strange and random happenstance

Silent Bones by Val McDermid
Published by: Atlantic Crime
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The new installment in the "relentlessly engrossing series" (Wall Street Journal) finds Karen Pirie and her team investigating the murder of a journalist paved under a motorway - but was it his work or his private life that put him there?

Scotland, 2025. When torrential winter rain causes a landslide on a motorway, it dislodges more than mud and asphalt - it reveals a skeleton, concealed when the road was built eleven years prior.

Sam Nimmo, an investigative journalist who'd been poking his nose into the murky politics of the Scottish independence referendum, had become the prime suspect in the brutal murder of his girlfriend when he vanished. Now he's reappeared, buried under the motorway. It's the perfect cold case for DCI Karen Pirie, chief of Police Scotland's Historic Cases Unit. What was Nimmo investigating that was worth killing over? Or was it revenge for murdering his girlfriend? Meanwhile, an allegation of murder has surfaced over the supposedly accidental death of a hotel manager. It may have links to another accident on a remote Highland road. It's a series of puzzles that tests Karen and her team to their limits. And possibly beyond...

A darkly propulsive thriller of secrets hidden at the core of a Scottish Highlands town, Silent Bones reaffirms Val McDermid as a crime writer of inimitable power."

I am here for ALL the Karen Pirie I can get! Also, interesting that the journalist's last name was Nimmo...

Kirkyards and Kindness by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: K.L.A Fricke Inc
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Kindle, 155 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mallory Mitchell and Dr. Duncan Gray take a break from investigating murder to find the most famous dog in Victorian Scotland.

A year ago, twenty-first-century detective Mallory found herself in 1869 Edinburgh, in the body of Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid working for Dr. Duncan Gray, pioneer in forensic science. Shortly after she arrived, she made the unfortunate acquaintence of Catriona's former criminal mentor, Davina, an entanglement that nearly got Mallory killed. Now she's about to meet Davina again.

Greyfriars Bobby has disappeared. The little terrier is already a legend, and Davina has made a tidy living showing him off on graveyard tours...while picking the pockets of her guests. When the elderly dog vanishes, Davina calls in a favor from her old student. Mallory agrees to help find Bobby in return for the one thing she's been unable to get from Davina - the mysterious Catriona's life story.

Note this is not a full-length novel. It's a novella set after Death at a Highland Wedding."

Oh, this is a backstory you don't want to miss!

Dark Humor by Matt Goldman
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nils Shapiro embarks on an international quest to avenge his wife's murder in this gripping, emotionally charged thriller from New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award-winning author Matt Goldman.

Sammy Sykes is evading the law - and justice.

Nils is on a mission to hunt down Sammy Sykes, the drug kingpin responsible for the ambush that led to his wife's death two years ago. Despite the efforts of local law enforcement and the FBI, Sammy is still on the loose.

It's time for Nils to take the law into his own hands.

A trip to see Sammy's daughter in prison gifts him a lead that's impossible to ignore. Resuming his life as a private investigator, Nils goes deep undercover. Fueled by revenge and a deep sense of justice, Nils' pursuit of Sammy takes him all the way from Minnesota to Europe, where his survival skills - and resolve - are put to the ultimate test...

A page-turning detective novel written in Matt Goldman's unique, sharp style. The long-awaited return of beloved private eye Nils Shapiro is perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, and Harlan Coben."

I mean, I'd go to any length for vengeance, so it's nice to read about someone who has the same values.

Watch Us Fall by Christina Kovac
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lucy and her three best friends share a glamorous but decaying house in the heart of Georgetown. They call themselves "the Sweeties" and live an idyllic post-grad lifestyle complete with exciting jobs, dramatic love lives, and, most importantly, each other.

But when Addie, the group's queen bee, discovers that her ex-boyfriend Josh has gone missing, the Sweeties' worlds are turned upside down. In the days leading up to his disappearance, Josh, a star investigative journalist from a prominent political family, was behaving erratically - and Lucy is determined to find out why. All four friends upend their lives to search for him, but detectives begin to suspect that the Sweeties might know more than they're letting on.

As the investigation unfolds, Lucy's obsession with the case reaches a boiling point, and with it, her own troubling secrets begin bubbling to the surface of her carefully curated life. A thrilling account of the lies and delusions that lurk beneath cloistered groups of female friends and the sinister realities of celebrity, Watch Us Fall is a gripping mystery and an examination of the things we tell ourselves when we can't face the truth."

So here for the decaying grandeur and secrets of close-knit friend groups!

Friends and Liars by Kit Frick
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From "edge-of-your-seat suspense" (Booklist) author Kit Frick comes an insidious thriller about four estranged friends trapped in a powerful family's deadly games at a luxe estate in the Italian countryside.

It's been five years since heiress Clare Monroe tragically died on New Year's Eve at her family's opulent Italian palazzo. Since that time, her college friends have harbored a dark secret - their lies and betrayals led to Clare's untimely death.

What happened that fateful night was a horrible accident, but Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David are guilty, nonetheless. And their desperate decision to conceal the truth destroyed their once-close bond.

Now, the estranged friends are each the recipient of an invitation from the Monroes to return to the lakeside palazzo for a long-overdue memorial for Clare. Accepting the Monroes' invitation means playing with fire, but they can hardly refuse.

Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David have barely settled into their idyllic accommodations on Lake Como before someone at the memorial party begins targeting them. Haunted by little "gifts" left in their rooms, taunting notes, and the unshakable sense of being watched, it soon becomes clear that someone on the guest list knows the whole truth about the night Clare died - and the secrets her friends have been keeping. Nothing is as it seems at the palazzo on the lake, and under their tormentor's vengeful gaze, their secrets - and their lives - are in danger."

Feels a bit Ready or Not and I am SO here for that.

Needle Lake by Justine Champine
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two cousins on very different sides of teen girlhood spend a winter together that changes both of their lives forever.

And once, after Elna came to stay, I watched a man drown there on Christmas Eve, his body trapped beneath the ice.

Fourteen-year-old Ida was born with a hole in her heart. Forbidden from most physical activities and considered strange by her teachers and peers, she prefers spending time alone, memorizing countries and capitals on her globe and imagining the world outside the tiny logging town of Mineral, Washington.

One afternoon, in walks her cousin Elna, there to stay for a few weeks. Ida hasn't seen Elna since they were children, and she's immediately drawn to her older cousin, who's everything Ida is not: confident, glamorous, charismatic, and daring. Elna lives in San Francisco, a city Ida has seen only as a dot on her globe. She doesn't treat Ida like she's a fragile kid whose heart might give out at any moment. She isn't scared off by Ida's quirks and fixations. Ida is enraptured.

Then, on Christmas Eve, a man dies out in the woods near Mineral, and the two cousins suddenly share a secret beyond the scope of anything Ida has dealt with before. Fear begins to mix with the reverence Ida feels toward her cousin, especially when she discovers Elna is hiding more than she ever suspected. Brimming with lush prose and careful observation, Needle Lake is an arresting portrait of girlhood and the overwhelming, sometimes dangerous intensity of adolescence."

If it's wrong to be mildly obsessed with corpses trapped beneath ice I don't want to be right. 

The Italian Secret by Tara Moss
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An old family secret leads from the streets of Sydney to Italy's sun-drenched Neapolitan coast, in this immersive historical mystery from #1 international bestselling author Tara Moss.

Pacific Ocean, 1907. A girl embarks on a journey to begin a new life far from home.

Naples, 1943. A woman shelters underground from a wartime air raid, praying her husband will return home.

Sydney, 1948. Billie Walker, returned from a stint as a wartime investigative journalist, uncovers a dusty box in her father's old office whose contents - correspondence with a woman on the other side of the world - just might explain how they all are connected.

Plunged into a perilous search that will take her onto the first postwar luxury passenger ship to sail across the ocean to Italy, Billie finds herself up against a dangerous adversary - someone with a mysterious grudge against her family - as she races to uncover the secrets her father left behind. And as the trail leads her towards two women whose histories may be entwined with her own, she realizes that her father's Italian secret just might upend everything she thought she knew."

Two places I'm obsessed with, Australia and Italy! 

Pearls and Poison by Erin Lindsey
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rose is back and this time she's flying solo as she investigates criminal paranormal activity in Gilded Age New York City.

Murder in Manhattan.

Fully fledged Pinkerton agent Rose Gallagher has just caught her first solo case. Stolen jewels and suspicious deaths in a building on Pearl Street with supernatural markings in the wall are right up her alley. But without her partner, Thomas - whose abrupt departure still hurts her bruised heart - Rose fears she might not be up to the challenge. Especially when the investigation takes a deadly turn...

Attending a high society séance hosted by a psychic of dubious repute should have been nothing more than a great opportunity to gather clues. And yet Rose finds herself being followed, her dear friend is brutally attacked, and her mother's life is threatened. With her loved ones in danger, can Rose stop the killer before their sinister scheme claims another victim?

The fourth installment in Erin Lindsey's Rose Gallagher series, Pearls and Poison is an exciting adventure through Gilded Age New York. Fans of historical mysteries and all things supernatural will love this!"

Séance!!! 

Two Spinsters and a Villain by Eve Tarrington
Published by: Eve Tarrington
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Kindle, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Regency-era opera house sees more than its share of drama when its imposing patron is murdered.

Louisa-Margaretta Haddington, back from Russia, is eager to find a theatre for her future husband's operatic debut. But a visitor from her past, Mr Fortescue, threatens both her marriage and her reputation. It is plain that he cannot stand to see his beloved Miss Haddington marry another. And when he turns up murdered, Louisa-Margaretta must fight for her future and her reputation.

Judith St Clair is in London trying to get help for her own fiance, who has vanished on a diplomatic mission. But when her cousin is accused of Mr Fortescue's murder, Judith must intervene immediately. But the theatrical world is full of secrets, and the actors are both secretive and skilled.

As Louisa-Margaretta and Judith attempt to find the killer, rumors fly in Europe that Napoleon Bonaparte has returned and is raising an army. As all London descends into panic, the two friends must unravel the best-kept secrets of the opera world in order to save both Jasper and themselves.

This Regency cozy historical mystery will transport you to a candlelit opera house and the wild London streets of 1815."

I love me a good Regency tale about the opera. Seriously, any theatrical venue during the Regency is fascinating to me.

Whispers at Painswick Court by Julie Klassen
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She expected her return to Painswick would bring memories of the past - not danger and romance.

Anne Loveday, a surgeon's daughter, is determined to live a single, useful life. To escape her matchmaking stepmother, she accepts an invitation from an old friend to return to Painswick, the place where she and her sister spent many happy summers until that last, fateful year.

Soon after arriving, Anne is asked to serve as sickroom nurse to Lady Celia, who forbade her nephew to marry Anne's sister years before. Pushing aside resentments, Anne moves into Painswick Court, a shadowy old house rumored to be haunted. Also in residence are Lady Celia's spinster daughter, her handsome adult nephews, and a secretive new lady's maid. Two local doctors visit regularly as well, one of whom admires Anne while concealing secrets of his own.

As an escalating series of mishaps befalls her patient, Anne realizes someone is trying to kill the woman. But who? When Anne finds herself a suspect and her resolution to avoid romance challenged, can she discover the real culprit - and protect her heart - before it's too late?

Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen in this compelling Regency-era novel laced with intrigue, love, and English village charm for fans of historical romance and whodunit mysteries."

I would totally be Anne Loveday, though I probably would just be stuck with a patient and death threats and no romance.

Not Exactly Mr. Darcy by Carolyn Miller
Published by: Barbour Fiction
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pride, Pemberley, and Second Chances.

When history-loving Olivia Bennett's teaching contract isn't renewed, she is considered her family's logical choice to care for her ailing grandmother in a tiny English village. While there, she soon finds additional work at nearby Hartbury Hall - one of England's great houses once used as Pemberley in a filmed production of Pride and Prejudice. The head gardener there, however, proves to be anything but the gentlemanly hero of that famous book. Little does she know that behind Liam Browne's brusque exterior is both a family tragedy and a legacy that demands truth and honor, creating a crisis that only Liv's vivacious determination can resolve. Along the way, she may just learn that appearances count for naught...and that love can be found in unexpected ways."

Always keep in mind, no one thought Darcy gentlemanly until the end!

The Last Vampire by Romina Garber
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pride and Prejudice meets Crave when Austen-loving Lorena Navarro attends a new boarding school expecting to find her own Mr. Darcy, but accidentally awakens the world's last vampire instead!

Pride comes before the fall.

When a boarding school opens in a once-condemned Victorian manor buried in the woods of New Hampshire, Austen-loving Lorena Navarro enrolls in hopes of finding her own Mr. Darcy. Instead, she stumbles across a coffin and accidentally awakens the world's last vampire.

After hibernating for nearly three centuries, William Pride is desperate to find his family - and clueless about the modern world. Relying on Lorena for more than just blood, he enrolls at the school to catch up on all he's missed.

Soon, William uncovers a chilling truth: He is the last hope for his kind's return to power. Torn between protecting the humans around him and fulfilling his fate, William must make a choice that could change everything. Will he sacrifice his species for love...or will he embrace his dark destiny at last?"

It's gotta be sacrifice right? Also, what house inspector missed a coffin!?!

Legend by Karina Halle
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The scorching conclusion to Hollow, a sexy, dark reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Welcome back to Sleepy Hollow. Though Katrina Van Tassel, Ichabod Crane, and Brom Bones have begun to pull apart the bone-chilling mystery of the Headless Horseman, their journey is far from its end. As they share the enigmatic halls of Sleepy Hollow Institute, their lives become increasingly entangled. Amidst their exploration of dark desires, Kat grapples with the affections of two possessive men who hunger not just for her, but for each other.

As their passions deepen, unsettling secrets within the school's ancient coven come to light, threatening to unravel the very fabric of their existence. Each must face a profound test, with one harboring a hidden past that could shatter their newfound unity.

In a suspenseful tale of desire, obsession, and the ever-lurking shadows of Sleepy Hollow, these three souls will be pushed to the brink, facing the chilling consequences of their deepest secrets and darkest cravings.

Watch your head."

Gothic power throuple? 

Better in Black by Cassandra Clare
Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ten original love stories by the reigning queen of romantasy, featuring fan-favorite couples from her #1 New York Times bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles - one of the most popular series of all time, with more than 50 million copies in print worldwide!

Ten couples. United by love. Divided by danger.

Jace and Clary, seeking out an exiled Shadowhunter and learning that love can save the world - or destroy it. Will and Tessa, honeymooning in Paris when a séance sends them down an unexpected path. Simon and Izzy, observing increased demonic activity around New York, on a hilarious urban romp.

These are just a few of the beloved couples whose romantic escapades will have you on the edge of your seat across time and storylines from Cassandra Clare's expansive Shadowhunters series. Don't miss a chance to reunite with:

-Anna and Ari
-Emma and Julian
-Kieran, Mark, and Cristina
-James and Cordelia
-Thomas and Alastair
-Sebastian and the Seelie Queen
-Jocelyn and Luke

A love letter to every fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, this riveting story collection also includes a sneak peek at The Wicked Powers, the majestic trilogy that will be the grand finale of the entire series!"

Oh, there are more books coming? OK.

Something Wicked by Falon Ballard
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The country of Avon is in deep turmoil...

The Uprising has overthrown Avon's monarchial rulers, and a decree has been issued. Candidates for the first presidential election will be selected by the completion of a special task: to kill the former monarch of their home province.

Callum, the son of the recently dethroned king, is determined to be in the running. But coming to terms with patricide will require the help of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at La Puissance, Avon's premiere sex club.

Lady Caterine has always had the magical ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who experiences an orgasm in her presence. If Callum can only open up to Cate, he will be able to commit the newly fated murder without suffering the guilt and take his place as the rightful candidate from his province. But Callum has a deep-seated mistrust of the Gifted. And the last thing he expects is to be confronted with an undeniable connection with Cate that neither of them understands or wants.

With the fate of the country at stake, Callum and Cate search for ways to bare themselves to each other, and discover a darker force building within La Puissance, one that might ruin the future of Avon forever. To stop Avon from falling to ashes, they must sacrifice everything they have...even if it requires betraying each other."

Does her power work if she's just hanging out in a room with an orgy going on?

Tales of Winter and Whimsy by Amanda Aggie, Whitney Dean, Gabbie Dixon, L.R. Friedman, Morgan Gauthier, Kate King, V.B. Lacey , Ophelia Wells Langley, Hillary Raymer, and K.C. Smith
Published by: K.C. Smith
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Kindle, 500 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ten fantasy and romantasy authors. Ten delightfully cozy tales.

This enchanting collection of short stories will have you traveling through snow-covered landscapes, winter solstice balls, small town universities, seaside cottages, and time itself. From a grumpy blacksmith and a chicken cult to a budding romance in the most unlikely of places and everything in between. Each tale offers low stakes, varying spice levels, and whimsical winter worlds that are sure to fill your soul with joy.

So pour yourself a warm brew, wrap up in a cozy blanket, and step into these ten wintery, whimsical tales."

Who doesn't want to whimsy for winter as December starts?

The Curse of the Cole Women by Marielle Thompson
Published by: Alcove Press
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Three generations of women struggle with a curse unfairly placed on their ancestor in this gothic story of magic, queer love, and mother-daughter relationships, perfect for fans of Spells for Forgetting and Practical Magic.

The Cole women are cursed. Each generation will birth a daughter, lose their love, and, as surely as the tide beats against the rocky shore, take her own life by giving herself to the sea. For generations, the Cole women have lived as outcasts, maintaining a lighthouse on a small island off the coast of New Hampshire. Ever since their ancestor was accused of witchcraft and cast into the sea hundreds of years prior, the islanders have ostracized the Coles, distrusting their rumored magic and their control of the lighthouse.

Despite their mistreatment, the Cole women are compelled to remain on the island because they know that if a Cole woman does not light the beacon on Juniper Island, anyone who is out at sea will be drowned. Out of guilt and obligation, the Cole women live out their solitary lives on the island, knowing someday their recompense for protecting the people from the sea will be to die in the sea themselves.

Told in three interwoven timelines in the late twentieth century, The Curse of the Cole Women unravels the lives of three women who struggle with their relationships with each other as they contend with the reality of their fates - is it truly a curse, or is it generational madness that drives Cole women to the sea?

Readers will be swept into this evocative and moving story about challenging misogyny, finding community, and struggling with fate."

The sea is a harsh mistress. 

Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards
Published by: Spiegel and Grau
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A masterful debut novel following a spirited young woman's explorations of faith, agency, and love in thirteenth-century Bruges.

Aleys is sixteen years old and unusual: stubborn, bright, and prone to religious visions. She and her only friend, Finn, a young scholar, have been learning Latin together in secret - but just as she thinks their connection might become something more, everything unravels. When her father promises her in marriage to a merchant she doesn't love, she runs away from home, finding shelter among the beguines, a fiercely independent community of religious women who refuse to answer to the Church.

Among these hardworking and strong-willed women, Aleys glimpses for the first time the joys of belonging: a life of song, meaning, and friendship in the markets and along the canals of Bruges. But forces both mystical and political are at work. Illegal translations of scripture, the women's independence, and a sudden rash of miracles all draw the attention of an ambitious bishop - and bring Aleys and those around her into ever-increasing danger, a danger that will push Aleys to a new understanding of love and sacrifice.

Grounded in the little-told stories of medieval women - mystics, saints, anchoresses, and beguines - and introducing a major new talent, Canticle is a luminous work of historical fiction, vividly evoking a world on the verge of transformation."

If I were in Bruges in the thirteenth century I'd be with Aleys.

Out of Time by Jodi Taylor
Published by: Headline
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The nail-bitingly tense, rib-crackingly funny new Time Police mission from the million-copy bestselling author of The Chronicles of St Mary's.

The Time Police are accustomed to jumping to the past. This time, however, the past has come to them.

What connects a dead dinosaur with Romulus the founder of Rome, a shocking cover-up at TPHQ and a plot to murder the Princes in the Tower?

The Time Police are determined to find out, helped - and occasionally hindered - by a wayward member of St Mary's and a recently reunited Team 236. Each in their own unique way, obviously.

As if all that wasn't enough - something somewhere in the Timeline is wrong. Very, very wrong. What is the Time Map trying to tell them?

Can the Time Police find the answers before Time runs out?"

Dinosaurs and Rome? Yes please!

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a determined killer targets her brother, a grim reaper risks everything to save him in this delightful cozy mystery.

Nora Bird works for S.C.Y.T.H.E., which might seem odd for someone as terrified of death as she is. But ever since her parents died in an accident when she was six, she's been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to cheat death than the company that employs the nation's grim reapers?

The work enables Nora to learn all about the myriad ways you can kick the bucket, which is comforting...until one day, a file crosses her desk with a name she recognizes. Her twin brother's.

The twins haven't spoken in six months, but Charlie is all Nora has left. Completely against her cautious nature, Nora steals the file and flees, racing to her brother's house. She begs him to trust her that his death is imminent, and they hit the road (with his parrot, Jessica, who has plenty to say) in an attempt to evade both death and S.C.Y.T.H.E., whose sole mission of collecting souls has been disrupted by Charlie's continued existence.

Alas, every time Nora saves him, a new cause of death appears in his file. Someone is determined to take Charlie out, and Nora will have to use everything she's ever learned about death to discover the culprit."

I mean, working S.C.Y.T.H.E. has to have some added benefit right? Like saving your nearest and dearest...

Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher
Published by: 47north
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Paperback, 271 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an enthralling contemporary fantasy seeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote US desert - only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.

With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt's house in the desert town of Quartz Creek. The scorpions and spiders are better than what she left behind.

Because in Quartz Creek, there's a strange beauty to everything, from the landscape to new friends, and more blue sky than Selena's ever seen. But something lurks beneath the surface. Like the desert gods and spirits lingering outside Selena's house at night, keeping watch. Mostly benevolent, says her neighbor Grandma Billy. That doesn't ease the prickly sense that one of them watches too closely and wants something from Selena she can't begin to imagine. And when Selena's search for answers leads her to journal entries that her aunt left behind, she discovers a sinister truth about her new home: It's the haunting grounds of an ancient god known simply as "Snake-Eater," who her late aunt made a promise to that remains unfulfilled.

Snake-Eater has taken a liking to Selena, an obsession of sorts that turns sinister. And now that Selena is the new owner of his home, he's hell-bent on collecting everything he's owed."

Is T. Kingfisher secretly entering a competition against Seanan McGuire for who can write the most books in a year? Personally, I think the more they both write makes us all winners.

Secrets of the First School by T.L. Huchu
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: December 2nd, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One final adventure for Ropa Moyo - orphan, mischief-maker and failed magician. Secrets of the First School is the mystery-filled finale to T. L. Huchu's USA Today bestselling Edinburgh Nights series.

"I've had my arse kicked more times than I can count"

Ropa Moyo is dead, banished to the Other Place by the reanimated spirit of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville of Scotland. Turns out being on the losing side sucks worse than being skint.

Now, the Cult of Dundas intends to ascend to godhood, spreading their corrupting reach from Edinburgh to all of Scotland's schools of magic. Ropa must find some way to escape the Other Place, save her sister and gather allies across the country before Edinburgh falls.

A royal plot, a family secret and a stolen body. As Scotland descends into petty in-fighting, Ropa's only hope lies in her grandmother's final secret: the first school of magic.

An ancient power is returning...and is hungry for revenge."

Say it isn't so!?! Not THE LAST!?! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:01 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Cassandra Clare, Erin Lindsey, Falon Ballard, Janet Rich Edwards, Jodi Taylor, Julie Klassen, Karina Halle, Kelley Armstrong, Marielle Thompson, Matt Goldman, Maxie Dara, Romina Garber, T. Kingfisher, T.L. Huchu, Val McDermid

The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Get ready for a new series that brings readers deeper into the lush, romantic, and puzzle-filled world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series (over 3 million copies sold!), set a year after we last saw Avery and the Hawthornes.

Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime.

Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year's game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win.

Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year's game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits - physically, mentally, and emotionally - it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers a brand-new series in the world of The Inheritance Games, where fan-favorite and new characters collide in a game you'll never forget.

Do you have what it takes to play?"

I have somehow become addicted to this Hawthorne Universe (HU?) and can not wait for this book.

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor and Park and Attachments comes Slow Dance - a bright, beaming power ballad of a novel about a love so true it refuses to be forgotten.

Back in high school, everybody thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together...everybody but Shiloh and Cary.

They were just friends. Best friends. Allies. They spent entire summers sitting on Shiloh's porch steps, dreaming about the future. They were both going to get out of north Omaha - Shiloh would go to go to college and become an actress, and Cary would join the Navy. They promised each other that their friendship would never change.

Well, Shiloh did go to college, and Cary did join the Navy. And yet, somehow, everything changed.

Now Shiloh's thirty-three, and it's been fourteen years since she talked to Cary. She's been married and divorced. She has two kids. And she's back living in the same house she grew up in. Her life is nothing like she planned.

When she's invited to an old friend's wedding, all Shiloh can think about is whether Cary will be there - and whether she hopes he will be. Would Cary even want to talk to her? After everything?

The answer is yes. And yes. And yes.

Slow Dance is the story of two kids who fell in love before they knew enough about love to recognize it. Two friends who lost everything. Two adults who just feel lost.

It's the story of Shiloh and Cary, who everyone thought would end up together, trying to find their way back to the start."

And hopefully, maybe, ending up together.

Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water comes "an utter white-knuckle ride that took me into a heart of darkness" (Lucy Foley, author of The Paris Apartment).

Nina, still grieving from the loss of her father, discovers that she has inherited property in the British Virgin Islands - a vacation home she had no idea existed, until now. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. How did her sensible father come into enough money for this? Why did he keep it from her? And what else was he hiding?

Maria, once an ambitious medical student, is a nanny for the super-rich. The money's better, and so are the destinations where her work takes her. Just one more gig, and she'll be set. Finally, she'll be secure. But when her wards never show, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool and in the sauna. There's just one rule: Don't go in the basement. That room is off-limits. But her curiosity might just get the better of her. And soon, she'll wish her only worry was not getting paid."

Dood, with the super rich, NEVER go where it's off-limits.

Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jane Eyre meets The Thirteenth Tale in this new modern gothic mystery from two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award-winner Carol Goodman, about a reclusive writer who is desperate to rewrite the past.

Losing yourself inside of a book can be dangerous. Not everyone finds their way out.

Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, has been hired by enigmatic author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit phenomenon, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. St. Clair has been a recluse since the publication of the Jane Eyre-esque book, which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. Arriving in the Hudson Valley at St. Clair's crumbling estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital for "wayward women," Agnes is eager to ensure St. Clair's devoted fans will get the sequel they've been anticipating for the past thirty years.

As St. Clair dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true - and terrifying - events three decades ago that inspired the original novel. The line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred, and Agnes discovers terrible secrets about an unresolved murder from long ago, which have startling connections to her own life. As St. Clair's twisting tale infiltrates Agnes's psyche, Agnes begins to question her own sanity - and safety. In order to save herself, Agnes must uncover what really happened to St. Clair, and in doing so, set free the stories of all the women victimized by Wyldcliffe Heights."

I don't know... never finding your way out of a book sounds nice right about now.

The Most by Jessica Anthony
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From "one of our most thrilling and singular innovators on the page" (Laura Van Den Berg), a tightly wound, consuming tale about a 1950s American housewife who decides to get into the pool in her family's apartment complex one morning and won't come out.

It is an unseasonably warm Sunday in November 1957. Katheen, a college tennis champion turned Delaware housewife, decides not to join her flagrantly handsome life insurance salesman husband, Virgil, or their two young boys, at church. Instead, she takes a dip in the kidney-shaped swimming pool of their apartment complex. And then she won't come out.

A riveting, single-sitting read set over the course of eight hours, The Most breaches the shimmering surface of a seemingly idyllic mid-century marriage, immersing us in the unspoken truth beneath. As Sputnik 2 orbits the earth carrying Laika, the doomed Soviet dog, Kathleen and Virgil hurtle towards each other until they arrive at a reckoning that will either shatter their marriage, or transform it, at last, into something real."

There's something so nostalgic about this book.

Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In post-WWII London, the matchmakers of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are involved in yet another murder.

In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture - The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous - and never discussed - past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a genteel war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Looking to throw a New Year's Eve soiree for their clients, Sparks and Bainbridge scout an empty building - only to find a body contained in the walls. What they initially assume is a victim of the recent Blitz is uncovered instead to be a murder victim - stabbed several times.

To make matters worse, the owner of the building is Sparks' beau, Archie Spelling, who has ties to a variety of enterprises on the right and wrong sides of the law, and the main investigator for the police is her ex-fiancée. Gwen, too, is dealing with her own complicated love life, as she tentatively steps back into the dating pool for the first time since her husband's death. Murder is not something they want to add to their plates, but the murderer may be closer to home than is comfortable, and they must do all they can to protect their clients, their business and themselves."

Love, marriage, and murder!

A Lethal Lady by Nekesa Afia
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Louise Lloyd's time away in Paris is everything she was hoping it would be until a shocking murder turns her entire world upside down.

Louise Lloyd is finally living the quiet life she'd longed for, working in a parfumerie by day and spending time with her new friends every night at the Aquarius club in Paris. When a desperate mother asks for help locating her artist daughter, Louise initially refuses to keep her hard-won but fragile peace intact. But the woman comes with a letter of introduction from an old friend in Harlem, and Louise realizes she has no choice but to do what she can to find the missing young woman.

The woman's daughter, Iris Wright, is part of an elite social circle. Louise soon finds herself drawn into a world of privilege and ice-cold ambition - a young group of artists who will do anything to get ahead - but would they murder one of their own? With the help of some friends from home, Louise must untangle a web of lies, jealousy, and betrayal to find out what really happened to Iris while fighting to keep her new life from crashing down around her."

Ah, the duplicitous lives of starving and striving artists!

Into the Goblin Market by Vikki Vansickle and Jensine Eckwall
Published by: Tundra Books (NY)
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 48 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A picture book ode to Christina Rossetti's classic poem and a clever homage to familiar fairy-tale villains, this story about two sisters will enthrall readers with its beautifully detailed art and enchanting writing.

Millie loves her quiet life on the farm, but Mina longs for adventure.

When the Goblin Market comes to town, Millie knows it's a bad idea. They've been told stories their whole lives about the dangers of the Goblin Market. But Mina just can't resist...

When Mina doesn't come back, it's Millie's turn to brave the market to bring her home. She will use all her smarts and all her courage to try to outwit the goblins and save her sister...but will it be enough?

This gorgeous and intriguing tribute to both "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti and classic fairy-tale villains is also a story about the bond between sisters and a celebration of courage, intelligence and resilience."

Two things I love coming together to form a third!

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A teen girl's attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

There's something in the lake at Wren Hall. At least, that's what the locals say. Not that Meg cares much about the rumors. When she's asked to spend Halloween weekend at the Ireland retreat of the wealthy Wren twins, she recognizes the invitation for exactly what it is: her last, and only, chance to save her spot at Greyscott's, the exclusive British art school she attended on scholarship until last summer. Clever, beautiful, and talented, the twins are the pride of Greyscott's, and kindhearted Lottie Wren was once Meg's closest friend. But not anymore.

None of Meg's old friend group have talked to her since she left school - and they especially don't talk about the incident that resulted in her suspension. Now, Meg is willing to do whatever it takes to earn their forgiveness.

But Wren Hall turns out to be far from the idyllic country manor Meg was expecting. The house is damp and drafty, the mirrors are all covered, and the weed-choked lake is at the center of legends that haunt the property to this day - a tainted legacy the estate seems unable to shake.

The truth is, people aren't the only ones who keep secrets. Places can keep them too - and Wren Hall is drowning in them. When the past bleeds into the present and ancient sins rise to the surface, Meg must ask herself how well she really knows her one-time best friends...or whether any of them will survive the weekend."

Sometimes the secrets of places are far more dangerous than the secrets of people.

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A delicious and dark Gothic romance from bestselling author Romina Garber!

THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY...

After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor's guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.

Beneath its Gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents' deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he's been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.

As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra's secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she's chasing has already found her...and they're closer than she ever realized."

I'm all about spooky Spanish castles.

The Mirror of the Beasts by Alexandra Bracken
Published by: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Bracken is back with the electrifying sequel to Silver in the Bone, in which fresh betrayal ignites ancient magic to wake the dead, and a cursed girl with no magic of her own must put the past to rest.

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death's plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.

Legend tells of a "Mirror of Beasts," powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror's strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page."

Oh my, I'm such a sucker for anything Arthurian! 

It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The legend of Bigfoot gets a bone-chilling update in this scary story about a young girl and her scout troop who are willing to brave the woods to find her missing friend when no one else will. Perfect for fans of Daka Hermon and Claribel A. Ortega!

The wilderness is in Jenna's blood. Her Pap was the first Black park ranger at Sturbridge Reservation, and she practically knows the Owlet Survival Handbook by heart. But she's never encountered a creature like the one that took her best friend Reese. Her parents don't believe her; the police are worthless, following the wrong leads; and the media isn't connecting the dots between Reese's disappearance and a string of other attacks. Determined to save her friend, Jenna joins a new local scout troop, and ventures back into the woods.

When the troop stumbles across suspicious signs: huge human-like footprints near the camp, scratch marks on trees, and ominous sounds from the woods, Jenna worries that whatever took Reese is back to take her too. Can she trust her new scout leader? And will her new friend Norrie - who makes her laugh and reminds her so much of Reese - believe her?

After the unthinkable happens, the scouts, armed with their wits and toiletries, band together to fight the monster and survive the night."

A cryptid caper!

Brothersong by T.J. Klune
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Brothersong is the fourth and final book in the Green Creek Series, the beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author T.J. Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and family.

The Bennett family has a secret: They're not just a family, they're a pack. Brothersong is Carter Bennett's story.

In the ruins of Caswell, Maine, Carter Bennett learned the truth of what had been right in front of him the entire time. And then it - he - was gone. Desperate for answers, Carter takes to the road, leaving family and the safety of his pack behind, all in the name of a man he only knows as a feral wolf. But therein lies the danger: wolves are pack animals, and the longer Carter is on his own, the more his mind slips toward the endless void of Omega insanity. But he pushes on, following the trail left by Gavin.

Gavin, the son of Robert Livingstone. The half-brother of Gordo Livingstone.

What Carter finds will change the course of the wolves forever. Because Gavin's history with the Bennett pack goes back further than anyone knows, a secret kept hidden by Carter's father, Thomas Bennett. And with this knowledge comes a price: the sins of the fathers now rest upon the shoulders of their sons."

Get ready for a final trip to Green Creek!

The X-Files: Perihelion by Claudia Gray
Published by: Hyperion Avenue
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Truth Is Out There...But So Are Lies.

#1 New York Times best-selling author Claudia Gray extends the story of The X-Files beyond its eleventh season into thrilling new territory!

Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are still reeling from the death of their son William as they struggle to find purpose away from the X-Files. Though their current relationship is tenuous, they hope to seize their second chance to be a family, despite the many questions surrounding Scully's pregnancy.

Then the FBI asks for their help on a case that hits all too close to home: a serial killer in the Washington, DC area who targets pregnant women. The killer appears to possess a mysterious, uncanny power over electricity, which is enough for the Bureau to re-open the X-Files - if Mulder and Scully are willing.

They cautiously agree, concerned about the safety of their own unborn child yet committed to finding justice for the killer's victims. But their return to the FBI sparks the interest of a shadowy cabal, the heirs to the now-dead Syndicate, and Mulder and Scully soon discover that what at first seems to be just another X-File is connected to a worldwide threat on an unprecedented scale...one with their own future at its heart."

If there's anyone I'd trust to continue The X-Files it's Claudia Gray. Heck, maybe if she'd been working on them longer we wouldn't have Scully pregnant. Again.

Maria by Michelle Moran
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: July 30th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Maria von Trapp. You know the name and the iconic songs, but do you know her real story? This dramatic novel, based on the woman glamorized in The Sound of Music, brings Maria to life as never before.

In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein is asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp. He's intrigued to learn that she was once a novice who hoped to live quietly as an Austrian nun before her abbey sent her away to teach a widowed baron's sickly child. What should have been a ten-month assignment, however, unexpectedly turned into a marriage proposal. And when the family was forced to flee their home to escape the Nazis, it was Maria who instructed them on how to survive using nothing but the power of their voices.

It's an inspirational story, to be sure, and as half of the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein duo, Hammerstein knows it has big Broadway potential. Yet much of Maria's life will have to be reinvented for the stage, and with the horrors of war still fresh in people's minds, Hammerstein can't let audiences see just how close the von Trapps came to losing their lives.

But when Maria sees the script that is supposedly based on her life, she becomes so incensed that she sets off to confront Hammerstein in person. Told that he's busy, she is asked to express her concerns to his secretary, Fran, instead. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran about her life, contradicting much of what will eventually appear in The Sound of Music.

A tale of love, loss, and the difficult choices that we are often forced to make, Maria is a powerful reminder that the truth is usually more complicated - and certainly more compelling - than the stories immortalized by Hollywood."

While I've never been a fan of The Sound of Music due to an unfortunate incident of Chickenpox I am a big fan of Michelle Moran and can't wait to learn more about Maria von Trapp!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexandra Bracken, Allison Montclair, Ally Russell, Amy Goldsmith, Catherine Steadman, Claudia Gray, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Michelle Moran, Nekesa Afia, Rainbow Rowell, Romina Garber, T.J. Klune, Vikki Vansickle

Igniting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
Published by: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two assassins will risk absolutely everything - even their own divinity - to save the people and the country they love in this lush historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Robin LaFevers. Set in the world of the beloved His Fair Assassin series, this smart, sensational follow up to Courting Darkness is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black.

When you count Death as a friend, who can stand as your enemy?

Sybella, novitiate of the convent of Saint Mortain and Death’s vengeance on earth, is still reeling from her God’s own passing, and along with him a guiding hand in her bloody work. But with her sisters on the run from their evil brother and under the watchful eye of her one true friend (and love) at court, the soldier known as Beast, Sybella stands alone as the Duchess of Brittany’s protector.

After months of seeking her out, Sybella has finally made contact with a fellow novitiate of the convent, Genevieve, a mole in the French court. But Sybella, having already drawn the ire of the French regent, may not be able to depend on her sister and ally as much as she hoped. Still, Death always finds a way, even if it’s not what one expects.

No one can be trusted and the wolves are always waiting in this thrilling conclusion to the Courting Darkness duology, set in the world of Robin’s beloved His Fair Assassin trilogy."

I'll read this because I'm a completest, but I've not been a fan of this duology. I have issues. 

The Heirs of Locksley by Carrie Vaughn
Published by: Tor.com
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Carrie Vaughn follows up The Ghosts of Sherwood with the charming, fast-paced The Heirs of Locksley, continuing the story of Robin Hood's children.

"We will hold an archery contest. A simple affair, all in fun, on the tournament grounds. Tomorrow. We will see you there."

The latest civil war in England has come and gone, King John is dead, and the nobility of England gathers to see the coronation of his son, thirteen year old King Henry III.

The new king is at the center of political rivalries and power struggles, but John of Locksley - son of the legendary Robin Hood and Lady Marian - only sees a lonely boy in need of friends. John and his sisters succeed in befriending Henry, while also inadvertently uncovering a political plot, saving a man's life, and carrying out daring escapes.

All in a day's work for the Locksley children..."

Nothing says summer like Robin Hood. So get in a little more summer before it's over!

The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne by Elsa Hart
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of the acclaimed Li Du novels comes Elsa Hart's new atmospheric mystery series.

London, 1703. In a time when the old approaches to science coexist with the new, one elite community attempts to understand the world by collecting its wonders. Sir Barnaby Mayne, the most formidable of these collectors, has devoted his life to filling his cabinets. While the curious-minded vie for invitations to study the rare stones, bones, books, and artifacts he has amassed, some visitors come with a darker purpose.

For Cecily Kay, it is a passion for plants that brings her to the Mayne house. The only puzzle she expects to encounter is how to locate the specimens she needs within Sir Barnaby’s crowded cabinets. But when her host is stabbed to death, Cecily finds the confession of the supposed killer unconvincing. She pays attention to details - years of practice have taught her that the smallest particulars can distinguish a harmless herb from a deadly one - and in the case of Sir Barnaby’s murder, there are too many inconsistencies for her to ignore.

To discover the truth, Cecily must enter the world of the collectors, a realm where intellect is distorted by obsession and greed. As her pursuit of answers brings her closer to a killer, she risks being given a final resting place amid the bones that wait, silent and still, in the cabinets of Barnaby Mayne."

I have always been intrigued by cabinets of wonder. This combines that love with my passion of murder mysteries!

Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This dazzling debut novel for fans of Mrs. Poe and Longbourn explores the scandalous historical love affair between Branwell Brontë and Lydia Robinson, giving voice to the woman who allegedly corrupted her son’s innocent tutor and brought down the entire Brontë family.

Yorkshire, 1843: Lydia Robinson - mistress of Thorp Green Hall - has lost her precious young daughter and her mother within the same year. She returns to her bleak home, grief-stricken and unmoored. With her teenage daughters rebelling, her testy mother-in-law scrutinizing her every move, and her marriage grown cold, Lydia is restless and yearning for something more.

All of that changes with the arrival of her son’s tutor, Branwell Brontë, brother of her daughters’ governess, Miss Anne Brontë and those other writerly sisters, Charlotte and Emily. Branwell has his own demons to contend with - including living up to the ideals of his intelligent family - but his presence is a breath of fresh air for Lydia. Handsome, passionate, and uninhibited by social conventions, he’s also twenty-five to her forty-three. A love of poetry, music, and theatre bring mistress and tutor together, and Branwell’s colorful tales of his sisters’ elaborate play-acting and made-up worlds form the backdrop for seduction.

But Lydia’s new taste of passion comes with consequences. As Branwell’s inner turmoil rises to the surface, his behavior grows erratic and dangerous, and whispers of their passionate relationship spout from her servants’ lips, reaching all three protective Brontë sisters. Soon, it falls on Lydia to save not just her reputation, but her way of life, before those clever girls reveal all her secrets in their novels. Unfortunately, she might be too late.

Meticulously researched and deliciously told, Brontë’s Mistress is a captivating reimagining of the scandalous affair that has divided Brontë enthusiasts for generations and an illuminating portrait of a courageous, sharp-witted woman who fights to emerge with her dignity intact."

I love a good Branwell deep dive!

Shadows in Time by Julie McElwain
Published by: Pegasus Crime
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In 1816 London, Kendra Donovan tries to track down a missing man, but also finds trouble brewing closer to home in the fifth book in Julie McElwain’s riveting time-travel mystery series.

When Kendra Donovan is approached by Mrs. Gavenston with an unusual request - to find her business manager, Jeremy Pascoe, who recently vanished - the FBI agent is eager to accept the challenge. To Kendra’s way of thinking, spending her time locating a missing person suits her more than perfecting her embroidery, painting watercolors, practicing on the pianoforte, or any of the other activities that are socially acceptable for young ladies in the early nineteenth century.

Unfortunately, the missing person’s case turns into a murder investigation after Kendra finds the man stabbed to death in a remote cottage that he’d been using as a writer’s retreat. Everyone who knew him says that Pascoe was a fine fellow. So who hated him enough to kill him?

Seeking the answer to that question plunges Kendra into the world of big business, as Mrs. Gavenston happens to run one of the largest breweries in England. And if there is one thing Kendra knows hasn’t changed, it’s that big business means big money...and money is always a motive for murder.

While Kendra works to sift through the truth and lies swirling around Mr. Pascoe’s life - and death - her world is rocked closer to home when a woman arrives claiming to be the Duke of Aldridge’s presumably dead daughter, Charlotte. It is a distraction Kendra cannot afford, not when there is a killer lurking in the shadows who will do anything to keep the truth from being exposed."

Regency procedural time!

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Published by: Tor.com
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She answered the Emperor's call.

She arrived with her arts, her wits, and her only friend.

In victory, her world has turned to ash.

After rocking the cosmos with her deathly debut, Tamsyn Muir continues the story of the penumbral Ninth House in Harrow the Ninth, a mind-twisting puzzle box of mystery, murder, magic, and mayhem. Nothing is as it seems in the halls of the Emperor, and the fate of the galaxy rests on one woman's shoulders.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath - but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her.

Sealed in the gothic gloom of the Emperor's Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers, hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?"

I've been wanting to read Gideon the Ninth for awhile, now's the time with a second book waiting in the series!

Lobizona by Romina Garber
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.

Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.

Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past - a mysterious "Z" emblem - which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.

As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal....it’s her entire existence."

The reviews about "a hidden magical species" are what sold me on this book!

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's here! #1 bestselling author Stephenie Meyer makes a triumphant return to the world of Twilight with this highly anticipated companion: the iconic love story of Bella and Edward told from the vampire's point of view.

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?

In Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer transports us back to a world that has captivated millions of readers and brings us an epic novel about the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love."

Twilight money grab! Because wasn't at one time this free online?

The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"There are rules for murder mysteries. There must be a victim. A suspect. A detective.

Grant McAllister, a professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked all the rules out - and wrote seven perfect detective stories to demonstrate. But that was thirty years ago. Now Grant lives in seclusion on a remote Mediterranean island, counting the rest of his days.

Until Julia Hart, a brilliant, ambitious editor knocks on his door. Julia wishes to republish his book, and together they must revisit those old stories: an author hiding from his past and an editor keen to understand it.

But there are things in the stories that don’t add up. Inconsistencies left by Grant that a sharp-eyed editor begins to suspect are more than mistakes. They may be clues, and Julia finds herself with a mystery of her own to solve.

Alex Pavesi's The Eighth Detective is a love letter to classic detective stories with a modern twist, where nothing is as it seems, and proof that the best mysteries break all the rules."

The best mysteries DO break all the rules! Unless it's Josephine Tey, when she breaks the rules it's not fun.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis's latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.

It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life - her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she is drawn to Greenwich Village's new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club - a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. But when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she loves, she's forced to confront her shifting priorities head on...and may just lose everything in the process.

Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she's wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie's running begin disappearing from the library's famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-adverse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage - truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library's history."

Time for a little Patience and Fortitude!

The Last Mrs. Summers by Rhys Bowen
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady Georgiana Rannoch is just back from her honeymoon with dashing Darcy O’Mara when a friend in need pulls her into a twisted Gothic tale of betrayal, deception and, most definitely, murder....

I am a bit at loose ends at the moment. My cook, Queenie, is making my new role as mistress of Eynsleigh something akin to constant torture as Darcy is off on another one of his top secret jaunts. And Grandad is busy helping wayward youths avoid lives of crime. So when my dearest friend, Belinda, inherits an old cottage in Cornwall and begs me to go with her to inspect the property, I jump at the chance.

After a heart-stopping journey in Belinda’s beast of a motorcar, we arrive at the creaky old cottage called White Sails and quickly realize that it is completely uninhabitable. Just when I’m starting to wonder if I would have been better off trying to get Queenie to cook a roast that hasn’t been burnt beyond all recognition, we meet Rose Summers, a woman Belinda knew as a child when she spent time in Cornwall. Rose invites us to stay at Trewoma Hall, the lovely estate now owned by her husband, Tony.

Belinda confesses that she never liked Rose and had a fling with Tony years ago, so staying with them is far from ideal but beggars can’t be choosers as they say. Trewoma is not the idyllic house Belinda remembers. There’s something claustrophobic and foreboding about the place. Matters aren’t helped by the oppressively efficient housekeeper Mrs. Mannering or by the fact that Tony seems to want to rekindle whatever he and Belinda once had right under his wife’s nose.

Our increasingly awkward visit soon turns deadly when a member of the household is found murdered and all clues point to Belinda as the prime suspect. I soon learn that some long buried secrets have come back to haunt those in residence at Trewoma Hall and I’ll need to sift through the ruins of their past so Belinda doesn’t lose her chance at freedom in the present...."

It's the first week of August, time for a new Lady Georgiana adventure!

Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Living through World War II working in a Paris bookstore with her young daughter, Vivi, and fighting for her life, Charlotte is no victim, she is a survivor. But can she survive the next chapter of her life?

Alternating between wartime Paris and 1950s New York publishing, Ellen Feldman's Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary story of resilience, love, and impossible choices, exploring how survival never comes without a cost.

The war is over, but the past is never past."

Books about the book world? YAS!

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
Published by: St. Martin's Press,
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name - and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel's podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation - but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered - and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases - and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?"

Here for the true-crime podcast! 

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
Published by: Razorbill
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Gossip Girl meets One of Us Is Lying with a dash of The Secret History in this slick, taut murder mystery set against the backdrop of an exclusive prep school on Long Island.

In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.

Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.

Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player - a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it.

But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy."

I always am drawn to dark Gossip Girl... 

Pulp by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 72 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gorgeous original graphic novel from the best-selling creators of Kill Or Be Killed, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, and Criminal.

Max Winters, a pulp writer in 1930s New York, finds himself drawn into a story not unlike the tales he churns out at 5 cents a word - tales of a wild west outlaw dispensing justice with a six-gun. But will Max be able to do the same, when pursued by bank robbers, Nazi spies, and enemies from his past?

One part thriller, one part meditation on a life of violence, Pulp is unlike anything the award-winning team of Brubaker and Phillips have ever done. A celebration of pulp fiction, set in a world on the brink. And another must-have hardback from one of comics most-acclaimed teams."

I have one rule, buy everything that Brubaker and Phillips do together and you should too.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alex Pavesi, Branwell Bronte, Carrie Vaughn, Ed Brubaker, Ellen Feldman, Elsa Hart, Fiona Davis, Julie McElwain, Megan Goldin, Rhys Bowen, Robin LaFevers, Romina Garber, Stephenie Meyer, Tamsyn Muir