strange and random happenstance

Miss Austen Investigates: The Hapless Milliner by Jessica Bull
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A witty, engaging murder mystery featuring Jane Austen as an intrepid amateur sleuth - the first in a series.

Jane Austen - sparkling, spirited, and incredibly clever - is suddenly thrust into a mystery when a milliner's dead body is found locked inside a cupboard in the middle of a ball. When Jane's brother Georgy is found with some jewelry belonging to the deceased, the local officials see it as an open-and-shut case: one which is likely to end with his death. Jane is certain that he is innocent, and there is more to the murder than meets the eye. Her investigations send her on a journey through local society, as Jane's suspect list keeps on growing - and her keen observational skills of people will be put to the test to solve the crime and save her brother."

I mean, I'm here for all the Jane Austen, but if you want a complete series that has been lauded over the years Stephanie Barron's series about Jane Austen just ended this past fall...

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures by Angela Bell
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Clara Marie Stanton's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all Clara can do to protect them from his desperate schemes and society's prejudice. Her family may be eccentric, yes, but they certainly aren't insane. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.

Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond skilled in repairing clocks, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself - at any cost."

So we're going Steampunk Nutcracker now?

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro
Published by: Storm Publishing
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 383 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can: "Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I'm being followed."

Hours later, the man's cold body lies in the city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn't save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.

Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother's notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what "milky way" meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?"

Oh, cryptic last messages? Yes please!

Normal Women by Philippa Gregory
Published by: HarperOne
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 688 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The #1 New York Times bestselling historical novelist delivers her magnum opus - a landmark work of feminist nonfiction that radically redefines our understanding of the extraordinary roles ordinary women played throughout British history.

Most histories have been written by men, about men, relegating women - with the exception of a few queens - to the shadows of time. Now, bestselling author Philippa Gregory reveals the importance of ordinary women, providing a more balanced and truer chronicle that expands and adds rich detail to the story of Great Britain.

In Normal Women, Gregory draws on an enormous archive of primary and secondary sources to rewrite British history, focusing on the agency, persistence, and effectiveness of everyday women throughout periods of social and cultural transition. She sweeps from the making of the Bayeux tapestry in the eleventh century to the Black Death in 1348 - after which women were briefly paid the same wages as men, the last time for seven centuries - to the 1992 ordination of women by the Church of England, when the church accepted, for the first time, that a woman could perform the miracle of the mass.

Through the stories of the female soldiers of the civil war, the guild widows who founded the prosperity of the City of London, highwaywomen and pirates, miners, ship owners, international traders, the women who ran London theaters and commissioned plays from Shakespeare, and the "female husbands" who married each other legally in church and lived as husband and wife, Gregory redefines "normal" female behavior to include heroism, rebellion, crime, treason, money-making, and sainthood. As she makes clear, normal women make history.

Normal Women will include black-and-white illustrations throughout and a full-color insert."

I will literally read anything Philippa Gregory writes but that cover is so so horrible. I know it's like lots of little pictures of women to make a big tapestry, but it looks like they uploaded the wrong resolution image to the file for the printers. At first I actually thought it was an error. I wish I had been right.

King Nyx by Kirsten Bakis
Published by: Liveright Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Anna Fort wants to be a supportive wife, even if that means accompanying her husband for the winter of 1918 to a remote, frozen island estate so he can finish his book as the guest of an eccentric millionaire. When she learns three girls are missing from a school run by their host, Anna realizes finding them is up to her - even if that means risking her husband's career, and possibly her life.

Her husband's masterpiece-in-progress features strange meteorological anomalies along with wild speculations about "facts" he believes scientists hide from the public. Most people think Charles Fort is a crackpot. That's about to change now that wealthy Claude Arkel is his patron.

Yet Anna is sure something's not right on Prosper Island, though the alarming return of her "troubles" makes her question her own sanity. Is the figure in the woods really the ghost of her long-lost friend Mary, or a product of her disturbed imagination? Accompanied reluctantly by a fellow guest, the elegant and troubled Stella Bixby, Anna embarks on a dangerous quest to find the missing girls before Arkel finds her - or her own mind unravels.

A contemporary feminist tale with a dreamlike, Gothic setting, King Nyx reintroduces readers, twenty-five years after her acclaimed debut, to one of our most astonishingly imaginative storytellers."

Gothic dreamlin setting with "troubles!?!" Yes!

The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A world-weary woman races against the clock to survive a deadly forest in this dark, otherworldly fairytale from Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author Premee Mohamed.

At the northern edge of a land ruled by a merciless foreign tyrant lies a wild, forbidden forest ruled by powerful magic.

Veris Thorn - the only one to ever enter the forest and survive - is forced to go back inside to retrieve the tyrant's missing children. Inside await traps and trickery, ancient monsters, and hauntings of the past. One day is all Veris is afforded. One misstep will cost everything."

If this book hasn't been on your radar I think it's time to get it checked.

Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A stunning Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together.

A library with a deadly enchantment.

A Fae lord who wants in.

A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.

In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu's village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile - her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn't been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.

She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she's after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.

As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she's forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she's not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust."

Most people would be here for the Romantasy, I'm here for the library.

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After her private school is rocked by a gruesome murder, a teen tries to find the real killer and clear her brother's name in this psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Taking of Jake Livingston and Ace of Spades.

Sunny Behre has four siblings, but only one is a murderer.

With the death of Sunny's mother, matriarch of the wealthy Behre family, Sunny's once picture-perfect life is thrown into turmoil. Her mother had groomed her to be the family's next leader, so Sunny is confused when the only instructions her mother leaves is a mysterious note: "Take care of Dom."

The problem is, her youngest brother, Dom, has always been a near-stranger to Sunny...and seemingly a dangerous one, if found guilty of his second-degree murder charge. Still, Sunny is determined to fulfill her mother's dying wish. But when a classmate is gruesomely murdered, and Sunny finds her brother with blood on his hands, her mother's simple request becomes a lot more complicated. Dom swears he's innocent, and although Sunny isn't sure she believes him, she takes it upon herself to look into the murder - made all the more urgent by the discovery of another body. And another.

As Sunny and Dom work together to track down the culprit, Sunny realizes her other siblings have their own dark secrets. Soon she may have to choose: preserve the family she's always loved or protect the brother she barely knows - and risk losing everything her mother worked so hard to build."

Choices, choices, when you might be harboring a killer...

Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr
Published by: Bramble
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Magicians meets One Last Stop in this brand-new fantasy romance Remedial Magic, about an unassuming librarian who 1) has fallen in love with a powerful witch; 2) has discovered that she is a witch; and 3) must attend magical community college to learn how to save her new world from complete destruction by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr!

Ellie loves working in her local library in the small town of Ligonier. She loves baking scones and investigating the mysterious and captivating in her spare time. And there is nothing more mysterious and captivating than the intriguingly beautiful, too properly dressed woman sipping tea in her library who has appeared as if out of nowhere. The pull between them is undeniable, and Ellie is not sure that she wants to resist.

Prospero, a powerful witch from the magical land of Crenshaw, is often accused of being... ruthless in her goals and ambitions. But she is driven to save her dying homeland, and a prophecy tells her that Ellie is the key. Unbeknownst to Ellie, her powers have not yet awakened. But all of that is about to change."

Melissa Marr bringing a Magicians vibe to Tor's new imprint Bramble? Pinch me now!

The Book of Ile-Rien by Martha Wells
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 752 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Collecting Martha Wells' Element of Fire and Death of the Necromancer for the first time in one place, in a new and revised edition!

From the author of Witch King and the Murderbot Diaries:

Both novels included in this volume have been revised and updated. These are the author's preferred texts.

The Element of Fire
The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious intrigue, when Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true desires are cloaked in mystery.

It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen's Guard, to keep the kingdom from harm. But is one man's steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre?

The Death of the Necromancer
Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman and the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien. On the gaslit streets of the city, Nicholas assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for a long-pursued vengeance.

But Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, and fatal events. A dark magic opposes him, and traces of a necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries abound. Nicholas and his compatriots find themselves battling an ancient evil.

And if they lose? Death would be preferable to the fate that awaits them...."

Because we've all become addicts of Martha Wells and have to wait out the time until the next Murderbot book somehow...

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice
Published by: William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this gripping stand-alone literary thriller set in the world of the award-winning post-apocalyptic novel Moon of the Crusted Snow, a scouting party led by Evan Whitesky ventures into unknown and dangerous territory to find a new home for their close-knit Northern Ontario Indigenous community more than a decade after a world-ending blackout.

For the past twelve years, a community of Anishinaabe people have made the Northern Ontario bush their home in the wake of the power failure that brought about societal collapse. Since then they have survived and thrived the way their ancestors once did, but their natural food resources are dwindling, and the time has come to find a new home.

Evan Whitesky volunteers to lead a mission south to explore the possibility of moving back to their original homeland, the "land where the birch trees grow by the big water" in the Great Lakes region. Accompanied by five others, including his daughter Nangohns, an expert archer, Evan begins a journey that will take him to where the Anishinaabe were once settled, near the devastated city of Gibson, a land now being reclaimed by nature.

But it isn't just the wilderness that poses a threat: they encounter other survivors. Those who, like the Anishinaabe, live in harmony with the land, and those who use violence."

Northern Exposure meest Escape from L.A.? Sold.

Tomorrow's Children by Daniel Polansky
Published by: Angry Robot
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Hugo Award nominated author comes a high-octane post-apocalyptic romp set in the ruins of Manhattan.

Tomorrow, the funk descends on Manhattan, a noxious cloud which separates the island from the rest of the world and mutates the population. Some generations on, the surviving population exists amid the rubble of modernity, wearing our cast-off clothing, worshipping celebrities as dim gods and using emojis in place or written language. The Island exists in a state of uneasy peace, with each neighborhood an independent fiefdom, protecting itself with scrap metal spears and Molotov cocktails.

But something new has come to the Island, the first tourist in centuries, and this uneasy equilibrium is about to shatter..."

Apocalypse tourism. Yeah, that seems about right. Look at Pompeii... 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Analeigh Sbrana, Angela Bell, Daniel Polansky, Irina Shapiro, Jessica Bull, Kirsten Bakis, Liselle Sambury, Martha Wells, Melissa Marr, Philippa Gregory, Premee Mohamed, Stephanie Barron, Waubgeshig Rice

Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron
Published by: Soho Crime
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 312 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The final volume of the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Jane Austen as amateur sleuth.

March 1817: As winter turns to spring, Jane Austen's health is in slow decline, and threatens to cease progress on her latest manuscript. But when her nephew Edward brings chilling news of a death at his former school, Winchester College, not even her debilitating ailment can keep Jane from seeking out the truth. Arthur Prendergast, a senior pupil at the prestigious all-boys' boarding school, has been found dead in a culvert near the schoolgrounds - and in the pocket of his drenched waistcoat is an incriminating note penned by the young William Heathcote, the son of Jane's dear friend Elizabeth. Winchester College is a world unto itself, with its own language and rites of passage, cruel hazing and dangerous pranks. Can Jane clear William's name before her illness gets the better of her?

Over the course of fourteen previous novels in the critically acclaimed Being a Jane Austen Mystery series, Stephanie Barron has won the hearts of thousands of fans - crime fiction aficionados and Janeites alike - with her tricky plotting and breathtaking evocation of Austen's voice. Now, she brings Jane's final season - and final murder investigation - to brilliant, poignant life in this unforgettable conclusion."

So bittersweet, a new book in this beloved series, but also the last.

Murder in Drury Land by Vanessa Riley
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Portraying the true diversity of the Regency-era and the hidden intrigue of England's abolitionist movement, this vibrant, inclusive new historical mystery from acclaimed author Vanessa Riley features an engaging heroine with an independent streak, a notorious past, and a decided talent for sleuthing...

Pressed into a union of convenience, Lady Abigail Worthing knew better than to expect love. Her marriage to an absent lord does at least provide some comforts, including a box at the Drury Lane theater, owned by the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Abigail has always found respite at the theater, away from the ton's judgmental stares and the risks of her own secret work to help the cause of abolition - and her fears that someone from her past wants her permanently silenced. But on one particular June evening everything collides, and the performance takes an unwelcome turn...

Onstage, a woman emits a scream of genuine terror. A man has been found dead in the prop room, stabbed through the heart. Abigail's neighbor, Stapleton Henderson, is also in attendance, and the two rush backstage. The magistrate, keen to avoid bringing more attention to the case and making Lady Worthing more of a target, asks Abigail not to investigate. But she cannot resist, especially when the usually curmudgeonly Henderson offers his assistance.

Abigail soon discovers a tangled drama that rivals anything brought to the stage, involving gambling debts, a beautiful actress with a parade of suitors, and the very future of the Drury Lane theatre. For Abigail the case is complicated still further, for one suspect is a leading advocate for the cause dearest to her heart - the abolition of slavery within the British empire. Uncovering the truth always comes at a price. But this time, it may be far higher than she wishes to pay."

I'm all for murders happening during theatrical performances, though I doubt that Lady Abigail Worthing had as much solitude at the threatre as she thought.

The Herbalist's Secret by Annabelle Marx
Published by: Storm Publishing Ltd
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 366 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two small lifeless bodies lay on the sand, arms carefully placed by their sides. On the other side of the loch stands an imposing house. It's almost as if it gives a silent howl of distress, echoing over the hills, making the birds turn their gaze down to the beach where the two bodies lie, awaiting discovery.

1889: Kitty Gray dreams of attending university and becoming a doctor, but when she is married off to Charles Maclean, one of Glasgow's richest and most eligible bachelors, her aspiration suddenly slips far from reach.

Exiled to her new remote home in the Scottish Highlands, with its gargoyles, Gothic arches and turrets, Kitty seeks solace in creating a restorative herb garden. Combining her medical knowledge and new-found fascination with herbalism, Kitty spends her days absorbed in a world of herbs and their healing properties until a devastating tragedy strikes...

2003: Caitlin Black arrives at Ardbray House determined to restore the crumbling mansion and Kitty's walled garden to their former glory, enlisting the help of long-time housekeeper Greer Mackenzie. But as Caitlin delves deeper into the history of this once magnificent home, she uncovers a past haunted by misfortune and grief. And beneath the blood-red roses that climb beside the bay window of the drawing room, a human skull is about to be unearthed.

The truth that has held Ardbray House captive for so long is surfacing, and with it, the heart-breaking secret of the herbalist who once lived there.

An evocative, beautifully written, and unforgettable mystery that will transport you to the wild and beautiful Scottish Highlands. The Herbalist's Secret will have fans of Fiona Valpy, Louise Douglas, and Rhys Bowen completely mesmerised."

Please say that the herb garden is also a poison garden... Yeah, I'm quirky with what I like.

Murder on Mistletoe Lane by Clara McKenna
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"American heiress Stella Kendrick and her husband, British aristocrat Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst, prepare to celebrate their first Christmas together as newlyweds in Clara McKenna's latest historical mystery set in England's New Forest region at the turn of the 20th century...

Taking on the responsibilities that come with being Lady Lyndhurst, Stella is eager to embrace yuletide traditions in the Edwardian English countryside and use her strong social influence for good. Her world becomes so consumed with starting a horse farm charity for the holidays that she barely notices the usual oddities attached to her upper-crust lifestyle. At least, not until items vanish from her bedroom and maligned housekeeper, Mrs. Nelson, becomes seriously ill - only to be found dead in the cold on Mistletoe Lane...

Cheery spirits are dashed following the sudden death, especially once Stella questions whether her own staff knows what - or who - killed the woman. Her suspicions mount when another person dies under strange circumstances during New Forest's annual Point-to-Point Boxing Day race. Then there's the case of Morrington Hall becoming plagued by false identities, secret affairs, and disgruntled employees...

Now, with two murders unfolding before their eyes in late December, Stella and Lyndy realize they can't fully trust anyone except for themselves while investigating. Because as disturbing answers come into focus, identifying the criminal responsible and surviving into the new year would be the greatest gift of the season..."

Another book that I plan on devouring this holiday season.

Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two detectives hunt a killer amidst the lawless streets and high society of 1930's Glasgow in this "brilliant" (Times UK) mystery that "serves up a delicious slice of thirties gangster noir" (Adrian McKinty) - inspired by the true story of the Scottish Untouchables.

Glasgow, 1932. When the son-in-law of one of the city's wealthiest shipbuilders is found floating in the River Clyde with his throat cut, it falls to Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn to lead the murder case-despite sharing a troubled history with the victim's widow.

From the flying fists and flashing blades of Glasgow's gangland underworld to the backstabbing upper echelons of government and big business, Dreghorn and his partner, "Bonnie" Archie McDaid, will have to dig deep into Glasgow society to find out who wanted the man dead and why.

All the while, a sadistic murderer stalks the post-war city, leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake. As the case deepens, Dreghorn realizes that the answers may lie in his old ties with the victim's family - and the horrors he saw in the Great War.

Edge of the Grave is historical noir at its very best - a gripping mystery that truly transports the reader to the lawless streets and high society of 1930s Glasgow and brings a teeming, chaotic city irresistibly to life."

I will say they leaned a little too hard into the Peaky Blinders aesthetic for the cover...

The Fatal Folio by Elizabeth Penney
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 228 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the third in Elizabeth Penney's delightful Cambridge Bookshop series, The Fatal Folio, Molly Kimball is learning that every killer has a story...

After moving to Cambridge, England, Molly Kimball has found a lot to love, including - of course - her family's ancestral bookshop, Thomas Marlowe-Manuscripts and Folios. And though she's not quite ready to use the "L" word when it comes to her boyfriend Kieran, she's definitely fallen for his intimidating family's library.

His family is paying her handsomely for an updated catalog when Molly discovers the original manuscript of a Gothic novel, A Fatal Folio by the pseudonymous Selwyn Scott. Kieran's cousin Oliver, a professor specializing in Gothic literature, is eager to publish a paper on the mystery - especially because a troublesome student, Thad, is threatening to file a complaint against him and prevent his long-awaited promotion.

On Guy Fawkes Night, Molly, Kieran, and her friends set out to enjoy the costumes, fireworks, and fun - at least until a stray firework starts a panic, and the group stumbles upon a prone body, their face covered by a mask. It's Thad, and he's been stabbed to death.

It soon becomes clear Oliver isn't the only one with a motive, and Molly must once again put on a few masks of her own to sleuth out Thad's killer, prove Oliver's innocence, and discover what Selwyn's novel might have to do with this most atmospheric mystery..."

Is there anything more festive than a Guy Fawkes bonfire and a dead body?

The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This immersive holiday caper from the "modern Agatha Christie" (The Sunday Times, London) follows the hilarious Fairway Players theater group as they put on a Christmas play - and solve a murder that threatens their production.

The Christmas season has arrived in Lower Lockwood, and the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive holiday production of Jack and the Beanstalk to raise money for a new church roof. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking among the amateur theater enthusiasts with petty rivalries, a possibly asbestos-filled beanstalk, and some perennially absent players behind the scenes.

Of course, there's also the matter of the dead body onstage. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list? Join lawyers Femi and Charlotte as they investigate Christmas letters, examine emails, and pore over police transcripts to identify both the victim and killer before the curtain closes on their holiday production - for good."

Oh, I'm a sucked for a murder at a Christmas panto!

West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman
Published by: Knopf Publishing Group
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Looking for an anything-but-ordinary whodunit? Welcome to the West Heart country club. Where the drinks are neat but behind closed doors...things can get messy. Where upright citizens are deemed downright boring. Where the only missing piece of the puzzle is you, dear reader.

A unique and irresistible murder mystery set at a remote hunting lodge where everyone is a suspect, including the erratic detective on the scene - a remarkable debut that gleefully upends the rules of the genre.

An isolated hunt club. A raging storm. Three corpses, discovered within four days. A cast of monied, scheming, unfaithful characters.

When private detective Adam McAnnis joins an old college friend for the Bicentennial weekend at the exclusive West Heart club in upstate New York, he finds himself among a set of not-entirely-friendly strangers. Then the body of one of the members is found at the lake's edge; hours later, a major storm hits. By the time power is restored on Sunday, two more people will be dead..."

The question has to be asked, does it really upend the genre?

The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A talented genetic analyst and a detective who's haunted by an elusive cold case team up in the new standalone romantic suspense from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Forensic genealogist Rowan Healy has made a name for herself by helping investigators trace the family trees of violent criminals who have eluded justice for years. But the pressure of police cases left her burned out, and she's shifted her focus to helping adoptees find their biological parents.

Austin detective Jack Bruner has spent his career successfully tracking down vicious criminals - with the notable exception of the West Campus Rapist, a meticulous offender in Texas who has never been identified. When the latest two victims come to light, Jack sees his target is escalating his violent behavior - and only with Rowan's help does he stand a chance of cracking this case.

Moved by Jack's dedication and the brutal details of the attacks he lays out, Rowan agrees to help. When her ground-breaking DNA research sheds new light on the criminal's background and helps them zero in on a search radius, Rowan and Jack must race against the clock to find a ruthless killer who's growing bolder the longer he evades the law."

Forensic genealogy is fascinating to me.

The Palisades by Gail Lynn Hanson
Published by: Slippery Fish Press
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 365 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dorothy Fiske, eighty-three, adores movie stars, jewelry, murder mysteries, and men. At twenty-five, inspired by Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury, she moved to Los Angeles from a religiously strict Midwestern home. Despite the glamour, Dorothy, heartbroken, was childless. She blamed her sweet, unambitious husband, Eugene, claiming his sperm was weak, but Dorothy knows the truth. Ruth, a sixty-six-year-old home health aide, fears eviction from her L.A. apartment due to her unusual, antisocial behavior. Previously fired from a nursing facility for residents dying under her care, Ruth targets Dorothy, a widow from a wealthy family in Pacific Palisades, California. Lonely yet prideful, Dorothy hires Ruth as a "lady's maid." Ruth accepts the position and masterfully entwines herself into Dorothy's life because she wants to live in Dorothy's house, alone. The Palisades is a deliciously spun psychological suspense brimming with dark humor in which two women develop a peculiar relationship amid a miasma of Ruth's disturbing memories and Dorothy's pervasive delusions of old Hollywood. Poverty and privilege mingle, companionship turns bizarre, and identity is questioned as the women desperately try to fulfill their shared yearning for motherhood."

Grey Gardens with a California twist.

Jewel Box: Stories by E. Lily Yu
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The strange, the sublime, and the monstrous confront one another with astonishing consequences in this collection of twenty-two stories from award-winning writer E. Lily Yu.

In the village of Yiwei, a fallen wasp nest unfurls into a beautifully accurate map. In a field in Louisiana, birdwatchers forge an indelible connection over a shared glimpse of a Vermilion Flycatcher, and fall. In Nineveh, a judge who prides himself on impartiality finds himself questioned by a mysterious god. On a nameless shore, a small monster searches for refuge and finds unexpected courage.

At turns bittersweet and boundary-breaking, poignant and profound, these twenty-two stories sing, as the oldest fables do, of what it means to be alive in this strange, terrible, beautiful world. For readers who loved the intelligence and compassion in Kim Fu's Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century and the dreamlike prose of Kelly Link's Magic for Beginners, this collection introduces the short fiction of E. Lily Yu, winner of the Astounding Award for Best New Writer and author of the Washington Book Award-winning novel On Fragile Waves, praised by the New York Times Book Review as "devastating and perfect.""

I usually avoid short stories but these sound too profound to be missed.

The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, Volume 4 edited by Paula Guran
Published by: Pyr
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror series returns with a splendidly startling fourth volume!

From paranormal plots to stories of the supernatural, tales of the unfamiliar have always fascinated us humans. To keep the tradition alive, fantasy aficionado Paula Guran has gathered the most delightfully disturbing work from some of today's finest writers of the fantastique!

No two mysterious shadows are alike, and the same can be said for the books in this series. The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, Volume 4 contains more than three hundred pages of mystical fiction. Reader beware and indulge if you dare, because these chilling tales are sure to spook and surprise!"

I mean, it's the time of year were we HAVE to read this kind of book right?

The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire
Published by: Daw Books
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The 18th novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times bestselling October Daye urban fantasy series.

For one bright, shining moment, Tybalt, King of Cats, had everything he had ever wanted. He was soon to set his crown aside; he had married the woman he loved; he was going to be a father. After centuries of searching for a family of his own, he had finally found a way to construct the life of his dreams, and was looking forward to a period of peace - or at least as much peace as is ever in the offing for the husband of a hero.

Alas for Tybalt and his domestic aspirations, fate - and Titania - had other ideas. His perfect world had been complete for only a moment when it was ripped away, to be replaced by hers. Titania, Faerie's Summer Queen, Mother of Illusions and enemy of so many he holds dear, has seized control of the Kingdom, remaking it in her own image. An image which does not include meddlesome shapeshifters getting in her way. Tybalt quickly finds himself banished from her reality, along with the Undersea and the rest of the Court of Cats.

To protect his people and his future, Tybalt must find the woman he loves in a world designed to keep her from him, convince her that he's not a stranger trying to ruin her life for no apparent reason, and get her to unmake the illusion she's been firmly enmeshed in. And he'll have to do it all while she doesn't know him, and every unrecognizing look is a knife to his heart.

For Tybalt, King of Cats, the happily ever after was just the beginning."

Speaking of the King of Cats, I have a knew theory as to how Seanan writes so many books in a year... And yes, it's because her cats are writing the books.

Turtle Bread by Kim-Joy
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 136 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The debut graphic novel from The Great British Bake-Off star and author Kim-Joy, Turtle Bread explores mental health and the power of friendship, community and, of course, baking!

On her way home from another unsuccessful job interview, Yan stumbles upon Baking Club.

Her social anxiety tries to keep her away, but the bakers encourage her to come out of her shell, especially the caring and supportive Bea. As the club bakes together, Yan discovers that her new friends may need her too, more than she realises...

Features illustrated recipes throughout, for some of Kim-Joy's favorite bakes!"

I love Kim-Joy so much, her love of baking and her unflinching willingness to talk about her mental health. This is a must read.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Annabelle Marx, Clara McKenna, Dann McDorman, E. Lily Yu, Elizabeth Penney, Gail Lynn Hanson, Janice Hallett, Kim-Joy, Laura Griffin, Paula Guran, Robbie Morrison, Seanan McGuire, Stephanie Barron, Vanessa Riley

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: 1996
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

A cache of documents has been found. Could it be true that Jane Austen, that famous Regency writer, solved crimes when she wasn't writing her novels and sent the tales off to her nieces? Because that is what appears to be the case as Jane writes about what happened when she went to Scargrave Manor. Jane had just broken off her hastily made and even more hastily ended engagement to Harris Bigg-Wither. She had been lured in by the idea of a home and a family, but in the end realized that her and Harris Bigg-Wither would not suit. Needing to be elsewhere and not wanting the recriminations of her family Jane decides to visit her dear friend Isobel Payne. Jane and Isobel had became acquainted when the younger lady came to England from Barbados looking for a husband with her aunt and cousin in tow. She found a match in the older Earl of Scargrave. In fact they have just returned home from their honeymoon on the continent and are to have a lavish ball to celebrate their nuptials at their country seat. Jane arrives the night of the festivities, her friend seems happy, her new husband full of joy, but Isobel's husband takes a turn as the evening wears on. All assume it's just an attack of indigestion. He has seen a London doctor for a few years for his complaint. That doctor is summoned to the Earl's bedside and arrives in time to watch him die. How can Isobel be a widow in the early hours after her bridal ball? If all this wasn't bad enough, Isobel receives a poison pen letter saying that she did kill her husband because she is the lover of the new Earl, formerly the Viscount Payne! How could anyone say she was unfaithful to her husband with his heir? Yes, she secretly admits to Jane that they were in love, but she never acted on her feelings. But things look dire for the two. Yes, Jane could point the finger at George Hearst, the Earl's nephew who argued with him the night of his death, or Thomas Hearst, George's brother who was in a spot of bother. And what about Lord Harold Trowbridge? Arriving to torment Isobel because he wants her property in Barbados. There are too many suspects but only two with motive and means according to the law. So it is up to Jane to save her dear friend and find the real killer.

I find Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James very problematic. James obviously wanted to write a book on the oddities of Georgian and Regency law and quickly realized no one would want to read it so added a thin veneer of Jane Austen in order to trick us Janeites into reading her abysmal law treatise. If only she had done her research and realized her concept had been accomplished fifteen years prior far more successfully on every front, from understanding the trial process to actually making it about Jane Austen, by Stephanie Barron. Because a book about Jane Austen or her characters should be about her first and foremost and Stephanie got that. What amazes me is that Stephanie's long running series dropped at just the right time. America's obsession with Austen is dated firmly to 1996; Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility won all the awards, there were two versions of Emma, one on the small screen and one on the large, and who can forget Colin Firth and his wet shirt? Into this mix Stephanie Barron published her first Jane Austen mystery. So yes, I feel a little late to the party picking up the first book now, but at least this means I have a large back catalog to enjoy! Though it did take me awhile to warm to this murder mystery conceit. The bare bones are exactly the kind of book I dream of, a murder at a county estate during Christmas where everyone in the family is a suspect. But it took awhile to click because of two reasons; the footnotes and Austen's voice. So, this book has footnotes as part of the conceit that these events really happened to Jane and they are uncovered letters and journals. Therefore the footnotes are for clarity because in 1996 not many people were as Austen obsessed or Austen literate as now. So I found them intrusive and unnecessary, until I started to learn some interesting facts, so accepted them. As for Austen's voice, Barron perfectly captures it, it's just that where my brain was at when I started the book I wasn't sharp enough to enjoy it and therefore found it a hurdle that I had to overcome. But once the second murder happened it's like everything clicked into place. And I realized that it was the victim of the second crime that really did it for me because as I get older I have come to realize how much enjoyment I get out of the murder of uppity lady's maids. The Gilded Age really brought this home to me this year. In other words, kill the right person and I'm a happy camper.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Christmas, Colin Firth, Death Comes to Pemberley, Emma, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, Jane Austen, Lady's Maid, Murder, P.D. James, Regency Romp, Sense and Sensibility, Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Year Without a Summer by Stephanie Barron
Published by: Soho Crime
Publication Date: February 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell, with an uneasy stomach, constant fatigue, rashes, fevers and aches. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens, which even the drafting of her latest manuscript - about a baronet's daughter nursing a broken heart for a daring naval captain - cannot alleviate. Her apothecary recommends a trial of the curative waters at Cheltenham Spa, in Gloucestershire. Jane decides to use some of the profits earned from her last novel, Emma, and treat herself to a period of rest and reflection at the spa, in the company of her sister, Cassandra.

Cheltenham Spa hardly turns out to be the relaxing sojourn Jane and Cassandra envisaged, however. It is immediately obvious that other boarders at the guest house where the Misses Austen are staying have come to Cheltenham with stresses of their own - some of them deadly. But perhaps with Jane’s interference a terrible crime might be prevented. Set during the Year without a Summer, when the eruption of Mount Tambora in the South Pacific caused a volcanic winter that shrouded the entire planet for sixteen months, this fourteenth installment in Stephanie Barron’s critically acclaimed series brings a forgotten moment of Regency history to life."

Anyone else as obsessed as I am with 1816 and how they didn't have a summer?

The Great Mrs. Elias by Barbara Chase-Riboud
Published by: Amistad
Publication Date: February 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The author of the award-winning Sally Hemings now brings to life Hannah Elias, one of the richest black women in America in the early 1900s, in this mesmerizing novel swirling with atmosphere and steeped in history.

A murder and a case of mistaken identity brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. This is the beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.

Born in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Shedding her past, Hannah slips on a new identity before relocating to New York City to become as rich as a robber baron. Hannah quietly invests in the stock market, growing her fortune with the help of businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions across 29 banks. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in gold and first-rate décor, inspired by her idol Cleopatra.

The unsolved murder turns Hannah’s world upside-down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.

Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life."

Murder AND mistaken identity? Yes please! Also, can you imagine what a five-story twenty-five room mansion on Central Park West cost then AND now!?!

The Grayson Sherbrooke by Catherine Coulter
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: February 8th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 454 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Much like the hero of his frightening Gothic adventure stories, well-known English author Grayson Sherbrooke has his own share of run-ins with peculiar supernatural beings, both good and evil. From his home on the northern coast of England, Sherbrooke leaps into these otherworldly mysteries to find the truth with the help of his son, Pip; his beautiful neighbor, Miranda, and her daughter, P. C.; and an orphan named Barnaby.

Set in the mid-nineteenth century and featuring a delightfully quirky cast of characters, The Grayson Sherbrooke Novella Collection will keep you entertained for hours as you join Sherbrooke and his rag-tag team of investigators to solve bizarre, out-of-this-world cases.

This collection includes five books in Coulter's supernatural series: The Strange Visitation at Wolffe Hall, The Resident Evil at Blackthorn Manor, The Ancient Spirits of Sedgwick House, The Virgin Bride of Northcliffe Hall, and The Red Witch of Ravenstone Folly."

I love period Gothic monster adventures!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barbara Chase-Riboud, Catherine Coulter, Central Park West, Emma, England, Gothic, Jane Austen, New York, Novella, Stephanie Barron, The Grayson Sherbrooke, The Great Mrs. Elias, The Year Without a Summer

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The enchantment continues...

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories - and secrets - that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies? With nine stories - five of which have never before been published - and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer's upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles."

Even if I wasn't addicted to this world and needed to read all that I can get my hands on, all the new stories! Oh, and rumors of a royal wedding in one! Oh stars!

Jane and the Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron
Published by: Plume
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jane Austen turns sleuth in this delightful Regency-era mystery

November, 1815. The Battle of Waterloo has come and gone, leaving the British economy in shreds; Henry Austen, high-flying banker, is about to declare bankruptcy—dragging several of his brothers down with him. The crisis destroys Henry’s health, and Jane flies to his London bedside, believing him to be dying. While she’s there, the chaplain to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent invites Jane to tour Carlton House, the Prince’s fabulous London home. The chaplain is a fan of Jane’s books, and during the tour he suggests she dedicate her next novel—Emma—to HRH, whom she despises.

However, before she can speak to HRH, Jane stumbles upon a body—sprawled on the carpet in the Regent’s library. The dying man, Colonel MacFarland, was a cavalry hero and a friend of Wellington’s. He utters a single failing phrase: “Waterloo map” . . . and Jane is on the hunt for a treasure of incalculable value and a killer of considerable cunning."

Um, yes please! Anything Austen if you don't mind.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alice in Wonderland, Heartless, Jane and the Waterloo Map, Jane Austen, Marissa Meyer, Mystery, Short Story, Stars Above, Stephanie Barron, The Lunar Chronicles, Tuesday Tomorrow

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
Published by: DAW Hardcover
Publication Date: October 28th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the Underthing, snug in the heart of this forgotten place.

Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a brief, bittersweet glimpse of Auri’s life, a small adventure all her own. At once joyous and haunting, this story offers a chance to see the world through Auri’s eyes. And it gives the reader a chance to learn things that only Auri knows....

In this book, Patrick Rothfuss brings us into the world of one of The Kingkiller Chronicle’s most enigmatic characters. Full of secrets and mysteries, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the story of a broken girl trying to live in a broken world."

Ok, I am literally over the moon for this book! Yes, I know it's not the final book in The Kingkiller Chronicle's, but my favorite parts in Pat's books all take place at the University, and Auri is totally one of my favorite characters. So yes, just a little excited, on the scale of peeing your pants excited!

Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman
Published by: Toon Books
Publication Date: October 28th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 56 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Best-selling author Neil Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel and Gretel, a stunning book that’s at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti’s sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Neil Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old."

Of all the fairy tales, I've always been very meh on Hansel and Gretel, so I'm really excited to see what Gaiman does.

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron
Published by: Soho Crime
Publication Date: October 28th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 336Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The twelfth installment in Stephanie Barron's fan-favorite Being a Jane Austen Mystery series

Christmas Eve, 1814: Jane Austen has been invited to spend the holiday with family and friends at The Vyne, the gorgeous ancestral home of the wealthy and politically prominent Chute family. As the year fades and friends begin to gather beneath the mistletoe for the twelve days of Christmas festivities, Jane and her circle are in a celebratory mood: Mansfield Park is selling nicely; Napoleon has been banished to Elba; British forces have seized Washington, DC; and on Christmas Eve, John Quincy Adams signs the Treaty of Ghent, which will end a war nobody in England really wanted."

I'm kinda loving the synchronicity that the twelfth book is the twelve days of Christmas!

Star of the East by Tasha Alexander
Published by: Macmillan
Publication Date: October 28th, 2014
Format: Kindle, 65 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Emily and Colin Hargreaves make it a rule to spend as little time as possible with her parents in Kent, but are unable to refuse Lady Catherine Bromley’s invitation to join them for a pre-Christmas party that includes the family of Ala Kapur Singh, a powerful Punjabi maharaja who has come to England after receiving the Order of the Star of India. Lady Bromley, quite taken with the exotic beauty and spectacular jewels of the maharani and her daughter, Sunita, and throws herself with abandon into her own version of Indian culture, planning a feast she is certain will be more spectacular than any seen on the sub-continent.

When a priceless emerald and diamond maang tika and a simple gold bangle disappear from Sunita’s room, a diplomatic incident seems imminent, particularly after the maang tika turns up in Emily’s possession. Emily may have what appears to be the more valuable of the two pieces, but the maang tika cannot be worn without the bangle, upon which is engraved the words necessary to ward off a curse placed on the set five hundred years ago by a princess forced to forsake the man she loved. Sunita must wear the maang tika at her wedding, which is scheduled to take place as soon as the family returns to the Punjab, but cannot do so without the bangle. Can Emily convince the maharaja that she is not a thief? And, more important, can she and Colin find the bangle?"

And speaking of some more Christmasy fun! A little Emily and Colin short story for the upcoming holiday season!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Auri, Fairy Tales, Hansel and Gretel, Jane Austen, Lady Emily, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, Star of the East, Stephanie Barron, Tasha Alexander, The Kingkiller Chronicles, The Slow Regard of Silent Things