strange and random happenstance

The Austen Intrigue by Julia Golding
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 345 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"1812 London

Up-and-coming novelist Jane Austen joins forces with London's most esteemed investigative duo - the infamous Dora Fitz-Pennington and disgraced son of a Viscount, Jacob Sandys - to solve the brutal murder of a French count and his opera singer wife. The killer took his own life immediately after the crime - but who sent him and why?

As they find themselves swept up in London's shadowy underworld, can Dora and Jacob uncover the truth without jeopardising national security, and with the promises they made to each other still intact? And will their unique love story end up in the pages of one of Austen's novels?"

I'm intrigued as to why the killer took his own life...

Murder at Donwell Abbey by Vanessa Kelly
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This latest Regency-era mystery from USA Today bestselling author Vanessa Kelly finds Jane Austen's clever Emma Knightley (nee Woodhouse) as an amateur sleuth, navigating shocking changes in her family - while meeting her match in a deadly adversary...

Emma's spirits are elevated after she and husband George Knightley host a joyful holiday celebration at the Hartfield estate. But it's instantly a bitter January when her father makes an unexpected announcement - he and Miss Hetty Bates have decided to marry. Not only must Emma relinquish her role as mistress of the household, but also accept the reality that the excitable Miss Bates will become her stepmother...

More unwanted news arrives during an extravagant betrothal ball at Donwell Abbey, the grand Knightley estate where Emma and George will soon permanently reside. Nearly every villager in Highbury revels in the dazzling affair - except Emma's hardworking lady's maid, Prudence Parr. To Emma's horror, Prudence is found dead, sprawled across the stones of the library terrace...

The woman's tragic fall is quickly ruled a terrible accident and whispers circulate around personal troubles leading up to her untimely demise. But Emma's instincts tell her that something far more sinister is at play. Now, Highbury's matchmaker-turned-sleuth vows to outwit a cunning criminal before an innocent man loses his freedom - or Donwell Abbey plunges into a darker mystery..."

Oh my, just the sheer inanities of a Miss Bates and Mr. Wodehouse wedding! It's destined for failure but I can't look away!

A Murder in the Making by Victoria Laurie
Published by: Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The latest mesmerizing novel in a new mystery series featuring the captivating Dovey Van Dalen, once the belle of 1840s Copenhagen, now a spellbound, magic-wielding mystic in present-day Washington, D.C., charged with recovering magical property from the unbound - by any means necessary.

Dovey didn't expect to fall in love after the age of 200, yet she can't stop thinking about Grant "Gib" Barlow, the gorgeous FBI agent who helped her crack her last case. A romance with an unbound is obviously a terrible idea, but for Gib, it could be fatal - because Dovey's employer, Elric Ostergaard, arguably the most powerful mystic in the world, also happens to be her longtime lover.

Alas, Dovey's efforts to steer clear of Gib become impossible when her best friend, fellow mystic, and unapologetic romantic, Ursula Göransdotter, tricks them into a lunch date - during which Gib is alerted that a fellow agent has been murdered in his own home. The state of the crime scene, and of the body, seem to defy logic - but Dovey immediately recognizes the Crushing Curse, which could only be cast by a supremely powerful mystic - like her boss. When another agent is killed in the same manner, Dovey races to find Elric for answers.

Meanwhile, the FBI body count rises, and it becomes clear that a rogue mystic is targeting the unbound agents, but why? What ensues is another missing magical trinket, a tense confrontation with Elric, a shocking discovery about Gib, and grave danger to all involved - forcing Dovey to navigate realm-crossing love triangles, supernatural power struggles - and ultimately, her own surprisingly vulnerable heart..."

Anyone else picture Gib as a young Mark Harmon?

The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Academy always comes first...which makes marriage to its most formidable adversary an exceedingly inconvenient arrangement.

Well removed from London's more curious eyes, the Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies strives toward one clandestine goal: to distract, disrupt, and discredit men in power who would seek to harm the advancement of women - by appropriate means, of course.

When intrepid newspaper editor Miles Quincey starts to question the school's intentions, the Academy appoints Penelope "Nell" Trewlove, one of their brightest graduates, to put this nuisance to rest. An easy enough mission, she supposes. Or it would be, if Miles wasn't so fascinating - too fascinating to resist - and if Nell's visit to London didn't perfectly coincide with the murder of one of Miles's reporters.

When the inexorable claws of fate trap Nell and Miles in a compromising situation, they agree to an arrangement that will save their reputations while enabling them to investigate the story that led to a man's death, as well as the surprising chemistry between them..."

I love that even with a clandestine academy one's reputation can be ruined.

Murder at Cottonwood Creek by Clara McKenna
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Far from England and their beloved Morrington Hall, Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst and his American wife, heiress and equestrian Stella Kendrick - now Lady Lyndhurst - find fossils and murder in Montana...

Led by his passion for paleontology, Lyndy's father, Lord Atherly, has traveled all the way to Montana, to explore the fossil-rich horse ranch owned by Stella's mother, Katherine, and her second husband, Ned Smith. Urged by Lady Atherly to look after her husband, Stella and Lyndy follow in his wake. Stella is excited to be reunited with her mother, and Lyndy is eager to experience the real "Wild West." Both are equally thrilled to participate in a fossil dig.

But when a local man who was guarding the dig site overnight is found the next morning dead in a creek bed, the couple fear his death may not have been an accident - especially when things get wilder still. The paleontologist on the dig has his notebook stolen, several fossil bones disappear, and a second body is found in the research tent.

No one is above suspicion - a rival paleontologist up to some skullduggery, members of their own crew, even Lord Atherly himself. Stella and Lyndy must keep digging to unearth the clues that will expose a killer in their midst - before more bones must be buried..."

Montana is prime fossil territory. I mean, we all learned that from Jurassic Park right?

Trouble in the Alps by Vivian Conroy
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 312 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A devastating accident.

An isolated hotel.

A murdered guest...

When Miss Atalanta Ashford learns that her dear friend Raoul Lemont has had a serious accident, she rushes to his remote hotel in the Alps only to discover he has no memory of her - or his life before.

Atalanta is determined to stay undercover while she helps Raoul recover. But when another resident is found dead, she is pulled into the hotel's dark secrets. Can she untangle the web in time for them to escape the snowy mountains with their lives?

Look out for more Miss Ashford mysteries and get your passports ready as you travel with her to some of the most sought-after destinations on the continent..."

I love me some murder in snowbound locals.

The Bishop Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 394 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In one of the most well-known classic American murder mysteries, amateur detective Philo Vance must solve a puzzle series of crimes based on nursery rhymes.

A series of gruesome murders has left the glittering world of Jazz Age Manhattan in shock.

When Cock Robin is found dead with an arrow through his chest, New York's DA calls in amateur detective and professional flâneur Philo Vance to solve the case. But this mystery proves to be more challenging than Vance could have imagined, and a cunning presence seems to be constantly one step ahead of him. As Vance investigates, more gruesome murders occur, and a sinister pattern begins to emerge: each perverse death is staged to represent a line from a nursery rhyme.

In an even more disturbing twist, after each murder, the perpetrator sends a note to the press, signed simply 'The Bishop.' As more deaths go unsolved, the murderer's hubris grows, and each act is more brazen than the last. Vance must move quickly to stop the Bishop's bloody spree among the upper echelons of New York society.

Set against the glittering backdrop of Jazz Age Manhattan with a distinctive and erudite detective, this is considered one of the great classic detective stories. This intricate and skillfully crafted murder mystery is sure to delight any armchair detective."

If you're a fan of mysteries and you don't have any S.S. Van Dine on your shelf you need to rectify that. Now.

Murder at the Scottish Ball by Millicent Binks
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 269 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Holly wreaths, eggnog by a roaring fire and...A body by the Christmas tree? Opal Laplume is on the case!

December 1934. Spending the holidays in a Scottish castle has made Opal Laplume's festive wishes come true. Sir Seamus' Christmas Eve ball is legendary, and Opal dons her finest gown for an exquisite night of bubbles, baubles, and tartan kilts. But the festivities come to a screeching halt when their gracious host is electrocuted by some faulty Christmas lights.

The mood soon turns from festive to frosty when Opal discovers that what seemed like a tragic accident was in fact a deadly sabotage. Everyone has something to hide. Sir Seamus' marriage was crumbling like a piece of Scottish shortbread. Did his wife take 'til death do us part' too far? The butler was promised a large sum from Sir Seamus' will. Did he want an early Christmas bonus? And who is the ghostly figure playing bagpipes in the tower at night?

Just as the killer proves as difficult to find as the Loch Ness Monster, one of the guests is found smothered in their bedroom. Opal soon discovers Sir Seamus was hiding a deadly secret on a small island off the rugged Scottish coast. Can she find the key to the mystery there, before the entire party perishes? Or will this Christmas be her last?

An addictive and twisty Golden Age murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. Fans of Agatha Christie. T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright won't be able to put this down!"

Now that we're so near to Thanksgiving you better have your holiday reading list ready. And if you don't, here's one to add to it!

Vows and Villainy by Elizabeth Penney
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Vows and Villainy is the fifth book in Elizabeth Penney's delightful Cambridge Bookshop series set in Cambridge, England, where celebrations are about to commence.

It's wedding season in Cambridge, and Molly Kimball is thrilled that it's almost time for her best friend's special day. With the help of her boyfriend Kieran Scott, she is determined to be the best maid of honor for Daisy and Tim. Daisy's heart is set upon a Shakespeare-themed wedding to be held at Hazelhurst House, Kieran's family's home. The Scotts are also hosting a Shakespeare troupe for the summer, and the actors have kindly agreed to be part of the festivities.

But all goes awry with the discovery of Sir Nigel Peck, a famous actor with a checkered past and present-day misdeeds, floating dead in the moat with flowers strewn around him, à la Ophelia. When Kieran's brother Alan becomes a top suspect, Molly and company must investigate to uncover the ugly truth behind this picturesque scene...before more bodies pile up.

Can Molly solve the murder before Daisy and Tim say "I do"?"

The one time I was a maid of honor I would have totally rocked solving a murder at the same time.

Death and Dinuguan by Mia P. Manansala
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Love is in the air for the citizens of Shady Palms, but Cupid's arrow isn't the only thing striking the town - not with another killer on the loose.

Things are looking up for the Brew-ha Cafe, and Lila Macapagal can't think of anything that could break the spell, especially with Valentine's Day coming up - she can't wait to celebrate with her boyfriend, Jae Park. Adding to the lovey-dovey atmosphere is Hana Lee, Shady Palms's newest resident. She's also Jae's beloved cousin and chocolatier at Choco Noir, the latest addition to the town's culinary offerings. Everything is coming into place for Hana, who left her old life in Minnesota behind to work at Choco Noir, owned by her best friend.

Unfortunately, beneath the sweet surface of Shady Palms runs a bitter undercurrent, as a series of attacks against women-owned businesses in the area escalates from petty theft to assault and murder when Hana is found knocked unconscious inside Choco Noir, and the chocolate shop owner is put out of business - for good.

With Hana left in a coma, a murderer hiding amongst them, and the safety of the women entrepreneurs of Shady Palms at risk, the Park brothers team up with the Brew-ha crew to put a stop to the villain before they strike again."

Come one, didn't one person at Berkley think to make a unsweetened chocolate joke instead of bitter undercurrent!?!

Now Dead by Kate Bold
Published by: Kate Bold
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 191 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a serial killer leaves an eerie trail echoing Greek mythology, brilliant FBI Agent Brynn Justice must race to halt a delusional psychopath - and save the next victim before it's too late...

In a deadly twist on ancient warfare, victims are forced into lethal duels at the hands of a killer emulating the wrath of Ares. It's up to FBI Agent Brynn Justice to enter the arena of murder and outwit an adversary who's always one fatal step ahead.

Now Dead is book #4 in a new series by #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Kate Bold, whose bestseller Not Me (a free download) has received over 3,00 five star ratings and reviews. The series begins with Now Run (Book #1).

The Brynn Justice mystery series is a heart-racing cat-and-mouse narrative brimming with shocking twists and unexpected turns. This series breathes new life into the mystery genre with its unique lead character, guaranteed to capture your heart and compel you to read well past bedtime. Fans of Lisa Regan, Karin Slaughter, and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love."

I'm always here for a serial killer with a twist.

Fatal Decision by Ted Taylor
Published by: Vinci Books Ltd
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"He thought he'd left his life as a detective behind. But the past has a deadly way of catching up.

Three years after losing his wife, retired DI Gus Freeman is drawn back into the force to lead a new cold case unit. His first investigation: the brutal murder of Daphne Tolliver, a widow killed during her morning walk through the seemingly peaceful Wiltshire woods.

As Freeman and his team peel back layers of small-town secrets, they discover a web of hidden relationships and festering grudges. But the deeper they dig, the more dangerous their investigation becomes.

With the killer still at large and watching their every move, Freeman must confront not only a cunning adversary but the demons of his own past - before another life is claimed.

In this picturesque town, every silence has a story - and not everyone wants the truth revealed."

I just want to read this for the Wiltshire woods. And obviously the murder.

The Villa, Once Beloved by Victor Manibo
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dark history is unearthed amid crumbling façades in Lambda Literary fellow Victor Manibo's new gothic tale of family, homecoming, and postcolonial vengeance...

SOME LEGACIES ARE BEST LEFT BURIED...

Villa Sepulveda is a storied relic of the Philippines' past: a Spanish colonial manor, its moldering stonework filled with centuries-old heirlooms, nestled in a remote coconut plantation. When their patriarch dies mysteriously, his far-flung family returns to their ancestral home. Filipino-American student Adrian Sepulveda invites his college girlfriend, Sophie, a transracial adoptee who knows little about her own Filipino heritage, to the funeral of a man who was entwined with the history of the country itself.

Sophie soon learns that there is more to the Sepulvedas than a grand tradition of political and entrepreneurial success. Adrian's relatives clash viciously amid grief, confusion, and questions about the family curse that their matriarch refuses to answer. When a landslide traps them all in the villa, secrets begin to emerge, revealing sins both intimately personal and unthinkably public.

Sifting through fact, folklore, and fiction, Sophie finds herself at the center of a reckoning. Did a mythical demon really kill Adrian's grandfather? How complicit are the Sepulvedas in the country's oppressive history? As a series of ill omens befall the villa, Sophie must decide whom to trust - and whom to flee - before the family's true legacy comes to take its revenge..."

Here for all the gothic goodness.

Hobtown Mystery Stories Vol. 3: The Secret of the Saucer by Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes
Published by: Oni Press
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 264 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Return to Hobtown, the charming rural village in Nova Scotia at the heart of surreal and haunting mysteries, and home to the after-school Teen Detective Club dedicated to solving them. The third must-read volume of the page-turning series that the New York Times calls "forceful and haunting" starts here for the first time ever in a fully colored edition from creators Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes!

The lines between conspiracy and reality tangle during election season in Hobtown as a new-old member of the Teen Detective Club surfaces to challenge Dana's leadership and redirect the group's attention back to the discounted but pressing concern that "ALIENS!" are among us. On a grander scale, amid the town's hotly contested mayoral race, the arrival of a flying saucer and a chaotic "Ape Lord" being pursued by the local Knitting Circle have the teen sleuths of Hobtown unsure if they're coming or going, as literal backward thinking tears at the threads of their friendships and their grasp on their latest case..."

Regressive thinking is the most dangerous threat out there!

Friday: The Complete Series by Ed Brubaker, Marcos Martin, and Muntsa Vincente
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Yellowjackets meets The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in this genre-defying, post-YA masterpiece, now collecting all three volumes in one deluxe hardcover!

Friday Fitzhugh spent her childhood solving crimes and digging up occult secrets with her best friend Lancelot Jones, the smartest boy in the world. But that was the past, now she's in college, starting a new life on her own. Except when Friday comes home for the holidays, she's immediately pulled back into Lance's orbit and finds that something very strange and dangerous is happening in their little New England town...

This is literally the Christmas vacation from Hell and neither of them may survive to see the New Year.

From award-winning creators Ed Brubaker (Criminal, Reckless, Kill or be Killed) and Marcos Martin (The Private Eye, Daredevil), with brilliant colors by Muntsa Vicente, Friday is a chilling, coming-of-age story about growing up, letting go, and uncovering the darkness hidden in familiar places.

Collects all three volumes plus extra features."

Christmas vacation for college freshman is a deadly vortex of past and present! So masterfully brought to life here. I will literally read anything Ed Brubaker writes!

As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An inventive and romantic speculative novel about two women - a witch and an immortal demon - who make a Faustian bargain and are drawn into a cat-and-mouse chase across multiple lifetimes.

1592. Cybil Harding is a First Daughter. Cursed to bring disaster to those around her, she is trapped in a house with a mother paralyzed by grief and a father willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of magic.

Miriam Richter is a creature of shadow. Forged by the dark arts many years ago, she is doomed to exist for eternity and destined to be alone - killing mortals and consuming their souls for sustenance. Everything changes when she meets Cybil, whose soul shines with a light so bright, she must claim it for herself. She offers a bargain: she will grant Cybil reincarnation in exchange for her soul.

Thus begins a dance across centuries as Miriam seeks Cybil in every lifetime to claim her prize. Cybil isn't inclined to play by the rules, but when it becomes clear that Miriam holds the key to breaking her family curse, Cybil finds that - for the first time in her many lives - she might have the upper hand. As they circle each other, drawn together inescapably as light and dark, the bond forged between them grows stronger. In their battle for dominance, only one of them can win - but perhaps they can't survive without each other.

Natasha Siegel has written an unexpected love story that feels both epic and deeply personal. Ambitious, gothic, and magical, As Many Souls as Stars is about the lengths we go to protect ourselves, our legacy, and those we love."

A true symbiosis.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Clara McKenna, Ed Brubaker, Elizabeth Penney, Julia Golding, Kate Bold, Mia P. Manansala, Millicent Binks, Mimi Matthews, Natasha Siegel, S.S. Van Dine, Ted Taylor, Vanessa Kelly, Victor Manibo, Victoria Laurie, Vivian Conroy

Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy
Published by: Gillian Flynn Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sister Holiday is back with a newly minted PI apprentice certificate, a twisty mystery to solve, and something to prove in this fast-paced, blistering follow-up to Scorched Grace.

Tattooed from her neck to her toes and sporting a gold tooth as sharp as her wisecracks, Sister Holiday struggles to stay on the righteous path. Never one to make things easy for herself, she's committed to taking her permanent vows with the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and joining former fire inspector Magnolia Riveaux's latest venture, Redemption Detective Agency - both in service of satisfying her eternal quest for answers.

When Sister Holiday and Riveaux set out to bust a philandering husband, they instead find the body of a priest floating in the swollen Mississippi River, and with it, Redemption's next case. It's significantly more gruesome than their original mission, but Sister Holiday feels called on by God to hunt down the murderer and keep her community safe.

As a torrential rainstorm drowns New Orleans for three harrowing days over Easter weekend, Sister Holiday and Riveaux follow the clues. With the stakes rising alongside the relentless floodwaters, our favorite punk nun-sleuth throws herself into the deep end yet again.

A lacerating and lyrical plunge into obsession, deception, and the questions that hold us captive, Blessed Water is a lights-out mystery that will leave you breathless."

Called by God to hunt down the murderer! Preach it!

The Mermaid Murder by Maggie Shayne
Published by: Oliver Heber books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 248 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hey, I'm Rachel de Luca, a self-help guru with a potty mouth and a penchant for crime-solving. My partner, soon to be husband if I can get over my paralyzing fear, is Mason Brown, a detective with the Binghamton PD.

Ten years ago, professional mermaid Eva Quaid disappeared without a trace from The Sapphire Club. Now, my niece Misty is working at the same club, doing the same job. Coincidentally, (not) Misty's college roommate is in the thick of her self-produced true crime podcast about the same cold case. Misty has kept every bit of this from our way-too-close-for-privacy family.

None of this would be a big deal, except that I've been having nightmares. It's my wedding day, and I look from my adoring groom to my twin nieces, face down in the shallows of the reservoir behind the altar.

I dreamt, too, of a dying mermaid who's been trying to get my attention ever since.

When my sister Sandra says she's worried about her twin daughters, Mason and I agree to do a little snooping - only to find Misty has been keeping some big secrets, and is not where she's supposed to be. Nobody knows where she is.

I'm pretty sure that Misty's gone off the grid with her podcasting partner Zig to surveil their favorite suspects in the ten-year-old case of the missing mermaid.

I'm even more sure the mermaid is dead, and that her killer is determined to keep their oldest, deadliest secret, even if it means taking another young woman's life.

I have to find my beloved niece before my visions come true - the way they always do."

There's something seedy and mysterious about people who make their living as a mermaid. It's a whole world riff with dark possibilities. 

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud's. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why?

Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain - a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?"

I mean, the killer is Vincent Price right?

The Hedgewitch of Foxgall by Anna Bright
Published by: Harperteen
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this gorgeous stand-alone fantasy romance perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Allison Saft, a rebellious witch undertakes a last-ditch quest to restore magic to medieval Wales - as two princes vie for her heart.

Magic is fading from Wales - choked off by King Offa's Dyke, the enemy earthworks that spans the entire border. Even the dragons have disappeared. And now an attack is imminent.

Prince Taliesin would love to watch magic die. Prince Dafydd fears it, and the throne. But when their father promises the crown to whichever son can destroy the dyke and restore magic to Wales, the brothers are forced into an uneasy rivalry.

Ffion works hedgewitch magic for poor folk, not princes. Unlike the power-hungry Foxhall coven, she uses only what nature can spare. But when the coven's greed costs Ffion everything, she will need power beyond her wildest dreams to get back what she's lost.

So when Prince Taliesin arrives, begrudgingly seeking a witch's aid, Ffion agrees to help him - even if it means walking from one end of Wales to the other with the most useless peacock she's ever clapped eyes on. Even if it means striking a bargain with Dafydd behind Tal's back. The fate of Wales depends on their quest...and so might the fate of Ffion's heart."

Love me a good hedgewitch.

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A passionate tale of plague, fire, and forbidden love in seventeenth-century London from the acclaimed author of Solomon's Crown.

It is 1666, one year after plague has devastated England. Young widow Cecilia Thorowgood is a prisoner, trapped and isolated within her older sister's cavernous London townhouse. At the mercy of a legion of doctors trying to cure her grief with their impatient scalpels, Cecilia shows no sign of improvement. Soon, her sister makes a decision born of desperation: She hires a new physician, someone known for more unusual methods. But he is a foreigner. A Jew. And despite his attempts to save Cecilia, he knows he cannot quell the storm of sorrow that rages inside her. There is no easy cure for melancholy.

David Mendes fled Portugal to seek a new life in London, where he could practice his faith openly and leave the past behind. Still reeling from the loss of his beloved friend and struggling with his religion and his past, David is free and safe in this foreign land but incapable of happiness. The security he has found in London threatens to disappear when he meets Cecilia, and he finds himself torn between his duty to medicine and the beating of his own heart. He is the only one who can see her pain; the glimmers of light she emits, even in her gloom, are enough to make him believe once more in love.

Facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, David and Cecilia must endure prejudice, heartbreak, and calamity before they can be together. The Great Fire is coming - and with the city in flames around them, love has never felt so impossible."

And not to spoil anything, but history shows us that England isn't that religiously tolerant as one might hope...

The Swan's Nest by Laura McNeal
Published by: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.

On a bleak January day in 1845, a poet who had been confined to her room for four years by recurrent illness received a letter from a writer she secretly idolized but had never seen. "I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett," Robert Browning wrote, "and I love you too."

Elizabeth Barrett was ecstatic. She was famous for her poetry but completely cut off from the kind of international travel that Browning used to fuel his obscure, unsuccessful, innovative poems, one of which was written from a murderer's point of view. They began an affectionate correspondence, but Elizabeth kept delaying a visit. What would happen when he saw her in person? What was Robert really like? Could she persuade her father and brothers that he was honorable, even though she had never met his family? And what would happen if she gave in to Robert's wild proposal that they go to Italy and see if the sun could cure her?

McNeal brilliantly tells the story of how Robert and Elizabeth fell in love with each other's words and shocked her conservative, close-knit family and the literary world. Sensitively and lyrically written, as rich as the lovers' own poetry, The Swan's Nest will sweep up readers in the triumphant story of two people forced to choose between a safe, stable life and the love they felt for each other."

When I was clearing off my shelves I had a set of poetry books, the only ones I decided to keep where Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett's.

At the Stroke of Midnight by Jenni Keer
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's 1923 and in a decade that promises excitement and liberation, Pearl Glenham and her father are invited to a mysterious country house party on the Dorset coast, by a total stranger.

Her father claims not to have any prior association with Highcliffe House, but upon arrival, it is apparent that he has a shared history with several of the guests, although he won't admit it. Belatedly discovering that her father was blackmailed into attending, Pearl's worries are compounded when their host fails to arrive...

Intimidated by everyone at the party, she escapes to the nearby cove and stumbles upon a mysterious mercury clock hidden in a cave. This strange encounter sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in an horrific house fire, claiming the lives of all the guests, including Pearl herself.

But then Pearl wakes up back in the cave, seemingly destined never to live past midnight. She can repeat the day. But can she change its outcome?"

Time loop at a country house party? My catnip!

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier by Emily Matchar
Published by: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Four generations. One remarkable hotel. Countless secrets.

Nestled in the hills of West Virginia lies White Sulphur Springs, home to the Greenbrier Resort. Long a playground for presidents and film stars, the Greenbrier has its own gravitational pull. Over ten decades, four generations of the Zelner family must grapple with their place in its shadow...and within their own family.

In 1942, young mother Sylvia is desperate to escape her stifling marriage, especially when it means co-running Zelner's general store with her husband. When the Greenbrier is commandeered for use as a luxury prison, Sylvia finds her fidelity strained and her heart on the line.

Seventeen years later, Sylvia's daughter, Doree, struggles to fit in, eagerly awaiting the day she'll leave for college and meet a nice Jewish boy. But when a handsome stranger comes to town and her brother Alan's curiosity puts him and Sylvia at risk, Doree is torn between loyalty and desire.

An immersive family saga rich with historical detail, In the Shadow of the Greenbrier explores the inevitable clash between past and future and the extraordinary moments in ordinary lives."

I want to stay at Greenbrier.

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski
Published by: Avon Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Armed with a Crock-Pot and a pile of recipes, a grandmother, her granddaughter, and a mysterious young man work to bring a community together in this uplifting novel for readers of The Chicken Sisters.

Esther Larson has been cooking for funerals in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for seventy years. Known locally as the "funeral ladies," she and her cohort have worked hard to keep the mourners of Ellerie County fed - it is her firm belief that there is very little a warm casserole and a piece of cherry pie can't fix. But, after falling for an internet scam that puts her home at risk, the proud Larson family matriarch is the one in need of help these days.

Iris, Esther's whip-smart Gen Z granddaughter, would do anything for her family and her community. As she watches her friends and family move out of their lakeside town onto bigger and better things, Iris wonders why she feels so left behind in the place she is desperate to make her home. But when Cooper Welsh shows up, she finally starts to feel like she's found the missing piece of her puzzle.

Cooper is dealing with becoming a legal guardian to his younger half-sister after his beloved stepmother dies. While their celebrity-chef father is focused on his booming career and top-ranked television show, Cooper is still hurting from a public tragedy he witnessed last year as a paramedic and finding it hard to cope. With Iris in the gorgeous Ellerie County, though, he hopes he might finally find the home he's been looking for.

It doesn't seem like a community cookbook could possibly solve their problems, especially one where casseroles have their own section and cream of chicken soup mix is the most frequently used ingredient. But when you mix the can-do spirit of Midwestern grandmothers with the stubborn hope of a boy raised by food plus a dash of long-awaited forgiveness - things might just turn out okay."

I will read anything set in Wisconsin. Anything.

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The sequel to Ripley Jones's unforgettable YA thriller Missing Clarissa, The Other Lola is about what happens when the people you love the most are the people you can trust the least.

In the months after Cam and Blair broke their small hometown's legendary missing-girl story and catapulted to accidental fame, they vowed never to do it again. No more mysteries, no more podcasts, and no more sticking their heads where they don't belong.

Until Mattie Brosillard, a freshman at their high school, shows up on their doorstep, begging Cam and Blair for help. Mattie's sister Lola disappeared mysteriously five years ago. No trace of her was ever found. Now, she's back - but Mattie is convinced the girl who returned is an impostor. Nobody believes Mattie's wild story - not Mattie's brother, not Mattie's mother, and not even Cam and Blair. But something is definitely wrong in the Brosillard family. And Blair has her own reasons for wanting to know what really happened to Lola while she was gone.

With Cam and Blair still struggling with the aftermath of their first mystery - and with new secrets swirling between them - the stakes are higher than ever in this can't-miss sequel to Missing Clarissa."

I'm always fascinated by stories where people might not be who they say they are...

Chrysalis and Requiem by Quinton Li
Published by: Quinton Li Editorial
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 310 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art.

Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another.

But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death.

Chrysalis & Requiem is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love."

What would you do if a killer asked you to solve a murder they committed?

Moon Soul by Nathaniel Luscombe
Published by: Dragon Bone Publishing
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 184 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""I don't think I can justify it any longer. I'm going to quit my job."

August has never been good with change and isn't sure who she is beyond her job of reading memories in the sand. When she comes to the conclusion that she has to quit her job, she's left with an overwhelming sense of emptiness. What follows is the quiet chaos of a girl regaining control over her life on a small desert moon.

Deciding to take a job in the hanging gardens of the Spire, August discovers more to life as she meets new friends, forms a different connection with her home, and faces an unexpected visitor from her past.

Rich in relatable emotions and experiences, inspiring in message, and written in prose that will hook you from page one, Moon Soul is a science fantasy novella unlike any you've read before. It will leave you feeling seen and understood."

Strong Little Prince vibes.

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Return to the world of Godkiller in this thrilling sequel to the #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut.

When Middren falls to the gods, your kind will be the first to die.

Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren - but now they are stirring, whispering of war. Godkiller Kissen sacrificed herself to vanquish the fire god Hseth, who murdered her family and endangered her friends. But gods cannot be destroyed so easily, and Hseth's power threatens to reform with even greater strength and a thirst for vengeance. As tensions rise throughout the land, the kingdom needs its Godkiller more than ever.

Still reeling from the loss of Kissen, young noble Inara and her little god of white lies, Skedi, have set out to discover more about the true nature of their bond. As the divide between gods and humans widens, Inara and Skedi will uncover secrets that could determine the fate of the war to come.

Meanwhile, Elogast, no longer a loyal knight of King Arren, has been tasked with killing the man he once called friend. The king vowed to eradicate all gods throughout the land, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all. And where his heart once beat, a god now burns..."

Seriously, I have such cover lust for this series.

Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography by Jessica Max Stein
Published by: Rutgers University Press
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 346 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography tells the life story of a gifted performer whose gleeful irreverence, sharp wit and generous spirit inspired millions. Richard Hunt was one of the original main five performers in the Muppet troupe. He brought to life an impressive range of characters on The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and various Muppet movies, everyone from eager gofer Scooter to elderly heckler Statler, groovy girl Janice to freaked-out lab helper Beaker, even early versions of Miss Piggy and Elmo. Hunt also acted, directed and mentored the next generation of performers. His accomplishments are all the more remarkable in that he crammed them all into only 40 years.

Richard Hunt was just 18 years old when he joined Jim Henson's company, where his edgy humor quickly helped launch the Muppets into international stardom. Hunt lived large, savoring life's delights, amassing a vivid, disparate community of friends. Even when the AIDS epidemic wrought its devastation, claiming the love of Hunt's life and threatening his own life, he showed an extraordinary sense of resilience, openness and joy. Hunt's story exemplifies how to follow your passion, foster your talents, adapt to life's surprises, genuinely connect with everyone from glitzy celebrities to gruff cab drivers - and have a hell of a lot of fun along the way."

It's hard for me to pick a favorite Muppeteer, but Richard Hunt is definitely the one who died the youngest and that breaks my heart.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anna Bright, Claire Swinarski, Deanna Raybourn, Emily Matchar, Hannah Kaner, Jenni Keer, Laura McNeal, Maggie Shayne, Margot Douaihy, Natasha Siegel, Nathaniel Luscombe, Quinton Li, Richard Hunt, Ripley Jones