deaths she believed were murders - could her work have got her killed? Soon Ambler's knee-deep in suspects, including a shady ex-husband, a slippery pastor, and at least one of his own colleagues. But the clock is ticking. If he doesn't catch a ruthless killer soon, it won't just be his own life in danger, but those of his partner and newborn child.

The 42nd Street Library mystery series blends traditional mystery with a hint of noir, and is a great pick for fans of quintessential New York writers like Ed McBain and S. J. Rozan, along with those who enjoy traditional amateur sleuths and fair-play puzzles."

I mean, if someone called me and they ended up dead I would SO investigate. Wouldn't you?

The Ravine by Maia Chance
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Paperback, 381 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For a devoted wife and mother, a restful getaway descends into an inescapable nightmare in a novel of dark psychological suspense by the author of The Body Next Door.

Harlow has almost everything she ever wanted: a passionate marriage, an adorable stepson, and a fresh start at her husband Gregor's boyhood home on the water. If only she could get pregnant, her happiness would be complete.

But soon after they arrive on the misty, tree-cloaked island, Gregor starts to change - and Harlow is shaken by his odd connection to their neighbor Kirsten, a luminous tradwife influencer.

Then, deep in a wooded ravine, Harlow finds evidence of an unspeakable murder - or thinks she does. Desperate to know what's real and what's only in her mind, she tracks down rumors of missing girls and bloody rituals, and begins to suspect that her marriage, too, hides a menace she never saw coming.

Each day the feeling grows: the safest thing she can do is run. But from what, Harlow can't even begin to imagine."

Just include a tradwife and I'm already freaking out.

Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbø
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From "one of today's most interesting thriller writers" (Lee Child) comes an immersive, propulsive novel in which a detective and a crime writer conduct parallel investigations, six years apart, into a series of puzzling murders.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2016. When a small-time criminal and gun dealer is shot down in the street, all signs point to Tomas Gomez, a quiet man with a mysterious past - and deep connections to a notorious gang - who has seemingly vanished into thin air. Other murders soon follow, and it appears Gomez is only getting started. Meanwhile, Bob Oz, a down-and-out suspended police officer with a dubious past of his own, becomes fascinated by the case: he is obsessed with the notion of hunting down a serial killer who only he can understand, a killer with a story as tragic as his own.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2022. An enigmatic Norwegian man with ties to Minneapolis - a self-described crime writer - has traveled to the United States to research the Gomez case, in the hopes of writing a book about it. But as his investigation progresses, the writer's seemingly neutral position reveals itself to be more complicated than the reader is initially led to believe.

Wolf Hour is a twisty and unforgettable thriller in classic Jo Nesbø style, which bears out Vanity Fair's observation that "Nesbø explores the darkest criminal minds with grim delight and puts his killers where you least expect to find them...His novels are maddeningly addictive.""

Can anyone be truly neutral? 

He's the Devil by Tobi Coventry
Published by: Abrams Press
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An exhilarating, darkly comic debut novel about a do-gooder whose world is turned inside out when his new roommate - who might be possessed by the devil - moves in.

Simon has always been a good guy, a charmer. He's consistently employee of the month at his bougie restaurant job, neurotically tidy, and generally tries to do right by everyone. And his dark parts? He keeps those well-hidden. But when his best and only friend Josh moves out of their shared apartment, Simon's world starts to fall apart when his new roommate Massimo moves in. Because Massimo has brought something - or someone - with him. He might just turn out to be the roommate from hell...

Strange things start to happen. Weird noises come from Massimo's room, smells of earth and spoiled meat drift through the halls, lights flicker, and Simon's nights fill with disturbing and alluring dreams. Meanwhile, across the city, murders are being committed, bodies torn apart from the inside. Massimo and whatever he's unleashed begin to awaken Simon's wild and exciting and horrifying inner self. Whatever this new friend is could be the end of Simon - or a completely new beginning.

At once a visceral, unhinged, and comic novel about the roommate generation, He's the Devil is a tantalizing literary thriller exploring possession and obsession, friendship and betrayal. Tobi Coventry's debut is propulsive, funny, and touching, marking the arrival of a bold new literary imagination."

I wonder if demonic possession could nullify a lease.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexander McCall Smith, Con Lehane, Gian Sardar, Greer Stothers, Isla Jewell, Jo Nesbo, Joyce Carol Oates, Maia Chance, Melissa de la Cruz, Michelle Kenney, Mignon G. Eberhart, Takuya Asakura, Tessonja Odette, Tobi Coventry

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The fourth book in New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray's Jane Austen sequel series, which finds amateur sleuths Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney caught up in the whirlwind of the London Season - and in a murderous scheme involving the family of Edmund and Fanny Bertram

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other perfectly; it's a pity their families do not. A series of misunderstandings, misplaced pride, and - indeed - prejudice, has led their parents to deem the pair unsuited to wed. Now, with the Season approaching, Juliet's grandfather, General Tilney, has sent her to London with a new wardrobe and orders to prove herself worthy of someone better than the snobby Darcys. Meanwhile, Jonathan has been forced to accept an invitation to stay in town with old friends Edmund and Fanny Bertram at the house of Edmund's brother, Sir Thomas. Oblivious to and undesiring of female attention outside of Juliet's, Jonathan is at risk of being ensnared by Caroline Bingley's previously rebuffed plans to make herself - or her daughter - mistress of Pemberley.

But when Mr. Rushworth, the former husband of Edmund's sister Maria, is discovered dead in his home, Jonathan and Juliet find themselves with problems far weightier than the marriage market. In one of the greatest scandals of its day, Maria abandoned her new husband in favor of the notorious rake Henry Crawford, and when he wouldn't marry her, was forced to flee to the continent in disgrace. Now Maria is back, accompanied by a daughter she claims Mr. Rushworth fathered after their divorce - and who he wrote into his will just before his death. To spare Edmund and Fanny further social shame, Jonathan and Juliet must unmask a killer before the drama surrounding the Rushworth family fortune claims another victim."

Damn, Mr. Rushworth dead!?! I've always felt sorry for him. I too want his killer caught.

To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchard
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: eBook, 332 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"London, 1813

As a daughter of the notorious Wyverne family, Lady Amelia is used to being the subject of gossip. But while she has accepted her marred reputation - however unfair it is - she hates the horrible men it attracts.

Amelia decides she needs a suitor of impeccable repute to save her from the attentions of ungentlemanly gentlemen, and who better than the handsome and famously moral Lord Thornfalcon? Since coming into his title, 'Thorn' has been besieged by women who want to marry him, or have an affair with him, or both - so perhaps a pretend relationship might suit him too?

There's just one small catch. Thorn's childhood sweetheart Lavinia has also set her sights on him again, and rallied half the ton behind her. But what does that matter to Amelia - it's only a fake engagement, isn't it? Except, as Lavinia and her friends try to tear Amelia and Thorn apart, she starts to realise that her feelings may not be quite so fake after all.

Because the trouble with brave and handsome Lords is...they might just steal your heart."

Yes yes, beware brave and handsome Lords and faux relationships of convenience, love might be right behind.

A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell meets A Tale of Two Cities in H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing, a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.

I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.

The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.

It will take magic and cunning - cold iron and Realm silver - to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.

Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine."

If you haven't read any of H.G. Parry's magical tales set during the French Revolution, you are in for a ride. They are thrilling and so deeply researched, the worlds are habitable by the reader.

A Case of Mice and Murder by Sally Smith
Published by: Raven Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first in a delightful new mystery series set in the hidden heart of London's legal world, introducing a wonderfully unwilling sleuth, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Nita Prose.

When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case - the disputed authorship of bestselling children's book Millie the Temple Church Mouse - that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep.

But even he cannot fail to notice the judge's dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London's legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now...

The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn't answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple's heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he'd ever imagined..."

Please say the murder has to do with a children's author! It would be wonderful synchronicity. 

The Lost Masterpiece by B.A. Shapiro
Published by: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An enigmatic painting. The mystery of who painted it. A riveting thriller from the bestselling author of The Art Forger.

In a gripping novel full of plot twists, B.A. Shapiro embeds us in a circle of famous painters in late-nineteenth-century Paris, centering on the anguished Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot - the one woman in their midst who never got her due - and the story of Morisot's great-great-great-great granddaughter, Tamara Rubin, who has inherited Édouard Manet's Party on the Seine, a painting that completely upends her life.

When Tamara inherits Party, she discovers a long-hidden family history replete with unanswered questions: How had it been stolen by the Nazis? How had the painting managed to survive three disasters that destroyed every other artwork around it? And most of all, why had she never known about her ancestor, Berthe Morisot? As the painting begins to metamorphose into darker and more terrifying versions of itself, Tamara's ordinary life is thrown into turmoil. What wounds and resentments plagued Morisot, and to what lengths will her spirit go for revenge?

The Lost Masterpiece is a story of love, adultery, betrayal, family secrets, and the grueling birth of Impressionism, taking the reader on a whirlwind adventure from the streets of Paris in the late 1800s and the studio Berthe Morisot shared with Manet, Degas, and Renoir to the present day. Shapiro brings Berthe's world to life, tracing her work through generations of descendants and introducing us to a painter as brilliant and original as her male counterparts across 150 years of triumphs, struggles, passions, animosities, and malevolence."

Justice for Morisot! At least when I was an school we studied her.

Last Dance Before Dawn by Katharine Schellman
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Last Dance Before Dawn is the final book in the luscious, mysterious, and queer Nightingale mystery series by Katharine Schellman, set in 1920s New York.

Vivian Kelly has finally created a home and a family at the glamorous speakeasy known as The Nightingale, where no one cares who you are in the daytime. After all, in the underground world of 1920s New York City, everyone has a secret to keep, and they're on The Nightingale's dance floor to leave those secrets behind. But sometimes it takes more than a dance to escape your past.

When a stranger from Chicago shows up at The Nightingale looking to settle old scores, Vivian and The Nightingale's owner, the mysterious and alluring Honor Huxley, send him packing. They soon discover, though, that the stranger was just a warning. Slowly, the people who have made The Nightingale their home realize that someone is following them. Hunting them. And that someone won't stop until they unravel a mystery that's been cold for years: a missing girl, a boy out for revenge, and a truck full of cash that disappeared in a job gone horribly wrong.

Vivian just wants to protect the people she loves, and she's willing to dig into the dirt of the past to make it happen. But some questions are safer left unanswered, and now that Vivian has built a family for herself, she has more to lose than ever before."

If you've been waiting to start this series, wait no longer, because you can now read the whole thing!

A Novel Murder by E.C. Nevin
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to the Killer Lines Crime Fiction Festival, the place for star writers of the genre to meet their adoring fans. But be careful - this year the murders aren't just on the page.

In the quaint English town of Hoslewit, the biggest names in crime writing have congregated to celebrate all things bookish and murderous. Author Jane Hepburn is determined to make her time at the Killer Lines festival worthwhile. This is her chance to change her fortunes and make her fictional Private Detective Baker a household name. And if she has to resort to sneaking into the book tent after hours to rearrange some books so hers are front and center, so be it.

But when Jane encounters the dead body of renowned (and reviled) literary agent Carrie Marks, the festival takes on a decidedly different tone. Joined by Carrie's newest client, debut novelist Natasha Martez, and the agency's hapless intern, Daniel Thurston, Jane decides to put her fictional sleuthing skills to use in the real world - she's going to solve the murder. But the list of suspects is long: seemingly everyone at the festival has a motive to kill Carrie, and the more Jane and her new friends investigate, the closer they come to a dangerous truth - one that's stranger than fiction."

I LOVE murder mysteries set at literary festivals ever since I saw the Midsomer Murders episode "Sins of Commission." 

Fox by Joyce Carol Oates
Published by: Hogarth
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Who is Francis Fox? A charming English teacher new to the idyllic Langhorne Academy, Fox beguiles many of his students, their parents, and his colleagues at the elite boarding school, while leaving others wondering where he came from and why his biography is so enigmatic. When two brothers discover Fox's car half-submerged in a pond in a local nature preserve and parts of an unidentified body strewn about the nearby woods, the entire community, including Detective Horace Zwender and his deputy, begins to ask disturbing questions about Francis Fox and who he might really be.

A hypnotic, galloping tale of crime and complicity, revenge and restitution, victim vs. predator, Joyce Carol Oates's Fox illuminates the darkest corners of the human psyche while asking profound moral questions about justice and the response evil demands. A character as magnetically diabolical as Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley and Vladimir Nabokov's Humbert Humbert, Francis Fox enchants and manipulates nearly everyone around him, until at last he meets someone he can't outfox. Written in Oates's trademark intimate, sweeping style, and interweaving multiple points of view, Fox is a triumph of craftsmanship and artistry, a novel as profound as it is propulsive, as moving as it is full of mystery."

Fits right into my broader definition of dark academia. 

The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Every woman who has lived on this farm has died. Emily just moved in.

When Emily Hauk's mother dies, it's time for her and her husband, Josh, to finally leave San Francisco. A farm in rural Nebraska is everything they want for a fresh start: clear skies, low costs, and distance from the grief back home.

They should have asked why the farm was for sale.

Three years ago, a teenage girl went missing from the farm. Soon after, the girl's mother mysteriously died. The deeper Emily digs, the more stories she finds of women with a connection to her new home who've met their own dark ends.

The farmhouse was meant to be Emily's fresh start, but with each passing day, her sanctuary slips further away. The barn seems to move throughout her property, as though chasing her. Her mother's favorite music drifts across the corn. She swears she saw blood in one of the farmhand's trucks. And the screams that wake her are not foxes, no matter how many times her husband says otherwise.

Despite Josh's skepticism, Emily feels the darkness that has seeped into the soil of her farm. And if she wants to claim this place as her own, she'll have to find the truth before whatever watches from the cornfield takes her too."

Oh, a barn on the move, like on Haven!

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily's beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn't the only thing to disrupt Emily's world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the question: what is the true meaning of home?"

Because every true book lover has wondered about the women who raised our most iconic heroines.

Death on the Caldera by Emily Paxman
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's Murder on the Orient Express - with witches!

A thrilling blend of fantasy and classic murder mystery, this rollicking adventure with a wide cast of suspects is ideal for those who love both Agatha Christie and V. E. Schwab, and are drawn to stories that take place in a vivid fantasy world.

The Linde siblings - Kellen, Davina, and Morel - are anxious to return to the kingdom of Halgyr before their father dies, leaving Kellen to assume the throne as king. They book tickets on a luxury express train, expecting a swift journey home - but disaster strikes when the train engine explodes, stranding the siblings atop a caldera bubbling with volcanic magic.

The crash triggers Davina's latent witch powers, but her magic disrupts her ability to remember what she was doing when the explosion took place. While a witch would be the prime suspect for the catastrophe, the only ones who knew Davina might become one are her brothers - who never warned her. And, to add insult to injury, somebody is bumping off the surviving train crew and passengers. But it can't be Davina, can it?

While the remaining passengers try to determine who sabotaged the engine and catch the killer, the fractured siblings attempt to stay one step ahead, concealing not only Davina's powers but their own secrets. Luckily, they aren't the only shifty characters on the train...

A thrilling blend of classic murder mystery and fantasy for those who love Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile every bit as much as Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses."

This book was written for me. I sometimes can't decide if I want to read a murder mystery or fantasy, and now I don't have the choose!

If We Survive This by Racquel Marie
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets in If We Survive This, a tense and emotional young adult horror novel from award-winning author Racquel Marie about a teen girl leading a group of survivors on a perilous journey during the apocalypse.

Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she's always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike "rabids," she and her older brother, Cain, are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their Los Angeles suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up - their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.

The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, hidden truths, new allies, and painful memories of the whole family's final time making this trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind."

I want to know why the suspect their father is at the cabin...

I Think I'm in Love with an Alien by Ann Aguirre
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Galaxy Quest meets Roswell in this quirky sci-fi rom-com from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre.

He's stranded. He's desperate. He's not looking for love.

Alien Tamzir Jaarn, a.k.a. Seeker, is paying the price for risking an illicit holiday on an interdicted planet. His ride off-world never showed, and he's been stranded on Earth for nearly a year. His gear is breaking down, food is becoming a problem, and if his camouflage unit fritzes, he'll wind up in a government lab.

But he's met some cool humans online, and they've invited him to the biggest space-themed convention around. Why not make memories with them while he figures out how to get home?

Space Con or bust!

She's nerdy. She's flirty. She's ready for romance.

Jennette Hammond is an endearing weirdo, voted most likely to bang an alien in high school. Her house is full of gray man collectibles, adorable tentacle monsters, and yes, in college, she volunteered for a SETI-type program. Not that she's ever had any close encounters of the sexy, alien kind. Heck, she's never even been able to convince anyone to attend Space Con.

But that's about to change. Finally, she has online friends who have agreed to go, and it will be a romp to remember - and she'll finally put a face to the name of her longtime crush, Seeker.

When alien meets adorkable, they're destined for an out-of-this-world affair..."

I mean, I was sold at Galaxy Quest meets Roswell, but the fact that it's written by Ann Aguirre!?! Perfection!

The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: June 17th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A talented heretic must decide between the pursuit of forbidden magic, or the ecstasy of forbidden love, in the start of a sweeping, romantic epic fantasy trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Gratton.

Can an empire trip and fall on a mere strand of silk?

Iriset is a prodigy and an outlaw. The daughter of a powerful criminal, she dons her alter ego Silk to create magical disguises for those in her father's organization, but she longs to do more with her talent: to enhance what it means to be human by giving people wings, night-sight, and other abilities; to unlock the possibilities of gender and parenthood; to cure disease and even to end mortality itself.

Everything changes when her father is captured and sentenced to death. To save him, Iriset must infiltrate the palace and the empire's fanatical ruling family. There, she realizes she has a chance - and an obligation - to bring down the entire corrupt system. She'll have to entangle herself in the lives of the emperor and his sister, getting them to trust and even to love her. But love is a two-way street, and Iriset's own heart holds the most mysterious and impenetrable magic of all."

So much yes here, but damn, that cover is a true work of art. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ann Aguirre, B.A. Shapiro, Chelsea Conradt, Claudia Gray, E.C. Nevin, Emily Paxman, Emma Orchard, H.G. Parry, Hazel Gaynor, Joyce Carol Oates, Katharine Schellman, Racquel Marie, Sally Smith, Tessa Gratton