strange and random happenstance

Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson
Published by: Doubleday Books
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Rating: ★
To Buy

Things are looking good for Jackson Brodie. Some might question if he's going through a midlife crisis due to his purchasing a Land Rover Defender, but as long as the cases keep coming in it's all good. His newest case involves a missing painting, a portrait of a woman with a weasel with dodgy provenance. Dorothy Padgett had always keep the Renaissance painting in her bedroom. It hung in such a way that she could look at it only while lying in bed. To anyone visiting or just looking through her bedroom door you'd have no idea that the masterpiece was there. It is believed that Dorothy's carer, Melanie Hope, has walked off with it when Dorothy died. Dorothy's children, Ian and Hazel, want him to retrieve the painting without involving the police. But Ian and Hazel give off a weird vibe. It's almost like they're the perpetrators not the victims. Their mother wasn't murdered and it looked as if Melanie was left the painting in the will, so why go through this rigmarole? Could it be that the painting isn't just some painting but a lost masterpiece? Which means the provenance must be very dodgy indeed. Which raises Jackson Brodie's hackles. The sole clue left behind by Melanie is an old golden age detective novel by Nancy Styles, Hark! Hark! The Dogs Do Bark. In other words, not much to go on. So he'll have to rely on nosy neighbors. Or on a simply bizarre coincidence. Lady Milton lives in Burton Makepeace House. Her family has fallen on hard times so they're turning the Rookery into a destination hotel, Rook Hall, that will hold murder mystery weekends, the idea of her son Piers with his madcap scheme to become a hotelier. She doesn't like to think about it. Nothing has been right since her housekeeper, Sophie Greenway, left. Sophie was a pillar of strength that helped unite the small community, being the calm at the eye of the storm. Even Reverend Simon Smallbones considered her his dearest confidant. And then she was gone in the night. As was a Turner valued at over thirty million. All that was left behind was a Nancy Styles mystery, The Secret of the Clock Cabinet. Surely it had to have been the same perpetrator. Could a competent woman show up and fix people's lives and care for them only to fleece them out of valuable artwork? This would be a very long and complicated con. But it's the only answer that fits the clues. As a storm brews and all the parties involved are drawn to Burton Makepeace, along with an escaped convict on the moors, the truth will be revealed, but at what cost?

I've read two Kate Atkinson books and that's it. That's me out. She cares more about characters than plots and while I don't mind a character study a good book should be something more. So, if anyone is in need of an unread copy of Life After Life, it's going cheap. Death at the Sign of the Rook was sold as an homage to Golden Age Detection. It's not. It's so not. Because there is no detection. Yes, she does know about the conventions because she mentions them, repeatedly, and then proceeds to gleefully ignore them but will then randomly name-drop Mabel Mora before going off and discussing the vicar's lack of faith for the next fifty pages. Good for you, you know about Only Murders in the Building, much like everyone else in the world, now are we going to move beyond mystery catchphrases and jokes and actually have a murder or are you going to piss me off more with lame joked? Yes. To both. Eventually there is a corpse or two, but it's too little too late and there was no detection involved, which makes me wonder if she can actually write a murder mystery at all, because using the evidence before me I would say no. Snide remarks about the greats and groanworthy jokes, yes, she can do that. Actually write like the greats? Hell no. And as for the immersive murder mystery experience at Rook Hall? That doesn't start until three-quarters of the way through the book and it's almost like an afterthought that plays more like dinner theatre than an immersive experience. I feel like she doesn't understand the word immersive, but that's beside the point. Kate Atkinson would really rather be writing about the vicar than what was literally the selling point of this book. She has a manor house, displaced and dysfunctional aristocrats, actors, guests, a snowstorm, a killer escaped from prison, and she does nothing with this. They wander around the house for a while until the police stumble on the escaped prisoner and the art thief literally just tells Jackson Brodie what she was up to. He didn't catch her, he didn't catch anything, except for a possible midlife crisis given his new car, but you could literally remove Jackson Brodie from this "Jackson Brodie Book" and it would effect the plot not a whit. I think your book is profoundly flawed if the protagonist is literally unnecessary. And I think by this point my saying how much I hated this book is unnecessary, but I don't want to leave you in any doubt. This is a pan, much like this isn't a murder mystery.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Art Thief, Death at the Sign of the Rook, Golden Age of Detection, Jackson Brodie, Kate Atkinson, Life After Life, Mabel Mora, Murder Most Foul, Nancy Styles, Only Murders in the Building, Protagonist, Snowstorm

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers a secret that brings the greatest shock of her life.

Flavia de Luce has taken on the mentorship of her odious moon-faced cousin Undine, who has come to live at Buckshaw following the death of her mother. Undine's main talent, aside from cultivating disgusting habits, seems to be raising Flavia's hackles, although in her best moments she shows potential for trespassing, trickery, and other assorted mayhem.

When Major Greyleigh, a local recluse and former hangman, is found dead after a breakfast of poisonous mushrooms, suspicion falls on the de Luce family's longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet. After all, wasn't it she who'd picked the mushrooms, cooked the omelet, and served it to Greyleigh moments before his death? "I have to admit," says Flavia, an expert in the chemical nature of poisons, "that I'd been praying to God for a jolly good old-fashioned mushroom poisoning. Not that I wanted anyone to die, but why give a girl a gift such as mine without giving her the opportunity to use it?"

But Flavia knows the beloved Mrs. Mullet is innocent. Together with Dogger, estate gardener and partner-in-crime, and the obnoxious Undine, Flavia sets out to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet's good name. Little does she know that following the case's twists and turns will lead her to a most surprising discovery - one with the power to upend her entire life."

For the past five years I have been desperately missing Flavia de Luce. The Golden Tresses of the Dead just couldn't be our last adventure! What's more that volume didn't seem a fitting end. Whereas this volume? So many of my questions answered! So much fulfilment! And we still have another book to come! Brava! Brava!

The Little Sparrow Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As several bodies are discovered staged in bizarre poses echoing the lyrics of a children's song, the quirky, endearing Japanese detective must string together the clues to solve this fiendish puzzle.

The scruffy detective Kosuke Kindaichi returns to solve another satisfying stand-alone murder mystery.

An old friend of Kindaichi's invites the detective to visit the remote mountain village of Onikobe, the site of a 20-year-old unsolved murder case. But no sooner has Kindaichi in the village than a new series of murders strikes - several bodies are discovered staged in bizarre poses, and it soon becomes clear that the victims are being killed using methods that eerily echo the lyrics of an old local children's song...

As the legendary sleuth investigates, he soon realises that he must unravel the dark and tangled history of the village, as well as that of its feuding families, to get to the truth.

The Little Sparrow Murders is the sixth classic Detective Kindaichi mystery to be published by Pushkin Vertigo. Kosuke Kindaichi is Japan's best-loved and most famous fictional sleuth, and Seishi Yokomizo one of the country's greatest crime writers. His whodunnits have sold an astonishing 55 million copies in his home country."

I am so happy these classics are getting a larger audience.

Murder at the Matinee by Jamie West
Published by: Brabinger
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Kindle, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Renowned murder mystery playwright Bertie Carroll returns, this time in London's West End, to solve the mystery of an impossible murder and the newspaper advert that preceded it.

Following on from the success of Death on the Pier, gay playwright detective Bertie Carroll returns for the second book in this golden-age-style whodunnit series, set in the exciting world of theatreland in 1930s London.

An unexpected phone call from a rival playwright puts Bertie centre stage in another mystery. Can he help unravel the motive behind a mysterious newspaper advert that boldly declares a murder will take place during a show's third act? There's only one problem, there is no murder in the third act of the play!

When a victim is discovered and the police are brought in, Bertie and Inspector Hugh Chapman get thrown awkwardly back together as they both work to find the killer.

The spotlight falls on each suspect in turn and, this time, even Bertie is not above suspicion. But can rivalries and differences be put aside to solve this devious murder?"

I love the trope of announcing a murder will happen, combine it with theatrical thrills, and this is just the book for me.

The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The ingenious classic thriller behind Hitchcock's famous film, set on a steam train travelling across 1930s Europe and boasting "intrigue, mystery, and spine-chilling horror." (Saturday Review)

First published as The Wheel Spins in 1936 and adapted for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock in 1938, Ethel Lina White's The Lady Vanishes established the author as one of the greatest crime writers of the Golden Age.

After a summer holiday in a remote corner of Europe, the glamorous socialite Iris Carr is looking forward to returning to the comforts of home. But having stayed on at the resort after her friends' departure, Iris now faces the journey home alone. On the train to Trieste, she is pleased to meet a kindly governess, Miss Froy, and strikes up a conversation. Iris warms to her companion, and is alarmed when she wakes from a sleep to find that Miss Froy has suddenly disappeared from the train without a trace. Worse still, she is horrified to discover that none of the other passengers on the train will admit to having ever seen such a woman.

Doubting her sanity and fearing for her life, Iris is determined to find Miss Froy before the train journey is over. Only one of her fellow passengers seems to believe her story. With his help, Iris begins to search the train for clues to the mystery of the vanished lady at the center of this ingenious classic thriller."

I am in love with this beautiful reissue of this classic mystery. How classic? I once tried to get an Iris Carr inspired haircut... It did not end well.

Saving Susy Sweetchild by Barbara Hambly
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to Hollywood of the 1920s: a world filled with glamour, fake names...and the occasional felony!

July, 1924. After nine months of living in Hollywood and working as a companion to her beautiful silent-movie star sister-in-law, young British widow Emma Blackstone is settling into her new role: doctoring film scenarios whenever the regular scenarist is overwhelmed with work, which seems to be most of the time.

Shoots for the Western movie Our Tiny Miracle are in full swing, with little seven-year-old Susy Sweetchild playing the lead and acting most professionally. Maybe too professionally, Emma thinks, shocked to the core when the child star is nearly killed in a stunt scene and her mother - former screen siren Selina Sutton - seems only to care that Susy gets the job done.

But Emma's concerns only worsen when news reaches her that Susy and her mother have been kidnapped. The ransom note says to keep the cops out of it, so it's up to Emma and Kitty to find them before the unthinkable happens and Emma is forced to rewrite Our Tiny Miracle with a far more tragic ending...

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Hambly once again brings the glamour and intrigue of Hollywood to life! An unputdownable mystery for fans of female-fronted historical mysteries set in the roaring twenties."

Personally, why not rewrite it to have a far more tragic ending?

The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins by Kristina Perez
Published by: Pegasus Crime
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cursed woman. A beautiful socialite. A tragic heiress. Just who was Veronica Hawkins?

When Martina Torres arrives in the glamorous and vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong, newly married to her high school sweetheart, the world seems to be her oyster. But looks can be deceiving. Adrift in a foreign city, with no job and no friends, Martina chafes in her new role as Expat Wife. But her luck changes when she meets Veronica Hawkins. Beautiful, sophisticated, and very, very rich, Veronica is the epitome of Old Hong Kong - the last surviving member of a British mercantile dynasty that built the city during its colonial heyday. Martina can hardly believe her fortune when she's taken under Veronica's wing and into her confidence, with Veronica helping her to find a new apartment, a new career, and most importantly, a new self. Veronica transforms Martina's life and then, shockingly, she dies. She disappears over the side of a yacht during a party attended by Hong Kong's most influential people - yet somehow there are no witnesses. Was it murder? Suicide? A terrible accident? What really happened to Veronica Hawkins? Somebody knows but nobody's telling."

And who better to solve the crime then somebody who's just arrived on the scene?

Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson
Published by: Doubleday Books
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The highly anticipated return of "irresistible" (New York Times) private eye Jackson Brodie in the newest installment of the bestselling series hailed as "unputdownable" by Time.

Welcome to Rook Hall. The stage is set. The players are ready. By night's end, a murderer will be revealed.

In his sleepy Yorkshire town, ex-detective Jackson Brodie is staving off boredom and malaise. His only case is the seemingly tedious matter of a stolen painting. But Jackson soon uncovers a string of unsolved art thefts that lead him down a dizzying spiral of disguise and deceit to Burton Makepeace, a formerly magnificent estate now partially converted into a hotel hosting Murder Mystery weekends.

As paying guests, impecunious aristocrats and old friends collide, we are treated to Atkinson's most charming and fiendishly clever mystery yet, one that pays homage to the masters of the genre - from Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers to the modern era of Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building."

I want to read this so badly. I mean, it's not out yet and I'm debating if I have the patience to wait out my library's hold list or not... Because of course I have it on hold already. I have for awhile now.

Jekyll and Hyde: Consulting Detectives by Tim Major
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dr Jekyll and his monstrous alter-ego join forces with his ex-fiancée to solve a series of disappearances across Victorian London in this thrilling mystery, perfect for readers of Stuart Turton and James Lovegrove.

When Muriel Carew attends a lavish society party, the last person she expects to bump into is her ex-fiancée Henry Jekyll, a man she's not seen for many years. When Jekyll turns out to be investigating a series of missing persons in London, Muriel is intrigued. But Jekyll is not working alone, and if Muriel wants to aid in the investigation, she must work with both Henry and his partner, the monstrous and uncouth Mr Hyde.

As their search takes a dark turn and a missing persons case becomes a murder investigation, Muriel finds herself deep in a mystery involving a nefarious group exploring their own hidden alter-egos within the beating heart of London's high society.

To solve the case and bring those responsible to justice, Muriel must find a way to place her trust in Mr Hyde, which might mean uncovering secrets about her own life she never dreamed of discovering."

I think Jekyll and Hyde would make a surprising effective duo solving crimes.

The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this elegant gothic horror tale set in post-revolutionary Russia, two formerly aristocratic sisters race to uncover their family's long-buried secrets in a house haunted by a past dangerous - and deadly - to remember.

It is the summer of 1921, and a group of Bolsheviks have taken over Irina and Lili Goliteva's ancestral home in Moscow, a stately mansion falling into disrepair and decay. The remaining members of their family are ordered to move into the cramped attic, while the officials take over an entire wing of grand rooms downstairs. The sisters understand it is the way of things and know they must forget their noble upbringing to make their way in this new Soviet Russia. But the house begins to whisper of a traumatic past not as dead as they thought.

Eager to escape it and their unwelcome new landlords, Irina and Lili find jobs with the recently arrived American Relief Administration, meant to ease the post-revolutionary famine in Russia. For the sisters, the ARA provides much-needed food and employment, as well as a chance for sensible Irina to help those less fortunate and artistic Lili to express herself for a good cause. It might just lead them to love, too.

But at home, the spirits of their deceased family awaken, desperate to impart what really happened to them during the Revolution. Soon one of the officials living in the house is found dead. Was his death caused by something supernatural, or by someone all too human? And are Irina and Lili and their family next? Only unearthing the frightening secrets of Moscow House will reveal all. But this means the sisters must dig deep into a past no one in Russia except the dead are allowed to remember."

I love the combination of a not oft explored aspect of history with a Gothic vibe.

The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz
Published by: 8th Circle Press
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 232 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nestled in the shadow of the Appalachians is where Gwen Ashby stumbles upon the William Marshall Academy, and she's given a trial position as a literature teacher. The gothic boarding school seems trapped in time yet it feels like home the moment Gwen arrives.

She's charmed by the lovely buildings, bewitched by the eager students...and utterly seduced by the headmaster. Edwin Yorke is noble, handsome and infuriatingly proper. But his tweedy exterior and courtly manners conceal a raw sensual power that Gwen longs to unleash.

It's strangely thrilling to be the only woman on campus - save one other. An eerie white-clad figure roams the grounds by night. She never speaks. She leaves no trace. But this ghostly blight on Gwen's new dream life is the key to the Marshall Academy's mysterious allure.

This 10th Anniversary expanded print edition of Tiffany Reisz's gothic romance The Headmaster is newly updated and expanded, with revised text and black-and-white illustrations throughout."

I mean, just look at the perfection of that cover. Why can't we have more covers like this?

The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison
Published by: Amistad Press
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Combining history and fantasy, a sweeping multi-generational epic in the vein of Kindred and The Time Traveler's Wife about a woman who travels through time to end a family curse that has plagued her ancestors for generations.

On a rainy day in May 1964, history professor Cecily Bridge-Davis begins to search for the sixty-five acres of land she inherited from her father's family. The quest leads her to uncover a dark secret: In every generation, one offspring from each Bridge family unit vanishes - and is mysteriously whisked back in time. Rules have been established that must be followed to prevent dire consequences:

Never interfere with past events.

Always carry your free Negro papers.

Search for the survival family packs in the orchard and surrounding forest. The ribbon on the pack designates the decade the pack was made to orient you in time.

Do not speak to strangers unless absolutely necessary.

With only a family Bible and a map marked with the locations of mysterious containers to aid her, Cecily heads to the library, hoping to discover the truth of how this curse began, and how it might be ended. As she moves through time, she encounters a circle of ancestors, including Sabrina Humbles, a free Black woman who must find the courage to seize an opportunity - or lose her heart; Luke Bridge, who traverses battlefields, slavery, and time itself to reunite with his family; Rebecca Bridge, a mother tested by an ominous threat; and Amelia Bridge, a young woman burdened with survivor's guilt who will face the challenge of a lifetime - and change Cecily's life forever. It is a race through time and against the clock to find the answers that will free her family forever.

Shawntelle Madison's historical fiction debut is an enthralling, page-turning family saga about the inevitability of fate, the invincibility of love, and the indelible bonds of family."

And hopefully it has a nice happy ending after all that generational trauma.

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cat a day keeps the doctor away...

Discover the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation in this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats.

Tucked away in an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can only be found by people who are struggling in their lives and genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they "take" their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout the pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a hardened bag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha finds herself unable to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic's patients navigate their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope."

I might relate to the geisha too much. I want to be prescribed a cat, but I'm worried it will hurt.

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
Published by: Random House Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Is love on the small screen better than the real thing?

Newly divorced on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Brynn is sick of heartbreak. She thought she had found her happy ending, but now she's living with a roommate, Josh, to afford her mortgage, and she's trying to adjust to her new single life. At least she's got Carson's Cove to binge, her beloved 2000s teenage soap. The show ended unexpectedly on a cliffhanger after five seasons, and the two main characters, Sloan and Spencer, never got to declare their love for each other. The show is still perfect in Brynn's eyes; despite all the drama that goes down, things always have a way of working out in Carson's Cove...unlike her own life.

So when a birthday cake surprisingly shows up on her and Josh's doorstep, Brynn makes a wish for the one thing she's always wanted (but has failed to achieve herself): a happily-ever-after.

The next morning, she doesn't wake up in her apartment. She's in Carson's Cove...and Josh is there too. Everyone seems to know them, except they're not Brynn and Josh; they're Sloan, the sweetheart of Carson's Cove, and Fletch, the town's bad boy. And to get home, they have to make Brynn's wish come true by ensuring Sloan and Spencer, the hometown heartthrob, end up together at last. But as they spend more time together, Brynn and Josh realize that Carson's Cove might not be as perfect as seen on television...especially when they start developing feelings for each other in a plot twist no one has expected. Will they stick to the script, or will real love change the story forever?"

I mean, who hasn't wanted to disappear into their favorite TV show. I'd be in Star Hollow in a second!

Repeat After Me by Jessica Warman
Published by: Entangled Publishing
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She's about to have a serious temporal tantrum.

In retrospect, I probably should have passed on the ceviche.

It was already a weird Friday. My class is stuck on an eerily remote island for our senior trip, I'm pretty sure Mr. D ("call me Max") is hiding something from us, my ex-best friend turned nemesis keeps stealing my candy, and tonight's plan for my boyfriend and me to finally lose our virginity to each other is going hellishly.

I mean, ceviche is delicious, don't get me wrong. But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus should really come with a warning label.

Caution: consuming a telepathic sea creature of unknown origin may result in immortality, no consequences to any actions, and getting stuck in a time loop for all of eternity.

Now every morning I wake up, and it's the same Friday all over again. Same annoying classmates. Same island suspended in time by an evil oyster farmer with a God complex. Same outrageous candy theft. The only person I can count on to keep me from losing my grip on this new reality is Louis, my best friend who knows me better than anyone else in this world.

This should be a cephalopod-induced nightmare but somehow - in some ridiculous way - I feel like I'm experiencing the extraordinary, the gift of endless opportunities to get things right. But when I wake up every morning and it's Friday again, sometimes it feels more like a never-ending prison sentence.

They say some things are worse than death...

...guess I'm about to find out."

See, if you just avoid sea food you don't end up in your own private hellish Groundhog Day!

Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the set of a kitschy reality TV show, staged scares transform into unnerving reality in this spooky ghost story from multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Sarah Pinsker.

"Don't talk to day about what we do at night."

When aimless twenty-something Mara lands a job as the night-shift production assistant on her cousin's ghost hunting/home makeover reality TV show Haunt Sweet Home, she quickly determines her new role will require a healthy attitude toward duplicity. But as she hides fog machines in the woods and improvises scares to spook new homeowners, a series of unnerving incidents on set and a creepy new coworker force Mara to confront whether the person she's truly been deceiving and hiding from all along - is herself.

Eerie and empathetic, Haunt Sweet Home is a multifaceted, supernatural exploration of finding your own way into adulthood, and into yourself."

It's always unnerving when the uncanny becomes reality.

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin
Published by: Tyndale Fiction
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this hope-filled Gilded Age Christmas novella from bestselling author Lynn Austin, the year is 1901 and the hustle and bustle of the holidays is descending on New York's Fifth Avenue.

For the first time in her privileged life, Adelaide Forsythe won't be swept up in it. She couldn't be happier about the prospect of a quieter Christmas. That's not to say her transition from Miss to Mrs. has been without challenge. Though she doesn't regret marrying for love instead of wealth, she can barely light the hearth or cook more than burnt toast. She feels woefully unprepared to run her own household.

Then, on the first Sunday of Advent, winter winds bring change through two unlikely means: a young orphan boy, hiding near Adelaide's front steps, and a seasoned housekeeper who seems too good to be true.

The boy, Jack, claims he isn't an orphan at all and is desperate to reunite his family. Adelaide and her husband Howard work tirelessly to solve the riddle of Jack's story, while Adelaide's new endeavors open her eyes to a world beyond her past experience - and all the challenge and possibility it holds. As Christmas approaches, small glimmers of wonder light the way toward the answers Adaleide seeks and the most miraculous gift of all."

If you aren't already compiling your Christmas reading, then you're not a fan of Christmas. But if you are, add this to you list.

Two Spinsters and a Corpse by Eve Tarrington
Published by: Tenacious Teacup Press
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 242 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two Regency era spinsters, one quiet and one quarrelsome, try to catch a killer before Christmas in this new historical mystery series.

Miss Judith St Clair is a frugal and pious young woman. When her father accepts a lucrative new position as the rector of a parish in Derbyshire just before Christmas, she is dismayed that she and all her siblings must move to this cold and inhospitable country while still in mourning for their mother. What's worse, her father's patrons are the rich and imposing Haddingtons, a family recently settled at Wycliff Castle.

Miss Louisa-Margaretta Haddington, after years of dismissing every possible suitor, is in love. But her parents, who will not consent to the match, have removed her and her reputation from harm by buying an enormous estate in Derbyshire. Louisa-Margaretta is determined to avoid everyone, but when she and the rector's daughter both take refuge in the library to avoid dancing with gentlemen at a ball, they are unwitting witnesses to a murder.

Though each young woman despises the other, they know they will need each other's help if they are to find the killer and save their families. With Judith's quiet intelligence and Louisa-Margaretta's fiery and flirtatious nature, they set out to solve the puzzle. But when one of them has a brush with death disguised as a hunting accident, they realise that they must be quick, or they shall risk running out of time."

Another book for the Christmas list, and my favorite kind, because there's a murder!

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, set in Regency era England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters - perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

Merrick Darling's life as daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex is better than most. Unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fog that encroached on England generations earlier. She will never become a Phantom - one of the monstrous creatures that stalk her province's borders - and as long as the fires burn to hold them back, her safety is ensured. She wants for nothing, yet she will never inherit her family's Manor. She must marry smartly or live at the kindness of her elder sister, Essie.

Everything is turned on its head, though, when Merrick's father dies suddenly. Torn from her New London society life of ball gowns and parties, Merrick must travel back to her childhood home, the Darling estate of Norland House, and what she finds there is bewildering. Once strong and capable, Essie is withdrawn and frightened - and with good cause. A recent string of attacks along the province's borders has turned their formerly bucolic countryside into a terrifying and unpredictable landscape. The fog is closing in and the fires aren't holding, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable in more ways than one. Because the Phantoms are far from the only monsters in Merrick's world, and the other eleven Manor Lords are always watching for weakness.

Revealing her and her sister's current state to the rest of the Manors is out of the question, but when Essie goes missing, it's clear that Merrick needs help. Only, who can she trust when everyone seems to be scheming, and when all she holds true feels like it's slipping right out of her grasp?"

Oh, a new twist on my favorite genre, Regency Magic!

Constancy by Tilly Wallace
Published by: Tilly Wallace
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Kindle, 376 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dragons love longest, even when hope is gone...

As a young woman, Moire Tobin fell hopelessly in love with a brave, loyal, and handsome young naval officer. Nothing, not even her family, could persuade her to spurn the young man. But fate had other ideas. Even when Oliver broke off their engagement, her tattered heart refused to stop loving. Every beat carried with it the promise of hope.

Eight years later, Captain Oliver Hartford returns to the quiet corner of rural Wyldefen. Having amassed a fortune, he is determined to find a wife. Any one would do, so long as it's not Moire - the quiet, intelligent, and kind woman who still haunts his dreams and who is the sole reason he was returned to Wyldefen (if only he would admit it).

Fate, it seems, has had a change of heart and has decided to throw the couple together. This could be their second chance at love. Dragons might prove the salve that eases old wounds, or they might be the irrevocable wedge that forever drives them apart...

A second chance fantasy romance inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion...but with more dragons."

Jane Austen! Dragons! You know what that means? REGENCY MAGIC!

Elusive by Genevieve Cogman
Published by: Tor UK
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Revolutionary France is full of blood and bite, as vampires plot for power. Featuring Genevieve Cogman's trademark wit and fast-paced plotting, Elusive is the second book in the Sunday Times bestselling Scarlet Revolution trilogy.

Eleanor, once a lowly English maid, is now a member of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, know for their daring deeds and rescuing aristocrat vampires from the guillotine.

Eleanor and the League are investigating the disappearance of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, the notorious French statesman and diplomat. But they soon uncover two vampire parties feuding for power, and learn that Talleyrand's disappearance is part of a bigger, more dangerous scheme - one that threatens to throw France into bloody chaos...

Perfect for fans of The Invisible Library series, Kim Newman and Gail Carriger, Elusive is the thrilling follow-up to Scarlet, a witty and inventive retelling of the beloved tale of the Scarlet Pimpernel."

And Regency Magic adjacent! 

Mythos by Stephen Fry
Published by: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Stephen Fry's beloved retelling of the Greek myths, now presented in a deluxe edition with stunning original illustrations.

Rediscover the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of these timeless tales, from the majestic heights of Mount Olympus to the eerie depths of the Underworld and from Eros and Psyche's against-all-odds romance to Prometheus's gift of fire to mankind. Fry draws out the humor and pathos in each story and reveals its deep resonance with our own lives without losing any of its original wonder. Featuring vibrant artwork throughout, this collectible volume comes complete with a textured cover and dyed page edges. Explore the captivating world of monsters and gods, of magic and mayhem, with a brilliant storyteller as your guide.

BELOVED AUTHOR: Stephen Fry is an icon whose signature wit and mellifluous style make this retelling utterly unique. Readers love hearing his interpretations, whether they are familiar with the original Greek myths or not.

COLLECTIBLE EDITION: Fry's series of retellings - Mythos, Heroes, and Troy - are international bestsellers. Now, fans can complete their collection and revisit the beloved first book with this gorgeous, illustrated edition.

GIFT FOR MYTHOLOGY FANS: With a sleek contemporary design and full-color original artwork throughout, this deluxe volume makes a superb present for anyone interested in mythology, Greek history, or the classics.

Perfect for

• Fans of Stephen Fry and the Mythos series who want a complete collection
• Mythology and history buffs
• Collectors of illustrated classics
• Gift-givers looking for a deluxe holiday present for a classics lover
• Fans of Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, Madeline Miller's Circe and Song of Achilles, and Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes."

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barbara Hambly, Genevieve Cogman, Jessica Warman, Kate Atkinson, Kate Robb, Lydia Gregovic, Lynn Austin, Sarah Pinsker, Seishi Yokomizo, Shawntelle Madison, Stephen Fry, Syou Ishida, Tiffany Reisz, Tilly Wallace

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
Rating: ★
To Buy

Ma Coker is being released from prison. Detective Inspector John Frobisher sits in his car watching the spectacle of her release. Her children crowd around her for the camera. The notorious Queen of Clubs got locked up for a minor infraction, but Frobisher knows that she is rotten and he will make it his life's work to see her back behind bars for good. His job is to root out corruption and catch the bad guys, even if they're coppers. Because to have avoided prison for so long Ma Coker has to have someone on the inside and Frobisher is seconded to the Bow Street police station to find out just who that is. Which is how he met Gwendolyn Kelling. Miss Kelling is a mild mannered librarian from York. After the death of her mother she has surprisingly come into quite a bit of money. Two girls from York have gone missing; Freda Murgatroyd and Florence Ingram. Miss Kelling is friends with Freda's half-sister Cissy and Gwendolyn agrees to go to London to look for them. Freda is a silly girl with dreams of being an actress and she obviously just dragged Florence along for company. But these kind of girls can get chewed up and spit out by London and they often end up working in Ma Coker's clubs. So when Miss Kelling shows up at the police station asking for help Frobisher is entranced by the young woman. She's so forthright, so put together, unlike his wife, that he will think up any reason to see more of her. Therefore he says he'll get his men looking into the girls disappearance, but that she might want to check out the clubs, and if she's going to go there she could help him. Miss Kelling is up for the challenge. She walks into the Amethyst, the crown jewel of Ma Coker's clubs, on the arm of an undercover cop, and ends up helping out a gang member who's been shot. This brings Miss Kelling to the attention of Ma Coker. She could use someone like Gwendolyn. Someone able to stand her ground and have a cool head in a crisis. Therefore she asks the librarian from York if she wouldn't mind running a night club. It even comes with it's own apartment. Miss Kelling jumps at the opportunity. She claims for DI Frobisher it's so she can help him from the inside, but maybe, just maybe, it's because she's drawn to Ma's oldest son, Niven. There's something about him that is intriguing. With all the clubs and all the people and the seething vast metropolis, anything is possible, but one thing is certain, at this moment in time London revolves around Ma Coker. But with an enemy list as long as hers how long will this last?

Over the past few years historical fiction set during the roaring twenties has undergone a seismic shift. Books about the "bright young things" are no longer the rage, instead the focus has shifted to those of a lower economic class. The shift started by first embracing an Upstairs, Downstairs vibe, the we're all in this together and together we can get through this. But the world has changed, a pandemic, poverty, and political upheaval has worn us all down. The best example to hand is Downton Abbey. When the first movie arrived on screens in 2019 I adored it, the cast of characters pulling together for King and Country. When Downton Abbey: A New Era arrived in 2022 with the characters flaunting their wealth and vacationing on the Riviera, I couldn't help thinking, perhaps Julian Fellowes should have read the room. This wasn't the escape I was personally looking for after two years of hell. In fact it made me hate all the Crawley family for their excesses. How dare they behave this way? And I wasn't the only one who felt this way, the fact the film made $100 million less kind of speaks for itself. Which is why readers are right pointing out that this is the book that speaks to us now, there's pain and suffering after the end of the first world war and we're focusing on the lower classes who are fleecing the parasitic bright young things. Criminals are the new heroes, I mean just look how many books have been written about Alice Diamond in the past few years and you can see the trend that Julian Fellowes was blind to. And Kate Atkinson has a way with creating memorable characters. This book might be said to have a somewhat bloated cast, one of my friends thinks there were twenty-six "main" characters, but when I started to add it up I think it was higher. Because there is no such thing as a minor character in this book. Everyone gets a backstory, everyone has their lives lovingly told in beautiful language right up until the moment Kate Atkinson got bored with them all. That is the only way I can explain how this book ended. She wrote these complex, if very self-centered characters and then just stopped. Did she hit her allotted word count? Because she kills off DI Frobisher in a death that is almost stupider than Dan Stevens's on Downton Abbey and it opened up of the floodgates; jumping all the over twentieth century clinically listing when and how the characters died, but stoutly refusing to solve Florence's disappearance or Vivian Quinn's murder. Though what made me furious with this book, beyond all the unresolved plotlines, is that Gwendolyn and Niven's future and romantic fate is "suspended between coming and going forever." That is where she left the main narrative? Now that is a hanging offense.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: DI John Frobisher, Downton Abbey, For the Love of Book Clubs, Gwendolyn Kelling, Julian Fellowes, Kate Atkinson, Ma Coker, Nightclubs, Niven Coker, Prison, Shrines of Gaiety, Soho, Unresolved, Upstairs Downstairs

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Millie Bobby Brown's Nineteen Steps is a moving tale of love, longing, and loss, inspired by the true events of her family's experience during World War II.

Love blooms in the darkest days...

It's 1942, and London remains under constant threat of enemy attack as the second world war rages on. In the Bethnal Green neighborhood, Nellie Morris counts every day lucky that she emerges from the underground shelters unharmed, her loving family still surrounding her.

Three years into the war, she's grateful to hold onto remnants of normalcy - her job as assisting the mayor and nights spent at the local pub with her best friend. But after a chance encounter with Ray, an American airman stationed nearby, Nellie becomes enchanted with the idea of a broader world.

Just when Nellie begins to embrace an exciting new life with Ray, a terrible incident occurs during an air raid one evening, and the consequences are catastrophic. As the truth about that night is revealed, Nellie's world is torn apart. When it seems all hope is lost, Nellie finds that, against all odds, love and happiness can triumph.

Nineteen Steps is a deeply affecting, mesmerizing page-turner inspired by the author's family history. An epic story of longing, loss, and secrets, Millie Bobby Brown's propulsive debut introduces an unforgettable, brave young woman and boldly portrays the strength in the power of love.

"Inspired by my Nanny Ruth, this book is very personal and close to my heart. I grew up listening to stories about her time living through the war. I'm honored to keep her story alive." - Millie Bobby Brown"

So the real question is is did Millie write this? Maybe... But did she though? Late breaking news, she didn't.

The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the critically acclaimed author of Yonder and The Ethan I Was Before, Ali Standish, comes a thrilling middle grade tale featuring hair-raising adventures, new friendships, secret societies, and the mind behind one of the greatest detectives of all time: Sherlock Holmes.

When young Arthur Conan Doyle is offered a spot at Baskerville Hall, a secret school for extraordinarily gifted children, he is elated at being chosen - and being given a chance to turn his family's fortunes around. There, Arthur makes quick friends with Irene Eagle, a girl who boldly strides into action, and Jimmie Moriarty, a boy whose brilliance rivals Arthur's own. Together, they discover that their new school is a peculiar place, home to leaning towers and unexplained explosions, prowling wolves and extinct birds.

Arthur quickly makes enemies, too - deadly foes who wants him expelled...or worse. When Arthur and his friends are invited into a powerful secret society called the Clover, they must pass three challenging tests to be accepted. But along the way, Arthur uncovers a mystery that will lead to grand adventure...and even greater danger."

Yeah, I'm all about Sherlock Holmes pastiches for a younger audience.

The Spanish Diplomat's Secret by Nev March
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In The Spanish Diplomat's Secret, award-winning author Nev March explores the vivid nineteenth-century world of the transatlantic voyage, one passenger's secret at a time.

Captain Jim Agnihotri and his wife Lady Diana Framji are embarking to England in the summer of 1894. Jim is hopeful the cruise will help Diana open up to him. Something is troubling her, and Jim is concerned.

On their first evening, Jim meets an intriguing Spaniard, a fellow soldier with whom he finds an instant kinship. But within twenty-four hours, Don Juan Nepomuceno is murdered, his body discovered shortly after he asks rather urgently to see Jim.

When the captain discovers that Jim is an investigator, he pleads with Jim to find the killer before they dock in Liverpool in six days, or there could be international consequences. Aboard the beleaguered luxury liner are a thousand suspects, but no witnesses to the locked-cabin crime. Jim would prefer to keep Diana safely out of his investigation, but he's doubled over, seasick. Plus, Jim knows Diana can navigate the high society world of the ship's first-class passengers in ways he cannot.

Together, using the tricks gleaned from their favorite fictional sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, Jim and Diana must learn why one man's life came to a murderous end."

Yes, yes, this week is ALL about Sherlock Holmes!

Crime Novels: Five Classic Thrillers 1961-1964 by Frederic Brown, Dan J. Marlowe, Charles Williams, Dorothy B. Hughes, and Richard Stark
Published by: Library of America
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 950 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the 1960s the masters of crime fiction expanded the genre's literary and psychological possibilities with audacious new themes, forms, and subject matter - here are five of their finest works.

This is the first of two volumes gathering the best American crime fiction of the 1960s, nine novels of astonishing variety and inventiveness that pulse with the energies of that turbulent, transformative decade.

In The Murderers (1961) by Fredric Brown, an out-of-work actor, hanging out with Beat drifters on the fringes of Hollywood, concocts a murder scheme that devolves into nightmare. This late work by a master in many genres is one of his darkest and most ingenious.

Dan J. Marlowe's The Name of the Game Is Death (1962) channels the inner life of a violent criminal who freely acknowledges the truth of a prison psychiatrist's diagnosis: "Your values are not civilized values." Written with unnerving emotional authenticity, the story hurtles toward an annihilating climax.

Charles Williams drew on his experience in the merchant marine for his thriller Dead Calm (1963). A newlywed couple alone on a small yacht find themselves at the mercy of the mysterious survivor they have rescued from a sinking ship, in a suspenseful story that chillingly evokes the perils of the open ocean.

In the beautifully told and sharply observant The Expendable Man (1963), Dorothy B. Hughes's final masterpiece of suspense, a young man in the American Southwest runs afoul of racial assumptions after he picks up a hitchhiker who soon turns up dead.

In twenty-four brilliantly constructed novels, Richard Stark (a pen name of Donald Westlake) charted the career of Parker, a hard-nosed professional thief, with rigorous clarity. The Score (1964), a stand-out in the series, finds Parker and his criminal associates hatching a plot to rob simultaneously all the jewelry stores, payroll offices, and banks in a remote Western mining town, only to come up against the human limits of even the most intricate planning.

Volume features include an introduction by editor Geoffrey O'Brien (Hardboiled America), newly researched biographies of the writers and helpful notes, and an essay on textual selection."

Whenever I need a quality read I always turn to Library of America. In particular their selection of crime novels can not be beat.

Crime Novels: Four Classic Thrillers 1964-1969 by Margaret Millar, Ed McBain, Chester Himes, and Patricia Highsmith
Published by: Library of America
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 950 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the 1960s the masters of crime fiction expanded the genre's literary and psychological possibilities with audacious new themes, forms, and subject matter - here are four of their finest works.

This is the second of two volumes gathering the best American crime fiction of the 1960s, nine novels of astonishing variety and inventiveness that pulse with the energies of that turbulent, transformative decade.

In Margaret Millar's The Fiend (1964) a nine-year-old girl disappears and a local sex offender comes under suspicion. So begins a suspenseful investigation of an apparently tranquil California suburb which will expose a hidden tangle of fear and animosity, jealousy and desperation.

Ed McBain (a pen name of Evan Hunter) pioneered the multi-protagonist police procedural in his long-running series of 87th Precinct novels, set in a parallel Manhattan called Isola. Doll (1965) opens at a pitch of extreme violence and careens with breakneck speed through a tale that mixes murder, drugs, the modeling business, and psychotherapy with the everyday professionalism of McBain's harried cops.

The racial paranoia of a drunken police detective in Run Man Run (1966) leads to a double murder and the relentless pursuit of the young Black college student who witnessed it. In Chester Himes's breathless narrative, New York City is a place with no safe havens for a fugitive whom no one wants to believe.

In Patricia Highsmith's The Tremor of Forgery (1969) a man whose personality is disintegrating is writing a book called The Tremor of Forgery about a man whose personality is disintegrating, "like a mountain collapsing from within." Stranded unexpectedly in Tunisia, Howard Ingham struggles to hold on to himself in a strange locale, while a slightly damaged typewriter may be the only trace of a killing committed almost by accident.

Volume features include an introduction by editor Geoffrey O'Brien (Hardboiled America), newly researched biographies of the writers and helpful notes, and an essay on textual selection."

Finally more Patrica Highsmith! I have been DEMANDING, OK, it's more like begging, Library of America to release all her books for years. Or just the Ripley ones... Please?

A Very Lively Murder by Katy Watson
Published by: Mobius
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One murder mystery movie. Three Dahlias. And a whole cast of suspects...

Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role - Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing - with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. There's something very wrong on the set of The Lady Detective - which means it's time to call in Caro Hooper, so the three Dahlias can investigate.

In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots in London, talk show appearances and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best - surrupticiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star...

But before they can prove it, another murder rocks the production. And this time, with a storm raging, the river flooded and the bridge washed out, there are no police to rely on so it's up to the three Dahlias to stop a murderer in their tracks...before another victim is claimed."

If Acorn TV wrote books, this is your new favorite binge.

23 1/2 Lies by James Patterson
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enjoy three heart-racing thrillers from the New York Times bestselling master of suspense.

23 1/2 Lies with Maxine Paetro: Lindsay Boxer's estranged father is gunned down execution-style, and her investigation uncovers life-altering truths.

Fallen Ranger with Andrew Bourelle: To Rory Yates, being a Texas Ranger means absolute loyalty to the badge. But he's put through the ultimate test when an armored car robbery suspect might be an ex-Ranger gone rogue.

Watch Your Back with Loren D. Estleman: When a starving artist is paid to expose his client's cheating wife, can he paint the picture that will save his own life?"

New Women's Murder Club! Sure I'm not the biggest short story fan, but Women's Murder Club!

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A standalone horror novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it's the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who've fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out...and failed.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who's now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it...But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they're trapped with someone - or something - that doesn't want them leaving the island alive."

I love people being trapped on islands with killers...

Dreambound by Dan Frey
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this thrilling contemporary fantasy novel, a father must investigate the magical underbelly of Los Angeles to find his daughter, who has seemingly disappeared into the fantastical universe of her favorite books.

When Byron Kidd's twelve-year-old daughter vanishes, the only clue is a note claiming that she's taken off to explore the Hidden World, a magical land from a series of popular novels. She is not the only child to seek out this imaginary realm in recent years, and Byron - a cynical and hard-nosed reporter - is determined to discover the whereabouts of dozens of missing kids.

Byron secures a high-profile interview with Annabelle Tobin, the eccentric author of the books, and heads off to her palatial home in the Hollywood Hills. But the truth Byron discovers is more fantastic than he ever could have dreamed.

As he unearths locations from the books that seem to be bleeding into the real world, he must shed his doubts and dive headfirst into the mystical secrets of Los Angeles if he hopes to reunite with his child. Soon Byron finds himself on his own epic journey - but if he's not careful, he could be the next one to disappear.

Told through journal entries, transcripts, emails, and excerpts from Tobin's novels, Dreambound is a spellbinding homage to Los Angeles and an immersive and fast-paced story of how far a father will go - even delving into impossible worlds - to save his daughter."

Who hasn't wanted to just disappear into their favorite book?

Putting the Ice in Nice by Diana Pharaoh Francis
Published by: Lucky Foot Press in conjunction with BVC
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 306 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It pays to be nice... but only if you’re into blood, pain, and tears.

Beck Wyatt, a witch with very few f*cks to give, is back in action, and as usual, her life has gone pear-shaped. Her maybe-boyfriend has gone MIA. One of her bffs fell into a big hole and got Lifeflighted to the hospital. The cops want to help her solve a kidnapping with a side helping of murder. Even worse? Her recently un-estranged mom wants to have brunch."

This is a series that has been on my radar for awhile and I can't wait to dive in.

Playing the Witch Card by K.J. Dell'Antonia
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters.

She gave up on magic. But magic didn't give up on her.
Three generations of magic. Two rogue exes. One Tarot deck.
The perfect recipe for chaos.

Flair Hardwicke knows three things: magic is real, love isn't, and relying on either ends in disaster. So while she's grateful for the chance to take over her grandmother's Kansas bakery after she finally leaves her cheating husband, she won't be embracing Nana's fortune-telling side-hustle. Hers is a strictly no-magic operation - until the innocent batch of Tarot card cookies Flair bakes for the town's Halloween celebration unleashes the power of the family deck, luring Flair's unpredictable mother to town, tempting Flair's magic-obsessed daughter, and bringing back Flair's first love while ensnaring her ex in a curse she can't break.

Flair's attempts to control the chaos only make things worse, playing right into the hands of a powerful witch. Suddenly there's far more at stake than her status as the most reluctant witch in town, and the magic Flair has long rejected becomes the only card she has left to play."

Instead of cottage core can we embrace magic core this fall? Because that is what this book is.

Hammer of the Dogs by Jarret Keene
Published by: University of Nevada Press
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 210 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Set in the wasteland of post-apocalyptic Las Vegas, Hammer of the Dogs is a literary dystopian adventure filled with high-octane fun starring twenty-one-year-old Lash. With her high-tech skill set and warrior mentality, Lash is a master of her own fate as she helps to shield the Las Vegas valley's survivors and protect her younger classmates at a paramilitary school holed up in Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip. After graduation, she'll be alone in fending off the deadly intentions and desires of the school's most powerful opponents.

When she's captured by the enemy warlord, she's surprised by two revelations: He's not the monster her headmaster wants her to believe and the one thing she can't safeguard is her own heart. Hammer of the Dogs celebrates the courageousness of a younger generation in the face of authority while exploring the difficult choices a conscionable young woman must make with her back against a blood-spattered wall. It's a story of transformation and maturity, as Lash grapples with her own identity and redefines the glittering Las Vegas that Nevada is known for."

If you're obsessed with the newest season of Miracle Workers, like I am, well this book is for you.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enter a land of gods and monsters, soldiers and mercenaries, secrets and wishes - the explosive #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut in a new trilogy for fans of The Witcher and Gideon the Ninth.

Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world - but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays "godkillers" to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows.

As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child's soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can't kill it without ending the girl's life too.

Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, the unlikely group must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favor. Pursued by assassins and demons, and in the midst of burgeoning civil war, they will all face a reckoning. Something is rotting at the heart of their world, and they are the only ones who can stop it."

Sounds far more The Witcher than Gideon the Ninth, but I'm down with that.

Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The wandering Cleric Chih returns home to the Singing Hills Abbey for the first time in almost three years, to be met with both joy and sorrow. Their mentor, Cleric Thien, has died, and rests among the archivists and storytellers of the storied abbey. But not everyone is prepared to leave them to their rest.

Because Cleric Thien was once the patriarch of Coh clan of Northern Bell Pass - and now their granddaughters have arrived on the backs of royal mammoths, demanding their grandfather's body for burial. Chih must somehow balance honoring their mentor's chosen life while keeping the sisters from the north from storming the gates and destroying the history the clerics have worked so hard to preserve.

But as Chih and their neixin Almost Brilliant navigate the looming crisis, Myriad Virtues, Cleric Thien's own beloved hoopoe companion, grieves her loss as only a being with perfect memory can, and her sorrow may be more powerful than anyone could anticipate..."

If you've been dying for the next Nghi Vo book, you are in luck today!

Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson
Published by: Doubleday Books
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dazzling collection of eleven interconnected stories from the bestselling, award-winning author of Shrines of Gaiety and Life After Life, with everything that readers love about her novels - the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations on human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop.

In this brilliant volume, nothing is quite as it seems. We meet a queen who makes a bargain she cannot keep; a secretary who watches over the life she has just left; a lost man who bets on a horse that may - or may not - have spoken to him. Everything that readers love about the novels of Kate Atkinson is here - the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations of human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop.

Witty and wise, with subtle connections between the stories, Normal Rules Don't Apply is a startling and funny feast for the imagination, stories with the depth and bite to create their own fully-formed worlds."

I'm hoping that in the short story format Kate Atkinson doesn't get bored of her characters and randomly ends the narrative like she did with Shrines of Gaiety...

In These Hallowed Halls edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enrollment Begins Now.

A beguiling, sinister collection of 12 dark academia short stories from masters of the genre, including Olivie Blake, M.L. Rio, Susie Yang and more!

In these stories, dear student, retribution visits a lothario lecturer; the sinister truth is revealed about a missing professor; a forsaken lover uses a séance for revenge; an obsession blooms about a possible illicit affair; two graduates exhume the secrets of a reclusive scholar; horrors are uncovered in an obscure academic department; five hopeful initiates must complete a murderous task and much more!

Featuring brand-new stories from:
Olivie Blake
M.L. Rio
David Bell
Susie Yang
Layne Fargo
J.T. Ellison
James Tate Hill
Kelly Andrew
Phoebe Wynne
Kate Weinberg
Helen Grant
Tori Bovalino

Definition of dark academia in English:
dark academia
1. An internet subculture concerned with higher education, the arts, and literature, or an idealised version thereof with a focus on the pursuit of knowledge and an exploration of death.
2. A set of aesthetic principles. Scholarly with a Gothic edge - tweed blazers, vintage cardigans, scuffed loafers, a worn leather satchel full of brooding poetry. Enthusiasts are usually found in museums and darkened libraries."

I am a dark academia addict.

A Market of Dreams and Destiny by Trip Galey
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enter the bazaar of the bizarre - where fate and fortunes are for sale just beneath Covent Garden - in this high-stakes historical fantasy debut set in 19th-century London, perfect for fans of Neverwhere and The Night Circus.

Below Covent Garden lies the Under Market, where anything and everything has a price: a lover's first blush, a month of honesty, five minutes of strength, a wisp of luck and fortune. As a child, Deri was sold to one of the most powerful merchants of the Under Market as a human apprentice. Now, after seventeen years of servitude and stealing his master's secrets, Deri spots a chance to buy not only his freedom but his place amongst the Under Market's elite.

A runaway princess escapes to the market, looking to sell her destiny. Deri knows an opportunity when he sees it and makes the bargain of the century. If Deri can sell it on, he'll be made for life, but if he's caught with the goods, it will cost him his freedom forever. Now that Deri has met a charming and distractingly handsome young man, and persuaded him that three dates are a suitable price for his advice and guidance, Deri realises he has more to lose than ever.

News of the princess spreads quickly and with the royal enforcers closing in, Deri finds himself the centre of his master's unwanted attention. He'll have to pull out all the stops to outmanoeuvre the Master Merchant, save the man he loves, make a name for himself, and possibly change the destiny of London forever."

Yes, Freya Marske's The Last Binding book cover design is now a thing.

Jane Austen's Wardrobe by Hilary Davidson
Published by: Yale University Press
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hilary Davidson delves into the clothing of one of the world's great authors, providing unique and intimate insight into her everyday life and material world.

What did Jane Austen wear?

Acclaimed dress historian and Austen expert Hilary Davidson reveals, for the first time, the wardrobe of one of the world's most celebrated authors. Despite her acknowledged brilliance on the page, Jane Austen has all too often been accused of dowdiness in her appearance. Drawing on Austen's 161 known letters, as well as her own surviving garments and accessories, this book assembles examples of the variety of clothes she would have possessed - from gowns and coats to shoes and undergarments - to tell a very different story. The Jane Austen Hilary Davidson discovers is alert to fashion trends but thrifty and eager to reuse and repurpose clothing. Her renowned irony and wit peppers her letters, describing clothes, shopping, and taste. Jane Austen's Wardrobe offers the rare pleasure of a glimpse inside the closet of a stylish dresser and perpetually fascinating writer."

Because nothing can tell us more about our favorite author than what they wore!

I Am Stan by Tom Scioli
Published by: Ten Speed Graphic
Publication Date: September 12th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first graphic novel biography of the legendary Stan Lee, co-creator of many of Marvel's beloved superheroes, from Eisner-nominated comics creator Tom Scioli.

Everyone knows Stan Lee: His work at the creative helm of Marvel Comics resulted in the creation of many of the superheroes we know and love today, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and more. During his decades-long career at Marvel, Lee turned the comic book publisher into a cultural juggernaut that shaped and defined the burgeoning industry.

In I Am Stan, critically acclaimed artist Tom Scioli reveals the man behind the comics and cameos using the same medium Stan Lee revolutionized. This stunning graphic novel takes readers from his early days in the comics industry through his rise at Marvel (then Timely Comics), where his career was touched by other iconic creatives including Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Their collaboration would lead to the creation of the most iconic superheroes of today, and bring about the Marvel Age of the 60's and 70's that introduced new industry stars like Steve Ditko, and John Buscema. Readers will follow Lee's trajectory from his daily life at Marvel to his later years as a spokesperson for the company and for comics as a whole, and finally to his last years away from the spotlight. Scioli provides a clear-eyed view of Lee's triumphs at Marvel as well as the controversies that surrounded the creator at the end of his life.

Told in Scioli's inimitable, vividly cinematic illustration style, I Am Stan reveals Stan Lee's life through the medium he knew best and reveals the inner workings of the legendary creator."

Stan, The Man, Lee!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ali Standish, Dark Academia, Diana Pharaoh Francis, James Patterson, Jane Austen, Kate Atkinson, Katy Watson, Kelley Armstrong, Library of America, Millie Bobby Brown, Nev March, Nghi Vo, Sherlock Holmes, Stan Lee