strange and random happenstance

Death at the Dress Rehearsal by Stuart Douglas
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Edward Lowe believes that Floggit and Leggit might just be where his career dies. If anything, being a the lead in a slightly vulgar situation comedy bodes ill for the 1970s. He knows he shouldn't complain, he's the lead and he's employed, but it's not where he thought he'd be at his age. He's always faced an uphill battle; he doesn't look like a leading man, a short northerner without the right education or connections. That would be his costar, John Le Breton. Which is why their downmarket show is popular. The intrinsic humor of Edward Lowe as George Wetherby, the self-important owner of a provincial antique shop, being John Le Breton's boss? Comedy gold. They're currently out on location which means that Edward Lowe is subjected to his fellow cast members continually. Do they not understand that a raised newspaper or a seperate table means he doesn't want to interact? And they all want to talk to him after he discovers a body. They were getting ready to film the testing of some vintage diving gear at the local reservoir, the episode "wittily" titled "That Sinking Feeling," when Edward stumbled on the body of a woman. Not only did this put the day's filming into disarray, who knew when they could finally film at the reservoir now that it's a crime scene. Constable Primrose tells Edward and the others that it's best if they forget what happened and get back to making people laugh. Which didn't instill Edward with much hope for the case, the constable seems to be their target audience. Meaning it was Edward's job to investigate the death of Mrs. Alice Burke. Because she sure as hell didn't die accidentally. Plus what else is there to do with filming shut down for a few days? Which is exactly what John thinks when he weasels his way into the investigation. The two of them track down Alice's father and Edward is in for a shock. Back during the war there was a suspicious death of a women with several men involved. One was named Lowell Edwardsson. If it wasn't for the fact his name was almost the reverse of Edward Lowe Edward would never have paid attention. But Lowell Edwardsson is Alice's father. That can't be a coincidence. Especially when another body with ties to that long ago case appears. Again looking like an accident. It's up to Edward and his Watson to solve the case before another woman dies. If only Watson would get the clue he's not needed...

Just like the seventies, we are once again in the Golden Era of quirky detectives. Columbo, Jim Rockford, and Kojak could easily hang out with the likes of Charlie Cale, Benoit Blanc, and the members of The Thursday Murder Club. As could Lowe and Le Breton. They fit the bill. They tick both of the boxes, being quirky and set in the seventies. Here Stuart Douglas is able to offer up a pastiche of Dad's Army while creating two memorable characters who come to really care that justice is served. Two characters who each have a unique voice, a feat not many authors can pull off. In most cases the inner monologues are much the same, the authorial voice thinly veiled. But not many authors are Stuart Douglas. Edward Lowe and John Le Breton are two of the most unique and disparate crime solvers you could find. Actors as unalike in their dispositions as their methods. Which leads to some interesting crime solving methodology as well as acting methods. Just their interactions create a tension that propels the narrative forward. Edward is dedicated and far more traditional in his ideas of what a detective should be. Whereas John is there for a laugh. Well, not a laugh, as that would be insensitive to the dead, but he's there because he thinks it would be a diversion, a fun way to spend his downtime versus chasing skirt. And while this leads to much butting of heads, as anyone who reads or watches enough shows with a dead body or two in the hedgerow will know, sometimes the best partnerships are made of oil and vinegar. And Lowe and Le Breton are the best partnership, something even John concedes by the end, wondering if more adventures would really be so bad? As a reader, the answer is hell no. I need this infusion of nostalgic crime solving because no book has so encapsulated the Sundays of my childhood spent on my grandparents' farm as Death at the Dress Rehearsal. With my grandfather watching old BBC comedies and my mother and her sisters running their own murder mystery lending library over the dining room table. There's even a beloved collie! My grandfather's collie was named Jenny if you were interested and he favored Are You Being Served? over Dad's Army. But those are just the specifics of my life, I'm sure this will bring out different memories in you. I entreat you to spend a nostalgic Sunday afternoon with Lowe and Le Breton. You won't regret it.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Actors, Are You Being Served, BBC Comedy, Dad's Army, Death at the Dress Rehearsal, Edward Lowe, Floggit and Leggit, John Le Breton, Lowe and Le Breton, Murder Most Foul, Nostalgia, Seventies, Stuart Douglas, WWII

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

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

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

"Angelo."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Núria, however, is clueless.

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

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

Cats are what will unite us all.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elise Hooper had me mysteriously discovered dollhouses!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This year's honor roll is killer...

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

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

Trying to fix up a murder house? Yes please!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Includes a knockout menu of recipes!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A love just a touch of eldritch horror!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She'll get her wish.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I so love a good duology. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where there’s a will, there’s a war.

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

Or at least, so they like to think.

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

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

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

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

Magical Succession.

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

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

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

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

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

A perfectly timed reissue because...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be ready to re-think the world of Gatsby.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Brian Selznick, Cornelia Funke, David Dodge, Emilia Hart, Hannah Kaner, Jesse Q. Sutanto, Kristin Cast, Melissa Marr, Olivie Blake, P.C. Cast, Paige Shelton, Robert Jackson Bennett, Seana Kelly, Stuart Douglas

Death at the Dress Rehearsal by Stuart Douglas
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Edward Lowe believes that Floggit and Leggit might just be where his career dies. If anything, being a the lead in a slightly vulgar situation comedy bodes ill for the 1970s. He knows he shouldn't complain, he's the lead and he's employed, but it's not where he thought he'd be at his age. He's always faced an uphill battle; he doesn't look like a leading man, a short northerner without the right education or connections. That would be his costar, John Le Breton. Which is why their downmarket show is popular. The intrinsic humor of Edward Lowe as George Wetherby, the self-important owner of a provincial antique shop, being John Le Breton's boss? Comedy gold. They're currently out on location which means that Edward Lowe is subjected to his fellow cast members continually. Do they not understand that a raised newspaper or a seperate table means he doesn't want to interact? And they all want to talk to him after he discovers a body. They were getting ready to film the testing of some vintage diving gear at the local reservoir, the episode "wittily" titled "That Sinking Feeling," when Edward stumbled on the body of a woman. Not only did this put the day's filming into disarray, who knew when they could finally film at the reservoir now that it's a crime scene. Constable Primrose tells Edward and the others that it's best if they forget what happened and get back to making people laugh. Which didn't instill Edward with much hope for the case, the constable seems to be their target audience. Meaning it was Edward's job to investigate the death of Mrs. Alice Burke. Because she sure as hell didn't die accidentally. Plus what else is there to do with filming shut down for a few days? Which is exactly what John thinks when he weasels his way into the investigation. The two of them track down Alice's father and Edward is in for a shock. Back during the war there was a suspicious death of a women with several men involved. One was named Lowell Edwardsson. If it wasn't for the fact his name was almost the reverse of Edward Lowe Edward would never have paid attention. But Lowell Edwardsson is Alice's father. That can't be a coincidence. Especially when another body with ties to that long ago case appears. Again looking like an accident. It's up to Edward and his Watson to solve the case before another woman dies. If only Watson would get the clue he's not needed...

Just like the seventies, we are once again in the Golden Era of quirky detectives. Columbo, Jim Rockford, and Kojak could easily hang out with the likes of Charlie Cale, Benoit Blanc, and the members of The Thursday Murder Club. As could Lowe and Le Breton. They fit the bill. They tick both of the boxes, being quirky and set in the seventies. Here Stuart Douglas is able to offer up a pastiche of Dad's Army while creating two memorable characters who come to really care that justice is served. Two characters who each have a unique voice, a feat not many authors can pull off. In most cases the inner monologues are much the same, the authorial voice thinly veiled. But not many authors are Stuart Douglas. Edward Lowe and John Le Breton are two of the most unique and disparate crime solvers you could find. Actors as unalike in their dispositions as their methods. Which leads to some interesting crime solving methodology as well as acting methods. Just their interactions create a tension that propels the narrative forward. Edward is dedicated and far more traditional in his ideas of what a detective should be. Whereas John is there for a laugh. Well, not a laugh, as that would be insensitive to the dead, but he's there because he thinks it would be a diversion, a fun way to spend his downtime versus chasing skirt. And while this leads to much butting of heads, as anyone who reads or watches enough shows with a dead body or two in the hedgerow will know, sometimes the best partnerships are made of oil and vinegar. And Lowe and Le Breton are the best partnership, something even John concedes by the end, wondering if more adventures would really be so bad? As a reader, the answer is hell no. I need this infusion of nostalgic crime solving because no book has so encapsulated the Sundays of my childhood spent on my grandparents' farm as Death at the Dress Rehearsal. With my grandfather watching old BBC comedies and my mother and her sisters running their own murder mystery lending library over the dining room table. There's even a beloved collie! My grandfather's collie was named Jenny if you were interested and he favored Are You Being Served? over Dad's Army. But those are just the specifics of my life, I'm sure this will bring out different memories in you. I entreat you to spend a nostalgic Sunday afternoon with Lowe and Le Breton. You won't regret it.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Actors, ARCs, Are You Being Served, BBC Comedy, Dad's Army, Death at the Dress Rehearsal, Edward Lowe, Floggit and Leggit, John Le Breton, Lowe and Le Breton, Mystery, Nostalgia, Seventies, Stuart Douglas, WWII

Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The biggest thriller of the year: A history-making eruption is about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii. But a secret held for decades by the US military is far more terrifying than any volcano.

The master of the techno-blockbuster joins forces with the master of the modern thriller to create the most anticipated mega bestseller in years.

Michael Crichton, creator of Jurassic Park, ER, Twister, and Westworld, had a passion project he'd been pursuing for years, ahead of his untimely passing in 2008. Knowing how special it was, his wife, Sherri Crichton, held back his notes and the partial manuscript until she found the right author to complete it: James Patterson, the world's most popular storyteller."

I mean, I can't contain my excitement! A NEW MICHAEL CRICHTON BOOK! Yeah yeah, and there's James Patterson too.

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell
Published by: Heartdrum
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K.A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. A must-pick for readers who enjoy books by Angeline Boulley and Karen McManus!

When local girl Loren includes Mara in a traditional Blackfeet Giveaway to honor Loren's missing sister, Mara thinks she'll finally make some friends on the Blackfeet reservation.

Instead, a girl from the Giveaway, Samantha White Tail, is found murdered.

Because the four members of the Giveaway group were the last to see Samantha alive, each becomes a person of interest in the investigation. And all of them - Mara, Loren, Brody, and Eli - have a complicated history with Samantha.

Despite deep mistrust, the four must now take matters into their own hands and clear their names. Even though one of them may be the murderer."

If you're feeling the void left by Reservation Dogs and Dark Winds, this is for you.

The Noh Mask Murder by Akimitsu Takagi
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A bewildering locked-room murder occurs as an amateur crime writer investigates strange events in the Chizurui mansion in this prizewinning classic Japanese mystery.

This ingeniously constructed masterpiece, written by one of Japan's most celebrated crime writers and translated into English for the first time, is perfect for locked-room mystery fans who can't resist a breathtaking conclusion.

In the Chizurui family mansion, a haunting presence casts a shadow over its residents. By night, an eerie figure, clad in a sinister Hannya mask is seen roaming around the house. An amateur murder mystery writer, Akimitsu Takagi, is sent to investigate - but his investigation takes a harrowing turn as tragedy strikes the Chizurui family.

Within the confines of a locked study, the head of the family is found dead, with only an ominous Hannya mask lying on the floor by his side and the lingering scent of jasmine in the air as clues to his mysterious murder.

As Takagi delves deeper into the perplexing case, he discovers a tangled web of secrets and grudges. Can he discover the link between the family and the curse of the Hannya mask? Who was the person who called the undertaker and asked for three coffins on the night of the murder? And do those three coffins mean the curse of the Hannya mask is about to strike again?

The Noh Mask Murder's legendary ending offers locked-room mystery fans the perfect coda to an ingeniously constructed mystery."

Locked-room mysteries are my catnip and comfort read all in one.

The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Marlow Murder Club is on the hunt for a killer...

Geoffrey Lushington, Mayor of Marlow, dies suddenly during a town council meeting. When traces of aconite - also known as the queen of poisons - are found in his coffee cup, the police realize he was murdered. But who did it? And why?

The police bring Judith, Suzie, and Becks in to investigate the murder as civilian advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart's content...which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure. But this case has the Marlow Murder Club stumped. Who would want to kill the affable mayor of Marlow? How did they even get the poison into his coffee? And is anyone else in danger? The Marlow Murder Club is about to face their most difficult case yet..."

Time to get to know the Marlow Murder Club before their television debut!

Death in Le Jardin by Ian Moore
Published by: Farrago
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of Death and Croissants comes a murder mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Julia Chapman, or MC Beaton.

On the surface, Richard Ainsworth has life where he wants it. Middle-aged navel gazing and Olympic levels of procrastination are exactly what rural life in France should be about.

Then crisis hits his posh B and B when redoubtable housekeeper, Madame Tablier, is accused of murder. Even more surprisingly, it's the murder of a former fiancé, turned brother-in-law. None of which the stubborn old woman denies.

Valérie d'Orçay is having none of it and their investigation leads them to a strange tourist garden village, where backbiting, recriminations and even former colleagues provide a deadly scenario more tangled than knotweed."

I mean, I think Madame Tablier would be totally justified in the killing, but that's just my opinion.

Death at the Dress Rehearsal by Stuart Douglas
Published by: Titan Books (UK)
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Two ageing actors attempt to solve a murder after a body is found on the set in this witty, fun whodunnit, perfect for fans of Thursday Murder Club and Death and Croissants.

In 1970, on the set of downmarket sitcom 'Floggit and Leggit', leading man Edward Lowe stumbles across the body of a woman, apparently the victim of a tragic drowning accident. But there's something about her that rings the faintest of bells in Edward's head and, convinced the woman has been murdered, he enlists the help of his co-star John le Breton to investigate further. Crossing the country and back again during gaps in filming, the two men uncover both a series of murders in the modern day, and links to another unfortunate death during the War. As the body count mounts, Edward and John face a race against time to save the innocent victims of a serial killer..."

If you're a fan of Elly Griffiths Brighton Mysteries you'll love Stuart Douglas's Lowe and Le Breton. The theatrical has been switched for the televisual with elderly actors legging it about the country. You will be impatiently waiting for more.

The Last Secret of Lily Adams by Sara Blaydes
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 332 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The death of a legendary actress reveals a wealth of Hollywood secrets in a breathtaking novel about betrayal, rivalry, and the punishing brutality of fame.

One of the brightest stars of Hollywood's golden age was Lily Adams, the beloved picture of all-American innocence. Why she suddenly vanished from the spotlight was a mystery even to those closest to her.

Upon Lily's death seventy years later, her granddaughter, Carolyn Prior, struggles to understand a woman she loved but never really knew. Then, sifting through the memorabilia of a once-glamorous career, Carolyn comes across a letter from her grandmother. It's the trembling admission of a secret life and a story that begins and ends with superstar Stella Lane, Lily's archrival of the silver screen - a bombshell who was brutally murdered.

As Carolyn unearths her grandmother's connection to the notorious unsolved slaying, her life collides with Lily's in the most shocking ways. And with each stunning new revelation, Carolyn must decide how much she is willing to risk to unlock the truth."

You risk everything for the truth! EVERYTHING!

The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear
Published by: Soho Crime
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 360 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A milestone in historical mystery fiction as Maisie Dobbs takes her final bow!

The Comfort of Ghosts completes Jacqueline Winspear's ground-breaking and internationally bestselling series.

Psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs unravels a profound mystery from her past in a war-torn nation grappling with its future.

London, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion - the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers that a demobilized soldier, gravely ill and reeling from his experiences overseas, has taken shelter with the group.

Maisie's quest to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier brings to light a decades-old mystery concerning Maisie's first husband, James Compton, who was killed while piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As Maisie unravels the threads of her dead husband's life, she is forced to examine her own painful past and question beliefs she has always accepted as true.

The award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers, readers drawn to a woman who is of her time, yet familiar in ours - and who inspires with her resilience and capacity for endurance. This final assignment of her own choosing not only opens a new future for Maisie and her family, but serves as a fascinating portrayal of the challenges facing the people of Britain at the close of the Second World War."

It feels like yesterday I picked up the first book in this series. Here's to a fitting sendoff and past secrets uncovered!

The Last Note of Warning by Katharine Schellman
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Last Note of Warning is the third in the luscious, mysterious, and queer Nightingale mystery series by Katharine Schellman, set in 1920s New York.

Prohibition is a dangerous time to be a working-class woman in New York City, but Vivian Kelly has finally found some measure of stability and freedom. By day, she's a respectable shop assistant, delivering luxurious dresses to the city's wealthy and elite. At night, she joins the madcap revelry of New York's underworld, serving illegal drinks and dancing into the morning at a secretive, back-alley speakeasy known as the Nightingale. She's found, if not love, then something like it with her bootlegger sweetheart, Leo, even if she can't quite forget the allure of the Nightingale's sultry owner, Honor Huxley.

Then the husband of a wealthy client is discovered dead in his study, and Vivian was the last known person to see him alive. With the police and the press both eager to name a culprit in the high-profile case, she finds herself the primary murder suspect.

She can't flee town without endangering the people she loves, but Vivian isn't the sort of girl to go down without a fight. She'll cash in every favor she has from the criminals she calls friends to prove she had no connection to the dead man. But she can't prove what isn't true.

The more Vivian digs into the man's life, and as the police close in on her, the harder it is to avoid the truth: someone she knows wanted him dead. And the best way to get away with murder is to set up a girl like Vivian to take the fall."

Here's a hint, never be the fall guy, or gal as the case may be.

The Meiji Guillotine Murders by Futaro Yamada
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A classic Japanese mystery - a pair of sleuths investigate a series of bloody murders in 19th century Tokyo.

A captivating locked room murder mystery perfect for fans of Stuart Turton and Janice Hallett.

Japan, 1869. A time of reform and rebellion.

Detectives Kazuki and Kawaji are assigned to investigate a series of seemingly impossible murders. Together with the help of a mysterious shrine maiden, can they solve each gruesome death and piece together the dark connection between them?

Taking us deep into the heart of 19th century Tokyo, The Meiji Guillotine Murders is a fiendish murder mystery from one of Japan's greatest crime writers."

What did I JUST SAY about locked-room murders? Catnip!

In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In a small town in Appalachia, people paint their doorways blue to keep spirits away. Black ferns grow where death will follow. And Weatherly Opal Wilder is a Death Talker.

When called upon, she can talk the death out of the dying and save their lives - only once, never twice. But this truly unique gift comes at a price, rooting Weatherly to people who only want her around when they need her and resent her backwater ways when they don't.

Weatherly's cousin Adaire also has a gift: she's a Scryer and can see the future reflected back in dark surfaces. Right before she is killed in an accident, Adaire saw something unnerving, and that's why Weatherly believes she was murdered - never thinking for a moment that it was an accident. But when Weatherly, for the first time, is unable to talk the death out of the mayor's son, the whole town suspects she is out for revenge, that she wouldn't save him.

With the help of clues Adaire left behind and her family's Granny Witch recipe box, Weatherly sets out to find the truth behind her cousin's death, whatever it takes.

Imbued with magic, witchery, and suspense, Dana Elmendorf's In the Hour of Crows is a thrilling tale of friendship, identity, and love."

Personally, I'm thinking the mayor's son had something to do with her cousin's murder. Makes sense...

A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets by Kate Khavari
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Brilliant botanist Saffron Everleigh is ready for her next thrilling adventure in the newest installment of Kate Khavari's mesmerizing historical mystery series.

London, 1923. Returning from Paris, botanical researcher Saffron Everleigh finds that her former love interest Alexander Ashton's brother, Adrian, is being investigated for murder. A Russian scientist working for the English government has been poisoned, and expired in Adrian's train compartment. Alexander asks Saffron to put in a good word for Adrian with Inspector Green. Despite her unresolved feelings for Alexander, Saffron begins to unravel mysteries surrounding the dead scientist.

As if a murder case weren't enough, her best friend Elizabeth's war-hero brother, Nick, arrives in town and takes an immediate interest in Saffron. Saffron learns Alexander has been keeping secrets from her, including a connection to Nick, who Saffron and Elizabeth begin to suspect is more than he seems.

When another scientist is found dead, Saffron agrees to go undercover at the government laboratory. Risking her career and her safety, she learns there are many more interested parties and dangerous secrets to uncover than she'd realized. But some secrets, Saffron will find, are better left undiscovered."

Lots of familial connection causing chaos!

Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De La Rosa
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a Mexican heiress defies Victorian society to protect her country a British war hero makes it his new mission to protect her...

Isabel Luna Valdés has long since resigned herself to being the "forgotten" Luna sister. But thanks to familial connections to the Mexican ambassador in London, wallflower Isabel is poised to unearth any British intelligence hidden by the ton that might aid Mexico during the French Occupation. Though she slips easily from crowded ballrooms into libraries and private studies, Isabel's search is hampered by trysting couples and prowling rogues - including the rakish Captain Sirius Dawson.

As a covert agent for the British Home Office, Sirius makes a game of earning the aristocracy's confidence. He spends his days befriending foolish politicians and seducing well-born ladies in order to learn their secrets. But after he spies a certain sharp-tongued Luna sister lurking in the shadows where no proper debutante should venture, it's clear Sirius is outmatched, outwitted, and soon to be outmaneuvered by the one woman he can't resist.

Their mutual attraction is undeniable, but when Isabel discovers private correspondence that could turn the tide of political turmoil in Mexico, she's willing to do whatever it takes to protect her country - even if this means ignoring her heart and courting danger..."

Oh, but every good heroine knows that ignoring your heart works out in the end!

Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
Published by: Mariner Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dazzling new work of literary fiction from the author of The Essex Serpent, a story of love and astronomy told over the course of twenty years through the lives of two improbable best friends.

Thomas Hart and Grace Macaulay have lived all their lives in the small Essex town of Aldleigh. Though separated in age by three decades, the pair are kindred spirits - torn between their commitment to religion and their desire to explore the world beyond their small Baptist community.

It is two romantic relationships that will rend their friendship, and in the wake of this rupture, Thomas develops an obsession with a vanished nineteenth-century astronomer said to haunt a nearby manor, and Grace flees Aldleigh entirely for London. Over the course of twenty years, by coincidence and design, Thomas and Grace will find their lives brought back into orbit as the mystery of the vanished astronomer unfolds into a devastating tale of love and scientific pursuit. Thomas and Grace will ask themselves what it means to love and be loved, what is fixed and what is mutable, how much of our fate is predestined and written in the stars, and whether they can find their way back to each other.

A thrillingly ambitious novel of friendship, faith, and unrequited love, rich in symmetry and symbolism, Enlightenment is a shimmering wonder of a book and Sarah Perry's finest work to date."

Seeing as I'm more than a little obsessed with The Essex Serpent, this is a book I've been dying for!

All the Summers in Between by Brooke Lea Foster
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When wealthy, impulsive summer girl Margot meets hardworking and steady local girl Thea in the summer of 1967, the unlikely pair become fast friends, working alongside one another in a record store and spending every spare moment together. But after an unspeakable incident on one devastating August night, they don't see one another for ten years...until Margot suddenly reappears in Thea's life, begging for help and harboring more than one dangerous secret. Thea can't bring herself to refuse her beloved friend - but she also knows she can't fully trust her either.

Unfulfilled as a housewife, Thea enjoys the dazzling sense of adventure Margot brings to her life, but will the truth of what happened to them that fateful summer ruin everything? Testing the boundaries of how far she'll go for a friend, Thea is forced to reckon with her uncertain future while trying to decide if some friends are meant to remain in the past.

Set in the dual timelines of 1967 and 1977, All the Summers In Between is at once a mesmerizing portrait of a complex friendship, a delicious glimpse into a bygone Hamptons, and a powerful coming-of-age for two young women during a transformative era."

And here I am hoping it's a historical fiction version of Empire Records... 

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue by Julie Satow
Published by: Doubleday Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A glittering portrait of the golden age of American department stores and of three visionary women who led them, from the award-winning author of The Plaza.

The twentieth century American department store: a palace of consumption where every wish could be met under one roof - afternoon tea, a stroll through the latest fashions, a wedding (or funeral) planned. It was a place where women, shopper and shopgirl alike, could stake out a newfound independence. Whether in New York or Chicago or on Main Street, USA, men owned the buildings, but inside, women ruled.

In this hothouse atmosphere, three women rose to the top. In the 1930s, Hortense Odlum of Bonwit Teller came to her husband's department store as a housewife tasked with attracting more shoppers like herself, and wound up running the company. Dorothy Shaver of Lord and Taylor championed American designers during World War II - before which US fashions were almost exclusively Parisian copies - becoming the first businesswoman to earn a $1 million salary. And in the 1960s Geraldine Stutz of Henri Bendel re-invented the look of the modern department store. With a preternatural sense for trends, she inspired a devoted following of ultra-chic shoppers as well as decades of copycats.

In When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, journalist Julie Satow draws back the curtain on three visionaries who took great risks, forging new paths for the women who followed in their footsteps. This stylish account, rich with personal drama and trade secrets, captures the department store in all its glitz, decadence, and fun, and showcases the women who made that beautifully curated world go round."

It's not just the glamor of a bygone era, it was a whole way of life that changed.

The God Gumiho by Sophie Kim
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god-turned-detective to track down a wrathful demon...before it can destroy the mortal world.

Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang's emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he'll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga's assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she'll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won't allow him to uncover her secret identity while they're at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them - and the world - apart?"

I am here for any gumiho story ever. But a gumibo gumshoe? Oh hell yes!

Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse
Published by: Sands/Saga Press
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The interwoven destinies of the people of Meridian will finally be determined in this stunning conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse's Between Earth and Sky trilogy.

Even the sea cannot stay calm before the storm. -Teek saying

Serapio, avatar of the Crow God Reborn and the newly crowned Carrion King, rules Tova. But his enemies gather both on distant shores and within his own city as the matrons of the clans scheme to destroy him. And deep in the alleys of the Maw, a new prophecy is whispered, this one from the Coyote God. It promises Serapio certain doom if its terrible dictates are not fulfilled.

Meanwhile, Xiala is thrust back amongst her people as war comes first to the island of Teek. With their way of life and their magic under threat, she is their last best hope. But the sea won't talk to her the way it used to, and doubts riddle her mind. She will have to sacrifice the things that matter most to unleash her powers and become the queen they were promised.

And in the far northern wastelands, Naranpa, avatar of the Sun God, seeks a way to save Tova from the visions of fire that engulf her dreams. But another presence has begun stalking her nightmares, and the Jaguar God is on the hunt.

Nominated for the Nebula, Lambda, Locus, and Hugo Awards, winner of the Alex Award from the American Library Association and the Ignyte Award from Fiyah magazine, the Between Earth and Sky trilogy is amongst our most lauded modern fantasy series from The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA TODAY bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse."

Seeing as I finally got around to writing my review for the first book in this trilogy, perhaps it's time to finish reading it?

Tidal Creatures by Seanan McGuire
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Every night, a Moon shines down on the Impossible City...

New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire takes us back to the world of the award-winning Alchemical Journeys series in this action-packed follow-up to Middlegame and Seasonal Fears.

All across the world, people look up at the moon and dream of gods. Gods of knowledge and wisdom, gods of tides and longevity. Over time, some of these moon gods incarnated into the human world alongside the other manifest natural concepts. Their job is to cross the sky above the Impossible City - the heart of all creation - to keep it connected to reality.

And someone is killing them.

There are so many of them that it's easy for a few disappearances to slip through the cracks. But they aren't limitless.

In the name of the moon, the lunar divinities must uncover the roots of the plot and thwart the true goal of those behind these attacks - control of the Impossible City itself."

I know I joke about Seanan McGuire's output, but she seriously is rivaling Stephen King and probably even James Patterson... But this literally is her fifth book of the year and not her only release in June...

Again, Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: June 4th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A follow-up to the original groundbreaking collection, Again, Dangerous Visions features forty-six short stories from giants of the science fiction genre.

Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America and winner of countless awards - including the Hugo, Nebula, Edgar Allan Poe, and Bram Stoker - Harlan Ellison proved once more that he was both unpredictable and irrepressible in this second collection of innovative science fiction. Again, Dangerous Visions - the middle installment in a planned three anthology series - includes award-winning stories from incomparable writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Gene Wolfe, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Piers Anthony, Dean Koontz, and James Tiptree, among many others.

Unprecedented and electrifying, Again, Dangerous Visions cemented Harlan Ellison's legacy as the ultimate sci-fi anthologist."

I mean, how could you not buy this book with those names?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Brooke Lea Foster, Ian Moore, Jacqueline Winspear, James Patterson, Kate Khavari, Katharine Schellman, Michael Crichton, Rebecca Roanhorse, Robert Thorogood, Sarah Perry, Seanan McGuire, Stuart Douglas