Showing posts with label P.C. Cast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label P.C. Cast. Show all posts

Monday, March 31, 2025

Tuesday Tomorrow

Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Brian Selznick, a profoundly romantic YA novel about two boys finding each other and falling in love over one summer in Rome.

"I'm going to call you Danny. What are you going to name me?"

"Angelo."

Danny is spending his sixteenth summer in Rome. As his mother spends the day at work in a mysterious museum, he wanders the ancient sites and streets. Soon after his arrival, he encounters a shadow...who becomes a voice...who becomes a boy his age. Angelo.

Soon Danny and Angelo are spending as much time as they can together, piecing together stories of the city while only gradually letting their own histories be shared. Attraction leads to affection, and affection leads to both an intimate closeness and a profound fear of what happens next. Danny has never really had a home, or known the love of another boy. Angelo seems to have more experience...but he also has secrets just out of Danny's reach.

Run Away With Me is a stunning creation, weaving words and illustration to tell the story of a transformative love over the course of one Roman summer."

You will fall in love with Danny and Angelo and the city of Rome. I know it's only April, but there's a strong chance this will be in my top ten reads of 2025.

Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A stray cat brings together five strangers over the course of one fateful summer in this heartwarming novel about love, found family, and the power of connection.

Núria, a single-by-choice barista with a little resentment for the "crazy cat lady" label, is a member of The Meow-Yorkers, a group in Brooklyn who takes care of the neighborhood's stray cats. On her volunteering days, she starts finding Post-it notes left by a secret admirer in an area where her feeds her favorite stray - a black cat named Cat. Like most felines, he is both curious and observant, so of course he knows who the notes are from.

Núria, however, is clueless.

Are the notes from Collin, a bestselling author and self-professed hermit with a weakness for good coffee? Are they from Lily, a fresh-out-of-high school Georgia native searching for her long-lost half sister? Are they from Omar, the beloved neighborhood mailman going through an early midlife crisis? Or are they from Bong, the grieving widower who owns Núria's favorite bodega?

When Cat suddenly falls ill, these five strangers find themselves bonding together in their desire to care for him, and discover that chance encounters can lead to the meaningful connections they've all been searching for."

Cats are what will unite us all.

The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke
Published by: DK Children
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Caspia's summer is transformed when she discovers a bundle of letters containing ten plant-based riddles in this enchanting adventure for children ages 10 and up.

All right, she had to admit it: it really was an adventure to be in a new place. A different Caspia emerged here. A Brooklyn-Caspia, just like the Brooklyn-dandelion.

Twelve-year-old Caspia hates big cities, especially New York. So, she isn't thrilled by the news that her parents are taking her to Brooklyn for the whole summer.

But everything changes when Caspia discovers a bundle of letters, written by a blind girl many years ago, and hidden in an old chest of drawers. Each letter contains a 'green' riddle, with clues leading to a different plant.

Caspia sets out to solve the riddles and, as she does, she meets friends she could never have imagined and finds, to her surprise, that sometimes you can put down roots where you least expect it."

A wonderful way to appreciate the start of spring and new life.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century's worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy's life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses.

After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney's bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, hidden history, but also a future for herself - and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women."

Elise Hooper had me mysteriously discovered dollhouses!

Death at the Playhouses by Stuart Douglas
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A second witty, fun, 1970s-set whodunnit in the Lowe and Le Breton mysteries series, featuring two ageing actors attempting to solve a murder after their famous co-star is found dead in a doorway outside the theatre in which they're performing. Nostalgic cosy crime that's perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Death and Croissants.

It's 1971 and, in between filming seasons of Floggit and Leggit, ageing actors Edward Lowe and John Le Breton sign up for a short run of Shakespearean tragedies at the Bolton Playhouse. But, once in Lancashire, they discover they have been invited to join the theatre's repertory company for two reasons - because the company manager is keen to take advantage of the publicity surrounding their successful BBC comedy series, and because Sir Nathaniel Thompson, the much-lauded star of the show and knight of the realm, has been sacked for drunkenness.

John fears an awkward scene, should Thompson - who he knew during the war - return to reclaim his job, but when the great actor's body is found, bludgeoned to death in a nearby alleyway, the unlikely crime-solving duo find themselves investigating another fiendish mystery that takes them from the northwest of England to the Netherlands, and which, rather inconveniently, seems to have John's ex-wife Sally at its heart.

Death at the Playhouses is the second in The Lowe and Le Breton Mysteries series."

Stuart's first book in this series is so delightful I can't wait to read this one. And yes, I've already preordered it.

Written in Stone by Paige Shelton
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Written in Stone, the tenth installment in the Scottish Bookshop series by Paige Shelton, set in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.

When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan's studio, she isn't sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts - complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair - recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts' language really sounded like.

Or at least that's what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.

With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace's past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace's shady background - selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case…or risk becoming a pile of bones herself."

At first I was here for the Picts, but now I'm hear for 3D-printing artifacts! I mean, did he want to get caught!?!

Dead Post Society by Diane Kelly
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The seventh in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.

This year's honor roll is killer...

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are no strangers to murder. After all, they've encountered corpses on their properties before. But this is the first time they'd decided to take a chance on a property where two suspicious deaths have already occurred. Most buildings on the former boarding school property will be repurposed for an upscale retirement community, but the developer has no use for the headmaster's house given its violent history. The headmaster and his wife were killed there decades earlier, their deaths remaining unsolved to this day.

Still, it seems a shame to see the beautiful Victorian give way to decay or the wrecking ball, even if many claim the unsettled souls of the victims still wander its halls, seeking retribution and justice. Can Whitney and Buck exorcise the structure's demons, solve the cold case, and give the building new life? Or will ghosts from the past seek to silence them forever?"

Trying to fix up a murder house? Yes please!

The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Asia Village is in peril when Private detective Lydia Shepard returns to enlist the help of Lana Lee to solve a rash of unsolved murders and thefts.

When Lydia brings Lana onto the case, three of the members of an elite Asian order known as the Eight Immortals have already been murdered. Each member of the order holds one item that represents their immortal counterpart, and someone is dying to get their hands on them all. Lydia's client insists he - and only he - knows who will be next and wants the murderer captured before there is another victim.

Riding below the line of three cities of law enforcement and Lana's own boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, the two women must tread lightly as they infiltrate a secret organization that even the Mahjong Matrons know nothing about. And somehow protect the next victim without letting on that she’s in danger.

As they dig deeper into the case, Lana finds there are unexpected associations within Asia Village and potential ties to her own family that could be devastating. With the stakes raised on the toughest case she's ever worked, will Lana be able to keep her own emotions out of the investigation? And will the murderer be found before they become the ultimate "immortal"?"

I can't help but feel that Interior Chinatown stole Lana Lee from this series...

Vera Won'd Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 338 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers....

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She's surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer - who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law."

Yeah, perhaps don't go rummaging around in her briefcase if you want her to become your daughter-in-law...

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When the Village Blend opens a Writer's Block Lounge, a cold case crime turns up the heat on Clare and her crew in this gripping new entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs - driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway - while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest.

Includes a knockout menu of recipes!"

Oh, could a killer in the present be linked to a past darkness?

Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This cozy horror novel set in modern-day Toronto includes phenomenal characters, fantastic writing, and a queer romance - the perfect balance of dark and delightful.

This stand-alone novel from the bestselling author of the Peacekeeper novels mixes the creepy with the charming for plenty of snarky, queer fun - for fans of T. Kingfisher, Grady Hendrix, Sangu Mandanna, and Erin Sterling.

Generations ago, the founders of the idyllic town of Lake Argen made a deal with a dark force. In exchange for their service, the town will stay prosperous and successful, and keep outsiders out. And for generations, it's worked out great. Until a visitor goes missing, and his wealthy family sends a private investigator to find him, and everything abruptly goes sideways.

Now, Cassidy Prewitt, town baker and part-time servant of the dark force (it's a family business) has to contend with a rising army of darkness, a very frustrated town, and a very cute PI who she might just be falling for…and who might just be falling for her. And if they can survive their own home-grown apocalypse, they might even just find happiness together.

Queer, cozy, and with a touch of eldritch horror mixed in just for fun, this is a charming love story about a small-town baker, a quick-witted PI, and, yes, an ancient evil."

A love just a touch of eldritch horror!

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A spellbinding novel about sisters separated by centuries, but bound together by the sea, from the author of the runaway New York Times bestseller Weyward.

2019: Lucy awakens from a dream to find her hands around her ex-lover's throat. Horrified, she flees to her older sister's house on the Australian coast, hoping she can help explain the strangely vivid nightmare that preceded the attack - but Jess is nowhere to be found.

As Lucy awaits her return, the rumors surrounding Jess's strange small town start to emerge. Numerous men have gone missing at sea, spread over decades. A tiny baby was found hidden in a cave. And sailors tell of hearing women's voices on the waves. Desperate for answers, Lucy finds and begins to read her sister's adolescent diary.

1999: Jess is a lonely sixteen-year-old in a rural town in the middle of the continent. Diagnosed with a rare allergy to water, she has always felt different, until her young, charming art teacher takes an interest in her drawings, seeing a power and maturity in them - and in her - that no one else has.

1800: Twin sisters Mary and Eliza have been torn from their loving father in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia. For their entire lives, they've feared the ocean, as their mother tragically drowned when they were just girls. Yet as the boat bears them further and further from all they know, they begin to notice changes in their bodies that they can't explain, and they feel the sea beginning to call to them...

A breathtaking tale of female resilience and the bonds of sisterhood across time and space, The Sirens captures the power of dreams, and the mystery and magic of the sea."

Right now any even Australia tangential is up my alley. Women luring men to their deaths? Added bonus.

Wicching Hour by Seana Kelly
Published by: NYLA
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Kindle, 389 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I'm Arwyn Cassandra Corey, the Sea Wicche of Monterey. My new art gallery is finally open, my boyfriend is the new Alpha of the Big Sur pack, and my sorcerer cousin is still on the loose. It's been a lot. I'm just sayin'.

Detectives Hernández and Osso are asking for my help again. Bodies have been found torn up in the woods in a manner that has those in the know thinking werewolf. Declan, as Alpha, will need to investigate his pack and help hunt the killer.

We're narrowing in on Calliope and her demon. She can't hide forever, and my uncle might just have the map to where she's been holed up. If it's the last thing I do, I'll make her pay for her treachery.

Did I mention there's a new podcast, hosted by a human, who is coming dangerously close to telling the kind of secrets the supernatural community kills to keep quiet? His latest season is about a certain artistic wicche.

Oh, and I finally met my dad. Like I said, it's been a lot."

I love Seana Kelly. Though her families are quite A LOT.

A Thorn in Every Heart by Kate King
Published by: Kate King
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Kindle, 517 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What if Belle never returned to the enchanted castle?

After her cheating husband ruins her life, twenty-nine-year-old musician, Alixandria Knight, moves from Chicago to Ironhill, Pennsylvania - a near-abandoned Appalachian ghost town with a fiery history. Officially, she's there to help her aging grandmother. Unofficially, Alix just wants to escape reality.

She'll get her wish.

When a one night stand with a wickedly handsome stranger turns out to be more than she bargained for, Alix is whisked away to the land of the fae. There, she uncovers her family's darkest secret: sixty years ago, Alix's grandmother, Isabelle, broke her promise to marry a beastly king. Now, the fae are hungry, and it's up to Alix to clear her family's debt.

Beauty and the Beast meets Anastasia in this spicy and addictive modern fairytale mashup from the USA Today bestselling author of Wilde Fae."

I mean, don't you think it's only fair of your family to warn you if they've accidentally entered a fae bargain...

Reluctant Witch by Melissa Marr
Published by: Bramble
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Magicians meets One Last Stop in the sequel to Remedial Magic by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr!

After discovering she's a witch and being whisked away to the magical land of Crenshaw, Ellie wants nothing more than to spend time with her new wife, Prospero, who has magically altered Ellie's memories to convince her of exactly that.

Prospero herself is guilt-wracked after erasing Ellie's memories and being forced into a sham marriage with the woman she loves for real. But Crenshaw is dying, poisoned by Prospero's enemies who want their community to return to the human world, and she will do anything to save it.

The most powerful witch in anyone's memory is in Prospero's home, in her bed, with no idea that she's a prisoner there...yet.

As the very fabric of their world is being destroyed, Ellie and Prospero must find a way to work together and save the world, and themselves."

Yeah, witch memory erasure... Gives such Buffy vibes.

Give Up the Night by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with Give Up the Night, the astonishing conclusion to their Moonstruck duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Since becoming Moonstruck on her eighteenth birthday, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magick was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions - some want the ritual completed and their freedom - and others are so terrified of change that they're willing to end Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ritual Selene ruined can be completed.

Between his overbearing father's arrival, Rottingham delegating him more and more responsibility, and Celeste taking a special interest in him, Lee Young has been struggling to find his own path. As much as Lee wants to take his place in the Moonstruck hierarchy, he knows something's not right at the Academia de la Luna. He thinks if he can talk some sense into Wren and get her to return to the Academia, that everything will turn out alright.

As Wren and Lee both battle for what they believe is right, they'll have to uncover who their true allies are...and if they're even on the same side of this magickal fight."

I so love a good duology. 

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire's reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air - vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder - and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.

Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana's moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can't defeat."

Fantasy locked room mystery!?! My two favorite genres in one!

Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the epic finale to the #1 internationally bestselling Fallen Gods trilogy that started with Godkiller, the fate of Middren hangs in the balance as mighty gods and mortal heroes clash in a final battle for supremacy.

War has come. The fire god Hseth is leading an unstoppable army south, consuming everything in her path. Middren's only hope of survival is to unify allies and old foes against a common enemy.

Elo navigates an uneasy alliance with Arren - his friend, his enemy, and his king. Now they each must decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to turn the tides of war.

Meanwhile, Inara joins her mother on their ship, the Silverswift, to seek aid. Still grappling with her powers, Inara must reconcile who she is and where she belongs, while Skediceth has to question if their bond will be enough to keep them safe.

Kissen has no allegiance to the old ways of Middren. But, as she tries to find her family, she is forced to question what, and whose, future she is fighting for.

In Faithbreaker, Hannah Kaner delivers a powerful conclusion to the Fallen Gods trilogy, masterfully weaving together love and sacrifice, loyalty and betrayal, and the true meaning of faith."

If you haven't started this trilogy yet, good news! Unlike the rest of us you don't have to wait for the final volume!

Deadstream by Mar Romasco-Moore
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rear Window meets The Ring in this sinister YA thriller, in which a teen girl witnesses the livestreamed murder of a popular online streamer by a paranormal entity...and could be its next victim.

After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. Since then, her only solace and window to the outside world has been the online community she found through streaming.

But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favorite's streamer's video, and his behavior mysteriously changes over the next few days before he dies in front of thousands of viewers. Teresa finds herself at the center of a life-and-death investigation as the world tries to figure out what or who this figure could be...especially as it begins appearing in the other people's streams, compelling them to "open the door" and let it in - including Teresa's own. In order to save herself and the rest of the internet from this relentless entity, Teresa must venture outside of the mental and physical walls she's created. But will she be able to conquer her fears before anyone else loses their life?"

Well, seeing as the entity has already shown up at her door, yes, it's time for Teresa to get out of there!

The Scientist and the Serial Killer by Lise Olsen
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The true story of how one dedicated forensic scientist restored the long-lost identities of the teenaged victims of the "Candy Man," one of America's most prolific serial killers.

Houston, Texas, in the early 1970s was an exciting place - the home of NASA, the city of the future. But a string of more than two dozen missing teenage boys hinted at a dark undercurrent that would go ignored for too long. While their siblings and friends wondered where they had gone, the Houston police department dismissed them as runaways, fleeing the Vietnam draft or conservative parents, likely looking to get high and join the counterculture.

It was only after their killer, Dean Corll, was murdered by an accomplice that many of those boys' bodies were discovered in mass graves. Corll, known as the "Candy Man," was a local sweet-shop owner who had enlisted two teens to lure their friends to parties, where they would be tortured and killed.

All of Corll's victims' bodies were badly decomposed; some were only skeletal. Known collectively as the Lost Boys, many were never identified and some remained undiscovered. Decades later, when forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick discovered a box of remains marked "1973 Murders" in the Harris County Medical Examiner's office, she recalled the horrifying crime from her own childhood, and knew she had to act. It would take prison interviews with Corll's accomplices, advanced scientific techniques, and years of tireless effort to identify these young men.

Investigative journalist Lise Olsen brings to life the teens who were hunted by a killer hiding in plain sight and the extraordinary woman who would finally give his unknown victims back their names and their dignity. With newly uncovered information about the case, The Scientist and the Serial Killer immerses readers in an astonishing story and reveals why these horrific events remain relevant decades later."

Because as much as we, as a society, focus on the criminal, we should be remembering the lost. This book does the lost justice.

Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.

Where there’s a will, there’s a war.

Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.

Or at least, so they like to think.

Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.

Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father's approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.

Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father's company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth - by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.

On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins - but which Wren will come out on top?"

Magical Succession.

To Catch a Thief by David Dodge
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It takes a thief...

"Le Chat" ("The Cat"), an infamous thief, has come out of retirement and is again liberating expensive jewelry from wealthy tourists on the Frerch Riviera. Or is it a "copycat" who is stealing fortunes?

John Robie thought he had left his larcenous past behind. Once responsible for a string of daring thefts and escapes, he was caught and sent to prison just before the outbreak of World War II. Freed during the German occupation of France, Robie joined the French Resistance and received unofficial amnesty after the war ended. He retired to a simple life in the country where he befriended the local commissaire, Oriol, and tended his gardens. Now it's 1951, and someone has been at work using his old MO. When the police come to arrest him, Robie escapes to Cannes. There, he reconnects with his former comrade Bellini, who convinces Robie to help catch the copycat.

Disguised as a pudgy, middle-aged American businessman, Robie scouts the local nightclubs and casinos and tries to outthink the new thief. When he meets Francie Stevens, the daughter of a wealthy tourist, she becomes Robie's unwelcome ally, and together they hatch a dangerous plan to catch the thief at a gala party. But soon they both realize that Robie really is a thief at heart. With Oriol and the police on his trail, will he escape capture? Will the real thief be caught? And will Robie give up the thief?"

A perfectly timed reissue because...

To Catch a Spy by Mark Oneill
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Estate approved sequel to the novel To Catch a Thief by David Dodge and 1955 Academy Award-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock.

It's been a year since John Robie, notorious Riviera jewel thief, proved his innocence by catching a copycat burglar. And it's been a year since John has seen Francie Stevens, the adventurous socialite who not only saw through his disguise, but helped him catch the copycat. Now Francie is returning to the Riviera for its first-ever Fashion Week as a model for a top French designer, and John plans on rekindling their romance. But there's a problem. While helping a friend, John chases down a mysterious courier, whose ruthless associates now want John dead. To make matters worse, when Francie arrives, she has a boyfriend in tow, and tells John that she wants nothing to do with him.

John has to figure out why he's a hunted man, and why Francie is acting suspiciously. Digging deeper, he discovers a spy ring with evil intent. As John works unofficially to gather evidence, a question begins to haunt him - could Francie Stevens be a spy? With his enemies closing in, John turns to his cat burglar skills to try to save his life and expose the traitors. To survive, he has to catch the spies before they catch - and kill - a retired thief!"

And his years working with the French Resistance shall also come in handy!

The Gatsby Gambit by Claire Anderson-Wheeler
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"America's most beloved literary characters.
A page-turning mystery.
The gilded opulence of the Roaring Twenties.
And a clever young woman of unusual persistence.

Be ready to re-think the world of Gatsby.

Freshly twenty-one and sporting a daring new bob, Greta Gatsby - younger sister to the infamous Jay - is finally free of her dull finishing school, and looking forward to an idyllic summer at the Gatsby Mansion, the jewel of West Egg. From its breathtaking views to its eccentric denizens, Greta is eager to inhale it all - even to the predictable disapproval of Mrs Dantry, Jay's exacting housekeeper. Indeed, nothing could disrupt the blissful time Greta has planned…except finding out that Jay's cadre of dubious friends - Daisy and Tom Buchanan, along with Nick Carraway and Jordan Baker - will be summering there, too.

It's hard to be noticed when the luminous Daisy Buchanan is in the room, and Jordan keeps rather too close tabs on handsome Nick Carraway for Greta's liking. But by far the worst is Daisy's boorish husband, Tom, whose explosive temper seems always balanced on a knife-edge. But soon, bad blood is the least of their problems, as a shocking event sets the Gatsby household reeling.

Death has come to West Egg, and with it, a web of scandal, betrayal, and secrets. Turning sleuth isn't how Greta meant to spend her summer - but what choice does she have, when everyone else seems intent on living in a world of make-believe?

Deftly subverting romantic notions about money, power, and freedom that still stand today, The Gatsby Gambit is a sparkling homage to, and reinvention of, a world American readers have lionized for generations."

I mean, the people Jay runs with are a rum lot...

A Recipe for Murder by Verity Bright
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: April 1st, 2025
Format: Paperback, 342 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches, apple tarts and...poison? Lady Swift is trying to plan the menu for her wedding, until murder strikes in kitchens across the village!

Lady Eleanor Swift's marriage to dashing Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is just days away. There's a lot to organise from the dress to the catering, including, of course, the all-important wedding cake.

But Eleanor is heartbroken when their chef, apple-cheeked Annie Tibetts, dies of poisoning. And as the doctor confirms her death wasn't an accident, accusations fly around the whole community.

With more of the village struck down by the poison, Eleanor must unmask a killer who seems intent on spreading chaos amongst her nearest and dearest. Everyone is accusing their neighbour...and Eleanor is in a pickle as the seating plans for the wedding fall apart. But she soon has bigger fish to fry when the source of the poison is traced to a trusted establishment in town. Eleanor is certain they are being framed and that sabotage is afoot...

And when a sample of poisoned wedding cake is delivered anonymously to Hugh working at his station miles away in Oxford, Eleanor realises that while she has been planning for the future, her past has been catching up with her. Eleanor must race across the countryside to save her love from certain death. Can Eleanor find the proof in the pudding and save Hugh in time? And will the poisoner finally get their just desserts?

A gripping and totally twisty historical cozy mystery set in an English village. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Catherine Coles, and L.B. Hathaway won't be able to put this down."

I mean, was the seating plan falling apart because too many guests were killed? One needs to know...

Monday, April 1, 2024

Tuesday Tomorrow

Secrets and Sacrifices by Cath Lauria
Published by: Aconyte
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Explore a new world of monsters and manners in this darkly captivating regency romance with an eldritch twist from renowned roleplaying game, Call of Cthulhu.

When Cassandra Wright's father was accused of murder her whole life fell apart, leaving her with no prospects, no money, and a broken engagement. But Cassandra always suspected foul play. Five years later, she's determined to discover the truth.

With her childhood friend Thomas reluctantly acting as her new husband-to-be, Cassie must talk her way into the home of her former fiancé, who she's convinced knows more than he ever let on. Once inside she'll have to navigate the pitfalls of polite society while attempting to dig deep into her father's life.

There are dark, twisted secrets lurking in the shadows, and Cassie must unravel them before they can consume her."

I mean, as a HUGE fan of Regency Magic, I have to ask, why hasn't anyone mashed-up Lovecraft and Austen before!?!

Panya: The Mummy's Curse by Mike Mignola
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Thousands of years before Hellboy, the B.P.R.D., and Ragna Rok, there was Panya.

As a girl in ancient Egypt, she witnessed the fall of a dynasty and was gifted - or cursed - with abilities. As she ages, Panya aids those she passes as she journeys to seek out a mysterious light...

Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson join creative forces with artist Christopher Mitten and colorist Michelle Madsen to bring Panya's story to life.

Collects Panya: The Mummy's Curse #1-#4 and bonus material."

I mean, firstly, I love the world of Hellboy. Secondly, I love ancient Egypt. Combining them? Genius!

Empire of the Shadows by Jacquelyn Benson
Published by: Crimson Fox Publishing
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 476 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nice Victorian ladies don't run off to find legendary lost cities. One trifling little arrest shouldn't have cost Ellie Mallory her job, but it's only the latest in a line of injustices facing any educated woman with archaeological ambitions.

When Ellie stumbles across the map to a mysterious ancient city, she knows she's holding her chance to revolutionize Pre-Colombian history. There's just one teensy complication. A ruthless villain wants it, and Ellie is all that stands in his way.

To race him to the ruins - and avoid being violently disposed of - she needs the help of maverick surveyor Adam Bates, a snake-wrangling rogue who can't seem to keep his dratted shirt on.

But there's more than Ellie's scholarly reputation (and life) on the line. Her enemies aren't just looters. They're after an arcane secret rumored to lie in the heart of the ruins, a mythical artifact with a power that could shake the world.

Between stealing trousers, plummeting over waterfalls, and trying not to fall in love with her machete-wielding partner, will Ellie be able to stop the oracle of a lost empire from falling into the wrong hands?

Empire of Shadows is the first book in Jacquelyn Benson's smart, swashbuckling Raiders of the Arcana series. Read it now and dive into a rip-roaring historical fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Romancing the Stone and The Mummy."

But but I LOVE Romancing the Stone and The Mummy and men who tear off their shirts at a moments notice like Captain East in Austenland

Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with Draw Down the Moon, the first book in a new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

A mystical school. A mysterious death. A magickal romance.

Wren Nightingale isn't supposed to have any elemental powers. Born of magickal parents but not under one of the four fated astrological full moons, she is destined for life as a Mundane - right up until she starts glowing on her eighteenth birthday. In a heartbeat, Wren's life is turned upside down, and she's suddenly leaving her home for the mystical Academia de la Luna - a secret magickal school on a hidden island off the Seattle coast.

Lee Young has always known about his future at the academy. He has three goals: pass the trials, impress the Moon Council, and uphold his family's reputation. But he wasn't expecting to be attending alongside the girl he's been secretly in love with for as long as he can remember.

As Wren and Lee are thrown into the academy's grueling trials, they quickly learn there's something different - and dangerous - about the school this year. Wren will have to navigate a web of secrets, prophecies...and murder.

And Lee will have to decide what to protect: his family's legacy, or the girl he loves."

Everything about this book sounds awesome, but it's the title that gets me. I have always loved the concept of drawing down the moon.

Call Forth a Fox by Markelle Grabo
Published by: Page Street YA
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sapphic twist on the classic fairy tale Snow White and Rose Red, perfect for fans of Holly Black.

The western wood is where Ro's father built their garden, taught her to forage, and told her tales of the faeries who live there - how to summon them, how to protect herself, and warnings of what they are capable of. Now, her father is gone, the garden has withered, and their family is struggling. Her mother and sister want to move into town, but Ro doesn't want to give up the memories of her father and his stories - or the charming village girl who shares Ro's love of the trees. The forest isn't ready to let Ro go either.

One winter night, on her way home from foraging, Ro encounters a bear attacking a fox. She fights the bear to save the fox's life, only to see the bear turn into a boy after her sister shoots him with an arrow. When the boy wakes, he has no memory of who he is - all he knows is Ro's name and that he has to kill the fox.

Ro never believed in the faeries from her father's stories, but she can't deny the magic surrounding her and that both the boy and the fox are victims of a faerie curse. She'll have to remember everything her father taught her in order to extract herself from this deadly game and keep her precious fox out of harm's way."

Oh oh, who's the fox!?! Is it the village girl she loves?

The Proper Thing and Other Stories by Seanan McGuire
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the end of the world to the beginning, with a nice charcuterie plate to sustain us on the way, it's time for another journey through the eccentric, eclectic short fiction of Seanan McGuire. From dangerous holidays to the beauty of the library, from the power of cheese to the power of love, this volume will take you from the past to the future, sometimes on the same page. Learn about the insecurities of the superheroic world, and how hard some people will work to survive the end of absolutely everything. Discover what everyone knows, and watch what happens when the cultural foundations are pulled from under your favorite cuisine. See what people will do when all else is lost, and watch what happens on the day the music dies. And when all that is through, visit our magical cheese shop for something truly delicious, impossible and unique. We have a little something for everyone in our box of delights. Don't be afraid - just reach in, and choose a treat to improve and enhance your day. We've been waiting for another trip to the store on the corner, where they sell Wensleydale and wishes side by side. Come along now, let's go."

Another stunning edition from Subterranean Press that also adds to Seanan McGuire's copious output. She has to support those cats somehow!

The Book of Thorns by Hester Fox
Published by: Graydon House
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars and the rise of the floriography craze in Europe, two sisters separated at birth are bound together by a secret language of flowers passed down to them by the mother they never knew. When Cornelia leaves her cruel uncle's home to join Napoleon's army as a traveling naturalist, her ability to heal any wound and bring soldiers back from the brink of death earns her praise - and exposes her to those who would exploit her powers for themselves.

Meanwhile, Lijsbeth lives in indentured servitude, her only respite her time spent flower arranging. When she meets a young English soldier and falls in love, Lisjbeth must decide whether to flee the clashing of two great armies at Waterloo or risk everything by staying. As the English and French armies collide in Waterloo, the sisters finally cross paths on opposite sides of the war.

With the sisters reunited on the battlefield, they must work together to solve the mystery of their mother's death, while surviving the war raging around them."

Flowers and the Napoleonic War! That's my jam.

The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall by Rebecca Anderson
Published by: Shadow Mountain
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A ghostly estate. A handsome caretaker hiding a secret. And the intrepid Hyacinth Bell, who is set on solving the mystery of both.

1887, the Cornwall coast

For years, rumors have flown through the village of Suttonsbury about Ashthorne Hall - that its occupants hoard pirate treasure, that a ghost walks its halls - but botanist Hyacinth Bell cares only about the estate's extensive, one-of-a-kind orchid collection. As an independent woman, she is eager to focus on her career, even if it means waiting to pursue a romantic relationship. After all, love - like an orchid - must be nurtured and tended before it can bloom.

What she doesn't expect is to be swept away by Lucas Harding, the manor's caretaker, upon their first meeting. He is handsome and charming, and the connection between the two is nearly instantaneous. Hyacinth is certain this autumn will be the season that everything good in her life takes root.

But then strange things start happening in the seemingly empty halls of the estate: unexplainable noises, items appearing, then disappearing from her room, threatening messages, and glimpses of a woman in white who vanishes into the dark. Lucas dismisses Hyacinth's worries, insisting that there is no ghost at Ashthorne Hall, but Hyacinth suspects he is withholding information and decides to investigate the mystery herself.

Armed with little more than her instincts and her courage, Hyacinth must venture deep into the shadows of Ashthorne Hall to uncover the truth Lucas is keeping secret before she herself falls victim to the dangers hidden in the estate."

Please please say this goes all Wilkie Collins by way of Jane Eyre.

Something Kindred by Ciera Burch
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Magical realism meets Southern Gothic in this commanding young adult debut from Ciera Burch about true love, the meaning of home, and the choices that haunt us.

Welcome to Coldwater. Come for the ghosts, stay for the drama.

Jericka Walker had planned to spend the summer before senior year soaking up the sun with her best friend on the Jersey Shore. Instead she finds herself in Coldwater, Maryland, a small town with a dark and complicated past where her estranged grandmother lives - someone she knows only two things about: her name and the fact that she left Jericka's mother and uncle when they were children. But now Jericka's grandmother is dying, and her mother has dragged Jericka along to say goodbye.

As Jericka attempts to form a connection with a woman she's never known, and adjusts to life in a town where everything closes before dinner, she meets "ghost girl" Kat, a girl eager to leave Coldwater and more exciting than a person has any right to be. But Coldwater has a few unsettling secrets of its own. The more you try to leave, the stronger the town's hold. As Jericka feels the chilling pull of her family's past, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her mother, her childhood, and the lines between the living and the dead."

I mean, I'd choose a creepy town that doesn't want you to leave over the Jersey Shore any day.

Lark by Anthony McGowan
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 120 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Things are getting tense at home for Nicky and Kenny as they wait for a visit from their estranged mother. To escape, they go for a walk on the moors, taking their little Jack Russell terrier with them. But what should have been a laugh, a lark, turns deadly when the weather changes and they are caught in a blizzard. Nothing will ever be quite the same again..."

Blizzard on the moors!

The Sweet Blue Distance by Sara Donati
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 800 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young midwife travels west to the New Mexico Territory to care for women in need and faces dangers more harrowing than the ones she's fleeing in this epic tale of survival, redemption, and love from Sara Donati, the international bestselling author of the Wilderness series.

1857: In a bid to outrun her past, Carrie Ballentyne accepts a nursing position with a doctor in the New Mexico Territory. She knows the journey from New York to Santa Fe will not be easy, but she relishes the adventure. However, nothing could have prepared her for the wilderness she encounters. Its vastness and power are awe-inspiring, stunning in both beauty and brutality. To endure, she must learn to rely on her fellow travelers - and one enigmatic man in particular. As the small, tight-knit group tackles challenge after challenge, she feels her heart opening to this rugged land - and the people willing to risk so much for one another.

The trip west is only the beginning of Carrie's challenges, though. In Santa Fe, she compassionately helps women bring new life into the world, making her beloved among new mothers. Soon, however, she realizes that her employer and his wife are keeping secrets from her, and she must ferret out the truth to protect their young daughter. But to save the little girl she's come to cherish, Carrie will have to confront the demons in her own past - a feat that will take all of her bravery with the help of the man she's grown to love and depend on above all others.

With its vivid descriptions of the breathtaking western landscape and its irresistible characters, The Sweet Blue Distance is the unforgettable story of one woman's courage to heal herself, her family, and the women entrusted to her care."

When you need a good doorstop historical fiction you should always turn to Sara Donati, she never disappoints.

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Published by: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Literary icon Julia Alvarez, bestselling author of In the Time of the Butterflies shares an inventive and emotional novel about storytelling and her homeland of the Dominican Republic.

Alma Cruz, the celebrated writer at the heart of The Cemetery of Untold Stories, doesn't want to end up like her friend, a novelist who fought so long and hard to finish a book that it threatened her sanity. So when Alma inherits a small plot of land in the Dominican Republic, her homeland, she has the beautiful idea of turning it into a place to bury her untold stories - literally. She creates a graveyard for the manuscript drafts and revisions, and the characters whose lives she tried and failed to bring to life and who still haunt her.

Alma wants her characters to rest in peace. But they have other ideas, and the cemetery becomes a mysterious sanctuary for their true narratives. Filomena, a local woman hired as the groundskeeper, becomes a sympathetic listener as Alma's characters unspool their secret tales. Among them: Bienvenida, the abandoned second wife of dictator Rafael Trujillo, consigned to oblivion by history, and Manuel Cruz, a doctor who fought in the Dominican underground and escaped to the United States.

The characters defy their author: they talk back to her and talk to one another behind her back, rewriting and revising themselves. The Cemetery of Untold Stories asks: Whose stories get to be told, and whose buried? Finally, Alma finds the meaning she and her characters yearn for in the everlasting vitality of stories.

Readers of Isabel Allende's Violeta and Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead will devour Alvarez's extraordinary new novel about beauty and authenticity, and will be reminded that the stories of our lives are never truly finished, even at the end."

Jasper Fforde meets magical realism.

The Monstrous Misses Mai by Van Hoang
Published by: 47north
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 348 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A determined young woman in 1950s Los Angeles walks a darker city than she ever imagined in a spellbinding novel about the power to make dreams come true - whatever the sacrifice.

Los Angeles brims with opportunity in 1959 - though not for aspiring fashion designer Cordelia Mai Yin, the first-generation child of Vietnamese immigrants, who finds the city unkind to outsiders and as dispirited as her own family. When Cordi rents a cheap loft in an old apartment building, she quickly warms to kindred souls Tessa, Audrey, and Silly. They also want better things and have pasts they'd rather forget. That they all share the same middle name makes their friendship seem like destiny.

As supportive as they are of each other, it's a struggle just to eke out a living, let alone hope to see their wishes for success come true. Until an ever-present and uncannily charming acquaintance of the landlord's offers a solution to their problems. He promises to fulfill their every dream. All it takes is a little magic. And a small sacrifice.

As one surprisingly effective spell leads to another, their wishes get bigger. But so does the price they must pay. Amid the damaged seams of her life so far, Cordi must realize her own power in order to rip free, without losing everything she's worked so hard to achieve."

Never enter into any agreement that requires a sacrifice.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of the multimillion-copy bestselling A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series and Five Survive comes a gripping thriller following one teen's search for the truth about her mother's shocking disappearance - and even more shocking reappearance - during the filming of a true crime documentary.

Lights. Camera. Lies.

Eighteen-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom's mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.

But the case is dredged up from the past when the Price family agrees to a true crime documentary. Bel can't wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.

Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn't sure it's real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And - could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead...

From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl's search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is."

Family can be murder.

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nothing brings neighbors together like someone else's secrets... At Shelley House, the walls have ears, and they're attached to a ragtag duo of busybodies ready to pry, snoop, and generally annoy their neighbors into solving a crime.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House longer than any of the other residents, and if you take their word for it, she's as cantankerous as they come. But Dorothy has her reasons for spying. And none of them require justifying herself to Kat Bennett.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat has never known a place where she felt truly at home, and crumbling Shelley House is no different. Her neighbors find her prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat's plagued by a guilty secret from her past.

When their apartments face demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy agree on just one thing: they must save their historic building. But when someone plays dirty - and one of the residents is viciously taken down - Dorothy and Kat seek justice. The police close the investigation too soon, leaving it up to the unlikely amateur sleuths - with a playful Jack Russell terrier at their side - to restore peace in their community."

Batteries Not Included meets Only Murders in the Building.

Star Wars the High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment by George Mann
Published by: Titan Comics
Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 96 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A hardcover illustrated collection of six Star Wars: The High Republic stories from the pages of Star Wars Insider written by New York Times bestselling author, George Mann. This volume includes an exclusive story only available in this collection.

A collection of six tales set during the galaxy far, far away featuring the Jedi Knights of the High Republic, including an exclusive story printed here for the first time! In addition to the stories, this collection also includes behind the scenes interviews and a guide to the second phase of The High Republic stories."

My man George bringing us some more High Republic adventures.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Tuesday Tomorrow

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Published by: Razorbill
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The epic finale in Richelle Mead's #1 international bestselling Vampire Academy series. "

The perfect time to really start this series! When they're all written and I don't have to wait.

Seer of Sevenwaters by Julliet Marillier
Published by: Roc
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
Seer of Sevenwaters

The official patter:
"The young seer Sibeal is visiting an island of elite warriors, prior to making her final pledge as a druid. It's there she finds Felix, a survivor of a Viking shipwreck, who's lost his memory. The scholarly Felix and Sibeal form a natural bond. He could even be her soul mate, but Sibeal's vocation is her true calling, and her heart must answer.

As Felix fully regains his memory, Sibeal has a runic divination showing her that Felix must go on a perilous mission-and that she will join him. The rough waters and the sea creatures they will face are no match for Sibeal's own inner turmoil. She must choose between the two things that tug at her soul-her spirituality and a chance at love... "

The John Jude Palencar cover calls to me!

Goddess of Legend by P.C.Cast
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 320Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The new Goddess Summoning novel from the author of the multimillion- selling House of Night phenomenon.

After her car plummets off a bridge, Isabel, a world-weary photojournalist, struggles between life and death when she's saved by the Water Goddess-with one tiny caveat: Isabel must travel to another time to seduce the legendary Lancelot du Lac away from Queen Guinevere.

The handsome knight is a dream for any woman in any century. But Isabel is the one who's seduced by King Arthur. For Isabel, a deal is a deal. Now, the King watches as fate takes from him the mysterious beauty he has come to worship, knowing all too well that any interference on his part could destroy the kingdom he loves."

Looks pretty cool.

Threats at Three by Ann Purser
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages

The offcial patter:

"From the author of Tragedy at Two-the latest Lois Meade mystery in which timing is everything.

Lois Meade has worked through all the days of the week, turning up clues and scrubbing up both messes and murderers in the village of Long Farnden. But crime is a persistent stain...

When a dead body is found in a canal, Detective Cowgill believes the murder is connected to a suspicious fire and a heated dispute over saving the local village hall. Time to turn to the ever reliable Lois Meade to sort out the culprits and pick up the loose ends-before their village hall turns into a funeral hall..."

On here for my mom, who just loves this series. Right up there with Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin.

The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 336Pages

The official patter:

"The newest novel from the World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Bell at Sealey Head.

With "her exquisite grasp of the fantasist's craft"* (Publishers Weekly) Patricia A. McKillip now invites readers to discover a place that may only exist in the mystical wisdom of poetry and music.

Scholar Phelan Cle is researching Bone Plain-which has been studied for the last 500 years, though no one has been able to locate it as a real place. Archaeologist Jonah Cle, Phelan's father, is also hunting through time, piecing history together from forgotten trinkets. His most eager disciple is Princess Beatrice, the king's youngest daughter. When they unearth a disk marked with ancient runes, Beatrice pursues the secrets of a lost language that she suddenly notices all around her, hidden in plain sight."

Pretty.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec: Pterror Over Paris / The Eiffel Tower Demon by Jacques Tardi
Published by: Fantagraphics Books
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 96 Pages

The official patter:

Popular in Europe, these historical adventures of a fearless female journalist in belle epoque Paris begins a new reprint series with a fresh English translation. In 1911 Paris, a pterodactyl has hatched and is terrorizing the city. We first meet Adele impersonating a woman she has kidnapped, working on engineering a jailbreak to find stolen funds. Somehow, these plot lines intertwine, along with a gentleman hunter, changing alliances, and various double-crosses. After battling the beast and the events that result, Adele and her circle of adversaries chase a mysterious Assyrian statue of a demon. Tardi's art well deserves the praise that he's a grandmaster of comics. It's detailed, expressive, authentic, and distinctive. His world-building is thorough, the setting established through both background art and scene selection. Frequent recaps keep the reader up to speed, while emphasizing how amusingly convoluted everything quickly becomes. Tardi knows the conventions of this kind of rollicking, complicated adventure, and the story points out how ridiculous they are at the same time it's engaging in them. This oversized volume contains two adventures, with two more due next year."

How did I not know of this series? There's a dinosaur on the loose in Paris! MUST READ!

The Guild by Felicia Day
Published by: Dark Horse
Publication Date: December 7th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 96 Pages

The official patter:

Internet phenomenon The Guild comes to comics, courtesy of series creator, writer, and star Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)!
Chronicling the hilarious on- and offline lives of a group of Internet role-playing gamers, the Knights of Good, The Guild has become a cult hit, and is the winner of numerous awards from SXSW, YouTube, Yahoo, and the Streamys. Now, Day brings the wit and heart of the show to this graphic-novel prequel. In this origin tale of the Knights of Good, we learn about Cyd's life before joining the guild, how she became Codex, her awful breakup with boyfriend Trevor, and how she began to meet the other players who would eventually become her teammates."

If you read this blog you must have a love of The Guild as well. Go. Buy. COMIC!

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