strange and random happenstance

The Spy Wore Silk by Andrea Pickens
Published by: Oliver-Heber Books
Publication Date: February 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 350 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Selina plucked her name from a spinning globe, much as she was plucked out of the gutter by Lord Lynsley. He saw in her a tenacity that would be perfect for his unique scheme, a scheme that saw orphans from the stews placed in the care of Mrs. Merlin where these select young women of no breeding would be taught to save England in its hour of need. They were taught culture and seduction. They were taught to wield a blade and a pistol as well as any man. In fact, better than many. They were taught to rely on their own wits and work alone for king and country using the more subtle forms of warfare. And as the war with Napoleon rages on, England has need of Merlin's Marauders. Or it has need of one of them, their best. Selina. It is time for her to fly. There is a traitor who has been leaking documents to the French through expensive and rare editions of books. The most recent missive that has been stolen is in regards to Russia's alliance with England. If this were to make it into the hands of the French that alliance would come to an end. Because of the unique method of delivery the traitor might have tipped their hand. The Golden Page Club is a group of six men with disparate personalities who come together to talk about incunabula. Dunster, Fitzwilliam, Winthrop, Leveritt, Jadwin, and Kirtland are all men of means, but it's James Winchester, the Earl of Kirtland, whom Lord Lynsley has singled out. Kirtland had a rather glorious military career that ended rather publicly. If any one of these bookworms holds a grunge against England, he is the most likely. Which is where Selina comes in. She has launched herself, rather dramatically, into society as The Black Dove, a courtesan in search of a protector. And that protector could only be a member of The Gilded Page Club. All six members have been invited to Marquand Castle for a fortnight for an exclusive auction of a set of rare fourteenth century Burgundian Psalters illuminated by the monks of St. Sebastian Abbey. Thanks to Lord Lynsley, Selina will be one of the guests. During the course of the house party she will host a competition amongst the six men to see which one of them will protect her. All the challenges though are designed to route out the spy. Little did she think when starting this mission that her heart was most at risk. Selina is in danger of falling for a man who might just be a traitor according to Lynsley. But only time will tell if her instincts are right about Kirtland or if she's unwittingly risked the fate of her country.

I have been a fan of Andrea Penrose since I picked up her book Sweet Revenge on a perfect bookstore outing with my Dad one cold winter night in 2011. And yes, I can close my eyes and picture myself there in Barnes and Noble just like it was yesterday and not fifeteen years ago. Little did I realize that Andrea Penrose was just another pen name of Andrea DaRif, who taught a class at Yale in 2010 with perennial favorite, Lauren Willig, called "Reading the Historical Romance." If I had put two and two together I would have hunted down all her books before that felicitous bookstore outing. For my blog's Regency Romp back in 2022 I devoured all of her Lady Arianna books having not realized that they had continued as eBooks after the first three were released in paperback. I had a lot of catching up to do. It was glorious. But after you've read all the Lady Arianna and all the Wrexford and Sloane books and even read her books written as Cara Elliott, what is a reader to do? It turns out she thankfully had YET ANOTHER pen name out there, Andrea Pickens! And, well, it just so happens that Andrea's partnered with Oliver-Heber Books to re-publish a number of her old Signet Regency books as well as her Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Extraordinary Young Ladies series, The Spy Wore Silk being the first volume in this series. I went into this book with no expectations and was wonderfully surprised that this book felt written just for me. Books, art, a country house party!?! All while trying to foil dastardly spies? Seriously, written. For. Me. It captured the same joy I had when I first read Lauren Willig's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which is the standard by which I judge all modern authors writing in the Regency. Yet there was also the delicious romance of Lisa Kleypas's Wallflowers series. And yes, I realize that at this point all I'm doing is listing favorite series that The Spy Wore Silk reminded me of, but that's because I honestly think that after reading only the first book that this will become a new favorite series of mine and I can't wait to read the next three books. This book was just such fun, with memorable characters and so much appetizing alliteration. But what I felt stood out from the crowd with this book was that by posing as a courtesan Selina is treated very differently by men. This isn't the ton we are used to. Yes, women are always in danger of being compromised, for Selina it could be much much worse. They all think she's chattel and treat her as such. Thankfully she can defend herself. But this sure isn't Jane Austen's England. I need more!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrea DaRif, Andrea Penrose, Andrea Pickens, Books, Cara Elliott, Courtesan, Lauren Willig, Lisa Kleypas, Merlin's Marauders, Pink Carnation, Regency, Sweet Revenge, The Black Dove, The Spy Wore Silk, Top Ten, Wallflowers

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as "old maids" to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.

When Lord Evan - a charming escaped convict who has won Gus's heart - needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evan's complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy task - the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.

In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan's past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen's clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?"

Oh my, I love Alison Goodman and everything about this book, but the "everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers" had me on the floor.

The Wordsworth Key by Julia Golding
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dead body, a missing manuscript, and a villain intent on revenge...

1812
Investigative duo, Dora Fitz-Pennington and Dr Jacob Sandys, have escaped London and headed north to the Lakes, both needing time away from danger after their two most recent cases. Death, unfortunately, hasn't got the message that it isn't welcome to join them.

Now, as William Wordsworth's opus goes missing, and disappearances and a murder follow in quick succession, Dora and Jacob are forced to abandon their holiday and use their unique skills to track down a reckless killer intent on destroying the Romantic poets and all they stand for..."

Isn't it annoying when you just want a nice vacation and then there's death? I mean, Poirot probably likes that, but I can't really think of anyone else who would.

My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father - and herself.

In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.

To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man's pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.

As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny.

A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name Is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart."

The voice of Emilia is so strong.

The Artist and the Feast by Lucy Steeds
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Longlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, The Artist and the Feast is a captivating novel of love, art, food, desire and thwarted ambition, which builds propulsively over one scorching French summer in 1920s Provence.

During a scorching summer in 1920s Provence, a young journalist, Joseph Adelaide, turns up at the farmhouse of reclusive artist Edouard Tartuffe, hoping to write an article about him. There, he meets Ettie, Tartuffe's niece, who appears to do everything for her uncle - from cooking and cleaning to catering to his maniacal moods. Joseph is beguiled by where he finds himself, not just by this foreign place or Tartuffe himself, but by Ettie, who watches everything so quietly from the periphery. Both Joseph and Ettie carry scars from their pasts and it's as they get to know each other that they start to lay bare those scars to themselves and to each other.

As the summer wears on, and as new ideas and passions are explored, Joseph, Ettie, and Tartuffe are propelled toward a finale that reveals long-held secrets and sets the world on fire.

Fans of Sarah Winman's Still Life and Paula McClain's The Paris Wife will be enchanted by this compelling novel."

There's something magical that happens in the right place at the right time with the right temperature that just coalesces into the perfect window onto another world.

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dive into the charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city. When their journey through the Structure in E.'s garden strands them in a peculiar society preoccupied with the pleasures and perils of knowledge, E. and Henerey come to accept - and, more surprisingly still, embrace - the fact that they may never return home.

A year and a half later, Sophy and Vyerin finally discover one of the elusive Entries that will help them seek their siblings. As the group's efforts bring them closer to E. and Henerey, an ancient, cosmic threat also draws near..."

Underwater, cosmic threat!?! Has Cthulhu shown up?

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.

Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.

But when he arrives at the dock, he's stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she's not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn't the police who are after them, it's a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans...or so Mae claims.

It's lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can't refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey."

Personally, I think he could have said no. But then again, we wouldn't have one of Christopher Golden's memorable stories it that were the case.

The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li
Published by: Avid Reader Press / Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mexican Gothic meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in Christina Li's haunting novel about the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet, and the intertwined fates of the two Chinese American families fighting to inherit it.

Vivian Yin is dead. The first Chinese actress to win an Oscar, the trailblazing ingénue rose to fame in the eighties, only to disappear from the spotlight at the height of her career to live out the rest of her life as a recluse.

Now her remaining family members are gathered for the reading of her will, and her daughters expect to inherit their childhood home: Vivian's grand, sprawling, Southern California garden estate. But due to a last-minute change to the will, the house is passed on to another family instead - one that has suddenly returned after decades of estrangement.

In hopes of staking their claim, both families move into the mansion. As Vivian's daughters race to piece together what happened in the last weeks of their mother's life, disturbing visions and bizarre behaviors start to take hold of everyone in the house, forcing them to realize they are being haunted by something far more sinister and vengeful than their regrets. After so many years of silence, will the families finally confront the painful truth behind the house's origins and the last, tragic summer they spent there - or will they cling to their secrets until it's too late?

Told in dual timelines, spanning three generations, and brimming with romance, betrayal, ambition, and sacrifice, The Manor of Dreams is a thrilling family Gothic that examines the true cost of the American Dream - and what happens when the roots we set down in this country turn to rot."

I mean, making your estranged family live in a haunted house is a good way to get your revenge...

Drop Dead by Lily Chu
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One mysterious mansion. Two rival journalists. Three weeks to uncover the story - and love - of a lifetime.

Obituary writer Nadine Barbault doesn't mind being called "Lady Death." It suits the ice queen persona she's cultivated to survive the fast-paced Toronto Herald. So when Nadine learns that famous (and reclusive) author Dot Voline has died, she doesn't hesitate to run the obituary...only to discover that Dot is very much alive.

Nadine's screw-up has brought Wesley Chen of the rival Spear no end of joy - she's been a thorn in his extremely ambitious side for years. But the renewed interest in Dot also surfaced chatter about a mysterious past scandal. Intrigued, Wes goes to the source to learn more - only to discover Nadine had the exact same idea...and the infuriating woman isn't willing to respect dibs. Typical.

At first, Dot refuses to speak to either of the squabbling pair, but then they receive an unusual request - work together, and Dot will share everything. The offer seems too good to be true...and of course, it is: in a bitter twist of irony, Dot dies for real before she can finish recounting her story. Not all is lost, however. The estate's executor allows Wes and Nadine access to Dot's sprawling wonderland of a mansion for three weeks to find their answer. That's three weeks of working together...three weeks of endless sweltering in tight spaces...three weeks of learning there could be something more between them than a desire to win at any cost.

And maybe, just maybe, under the rubble of all those could-have-beens they'll uncover more than the secret of Dot Voline's long-ago scandal - and Lady Death will finally embrace what she's wanted from life all along."

If it wasn't so cute I'd say it's a V.C. Andrews series in the making.

The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon
Published by: Picador
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Suddenly witness to a man's dreadful death, Inspector Maigret finds himself faced with a series of sordid events that drove the man to despair in this haunting tale of guilt and tragedy.

While stopped at a railway station on the northern edge of Holland, Inspector Maigret catches sight of a traveler acting oddly: the man glances around furtively, pulls out handfuls of coins to pay for purchases, and guards a small suitcase. Maigret decides to follow the man, thinking he'll help catch a crook - but then the inspector witnesses something terrible. The stranger leaves behind only a passport with a false name and an old, large, dirty gray suit. Struck by guilt, Maigret resolves to figure out who this man was and why events ended so tragically. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien is a moving and deep exploration into the burdens of conscience and the lengths one might go in pursuit of absolution."

A LOT of Maigret books being reissued, I wonder if it has anything to do with the new show?

In Progress (Revised Edition) by Jessica Hische
Published by: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This revised edition of design-world darling Jessica Hische's career-spanning art book offers a fascinating inside look at her work in progress, featuring highlights from her most exciting recent projects and new tips for lettering with digital tools.

In Progress is an inspiring and informative book that showcases the creative prowess and technical expertise behind artist, author, and type designer Jessica Hische's distinctive lettering and typography styles. In explanatory captions throughout these pages, Hische guides readers through the phases of each hand-lettered project - for major clients such as Wes Anderson, NPR, Nike, and more - from gathering inspiration and sketching out rough ideas to revising and refining final designs.

With this new edition, readers have the chance to:
-Revisit the beloved artist's sketchbook.
-Follow the evolution of her process over the arc of her career.
-Learn more about how Hische has integrated digital tools into her practice.
-Discover more ways to be creative and improve one's own work.

NEW MATERIAL: This revised edition offers up-to-date information about Hische's technical process and go-to tools. Learn more about her approach to drawing digitally on an iPad and delve into inspiring new projects, following them from the first sketch to the final design.

DESIGN WORLD LEGEND: Considered a pioneer in the modern lettering movement, Jessica Hische has enjoyed a multi-faceted career with a diverse range of compelling projects - from blockbuster movie titles, book covers, and logo redesigns to original posters and prints. She's spoken at over 100 conferences, colleges, and other design events on nearly every continent, including FITC, Creative Mornings, AIGA, The Brand New Conference, the Build Conference, and more.

IN-DEPTH VISUAL RESOURCE: A perfect self-purchase or gift for artists and designers of all levels, from aspiring letterers to professional illustrators looking to hone their skills. With more than 250 full-color images and metallic silver ink used throughout to represent Hische's penciled sketches, this highly visual book is an essential - and entirely enjoyable - resource for those who practice the art of hand lettering or calligraphy or for anyone who appreciates typography in all its styles and forms. The book also includes a preface by internationally celebrated creative director, graphic designer, type designer, and author Louise Fili.

Perfect for:
-Admirers of Jessica Hische's lettering work and followers of her popular social media accounts
-Hand-lettering and calligraphy fans
-Art and design students, professionals, and enthusiasts
-Professional designers
-Bullet journalers, casual creatives, people looking for new artistic hobbies"

Um, I'm literally everyone this book is "perfect for."

His Face Is the Sun by Michelle Jabès Corpora
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 6th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new reign is coming...Romance, magic, adventure, and horror collide in the start to this lush, epic, Ancient Egyptian inspired trilogy perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas.

Princess. Priestess. Rebel. Thief.

Tensions run as hot as the Khamsin winds in the great kingdom of Khetara. Rumors of the pharaoh's mysterious illness abound, and with them, murmurs of rebellion grow. Meanwhile, in the quiet desert, a forgotten oracle begins to unfold, setting a dark prophecy into action and drawing together four strangers...

Princess SITA lives in the abundance of the palace, and in a moment of passion, she unmasks a betrayal that will put her life - and the entire royal court - in grave danger.

A priestess-in-training, NEFF strives to understand her intense visions from the gods, except theirs is not the only magic at play in the grand temple.

As a farmer's daughter, RAE knows how much the pharaoh's men have taken from her land, her people. Still, who will step forward to confront the king?

KARIM was raised among the pyramids of the Red Lands and survives on the wealth of the dead as a tomb robber. But amid the spoils, an ancient evil awakens...

Bloodshed is coming. Only together do these four have the potential to save the kingdom from destruction. But when the dust has settled, who will sit on the throne of Khetara?"

Oh. Oh my. I couldn't be more excited, it's Egyptian inspired!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alison Goodman, Christina Li, Christopher Golden, Georges Simenon, Ill-Mannered Ladies, Isabel Allende, Jessica Hische, Julia Golding, Lily Chu, Lucy Steeds, Michelle Jabès Corpora, Regency, Sylvie Cathrall

The Spy Wore Silk by Andrea Pickens
Published by: Oliver-Heber Books
Publication Date: February 25th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 350 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Selina plucked her name from a spinning globe, much as she was plucked out of the gutter by Lord Lynsley. He saw in her a tenacity that would be perfect for his unique scheme, a scheme that saw orphans from the stews placed in the care of Mrs. Merlin where these select young women of no breeding would be taught to save England in it's hour of need. They were taught culture and seduction. They were taught to wield a blade and a pistol as well as any man. In fact, better than many. They were taught to rely on their own wits and work alone for king and country using the more subtle forms of warfare. And as the war with Napoleon rages on, England has need of Merlin's Marauders. Or it has need of one of them, their best. Selina. It is time for her to fly. There is a traitor who has been leaking documents to the French through expensive and rare editions of books. The most recent missive that has been stolen is in regards to Russia's alliance with England. If this were to make it into the hands of the French that alliance would come to an end. Because of the unique method of delivery the traitor might have tipped their hand. The Golden Page Club is a group of six men with disparate personalities who come together to talk about incunabula. Dunster, Fitzwilliam, Winthrop, Leveritt, Jadwin, and Kirtland are all men of means, but it's James Winchester, the Earl of Kirtland, whom Lord Lynsley has singled out. Kirtland had a rather glorious military career that ended rather publicly. If any one of these bookworms holds a grunge against England, he is the most likely. Which is where Selina comes in. She has launched herself, rather dramatically, into society as The Black Dove, a courtesan in search of a protector. And that protector could only be a member of The Gilded Page Club. All six members have been invited to Marquand Castle for a fortnight for an exclusive auction of a set of rare fourteenth century Burgundian Psalters illuminated by the monks of St. Sebastian Abbey. Thanks to Lord Lynsley, Selina will be one of the guests. During the course of the house party she will host a competition amongst the six men to see which one of them will protect her. All the challenges though are designed to route out the spy. Little did she think when starting this mission that her heart was most at risk. Selina is in danger of falling for a man who might just be a traitor according to Lynsley. But only time will tell if her instincts are right about Kirtland or if she's unwittingly risked the fate of her country.

I have been a fan of Andrea Penrose since I picked up her book Sweet Revenge on a perfect bookstore outing with my Dad one cold winter night in 2011. And yes, I can close my eyes and picture myself there in Barnes and Noble just like it was yesterday and not fourteen years ago. Little did I realize that Andrea Penrose was just another pen name of Andrea DaRif, who taught a class at Yale in 2010 with perennial favorite, Lauren Willig, called "Reading the Historical Romance." If I had put two and two together I would have hunted down all her books before that felicitous bookstore outing. For my blog's Regency Romp back in 2022 I devoured all of her Lady Arianna books having not realized that they had continued as eBooks after the first three were released in paperback. I had a lot of catching up to do. It was glorious. But after you've read all the Lady Arianna and all the Wrexford and Sloane books and even read her books written as Cara Elliott, what is a reader to do? It turns out she thankfully had YET ANOTHER pen name out there, Andrea Pickens! And, well, it just so happens that Andrea's partnered with Oliver-Heber Books to re-publish a number of her old Signet Regency books as well as her Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Extraordinary Young Ladies series, The Spy Wore Silk being the first volume in this series. I went into this book with no expectations and was wonderfully surprised that this book felt written just for me. Books, art, a country house party!?! All while trying to foil dastardly spies? Seriously, written. For. Me. It captured the same joy I had when I first read Lauren Willig's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which is the standard by which I judge all modern authors writing in the Regency. Yet there was also the delicious romance of Lisa Kleypas's Wallflowers series. And yes, I realize that at this point all I'm doing is listing favorite series that The Spy Wore Silk reminded me of, but that's because I honestly think that after reading only the first book that this will become a new favorite series of mine and I can't wait to read the next three books. This book was just such fun, with memorable characters and so much appetizing alliteration. But what I felt stood out from the crowd with this book was that by posing as a courtesan Selina is treated very differently by men. This isn't the ton we are used to. Yes, women are always in danger of being compromised, for Selina it could be much much worse. They all think she's chattel and treat her as such. Thankfully she can defend herself. But this sure isn't Jane Austen's England. I need more!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrea DaRif, Andrea Penrose, Andrea Pickens, Books, Cara Elliott, Courtesan, Lauren Willig, Lisa Kleypas, Merlin's Marauders, Pink Carnation, Regency, Sweet Revenge, The Black Dove, The Spy Wore Silk, Wallflowers

At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A murderess becomes the guardian of two very unusual girls in this mesmerizing Gothic novel from acclaimed author Camilla Bruce.

Clara Woods is a killer - and perfectly fine with it, too. So what if she takes a couple of lives to make her own a little bit better? At the bottom of her garden is a flower bed, long overgrown, where her late husband rests in peace - or so she's always thought.

Then the girls arrive.

Lily and Violet are her nieces, recently orphaned after their affluent parents died on an ill-fated anniversary trip. In accordance with their parents' will, the sisters are to go to their closest relative - who happens to be Clara. Despite having no interest in children, Clara agrees to take them, hoping to get her hands on some of the girls' assets - not only to bolster her dwindling fortune but also to establish what she hopes will be her legacy: a line of diamond jewelry.

There's only one problem. Violet can see the dead man at the bottom of the garden. She can see all of Clara's ghosts...and call them back into existence. Soon Clara is plagued by her victims and at war with the gifted girls in her care. Lily and Violet have become a liability - and they know far more than they should."

A very interesting Henry James vibe!

The Weekend Guests by Liza North
Published by: Harper Paperbacks
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the vein of Lucy Foley's chilling, atmospheric mysteries, a compulsive, psychological thriller about a group of old university friends whose seaside reunion will end in betrayal and murder.

Five old friends...One reunion to die for.

After years apart, old college friends Aline, Sienna, Rob, Michael, and Brandon reunite in idyllic Dorset, for a weekend at Aline's beautiful house perched on a cliff above the sea. It should be the perfect chance to relax, rekindle friendships, and meet each other's partners; plus, there's a sitter to watch the kids.

What most of the guests don't know, however, is that Aline has called them all together for a reason: someone has threatened to expose the dark crime they committed at university. Long ago, these old friends swore one another to silence, and have never spoken of the deed since. But now, menacing postcards have begun to appear - and Aline is convinced it's one of them turning on the rest.

In Liza North's propulsive and unsettling dual timeline narrative, truths emerge, secrets surface, and long-simmering grudges explode - and by the end of this reunion weekend, at least one of them will be dead..."

I don't know why but any book that is basically a murderous version of Peter's Friends is a book I have to read.

Head Cases by John McMahon
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying - and commercial - series debut.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He also has a blind spot on the human side of investigations, a blindness that sometimes even includes people in his own life, like his beloved seven-year-old daughter Camila. Gardner and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI's hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve.

When DNA links a murder victim to a serial killer long presumed dead, the team springs into action. A second victim establishes a pattern, and the murderer begins leaving a trail of clues and riddles especially for Gardner. And while the PAR team is usually relegated to working cold cases from behind a desk, the investigation puts them on the road and into the public eye, following in the footsteps of a killer.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer's identity. But with the perpetrator somehow learning more and more about the team at PAR, can they protect themselves and their families...before it's too late?

With an enigmatic case that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon's Head Cases is a triumph."

I mean, if she wasn't seven wouldn't it be great if Camila was the killer?

The Rules of Fortune by Danielle Prescod
Published by: Mindy's Book Studio
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A daughter's investigation into her family history threatens to destroy their legacy in a gripping novel about power, money, and secrets by the author of Token Black Girl.

On their Martha's Vineyard estate, the Carter family prepares to celebrate. But when the billionaire patriarch dies right before his seventieth birthday, the media is quick to question the future of the multi-industry conglomerate that makes the Carters living legends. Amid the succession crisis, his daughter, Kennedy, is questioning her father's past.

Kennedy is an aspiring filmmaker, and the documentary she'd planned to present at her father's party begins an inquest into the life of a man she never really knew. A thoughtful outlier in an elite and fiercely guarded dynasty, she's not interested in keeping up the appearances that define her impeccably poised mother or in the capitalist games her ruthless brother plays. Kennedy wants only to understand the origins of their empire, and the lethally ambitious man behind it. That understanding comes at a cost.

As a twisted history emerges, the fault lines in the family grow. Torn between morality and the promise of maintaining wealth, Kennedy must decide what's most important - the Carter legacy or exposing the shocking truth of how it was built."

I mean, a character named Kennedy unearthing family secrets? It's totally about THE Kennedys, and I'm all for taking down that corrupt family, even if only fictionally. 

Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a local fisherman is mauled to death, it seems like the only possible cause is a mythical creature in the latest puzzling entry in this USA Today bestselling series.

An ice fisherman is savagely mauled to death in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and an eyewitness claims the man was attacked by a hodag. There's just one problem with that: it's well known that the creature is not real and was created by a local hoaxer. So how could an imaginary creature be chomping on local sportsmen?

The suggestion that a hodag killed someone isn't well received by the townsfolk because of its beloved ties to the town and the money it generates from tourist dollars. Due to this, people begin to suspect the witness is the real killer, especially when it's discovered he has a tangled past with the victim.

The witness to the attack happens to be the nephew of Morgan Carter's bookstore employee, Rita Bosworth, who convinces the professional cryptozoologist to travel to Wisconsin to prove that a hodag not only exists but killed the victim.

Clues may be hard to come by, but one thing's for sure: something killed that man, and that something now has its eyes focused on Morgan."

As a Wisconsinite just seeing that hodag on the cover brings me joy. And yes, I obviously was able to identify it before reading the blurb.

Barbarian's Heart by Ruby Dixon
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The next novel in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, an international publishing phenomenon - now in a special print edition with a bonus novella!

The unthinkable happens when a devastating accident causes Pashov to forget his mate, but Stacy will do whatever it takes to make her family whole again...

The first time I laid eyes on Pashov, we resonated. I was happy and in love, and we were raising a beautiful child together. All of that was torn apart when the world shook.

My mate nearly died.

He woke up from his coma...but he can't remember me. Or our son. Every memory of the past two years is gone. And that changes everything between us. How can I love someone who doesn't remember me?

How can I not when I know he's still my mate underneath it all?"

It's cold out, Valentines is near, come enjoy the Ice Planet Barbarians series!

A Lady Would Know Better by Emma Theriault
Published by: Entangled: Amara
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Get ready to swoon for this dreamy, forget-me-not romance that's filled with the delightful tartness of Jane Austen and the sweeping, unputdownable drama of Bridgerton.

There are many things an English lord might encounter on the grounds of his wintry estate. Trees. Birds. Perhaps a wandering gamekeeper. Instead, the Earl of Belhaven finds a woman in the snow, unconscious and nearly frozen to death. Then her luminous gray eyes open just long enough for her to plead, "Don't let them get me."

Now Jasper Maycott has his hands full with a woman who has absolutely no memory of who she is or where she came from - to say nothing of her name! Just a gold ring, some fine clothes, and a penchant for pert conversation. But while "Jane" dresses and speaks quite like a lady, Jasper can't make any assumptions. After all, she could be a crafty fortune hunter...albeit a charming and unutterably beautiful one.

Only there's no room for romantic love in the Earl of Belhaven's world. There is just grim duty, a lingering sense of loss, and the knowledge that love - in any form - can only bring heartbreak in its wake.

But while a lady should know better, the heart heeds no rules...even if its every beat portends the danger she was running from."

Well hopefully the danger will be dealt with and a HEA is on the cards. It should be if Jane Austen and Bridgerton are anything to go by...

Lord of Intrigue by Nina Jarrett
Published by: Rogue Press
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A mysterious heir is on his way to England. Will Molly be able to find her place in his household, or will a tragic fate befall one of them within the week?

In this steamy mystery romance, two people are thrust together on the ashes of a disastrous murder plot. Now they must find a way to work together despite the unexpected attraction between them.

No one knows the new heir...

Marco Scott has never been to England, but now he is next in line to a title. Surrounded by potential enemies, he must find his footing in this strange land. Learning he is to act as guardian to an enticing young woman only makes matters more complicated.

A ward stuck in a stranger's home...

Molly Carter is handed over to the new heir, a man no one knew existed until it was revealed a peer was murdered to conceal his existence. To make matters worse, he might be the most beautiful man alive, which is making her blurt out the most embarrassing nonsense.

But someone is not happy that Marco will inherit. Danger lurks in the shadows, and he can't inherit if he's dead. Can Molly and Marco come to terms with their newfound passion to solve the mystery before one of them ends up in a grave?

Lord of Intrigue is the delightful fifth book in the Inconvenient Scandals series of steamy Regency suspense romance books. If you like worthy heroes, fast-paced plots, and enduring connections, then you'll adore Nina Jarrett's charming novel. Can be read as a standalone book."

That cover captured by imagination, and then the blurb? Yeah, I gotta read it.

The Girl Made of Stars by K.E. Le Veque
Published by: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 346 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lola Grayson had it all.

In 1934, Lola was on top of the world. Dubbed "The Siren" by MGM, she was a protégé of Louis B. Mayer, the original talkie sex symbol before the rise of stars like Carole Lombard and Jean Harlow. But like Harlow, Lola Grayson had a dominant stage mother and bad health that struggled to meet the demand of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Exploited, pushed, primped, and promoted as MGM's biggest star, Lola Grayson made one fatal mistake - falling in love with fellow MGM star Robert Taggart. Together, they were the golden couple that audiences demanded to see. But Lola wanted what every young woman at the time wanted - a husband and a family. For a major star, that was a death sentence.

Lola Grayson's death rocked the world.

In the present day, Joey Cabot is a novelist with a struggling career. In a stroke of fate, she purchases Lola Grayson and Robert Taggart's former home in Los Angeles. It was a secret love nest they kept hidden from the world, but what comes out of the old walls is a secret no one wanted to see the light of day. Something so explosive that it could lay Hollywood history wide-open. In discovering that secret, Joey sees the salvation of her career, but it soon becomes apparent that Joey isn't working for her salvation, but for Lola's.

Old Hollywood glamour and tragedy brings together two lost souls in this masterpiece fictional tale of one woman's death... and one woman's life."

I'm such a sucker for Old Hollywood.

There's Something About Mira by Sonali Dev
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 317 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes the heartfelt story of a woman determined to reunite a lost ring with its owner, who ends up finding herself along the way.

Mira Salvi has the perfect life - a job she loves, a fiancé everyone adores, and the secure future she's always imagined for herself. Really, she hasn't a thing to complain about, not even when she has to go on her engagement trip to New York alone.

While playing tourist in the city, Mira chances upon a lost ring, and her social media post to locate its owner goes viral. With everyone trying to claim the ring, only one person seems to want to find its owner as badly as Mira does: journalist Krish Hale. Brooding and arrogant, he will do anything to get to write this story.

As Krish and Mira reluctantly join forces and jump into the adventure of tracing the ring back to where it belongs, Mira begins to wonder if she is in the right place in her own life. She had to have found this ring for a reason...right? Maybe, like the owner of the lost ring, her happy ending hasn't been written yet either."

There's a certain serendipity to Sonali Dev's latest book...

Abduction of a Slave by Dana Stabenow
Published by: Head of Zeus - An Aries Book
Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The gripping new historical mystery from New York Times bestselling author Dana Stabenow. In Cleopatra's Egypt, the clouds of war are on the horizon...

Cleopatra, seventh of her name, all-powerful ruler of Egypt, has found her most able and trusted agent in Tetisheri, her Eye of Isis. So when Tetisheri asks permission to visit the Kingdom of Cyrenaica, she is surprised - and suspicious - when her queen grants her leave from Alexandria.

A middleman in Cyrenaica has ceased communication and Tetisheri's uncle, a master trader, is on a mission to find out why. But there are others in Cyrenaica with hidden agendas: Julius Caesar's spies, Caesar's sworn enemy Mettelus Scipio, and the ever duplicitous King Juba I.

Tetisheri soon realises why Cleopatra consented to her mission, for Cyrenaica is a web of intrigue that also includes Pompey's widow and an army readying to take on the might of Caesar, who is massing his legions in Sicily. With war on the horizon, Tetisheri's skills will be stretched to the limit as she also tries to decipher a murder mystery closer to home."

I am ALL. ABOUT. EGYPT! Especially with a side of Rome!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Annelise Ryan, Camilla Bruce, Dana Stabenow, Danielle Prescod, Emma Theriault, Henry James, John McMahon, K.E. Le Veque, Liza North, Nina Jarrett, Peter's Friends, Regency, Ruby Dixon, Sonali Dev, Wisconsin

Miss Amelia's List by Mercedes Lackey
Published by: Daw Books
Publication Date: December 24th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The seventeenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series follows Amelia Stonehold and Serena Meleva as they navigate property acquisition, marriage proposals, and other ancient horrors in Regency England, but with the help of elemental magic.

The year is 1815, and an American, Miss Amelia Stonehold, has arrived in the Devon town of Axminster, accompanied by her "cousin" Serena Meleva. She's brought with her a list to tick off: find a property, investigate the neighbors, bargain for and purchase the property, staff the property and...possibly...find a husband. But Amelia soon finds herself contending with some decidedly off-list trouble, including the Honorable Captain Harold Roughtower, whose eyes are fixed on her fortune. Little does Amelia know that his plans for her wealth extend far beyond refurbishing his own crumbing estate - they include the hidden Roman temple of Glykon, where something very old, very angry, and very dangerous still lurks.

But Roughtower isn't prepared to reckon with the fact that neither Amelia nor Serena are pushovers. And he certainly isn't ready for the revelation that he has an Earth Master and a Fire Mage on his hands - or that one of them is a shapeshifter."

Mercedes Lackey writing Regency Magic!?! How did she know what I wanted for Christmas!?!

The Matter of the Secret Bride by Darcie Wilde
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: December 24th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jane Austen meets Fleabag in Regency London, as a resourceful young woman with a talent for helping ladies of the ton with their most delicate and pressing predicaments finds herself facing a task of royal proportions. Literally.

King George IV is petitioning Parliament for a divorce from his queen on the grounds of her adultery. But rumor has it that the king secretly married Maria Fitzherbert - long before he married the queen. Now Mrs. Fitzherbert has been robbed - and she's frantically calling on Rosalind for help.

Because what those thieves took is proof that she and King George did really marry. That single piece of paper could destroy Mrs. Fitzherbert and her family - or it could prove the king guilty of bigamy.

Rosalind races to investigate. With her is ex-Bow Street officer, Adam Harkness, with whom Rosalind shares a complex and rapidly intensifying bond. But a case of theft soon turns to murder...

Josiah Poole, a disreputable attorney specializing in helping debtors - and who was seen entering Mrs. Fitzherbert's house - is found brutally murdered. Mrs. Fitzherbert has debts. Could she have staged the theft, and employed Mr. Poole to sell the marriage certificate? Or is the truth even more complicated? Mrs. Fitzherbert's daughters have secrets of their own. And Poole himself had no shortage of enemies.

With suspicious coincidences mounting, and more danger encroaching, Rosalind and Adam must move quickly to unravel a history-making mystery that might just lead them straight to the palace itself..."

Oh, a mystery rooted in very real history! I love it!

The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: December 24th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The acclaimed author of the Anthony, Agatha, Macavity, and Lefty Award-nominated Devil's Chew Toy delights with the first in a new historical mystery series set in turn-of-the-19th-century Chicago, as America is entering its Progressive Era and Harriet Morrow, a bike-riding, trousers-wearing lesbian, has just begun her new job as the first female detective at the Windy City's Prescott Agency...

Chicago, 1898. Rough-around-the-edges Harriet Morrow has long been drawn to the idea of whizzing around the city on her bicycle as a professional detective, solving crimes for a living without having to take a husband. Just twenty-one with a younger brother to support, she seizes the chance when the prestigious Prescott Agency hires her as its first woman operative. The move sparks controversy - with skeptical male colleagues, a high-strung office secretary, and her boss, Mr. Theodore Prescott, all waiting for her to unravel under the pressure...

Only an hour into the job, Harriet has an assignment: Discover the whereabouts of a missing maid from one of the most extravagant mansions on Prairie Avenue. Owner Pearl Bartlett has a reputation for sending operatives on wild goose chases around her grand estate, but Harriet believes the stunningly beautiful Agnes Wozniak has indeed vanished under mysterious circumstances - possibly a victim of kidnapping, possibly a victim of something worse...

With Mr. Prescott pushing a hard deadline, Harriet's burgeoning career depends on working through a labyrinth of eccentric characters and murky motives in a race to discover who made Agnes disappear. When her search leads to Chicago's Polish community and a new friendship in Agnes's charming older sister, Barbara, clues scattered across the city slowly reveal just how much depends on Harriet's inexperienced investigation for answers...and the deep danger that awaits once she learns the truth."

I miss the bygone times when detective agencies were rather large instead of one of two people.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Chicago, Christmas, Darcie Wilde, Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mercedes Lackey, Miss Amelia's List, Regency, Regency Magic, Rob Osler, The Case of the Missing Maid, The Matter of the Secret Bride

No One Can Known by Kate Alice Marshall
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The author of What Lies in the Woods returns with a novel about three sisters, two murders, and too many secrets to count.

Emma hasn't told her husband much about her past. He knows her parents are dead and she hasn't spoken to her sisters in years. Then they lose their apartment, her husband gets laid off, and Emma discovers she's pregnant - right as the bank account slips into the red.

That's when Emma confesses that she has one more asset: her parents' house, which she owns jointly with her estranged sisters. They can't sell it, but they can live in it. But returning home means that Emma is forced to reveal her secrets to her husband: that the house is not a run-down farmhouse but a stately mansion, and that her parents died there.

Were murdered.

And that some people say Emma did it.

Emma and her sisters have never spoken about what really happened that night. Now, her return to the house may lure her sisters back, but it will also crack open family and small-town secrets lots of people don't want revealed. As Emma struggles to reconnect with her old family and hold together her new one, she begins to realize that the things they have left unspoken all these years have put them in danger again."

Kate Alice Marshall has become a must read author for me.

The Clinic by Cate Quinn
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the critically acclaimed author of Black Widows comes a thriller set in a remote rehab clinic on the Pacific Northwest coast, in which the death of a woman inside prompts her sister to enter the clinic as a patient in order to find the truth. Perfect for fans of Stacy Willingham and Tarryn Fisher!

Meg works for a casino in LA, catching cheaters and popping a few too many pain pills to cope, following a far different path than her sister Haley, a famous actress. But suddenly reports surface of Haley dying at the remote rehab facility where she had been forced to go to get her addictions under control.

There are whispers of suicide, but Meg can't believe it. She decides that the best way to find out what happened to her sister is to check in herself - to investigate what really happened from the inside.

Battling her own addictions and figuring out the truth will be much more difficult than she imagined, far away from friends, family - and anyone who could help her."

A perhaps evil and remote rehab clinic wreathed in fog? Oh yes.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A whip-smart and "fast-paced mystery" (The Daily Telegraph, London) from the internationally bestselling author of The Twyford Code and The Appeal about a true crime journalist who revives a long-buried case about a cult - and finds herself too close to the story.

Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl into believing her baby was the anti-Christ. When the girl came to her senses and called the police, the Angels committed suicide and mother and baby disappeared.

Now, true crime author Amanda Bailey is looking to revive her career by writing a book on the case. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen; finding them will be the scoop of the year. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and also on the baby's trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realize that the truth about the Angels is much darker and stranger than they'd ever imagined, and in pursuit of the story they risk becoming part of it."

Though fiction this is two of my favorite things, true crime and cults.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver
Published by: Head of Zeus
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""Something has been let loose..."

In Edwardian Suffolk, a manor house stands alone in a lost corner of the Fens: a glinting wilderness of water whose whispering reeds guard ancient secrets. Maud is a lonely child growing up without a mother, ruled by her repressive father.

When he finds a painted medieval devil in a graveyard, unhallowed forces are awakened.

Maud's battle has begun. She must survive a world haunted by witchcraft, the age-old legends of her beloved fen - and the even more nightmarish demons of her father's past.

Spanning five centuries, Wakenhyrst is a darkly gothic thriller about murderous obsession and one girl's longing to fly free by the bestselling author of Dark Matter and Thin Air. Wakenhyrst is an outstanding new piece of story-telling, a tale of mystery and imagination laced with terror. It is a masterwork in the modern Gothic tradition that ranges from Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker to Neil Gaiman and Sarah Perry."

This book has been on my "must buy" list since it came out in 2019 in England.

The Last Immortal by Natalie Gibson
Published by: BHC Press
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 422 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I am Lady Ramillia Winmoore, daughter of the very late Earl of Brooksberry, or I was lifetimes ago. I am an immortal, and this is my story. Do what you will with it, but I must warn you: this tale is not for the faint of heart. Highborn Victorian Lady that I was, my life was one of violence and cruelty.

Lady Ramillia Winmoore has suffered gaps in her memory her entire life. This darkness has proven to be a blessing until the day she awakens strapped to an examination table at the West Freeman Asylum for Lunatics. Imprisoned for the gruesome murder of her parents, she is forced to endure years of torture until salvation arrives in the form of a benefactor named Sir Julian Lawrence. Betrothed to her through an arranged marriage, Julian helps her gain freedom.

But appearances are deceiving and soon Ramillia learns the cost she must pay. The horrors she encounters in his household are far worse than the asylum. When he inducts her into a society of bloodthirsty, cruel immortals, she is forced to join them and accept their way of life.

Armed with talents she doesn't know she has, Ramillia must break free of a prison she cannot see, kill an enemy who cannot die, and find a daughter who she cannot remember - all with the help of an ally she does not know.

In this chilling gaslight-era Gothic horror novel where paranormal powers are bred and collected, friends and foes are not always what they seem when immortality is at stake."

I mean, the winter months were meant for gaslight Gothic right?

Picasso's Lovers by Jeanne Mackin
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A tangled and vivid portrait of the women caught in Picasso's charismatic orbit through the affairs, the scandals, and the art - only this time, they hold the brush.

The women of Picasso's life are glamorous and elusive, existing in the shadow of his fame - until 1950s aspiring journalist Alana Olson determines to bring one into the light. Unsure of what to expect but bent on uncovering what really lies beneath the canvas, Alana steps into Sara Murphy's well-guarded home to discover a past complicated by secrets and intrigue.

Sara paints a luxurious picture of the French Riviera in 1923, but also a tragic one. The more Sara reveals, the more cracks emerge in Picasso's once-vibrant social circle - and the more Alana feels a disturbing convergence with her own life. Who are these other muses? What became of them? What will become of her?

Desperate to trace the threads, Alana dives into the glittering lives of the past. But to do so she must contend with her own reality, including a strained engagement, the male-dominated world of art journalism, and the rising threat to civil rights in America. With hard truths peeling apart around her, it turns out that the most extraordinary portrait Alana encounters is her own."

Here because of and for the women.

Diva by Daisy Goodwin
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Daisy Goodwin returns with a story of the scandalous love affair between the most celebrated opera singer of all time and one of the richest men in the world.

In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends.

When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she'd found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

In this remarkable novel, Daisy Goodwin brings to life a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice and went on to triumph."

I mean, I know it's not another season of Victoria, but Daisy Goodwin is always able to make the historical human.

The Devil's Daughter by Gordon Greisman
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 258 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Emmy-nominated screenwriter Gordon Greisman, The Devil's Daughter is a noir thriller full of the best - and worst - of New York City in the 1950s.

Most nights PI Jack Coffey can be found hanging out in smoky Greenwich Village jazz clubs with well-known mobsters, jazzmen, and hoods. So, when an uptown financier calls him in for a job, it seems like he's headed for tonier climes. But it turns out the view from Louis Garrett's lavish penthouse overlooks the same vice-ridden Manhattan streets, which explains why he's so desperate to find his missing teenage daughter, Lucy.

When Jack's search for Lucy leads him to swanky nightclubs packed with well-dressed pimps and wealthy drug dealers, he begins to wonder if Garrett is really concerned about his daughter's welfare or if he simply fears she may reveal his own shocking secrets. After an attack outside Jack's own apartment and Lucy's boyfriend is found floating face down in the East River, the story kicks into high gear.

But death threats, crooked cops, lies, or ugly truths can't stop Jack from finishing the job - whether an angel or a devil, Lucy is still a kid in danger, and Jack will do whatever it takes to find her."

A little noir isn't a bad thing.

The Wharton Plot by Mariah Fredericks
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mariah Fredericks' mesmerizing novel, The Wharton Plot, follows renowned novelist Edith Wharton in the twilight years of the Gilded Age in New York as she tracks a killer.

New York City, 1911. Edith Wharton, almost equally famed for her novels and her sharp tongue, is bone-tired of Manhattan. Finding herself at a crossroads with both her marriage and her writing, she makes the decision to leave America, her publisher, and her loveless marriage.

And then, dashing novelist David Graham Phillips - a writer with often notorious ideas about society and women's place in it - is shot to death outside the Princeton Club. Edith herself met the man only once, when the two formed a mutual distaste over tea in the Palm Court of the Belmont hotel. When Phillips is killed, Edith's life takes another turn. His sister is convinced Graham was killed by someone determined to stop the publication of his next book, which promised to uncover secrets that powerful people would rather stayed hidden. Though unconvinced, Edith is curious. What kind of book could push someone to kill?

Inspired by a true story, The Wharton Plot follows Edith Wharton through the fading years of the Gilded Age in a city she once loved so well, telling a taut tale of fame, love, and murder, as she becomes obsessed with solving a crime."

I like how they're trying to pretend the Gilded Age wasn't over by saying it's "fading" and in it's "twilight years."

The Diamond of London by Andrea Penrose
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: January 23rd, 2024
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Born into an illustrious family of swashbuckling war heroes and brilliant political leaders, Lady Hester Stanhope was a Regency-era adventuress who lived on her own terms and refused to conform.

Fans of Shana Abé, Theresa Ann Fowler, and Fiona Davis will be captivated by the unforgettable spirit at the heart of USA Today bestselling author Andrea Penrose's dazzling new historical novel based on the real life of Lady Hester Stanhope (1776-1839), a British aristocrat, antiquarian, and adventurer who defied all conventional strictures of what a woman could and couldn't do during the Regency era.

Even with her privileged life, Lady Hester Stanhope knows that claiming the adventurous life she truly wants will not be easy, thanks to her eccentric father's stifling grip. With the help of her renowned statesman uncle William Pitt the Younger, she takes on the glittering, treacherous heights of London Society. Her formidable intelligence, outspoken opinions, and headstrong determination gain the favor of the beau monde's leading taste-maker Beau Brummell - and she quickly learns to bend the rules of the ton to her own advantage. And as her uncle's hostess, she astutely uses her skills to preside over - and give advice to - the most influential figures of her day, rising to a position unequaled in society...

But when it comes to holy matrimony, Hester will settle for no less than a passionate match of equals - a search marked by challenges and heartbreak. Her affair with a charismatic naval officer tempts her with forbidden pleasures - even as it threatens her reputation. Her love for a sophisticated, brilliant diplomat offers the marriage of her dreams...and unsuspected betrayal. And as England is plunged into war, Hester's world changes forever, causing her to find courage and strength amid loss, chart a completely unexpected future - and make a glorious legacy forever hers..."

I know, I know, it's not a new Wrexford and Sloane or Lady Arianna book, but it's the same time period and so so fascinating.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrea Penrose, Cate Quinn, Daisy Goodwin, Edith Wharton, Gothic, Janice Hallett, Jeanne Mackin, Kate Alice Marshall, Maria Callas, Mariah Fredericks, Michelle Paver, Natalie Gibson, Pablo Picasso, Regency

The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fortune favors the bold - but is a confirmed spinster daring enough to loosen the reins and accept a favor from the wicked gentleman who haunts her dreams?

Lady Anne Deveril doesn't spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she's the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother's devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she's tempted to run...right into his arms.

No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse - on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather's country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare.

Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions - and a tender heart."

Country estate holiday party!?! YAS!

The Lady Thief of Belgravia by Allison Grey
Published by: Storm Publishiing
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 353 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"London, 1879. The city's most notorious pickpocket is about to become the jewel of high society...

Della Rose learned her trade as a pickpocket on the vice-ridden streets of the notorious Seven Dials. But when the handsome Cole Winthrop offers her a huge sum of money to steal from his arch nemesis, the nefarious Duke of Salisbury, it seems Della’s days of deceit and thievery could soon be behind her.

To do the job she must go undercover as a member of high society, learning to walk, talk, ride and flirt like a lady. Which also means pretending to be Cole's cousin...

As an undeniable attraction grows between them, Della must fight to stay focused. Succeeding in her mission could be her ticket to a new life. And this thief won’t let the small matter of falling in love get in her way...

With irresistible charm, sparkling romance and an unforgettable heroine, The Lady Thief of Belgravia will delight fans of Evie Dunmore, Minerva Spencer and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton."

I mean, who doesn't like a dash of deception?

Always Remember by Mary Balogh
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady Jennifer Arden and Ben Ellis know that a match between them is out of the question. Yet their hearts yearn for the impossible. Discover a new heartwarming story from New York Times bestselling author and beloved "queen of Regency romance" Mary Balogh.

Left unable to walk by a childhood illness, Lady Jennifer, sister of the Duke of Wilby, has grown up to make a happy place for herself in society. Outgoing and cheerful, she has many friends and enjoys the pleasures of high society - even if she cannot dance at balls or stroll in Hyde Park. She is blessed with a large, loving, and protective family. But she secretly dreams of marriage and children, and of walking - and dancing.

When Ben Ellis comes across Lady Jennifer as she struggles to walk with the aid of primitive crutches, he instantly understands her yearning. He is a fixer. It is often said of him that he never saw a practical problem he did not have to solve. He wants to help her discover independence and motion - driving a carriage, swimming, even walking a different way. But he must be careful. He is the bastard son of the late Earl of Stratton. Though he was raised with the earl's family, he knows he does not really belong in the world of the ton.

Jennifer is shocked - and intrigued - by Ben's ideas, and both families are alarmed by the growing friendship and perhaps more that they sense developing between the two. A duke's sister certainly cannot marry the bastard son of an earl. Except sometimes, love can find a way."

This is what I'm looking for, more diverse representation in books from the Queen of Regency Romance!

When the Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd
Published by:Tule Publishing
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 339 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Her reputation is at risk. He vows to help…but soon finds resisting her the greatest challenge of all.

When Lord Hugh Aldershot, the Viscount of Tremberley, overhears the drunken Earl of Hartley claiming to have bedded Lady Henrietta Breminster, his best friend's little sister, he is livid. He drags the passed-out earl to Breminster House to face punishment for his blathering, only to find himself face-to-face with Lady Henrietta in a sexy night dress and little else.

When Lady Henrietta Breminster sees the Viscount of Tremberley dragging the unconscious Earl of Hartley to her doorstep, she panics. Not only was she indiscreet with the earl, but she has long nursed a flaming tendre for her brother's best friend. Now she must ask Tremberley to help her keep her biggest mistake from the gossips of the ton.

Drawn closer by their efforts to subdue the jealous earl, Trem and Henrietta soon discover their own forbidden attraction. But even as Henrietta discovers true passion with Trem, she knows she could never marry for anything less than love."

Oh, I think love is definitely on the table.

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This bittersweet Pride and Prejudice remix follows a trans boy yearning for the freedom to live openly, centering queerness in a well-known story of longing and subverting society's patriarchal and cisheteronormative expectations.

London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world - and the vast majority of his family and friends - think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.

But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And not to mention incredibly attractive.

As Oliver is able to spend more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares begin to hope that his dream of love and life as a man could be possible. But suitors are growing bolder - and even threatening - and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: Settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly, honestly his own."

I love this remix series but I adore Marlowe Lune's artwork even more. Every book that they have done the cover art for has a precious place on my bookshelves.

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When mysterious faeries from other realms appear at her university, curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde must uncover their secrets before it's too late, in this heartwarming, enchanting second installment of the Emily Wilde series.

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore who just wrote the world's first comprehensive encyclopaedia of faeries. She's learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Ones on her adventures...and also from her fellow scholar and former rival Wendell Bambleby.

Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He's an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother and in search of a door back to his realm. And despite Emily's feelings for Bambleby, she's not ready to accept his proposal of marriage: Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and dangers.

She also has a new project to focus on: a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by his mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby's realm and the key to freeing him from his family's dark plans.

But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors and of her own heart."

The series everyone has been urging me to pick up. Perhaps now's the time?

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney
Published by: Harperteen
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this fresh reimagining of Charlotte Brontë's classic novel by acclaimed author L. L. McKinney, Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason must save each other from the horrifying machinations of Mr. Rochester in this intrigue-filled, empowering young adult romance.

Jane Eyre has no interest in a husband. Eager to make her own way in the world, she accepts the governess position at Thornfield Hall.

Though her new employer, Edward Rochester, has a charming air - not to mention a handsome face - Jane discovers that his smile can sharpen in an instant. Plagued by Edward's mercurial mood and the strange wails that echo through the corridors, Jane grows suspicious of the secrets hidden within Thornfield Hall - unaware of the true horrors lurking above her very head.

On the topmost floor, Bertha Mason is trapped in more ways than one. After her whirlwind marriage to Edward turned into a nightmare, he locked her away as revenge for withholding her inheritance. Now his patience grows thin in the face of Bertha's resilience and Jane's persistent questions, and both young women are in more danger than they realize.

When their only chance at safety - and perhaps something more - is in each other's arms, can they find and keep one another safe before Edward's dark machinations close in around them?"

THE Jane Eyre reimagining we've ALL been waiting for.

The Search Party by Hannah Richell
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A spellbinding locked-room mystery about a glamping trip gone horribly wrong when a powerful storm leaves the participants stranded and forced to confront long-held secrets and a shocking disappearance.

Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race with their twelve-year-old son to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. Eager for a dry run ahead of their opening, they invite three old university friends and their families for a long-needed reunion. But the festivities soon go awry as tensions arise between the children (and subsequently their parents), explosive secrets come to light, and a sudden storm moves in, cutting them off from help as one in the group disappears.

Moving between the police investigation, a hospital room, and the catastrophic weekend, The Search Party is a propulsive and twisty destination thriller about the tenuous bonds of friendship and the lengths parents will go to protect their children - perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley."

This is why I don't go glamping.

The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From debut author Nishita Parekh, a fresh take on the classic locked-room thriller, about a multigenerational Indian American family marooned in a house with a murderer during Hurricane Harvey.

Hurricane Harvey is about to hit Houston. Meanwhile, single mom Jia Shah is already having a rough week: her twelve-year-old son, Ishaan, has just been suspended from school for getting in a fight. Still reeling from the fallout of her divorce - their move to Houston, her family's disapproval, the struggle to make ends meet on her own - now Jia is worried about Ishaan's future, too. Will her solo parenting be enough? Doesn't a boy need a father?

And now their apartment complex is under a mandatory evacuation order. Jia's sister, Seema, has invited them to hunker down in her fancy house in Sugar Land, and despite Jia's misgivings - Seema's husband, Vipul, has been just a little too friendly with her lately - Jia concedes it's probably the best place to keep Ishaan safe during the hurricane. With Jia's philandering ex scrutinizing her every move, all too eager to snatch back custody of Ishaan, she can't afford to make a mistake.

When Vipul's brother and his wife show up on Seema's doorstep, too, it's a recipe for disaster. Grandma, the family matriarch, has never been shy about playing favorites among her sons and their wives. As the storm escalates, tensions rise quickly, and soon someone's dead. Was it a horrible accident or is there a murderer in their midst?

With no help available until the floodwaters recede in the morning, Jia must protect her son and identify the culprit before she goes down for a crime she didn't commit - or becomes the next victim...."

Never get in a locked anything with family. That's what I've learned.

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A teen girl and her family return to her mother's childhood home, only to discover that the house's strange beauty may disguise a sinister past, in this contemporary Gothic horror from the author of What We Harvest.

The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That's what Libby's mom said. And after Libby's recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it, Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal.

But Libby's new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls, towering stained-glass windows feature strange, insectile designs, and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals, including the mysterious boy next door, tell stories about disappearances tied to the house, stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds.

Libby's mom refuses to hear anything that could derail their family's perfect new beginning, but Libby knows better. The house is keeping secrets from her, and something tells her that the key to unlocking them lies in the eerie, bug-shaped masks hidden throughout the property.

We all wear masks - to hide our imperfections, to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long, she might just lose herself - and everyone she loves."

Here for all the Gothic horror.

The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fifteen edited by Ellen Datlow
Published by: Night Shade Books
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Ellen Datlow - "the venerable queen of horror anthologies" per the New York Times - comes a new entry in the series that has brought you thrilling stories from Stephen King and Neil Gaiman, the best horror stories available.

For more than four decades, Ellen Datlow has been at the center of horror. Bringing you the most frightening and terrifying stories, Datlow always has her finger on the pulse of what horror readers crave. Now, with the fifteenth volume of the series, Datlow is back again to bring you the stories that will keep you up at night. Encompassed in the pages of The Best Horror of the Year have been such illustrious writers as: Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Stephen Graham Jones, Joyce Carol Oates, Laird Barron, Mira Grant, and many others.

With each passing year, science, technology, and the march of time shine light into the craggy corners of the universe, making the fears of an earlier generation seem quaint. But this light creates its own shadows. The Best Horror of the Year chronicles these shifting shadows. It is a catalog of terror, fear, and unpleasantness as articulated by today's most challenging and exciting writers."

My question is this for last year because it seems premature for 2024...

Murder in the Alps by Sara Rosett
Published by: McGuffin Ink
Publication Date: January 16th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 237 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cold-blooded killer lurks in the luxurious winter wonderland of St. Moritz...

Switzerland, 1924. Lady sleuth Olive Belgrave is set to enjoy a holiday of ice-skating and snowshoeing in the glamorous alpine setting of St. Moritz, but her plans are rudely interrupted when an unfortunate accident takes place. It quickly becomes clear that the tragic event was a carefully concealed murder.

Olive isn't one to shy away from a challenge, and with her sharp intuition and knowledge of the high society set, she uncovers motives among the elite guests. However, this case is one of the most challenging she's faced.

Her suspects include a famous lady mountaineer, an up-and-coming fashion designer, a mousy lady's maid, and several gentlemen sportsmen who seem to be only interested in tobogganing, ice-climbing, and the new sport of skiing down the mountain slopes. Can Olive find the cunning killer and solve the impossible crime before it's too late?

If you enjoy puzzling mysteries set among the glitz and glamor of the 1920s, you'll enjoy Murder in the Alps, the latest installment of USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett’s High Society Lady Detective series."

I love Olive Belgrave and Sara Rosett!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Allison Grey, Ann Fraistat, Gabe Cole Novoa, Hannah Richell, Heather Fawcett, Jane Eyre, L.L. McKinney, Lydia Lloyd, Mary Balogh, Mimi Matthews, Nishita Parekh, Pride and Prejudice, Regency, Sara Rosett