strange and random happenstance

Cape Fever by Nadia Davids
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From award-winning South African author Nadia Davids comes a gothic psychological thriller set in the 1920s, where a young maid finds herself entangled with the spirits of a decaying manor and the secrets of its enigmatic owner.

I come highly recommended to Mrs. Hattingh through sentences I tell her I cannot read.

The year is 1920, in a small, unnamed city in a colonial empire. Soraya Matas believes she has found the ideal job as a personal maid to the eccentric Mrs. Hattingh, whose beautiful, decaying home is not far from The Muslim Quarter where Soraya lives with her parents. As Soraya settles into her new role, she discovers that the house is alive with spirits.

While Mrs. Hattingh eagerly awaits her son's visit from London, she offers to help Soraya stay in touch with her fiancé Nour by writing him letters on her behalf. So begins a strange weekly meeting where Soraya dictates and Mrs. Hattingh writes - a ritual that binds the two women to one another and eventually threatens the sanity of both.

Cape Fever is a masterful blend of gothic themes, folk-tales, and psychological suspense, reminiscent of works by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Daphne du Maurier, and Soraya Matas is an unforgettable narrator, whose story of love and grief, is also a chilling exploration of class and the long reach of history."

Daphne du Maurier you say?

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this fiercely captivating novel, horror meets historical fiction when a curse bridges generations, binding the fates of three women. Anne Bolton, a healer facing persecution for witchcraft, bargains with a dark entity for protection - but the fire she unleashes will reverberate for centuries. Mary Shephard, a picture-perfect wife in a suffocating community, falls for Sharon and begins a forbidden affair that could destroy them both. And Camilla Burson, the rebellious daughter of a preacher, defies conformist expectations to uncover an ancient power as her father’s flock spirals into crisis.

Three women. Three centuries. One legacy of fury, love, and a power that refuses to die."

Yes, women will burn it down!

Murder in Manhattan by Julie Mulhern
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Inspired by one of the first real-life female columnists at the New Yorker, this enticing historical mystery follows Freddie Archer as she solves crimes while reporting on the glamorous world of the rich and famous in 1920s Manhattan.

This writer just found her next scoop...and it's deadly.

New York, 1925 - Freddie Archer frequents speakeasies and wild parties with her friends Dorothy Parker and Tallulah Bankhead. And the best part is that it's all in a day's work. Freddie loves her job writing the nightlife column for Gotham Magazine.

But Freddie's latest piece just won her a bit more attention than she bargained for - from the police. A man mentioned in her column has been murdered. And Freddie is asked to keep an eye out for his fashionable female dinner companion. She's told in no uncertain terms to stay out of the case herself.

So naturally, Freddie throws herself into an investigation that takes her from the elegant stores that line Fifth Avenue to the tenements south of Houston Street. Now between sipping gin rickeys with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and casting Broadway shows with Groucho Marx, she's dodging bullets and dating a potentially dangerous bootlegger.

Freddie wanted adventure and excitement. But will she survive it?"

This fills the void left by the end of J.J. Murphy's Dorothy Parker mysteries! 

An Ambush of Tigers by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: eBook, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At Finchmere, beneath the snow, an ambush lies in wait...

After a dazzling Indian wedding, Nell and Rav return to a frost-kissed Finchmere, eager to host their blessing in the woodland Nell loves best. But, as their nearest and dearest gather, someone is setting a deadly snare.

The country estate is in its winter finery, with new artisans creating crafts for the Festive Finchmere Christmas Market. Before the celebrations unfold, a shocking secret is revealed, which shows how their families were fatally intertwined, centuries before Nell and Rav said, 'I do.'

As their newlywed bliss unravels, some of their party are poisoned - and Rav is forced to face the risk of losing those he loves. While Nell wrestles with her own family history, the tragedies in Rav's sow seeds of doubt as she hunts down the murderer.

But Nell cannot expose the truth that will save Rav, his family, and their relationship without evidence.

Using all her ecological skills - and all her nerve - Nell must set a dangerous trap for the most cold-blooded killer she's encountered yet.

With the predator poised to pounce, can Nell lure them out of hiding before someone else she loves becomes their prey?"

Always here for any murder even in the vicinity of a "frost-kissed" estate.

How to Grieve Like a Victorian by Amy Carol Reeves
Published by: Canary Street Press
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's fine. She's fine. Really.

When life's turned you into a big hot mess, there's still love, laughs, and snark to be had...

Dr. Lizzie Wells, professor of British literature and bestselling author, is not okay. She wasn't consulted when her beloved husband died unexpectedly, so she's going to grieve however she damned well chooses. Keeping a lock of his hair in a choker around her neck and donning widow's weeds. You bet. Notifying colleagues and students that she will only accept paper letters instead of email. Why not? Very nearly kissing her late husband's best friend, Henry. Unfortunately, er...yes.

So when she's offered a trip to London, Lizzie grabs it. What better place to escape, heal, and be reborn than in the same city where Queen Victoria famously mourned her beloved Prince Albert? Encouraged by new friends to be bold, have champagne and oysters before noon, and celebrate the beauty and the messiness of life, Lizzie begins to embrace it all.

Still, there's that almost kiss with Henry she just can't forget. Their cross-Atlantic 'check-ins' turn into FaceTime hangouts and their friendship evolves into something more. When Henry shows up in London, Lizzie fears she's falling in love with him... Will she bravely embrace this second chance, too?"

Hell, go for it! It's not like Lizzie is the Queen and has an appearance to maintain. 

An Archive of Romance by Ava Reid
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The enchanting world of A Study in Drowning comes to life through letters, poems, art, and more in this novella from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid. This full-color illustrated collector's edition is a jaw-dropping addition to the beloved dark academia series with stunning painterly endpapers, romantic rose gold foil flourishes, over 40 illustrations, and expanding and new text.

"I will love you to ruination," the Fairy King said, brushing a strand of golden hair from my cheek.

"Yours or mine?" I asked.

The Fairy King did not answer.

Effy and Preston have been torn apart by the wars of men, the power of words, and the specter of magic - but it was through stories that they found each other. Relive Effy and Preston's love story through their own pens in this immersive collection of mementos, illustrations, maps, blueprints, diary entries, and more. Read Angharad with Effy's annotations; sneak excerpts of Preston's diary; see the architectural sketches that brought Effy to Hiraeth; get your own ticket to Saltney; and experience, for the first time, the epilogue to Effy and Preston's romance. This deluxe package includes:

-Full color throughout with painterly endpapers
-Over 40 illustrations
-Romantic rose gold foil
-Expanded and new text from the world of A Study of Drowning
-An enchanting never-before-seen epilogue

A perfect gift for fans of A Study in Drowning and A Theory of Dreaming and anyone who wants to embark on their own dark academia journey, this gorgeously illustrated novella collects ephemera from Effy and Preston as they remember the romance and prepare for a new chapter in their lives - together."

Ephemera from literary worlds is my catnip!

Complete Labyrinth: Beyond the Goblin City by Various
Published by: Archaia
Publication Date: December 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Celebrate the beloved Jim Henson fantasy film with this complete hardcover collection of stories from inside the magical walls of the labyrinth!

Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Beyond the Goblin City spotlights the secret history of Sir Didymus and the untold story of one of Jareth's Masquerade guests, in addition to tales featuring fan-favorite characters like Ludo, Hoggle, Ambrosius, and the Goblin King himself.

This epic collection showcases imaginative tales from critically acclaimed writers and artists including Jonathan Case (The New Deal), Delilah S. Dawson (Star Wars: Phasma), Gustavo Duarte (Bizarro), Roger Langridge (Snarked), Katie Cook (Star Wars: ABC-3PO), Jeff Stokely (The Ludocrats), S.M. Vidaurri (Labyrinth: Under the Spell), Sina Grace (Superman: Kal-El Returns), Michael Dialynas (Wynd), Sarah Webb (The Storyteller: Sirens), Boya Sun (5 Worlds), Lara Elena Donnelly (The Amberlough Dossier), French Carlomagno (The Dead Lucky), Pius Bak (Eat The Rich), Samantha Dodge (Catwoman: Soulstealer), and many more!

Collects Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Shortcuts and Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Under the Spell."

It really is amazing how expansive the world of Labyrinth has become, especially in comics, over the last few years.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Study in Drowning, Amy Carol Reeves, Ava Reid, Daphne Du Maurier, Dark Academia, Dorothy Parker, Gothic, J.J. Murphy, Jim Henson, Julie Mulhern, Kristi DeMeester, Labyrinth, Nadia Davids, Queen Victoria, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both "brilliant" (Holly Black) and "supremely satisfying" (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favorite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He's impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

THIS IS A TALE FOR EVERYONE WHO'S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN..."

But also a tale for everyone who has wanted to fall into their favorite series.

Confounding Oaths by Alexis Hall
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A nobleman must work with a dashing soldier to save his sister from a mystical bargain gone awry in this swoon-worthy romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material.

It is the year 1815, and Mr. John Caesar is determined to help his sister, Mary, successfully navigate the marriage mart. A high-stakes endeavor at the best of times, this task is made slightly more difficult by his family's nontraditional background, the pernicious whims of the ton, and the ever-present complication of living in a world full of scheming fairies and capricious gods.

Despite all that, John knows that his parents wish to see his sister comfortably settled. He also knows that the sooner he sees Mary's future secured, the sooner he can get his own wish - returning to an aristocratic life of leisure. And as for Mary? Sweet, sensitive Mary just wishes gentlemen would pay as much attention to her as they do to her younger sister.

When Mary's all-too-literal wish puts her squarely in the sights of a malicious fairy godmother, John sets out to save her. This choice throws him into the path of Captain Orestes James - the handsome up-from-the-ranks hero of Wellington's armies - and his ragtag band of misfits. Together, John and the captain will venture into a vicious world of fey bargains and sacrificial magic as they draw ever closer to rescuing Mary - and to each other. While John is no stranger to casual dalliances with soldiers, until now he's never expected one to last - or wanted one to. He and the captain come from different worlds, and even if Orestes feels the same, John knows there's no point in wishing for something more between them.

After all, John has learned firsthand that getting what you wish for can be a dangerous thing...."

Regency Magic in the house! Yes, I am dancing! And?

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Published by: Ace Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman - now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That's what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world - or just get to the next level - in a video game-like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that's actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain't your ordinary game show.

Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.

Includes part one of the exclusive bonus story "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.""

I mean, come on, Princess Donut demands your attention!

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs
Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The much-anticipated new fantasy series from Ransom Riggs, his first since introducing the #1 global phenomenon Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.

Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won't leave him alone. Every hallucinatory moment seems plucked from a cheesy 1990s fantasy TV show called Max's Adventures in Sunderworld - and that's because they are.

Not a good sign.

In the blurry weeks after his mother's death, a young Leopold discovered VHS tapes of its one and only season in a box headed for the trash - and soon became obsessed. Losing himself in Sunder was the best way to avoid two things: grieving his mother and being a chronic disappointment to his overbearing father. But when the strange visions return - at the worst possible time on the worst possible day - Leopold turns to his best friend Emmet for help. Together they discover that Sunder is much more than just an old TV show, and that Los Angeles is far stranger than they ever imagined. And soon, he'll realize that not only is Sunderworld real, but it's in grave danger.

Certain he's finally been chosen for greatness, Leopold risks everything to claim his destiny, save the world of his childhood dreams, and prove once and for all that he's not the disappointment his father believes him to be. But when everything goes terribly, horribly, excruciatingly wrong, Leopold's disappointments prove to be more extraordinary than he ever could have imagined.

How do you battle darkness when no one believes in you - not even yourself?

Visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs weaves the familiar with the peculiar in a stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, reminding readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born - and that when you're never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself.

Welcome to Sunderworld."

Oh my, cheesy vintage TV shows that are all but forgotten and hold a secret is so my jam.

Houses of the Unholy by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Houses of the Unholy is a riveting horror thrill-ride from bestselling creators Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, the award-winning team behind Criminal (soon to be a TV series on Amazon Prime), Reckless, Night Fever, and Where the Body Was.

In this new tale, an FBI agent from the cult crime beat and a woman with a past linked to the Satanic Panic are drawn into a terrifying hunt for an insane killer hiding in the shadows of the underworld.

This pulse-pounding story asks: can you ever escape your past, or are all your bad decisions just more ghosts to haunt you, wherever you go?"

I was going to write something really insightful about the authors but I'm so excited about the Amazon Prime news that I can't contain my joy!

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.

Perfect for fans of Kayla Cottingham, Andrew Joseph White, and Ryan La Sala.

It's never been safe for Fern, Jaq, or Mallory to come out to their families. As kids their emerging identities drove them into friendship but also forced them into the woods to hide in an old, abandoned house when they needed safety. But one night when the girls sought refuge, Mallory never made it back home. Fern and Jaq did, but neither survivor remembered what happened or the secrets they were so desperate to keep.

Five years later, Fern and Jaq are seniors on the verge of graduation, seemingly happy in their straight, cisgender lives - until a spirit who looks like Mallory begins to appear, seeking revenge for her death, and the part Fern and Jaq played in it. As they're haunted, something begins to shift inside them.

They remember who they are.

Who they want to love.

And the truth about the vicious secrets hiding in their woods.

This delightfully dark and pointed novel calls out the systems that erase gay and queer and trans identity, giving space to embrace queerness and to unleash the power of friendship and found family against the real monsters in the world."

Be loud! Be proud! Fight the monsters who try to take that away from you!

The Lies of Alma Blackwell by Amanda Glaze
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Atmospheric and sweepingly romantic, this Gothic mystery tells the story of a girl poised to inherit a famously haunted California mansion and a stranger who arrives with a dark warning...

For over a century, the Blackwells have protected the town of Hollow Cliff from vengeful spirits.

Seventeen-year-old Nev is ready to take over for her ailing grandmother as the town's witch protector - unlike her mother, who left when Nev was a child and never looked back.

When a stranger arrives at Blackwell House of Spirits to fill a tour guide opening, Nev reluctantly offers him the job.

Nev doesn't trust Cal. He knows more than he's letting on about Blackwell House - and about Nev herself.

But Nev soon learns that she has been lied to her whole life. By following the trail of clues left behind in Blackwell House by her most powerful witch ancestor, Nev uncovers an unspeakable legacy of murder and lies...and realizes that a stranger may be the one person she can trust."

It's like the Winchester Mystery House with witches!

Return to Midnight by Emma Dues
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the anniversary of a savage mass murder, a survivor returns to the scene of the crime - and all its buried secrets - in a twisting novel of suspense.

Nearly ten years ago, five Ohio university students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since, survivor and novelist Margot Davis has wanted to forget it, and never again utter the killer's name. Until she's compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she's returning to Midnight House.

It'll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. But when news of Margot's book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands she stop lying. Or else. It chills Margot's blood. Because she hasn't been telling the whole truth.

As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot with new suspicions about that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margot must reveal her well-guarded secrets - ones that, for good reason, she's been too terrified to share."

Oh, so much to love here, there's a Black Christmas meest true crime vibe I can't wait to sink my teeth into!

Fyrebirds by Kate J. Armstrong
Published by: Nancy Paulsen Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"With tensions rising and their powers no longer a secret, the Nightbirds must decide for whom and for what they are willing to fight for and how far they will go in the spellbinding sequel to the international bestseller Nightbirds.

The Nightbirds were once their city's best-kept secret, but now the secret's out. What's more, they can do feats of magic no one has seen in centuries. They're like the Fyrebirds of old: the powerful women who once moved mountains, parted seas, and led armies. Some say that when four join together, they become a force that shakes the earth and sends magic rippling through it. It does seem as if something has awoken in Eudea, but the four girls responsible don't want the world to know the full extent of what they can do - at least not yet.

As the new leader of Eudea works to lift the prohibition on magic, the churchmen who do not support it - and the gang lords who profit from it - whisper rebellion. The secret resistance who once sheltered the Nightbirds is rallying, too. Smelling blood in the water, an ambitious Farlands king threatens to take Eudea. As war looms, and the empire's fate hangs from a knife's edge, the Nightbirds have to decide if becoming more than that are - Fyrebirds - to protect Simta is worth losing themselves entirely and the lives and loves they might have had."

Damn. I loved the cover of Nightbirds, and while this is an entirely different style this cover for Fyrebirds is also on fire.

Truly Madly Magically by Hazel Beck
Published by: Graydon House
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A witch cursed to tell the truth, and the man who won't let her lie to herself anymore...

Cursed by her own mother to always tell the truth and one of the only half-witches around, Ellowyn Good has never considered herself an equal part of the Riverwood coven. But when the Joywood, the evil rulers of the witching world, target her directly, she begins to wonder why they want her gone.

She'll need to work with her newly formed coven to survive, which includes dealing with her first love, past wreckage and a whole new complication she didn't see coming. With their fates in the balance, Ellowyn will have to learn to trust Zander again - or be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Assuming they all survive the Joywood's latest bid for absolute power over the witching world..."

It's the last week of August, time to plan your fall reading... And this better be on your TBR pile!

A Swarm of Butterflies by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Finchmere's first summer fete turns fatal, Nell has more than just a killer to net...

Since their YouTube channel, Following Finchmere, has taken flight, showcasing Dr Nell Ward's sustainability transformation at her family's Finchmere estate, it's her partner and colleague, Rav, who's become the star.

Amongst Rav's fan mail and gifts, Nell makes the chilling discovery that one person's obsession with him has metamorphosed into a deadly threat.

Just as Finchmere flings open its gates to welcome swarms of visitors to their idyllic summer fete - celebrating rewilding, artisan produce and local crafts - Nell realises the disguised peril has already wormed its way into the heart of Finchmere itself, and the path of destruction soon leads to murder.

DI James Clark's and Nell's powers of observation are put to the test to detect the camouflaged predator. With everyone as a suspect, who can Nell really trust when those she loves are in danger?

A Swarm of Butterflies is the sixth book in the Dr Nell Ward series. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Janice Hallett!"

I mean, of course the murder is already in the offing!

The House of Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""I want you to solve my murder," said the woman in white.

Rachel Savernake gave a sardonic smile. "Quite a challenge."

The woman in white - surreal artist Damaris Gethin - has invited a select group to the opening of her exhibit "Artist in Crime," held in the eerie subterranean Hades Gallery. As costumed models reenact famously violent deaths, the artist herself portrays Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution, complete with a guillotine on the stage. It's not a prop; within ten minutes of Rachel's promise to solve Damaris's future murder, the artist slips her neck into the collar of the device and the very real blade sends her head rolling at the feet of her horrified audience.

As everyone reels from the shock, Rachel quickly learns that Damaris herself accomplished the deed with the push of a button - a suicide. So then why did she ask Rachel to solve her "murder?"

Keen for the hunt, Rachel begins sniffing around the other invited guests, including a former lover with shady financial dealings, his widowed sister-in-law, and her has-been songwriter friend. Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint - also in attendance, in hopes of meeting celebrated French beauty Kiki de Villiers, allows his fascination with her to endanger his own life when a ruthless gangster returns to London, looking to take back what's his.

Equal parts thriller and whodunit, The House on Graveyard Lane leads Rachel and Jacob into a viper's pit of suspects, each sneakier and more venomous than the last."

Yes, I'm sure you too want to know how a suicide is murder...

Red River Road by Anna Downes
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Anna Downes's extraordinary next thriller Red River Road follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback.

Katy Sweeney is looking for her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo vanlife trip, her free-spirited younger sister, Phoebe, vanished without a trace on the remote, achingly beautiful coastal highway in Western Australia. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up on her.

Using Phoebe's social media accounts as a map, Katy retraces her sister's steps, searching for any clues the police may have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and how dangerous were they?

And then Katy's path collides with that of Beth, who is on the run from her own dark past. Katy realizes that Beth might be her best - and only - chance of finding the truth, and the two women form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this wild, beautiful, and perilous place.

Anna Downes takes us on a twist-filled journey into the dark side of solo female travel, in this gripping novel that explores what drives us to keep searching for those we have lost, the family bonds that can make or break us, and the deception of memory."

One, I'm Australia obsessed, and two, solo female travel could be it's own subgenre of crime. 

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves's beloved Vera series explodes in popularity in print and on TV, this stunning eleventh book explores the web of secrets surrounding a young man's death.

The man's body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker in the park outside Rosebank, a home for troubled teens in the coastal village of Longwater. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death, with her only clue being the disappearance of one of the home's residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. Vera can't bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can't dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell, are soon embroiled in the case, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact. Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, and the dark secrets in their community that may be far more dangerous than she could have ever believed possible."

Now that the show is ending, might I persuade you into reading the books? Come join us, there's folklore colliding with fact! Which is my catnip.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexis Hall, Amanda Glaze, Ann Cleeves, Ed Brubaker, Hazel Beck, Kate J. Armstrong, Martin Edwards, Matt Dinniman, Natalie C. Parker, Ransom Riggs, Sarah Rees Brennan, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, Sean Phillips

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate.... Now it's up to her great-niece to catch the killer.

It's 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances's night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn't happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances's lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt's fate instead of her fortune."

Just putting it out there, but perhaps in trying to prevent her murder she caused it to happen...

Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this spine-tingling, atmospheric "nail-biter of a novel" (Shelf Awareness), a woman returns to her hometown after her childhood friend attempts suicide at an alleged haunted house - the same place where a traumatic incident shattered their lives twenty years ago. Few in sleepy Sumner's Mills have stumbled across the Octagon House hidden deep in the woods. Even fewer are brave enough to trespass. A man had killed his wife and two young daughters there, a shocking, gruesome crime that the sleepy upstate New York town tried to bury. One summer night, an emboldened fourteen-year-old Clare and her best friend, Abby, ventured into the Octagon House. Clare came out, but a piece of Abby never did. Twenty years later, Clare receives word that Abby has attempted suicide at the Octagon House and now lies in a coma. With little to lose, Clare returns to her roots to uncover the darkness responsible for ruining their lives. A "spellbinding horror story, where the terror comes not from ghosts, but from the haunted places we find within ourselves" (Elizabeth Brundage, author of The Vanishing Point), Beneath the Stairs is perfect for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Simone St. James, and Chris Bohjalian."

I mean, I get tingles up and down my spine just at the name of the house, Octagon House!

A Trace of Hares by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A family wedding. An unsolved murder. Til death us do part?

Dr. Nell Ward is in the lush, emerald-green hills of Ireland to attend the wedding of two dear friends at a picture-perfect farmhouse.

But family tensions are running high in the days before the happy couple tie the knot. And when Nell hears a fox kill a hare in the early morning, the bad omen sends shivers down her spine. Almost like it is a sign of something to come...

Then one of the locals makes a gruesome discovery in a nearby peat bog. The habitats are famous for the ancient bodies they can preserve for thousands of years. This woman, however, died much more recently and was clearly a victim of foul play.

Nell and her friends are suddenly in the middle of another murder case. Can they trace the truth to unmask a long-hidden killer and save the wedding, before it's too late?

An absolutely gripping and page-turning cozy mystery to curl up with. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Janice Hallett."

I mean, bodies in peat bogs is a thing with me. A thing I love.

Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The rhythm is gonna get you.

It's been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.

Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip and Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren't ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.

When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni's help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?"

Plus, rain tends to wash away evidence, making it even trickier to catch a killer!

Off the Air by Christina Estes
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining, Off the Air introduces Jolene Garcia in Emmy Award-winning reporter Christina Estes's Tony Hillerman Prize-winning debut.

Jolene Garcia is a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, splitting her time between covering general assignments - anything from a monsoon storm to a newborn giraffe at the zoo - and special projects. Stories that take more time to research and produce. Stories that Jolene wants to tell.

When word gets out about a death at a radio station, Jolene and other journalists swarm the scene, intent on reporting the facts first. The body is soon identified as Larry Lemmon, a controversial talk show host, who died under suspicious circumstances. Jolene conducted his final interview, giving her and her station an advantage. But not for long.

As the story heats up, so does the competition. Jolene is determined to solve this murder. It's an investigation that could make or break her career - if it doesn't break her first."

Get a murderous inside scoop from an author who knows what's what.

You'd Look Better as a Ghost by Joanna Wallace
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 4336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A comic thriller following the trials and tribulations of Claire, a part-time serial killer, who is keen to keep her favorite hobby a secret - despite the efforts of a determined blackmailer.

The night after her father's funeral, Claire meets Lucas in a bar. Lucas doesn't know it, but it's not a chance meeting. One thoughtless mistyped email has put him in the crosshairs of an extremely put-out serial killer. But before they make eye contact, before Claire lets him buy her a drink - even before she takes him home and carves him up into little pieces - something about that night is very wrong. Because someone is watching Claire. Someone who is about to discover her murderous little hobby.

The thing is, it's not sensible to tangle with a part-time serial killer, even one who is distracted by attending a weekly bereavement support group and trying to get her art career off the ground. Will Claire finish off her blackmailer before her pursuer reveals all? Let the games begin..."

How can you not be enchanted by that cover?

Secrets of a Scottish Isle by Erica Ruth Neubauer
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Spirited American Jane Wunderly must investigate a secret society on an isolated isle off the western coast of Scotland where esoteric rituals blur the line between what's real, what's illusion, and what's deadly...

Isle of Iona, 1927 Cast away on a remote locale, Jane's latest assignment depends on concealing her identity and blending in at an occult gathering. Not even her fiancé, Redvers, can be too close as she uncovers the truth about Robert Nightingale, enigmatic leader of the Order of the Golden Dawn - a group made up of supernatural ceremonies, influential people, and an undefinable darkness. When a woman tries to escape to the mainland only to be found murdered in the moors, the shocking scene reveals it's easier to join the Golden Dawn than it is to leave.

Jane, set on solving the crime and catching the next ferry with Redvers, realizes she may be among the few still grasping reality. One high-ranking member searches for the killer by attempting to access otherworldly planes of existence, while others become immersed in a strange solstice ritual. Then there's Nightingale and the rivals who discarded him to start a new temple. As a second death brings fresh clues into focus, Jane needs to navigate a frightening dilemma - playing along won't help her crack the mystery, but revealing too much could be a fatal mistake..."

I mean, I'm always here for local author Erica Neubauer, but this volume? Scotland? An occult gathering? Sign me up!

Forgetting to Remember by M.J. Rose
Published by: Blue Box Press
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 226 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Discover a spellbinding love story in this dazzling time-travel adventure from the NYT bestselling author of The Last Tiara, M.J. Rose.

Setting aside grief from the fallout of the second World War and putting her energy into curating an upcoming show critical to her career as the Keeper of the Metalworks at London's renowned Victoria and Albert Museum, Jeannine Maycroft stumbles upon a unique collection of jewel-framed miniature eye portraits-a brilliant romantic device and clandestine love token of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

One piece among the assembly intrigues her more than all the others: a twilight-blue man's eye framed by opals shimmering with enchanting flashes of fiery color. But the beauty is just the beginning. Not only is the painting a self-portrait of one of her favorite Pre-Raphaelite artists, Ashe Lloyd Lewis, but the brooch itself is a portal eight decades into the past.

Despite being cast into an era she was never meant to be in, Jeannine and Ashe develop an immediate and passionate bond, complicated by the undeniable fact that she does not belong in 1867, and the disaster about to destroy her family and reputation in her time.

Striving to live a dual life and dangerously straddling two time periods, Jeannine fights to protect her career and her father from scandal in the present while desperately trying to save her lover's life in the past.

Forgetting to Remember - richly embroidered with historical detail and heartbreaking conflict - is another luscious and thrilling masterpiece by M.J. Rose. A beautiful and compelling story of art, war, magic, and survival, wrapped in a love that defies time."

Somewhere in Time with Pre-Raphaelites! 

The Duchess: The Scandalous Ladies of London by Sophie Jordan
Published by: Avon Books
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The thrilling second book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's amazing new high concept series, The Scandalous Ladies of London, which chronicles the lives of a group of affluent ladies reigning over glittering, Regency-era London, vying for position in the hierarchy of the ton. They are the young wives, widows, and daughters of London's wealthiest families. The drama is big, the money runs deep, and the shade is real. Life is different in the ton.

"I liked my husband well enough...but I like him even better dead."

It's been a year since her wretched cad of a husband died and Valencia, the Dowager Duchess of Dedham, is finally her own woman. Flitting from party to party, freedom is sweet and life should be perfect. Until the new duke surfaces.

Nothing like the haughty noblemen who populate the ton, Rhain, the newly minted Duke of Dedham, is a big brawny Welshman with an accent that makes Valencia's knees go weak as he boldly moves into her home with his six wild unwed sisters. The rude and humorless usurper thinks her vain and spoiled. But with a pittance to her name, Valencia needs his support to remain in London and enjoy all the pleasures her new position as a merry widow has to offer.

So a bargain is struck. Valencia will usher his sisters into Good Society and see them happily betrothed. In return, he'll give her the financial security and independence she craves. But the more time they spend beneath the same roof, the more she realizes it's not safety she wants but the dangerously seductive Rhain. Valencia has vowed never to risk marriage again. And yet how can she resist the tempting man when he might be the greatest adventure of her life?"

Ah, to be a merry widow when a Welshman calls.

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
Published by: Tor Nightfire
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jennifer Thorne skewers all-too-familiar family dynamics in this sly, wickedly funny vacation-Gothic. Beautifully unhinged and deeply satisfying, Diavola is a sharp twist on the classic haunted house story, exploring loneliness, belonging, and the seemingly inescapable bonds of family mythology.

Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.

It isn't easy when she's the only one in the family who doesn't quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he's practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone - including her blandly docile husband and two kids - falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet.

The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails - the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself.

(Warning: May invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings.)"

Damn, I love the "Warning!"

The Godd, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: March 26th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What should have been a family celebration of Chinese New Year descends into chaos when longtime foes crash the party in this hilariously entertaining novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

After an ultra-romantic honeymoon across Europe, Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have landed in Jakarta to spend Chinese New Year with her entire extended family. Chinese New Year, already the biggest celebration of the Lunar calendar, gets even more festive when a former beau of Second Aunt's shows up at the Chan residence bearing extravagant gifts - he's determined to rekindle his romance with Second Aunt and the gifts are his way of announcing his courtship.

His grand gesture goes awry however, when it's discovered that not all the gifts were meant for Second Aunt and the Chans - one particular gift was intended for a business rival to cement their alliance and included by accident. Of course the Aunties agree that it's only right to return the gift - after all, anyone would forgive an honest mistake, right? But what should have been a simple retrieval turns disastrous and suddenly Meddy and the Aunties are helpless pawns in a decades-long war between Jakarta's most powerful business factions. The fighting turns personal, however, when Nathan and the Aunties are endangered and it's up to Meddy to come up with a plan to save them all. Determined to rescue her loved ones, Meddy embarks on an impossible mission - but with the Aunties by her side, nothing is truly impossible..."

Nothing more awkward then recovering a "gift." Moreso when things get dangerous.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Christina Estes, Erica Ruth Neubauer, Jennifer Fawcett, Jennifer Thorne, Jesse Q. Sutanto, Joanna Wallace, Knives Out, Kristen Perrin, M.J. Rose, Olivia Blacke, Pre-Raphaelite, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, Sophie Jordan

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.

As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters - her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.

When the United States invades Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion - and Nena's rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago - is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.

And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn."

A From Dawn to Dusk vibe written in the way only Isabel Cañas can!

Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 400Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Five harrowing novellas of horror and speculative fiction from the singular mind of the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box.

Josh Malerman is a master weaver of stories - and in this spine-chilling collection he spins five twisted tales from the shadows of the human soul:

A sister insists to her little brother that "Half the House Is Haunted" by a strange presence. But is it the house that's haunted - or their childhoods?

In "Argyle," a dying man confesses to homicides he never committed, and he reveals long-kept secrets far more sinister than murder.

A tourist takes the ultimate trip to outer space in "The Jupiter Drop," but the real journey is into his own dark past.

In "Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer(TM)," a trendy married couple buys the latest home gadget only to find themselves trapped by their possessions, their history...and each other.

And in "Egorov," a wealthy old cretin murders a young man, not knowing the victim was a triplet. The two surviving brothers stage a savage faux-haunting - playing the ghost of their slain brother - with the aim of driving the old murderer mad."

Does one wonder if Josh Malerman's growing up was akin to the Addams Family?

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and the Practical Magic series comes an enchanting novel about love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and the enduring magic of books.

One brilliant June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia's mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community - an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?

Through a journey of heartbreak, love, and time, Mia must abandon the rules she was raised with at the Community. As she does, she realizes that reading can transport you to other worlds or bring them to you, and that readers and writers affect one another in mysterious ways. She learns that time is more fluid than she can imagine, and that love is stronger than any chains that bind you.

As a girl Mia fell in love with a book. Now as a young woman she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote: "A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."

This is the story of one woman's dream. For a little while it came true."

Because words have to power to transform us, even if I'm not the biggest fan of Nathaniel Hawthorne, his works are memorable. 

Thronhedge by T. Kingfisher
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From USA Today bestselling author T. Kingfisher, Thornhedge is the tale of a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.

There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold..."

Never trust fairies. Never.

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this queer YA psychological thriller from the author of Some Girls Do and Hot Dog Girl, the sole surviving counselors of a summer camp massacre search to uncover the truth of what happened that fateful night, but what they find out might just get them killed.

Sloan and Cherry. Cherry and Sloan. They met only a few days before masked men with machetes attacked the summer camp where they worked, a massacre that left the rest of their fellow counselors dead. Now, months later, the two are inseparable, their traumatic experience bonding them in ways no one else can understand.

But as new evidence comes to light and Sloan learns more about the motives behind the ritual killing that brought them together, she begins to suspect that her girlfriend may be more than just a survivor - she may actually have been a part of it. Cherry tries to reassure her, but Sloan only becomes more distraught. Is this gaslighting or reality? Is Cherry a victim or a perpetrator? Is Sloan confused, or is she seeing things clearly for the very first time? Against all odds, Sloan survived that hot summer night. But will she survive what comes next?"

Always here for the final girls!

More Perfect by Temi Oh
Published by: Gallery / Saga Press
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 592 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A reimagining of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus, for fans of Becky Chambers and William Gibson by Alex Award-winning author Temi Oh. Using the myth of Eurydice as a structure, this riveting science fiction novel is set in a near-future London where it has become popular for folks to have a small implant that allows one access to a more robust social media experience directly as an augmented reality. However, the British government has taken oversight of this access to an extreme, slowly tilting towards a dystopian overreach, all in the name of safety."

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice seems rife for a William Gibson-esque retelling.

Contrarian by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 624 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"L. E. Modesitt, Jr., bestselling author of Saga of Recluce and the Imager Portfolio, continues his gaslamp political fantasy series which began with Isolate and Councilor. Welcome to the Grand Illusion.

In Contrarian, protests against unemployment and poor harvests have become armed riots as the people sink deeper into poverty. They look to a government struggling to emerge from corruption and conspiracy.

Recently elected to the Council of Sixty-Six, Steffan Dekkard is the first Councilor who is an Isolate, a man invulnerable to the emotional manipulations and emotional surveillance of empaths - but not the recent bombing of the Council Office Building by insurrectionists.

His patron, the Premier of the Council, has been assassinated, leaving Dekkard with little first-hand political experience and few political allies.

Not only must Dekkard handle political infighting, and continued assassination attempts, but it appears that someone high up in the government and corporations has supplied arms and explosives to insurrectionists. Insurrectionists who have succeeded in taking over a naval cruiser that no one can seem to find."

Because sometimes we can only truly understand our own politics seeing them through a fantastical lens.

Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe. R. Lansdale by Joe R. Lansdale
Published by: Tachyon Publications
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Edgar Award winner and bestselling author Joe R. Lansdale (the Hap and Leonard series), one of America's most essential crime writers, heads back to the dangerous woods of East Texas. In his first crime career-retrospective, including previously uncollected work, Lansdale shows exactly why critics continue to compare him to Elmore Leonard, Donald Westlake, Flannery O'Connor, and William Faulkner. "Pulpy, blackly humorous, compulsively readable, and somehow both wildly surreal and down-to-earth. Lansdale is a national fucking treasure."  - Christa Faust, author of Money Shot

In the 1950s, a young small-town projectionist mixes it up with a violent gang. When Mr. Bear is not alerting us to the dangers of forest fires, he lives a life of debauchery and murder. A brother and sister travel to Oklahoma to recover the dead body of their uncle. A lonely man engages in dubious acts while pining for his rubber duckie.

In this collection of nineteen unforgettable crime tales, Joe R. Lansdale brings his legendary mojo and gritty, dark humor to harrowing heists, revenge, homicide, and mayhem. No matter how they begin, things are bound to get ugly - and fast."

If you've ever wondered, where should I start with Joe R. Lansdale, where here's your answer!

A Generation of Vipers by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Format: Kindle
To Buy

The official patter:
"A killer is hiding in plain sight, like a snake in the long grass...

When Dr Nell Ward stumbles across a woman's body amongst the purple heather on Furze Heath, she was on the lookout for nests of poisonous adders.

But something is lurking out here far more dangerous than vipers.

A cold-blooded killer is on the loose and this is not his first victim. As DI James Clark begins to investigate, a pattern emerges pointing towards this being the work of a serial killer. Every victim shares the same physical characteristics - all of which are a match to Nell herself.

As Nell is pulled into a tightly coiled mystery, she can't help feeling someone is tracking her every move...

Can she unmask the murderer before they strike again?

A completely gripping and page-turning cosy mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and Robert Thorogood."

I KNOW the title is based on a famous quote, but it's also an episode title from Lewis, and that makes me happy. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alice Hoffman, Eurydice, Final Girls, Isabel Cañas, Jennifer Dugan, Joe R. Lansdale, Josh Malerman, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Lewis, Orpheus, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, T. Kingfisher, Temi Oh, Vampires, William Gibson