strange and random happenstance

The Girl from Venice by Martin Cruz Smith
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: October 18th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The highly anticipated new standalone novel from Martin Cruz Smith, whom The Washington Post has declared “that uncommon phenomenon: a popular and well-regarded crime novelist who is also a writer of real distinction,” The Girl from Venice is a suspenseful World War II love story set against the beauty, mystery, and danger of occupied Venice.

Venice, 1945. The war may be waning, but the city known as La Serenissima is still occupied and the people of Italy fear the power of the Third Reich. One night, under a canopy of stars, a fisherman named Cenzo comes across a young woman’s body floating in the lagoon and soon discovers that she is still alive and in trouble.

Born to a wealthy Jewish family, Giulia is on the run from the Wehrmacht SS. Cenzo chooses to protect Giulia rather than hand her over to the Nazis. This act of kindness leads them into the world of Partisans, random executions, the arts of forgery and high explosives, Mussolini’s broken promises, the black market and gold, and, everywhere, the enigmatic maze of the Venice Lagoon.

The Girl from Venice is a thriller, a mystery, and a retelling of Italian history that will take your breath away. Most of all it is a love story."

Oh, yes please! And era that I love and a city that I adore!

Notwithstanding by Louis de Bernières
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: October 18th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As the world around it marches forward, the bucolic English village of Notwithstanding remains unchanged. It is, as it always has been, a place of pubs and cricket pitches, where local eccentrics—a retired colonel who has eschewed clothes, a spiritualist living with the ghost of her husband, and a dog named Archibald Scott-Moncrieff—almost fit in. In this delightfully evocative collection of stories, in which a young couple falls in and out of love by letter alone, an eleven-year-old boy battles a monstrous fish, and a man of the cloth has a premonition of death, Louis de Bernières conjures up a rural idyll long since forgotten. Funny, bittersweet, and deeply felt, Notwithstanding is the bestselling author of Corelli’s Mandolin at his most enchanting."

This book just sounds enchanting. Also, look at that adorable cover!

BUFFERING: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded by Hannah Hart
Published by: Dey Street Books
Publication Date: October 18th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The wildly popular YouTube personality and author of the New York Times bestseller My Drunk Kitchen is back! This time, she’s stirring up memories and tales from her past.

By combing through the journals that Hannah has kept for much of her life, this collection of narrative essays deliver a fuller picture of her life, her experiences, and the things she’s figured out about family, faith, love, sexuality, self-worth, friendship and fame.

Revealing what makes Hannah tick, this sometimes cringe-worthy, poignant collection of stories is sure to deliver plenty of Hannah’s wit and wisdom, and hopefully encourage you to try your hand at her patented brand of reckless optimism.

Personal note:

Hello, my darlings! I am incredibly pleased to present BUFFERING: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded! As a big fan of memoirs, I wanted to try my hand at writing about the events of my life that deserve a little more consideration than can be accomplished in 140-characters or a 6-minute vlog. Now on the cusp of turning 30, I'm ready to expose some parts of my life that I haven't shared before. Before, it was all about privacy, process and time. And now the time has come! I’m ready to put myself out there, for you.

I'm a little nervous about all these vulnerable words going into the world, these tales about my love life, the wrestling I’ve done with faith, how I feel about sex and my family and myself. I’ve had a lot of trials, a lot of errors, but also a lot of passion. Here’s the thing--I've always found comfort in the stories shared by others, so I hope my stories, now that I feel ready to tell them, will bring you some comfort too.

And when you read this book please remember: Buffering is just the time it takes to process.

Enjoy!

Love,

Hannah "

I love Hannah, but I feel like her forays beyond My Drunk Kitchen have been a little iffy. That Doctor Who hosting being the worst. Here's hoping this hits it's mark!

Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History 
Published by: Insight Editions
Publication Date: October 18th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History is the definitive thirtieth-anniversary exploration of the beloved Jim Henson classic, featuring rare artwork, interviews, and on-set photos.

Journey back to Jim Henson's Labyrinth in this visually stunning celebration of the enchanting fantasy classic.

Three decades after its release, Labyrinth, starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, continues to enthrall audiences with its winning mixture of fairy-tale magic, fantastical creatures, and unforgettable music. Filled with a wealth of rare and unseen behind-the-scenes imagery, this book explores the creation of the film as seen through the eyes of the artists, costume designers, and creature creators who gave Labyrinth its distinctive look. Featuring in-depth commentary from the talented crew and cast—including exclusive new interviews with Jennifer Connelly, Brian Henson, Brian Froud, and George Lucas—this deluxe book brings together a wealth of rare sketches, concept art, and candid set photography to form and incredible treasure trove for Labyrinth fans. With stunning visuals and unparalleled insight into the creation of a true modern classic, Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History is the perfect companion piece to one of the best-loved fantasy films of all time. "

Yes... I might have already preordered this the second it was announced... so?

The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: October 18th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The most ambitious project yet from the award-winning team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, with acclaimed color artist Elizabeth Breitweiser -- Finally available in the gorgeous Deluxe edition their fans have come to expect!

An epic graphic novel of Hollywood in the early days of the Blacklist, THE FADE OUT tracks the murder of an up-and-coming starlet from studio backlots to the gutters of downtown Los Angeles, as shell-shocked front man Charlie Parish is caught between his own dying sense of morality and his best friend's righteous sense of justice.

A picture-perfect recreation of a lost era, THE FADE OUT is an instant classic from one of comics most acclaimed teams.

This beautiful oversized hardback edition collects the entirety of Brubaker and Phillips serialized graphic novel, as well as many behind-the-scenes art and stories, sketches and layouts, illustrations, and several historical essays. "

I just discovered The Fade Out this summer, it was so good! Of course I own the paperback editions, but seriously, I NEED this deluxe edition too!

Black Dog by Dave McKean
Published by: Dark Horse Originals
Publication Date: October 18th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 120 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Best known for his collaborations with Neil Gaiman, McKean defied expectations with his stunning debut as writer and artist in Cages, winner of multiple awards for Best Graphic Album. Dark Horse proudly presents a new original graphic novel by the legendary artist based on the life of Paul Nash, a surrealist painter during World War 1. The Dreams of Paul Nash deals with real soldier's memoirs, and all the stories will add up to be a moving piece about how war and extreme situations change us, how we deal with that pain, and, in Nash's case, by turning his landscapes into powerful and fantastical psycho-scapes."

Sometimes I find McKean's artwork a little too disturbing... which means it's totally perfect for this project! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Black Dog, Dave McKean, David Bowie, Ed Brubaker, Hannah Hart, Jim Henson, Labyrinth, Louis de Bernières, Martin Cruz Smith, My Drunk Kitchen, Paul Nash, Sean Phillips, The Fade Out, The Girl from Venice, WWII

"I never really liked sunny days.
When the skies were gloomy with heavy dark clouds... that's when I felt the happiest.
Mom never allowed me to dress in black, and I knew that that was the protection I needed.
Father always yelled at me to put down the volume, but I needed loud rock and roll.
I was sheltered for most of my life.

But then, The Sandman came.

My cousin, who I really admired (still do), would draw these very goth and interesting looking characters and I loved them! She then handed me DEATH: THE HIGH COST OF LIVING, and it changed everything. I was 13. I didn't know someone could write like that. I didn't know there was someone out there who thought like I did.

It sounds melodic and over the top, but I was a very sheltered child, 13 years old, living in a 3rd world country, in a city that did not have a single library. It was very hard, but one by one, I started reading all of his works that I could find throughout the years. But definitely, The Sandman series are special to me.

Neil Gaiman's writing touches that delicate line in between life and death with such gracefulness that the reader barely notices how fragile existence is. That is what I enjoy the most in his works. There's no death for the mind - that's what his work taught me.

I briefly "met" him once and got my books signed. He looked into my eyes and smiled. Little he knew how far I traveled to be there that day and smile back at him.

My "estranged" friend... soul as gloomy as mine, mind as endless as the sky.

Cheers!" - Flávia

Flávia and I met at MATC. For many semesters I'd seen this amazing work credited to a "Fly" and then one semester there was this girl in the back of my two classes named Flávia, easy to remember because I'd just read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie for the first time, and I realized she was the "Fly" I'd been admiring for so long. Since then we've remained friends, getting to meet Neil Gaiman together, talking over books once a month a book club. I'm forever in awe of her talent as an artist and a mother, and after this toast, as a writer too.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Book Clubs, Death: The High Cost of Living, Flavia, Fly, Gaiman Gala, Gaiman Toast, Library, Neil Gaiman, Sandman, School, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Of course I'd heard of The Sandman. Anyone with a passing interest in comics or who had visited a comic book shop knew what he looked like from comic covers to posters to statues. So I was obviously familiar with the iconography if not the story. Because, strange as it seems, at the time my story takes place I wasn't really into graphic novels. Nowadays I read a lot of them but am very particular as to what makes it into my permanent collection. But thanks to a well stocked public library I'm able to have a wide range of options, The Sandman included. At the time being fairly recently introduced to Neil's writing I hadn't yet made the leap from his prose when this story takes place. The year was 2005 and I had beyond all logic secured four tickets to a special sneak peek of Serenity in Chicago. The movie wasn't even done! Just a temporary score lifted straight off The Fifth Element. But that didn't matter, because Firefly lived again! The question was, which of my friends to take? Matt was my best friend and fellow Joss Whedon aficionado, so one ticket went to him. Another went to my friend Ann who tried to get one for her husband Bill but the show was already sold out.

The final ticket was obvious. My friend Orelia was shipping off to Africa to join the Peace Corps in a few short months and wouldn't get a chance to see the movie when it was released in the fall. After all those years spent in Rivendell co-op watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later Angel I had my posse back for one last glorious adventure. Matt gets extremely car sick so for once I was ensconced in the back seat with Orelia, driving duties handed over to Ann. Orelia was in the process of re-reading all The Sandman comics before Africa and spent the afternoon while Ann drove us to Chicago telling me all about the series and in particular the volume she had brought along, The Sandman: The Doll's House. Even if I hadn't been familiar with Neil's work his sense of humor of having a Serial Killer Convention disguised as a "Cereal" Convention made me know that he was my kind of writer. I always look back on that day not as the day Joss callously killed off Wash, but of those quite moments in the backseat with Orelia talking about comics, or the amazing lightning storm we witnessed on the return journey. It was one of those days that I will always remember.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chicago, Comics, Firefly, Gaiman Gala, Gaiman Reminiscence, Graphic Novels, Joss Whedon, Lightning, Neil Gaiman, Peace Corps, Sandman, Serenity, The Sandman: The Doll's House, Wash

A Terrible Beauty by Tasha Alexander
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 11th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this gripping new novel in the New York Times bestselling series, Lady Emily travels to Greece where a ghost from her past returns to haunt her amid the ruins.

On a quest to distract her lifelong friend Jeremy from his recent heartbreak, Lady Emily organizes a holiday in Greece. As a lover of all things Greek, she quickly finds herself occupied with tours of ancient ruins, lively debates with Margaret, a devoted Latinist, and slightly more scandalous endeavors with her dashing husband, Colin Hargreaves. But the pleasantries are brought to an abrupt halt when a man long believed dead greets the party at their island villa. Lord Philip Ashton, Colin's childhood best friend and Emily's first husband, has returned. But can Philip really be who he claims, even if he has the scars and stories to prove it? Where has he been for all this time? And will his undying love for Emily drive him to claim what's his?

Intrigue mounts as Philip reveals that he has been plagued for the past few years by an illegal antiques trader who believes he is in possession of a piece of Achilles' helmet, a priceless relic that was stolen from him moments after he unearthed it on an archaeological dig. Emily must employ all of her cunning and expertise to thwart thieves who threaten not only her own safety, but that of those precious artifacts she holds so dear. A trail of overheard conversations, murderous assailants, and dead bodies leads her on a chase to uncover more than one buried truth."

New Lady Emily is always a reason to rejoice!

A Most Novel Revenge by Ashley Weaver
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 11th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Well, darling, who do you suppose will turn up dead this time?

With two murder investigations behind them and their marriage at last on steady ground, Amory and Milo Ames intend to winter quietly in Italy. The couple finds their plans derailed, however, when Amory receives an urgent summons to the English countryside from her cousin Laurel. At Lyonsgate, the country house of Laurel’s friend Reginald Lyons, Amory and Milo are surprised to discover an eccentric and distinguished group of guests have also been invited, led by the notorious socialite Isobel Van Allen.

After years of social exile, Isobel has returned to England to write a sequel to her scandalous first book, the thinly fictionalized account of a high society murder at the very country house to which the Ameses have been called. Her second incriminating volume, she warns the house’s occupants―all of whom were present when one of their companions was killed years ago―will tell everything that really happened that fateful night. But some secrets are meant to stay buried, and when a desperate person turns to murder, it’s up to Amory and Milo to sort through a web of scandal and lies to uncover the truth, and the identity of a killer."

Yeah for cozy murder mysteries! Plus a country house!?!

Death Among the Rubies by R.J. Koreto
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: October 11th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady Frances Ffolkes is incensed when she finds out that her dear friends Gwendolyn and Thomasina have been subject to vicious threats. Promising to uncover their attacker, she travels with them to Kestrel's Eyrie, the fabled estate belonging to Gwen's family. But soon Frances faces an even greater problem, when Gwen’s father, a powerful diplomat, is stabbed to death with his prized ruby dagger.

Frances, with her loyal maid June Mallow at her side, jumps right into interrogating the estate's numbered guests: a charming Turkish diplomat with a habit of sneaking off into the night, a brash American heiress with lofty dreams of becoming mistress of the Eyrie, two gossiping widows with their own scandalous secrets, and Gwen's own aunt tasked with keeping the affairs of the estate in order among the chaos of the investigation. But as the case unfolds, Frances's righteous conviction might just be the very thing that leads danger--and even more death--to her own doorstep.

Old sins do indeed cast long shadows in Death Among Rubies, a delightful closed-room mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie and the second in R.J. Koreto's effortlessly charming historical series."

Locked Room mystery!!! 

Iron Cast by Destiny Soria
Published by: Amulet Books
Publication Date: October 11th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It’s Boston, 1919, and the Cast Iron club is packed. On stage, hemopaths—whose “afflicted” blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art—Corinne and Ada have been best friends ever since infamous gangster Johnny Dervish recruited them into his circle. By night they perform for Johnny’s crowds, and by day they con Boston’s elite. When a job goes wrong and Ada is imprisoned, she realizes how precarious their position is. After she escapes, two of the Cast Iron’s hires are shot, and Johnny disappears. With the law closing in, Corinne and Ada are forced to hunt for answers, even as betrayal faces them at every turn. An ideal next read for fans of Libba Bray’s The Diviners."

Yes yes yes!

Precious and Grace by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Pantheon
Publication Date: October 11th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The delightful seventeenth installment of the ever-popular, perennially best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Precious Ramotswe and her Chief Associate Co-Director, Grace Makutsi, have worked together for many years. Together, they have solved numerous complex cases, seeing eye-to-eye on most professional matters. But when a Canadian woman invokes their help in recovering memories of her early childhood in Botswana, differences of opinion arise between the two firm friends, and diplomacy is called for. And it’s not just clients who need Mma Ramotswe’s help—this is also sought by Mr. Polopetsi, her assistant, who becomes involved in a pyramid scheme, and Fanwell, the junior mechanic, who finds a stray dog that will not go away. Both, of course, receive the help—and sympathy—that Mma Ramotswe dispenses with the graciousness and warmth for which she is so well-known."

Has anyone told Alexander McCall Smith that if he's trying to beat James Patterson in books out per year he's allowed to have people helping him?

School Ship Tobermory by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 11th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Alexander McCall Smith, beloved bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, delivers a delightful adventure on the high seas, filled with lots of mystery and excitement, perfect for middle grade readers! Children will be smitten with the charismatic characters, eye-catching illustrations, unusual circumstances, and exotic locales in this wonderful story about a school set aboard a ship.

Come aboard as the kids set sail for their first adventure!

Ben and Fee MacTavish are twins who’ve been homeschooled on a submarine. Now they’re heading to the school ship Tobermory. This is no ordinary school—it’s a sailing ship where kids from around the world train to be sailors and learn about all things nautical.

Ben and Fee make friends as they adjust to life aboard the Tobermory. When a film crew arrives on another ship, the Albatross, Ben is one of the lucky kids to be chosen as a movie extra. But after a day’s filming, his suspicions are aroused. Are the director and crew really making a film? Or is there a secret they might be protecting on the lower decks of the Albatross? Ben, Fee, and their friends set out to investigate, but are they prepared for what they might find?"

I mean really, how hard is he working?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Terrible Beauty, Agatha Christie, Alexander McCall Smith, Ashley Weaver, Destiny Soria, Iron Cast, James Patterson, Lady Emily, R.J. Koreto, Tasha Alexander, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: American Gods, Daleks, Gaiman Gala, Gaiman Toast, Gilmore Girls, Goodreads, Knitting, Llewellyn, Neil Gaiman, Supper Clubs, Wisconsin

Neverwhere is the beginning for me and Neil. An instance of just the right book at just the right time. In the fall of 2003 I was unceremoniously forced back into school. I say unceremoniously because back in May with full pomp and circumstance I had graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison only to find out a few months later that I was shy one class; my "ethnic requirement." Being adamant that I was fed up with all the different hoops I kept encountering I decided to take the course online and spent that fall reading many books from Southeast Asia. And then I spent January and February reading even more books from Southeast Asia and swotting up for my final. At the end of it all I was dying to read something different, something of my choosing. I chose Neverwhere.

One day I was at Barnes and Noble and the anglophile in my was drawn to the cover of Neverwhere. The pull-quote saying "[it] draws equally from George Lucas, Monty Python, Doctor Who, and John Milton..." instantly sold me. In particular the Monty Python/Doctor Who angle. So I finished my course work, bundled myself under my favorite blanket and dove into the 'London Below' of Richard Richard Mayhew Dick, Door, The Marquis de Carabas, and of course, the Angel Islington. What made this reading experience so special wasn't just the way the story flew off the page but by the fact that my cat, Spot, spent the entire time curled up on my lap. Now, this might not be weird to some people, but to me it was. Spot would gladly curl up on my lap for any reason unless I had a book. Something about me with a book made him shun me. So not only did this book reignite my love of reading but it gave me a sweet memory to remember my beloved Spotty by.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Books, Cats, Doctor Who, Door, Gaiman Gala, Gaiman Reminiscence, George Lucas, Islington, London Below, Monty Python, Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere, Richard Mayhew, School, Southeast Asia, Spot, The Marquis de Carabas

All the Little Liars by Charlaine Harris
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 4th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small Georgia town: four kids vanish from the school soccer field in an afternoon. Aurora’s 15-year-old brother Phillip is one of them. Also gone are two of his friends, and an 11-year-old girl who was just hoping to get a ride home from soccer practice. And then there’s an even worse discovery―at the kids’ last known destination, a dead body.

While the local police and sheriff’s department comb the county for the missing kids and interview everyone even remotely involved, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the death and kidnappings have anything to do with a group of bullies at the middle school? Is Phillip’s disappearance related to Aurora’s father’s gambling debts? Or is Phillip himself, new to town and an unknown quantity, responsible for taking the other children? But regardless of the reason, as the days go by, the most important questions remain. Are the kids still alive? Who could be concealing them? Where could they be?

With Christmas approaching, Aurora is determined to find her brother…if he’s still alive.

After more than a decade, #1 New York Times bestseller Charlaine Harris finally returns to her fan-favorite Aurora Teagarden series with All the Little Liars, a fabulously fun new mystery."

Well, I'll obviously buy and read anything by Charlaine Harris, but I'm VERY excited that she's going to be at the Wisconsin Book Festival this year. So therefore by extension I'm VERY excited about this book!

Teetotaled by Maia Chance
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 4th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After her philandering husband died and left her penniless in Prohibition-era New York, Lola Woodby escaped with her Swedish cook to the only place she could―her deceased husband’s secret love nest in the middle of Manhattan. Her only comforts were chocolate cake, dime store detective novels, and the occasional highball (okay, maybe not so occasional). But rent came due and Lola and Berta were forced to accept the first job that came their way, leading them to set up shop as private detectives operating out of Alfie’s cramped love nest.

Now Lola and Berta are in danger of losing the business they’ve barely gotten off the ground―work is sparse and money is running out. So when a society matron offers them a job, they take it―even if it means sneaking into a slimming and exercise facility and consuming only water and health food until they can steal a diary from Grace Whiddle, a resident at the “health farm.” But barely a day in, Grace and her diary escape from the facility―and Grace’s future mother-in-law is found murdered on the premises. Lola and Berta are promptly fired. But before they can climb into Lola’s brown and white Duesenberg Model A and whiz off the health farm property, they find themselves with a new client and a new charge: to solve the murder of Grace’s future mother-in-law.

Teetotaled, Maia Chance's sparkling new mystery will delight readers with its clever plotting, larger-than-life characters, and rich 1920s atmosphere."

I stumbled on the first book in this series at Frugal Muse recently and it looks like such a delightful new period cozy series!

The Hammett Hex by Victoria Abbot
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: October 4th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The national bestselling author of The Marsh Madness takes rare book collector Jordan Bingham on a trip to San Francisco—home to Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled heroes—where nothing is as it seems.

On a getaway to the City by the Bay, book collector Jordan Bingham becomes entangled in a mystery with more twists than Lombard Street...

Jordan has been able to swing a romantic trip to San Francisco with Officer Tyler “Smiley” Dekker on one condition—she must return with a rare copy of Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest for her irascible employer, Vera Van Alst. For his own part, Smiley is full of surprises. He’s a Dashiell devotee himself—excited to be in the city of Hammett’s hard-boiled heroes like Sam Spade and the Continental Op—and also announces he plans to visit his previously unmentioned estranged grandmother, who lives in an old Victorian in Pacific Heights.

But the trip goes downhill fast when Jordan is pushed from a cable car and barely escapes death. And when a dark sedan tries to run the couple down, it’s clear someone’s after them—but who? Just like in Hammett’s world, nothing is quite what is seems..."

Yes, a book several books into a series is not usually likely to catch my eye, but it's San Francisco and Dashiell Hammett people! Though it would be angle of street not speed of cable car that could possibly kill you...

A Most Extraordinary Pursuit by Juliana Gray
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: October 4th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Known for her original plots, deft characterization, and lyrical voice, Juliana Gray presents an extraordinary novel of an uncommon pursuit…

February, 1906. As the personal secretary of the recently departed Duke of Olympia—and a woman of scrupulous character—Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove never expected her duties to involve steaming through the Mediterranean on a private yacht, under the prodigal eye of one Lord Silverton, the most charmingly corrupt bachelor in London. But here they are, improperly bound on a quest to find the duke’s enigmatic heir, current whereabouts unknown.

An expert on anachronisms, Maximilian Haywood was last seen at an archaeological dig on the island of Crete. And from the moment Truelove and Silverton disembark, they are met with incidents of a suspicious nature: a ransacked flat, a murdered government employee, an assassination attempt. As they travel from port to port on Max’s trail, piecing together the strange events of the days before his disappearance, Truelove will discover the folly of her misconceptions—about the whims of the heart, the motives of men, and the nature of time itself…"

A new Beatriz Williams book! Yep, Juliana Gray is she!

Crosstalk by Connie Willis
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: October 4th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Science fiction icon Connie Willis brilliantly mixes a speculative plot, the wit of Nora Ephron, and the comedic flair of P. G. Wodehouse in Crosstalk—a genre-bending novel that pushes social media, smartphone technology, and twenty-four-hour availability to hilarious and chilling extremes as one young woman abruptly finds herself with way more connectivity than she ever desired.

In the not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. And Briddey Flannigan is delighted when her boyfriend, Trent, suggests undergoing the operation prior to a marriage proposal—to enjoy better emotional connection and a perfect relationship with complete communication and understanding. But things don’t quite work out as planned, and Briddey finds herself connected to someone else entirely—in a way far beyond what she signed up for.

It is almost more than she can handle—especially when the stress of managing her all-too-eager-to-communicate-at-all-times family is already burdening her brain. But that’s only the beginning. As things go from bad to worse, she begins to see the dark side of too much information, and to realize that love—and communication—are far more complicated than she ever imagined."

Huh. This sounds rather interesting from an author who is very savvy when it comes to past and present... also, Wodehouse!

Skunked! Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet by Jacqueline Kelly
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: October 4th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Newbery honor author Jacqueline Kelly comes a new illustrated chapter book series for younger readers featuring the beloved characters from The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. In Calpurnia Tate, Animal Doctor in Training, Callie Vee, Travis, and Dr. Pritzker help animals big and small.

When soft-hearted Travis discovers an abandoned baby skunk, he can't help but bring him home and take care of him. Stinky, as Travis names him, settles in pretty well. But when Travis discovers Stinky's litter-mate, Winky, who is in need of some help, things get complicated around the Tate house. One skunk is a piece of cake; two is just asking for trouble. Will Travis and Callie be able to keep the critters away from Mother's careful eyes―and nose?"

Um... so seriously, what's with this new direction the Calpurnia Tate books are going in?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aurora Teagarden, Beatriz Williams, Calpurnia Tate, Charlaine Harris, Connie Willis, Cozy, Crosstalk, Dashiell Hammett, Jacqueline Kelly, Juliana Gray, Maia Chance, San Francisco, The Hammett Hex, Victoria Abbot

Last fall as I was rereading American Gods in anticipation of my first visit to House on the Rock since I last went right out of high school I thought once again how much I associate this time of year with the works of Neil Gaiman. He is among a handful of authors, including Shirley Jackson and Stephen King, who I think are mandatory reading for October. I had once or twice in the past toyed with the idea of doing an October theme month dedicated to this great author but I never seemed to get around to it. With all the hype surrounding American Gods finally becoming a television show, helmed by that genius of televisual geniuses, Bryan Fuller, now seemed the precise time when a celebration was in order. But not your typical celebration, instead a true gala. Gone are the expected reviews and star ratings, in their place are going to be remembrances and toasts! I, along with my friends, are going to raise a glass to that most unique of authors and I hope you will join us. Here's to Neil Gaiman! Hip hip hooray let's dance the Macabray!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: American Gods, Bryan Fuller, Danse Macabre, Gaiman Gala, House on the Rock, Macabray, Neil Gaiman, October, Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, Theme Month, Toast