Showing posts with label Lucy Jane Wood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lucy Jane Wood. Show all posts

Monday, September 7, 2026

Tuesday Tomorrow

The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman
Published by: Scribner
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The brand-new series from the bestselling author of Practical Magic, following two brilliant young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious secret group of witches at Radcliffe known as the Lilith Society.

Once upon a time, women were drowned in the river and the only witnesses were the crows in the trees. The Puritans blamed Eve for the sins of the world. That was when we began to meet in the name of Lilith, Adam's first wife - banished for refusing to do as she was told.

We Fly Together...


By the 1950s, Cambridge, Massachusetts feels far removed from the legendary witch trials that marked its early days as a colony. Ava, a bright young woman from a small town in Maine, arrives for her first year at Radcliffe College. There, she meets Lauren, her opposite in every way - the wild and brazen daughter of a wealthy and well-established Cambridge family. But the two have more in common than they think. Both are recruited by the Lilith Society, a secret organization of witches at Radcliffe dating back to colonial times. As they learn more about their legacy, Ava and Lauren form a close bond that is put to the test as they learn to navigate their new power, friendship, and love.

While Radcliffe seems like a safe haven, the shadow of McCarthyism looms large, an ever-present threat to the flourishing creative and intellectual life in Cambridge. And as girls from the Lilith Society begin to go missing, Ava and Lauren realize the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed."

If you need something to tide you over until Practical Magic 2 later this week.

Darling by Mercedes M. Yardley
Published by: Ruadan Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 592 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This Southern Gothic cautionary tale captures the small-town suspense of Ashley Winstead's Midnight is the Darkest Hour and the frightening homecoming of T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones in a domestic thriller where magic surrealism meets haunted house, proving that some pasts are best left behind you.

Darling has its demons.

Cherry LaRouche escaped the claws of Darling, Louisiana at sixteen. When she returns after her mother's death, Cherry and her children are forced into a nightmare where evil spreads like infection and the house itself demands her bones.

While Cherry tries to separate fact from fantasy, the locals discover the bodies of several murdered children. When Cherry's own daughter goes missing, she's forced to face everything she had fled from and confront the true monsters of Darling.

From Mercedes M. Yardley, three-time Bram Stoker Award winner for Little Dead Red, Love is a Crematorium, and "Fracture," comes a stunning revised edition of Darling. This Southern Gothic tour de force is the first novel in the interconnected world of The Hunger Garden, where demons and delights both await you."

Magic surrealism meets haunted house!?! Sign me up. 

She's a Doll by Barbara Truelove
Published by: Bindery Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lucy isn't a normal girl. Ghost. Victim. Killer. She's a doll on a mission - to find the man who killed her and return the favor.

Lucy McQuinn has been murdered, but she's not about to go quietly.

If she doesn't get to keep breathing, then neither does Kyle, her killer. Possessing the body of an antique doll, she sets out on a quest for revenge. But it's hard when you're eighteen inches tall and made of porcelain.

For help, she turns to Nicola, a human and fellow outsider with her own reasons to hate Kyle. But in their small idyllic town, no one wants to hear the truth, especially not about such a promising young man. If they can't expose his crimes, Lucy will have to roll up her lacy little sleeves and teach him a lesson the old-fashioned way - as slowly and painfully as possible.

From LA Times bestselling author Barbara Truelove, She's a Doll is a ghoulish and gleeful tribute to the unstoppable power of female rage and a love letter to the friends who have our back - in this life and the next."

Here's to female rage and vengeance!

Wildwood by Ashley Woo
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A chilling debut gothic mystery in the vein of Jason Rekulak and Stacy Willingham about a house with dark secrets beneath its floorboards.

It seems like divine intervention when newly pregnant and freshly unemployed Elinor unexpectedly inherits Wildwood, her family's estate. She convinces her husband to move to the sprawling wilderness of rural Vermont to make a home and raise their baby.

Estranged from her extended family since childhood, Wildwood is a mystery to Elinor - she's an outsider to the townsfolk and to the prominent Brook family who control the town and its history. Knowing little of the house or its past, save for snapshots of childhood memories, she becomes entranced by an eerie nineteenth-century mural in the primary bedroom she calls "the Forest of the Dead."

But instead of growing more settled in her new home, Elinor feels increasingly isolated and uneasy. She begins to have dreams that feel like memories, phantasmagorical visions of something terrible that happened long ago. Haunted by the mystery of why her family fell apart, she's determined to uncover the secrets of her ancestry buried deep in the past and even deeper in the woods...secrets kept by powerful forces within the house and within the town.

Obsessed with finding the truth, Elinor knows she must answer when "the Forest of the Dead" calls her. Someone wants her to know they were there first, and someone else is trying to get in. As the nightmares creep into her waking hours, Elinor embarks on a journey that takes her back and forth in time, to the dark recesses of memories, to the streets of modern Salem, and to the haunted corners of this otherworldy house.

The Forest of the Dead is calling. Can you hear the whispers?"

Creepy murals in bedrooms are always just the beginning of the nightmare.

Little Red Death by Alexandra Benedict
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this eerie crime thriller from USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Benedict, one woman is tasked with investigating a series of disturbing deaths that resemble classic fairytales, only to find out that the killings have much more to do with the facts of her own past than with fiction...

This is once upon a time, like you've never read it before.

For twenty-five years, DI Lyla Rondell has lived with one unsolved case: her best friend's disappearance. The only clue - a poisoned apple - earned it the nickname "Snow White." It's haunted her ever since.

Now, when a woman is taken in a crime that has striking similarities to the story of Cinderella, Lyla is charged with investigating. And as more murders take place, each one based on a different classic fairytale, Lyla is determined to finally uncover the truth.

But these deaths are far from the stuff of bedtime stories. And worse, it becomes increasingly clear that these killings, and the messages left within them, are addressed directly to Lyla.

As the murders get more gruesome, Lyla becomes entangled in a web of crime and storytelling that goes far deeper than she ever could have imagined. Because someone out there is pulling her strings, and to turn the final page on the killings, Lyla will have to take a little creative license of her own."

You think Alexandra Benedict made you paranoid about Christmas? Wait until you see what she does with Fairy Tales!

All Hallows Eve edited by Ellen Datlow
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A chilling horror anthology of 19 original short stories from a world-class line-up of the masters of horror, delving into the histories and traditions of the spookiest season of the year. Presented by Hugo Award winning editor and horror legend Ellen Datlow, and featuring stories by Josh Malerman, Stephen Graham Jones, Garth Nix as well as many more.

Halloween, Samhain, Día de los Muertos - festivals across the world where we can commune with those we have lost, when spirits can cross over, and when the boundary between the living and the dead is far, far too thin.

A young boy encounters a woman with an ancient and terrifying link to the holiday, a group of college students attend a Halloween party to die for, and a troubled girl exploits a local urban legend to try and turn her life around.

From America to New Zealand via the rural Romanian wilderness, this anthology explores our worldwide obsession with the spookiest season of the year, when the veil is lifted and the spirits come alive. Featuring 19 original stories from bestselling and award-winning masters of the genre, and from Hugo, World Fantasy, Locus, Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson award-winning editor and horror legend Ellen Datlow, this anthology invites you to carve a pumpkin, light the lanterns and welcome in trick or treaters from across the world.

With stories by:
Josh Malerman
Lee Murray
Rich Larson
Clay McLeod Chapman
Livia Llewellyn
Michael Marshall Smith
Stephen Graham Jones
Linda D. Addison
Christopher Golden
Alma Katsu
Brian Evenson
Siobhan Carroll
Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ
Theresa DeLucci
Garth Nix
Jeffrey Ford
Richard Kadrey
Nathan Ballingrud
John Langan"

It has Christopher Golden, so I'm in.

The Alchemist of All Hallows Eve by Gigi Pandian
Published by: Gargoyle Girl Productions
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 292 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An eternally young alchemist. A gargoyle who fancies himself Poirot. A Murder House for sale the week before Halloween.

Zoe Faust has run from her past for centuries. She didn't plan on settling down. She didn't plan on falling for a mortal man. She certainly didn't plan on the gargoyle.

Now Zoe, her fiancé, and her French chef gargoyle best friend Dorian have found an enchanting home with a hidden cottage for Dorian. It's perfect for their little family. Except for one thing. Forty years ago, the night before Halloween, a woman was murdered in their dream house. Or was she?

When an enigmatic stranger arrives and insists that a mythological Irish witch holds the secret to the unsolved crime, Halloween turns deadly once more. Refusing to let Zoe lose the home she's waited centuries for, Dorian the gargoyle sets out to crack the case.

Can an alchemist, a gargoyle, and a teashop-owning detective solve two Halloween murders before an innocent man takes the fall and their perfect home slips away?

The Alchemist of All Hallows Eve is the whimsical tenth book in USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian's Anthony Award-winning Accidental Alchemist mystery series. If you love cozy fantasy, Agatha Christie-style whodunits, and found family, you'll adore this charming Halloween mystery, complete with Irish fortune-telling recipes.

Buy The Alchemist of All Hallows Eve to brew up a bewitching Halloween today!"

I mean, I'm all here for a gargoyle for fancies himself Poirot. In fact, would it be weird that that might be my ideal man?

The Unusuals by Gail Carson Levine
Published by: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Newbery Honor-winning author Gail Carson Levine shares a story of family, prejudice, faith, and unlikely friendship in medieval England, for every child who is more perceptive than they seem, and braver than they know.

Chera, Lummie, and Joan are unusual in medieval Winchester, England. Two girls and a boy, and two Jews and a Christian are not supposed to be friends. Most days, after their studies with Rabbi Baruch, they enjoy scaring themselves in the greatly feared nearby forest, home to ne'er-do-wells and sprites, where they make another unusual friend, a starving outlaw.

But the trio's fun is shattered when Chera's grandmother, a wealthy widow, and Joan's mother, her maid, are murdered. Jurors name a suspect, who flees the city, and he may not have killed them anyway. Almost anyone could have, so just investigating isn't enough. What's more, the Unusuals are sure Lummie's grandmother will be the next to die.

They concoct a perilous plan, which needs allies to succeed, but everyone else thinks their idea is dizzy - crazy. With lives in the balance, this trio of friends must band together against the odds and call on their unusual bonds to help seek justice."

When you don't have access to Brother Cadfael you have to find other means. 

The Raven by Susan McCauley
Published by: Celtic Sea, LLC
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Kindle, 183 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As illness tightens its grip, something darker begins to stir.

England, 1665. As plague ravages London and fear spreads north to York, Martin Blake, a humble cobbler, struggles to protect his family through a bitter, death-shadowed winter. When the parish rector, his wife's domineering uncle, forces orphaned children from London into their already meager home, Martin's fragile world begins to unravel.

Grief, illness, and the weight of buried sins close in. Ravens gather. Martin's reason begins to slip. Whispers spread - of misused alms, of spirits that roam at night, of faith twisted into something monstrous. As snow blankets the land and the dead lie unburied, Martin must confront a chilling truth: is he haunted by guilt, or by something far more sinister?

A gothic tale of illness, obsession, and the perilous border between loyalty and madness."

Oh, he's haunted by something far more sinister. I can feel it.

We Turn Gruesome at Night by Eric LaRocca
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The nightmarish second installment of a new trilogy of provocative, disruptive and brutally poetic queer horror set in a small New England town.

From the Bram Stoker Award® finalist and Splatterpunk Award-winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, an intense, claustrophobic literary horror that is perfect for fans of Agustina Bazterrica, Mariana Enriquez and Paul Tremblay.

Ten years after the devastating massacre that occurred on Christmas morning in 2003 and the community of Burnt Sparrow, NH struggles to move forward. Meanwhile, Rupert Cromwell and Gladys Esherwood find themselves trapped in End House and suffering unbearable monotony day in and day out. When a town courier named Pierce arrives at End House and introduces Rupert to a secret organization known as The Perdido Society, Rupert discovers a deeply intricate and intensely sinister web of secrets spreading through the town. It isn't long before more blood is spilled, shameful transgressions are revealed, and temptations are finally satisfied.

Captivating and profoundly unnerving, this is the story of two lost souls who are sent on an odyssey into the depths of depravity only for them to discover that it's quite easy to turn monstrous, to become the thing you once despised. Lyrical, nihilistic and brutally poetic, this is shocking, unflinching, must-read horror from an author at the top of his game."

Turning to brutality is easier than staying on the path of humanity. 

Christmas Mysteries at the Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler
Published by: The Mysterious Press
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 408 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Eighteen puzzling Christmas tales set in New York City's beloved mystery bookstore.

In 1993, The Mysterious Bookshop - the oldest mystery specialty bookstore in the world - began an annual tradition by inviting bestselling author Donald E. Westlake to write an original short story set in the bookshop during the holiday season. Each year since then, The Mysterious Bookshop commissions a new short story from a leading author to give out as a holiday gift for its customers.

The prompt for the story requires three elements: that it be set at Christmastime, that it involve a crime of some kind, or the suspicion of one, and that it be set at least partially in the bookstore. Beyond these guidelines, authors had free rein to take the story in whatever direction they chose. This volume collects the first eighteen stories commissioned by the bookshop from 1993 to 2010.

Included are tales by Megan Abbott, Rupert Holmes, Mary Higgins Clark, Andrew Klavan, and Ed McBain, plus an updated introduction by Mysterious Bookshop proprietor Otto Penzler. Some of the stories are humorous, others thrilling, and still others are tales of pure detection. But all are guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit.

Originally published as Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop."

Last year I was so excited to get their newest story. Now to catch up on the past ones!

In the Midnight Hour by Darcy Burke
Published by: Oliver-Heber Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 314 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the Midnight Hour.

An inquisitive bachelor. A mysterious widow. A dangerous partnership in Regency London. Idle heir to an earldom, Viscount Northwood drifts through life with little purpose - until a shocking murder shatters the calm of his quiet London square. His prime suspect? The beautiful but enigmatic widow across the way. Determined to uncover her secrets, North calls upon the investigative tricks he's learned from his Bow Street Runner twin. Except anonymous broadsheets are circulating, exposing every lurid detail of the crime and bringing a crowd of intrusive onlookers into the square, complicating North's investigation. When he discovers the author of the scandalous publication is none other than the suspicious widow and that she is also apparently trying to solve the murder, they reluctantly join forces. Their uneasy alliance is soon tested when the killer sets his sights on them. Can they trust each other in the face of danger, or will the murderer claim two more victims?"

A second son choosing the career of a copper!?! Now I'd read about that too.

Three Fold Death by Victoria Dowd
Published by: Datura Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Charlotte Blood is about to discover the dark side of obsession in this gripping mystery. Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley.

A team of archaeologists claim to have found the tomb of the original warrior Queen of the Britons - Boudica. It's the story of the century and investigative journalist Charlotte Blood wants nothing more than to get the inside scoop.

But Charlotte is not the only one hunting for the truth. Other journalists are also eager to find out if this is, in fact, the legendary queen's final resting place.

Instead of a find of great historical significance, they discover something far more disturbing and horrifying waiting inside the two-thousand-year-old tomb.

Charlotte is faced with unravelling the mystery of the Threefold Death, a unique sacrificial killing involving murder by drowning, stabbing and hanging.

As she grows closer to discovering the killer, perhaps the question she should be asking is whether she will be the third victim...

Filled with history, mystery, and a daring main character, Threefold Death will appeal to both history buffs and crime aficionados."

You know, the Rasputin approach to death.

The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sweeping historical adventure inspired by the life of Grace O'Malley, the legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people. Venture onto the high seas with the thrilling latest from the New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River and I Was Anastasia.

Grace O'Malley was born to be a sea captain. But despite her natural skill on the water, Grace learns early that her dreams of a life at the helm are not compatible with the expectations of her noble family. As the only daughter of a powerful chieftain, her role is to secure a strong alliance and bear children. But when she's sent to foster with a nearby clan, Grace falls for a clever and open-minded second son - a man she cannot have.

Married off against her will to a brutal warrior, Grace performs her duty, all the while gathering followers loyal to her, and consolidating her husband's power, only to be ousted from his lands. But this betrayal offers Grace the opportunity to return to sea, finally leading clan O'Malley's mighty fleet. Just as she finds true independence, Queen Elizabeth's incursions into Ireland grow bolder and Grace must fight to defend her land, her ships, and the people she loves most against the cruel and power-hungry English deputies, who will stop at nothing to check her influence.

Keenly observed and fiercely written, Ariel Lawhon's new action-packed novel channels the untamed beauty and harsh realities of sixteenth-century Ireland, as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine who rightly became "the Pirate Queen of Ireland.""

I might be a tad Grace O'Malley obsessed because one of my friends is her descendant. 

The Enigmatic Madam Ingram by Meihan Boey
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Miss Cassidy returns to nineteenth-century Singapore to help solve another dazzling supernatural mystery in this follow-up to the award-winning novel that The Guardian called a "classic-in-waiting."

When Letty Ingram arrives in Singapore in 1906, she is an enigma even unto herself. To the residents of the small Scottish village where she lives, she is a wealthy, half-Malay recluse who emerges from her home only for walks with her great beast of a hound. To Letty, she is a woman trying to lift a curse that causes her to lose consciousness and wake up in strange places - sometimes, with blood on her hands - and no memory of what occurred.

Letty has traveled across the world in hopes that the renowned medium Madam Kay can help her break the curse, but Letty is a mystery of tangled magics the likes of which Madam Kay and the rest of her supernaturally gifted family have never seen. Fortunately, the Kays know an expert with even more insight into otherworldly matters than they do: the formidable Miss Leda Cassidy.

But even Miss Cassidy finds Letty to be a puzzle, one that pulls a fog over her memories as well. As she dives deeper into Letty's past and finds it unexpectedly intertwined with her own, Miss Cassidy begins to realize that if she's going to free Letty from her curse, she's going to have to take on an ancient foe: the terrifying jungle spirit known as the Bungadarah."

Always here for ANY book with a medium, renowned or just nowned.  

The Mystic and the Missing Girl by Vikki VanSickler
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Small town secrets, a reluctant psychic, and a cold case that could expose them all.

Drew Benson can read tarot cards and get impressions from objects - she just never expected to use her gifts to investigate an infamous cold case.

Drew Benson has a secret. She gets visions, something she hasn't tapped into since she was a teenager, when her late aunt, a TV psychic known as Hannah Mystic, became the scapegoat in the unsolved disappearance of a local teenager. Twenty years later, Drew is happy to ignore her gift, focusing instead on keeping the metaphysical shop she inherited from Hannah afloat, wrangling her sole, astrology-obsessed employee, and dodging local rake Foster Banks in her picturesque lakeside hometown.

But when Drew's arch-nemesis from high school, now a big city reporter, decides to investigate the cold case from all those years ago, it's Drew's ability that could finally make a break in the decades old mystery. With bills piling up, a disapproving mother laying on the guilt, and a local vandal who wants Drew and her witchy store gone, Drew has a lot to lose. But what she stands to gain - finding out what happened to the missing teen, clearing her aunt's name, and a second chance at belonging - could change everything.

In The Mystic and the Missing Girl, Vikki VanSickle seamlessly draws readers into an utterly charming world in this unputdownable, small town mystery."

I mean, what does she have to lose really!?! Maybe her life...

We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the USA Today bestselling author of This Girl's a Killer, comes a southern gothic thriller with the bite of Sharp Objects and a dash of Practical Magic, following two estranged sisters who will do anything to protect each other - even murder. Again.

Milly can't divine the future anymore, and maybe that's a good thing. Lately, her life has been bleak enough, she doesn't need the now-silent tea leaves to tell her. Meanwhile, her estranged younger sister thrives miles away in a shiny new life with a shiny new marriage. Milly doesn't blame Francis for wanting nothing to do with her. Not after what happened in that Tennessee meadow a decade before.

But when Francis shows up on Milly's doorstep with a black eye and a plea for help - Milly can't say no. Especially when the tea leaves are finally crystal clear: if the sisters don't kill Francis's husband, he'll kill her.

And if they're going to plot a murder, the sisters have no choice but to return to the one place they'd left behind. A place where another body - and a multitude of secrets - were buried. Because this isn't the first time the sisters have needed to dispose of a bad man. In fact, they might be pretty good at it."

Personally I'm all for getting ride of the bad men.

A Beautiful Lie by Tanya Grant
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this juicy psychological thriller, home organizer Emily is invited to vacation at her beautiful and wealthy new client's summer home - but once inside, Emily doesn't want to leave.

Every one of my home organizing clients is a fabulous liar.

They tell themselves they need to keep clutter in their lives for rainy days or just-in-cases. They hold onto things too tightly. Most people don't know how to cut to the heart of what's important and purge everything that's not.

That's where I come in. I can look into my client's lives and see exactly what's weighing them down, and I get rid of it for them.

It sounds easy, but I'll let you in on a secret: I have trouble letting go of things, too.

When Cap slides into my life with her neon signs and velvet hair bows and magnetic energy, I know I can't just let her walk away. Because one of the first rules of home organizing is that like belongs with like. And Cap and me? We're destined to be together.

She may not know it yet, but that's okay. I'd be lying if I didn't say the challenge is part of the thrill. And luckily for Cap, I'm not afraid of a little hard work."

A true thriller.

Pictures of You by Josh Malerman
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A woman becomes the unknowing subject of an artist's dangerous work in this intense Hitchcockian thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Incidents Around the House.

After a magical night out on the town with her boyfriend Jack, Emily wakes alone in a huge bed in a beautiful, well-lit room. But the pink ceiling, the mauve walls, and the deep, dark corners are nothing like the hotel she and Jack rented.

More worrisome yet: Emily has no memory of this place from the night before.

Where is she?

A woman's voice directs her to remain in bed.

Just so...

And beyond the end of the bed, a picture frame upon an easel - a frame with no canvas, no painting, no art.

Only...there is the silhouette of a person Emily does not recognize. A person emanating demand, danger, evil. And the way the woman talks...and the things she says...She's acting as if Emily herself is the painting. The still life. The art.

Emily is as scared as she is confused. But it's immediately clear Jack's life is on the line with her own. And if she attempts to escape the bed and the wood frame of this nightmare masterwork, neither will survive the experience.

Emily is fierce, independent, brilliant, but to get out of this, she'll have to think like an artist herself.

The clock is ticking.

For Emily.

For Jack.

For being forever trapped.

Josh Malerman's unforgettable and terrifying Incidents Around the House became an instant classic of horror - and now Malerman has done it again. Pictures of You is a tale of thrilling terror that will chill you until the last page - and have you thinking of the heroine's search for love and the meaning of art long after."

Here for the art. No matter how depraved. 

Murder on the Upper East Side by Gigi Waldorf
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Scandal never graduates in this glossy thriller set in the world of New York's ultra-elite, perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and Holly Jackson.

Gossip on the Upper East Side isn't just vicious...it's deadly. -XOXO

2016: Hannah Miller has begun her senior year at the Prescott Academy of New York alongside the rich and famous of the Upper East Side. Or, at least, their children.

Amid the trust funds and penthouse parties, there's one rule for survival: staying out of the way of Queen Bees Madison DuPont and Elle Harrington.

Being a scholarship student makes Hannah feel invisible. But no one escapes the watchful eye of notorious gossip account called the Upper Edge.

2026: The academy's alumni have gathered for a glittering charity gala. Only Madison DuPont could host an event this grand.

But what starts as a champagne-fueled party soon descends into chaos when Madison is found dead moments after her speech. It doesn't take long for fingers to point at Hannah - everyone saw her talking to Madison only moments before the murder. She shouldn't even be at the gala. She's not really one of them.

The truth is that everyone had a reason to want Madison dead. From Madison's best friend to her former devotees to the targets of her bullying, it seems like the whole student body had a complicated history with the Queen Bee of Park Avenue. To clear her name, Hannah must unearth the secrets that this crowd would kill to keep buried."

Gossip Girl goes murderous. Which is only the natural progression of things.

First Chance by Kasey Lansdale
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"First Chance is a suspenseful thriller that readers won't be able to put down - perfect for fans of Sue Grafton and Michael Connelly.

Chance Kirby isn't new to detective work, but starting over in Hopeful, Texas, is a big step. Determined to leave behind her father and stepmother's shadow and carve out a future of her own, she opens a small PI agency, expecting missing heirlooms and marital disputes. But when the cold case of a murdered teenage girl is dropped on her doorstep, Chance finds herself in the middle of an investigation with no leads.

With her adopted sister Tia, her loyal dog Sissy, and the town's newly arrived police chief Isabella Lopez at her side, Chance soon begins to suspect this murder may be only one piece of a much bigger, and more disturbing, pattern.

To stop a predator who, it seems, has managed to evade authorities for decades, Chance must stay one step ahead...or risk becoming the next target."

The hero who rides into town to save it.

The Dating Game by Ally Zetterberg
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this clever and surprising thriller about the perils of modern dating and the female rage it sometimes inspires, a board game designer starts playing by her own rules, and losers won't be tolerated.

The friendship game. The dating game. The end game. For board game designer Tilda Smith they're all necessary steps on the path to finding happiness. And by structuring her life according to a set of rules, just like in the games that she loves to create at her job, Tilda can finally win.

The only problem? The other players don't know they're playing by Tilda's rules. She's fair. Very fair, in fact. But then one night her date pushes her too far and she gets just a bit carried away. Any player who disappoints must face consequences, right? But as Tilda finds herself transporting a body in a laundry bag, she has to question how to make the punishment fit the crime.

And now someone is watching Tilda and playing a game of their own. Will they turn the tables on her, or can she figure out a way to best them? The game is never really over until she says it is.

Game on."

Daddy's Home!

Receipts from the Bookshop by Katie Clapham
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One summer not long ago, bookseller Katie Clapham began chronicling life at the small independent bookstore she runs with her mother in the English seaside town of Lytham St Annes. Her cozy bookshop diaries detail the romance and frustration of running your own bookstore - from the loyal customers to the feisty passers-by, and the deliveries filled with tempting new stock to the never-ending aftermath of cardboard boxes. Katie faithfully records the change of seasons from sad January to exhausting December, punctuated with visits from inquisitive dogs, adorable children, and people just looking for a good place to get an omelette around here.

Tender, funny, and thoughtful, Receipts from the Bookshop is a love letter to everything we hold dear: small towns, family, book chat, hot cups of tea, and just the right snack at 11 AM....

-A valentine for book lovers everywhere.
-Cozy armchair travel for anyone who loves England.
-Reminds readers why bookstores are our happy place.
-The perfect story of a small family business built on love and commitment.
-A warm, funny look at community in a small seaside town."

Bookstores are my happy place. Though I've never asked where I can get a good omelette nearby...

Level Up For Love by Lenora Woods
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sparks fly as two former college rivals are forced together for a new D and D campaign - clashing both in and out of the game - in this fusion of contemporary second-chance romance and fantasy from the author of Roll for Romance.

In college, Reagan Riley and Wesley Locke were constantly at each other's throats, competing to be the best in their video game design program - until Wesley ghosts her after their unexpected hookup, severing their ties for good.

Six years later, Reagan has set aside her game design dreams, opting instead to stay close to her family in Connecticut and channel her creative energy into D and D. When her longstanding group falls apart, she and her sister join their local game store's new advanced campaign - only to find the demanding Dungeon Master at the helm is none other than Wesley. In the game, he is Vadrien, a merciless, power-hungry vampire lord, and Reagan is Sindra, the sword-wielding lady knight who will stop at nothing to cut him down.

When a game design opportunity opens up in the real world, Reagan and Wesley find themselves doubly pitted against each other. But as their buried spark reignites and Reagan starts to question why Wesley left all those years ago, can they find a way to play nice - and are they playing for more than just to win?"

If they were in school together it would take a lot to ghost her...

With All My Haunted Heart by Isabel Sterling
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A witch hired to ethically haunt a small-town B and B instead finds herself spellbound by her non-magical client in this cozy and enchanting sapphic romance.

Steadily losing clients to the new DIY-magic shop on the other side of town, Pippa Ainsley is getting desperate. Instead of paying the witch to correct their magical maladies, local mundanes have been taking their chances with the cheaper - and unpredictable - crystals and herbal blends. So when Pippa's best friend hires her to inspect his newly acquired bed-and-breakfast for ghosts, she doesn't think twice about it.

That is, until she learns that his unfairly attractive co-owner, Elle Thompson, doesn't want Pippa to rid their business of spirits. She wants Pippa to give them an edge over the competition by haunting their B and B.

It's the perfect challenge for Pippa's experimental magic, but just because she could figure it out, doesn't mean it's a smart or safe idea. But Elle is persistent, and the financial boost could save her own business if Pippa succeeds. Soon, Pippa finds herself testing the limits of her magic...and her ability to stop the growing attraction she feels toward Elle, a woman with a painful secret of her own."

Just invite the cast of Ghosts over!

Meet Cute Magic by Morgan Elizabeth
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cozy cute enemies-to-lovers witchy fantasy for readers of Sydney J. Shields' The Honey Witch and Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop.

She's a witch who can't fall in love without getting her heart broken. He holds a grudge like no other.

Bookstore owner Rosie Mayfield wants a love of her own, but it's not meant to be - because of her family's curse. To break it, she conjures a ghost who will break her curse, but for a cost - she has to brew a potion to help him transition to the other side. The problem? There's only one person who hates Rosie in all of Heartwood Hollow, and she needs his help to complete the required task.

Jack Haggerty, the ghost's grandson, has lamented about Rosie for years - she's a disaster and she's forbidden from visiting his gaming shop. He doesn't believe in ghosts, so he's stunned when his beloved grandfather makes an appearance. While he loves his family and will do anything to help his grandpa, he fights against the chemistry brewing between him and Rosie until he can't anymore. But he doesn't know how to tell her he no longer wants to go through with the plan, and she won't admit that she's falling for him because they're doomed from the start."

Doomed or destined?

Disenchanted by Lucy Jane Wood
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A reluctant witch must confront the magic she's always denied after accidentally triggering a curse in this delightfully cozy fantasy from the author of Rewitched and Uncharmed.

Sage Hemlock has no interest in embracing her witchy side. Magic has betrayed her before, bringing nothing but heartache, and she will not let something so foolish happen again.

Instead, Sage has thrown herself into her work and studies, running the local museum and largely preferring the company of her library and her cat to other humans. Her one goal is to fly under the coven's radar so that she can finally shed her blasted powers forever.

But when a strange historical book accidentally sets off a curse, Sage's quiet small-town life is suddenly overrun and magic is running rife. A beanstalk grows in her garden, and her friend and coworker Casimir starts to look an awful lot like a handsome prince. Fairy tales are coming true....

Now, with the threat of the coven on her tail, Sage must confront the magic she's always denied to solve the mysteries of the book and save everyone she's come to love from being lost to a fairy tale forever. The question is, can she finally learn to be her own happily ever after?"

Never deny who you are, it's dangerous.

Twig's Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy
Published by: Bindery Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 280 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A love letter to all things bookish, Twig's Traveling Tomes is a cozy romantasy perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle, The Spellshop, and The League of Gentlewomen Witches.

A plot is brewing between the adventure and romance aisles.

When visiting Twig's Traveling Tomes, customers will get the exact book they need, even if it isn't the one they want. As for the proprietor and renowned Book Witch, Louella Twig lives her life sequestered with her stories, just as she likes it.

When devilishly handsome rogue Everett Sharp stumbles in looking to remove some handcuffs - closely followed by Louella's former tutor, whose prized grimoire has been stolen - her literary sanctuary is fully upended. Only Louella's magic can locate the grimoire, and teaming up with Everett is her best chance at retrieving it...but how can she trust that the man behind the wolfish grin isn't interested in stealing the book for himself?

With a host of friends old and new, Louella sets off on an adventure she never thought she'd take - and starts to realize that, just like her books, what matters most has always been what's under the surface."

Never judge a book by it's cover! Though this book does have a mighty adorable one.

Morfran, Dark Lord Reformed by S.B. West
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Abandoning his days of beheading to live out an undercover retirement as a goat farmer, Morfran finds himself accidentally leading a rebellion against the kingdom's Dark Lord, who, inconveniently, is him.

Morfran the Beheader is done being the Dark Lord™ of the kingdom of Ruthven. He's tired of managing minions, and his wife, Queen Ravana, has officially exceeded his personal comfort level of evil. Yet when he books it for the hills with the hopes to live out his days disguised as a goat farmer, his aspirations are tragically cut short when Morfran's former soldiers catch up with plans to behead him.

Morfran's only chance at safety is to seek refuge within a tiny forest dwelling where no one recognizes him. But he quickly learns the village is the base for a brewing rebellion against his rule. And after he reluctantly saves said village from an attack, he's voted the one to lead the charge. Against himself.

Morfran helps the rebels while planning to desert them at the soonest moment. But as he fights by their side, he discovers that they're actually quite pleasant - especially the lovely assassin who has been out for his blood for a decade. Too bad Ravana has sent Morfran's best men to nip the revolt in the bud, and too bad his unlikely allies would burn him alive if they learned he's no hero, but actually their Dark Lord™ in disguise. Because even Morfran knows that only a hero would stand up to Ravana and fight for friends, and he's certainly no hero.

Right?"

A lot of evil villains lately have been retiring to raise goats. Is it the satanic angle?

The Dark Lord's Guide to Honeymooning (and Other Acts of Tyranny) by Tiffany Hunt
Published by: Scarlett Press
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 688 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Kazimir and Arabella embark on a honeymoon where the only thing more dangerous than their enemies are their growing feelings for each other in this deliciously wicked and riotously funny second book in the Guides to Villainy and Love romantasy series that's Assistant to the Villain meets Dreadful.

Step Four: Take her on a honeymoon.
Step Five: Learn to co-villain effectively.
Step Six: Try not to get possessed by ancient evil.

Now bound by marriage and the formidable power of the Heirloom, Dark Lord Kazimir Blackrose and his Dark Lady Arabella are the realm's most feared and chaotic power couple. And after years of scheming, Kazimir is poised to conquer Solandris. But when the Alchemist calls in a debt, Kaz is forced to postpone his reign of terror or face consequences even he can't escape.

Arabella declares it the perfect opportunity for the honeymoon she was never promised. But their villainous getaway soon devolves into mayhem involving mass kidnappings, uncomfortable truths about Kazimir's demonic past, and a talented pastry chef with heroic blood who won't stop baking scones.

As if that weren't enough, Kazimir's mind is also filling with whispers not his own, while Arabella secretly tries to recover her stolen memories. But the greatest threat may be those three dangerous little words that could shatter their carefully constructed walls…and unleash an evil that destroys them all.

This sexy and side-splittingly funny fantasy romance is perfect for readers who love: villains who stay deliciously wicked (but are catastrophically in love); a powerful heroine carving out her place in the world; touch them and die; plotting world domination; sizzling spice and wickedly amusing banter; dark humor; found family of villains; and a honeymoon phase with assassination attempts."

I mean, unlimited scones? What's not to love?

Wickhills by Premee Mohamed
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the dangerous magical city of Wickhills, a streetwise secret agent is tasked with protecting a foreign defector from his pursuers...even at the threat of war.

Looking after a defecting scientist should have been Vycol Ferec's easiest mission. But now he's on the run from the intelligence agency he works for, dodging a handler who might have gone rogue and relying on a secret patchwork of illicit resources and dodgy contacts. Turns out his defector might be carrying an apocalypse-level magical weapon - and protecting it requires Ferec and his team to go underground, literally. Down here, the rules are very different...and the tense peace between every city in the world will shatter unless Ferec can drag their darkest secrets into the light."

I will read anything Premee Mohamed writes. 

A Snake Among Swans by Hannah Kaner
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The #1 internationally bestselling author of Godkiller begins a bold new fantasy trilogy - a dark, atmospheric tale of warring kingdoms, wild magic, female rage, and the choice between love and power in a world ruled by conquest.

"Death is come to take you home, death of blood and thorn and bone..."

Tilde has always heard the whispers of the kithwood, the voices of her ancestors speaking through the mysterious forest of her homeland. But now both the kithwood and her kingdom are in danger, for Tilde is the only surviving heir of a conquered land. To stop the bloodshed, she must marry the aging Swan King, Liran, and bear him a son.

But the king's court is dangerous. Liran's older sons will do whatever it takes to remove Tilde. And her presence stirs conflict in the heart of Liran's daughter, the princess Elise, who has only ever known loyalty to her family.

Yet none of them know that Tilde is a snake in their midst, with allies on her side and dark, forbidden power of her own. She wants her kingdom back, and she will sacrifice everything to claim it. For the queen to rise, the swans must fall."

I mean, why name your character after a literal character on the keyboard?

Kick-Ass Compendium by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. 
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: September 8th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 720 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The New York Times bestseller and worldwide phenomenon is back in an all-new compendium! Relive what happens when Dave Lizewski asks himself, "How come nobody's ever become a superhero before?" and makes his teenage superhero daydreams an ass-kicking reality.

Dave Lizewski is an ordinary New York City teenager obsessed with superheroes. But one day, he takes the plunge, dons a costume, and begins prowling the streets of his city to protect the innocent. He soon realizes, however, that the danger is far more real than what he reads about in comics...

This is the complete collection of all four volumes of the original series, Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years, by Mark Millar (Civil War, Kingsman) and John Romita Jr. (Spider-Man, Captain America).

Collects Kick Ass, Vol. 1 #1-8, Kick Ass, Vol. 2 #1-5, Kick Ass, Vol. 3 #1-6, and Kick Ass, Vol. 4 #1-8."

COMPLETE! COLLECTION!

Monday, September 16, 2024

Tuesday Tomorrow

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Published by: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the #1 bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club Series.

A brand new mystery. An iconic new detective duo. And a thrilling new murder to solve...

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He still does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him at home. His days of adventure are over. Adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy's job now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. Working in private security, every day is dangerous. She's currently on a remote island protecting mega-bestselling author Rosie D'Antonio, until a dead body and a bag of money mean trouble in paradise. So she sends an SOS to the only person she trusts...

As a thrilling race around the world begins, can Amy and Steve outrun and outsmart a killer?

Solving murders. It's a family business."

I already have it on hold at my library!

Bleeding Hearts by Erin Lark Maples
Published by: Lodestar Literary
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 227 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Declan takes aim at his first mystery...

Burnt out from his day job, Declan hangs up his past for a fresh start in the charming coastal town of Astoria, Oregon. He rents an apartment and opens a quaint shop downtown, hoping to blend into the human world. But Declan's plans for a peaceful new life are shattered when he discovers a lifeless body in his own backyard.

All fingers point to the new guy in town, and with the police watching his every move, Declan finds himself at the center of every target. Desperate to clear his name and get out of the spotlight, he enlists the help of a quirky group of locals. They dive into the mystery to uncover secrets - to uncover secrets about the victim, and each other - that Astoria's picturesque streets have long concealed.

As they unravel a web of intrigue, magic, and murder, Declan is running out of time. Will they solve the case before Declan's true identity is revealed, or will the killer strike again?

Join Declan and his motley crew in this heartwarming, humorous, and engaging cozy mystery series debut that will leave you eager for a trip to the coast!"

I mean, what kind of magical creature is Declan? Please say it's a cat!

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A thrilling collection of thirteen short stories that span the worlds of the New York Times bestselling author of the Scholomance trilogy, including a sneak peek at the land where her next novel will be set.

From the dragon-filled Temeraire series and the Gothic magical halls of the Scholomance trilogy, through the realms next door to Spinning Silver and Uprooted, this stunning collection takes us from fairy tale to fantasy, myth to history, and mystery to science fiction as we travel through Naomi Novik's most beloved stories. Here, among many others, we encounter:

- A mushroom witch who learns that sometimes the worst thing in the Scholomance can be your roommate.
- The start of the Dragon Corps in ancient Rome, after Mark Antony hatches a dragon's egg and bonds with the hatchling.
- A young bride in the Middle Ages who finds herself gambling with Death for the highest of stakes.
- A delightful reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, in which Elizabeth Bennet captains a Longwing dragon.
- The first glimpse of the world of Abandon, the setting of Novik's upcoming epic fantasy series - a deserted continent populated only by silent and enigmatic architectural mysteries.

Though the stories are vastly different, there is a unifying theme: wrestling with destiny, and the lengths some will go to find their own and fulfill its promise."

AND REGENCY MAGIC! YAROO!

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness in order to secure his reign over the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she's only read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader - Lorelei's beloved mentor - is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are the five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again - and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons hiding beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth - and resist their growing feelings for each other - they discover that their leader had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, and if this kingdom is worth saving at all."

Yes, wonderful dark world, but you see there's also a locked room mystery at it's heart! Be still MY heart.

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
Published by: Ace Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come from outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger.

Lennon Carter's life is falling apart.

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because - like everyone else at the school - she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion's heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton's lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her.

As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it's a test she's terrified she's going to fail."

But to be among those like her that would level the playing field...

Bringer of Dust by J.M. Miro
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this highly anticipated second book in the Talents Trilogy, the world of the dead is closer than you think.

Agrigento, Sicily, 1883. With the orsine destroyed, Cairndale lies in ruins, and Marlowe has vanished. His only hope of rescue lies in a fabled second orsine - long-hidden, thought lost - which might not even exist.

But when a body is discovered in the shadow of Cairndale, a body wreathed in the corrupted dust of the drughr, Charlie and the Talents realize there is even more at stake than they'd feared. For a new drughr has arisen, ferocious, horned, seemingly able to move in their world at will - and it is not alone. A malevolent figure, known only as the Abbess, desires the dust for her own ends. And deep in the world of the dead, a terrible evil stirs - an evil that the corrupted dust just might hold the secret to reviving or destroying forever.

So the dark journey begun in Ordinary Monsters surges forward, from the sinister underworld of the London exiles, to the mysteries of a sunlit villa in nineteenth-century Sicily, to the deep catacombs hidden under Paris. Against bone witches, mud glyphics, and a house of twilight that exists in a netherworld all its own, the Talents must work together - if they are to have any hope of staving off the world of the dead, and saving their long-lost friend."

And so begins the supernatural grand tour, if you will.

A Pocketful of Diamonds by Pam Lecky
Published by: Storm Publishing Ltd
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 318 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lucy Lawrence smoothed her silk travelling gown and watched as darkness fell over the shimmering waters of Lake Como - her honeymoon bliss shattered in an instant by a telegram carrying deadly tidings...

Newlyweds Lucy Lawrence and Phineas Stone arrive at the glittering shores of Lake Como, Italy, not to enjoy a romantic honeymoon but to answer a frantic plea for help. Phin's brother-in-law - the charismatic Count Luca Carmosino - has vanished without a trace from his Belle Époque villa, and the couple find themselves thrust into a world of stolen diamonds and smuggling rings.

From the opulent Grand Hotel Bellagio with its crystal chandeliers to the misty mountain passes of the Swiss border, Lucy must solve the mystery of the Count's disappearance and navigate the treacherous waters of Italian high society, all while maintaining the decorum expected of a proper Victorian lady... But as Lucy edges closer to the truth about what happened to Count Carmosino, the stakes rise dramatically. When an attempt is made on her life while Phin is out of town, Lucy realizes they're both in grave danger. Can she unravel this conspiracy and save those she loves before it's too late?

The fourth in the beloved Lucy Lawrence mystery series! A gripping tale of stolen diamonds, family intrigue, and hard-won redemption set against the stunning backdrop of glamorous Italy."

I'm just saying, Lucy needs to embrace the ability to see things from both sides, sure, there may be danger, but at least their honeymoon is still in a beautiful locale...

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history's most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding.

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl has captivated and inspired readers for decades. Published posthumously by her bereaved father, Anne's journal, written while she and her family were in hiding during World War II, has become one of the central texts of the Jewish experience during the Holocaust, as well as a work of literary genius.

With the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family's life is turned inside out, blow by blow, restriction by restriction. Prejudice, loss, and terror run rampant, and Anne is forced to bear witness as ordinary people become monsters, and children and families are caught up in the inescapable tide of violence.

In the midst of impossible danger, Anne, audacious and creative and fearless, discovers who she truly is. With a wisdom far beyond her years, she will become a writer who will go on to change the world as we know it.

Critically acclaimed author Alice Hoffman weaves a lyrical and heart-wrenching story of the way the world closes in on the Frank family from the moment the Nazis invade the Netherlands until they are forced into hiding, bringing Anne to bold, vivid life.

Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force.

Perfect for Alice Hoffman fans and readers of every age."

I'm glad that the story of Anne Frank is continuing to inspire and that this was done so thoughtfully.

Hampton Heights by Dan Kois
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of the Washington Post notable novel Vintage Contemporaries, something completely unexpected: a hair-raising and rollicking adventure set on one night in 1987, when six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood.

On a cold winter's evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin's promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters - and triumph over them.

Sigmone, who is bussed to a white school, is stuck with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, who's wrestling with his sexuality, joins his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al are outsiders; one is a second-generation immigrant, the other a poor kid in a rich school. Over the course of one eventful evening, the three pairs will encounter the wild things of Hampton Heights - werewolves, witches with a centuries-old story to tell, and a creepy, ancient monster who feeds on memories. Meanwhile, Kevin is having an adventure of his own, seducing a beautiful woman in the neighborhood's tavern...but who is actually in control?

Funny, thrilling, outrageous, and sneakily beautiful, Dan Kois's Hampton Heights captures without sentimentality the dreams and fears of teenage boys in a tender horror-comedy about camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and the terrifying prospect of growing up."

Paper Girls for those who prefer prose.

The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning
Published by: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games with magic in this standalone supernatural thriller by Sarah Henning: thirteen witches, a locked-room murder, and two non-magical sisters trapped in a deadly whodunit.

Ruby and her sister, Wren, are normal, middle-class Colorado high school students working a summer job at the local Renaissance Fest to supplement their meager college savings.

So when an eccentric old lady asks them to impersonate her long-absent grandchildren at a fancy dinner party at the jaw-dropping rate of two grand - each - for a single night... Wren insists it's a no-brainer. Make some cash, have some fun, do a good deed.

But less than an hour into the evening at the mysterious Hegemony Manor, Ruby is sure she must have lost her mind to have agreed to this.

The hostess is dead, the gates are locked, and a magical curse ensures no one can leave until they solve both her murder and the riddles she left behind - in just three days. Because everyone else at this party is a powerful witch. And if the witches realize Ruby and Wren are imposters? The sisters won't make it out of Hegemony Manor alive."

Three things I love; magic, locked room mystery, and standalone. 

The Others: Book 1 by Evette Davis
Published by: Sparkpress
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"True Blood meets Supernatural in the kickoff of this urban paranormal fantasy series from an acclaimed author. Readers enter a dystopian San Francisco filled with empaths and vampires embroiled in political unrest - and Book 1 is just the beginning.

Much as she wishes otherwise, superstar political consultant Olivia Shepherd was born a powerful empath. It's a legacy she walked away from long ago - but when she wakes up one morning to find Elsa, a tenacious time-walker, standing in her kitchen, she realizes she can no longer ignore her gifts. She is quickly plunged into the hidden world of powerful "Others" and drafted to work for the Council, a shadowy organization that summons the fog to San Francisco to obscure their involvement in human affairs.

Complicating matters further is Olivia's new love interest, William. A centuries-old vampire, William is far too jaded to take an interest in human affairs - but Olivia no longer has the luxury of remaining impartial. As shocking details from Olivia's own past emerge and her role in the Council begins to take shape, will she rise to the challenge of her destiny?"

I will read anything set in San Francisco. Throw in a supernatural element and I am SO there.

Stage Fright by Wendy Parris
Published by: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new locked room scary story about thirteen-year-old Avery, who plans a séance at a deserted theater to bond with her friends, only to realize they're locked inside with someone - or something - else. This spine tingling read is perfect for fans of Katherine Arden and Lindsay Currie!

When Avery returns to her hometown after moving away a year earlier, she is hoping to jump back into her friend group as if nothing's changed.

Unfortunately, new interests, secret crushes, and changing dynamics get in her way. To reunite her BFFs, she suggests they host a séance at an abandoned theater that was the site of a horrible tragedy.

What starts as a fun outing, soon becomes a fight for survival after the group gets locked in...and discovers they're not alone."

I adore that the cover has the theater's ghost light front and center.

The School for Wicked Witches by Will Taylor
Published by: Scholastic Inc.
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ava isn't ready to leave her home in Oz - especially not to become a witch. Then the worst thing that could possibly happen occurs - Ava's magic goes very wrong and she is banished to a school for wicked witches. Perfect for fans of Wicked, Witchlings, and The School for Good and Evil!

In Oz, most girls and boys with magical powers are sent from the north, south, east, and west to renowned witch academies, where they are elevated and taught all the finer ways to be a responsible witch. But if you misbehave? Or are thought to harbor darker magic? You're sent to the equivalent of witch reform school - The School for Wicked Witches. ONLY! Once you get there, you find that the witches running it are so powerful that they've managed to trick the rest of the outside world. Yes, it looks to outside like they are taming the wickedness out of the witches... but in truth, the school is run by wicked witches (who, incidentally, don't see themselves as wicked at all... although some of them really are.)

Ava Heartstraw has never even considered being wicked. But when she goes to take her entrance test for a witch academy, she doesn't get the reaction she's expecting - and is the first kid in memory from the west to be sent to the School for Wicked Witches."

This fall it's all about Oz!

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood
Published by: Ace Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this spellbinding warm and cozy debut novel, a burned-out witch will need to turn to her friends and trust in herself to find the magic in her own life again.

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn't lost her magical spark, precisely...but she hasn't seen it in a while either.

With her witchcraft under wraps and a toxic boss making her days miserable, Belle is struggling to keep her beloved Lunar Books afloat and just make it through the day. The last thing she has time for is perfecting her magic.

So when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle fears the worst. With only the month of October left to prove herself or risk losing her magic forever, Belle will need all the help she can get - from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an infuriating coven watchman who's sworn to protect her..."

I swear, if I could move into the cover of a book it would be this one.

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she's tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone - anyone - to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he's perfect for her purposes. He's a bit strange, but that's fine; it'll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn't hurt that he's very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia's first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic."

But what if the wedding is outside at noon?

Does This Taste Funny? by Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert
Published by: Celadon Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Stephen and Evie Colbert invite you to pull up a chair as they share their favorite recipes from family and friends and offer a glimpse of food and fun in their South Carolina home.

"Hopefully reading this book and cooking these recipes will feel like hanging out with us at home. We basically live in the kitchen anyway." - Evie and Stephen Colbert

As Evie and Stephen explain it, Does This Taste Funny? had its beginnings in the Covid lockdown. "We were all stuck together and couldn't go out, so we cooked. We had all three kids back under one roof for the first time in a long time, and we had dinner each night as a family. Cooking together became a major source of entertainment."

Now, the Colberts invite us into their kitchen and around their dining room table. Sharing Stephen and Evie's favorite recipes, as well as those of their family and friends, this book offers everything from Party Food (called "party food" because "appetizers" implies something to follow when we all know that, often, this is the only course), to Seafood, to Poultry and Meat ("Evie and I have different relationships to meat. I like it. Evie can take it or leave it, and mostly she leaves it."), to Desserts ("This is one of the largest sections of the book. Evie always reminds me that desserts are a great way to postpone clearing up."), to Drinks ("I love cocktail hour. It feels like a reward for having gone so long without a cocktail."), all tied together with playful dialogue between Stephen and Evie and gorgeous shots of their food, family, and home."

Now THIS is the cookbook I've been waiting for. Plus, I mean, don't you love Stephen and Evie and that awesome cover?

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