strange and random happenstance

Vagabond by Tim Curry
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This memoir is a celebration of Tim Curry's life's work, and a testament to his profound impact on the entertainment industry as we know it today.

There are few stars in Hollywood today that can boast the kind of resume Tony award-nominated actor Tim Curry has built over the past five decades. From his breakout role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show to his iconic depiction as the sadistic clown Pennywise in It to his critically acclaimed role as the original King Arthur in both the Broadway and West End versions of Spamalot, Curry redefined what it meant to be a "character actor," portraying heroes and villains alike with complexity, nuance, and a genuine understanding of human darkness.

Now, in his memoir, Curry takes readers behind-the-scenes of his rise to fame from his early beginnings as a military brat to his formative years in boarding school and university, to the moment when he hit the stage for the first time. He goes in-depth about what it was like to work on some of the most emblematic works of the 20th century, constantly switching between a camera and a live audience. He also explores the voicework that defined his later career and provided him with a chance to pivot after surviving a catastrophic stroke in 2012 that nearly took his life.

With the upcoming 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the 40th anniversary of Clue, there's never been a better time for Tim to share his story with the world."

Seeing as The Worst Witch, Clue, and later, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, are literally the defining movies of my life, you know how much I NEED this book. I even have a signed copy preordered. Though the highlight of my Tim Curry obsession will still be getting to see him in Spamalot. The second time, not the first, because the second time had Alan Tudyk as well. 

The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"He was sent to kill a pest. Instead, he found a monster.

Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard, a metropolis carved into the stump of an ancient tree. In its canopy, the pampered elite warp minds with toxic perfume; in its roots, gangs of exterminators hunt a colossal worm with an appetite for beauty.

In this complex, chaotic city, Guy Moulène has a simple goal: keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he'll take on any job, no matter how vile.

As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny creatures that crawl up from the river. These vermin are all strange, and often dangerous. His latest quarry is different: a centipede the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork. As it digests Tiliard from the sewers to the opera houses, its toxin reshapes the future of the city. No sane person would hunt it, if they had the choice.

Guy doesn't have a choice."

Since I first read Leech I knew Hiron Ennes was an author to watch. I can not wait for this latest mind-bending journey. 

A Riddle of Thorns by Saren Nanua and Sasha Nanua
Published by: Holiday House
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Riddle of Thorns is a twisty Dark Academia mystery - glittering, elegant, unsettling, and perfect for fans of Divine Rivals and The Inheritance Games.

Sana Gupta has waited years to return to her ancestral home in Paris, with its labyrinthine halls and overgrown gardens. Sent away as a child when her mother disappeared, Sana has long puzzled over whether her mother's departure was just another of her famously unsolvable riddles.

Now eighteen and ready to claim her inheritance, Sana arrives at the dark and dilapidated estate to find three strangers awaiting her: Fox, an eccentric prodigy who models himself after Sherlock Holmes; Isabelle, a seemingly innocent girl who shares an icy history with Sana; and Minho, a handsome young genius always wearing half a smirk. Per her mother's will, they've each received a cryptic invitation to compete in a contest of riddles for the deed to Razorthorn Manor - and the rumored treasure hidden within: a flower created by the gods themselves, able to grant any wish.

Feeling betrayed by her mother, Sana sets out to uncover the truth of where her mother really went, what links the competitors together, and what secrets the crumbling and disquieting house conceals. But her task won't be easy - for her competitors will do anything to win this twisted game...Set in a darkly shimmering Edwardian Paris where worship of the Roman gods never ended, A Riddle of Thorns drips with Gothic atmosphere, sizzles with romantic tension, and confounds with intricate puzzles and long-buried mysteries."

I'd be far more concerned about those Roman gods...

A Nest of Magic by Kate Moseman
Published by: Fortunella Press
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 396 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"There once was a town where nothing ever happened - until, one day, it did.

Corinthia, the librarian of Shadow Ridge, doesn't fall for mysterious strangers. She doesn't go for long walks in the woods. And she most certainly does not believe in magic.

She has her books, her rescued hound, and her Cabinet of Chocolate - everything she needs for a cozy evening alone, thank you very much.

But when a bet with her best friend leads to a hike in the maze-like nature preserve behind the Shadow Ridge Library, she meets a mysterious woman who challenges everything she thought she knew about her town, her destiny, and her heart.

She doesn't believe in magic...but magic believes in her."

Note to self, get a Cabinet of Chocolate before indulging in this delightful book.

Our Gifted Hearts by Jennifer Kennedy
Published by: Angry Robot
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When she's accused of witchcraft, Fortune must flee her village to spare her neck, marrying a man she barely knows. But is the man who promises to be her saviour all he seems?

Fortune Blyth suffered the loss of a secret child when she was sixteen and vowed never to let another man touch her. Ten years later she is content with her beloved birds. But when witch hunters come to town it isn't long before fingers are pointed at the spinster and she is forced to choose; stay and hang, or marry a man who can offer her safety far from home.

She chooses marriage.

Her husband's island home is not the safe haven she expected, with a surly housekeeper and an eccentric mother-in-law to contend with. And there is something else; secrets hiding in the walls, demons creeping in her nightmares. Something sinister in the concealed tunnels below the house. It turns out she is not his first bride...Perhaps she would have been better off hanging after all."

Some Bluebeard for you?

The Missing Pages by Alyson Richman
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A ghost in a library. A story waiting to be told. The Missing Pages is a rich, lyrical novel that reminds us that books are as eternal as the soul.

1912: Harry Widener, a promising and passionate book collector, boards the Titanic holding tight to a priceless volume he's just purchased in London. After catastrophe strikes the ship, Harry's last known words are that he must return to his cabin to retrieve his latest treasure. Neither the young man nor the book are ever seen again. Honoring her son's memory, Harry's mother builds the Harry Widener Memorial Library at Harvard to house his extensive book collection and ensure his legacy.

Decades later, Violet Hutchins, a Harvard sophomore recovering from her own great loss, is working as a page at the Widener Library. When mysterious things begin happening at the library, Violet wonders if Harry Widener's ghost is trying to communicate with her, seeking Violet to uncover a long-buried secret that the ardent young Harry took with him to the grave.

For fans of The Midnight Library and The Book Thief, bestselling author Alyson Richman has written a love story, a ghost story, and an elegy to the healing power of books."

I totally didn't know that the Widener Library had such a tragic backstory. 

The Ghost House by Andie Newton
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 333 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Occupied France, 1944

In the shadow of the ravaged battlefields of Verdun, where the scars of the First World War never healed, Vianne, struggling to hold onto her crumbling family chateau, takes in her traumatized nephew Blaise after the arrest of her sister by the Nazis.

But when Blaise says he can see eerie figures in the fog and whispers from the forbidden forest beyond the fence, it seems something ancient and sorrowful stirs in the soil where soldiers of the Great War once bled. As strange guests arrive at the old house and secrets surface, Vianne must face the terrifying possibility that the brutal SS aren't the only horrors she must face...

If you loved The Others you'll love this!"

Oh, I love The Others! 

When Shadows Burn by Todd Brown
Published by: Koehler Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 312 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Some houses whisper. This one screams.

In the heart of Raven's Cross, Virginia, the decaying Scott house looms. Its broken-window eyes watch a town desperate to forget. When Roxy, a teenage girl, vanishes into a sweltering night, long-buried fears erupt, and suspicion turns savage. The townspeople turn on the newcomers, blaming them for what they refuse to face in themselves. As polite smiles crack and old grudges resurface, Raven's Cross's genteel mask begins to slip, revealing the rot beneath.

Timothy Michaels came to town chasing a story. A true crime podcaster investigating the haunted legacy of the Scott house, he never expected to be pulled into something so immediate - and so dangerous. Alongside unexpected allies, Tim begins to unearth a legacy of complicity and cruelty - one the town would kill to keep buried. Because, in Raven's Cross, the shadows don't just linger. They burn."

I can see why it's being compared to Shirley Jackson!

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a nail-biting supernatural horror about a haunted lakeside property and twisted family secrets.

When Samantha Payne's grandfather dies, she figures she won't even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn't seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child's body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There's one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface."

Sam totally killed the kid and her father was trying to cover it up, right? 

Happy People Don't Live Here by Amber Sparks
Published by: Liveright Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Just past the edge of summer, Alice and her daughter, Fern, arrive at the Pine Lake Apartments - a former sanatorium occupied by an ensemble of peculiar neighbors and a smattering of ghosts. Among the living: the Mermaid Lady, who performs in a nightclub fish tank; the building's handyperson, moonlighting as a medium; and an awkwardly charming professor of medieval studies. Fern alone is acquainted with the undead, who pass like troubled clouds through the apartments, humanity mostly lost ages ago. For the determinedly private Alice, Pine Lake seems the perfect place at the edge of the world to hide herself and her daughter - until the day Fern finds a dead body in the dumpster.

Intent on solving the mystery of this discarded corpse, Fern eagerly puts her encyclopedic knowledge of detective novels to good use while dodging warnings from her increasingly paranoid mother. She soon comes to realize that within the strange tapestry of Pine Lake residents, nothing is ever quite as it seems. Her investigation digs up long-buried secrets, including her mother's, that implicate each of her neighbors...and conjures a new one from beyond the grave.

The hotly anticipated debut novel from "master of the fantastic" (Roxane Gay) Amber Sparks, Happy People Don't Live Here is an unforgettable portrait of family - whether by birth or by chance or by choice - and the sometimes dangerous myths we make to keep ours together."

I don't think there have been nearly enough Mermaid Ladies in my life. This book helps to rectify that. 

The Last Spirits of Manhattan by John A. McDermott
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Based on a true story, this sparkling and witty novel whisks you to 1956 Manhattan, where famed director Alfred Hitchcock is hosting a star-studded party in an allegedly haunted house…only for the soiree to be interrupted by a ghostly party crasher.

After fleeing her mundane life in the Midwest, Carolyn Banks finds herself in her enigmatic great-aunts' eerie mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Inside its crumbling façade, suspense director Alfred Hitchcock is throwing a party, gleefully informing his celebrity guests that the venue is supposedly haunted. It all seems like a fun gag, but Carolyn knows that the line between reality and the supernatural is dangerously blurred here.

Soon, the paranormal entities are mingling with guests like Charles Addams and Henry Fonda. As Carolyn grapples with romantic entanglements and ghostly encounters, she discovers long-buried family secrets, challenging her understanding of love, loyalty, and legacy. A striking mix of the haunting and the heartwarming, The Last Spirits of Manhattan is an unputdownable novel about a family reunion unlike any other, set against the bewitching backdrop of 1950s New York City."

I was sold at Charles Addams being at a party thrown by Alfred Hitchcock. 

Christmas at the Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery
Published by: HarperVia
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Daniel M. Lavery returns to the world of Women's Hotel in this delightful and heartwarming novella about one especially lively Christmastime at the Biedermeier.

Christmas at the Biedermeier Hotel means work. For much of the year, employment comes infrequently to Biedermeier residents. But during the Advent season, they're in high demand all over the city: as holiday window dressers, sales-girls at the card stores on Forty-Second Street, Broadway usherettes, assisting the Lincoln Center laundress at the Nutcracker, or working for Pinkerton as off-season security guards at the World's Fair.

Katherine explores the possibility of reconnecting with a younger sister moving to New York. Lucianne goes into business for herself, running a telephone-order, strictly Social Register male escort agency out of her room, while Mrs. Mossler attempts to solve the mystery of the Biedermeier's skyrocketing phone bill and frets over Christmas tips for the hotel's few remaining employees.

And while the three gem thieves who broke into the American Museum of Natural History have recently been apprehended, not all of the stolen jewels have been recovered - and Patricia and Carol have been behaving very strangely recently. Christmas is a season of wonder and mystery, after all."

Because I need some lighter fare amongst all the murders I plan to read about this holiday season...

The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This twisty and sinister thriller follows a New York art gallery assistant reckoning with her past and now trapped in a web of deceit after an up-and-coming painter is murdered - perfect for fans of Katy Hays and Julia Bartz.

November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. Ever since the terrifying and catastrophic terrorist attack, it seems she has been on a collision course with destruction.

When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is immediately called into her boss's office. A pair of NYPD detectives greet her, also very curious to know how her evening ended…because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery's newest artist, is dead.

Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life in burgeoning Williamsburg, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night. As she digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge between what she remembers and what people tell her actually happened, and more questions are raised. Everything begins to feel like a conspiracy and maybe it is. Because Chloe is the only one who glimpses the secrets the murdered artist left behind, and the closer she gets to the truth…the more deadly it becomes."

Anything to do with the art world fascinates me, if there's a murder, doubly so. 

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An unforgettable suspense novel that combines the storytelling talents of Academy Award-winning actor Reese Witherspoon and internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben. Gone Before Goodbye is the story of a woman trapped in a deadly conspiracy - where uncovering the truth could cost her everything.

Maggie McCabe is teetering on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned Army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge, where she could make the most impact. And it was all going to plan...until it wasn't.

Upside down after a devastating series of tragedies leads to her medical license being revoked, Maggie has lost her purpose, but not her nerve or her passion. At her lowest point, she is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite plastic surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy, as well as absolute discretion.

Halfway across the globe, sequestered in the lap of luxury and cutting-edge technology, one of the world's most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfills her end of the agreement. But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself - or she will be the next one who is...Gone Before Goodbye."

Hey look, Reese Witherspoon has found a new pipeline to produce shows based on guaranteed bestsellers, write them herself with a bestselling author. 

Murder in Constantinople by A.E. Goldin
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Alfred Hitchcock meets Indiana Jones in this acclaimed, globe-trotting historical mystery about a wayward Jewish kid drawn into a sinister plot.

This entertaining historical mystery is the exciting debut novel from London-based musician and screenwriter A.E. Goldin. Thrillingly paced and with an enchanting historical setting, it launches an unforgettable new hero in a series that provides all the nostalgic reading pleasure of classic Sherlock Holmes.

London, 1854. 21-year-old Ben Canaan attracts trouble wherever he goes. His father wants him to be a good Jewish son, working for the family business on Whitechapel Road, but Ben and his friends, the 'Good-for-Nothings', just want adventure.

Then the chance discovery of an enigmatic letter and a photograph of a beautiful woman bring Ben an adventure more dangerous than anything he'd imagined. Suddenly he is thrown into the heart of a mystery that takes him away from everything he has known and all the way to Constantinople, the jewel of an empire and the centre of a world on the brink of war.

Ben's only clue is 3 words: 'The White Death.' Now he must find what links a string of grisly murders, following a trail through kingmaking and conspiracy, poison and high politics, bloodshed and betrayal. In a city of deadly secrets, no one is safe - and one wrong step could cost Ben his life."

Hey, if you go looking for adventure you can't be put out when it comes knocking.

And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Martha Waters, the author of the "enchanting" (Entertainment Weekly) Regency Vows series, a new historical romance set in 1930s England with a murder mystery twist.

In a quaint village in the Cotswolds, Georgiana Radcliffe has accidentally become an amateur detective after helping solve four murders in a single year. When the chairman of the village council turns up dead, everyone agrees with the official ruling of a heart attack, but Georgie can't help but suspect that the council chairman is a fifth victim. Now, murder tourists are flocking from around the country, in hopes of becoming sleuths themselves.

Along with her reporter friend, she reaches out to a famous London detective for assistance in ascertaining why they have become a magnet for murder. But the fancy detective is simply too busy - or can't be bothered - to help, and instead dispatches his secretary, Sebastian Fletcher-Ford - a posh womanizer who, truthfully, he is just trying to get out of his hair, much to practical, no-nonsense Georgie's dismay. But as they investigate in the charming Buncombe-upon-Woolly - with plentiful scones, sheep on the village green, and murder tourists at every turn - Georgie finds that her previous assessment of Sebastian may have been wrong, and rather than solving a murder, she may be solving for love instead."

Is it wrong that I find the title of this book so adorable? 

Sugar and Spite by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Beloved New York Times bestseller M. C. Beaton's cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin - the star of her own hit T.V. series - is back on the case again.

When a series of deaths within the small Cotswolds birdwatching community begins to unravel her village, Agatha and her team at Raisin Investigators are certain there has been foul play involved. Now, they must dig up decades' worth of tempestuous relationships and simmering secrets among the birdwatching enthusiasts of the village in order to prevent any further deaths.

But with Agatha's own relationship with John Glass on the rocks after he is called away on his job as a cruise ship dance instructor, and Sir Charles Fraith now attempting to step into John's shoes as her lover, Agatha has her work cut out for her.

Agatha will have to break out her binoculars and embrace her bitter side to solve the murders and wrangle the sickly-sweet temptations in her own life. Will she be able to gather all the breadcrumbs and put together the clues before she becomes a sitting duck herself?"

Cruise ship dance instructor? I know my mom would have loved that little detail in this series.

Menu of Happiness by Hisashi Kashiwai
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A beloved Japanese bestseller, Menu of Happiness is for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and asks the question: What's the one dish you'd do anything to taste just one more time?

Every memory has a flavor. A very special restaurant in Kyoto helps find them...

Welcome to the Kamogawa Diner, where every meal is a mystery ready to be solved. This unique establishment is run by a father-daughter duo who offer more than just mouth-watering meals. They act as "food detectives," delving into the past to produce nostalgia-infused dishes for their hungry clientele.

Among the patrons is a once-renowned pianist whose promising career was marred by a self-inflicted injury. She longs to taste the yakisoba shared with the only man she ever truly loved. The diner also welcomes a man haunted by shadows of regret. His mind is haunted by the memory of gyoza served by the parents of a lover he once jilted, as he seeks understanding and, perhaps, forgiveness.

The Kamogawa Diner doesn't just serve food - it recreates forgotten recipes, helping its patrons to revisit memories lost to time. Each dish is a portal to the past, serving not just sustenance but solace and reconnection through the miracle of delicious food."

The taste of certain foods is both sentimental and heartbreaking.

The Keepers of Magical Things by Julie Leong
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An almost-mage discovers friendship - and maybe something more - in the unlikeliest of places in this delightfully charming novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes.

Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful - to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the little brother who depends on her, and to anyone else she can help. Unfortunately, her tepid magic hasn't proven much use to anyone. When Certainty has the chance to earn her magehood via a seemingly straightforward assignment, she takes it. Nevermind that she'll have to work with Mage Aurelia, the brilliant, unfairly attractive overachiever who's managed to alienate everyone around her.

The two must transport minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe: Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. There, they must fix up an old warehouse, separate the gossipy teapots from the kind-of-flaming swords, corral an unruly little catdragon who has tagged along, and above all, avoid complications. The Guild's uneasy relationship with citizens is at a tipping point, and the last thing needed is a magical incident.

Still, as mage and novice come to know Shpelling's residents - and each other - they realize the Guild's hoarded magic might do more good being shared. Friendships blossom while Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling the haven it could be. But magic is fickle - add attraction and it might spell trouble."

Catdragon!?! 

Kill the Beast by Serra Swift
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Witcher meets Howl's Moving Castle in this debut original faerie tale of revenge, redemption, and friendship - for fans of T. Kingfisher, Naomi Novik, and cozy fantasy with a dash of gritty adventure.

The night Lyssa Cadogan's brother was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast, she made him a promise: she would find a way to destroy the immortal creature and avenge his death. For thirteen years, she has been hunting faeries and the abominations they created. But in all that time, the one Beast she is most desperate to find has never resurfaced.

Until she meets Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a melodramatic dandy with a coin purse bigger than his brain. Somehow, he has found the monster's lair, and - even more surprising - retrieved one of its claws. A claw Lyssa needs in order to forge a sword that can kill the Beast.

Alderic is ill-equipped for a hunt and almost guaranteed to get himself killed. But as the two of them search for the rest of the materials that will be the Beast's undoing, Alderic reveals hidden depths: dark secrets that he guards as carefully as Lyssa guards hers. Before long, and against Lyssa's better judgment, an unlikely friendship begins to bloom - one that will either lead to the culmination of Lyssa's quest for vengeance, or spell doom for them both."

Anyone else singing a certain song sung by Gaston on the way to the bookstore? 

The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom's prestigious military academy - and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous in this delightful debut fantasy.

Domhnall and Clía are an ideal match - or so everyone says. They are prince and princess of neighboring kingdoms. An alliance the gods will smile on. Until Domhnall ruins everything by refusing to propose.

Heartbroken but determined, Clía makes the perfect plan: Follow Domhnall to Caisleán Cósta, the military academy he's attending. Show she can protect her kingdom. Secure the betrothal. Sure, the castle has a brutal reputation. But how hard can dueling really be?

Warrior Ronan promised himself he'd never lose his focus. He fought and sacrificed for his place at Caisleán Cósta, and he has no time for blonde princesses who waltz into arenas like they're attending a ball. Even if she and her otter-like pet are…well, cute.

He doesn't want to be intrigued by Clía. But her hunger to prove herself is something he understands. He tells himself there's no harm training her. Even if his heart does race around her. Even if Domhnall is his best friend.

But as they say, love is a battlefield - and unfortunately for them all, a very real war is looming on the horizon. It's a fight that will threaten all their kingdoms…and test all their hearts."

I'm all about dangerous military institutions in fantasy books lately... 

Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this clean Regency romance, a woman with a scandalous past (and an even more scandalous secret) swears off love - until the man who broke her heart needs her help. What could possibly go wrong? Perfect for fans of Tessa Dare and Eloisa James looking for a low-spice, witty Regency romance.

After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she'd found her perfect match in Simon Reeves - charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel - until he vanished from her life without so much as a "farewell" or "my deepest regrets" (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson learned: never fall for a man known for his charm.

Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband - because she's already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?

But fate - or the misfortune of Simon's reckless patriarchs - has other plans. Simon's once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride...and a friend.

Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She'll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic - no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.

There's just one small problem: the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she's still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories - especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones - are worthy of a rewrite?

Filled with lively banter, adorable children, a frog named Blast, and swoony kisses, Sense and Suitability is the sweet Regency romance you've been looking for. Basham brings her signature humor to the Regency era where social strictures keep the tension tight in this second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance."

Unless Simon has a damn good excuse, write him off.

A Lady Most Wayward by Darcy McGuire
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: eBook, 312 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A breathtaking historical romance featuring espionage, scandal, and forbidden love in the Queen's service.

Her enemy. Her ally. Her temptation...

Phillipa, Duchess of Dorsett is not your average demure lady in society. For behind her charming smile, she hides a secret and a wicked reputation. Tasked by Queen Victoria to protect the innocent, she's recruited the most formidable women of the ton - The Queen's Deadly Damsels. And now they have one final mission…but this time it's anything but simple...It's personal.

Lady Olivia Smithwick sold her soul to save her daughter, and in return has made an enemy of the Duchess. But when she's faced with an offer of Phillipa's protection and a promise to bring down The Devil's Sons, she can't refuse.

As they attempt their mission, together and alone, their simple deal becomes dangerously complicated. Because when their tension makes way for an unexpected desire, the heat between them becomes impossible to ignore. To reveal their true selves is a risk, especially when even one touch is strictly forbidden. But who said it was a good idea to follow the rules?

Perfect for fans of Cat Sebastian, Emma Orchard and Beverley Watts."

Love will, hopefully, find a way.

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: October 14th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author and "queen of royal fiction" (USA Today) Philippa Gregory returns with a dazzling historical novel of ambition, betrayal, and survival in the court of Henry VIII.

Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor court, where secrets are currency, every choice is dangerous, and even the faintest whisper can seal the fate of queens.

For Jane, survival demands playing every role required of her: a loving wife who conceals her doubts, a devoted sister to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power, and an obedient spy who carefully wields her words. But in a court ruled by ambition and a tyrant's sword, Jane must rely on her sharp wit and skillful maneuvering to outthink those around her, knowing that one wrong move could cost her everything.

Philippa Gregory masterfully shines a spotlight on the untold story of Jane Boleyn, peeling back the myths to reveal a complex portrait of a woman who dared to survive at any cost. Perfect for fans of thrilling historical drama and readers captivated by the intrigue of the Tudor period, Boleyn Traitor is a must-read."

Yeah... But she didn't survive. The Viscountess Rochford made so really stupid decisions near the end...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A.E. Goldin, Cait Jacobs, Daniel M. Lavery, Darcy McGuire, Harlan Coben, Hiron Ennes, Hisashi Kashiwai, Julie Leong, Kelley Armstrong, M.C. Beaton, Martha Waters, Pepper Basham, Philippa Gregory, Serra Swift, Tim Curry

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this irresistible and thrilling debut novel, a former antique hunter investigates a suspicious death at an isolated English manor, embroiling her back in the dangerous world of tracking stolen artifacts.

What antique would you kill for?

Freya Lockwood is shocked when she learns that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and her estranged mentor, has died under mysterious circumstances. She has spent the last twenty years avoiding her quaint English hometown, but when she receives a letter from Arthur asking her to investigate - sent just days before his death - Freya has no choice but to return to a life she had sworn to leave behind.

Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Freya follows clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an advertised antiques enthusiast's weekend. But not all is as it seems. It's clear to Freya that the antiques are all just poor reproductions and her fellow guests are secretive and menacing. What is going on at this estate and how was Arthur involved? More importantly, can Freya and Carole discover the truth before the killer strikes again?"

An isolated English manor having an antiques weekend? YES!

The Holy Terrors by Simon R. Green
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Six people locked in a haunted hall...Cameras watching their every move...And then someone dies...This first in a spine-tingling new paranormal mystery series from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author Simon R. Green will make you doubt your judgement - and believe in ghosts!

Welcome to Spooky Time, the hit TV ghost-hunting show where the horror is scripted...and the ratings are declining rapidly. What better way to up the stakes - and boost the viewership - than by locking a select group of Z-list celebrities up for the night in The Most Haunted Hall in England (TM) and live-streaming the 'terrifying' results?

Soon Alistair, a newly appointed Bishop, actress Diana, medium Leslie, comedian Toby, and celebrity chef Indira are trapped inside Stonehaven town hall, along with June, the host and producer of the show. The group tries to settle in and put on a good show, but then strange things start happening in their hall of horrors.

What is it about this place - and why is the TV crew outside not responding? Are they even on air? Logical Alistair and intuitive Diana attempt to keep the group's fears at bay and rationalize the odd events, but there are things that just can't be explained within reason...Can the pair stop a cold-blooded would-be killer - even if it's come from beyond the grave?

This locked-room mystery with a paranormal twist is classic Simon R. Green, featuring his trademark humour and imagination, irresistible characters, and thoroughly entertaining plotting."

I mean, how else but by adding a dash of the paranormal can you up the locked-room story? Bravo!

The Road from Belhaven by Margot Livesey
Published by: Knopf Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times best-selling author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy, a novel about a young woman whose gift of second sight complicates her coming of age in late-nineteenth-century Scotland.

Growing up in the care of her grandparents on Belhaven Farm, Lizzie Craig discovers as a small child that she can see into the future. But her gift is selective - she doesn't, for instance, see that she has an older sister who will come to join the family. As her "pictures" foretell various incidents and accidents, she begins to realize a painful truth: she may glimpse the future, but she can seldom change it.

Nor can Lizzie change the feelings that come when a young man named Louis, visiting Belhaven for the harvest, begins to court her. Why have the adults around her not revealed that the touch of a hand can change everything? After following Louis to Glasgow, though, she learns the limits of his devotion. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, she makes a terrible mistake. But her second sight may allow her a second chance."

I'm all about second sight and it's complications.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett.

In Daretana's greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead - killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire's borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana's brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior - but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana's mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire's greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he's barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra - and wonders how long he'll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

By an "endlessly inventive" (Vulture) author with a "wicked sense of humor" (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that's at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new."

Take what is standard and add a twisted tree.

The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton
Published by: Peachtree Teen
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Moulin Rouge meets Holly Black in a thrilling sapphic friends-to-lovers romantasy!

This lavish and decedent LGBTQ+ fantasy romance will leave fans of Divine Rivals and Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries utterly enchanted!

After running away from home, Sybil Clarion is eager to embrace all the freedom the Belle Époque city of Severon has to offer. Instead, she's traded high-society soirées for empty pockets. At least she has Esme, the girl who offered Sybil a home, and if either of them dared, something more.

Ever since Esme Rimbaud brought Sybil back to her flat, the girls have been everything to each other - best friends, found family, and secret crushes. While Esme would rather spend the night tinkering with her clocks and snuggling her cats, Sybil craves excitement and needs money. She plans to get both by stealing the rare posters that crop up around town. With rent due, Esme agrees to accompany - and more importantly protect - Sybil.

When they're caught selling a poster by none other than its subject, Maeve, the glamorous girl invites Sybil and Esme to The Absinthe Underground, the exclusive club she co-owns, and reveals herself to be a Green Faerie, trapped in this world. She wants to hire thieves for a daring heist in Fae that would set her free, and is willing to pay enough that Sybil and Esme never have to worry about rent again. It's too good of an offer to pass up, even if Maeve's tragic story doesn't quite add up, and the secrets could jeopardize everything the girls have so carefully built.

Jamie Pacton, author of The Vermilion Emporium, dazzles in this whimsical and daring romantic fantasy. Fans of Fae lore, slow-burn sapphic pining, and decadently magical worlds will find The Absinthe Underground as ensorcelling as a fairy delight."

I love the real history of the Belle Époque intermingled with fantasy and fairies.

That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cheesemaker Brie has the world's worst luck in love, which is how she ends up falling for a lactose intolerant werewolf, in this raunchy, laugh-out-loud rom-com fantasy by the genre's freshest new voice, Kimberly Lemming.

Brie's never been particularly coordinated...or lucky. Who else would accidentally throw a drink at someone's head only to miss entirely and hit a stranger behind them? And who else would have that stranger fall madly in love with them because it turns out that the drink she threw was a love potion? Yeah, probably just Brie....

Running her cheese business and dealing with a pirate ship full of demons that just moved into town was hard enough. Now on top of it, she has to convince a werewolf that she's not really his fated mate. Though even she's got to admit...having a gorgeous man show up and do all her chores while telling her she's beautiful isn't the worst thing to happen to a girl."

I love this new cozy fantasy genre that's emerging. 

To Woo and to Wed by Martha Waters
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The final installment in the "hilarious and steamy" (PopSugar) Regency Vows series follows the heir to a dukedom and a young widow, once very much in love, as they reunite years later to fake an engagement for the benefit of her sister.

West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell, have lately been spending a considerable amount of time together. But West and Sophie are not new acquaintances. In fact, years ago, they had once been nearly engaged until West's almost fatal curricle accident and his meddling father threw them off course.

Now recently widowed, Sophie has put aside all thoughts of romance. But when her widowed sister, Alexandra, mentions a fondness for an earl, Sophie realizes that she may be holding her sister back. Alexandra won't move forward with an engagement until Sophie, too, settles down again, and so Sophie approaches West with a plan. They will announce their engagement and break things off once Alexandra is happily married. It'll be simple. After all, it's not like she is going to fall for West a second time, not when Sophie has sworn not to risk her heart again."

Sigh, Regency Romance!

I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Unforgettable, snarky, and romantic, I Hope This Doesn't Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters.

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It's not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She'd never send them of course - she'd rather die than hurt anyone's feelings - but it's a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie's work.

All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids.

"You're attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain...I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you've been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft..."

Sadie doesn't have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them...that is, until they're accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie's carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It's her worst nightmare - now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they're not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there's one person growing to appreciate the "real" Sadie - Julius, the only boy she's sworn to hate..."

This is literally my worst nightmare. Not that I'm sitting around writing bad things about people, just that there will be wires crossed with technology and something I don't want someone to know will be outed.

Lenny Henry by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Published by: Frances Lincoln Ltd
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Sir Lenny Henry, the multi-talented comedian, actor, writer and activist.

Ever since he was small, Lenny Henry wanted to be a comedian. At home in Dudley, England, he would pretend to be the characters he watched on TV, copying scenes from his favorite shows to entertain his six brothers and sisters. But life wasn't always easy, and at school, Lenny found himself the subject of racist bullying - until he figured out a way to beat the bullies using humor. This was when he realized he had a gift: he could make people laugh. He shot to fame aged 16 and the following decades were full of great successes, such as his hugely popular TV show The Lenny Henry Show.

Lenny co-founded the charity Comic Relief in response to a terrible famine in East Africa. Over 25 years later, Lenny and the charity remain committed to creating a just world, free from poverty, and have raised millions of pounds. An actor, a comedian, an author, and a champion of inclusivity, Lenny is a much-loved figure whose story encourages us to keep smiling."

And the thing is, unlike in the United States, Comic Relief in England is amazing and funny.

Queens of London by Heather Webb
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Maybe women can have it all, as long as they're willing to steal it.

1925. London. When Alice Diamond, AKA "Diamond Annie," is elected the Queen of the Forty Elephants, she's determined to take the all-girl gang to new heights. She's ambitious, tough as nails, and a brilliant mastermind, with a plan to create a dynasty the likes of which no one has ever seen. Alice demands absolute loyalty from her "family" - it's how she's always kept the cops in line. Too bad she's now the target for one of Britain's first female policewomen.

Officer Lilian Wyles isn't merely one of the first female detectives at Scotland Yard, she's one of the best detectives on the force. Even so, she'll have to win a big score to prove herself, to break free from the "women's work" she's been assigned. When she hears about the large-scale heist in the works to fund Alice's new dynasty, she realizes she has the chance she's been looking for - and the added bonus of putting Diamond Annie out of business permanently.

A tale of dark glamour and sisterhood, Queens of London is a look at Britain's first female crime syndicate, the ever-shifting meaning of justice, and the way women claim their power by any means necessary, from USA Today bestselling author Heather Webb."

Everybody is getting on the Alice Diamond trade!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ann Liang, Belle Epoque, C.L. Miller, Comic Relief, Heather Webb, Jamie Pacton, Kimberly Lemming, Lenny Henry, Margot Livesey, Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Martha Waters, Robert Jackson Bennett, Simon R. Green

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Jo Baker’s Longbourn, a witty, wonderfully original novel about Cassandra Austen and her famous sister, Jane.

Whoever looked at an elderly lady and saw the young heroine she once was?

England, 1840. Two decades after the death of her beloved sister, Jane, Cassandra Austen returns to the village of Kintbury and the home of her family friends, the Fowles. In a dusty corner of the vicarage, there is a cache of Jane’s letters that Cassandra is desperate to find. Dodging her hostess and a meddlesome housemaid, Cassandra eventually hunts down the letters and confronts the secrets they hold, secrets not only about Jane but about Cassandra herself. Will Cassandra bare the most private details of her life to the world, or commit her sister’s legacy to the flames?

Moving back and forth between the vicarage and Cassandra’s vibrant memories of her years with Jane, interwoven with Jane’s brilliantly reimagined lost letters, Miss Austen is the untold story of the most important person in Jane’s life. With extraordinary empathy, emotional complexity, and wit, Gill Hornby finally gives Cassandra her due, bringing to life a woman as captivating as any Austen heroine."

I know, like me, you're here for the lost letters!

The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Perfect for fans of Tasha Alexander and Rhys Bowen, Katharine Schellman's debut novel is sure to delight.

London 1815. Though newly-widowed Lily Adler is returning to a society that frowns on independent women, she is determined to create a meaningful life for herself even without a husband. She's no stranger to the glittering world of London's upper crust. At a ball thrown by her oldest friend, Lady Walter, she expects the scandal, gossip, and secrets. What she doesn't expect is the dead body in Lady Walter's garden.

Lily overheard the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail. But she's willing to leave the matter to the local constables - until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused, Lily realizes she's the only one with the key to catching the killer.

Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend's husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London's social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now, Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the murderer's next target."

Oh, oh, I'm a fan of Tasha Alexander!

To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this fresh and hilarious historical rom-com, an estranged husband and wife in Regency England feign accidents and illness in an attempt to gain attention - and maybe just win each other back in the process.

Five years ago, Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley met, fell in love, and got married. Four years ago, they had a fight to end all fights, and have barely spoken since.

Their once-passionate love match has been reduced to one of cold, detached politeness. But when Violet receives a letter that James has been thrown from his horse and rendered unconscious at their country estate, she races to be by his side - only to discover him alive and well at a tavern, and completely unaware of her concern. She’s outraged. He’s confused. And the distance between them has never been more apparent.

Wanting to teach her estranged husband a lesson, Violet decides to feign an illness of her own. James quickly sees through it, but he decides to play along in an ever-escalating game of manipulation, featuring actors masquerading as doctors, threats of Swiss sanitariums, faux mistresses - and a lot of flirtation between a husband and wife who might not hate each other as much as they thought. Will the two be able to overcome four years of hurt or will they continue to deny the spark between them?

With charm, wit, and heart in spades, To Have and to Hoax is a fresh and eminently entertaining romantic comedy - perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Julia Quinn."

Not enough people take advantage of the rom-com possibilities of the Regency Era!  

The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Reminiscent of The Golem and the Jinni, The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer is a magical and romantic tale set in New York’s Gilded Age.

New York 1905 - The Vanderbilts. The Astors. The Morgans. They are the cream of society - and they own the nation on the cusp of a new century.

Thalia Cutler doesn’t have any of those family connections. What she does know is stage magic and she dazzles audiences with an act that takes your breath away.

That is, until one night when a trick goes horribly awry. In surviving she discovers that she can shapeshift, and has the potential to take her place among the rich and powerful.

But first, she’ll have to learn to control that power...before the real monsters descend to feast."

I'm here for whatever Caroline Stevermer writes, but this has me swooning.

The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan
Published by: Redhook
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Gilded Age New York, a centuries-long clash between two magical families ignites when a young witch must choose between love and loyalty, power and ambition, in this magical novel by Louisa Morgan.

In 1692, Bridget Bishop was hanged as a witch. Two hundred years later, her legacy lives on in the scions of two very different lines: one dedicated to using their powers to heal and help women in need; the other, determined to grasp power for themselves by whatever means necessary.

This clash will play out in the fate of Annis, a young woman in Gilded Age New York who finds herself a pawn in the family struggle for supremacy. She'll need to claim her own power to save herself-and resist succumbing to the darkness that threatens to overcome them all."

More Gilded Age gloriousness! 

Sine Eater by Megan Campisi
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Handmaid’s Tale meets Alice in Wonderland in this gripping and imaginative historical novel about a shunned orphan girl in 16th-century England who is ensnared in a deadly royal plot and must turn her subjugation into her power.

The Sin Eater walks among us, unseen, unheard
Sins of our flesh become sins of Hers
Following Her to the grave, unseen, unheard
The Sin Eater Walks Among Us.

For the crime of stealing bread, fourteen-year-old May receives a life sentence: she must become a Sin Eater - a shunned woman, brutally marked, whose fate is to hear the final confessions of the dying, eat ritual foods symbolizing their sins as a funeral rite, and thereby shoulder their transgressions to grant their souls access to heaven.

Orphaned and friendless, apprenticed to an older Sin Eater who cannot speak to her, May must make her way in a dangerous and cruel world she barely understands. When a deer heart appears on the coffin of a royal governess who did not confess to the dreadful sin it represents, the older Sin Eater refuses to eat it. She is taken to prison, tortured, and killed. To avenge her death, May must find out who placed the deer heart on the coffin and why."

Sin Eaters have always fascinated me.

A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady Kiera Darby and her husband Sebastian Gage are looking forward to celebrating with new friends at an exciting yearly soiree, but they soon learn that murder never takes a holiday in the latest riveting installment in this national bestselling series.

January 1832. After enjoying a delightful few weeks with her family, expectant mother Kiera and Sebastian Gage have been invited to the Duchess of Bowmontʼs Twelfth Night party in Traquair, Scotland. Though she normally avoids such fashionable, rambunctious events, Kiera is ready to join in the festive merrymaking. But upon their arrival at the opulent estate, it becomes obvious that all is not merry in their hostess’s home. The family appears to be under a great strain, and someone seems determined to cause mayhem among the guests with a series of forged notes.

Matters swiftly turn from irksome to downright deadly when the partygoers stumble upon a decomposing body in the castleʼs crypt. The corpse is thought to be the duchessʼs son-in-law who had purportedly traveled to Paris more than a month earlier. It is evident the man met with foul play, and Kiera and Gage soon realize that a ruthless murderer walks among them - and may well be a member of the duchessʼs own family. And when the investigation takes a treacherous turn, Kiera discovers just how deep the killer is willing to dig to keep their secrets from ever seeing the light of day."

Twelfth Night celebrations? Can I RSVP?

One Fatal Flaw by Anne Perry
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two fiery deaths have young lawyer Daniel Pitt and his scientist friend Miriam fford Croft racing to solve a forensic crisis in this explosive new novel from New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry.

When a desperate woman comes to Daniel Pitt seeking a lawyer for her boyfriend, Rob Adwell, Daniel is convinced of the young man’s innocence. Adwell has been accused of murder and of setting a fire to conceal the body, but Daniel is sure that science can absolve him - and Miriam fford Croft is the best scientist he knows. Miriam connects Daniel with her former teacher Sir Barnabas Saltram, an expert in arson, and together, they reveal Adwell’s innocence by proving that an accidental fire caused the victim’s death. But it’s not long before Adwell is killed in the same fiery fashion. If these deaths are, in fact, murders, what essential clue could Daniel and Miriam have missed?

As their investigation deepens, one of Saltram’s former cases comes into question, and Miriam finds herself on the defensive. If the reasoning Saltram used in that case is proved false, several other cases will have to be re-tried, and Saltram’s expert status - not to mention Miriam’s reputation - will be ruined. Haunted by Saltram’s shady tactics in and outside of the classroom, Miriam is desperate to figure out truths both past and present and protect herself in the face of Saltram’s lies. What started as an accidental fire in Adwell’s case seems to be linked to a larger plot for revenge, with victims accumulating in its wake, and Miriam and Daniel must uncover who or what is stoking these recurring flames - before they, too, find themselves burned."

If anything can get you through what's going on in the state of the world it's some good murder brought to you by Anne Perry!

That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press,
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first book in an exciting new classic mystery series created in partnership with the Library of Congress, That Affair Next Door follows Miss Amelia Butterworth, an inquisitive single woman who becomes involved in a murder investigation after the woman next door turns up dead.

Miss Amelia Butterworth prides herself on being an observer of human nature, especially of the people she sees every day from her usual spot at her front window - that is, until she witnesses the prelude to a ghastly murder. Late at night, two people enter her neighbor's home, but only one leaves. The next morning a young woman is found dead, crushed beyond recognition beneath a cabinet. But her death was no accident - it soon comes to light that she was stabbed by a seemingly innocuous item: a hat pin.

Rife with social tension and mistaken identity, the messy case is assigned to veteran Detective Ebenezer Gryce. He expects Miss Butterworth to demurely return home, but she was there at the beginning of this case and she intends to see it through to the end. Miss Butterworth is determined to solve the mystery before the detective, but what begins as a battle of the sexes soon turns into a fight for the ever-elusive truth.

Anna Katharine Green is credited as the "mother of the detective novel," and the classic That Affair Next Door proves that the intrigue of a well-crafted mystery is timeless."

The Library of Congress bringing back forgotten crime classics? Did they read my mind!?!

The Benefit of Hindsight by Susan Hill
Published by: The Overlook Press
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Serrailler must confront his demons as Lafferton experiences a series of shocking crimes in this 10th book in Susan Hill’s shattering crime series.

Susan Hill stuns readers once again in The Benefit of Hindsight, the 10th book in her celebrated mystery series. Now recuperated after the violent incident that cost him his arm - and nearly his life - DCS Serrailler has returned to work, though he prefers to spend his spare time sketching the medieval angels being restored on the cathedral roof. With crime rates down, Lafferton has been quiet, until one night when two men open their front door to a distressing scene. Serrailler makes a serious error of judgment when handling the incident, and the stress of this, combined with the ongoing trauma of losing his arm, takes its toll. In the tradition of the fabulous mysteries of Ruth Rendell and P. D. James, The Benefit of Hindsight is Susan Hill’s best work yet - a chilling new addition to a highly acclaimed series."

I just recently acquired the rest of  Hill's Serrailler series and can't wait to dive in!

Die for Me by Luke Jennings
Published by: Mulholland Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Following the wildly popular BBC America adaption of Codename Villanelle, a high-stakes, addictive installment of Jennings's acclaimed Killing Eve series.

Though the cat and mouse chase between these two lethal adversaries has seemingly ended, the sophisticated, deadly thrill of Eve and Villanelle's relationship is far from over. Told in Jennings's stylish prose, Killing Eve: Die for Me is another page-turning chapter in the espionage exploits of Eve and Villanelle."

If your a fan of the show you should read the books, they're different but still captivating.

Fantastic Hope by Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A collection of sixteen sci-fi and fantasy stories edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton and author William McCaskey.

A child’s wish for her father comes true. The end of the world has never been so much fun. Conquering personal demons becomes all too real. It’s not always about winning; sometimes it’s about showing up for the fight. It’s about loving your life’s work, and jobs that make you question everything.

In this anthology, seventeen authors have woven together brand-new stories that speak to the darkness and despair that life brings while reminding us that good deeds, humor, love, sacrifice, dedication, and following our joy can ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last.

Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey are joined by Kevin J. Anderson, Griffin Barber, Patricia Briggs, Larry Correia, Kacey Ezell, Monalisa Foster, Robert E. Hampson, John G. Hartness, Jonathan Maberry, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jessica Schlenker, Sharon Shinn, M. C. Sumner, Patrick M. Tracy, and Michael Z. Williamson in this collection."

Here for Patirica Briggs, everything else is just icing on the cake.

This Magick Marmot by Sharon Paper
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 200 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A fatal case of school spirit...

Kailyn Wilde, owner of the Abracadabra potion shop, feels some dread anticipating her ten-year high school reunion at the new hotel in New Camel - but it turns out even worse than she feared. Running into her very first boyfriend is pleasant enough. Chatting with Ashley - who still can’t let go of a tragedy that happened on prom night - is a bit more uncomfortable. But the worst part comes when one of Kailyn’s oldest friends is found dead in the ladies’ room.

Soon this upstate New York town is in an uproar. And with some help from time-traveling wizard Merlin - who has adopted an unusual and alluring creature as his familiar - it’s up to Kailyn to identify the alumnus most likely to commit murder..."

I LOVE high school reunions with a side of murder!

Titan's Day by Dan Stout
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The second book in the acclaimed Carter Archives noir fantasy series returns to the gritty town of Titanshade, where danger lurks around every corner.

The city of Titanshade pulses with nervous energy. The discovery of new riches beneath its snowfields has given residents hope for prosperity, but it also means the arrival of federal troops, along with assurances that they are only there to "stabilize the situation".

Newcomers flood the streets, dreaming of finding their fortunes, while in the backrooms and beer halls of the city, a populist resistance gains support, its leaders' true motives hidden behind nativist slogans. And in an alley, a gruesome discovery: the mutilated body of a young woman, a recent immigrant so little-regarded that not even her lovers bothered to learn her name. But in death, she's found a champion.

Detective Carter single-mindedly pursues the killer as he navigates political pressures and resists becoming a pawn in the struggles tipping the city toward anarchy. But when more innocent lives are lost and time runs short, he's forced to decide if justice is worth sparking all-out war in the streets during the biggest celebration of the year: Titan's Day."

We you just can't decide between reading a fantasy book or a noir book look to Titan's Day!

Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz
Published by: DC Comics
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alex and Eliza and The Witches of East End comes a reimagining of Gotham for a new generation of readers. Before they became Batman, Catwoman, and The Joker, Bruce, Selina, and Jack were high schoolers who would do whatever it took - even destroy the ones they love - to satisfy their own motives.

After being kicked out of his boarding school, 16-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What once was his family home is now an empty husk, lonely but haunted by the memory of his parents' murder. Selina Kyle, once the innocent girl next door, now rules over Gotham High School with a dangerous flair, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.

When a kidnapping rattles the school, Bruce seeks answers as the dark and troubled knight - but is he actually the pawn? Nothing is ever as it seems, especially at Gotham High, where the parties and romances are of the highest stakes...and where everyone is a suspect.

With enchanting art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is just as intoxicating as it is chilling, in which dearest friends turn into greatest enemies - all within the hallways of Gotham High!"

Excited to see what energy Melissa de la Cruz brings to the DC Universe! 

Alan Turing by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Published by: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Alan Turing, the genius code cracker and father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

Alan grew up in England, where his best friends were numbers and a little boy called Christopher. When his young friend died, Alan retreated to the world of numbers and codes, where he discovered how to crack the code of the Nazi Enigma machine. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant mathematician's life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games, and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!"

It's Turing Time!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alan Turing, Anna Katharine Green, Anna Lee Huber, Anne Perry, Caroline Stevermer, Dan Stout, Katharine Schellman, Killing Eve, Louisa Morgan, Martha Waters, Megan Campisi, Patricia Briggs, Sharon Pape, Susan Hill