strange and random happenstance

Terry Pratchett by Rob Wilkins
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"'People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around.'

Terry Pratchett, creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, knight of the realm, and holder of more honorary doctorates than he knew what to do with, was known and loved around the world for his wildly popular books, his brilliant satirical humor, and for the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture.

At the time of his death in 2015, he was working on his finest story yet - his own. The story of a boy who was told by his headteacher aged six that he would never amount to anything, and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. Who walked out on his A levels to become a journalist, encountering some very dead bodies and the idea for his first novel before he reached twenty. Who celebrated his knighthood by smelting himself a sword, and who, on being awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal, switched it during the prizegiving for a chocolate replica and proceeded to eat it in front of an audience of horrified librarians.

Tragically, Terry ran out of time to complete the memoir he so desperately wanted to write. But now, in the only authorized biography of one of our best known and best loved writers, his manager and friend Rob Wilkins picks up where Terry left off, and with the help of friends, family, and Terry's own unpublished work, tells the full story of an extraordinary life."

Back in 2011 when I was lucky enough to attend the North American Discworld Convention Terry and Rob read some selections from Terry biography. And when Terry died four years later I thought that that was a book I would never get to read. Thankfully I was wrong. Here's to Rob!

Murder at the Serpentine Bridge by Andrea Penrose
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"USA Today bestselling author Andrea Penrose's atmospheric mystery series sends newlywed sleuths, Lady Charlotte and the Earl of Wrexford, beyond the glittering ballrooms and salons of Regency London and through a web of international intrigue to save loved ones from harm...

Charlotte, now the Countess of Wrexford, would like nothing more than a summer of peace and quiet with her new husband and their unconventional family and friends. Still, some social obligations must be honored, especially with the grand Peace Celebrations unfolding throughout London to honor victory over Napoleon.

But when Wrexford and their two young wards, Raven and Hawk, discover a body floating in Hyde Park's famous lake, that newfound peace looks to be at risk. The late Jeremiah Willis was the engineering genius behind a new design for a top-secret weapon, and the prototype is missing from the Royal Armory’s laboratory. Wrexford is tasked with retrieving it before it falls into the wrong hands. But there are unsettling complications to the case - including a family connection.

Soon, old secrets are tangling with new betrayals, and as Charlotte and Wrexford spin through a web of international intrigue and sumptuous parties, they must race against time to save their loved ones from harm - and keep the weapon from igniting a new war..."

I spent the summer reading Andrea Penrose's Regency set Lady Arianna mysteries and am bereft I have no more to read at the moment. Thankfully she's written more than one Regency set series! And Basil's in both of them!

A Gentlewoman's Guide to Murder by Victoria Hamilton
Published by: Beyond the Page Publishing
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 268 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Scandal and slayings among Regency London's elite... Refusing to stand by while the wealthy men of London prey on their powerless scullery maids and other young women, Miss Emmeline St. Germaine has made it her mission to rescue the victims and threaten the men at dagger-point to cease their depravities. But mere hours after she pays just such a visit to a prominent knight, he's found murdered and all of London is aghast. Did the man-or woman-who murdered the knight know of her visit? Facing scandal and the ruination of her family, Emmeline must solve the crime before she and her work are exposed. But there are powerful forces at work to silence her-or worse, lead her to the hangman's noose for a crime she did not commit..."

Because who doesn't like a lady dealing out some back alley justice?

The Butcher by Laura Kat Young
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A suspenseful small-town horror novel of oppression, heartbreak and buried anguish - Shirley Jackson meets Never Let Me Go with the wild west setting of Westworld.

When Lady Mae turns 18, she'll inherit her mother's job as the Butcher: dismembering Settlement Five's guilty residents as payment for their petty crimes. An index finger taken for spreading salacious gossip, a foot for blasphemy, no one is exempt from punishment.

But one day Winona refuses to butcher a six-year-old boy. So their leaders, known as the Deputies, come to Lady Mae's house, and, right there in the living room, murder her mother for refusing her duties.

Within twenty-four hours, now alone in the world, Lady Mae begins her new job. But a chance meeting years later puts her face to face with the Deputy that murdered her mother. Now Lady Mae must choose: will she flee, and start another life in the desolate mountains, forever running? Or will she seek vengeance for her mother's death even if it kills her?

A devastating, alarming page-turner infused with melancholy, humanity - and society's maddening acceptance in the face of horror."

I totally am maddened by society's acceptance of horrors, which is why this book calls to me. Along with the fact that Shirley Jackson AND Westworld were namechecked.

The Empress by Gigi Griffis
Published by: Zando
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Coming soon to Netflix, The Empress is a captivating, vivid and remarkably modern tale about falling in love and finding one's voice. The year is 1853, and Princess Elisabeth "Sisi" of Bavaria has been very clear: She will wait for the head-over-heels love the poets speak of, or she will have no love at all. Just because her older sister, Helene, is eagerly heeding their mother's advice and preparing to marry Emperor Franz of Austria does not mean Sisi must also subject herself to such a dutiful existence. Sisi knows there is more to life than luncheons and corsets - if only someone would let her experience it all firsthand. Meanwhile, in Austria, the emperor is recovering from an assassination attempt that left him wounded and scared. In a bid to keep the peace, Franz has recommitted himself to his imperial duties - and promised to romance the pliant Helene of Bavaria at his upcoming birthday celebration. How better to unite the empire than with the announcement of a new empress? But when Sisi and Franz meet unexpectedly in the palace gardens, away from the prying eyes and relentless critique of the court, their connection cannot be denied. And as their illicit conversations turn into something more, they must soon choose between the expectations of their families and standing up for what they truly believe in..."

I have always been intrigued by Sisi, and now to have a Netflix show? Hold me back!

The Deception by Kim Taylor Blakemore
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 348 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sleight of hand. A trick up the sleeve. A call for the dead. It's all part of the game in this twisty tale by the bestselling author of After Alice Fell.

New Hampshire, 1877. Maud Price was once a celebrated child medium, a true believer in lifting the veil between the living and the dead. Now penniless, her guiding spirits gone, the so-called "Maid of Light" is desperate to regain her reputation - but doing so means putting her faith in deceiving others.

Clementine Watkins, known in spiritualist circles for her bag of tricks and utmost discretion, creates the sort of theatrics that can fill Maud's parlor again, and with each misdirection, Maud's fame is restored. But her guilt is a heavy burden. And the ruse has become a risk. Others are plotting to expose the fraud, and Clem can't allow anyone - even Maud - to jeopardize the fortune the hoax has made her.

When the deception hints at a possible murder, Maud realizes how dangerous a game she's playing. But to return to the light from which she's strayed, she must first survive the darkness created by Clem's smoke and mirrors."

I am ALL ABOUT MEDIUMS! Fake, real, mediums are my jam!

A Haunted Histor of Invisible Women by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea James
Published by: Citadel
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion, this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind explores the history behind America's female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us - and why they haunt us...

Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess - America's female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known - though no less powerful.

Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America's most famous female ghosts, from from 'Mrs. Spencer' who haunted Joan Rivers' New York apartment to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era's fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire - achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.

Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation."

I love how women's history is being reclaimed everywhere, even in the supernatural.

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

The official patter:
"The #1 national bestselling, award-winning author of Life after Life transports us to a restless London in the wake of the Great War - a city fizzing with money, glamour, and corruption - in this spellbinding tale of seduction and betrayal.

1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.

The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie's empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho's gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost.

With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson gives us a window in a vanished world. Slyly funny, brilliantly observant, and ingeniously plotted, Shrines of Gaiety showcases the myriad talents that have made Atkinson one of the most lauded writers of our time."

1920s London is everything to me.

6 Ripley Avenue by Noelle Holten
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Kindle, 378 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One House
Eight Killers
No Witnesses

Jeanette is the manager of a probation hostel that houses high risk offenders released on license.

At 3AM one morning, she receives a call telling her a resident has been murdered.

Her whole team, along with the eight convicted murderers, are now all suspects in a crime no one saw committed...

Don't miss the first nerve-shredding standalone thriller from Noelle Holten, author of the Maggie Jamieson series."

Locked room wherein everyone literally could have done it.

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young comes a deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

Emery Blackwood's life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family's business, Blackwood's Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics and Tea Leaf Readings. But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother's ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed - Emery. But the town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily's mysterious death once and for all."

Murder and magic? Oh yes please!

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly Gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom - but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking.

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home - she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King's own nephew, Captain of the Destriers...and guilty of high treason.

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards - the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him."

You know, dark Gothic fantasy might be my most favorite genre, especially because it covers such a range of subgenres.

Forestfall by Lyndall Clipston
Published by: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At the lake's edge, I made my promise. In the forest, I will fall.

The curse that haunted Lakesedge Estate has been broken, but at great cost. Violeta Graceling has sacrificed herself to end the Corruption.

To escape death, Leta makes a desperate bargain with the Lord Under, one that sees her living at his side in the land of the dead. And though he claims to have given her all he promised, Leta knows this world of souls and mists hides many secrets.

When she discovers she is still bound to Rowan, Leta goes to drastic lengths to reforge their connection. But her search for answers, and a path back home, will see her drawn into even more dangerous bargains, and struggling to resist the allure of a new, dark, power in Forestfall by Lyndall Clipstone."

Buy this book in spite of the horrid cover.

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

The one thing you never talk about while you're in the Scholomance is what you'll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it's all we dream about: the hideously slim chance we'll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I'm out, we're all out - and I didn't even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother's prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn't kill enclavers, I saved them. Me and Orion and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: We saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves everywhere.

Ha, only joking! Actually, it's gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war. And the first thing I've got to do now, having miraculously gotten out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in."

While I love big long epic series it's also nice when they're contained and you can, you know, read them to to end instead sitting stewing about a book that will never be released...

Big Bad by Lily Anderson
Published by: Hyperion Avenue
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Suicide Squad in this adult dark, rompy novel in which the most beloved villains from Buffy must team up to stop the Slayer from ending their evil universe!

Demondale, Callifornia, 1999...Like Sunnydale, but whole lot more evil.

Step into this alternate reality, where chaos reigns supreme. The Mayor's sun-shade has created permanent darkness over Sunnydale, fully opening the Hellmouth once and for all. Now the newly christened Demondale has become a safe haven for vampires, beasts, and all types of ruffians. It's never been better to be bad.

Aspiring supervillains (and super nerds) Jonathan and Andrew attempt to hold their own in a town full of monsters, while eleven-hundred-year-old vengeance demon Anya is just looking for something to give her life purpose again, spending her days working at an evil juice bar. But soon word gets out that there's a new Big Bad on the scene, one more powerful and more destructive than anyone who has come before. She, of course, is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And she's hell-bent on rooting out all of this reality's evil by any means necessary.

Now Jonathan, Andrew, and Anya must recruit a team of Demondale's most notorious villains - including Angelus, Spike, Drusilla, and even Ripper the malevolent magic shop owner - in order to save their world. But it'll be no easy feat to put their pride and differences aside and stop the worst thing that has ever come to town: good.

Written by acclaimed author and Buffy super fan Lily Anderson, this novel brings together Buffy's most devious and beloved villains from the Trio to the Whirlwind to Anya, Glory, and Vampire Willow. This is one apocalypse Buffy fans are not going to want to miss!"

You say Trio, but do I see any mention of Warren in the blurb? Do I!?!

Simply Vegan Baking by Freya Cox
Published by: Harper Design
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From The Great British Baking Show contestant Freya Cox, an inviting introduction to vegan baking, filled with dozens of showstopping recipes for scrumptious treats.

Going vegan doesn't mean having to give up the wonderful baked goods you love. You can create traditional favorites - delicious breads, cakes, pastries, desserts, and more - without using eggs, butter, cream, and other animal products. Simply Vegan Baking is your invitation to the diverse world of vegan baking and Freya Cox - the youngest and first ever vegan contestant to appear on the Netflix hit The Great British Baking Show - is your guide. Recipe by recipe, she shows just how easy and tasty it is to adapt to vegan baking. Here are 70 recipes for both longtime favorites and classics with a twist that will please the most demanding sweet-tooth, including:

Raspberry Jam Swiss Roll
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Blueberry Muffins
Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
Cinnamon Rolls
Stollen
Peanut Butter Millionaires’ Shortbread
Banoffee Pie Slices
Chocolate Orange Tart
Lemon Meringue Pie
Iced Sugar Cookies
Fruit Scones

In addition, she provides wonderful desserts for parties and get-togethers that are sure to impress, including Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Tiramisu. And there are fantastic fillings and icings like Lemon Curd, American and Swiss Meringue Buttercreams, and various fruit jams. All use ingredients found in local supermarkets, and come with full-color food and instruction shots, step-by-step directions, and tips for perfect vegan bakes.

Whether it's a treat for afterschool or a coffee break or a celebratory dessert for a special occasion, Simply Vegan Baking allows you to fulfill your sweet cravings - and feel good with every delicious bite."

If you didn't fall for Freya last season on GBBO you have no heart!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adrienne Young, Andrea Penrose, Buffy, Gigi Griffis, Kate Atkinson, Kim Taylor Blakemore, Laura Kat Young, Leanna Renee Hieber, Lyndall Clipston, Noelle Holten, Rachel Gillig, Terry Pratchett, Victoria Hamilton

All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The New York Times bestselling authors of The Glass Ocean and The Forgotten Room return with a glorious historical adventure that moves from the dark days of two World Wars to the turbulent years of the 1960s, in which three women with bruised hearts find refuge at Paris’ legendary Ritz hotel.

The heiress...
The Resistance fighter...
The widow...
Three women whose fates are joined by one splendid hotel.

France, 1914. As war breaks out, Aurelie becomes trapped on the wrong side of the front with her father, Comte Sigismund de Courcelles. When the Germans move into their family’s ancestral estate, using it as their headquarters, Aurelie discovers she knows the German Major’s aide de camp, Maximilian Von Sternburg. She and the dashing young officer first met during Aurelie’s debutante days in Paris. Despite their conflicting loyalties, Aurelie and Max’s friendship soon deepens into love, but betrayal will shatter them both, driving Aurelie back to Paris and the Ritz - the home of her estranged American heiress mother, with unexpected consequences.

France, 1942. Raised by her indomitable, free-spirited American grandmother in the glamorous Hotel Ritz, Marguerite “Daisy” Villon remains in Paris with her daughter and husband, a Nazi collaborator, after France falls to Hitler. At first reluctant to put herself and her family at risk to assist her grandmother’s Resistance efforts, Daisy agrees to act as a courier for a skilled English forger known only as Legrand, who creates identity papers for Resistance members and Jewish refugees. But as Daisy is drawn ever deeper into Legrand’s underground network, committing increasingly audacious acts of resistance for the sake of the country - and the man - she holds dear, she uncovers a devastating secret...one that will force her to commit the ultimate betrayal, and to confront at last the shocking circumstances of her own family history.

France, 1964. For Barbara “Babs” Langford, her husband, Kit, was the love of her life. Yet their marriage was haunted by a mysterious woman known only as La Fleur. On Kit’s death, American lawyer Andrew “Drew” Bowdoin appears at her door. Hired to find a Resistance fighter turned traitor known as “La Fleur,” the investigation has led to Kit Langford. Curious to know more about the enigmatic La Fleur, Babs joins Drew in his search, a journey of discovery that that takes them to Paris and the Ritz - and to unexpected places of the heart...."

New Lauren Willig book! Yes yes, I know it's not JUST her, but the second "W" collaboration was more cohesive than the first, so it's basically a new book by your favorite author, be it Lauren, Karen, or Beatriz! 

The Decent Inn of Death by Rennie Airth
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Snowed in at a country manor, former Scotland Yard inspectors John Madden and Angus Sinclair find themselves trapped in the company of a murderer.

On a trip into Winchester, former chief inspector Angus Sinclair learns of a tragedy that has taken place in the village he is staying in. Beloved church organist Greta Hartmann has slipped and fallen to her death in a shallow creek, and while investigations conclude it to be an accident, her friend and housemate, Vera, remains unconvinced. After learning that Greta was the widow of a prominent anti-Nazi German preacher, Sinclair meets with the distraught Vera, and he resolves to dig deeper into the story. His investigations lead him to the stately manor of Julia Lesage, where she lives with her devoted staff that includes her secretary, cook, and driver. Though confined to a wheelchair, Julia is an electrifying spirit with a sharp wit, and those who know her adore her. Among those who do, a gentleman with dubious business dealings is also staying at the house--and Julia appears to be in love with him. A blizzard hits, keeping Sinclair, and later Madden, on the grounds with little to do but analyze the case of Greta's death, until a murder takes place, and everyone becomes a suspect."

Yes, a murder at a snowed in country manor will always catch my eye, but more importantly Winchester? Hot Fuzz country!?!

Near Prospect Park by Lawrence H. Levy
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Daring Brooklyn detective Mary Handley teams up with Teddy Roosevelt to solve her husband’s murder, only to run afoul of nineteenth-century New York’s elite when she uncovers a dangerous conspiracy.

It’s December 1896, and after marrying a muckraking reporter, detective Mary Handley turns her focus from pursuing new cases to raising her newborn daughter. But when her husband turns up dead, Mary knows her next case must be solving his death. Harper was working on a big story - did it get him killed? She sets out to solve his murder, soon discovering that the investigation goes all the way to the top of the New York food chain.

Realizing she’s outgunned, Mary turns to the one person who might be able to help: Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt. As the two dig deep into the underbelly of New York’s social scene, they uncover a sinister plot exploiting the city’s most vulnerable citizens."

Like a cozier version of The Alienist.

The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"They say she's a murderess. She claims she's innocent. But Lucy has been known to tell lies...

1855, New Hampshire. Lucy Blunt is set to hang for a double murder. Murderess or victim? Only Lucy knows the truth.

In the shadow of the gallows, Lucy reflects on the events that led to her bitter downfall - from the moment she arrived at the rambling Burton mansion looking for work and a better life to the grisly murders themselves.

In a mysterious household of locked doors and forbidden affections, Lucy slips comfortably into the shadows, where she believes the indiscretions of her past will remain hidden. But when Lucy's rising status becomes a threat to the mistress's current companion, the delicate balance of power and loyalty begins to shift, setting into motion a brewing storm of betrayal, suspicion, and rage.

Now, with her execution looming closer, Lucy's allies fight to have her sentence overturned as the tale she's spinning nears its conclusion. But how much of her story can we trust? After all, Lucy's been known to bend the truth..."

Turn of the Screw meets Lizzie Borden!

A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris
Published by: Gallery/Saga Press
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris returns with the second of the Gunnie Rose series, in which Lizbeth is hired onto a new crew, transporting a crate into Dixie, the self-exiled southeast territory of the former United States. What the crate contains is something so powerful, that forces from across three territories want to possess it.

In this second thrilling installment of the Gunnie Rose series, Lizbeth Rose is hired onto a new crew for a seemingly easy protection job, transporting a crate into Dixie, just about the last part of the former United States of America she wants to visit. But what seemed like a straight-forward job turns into a massacre as the crate is stolen. Up against a wall in Dixie, where social norms have stepped back into the last century, Lizbeth has to go undercover with an old friend to retrieve the crate as what’s inside can spark a rebellion, if she can get it back in time.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse mysteries and Midnight, Texas trilogy) is at her best here, building the world of this alternate history of the United States, where magic is an acknowledged but despised power."

Two of my favorite authors having books come out this week? It's almost more than I could hope for!

The Tenant by Kathrine Engberg
Published by: Gallery/Scout Press
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An electrifying work of literary suspense from international bestselling author Katrine Engberg, this stunning debut introduces two police detectives struggling to solve a shocking murder and stop a killer hell-bent on revenge.

When a young woman is discovered brutally murdered in her own apartment, with an intricate pattern of lines carved into her face, Copenhagen police detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner are assigned to the case. In short order, they establish a link between the victim, Julie Stender, and her landlady, Esther de Laurenti, who’s a bit too fond of drink and the host of raucous dinner parties with her artist friends. Esther also turns out to be a budding novelist - and when Julie turns up as a murder victim in the still-unfinished mystery she’s writing, the link between fiction and real life grows both more urgent and more dangerous.

But Esther’s role in this twisted scenario is not quite as clear as it first seems. Is she the culprit - or just another victim, trapped in a twisted game of vengeance? Anette and Jeppe must dig more deeply into the two women’s pasts to discover the identity of the brutal puppet-master pulling the strings in this electrifying literary thriller."

Thrilling indeed!

Blood and Ash by Deborah Wilde
Published by: Te Da Media
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 314 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cold-blooded kidnappers. Long-lost magic. When things get serious, she goes full Sherlock.

Ashira Cohen takes pride in being the only female private investigator in Vancouver. With her skills, her missing persons case should be a piece of cake.

She wasn’t counting on getting bashed in the skull, revealing a hidden tattoo and supernatural powers she shouldn’t possess.

Or the bitter icing on top: a spree of abductions and terrifying ghostly creatures on a deadly bender.

And don’t even get her started on the golems.

Reluctantly partnered with her long-time nemesis Levi, the infuriating leader of the magic community, Ash resolves to keep her focus on the clue trail and off their sexual tension because WTF is up with that?

But with a mastermind organization pulling strings from the shadows and Levi’s arrogance driving her to pick out his body bag, can Ash rescue the captives and uncover the truth or will the next blood spilled be her own?

Blood and Ash is the epic first novel in The Jezebel Files. If you like headstrong heroines, complex mysteries, and a dash of red-hot romance, you’ll love Deborah Wilde’s laugh out loud tale."

If you subtitle your book "A Snarky Urban Fantasy Detective Series" you can be sure I'll read it.

The Thief Knot by Kate Milford
Published by: Clarion Books
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ghosts, a kidnapping, a crew of young detectives, and family secrets mix in this new standalone mystery set in the world of the best-selling Greenglass House, from a National Book Award nominee and Edgar Award-winning author.

Marzana and her best friend are bored. Even though they live in a notorious city where normal rules do not apply, nothing interesting ever happens to them. Nothing, that is, until Marzana’s parents are recruited to help solve an odd crime, and she realizes that this could be the excitement she’s been waiting for. She assembles a group of kid detectives with special skills - including the ghost of a ship captain’s daughter - and together, they explore hidden passageways, navigate architecture that changes overnight, and try to unravel the puzzle of who the kidnappers are - and where they’re hiding. But will they beat the deadline for a ransom that’s impossible to pay?

Legendary smugglers, suspicious teachers, and some scary bad guys are just a few of the adults the crew must circumvent while discovering hidden truths about their families and themselves in this smart, richly imagined tale."

A new Greenglass House Story? Yes please and thank you. 

Gudetama: Love for the Lazy by Wook-Jin Clark
Published by: Oni Press
Publication Date: January 14th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 48 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Gudetama: Love for the Lazy is inspired by the worldwide hit Sanrio character and animated series star!

Dating is exhausting, so let's take a lighthearted approach to exploring it with Gudetama, everyone's favorite grumpy egg! From navigating first-date smalltalk to recovering from being dumped, Gudetama is your guide to finding love...even when you're lazy."

I wanted to love this I SO did not. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Beatriz Williams, Charlaine Harris, Deborah Wilde, Gudetama, Gunnie Rose, Karen White, Kate Milford, Katrine Engberg, Kim Taylor Blakemore, Lauren Willig, Lawrence H. Levy, Rennie Airth