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Fiction A to Z October 2025 |
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A Rebel's History of Mars
by Nadia Afifi
Kezza, an aerialist in the Martian circus, can never return to Earth - but she can assassinate the man she blames for her grim life on the red planet. Her murderous plans take an unexpected turn, however, when she comes into contact with a strange infection that might have alien origins... an infection that could spell her death or her salvation. A thousand years into the future, Azad lives a safe but controlled life on the beautiful desert planet of Nabatea. When he discovers that his runaway sister may still be alive... and in danger, he joins her former crew, a band of space-traveling historians seeking to learn the true reason that their ancestors left Mars. Although separated by time and space, Kezza's and Azad's stories will collide in the vast Martian desert
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The battle of the bookshops : a novel
by Poppy Alexander
A young woman is determined to save her great-aunt's beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition -- which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family's rivals.
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Pitcher perfect
by Tessa Bailey
An enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating sports romance focuses on playboy hockey rookie Robbie Corrigan and Skylar Paige, the disciplined softball pitcher completely immune to his charms. Simultaneous.
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Moonrising : a novel
by Claire Barner
"In 2073, controversial agronomist Dr. Alex Cole has dedicated her life to mutagenetic food, the only solution to feeding a world torn apart by climate change. When fierce opposition from radical environmentalists wipes out her lab funding, a surprising lifeline appears in the form of Mansoor Al Kaabi, a charismatic Emirati businessman who needs a sustainable food supply for his guests on the Moon's first hotel. Alex moves to the Moon colony with Mansoor, and they immediately dive into the challenging work. As she smuggles in illegal chickens, fights a vexing tomato fungus, and dreams of olive groves on the Moon, Alex is surprised to find herself falling in love not just with the lunar colony, but with Mansoor, whose vision for the future of the Moon extends far beyond luxury hotels. Back on Earth, eccentric genius Victor Beard and Mansoor's younger brother Rashid fight to push the Homestead Act through Congress. Without the support of the US government, they'll never be able to achieve their goal to relocate humanity to the Moon and secure a second chance for life on Earth. When eco-terrorists threaten the lunar colony, Alex, Mansoor, Victor, and Rashid must choose what they're willing to die for--and what they're really living for. Is it their grandiose visions of saving the planet, or is it each other?"
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L.A. women
by Ella Berman
In 1960s L.A., writer and Hollywood outsider Lane becomes envious when socialite and fellow writer Gala gains fame; 10 years later she betrays Gala by writing a successful book based on her life—her only problem is Gala's now been missing for months.
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Six weeks by the sea : a novel
by Paula Byrne
As Jane Austen's family relocates to Bath, she finds solace in a seaside holiday where family ties, budding romance, and unexpected friendships—including with a mysterious lawyer—shape her reflections amidst the social complexities of Regency England.
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| Moderation by Elaine CastilloWorking as a video content moderator for a social media company, Girlie Delmundo has seen horrific things. Burnt out, she takes a promotion working on a new virtual reality product. While she now can better help her mother financially, she also falls for her new boss and questions the suspicious death of the VR company’s founder in this “brilliant novel” (Kirkus Reviews). For fans of: Hanna Bervoets' We Had to Remove This Post. |
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One of us : a novel
by Dan Chaon
Orphaned twins on the run from their murderous uncle find refuge in a bizarre travelling carnival.
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Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library
by Amanda Chapman
Tory, conservator at Manhattan's Mystery Guild Library, discovers a woman in the Christie Room who says she's Agatha Christie, there to solve a future murder—so when Tory's cousin Nic gets involved in her talent agent's suspicious death, she turns to Mrs. Christie for help.
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The lighthouse at the edge of the world
by J. R. Dawson
In a Chicago way station for the dead, the ferryman's daughter faces a night of chaos as the lighthouse falters, restless spirits grow violent, and a living girl boards the boat, drawn by a song and desperate to find someone she lost.
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Guilty by definition : a novel
by Susie Dent
When a cryptic letter arrives at the Clarendon English Dictionary, senior editor Martha Thornhill is drawn into the mystery of her sister's long-ago disappearance—and must confront buried secrets someone will do anything to keep hidden.
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The wasp trap
by Mark Edwards
At a London dinner party, six former friends face a deadly ultimatum: reveal their darkest secrets or be targeted one by one, as past betrayals tied to a psychological dating experiment resurface and expose a murderer lurking within their circle.
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House of monstrous women
by Daphne Fama
In 1986 Philippines, Josephine accepts an invitation to a childhood friend's eerie, labyrinthine house to play a game that promises her heart's desire, only to find herself trapped in a deadly contest where winning may cost her blood.
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Jenny Cooper has a secret : a novel
by Joy Fielding
While visiting a friend at memory care facility Legacy Place, Linda meets Jenny, a 92-year-old dementia patient who admits that she kills people; Linda dismisses her“secret” as the confusion of Jenny's ailing mind until a fellow patient dies.
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The end of the world as we know it : new tales of Stephen King's the Stand
by Christopher Golden
Set during and after the events of The Stand, this authorized anthology gathers original stories from acclaimed writers who expand on the novel's apocalyptic world, exploring survival, morality, and human resilience amid civilization's collapse and the uncertain rebuilding that follows.
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Leverage : a novel
by Amran Gowani
When Al, star of hedge fund Prism Capital, loses $300 million, the politically connected founder demands he recover the money in three months or take the fall for insider trading—to survive, Al must outfox one of the world's most powerful men.
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| A Dog in Georgia by Lauren GrodsteinWith her stepson at college and her husband probably cheating on her again, middle-aged Amy Webb focuses on internet videos of Angel, a dog in Tbilisi, Georgia. When Angel goes missing, Amy heads to Eastern Europe to help find him, and maybe herself too. For fans of: complex characters and geopolitical themes; Rebecca Serle's One Italian Summer. |
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If Wishes Were Retail
by Auston Habershaw
In this hilarious debut fantasy cozy, a rebellious--but enterprising--young woman and an ancient--but clueless--genie set up shop at the local mall. Alex Delmore needs a miracle. She wants out of her dead-end suburban town, but her parents are broke and NYU seems like a distant dream. Good thing there's a genie in town, and he's hiring at the Wellspring Mall. It'd help if the Jinn-formerly-of-the-Ring-of-Khorad knew even one thing about 21st-century America. It'd help if he weren't at least as stubborn as Alex. It'd really help if her brother didn't sell her out to her conspiracy theory-loving, gnome-hating dad. When Alex and the genie set up their wishing kiosk, they face seemingly-endless setbacks. The mall is failing and management will not stop interfering on behalf of their big-box tenants. But when the wishing biz might start working, the biggest problem of all remains: People are really terrible at wishing
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The mysterious case of the missing crime writer
by Ragnar Jâonasson
Young detective Helgi must find bestselling crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir, before her disappearance is leaked to the press, and before it is too late for the missing writer.
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The entirely true story of the fantastical mesmerist Nora Grey
by Kathleen Kaufman
Gifted medium Nairna Liath flees an itinerant life with her deceptive father in rural Scotland and rises in elite Spiritualist circles in Edinburgh and Boston, where visions of her imprisoned grandmother draw her toward a fateful confrontation with her past and her power.
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The library at Hellebore
by Cassandra Khaw
Forced into an elite academy for the dangerously powerful, a reluctant student learns of its dark graduation ritual, leaving her among a handful of students trapped in the library, where they must unite—or be devoured by the very institution meant to redeem them.
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Infinite archive
by Mur Lafferty
Amateur sleuth Mallory Viridian is back in action after discovering a murder when a massive data ship carrying Earth's Internet and a mystery fan convention arrives at Station Eternity in the third novel of the series following Chaos Terminal. Original.
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Anji Kills a King
by Evan Leikam
"Anji works as a castle servant, doing laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head. On her heels are the fabled mercenaries of the Menagerie, whose animal-shaped masks are magical relics rumored to give them superhuman powers. It's the Hawk who finds Anji first: a surly, aging swordswoman who has her own reasons for keeping Anji alive and out of the hands of her fellow bounty hunters, if only long enough to collect the reward herself. With the rest of the Menagerie on their trail, so begins an alliance as tenuous as it is temporary--and a race against death that will decide Anji's fate, and may change the course of a kingdom"
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| Songs for Other People's Weddings by David Levithan; with songs by Jens LekmanSwedish singer and songwriter J performs at weddings, penning a bespoke song for each couple. But when his girlfriend’s job takes her to New York indefinitely and she pulls away despite his best efforts, he's no longer sure about love or marriage. This moving look at relationships has touches of humor, plus ten songs by Swedish songwriter Jens Lekman. For fans of: Holly Brickley’s Deep Cuts; Don Lee’s Lonesome Lies Before Us. |
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| These Memories Do Not Belong to Us by Yiming MaIn a dystopian future, the only superpower left is the Qin Empire (formerly China), which rules a world where technology allows people to record, store, and transfer memories. Told via interconnected short stories, this thought-provoking, timely tale centers a young man who inherits illegal memories from his mother, which depict interracial couples, dissenters, and more. For fans of: Yoko Ogawa's The Memory Police. |
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The secret book society : a novel
by Madeline Martin
"London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club--a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories. Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands' untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder. As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything"
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| What We Can Know by Ian McEwanIn 2119, rising seas have changed the landscape of the United Kingdom, where professor Thomas Metcalfe studies every detail he can find about “A Corona for Vivien,” a lost masterpiece read by an esteemed poet at his wife’s 2014 birthday party. In the second half of this eloquent novel, Vivien herself narrates. Try these next: C. Pam Zhang’s Land of Milk and Honey; Eiren Caffall’s All the Water in the World. |
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The house at Devil's Neck
by Tom Mead
"An apparent suicide in a London townhouse uncannily mirrors a similar incident from twenty-five years ago, prompting Scotland Yard's George Flint to delve deep into the past in search of the solution to a long-forgotten mystery. Meanwhile, Joseph Spector travels with a coach party through the rainy English countryside to visit an allegedly haunted house on a lonely island called Devil's Neck. The house, first built by a notorious alchemist and occultist, was later used as a field hospital in the First World War before falling into disrepair. The visitors hold a seance to conjure the spirit of a long-dead soldier. But when a storm floods the narrow causeway connecting Devil's Neck to the mainland, they find themselves stranded in the haunted house. Before long, the guests begin to die one by one, and it seems that the only possible culprit is the phantom soldier. Flint's and Spector's investigations are in fact closely linked, but it is only when the duo are reunited at the storm-lashed Devil's Neck thatthe truth is finally revealed. Tom Mead once again creates a brilliant homage to John Dickson Carr and the Golden Age of mysteries with this intricately plotted puzzle"
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Lime juice money : a novel
by Jo Morey
A woman is trapped in an increasingly volatile relationship 5,000 miles from home in a Central American jungle. A first novel.
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The adventures of Mary Darling
by Pat Murphy
"Mary Darling is a pretty wife whose boring husband is befuddled by her independent ways. But one fateful night, Mary becomes the distraught mother whose three children have gone missing from their beds. After her well-meaning uncle John Watson contacts the greatest detective of his era (but not that great), Mary is Sherlock Holmes's prime suspect in her children's disappearance. To save her family, Mary must escape an attempt to have her locked away as mad, and to travel halfway around the world. Along the way, her allies include a Solomon Islander whose village was destroyed by Western civilization; a Malagasy woman on an island that is run by women; Captain Hook and the crew of the Jolly Roger; and of course, Nana, the faithful dog and nursemaid"
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| An Oral History of Atlantis by Ed ParkThis latest offering from Pulitzer Prize finalist Ed Park is an intriguing collection of 16 short stories, some lightly connected to others and four of which are new. Exploring humanity, technology, and literary themes, this book works for readers who enjoy unconventional, witty, and open-ended tales. For fans of: George Saunders. |
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Hotel Melikov
by Jonathan Payne
Return to an unnamed mountainous country in central Europe on the cusp of civil war. Enter once again Citizen Orlov, a former fishmonger who is now the Minister of Security for a government teetering on collapse. When tensions between the government and revolutionaries erupt, Orlov, hoping to escape the conflict and return to his normal life, is instead recruited by both sides to spy on the other.
With war raging around them, the new king and his ministers are whisked away for safety to the highest point in the kingdom, the convent at the peak of Mount Zhotrykaw. But all is not what it seems at the convent, including the nuns, and Orlov discovers a sinister plot that forces him to choose whose side he is on.
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This here is love : a novel
by Princess Joy L. Perry
In 17th-century Virginia, enslaved girl Bless, freeborn Black child David, and indentured servant Jack Dane each grapple with survival, identity, and belonging as their lives converge on contested land, forcing them to redefine freedom, family and love in a brutal new world.
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The hounding : a novel
by Xenobe Purvis
Neighbors in a small village in 18th-century England are convinced five sisters are turning into dogs.
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Mrs. Plansky goes rogue
by Spencer Quinn
Mrs. Plansky plans to celebrate a senior tennis championship with her partner, Kev, on his yacht, until the yacht is destroyed in a suspicious fire and Kev goes missing, and apparently her dad had introduced Kev to Jack, her wayward tennis pro son—and now he's missing too.
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| When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa RidzénBo’s wife, an Alzheimer’s patient, went to a care center three years ago, leaving him alone. Now, he has caregivers who visit daily, an estranged son who thinks he can’t take care of his beloved dog, balance issues, and memories that are sometimes out of reach. Notes from Bo's carers add other viewpoints to this poignant debut novel by a Swedish author, which is already an international bestseller. For fans of: Fredrik Backman; The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. |
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Gabriela and His Grace
by Liana De la Rosa
Rebellious Gabriela Luna Valdes seeks freedom from suitors aboard a ship to Mexico, where she clashes with the estate-seeking Duke of Whitfield, in the third novel of the series following "Isabel and the Rogue." Original.
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The Unkillable Frank Lightning
by Josh Rountree
Years after resurrecting her husband and unleashing a soulless killer, doctor and occultist Catherine Coldbridge returns to Texas seeking redemption, tracking the now-infamous Frank Lightning through the violent spectacle of a Wild West Show with vengeance, grief, and love driving her forward. Original.
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Buckeye : a novel
by Patrick Ryan
In postwar Ohio, a stolen moment between Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt reverberates through generations, as a small town's buried secrets and a wife's spiritual gift expose the longing for love and goodness.
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The dead come to stay
by Brandy Schillace
When neurodivergent American Jo Jones relocates to her family's North Yorkshire estate, she's pulled into a murder investigation with gruff detective James MacAdams, uncovering ties to missing teens, illicit artifact trading, and buried family secrets harbored by the region's polished elite.
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Stillwater : a thriller
by Tanya Scott
After years of hiding from his violent past as a crime boss's protégé, college student Luke Harris—formerly known as Jack Quinlan—is forced to reclaim old instincts when his former life resurfaces, threatening the love, identity, and future he's struggled to build.
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| Full Bloom by Francesca SerritellaAt a crossroads after the end of a relationship and her lack of career progress, 35-year-old Iris is gifted a special perfume by an older French friend. Wearing the scent, she discovers newfound power and multiple love interests, but things don’t always go as planned. Great for book clubs, this novel mixes romance and mystery as it explores friendship, ambition, and self-confidence. For fans of: The Scent of You by Maggie Alderson. |
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The gilded heiress
by Joanna Shupe
In 1880s New York, street performer Josie and scheming charmer Leo team up to pass her off as a long-lost heiress in a daring con targeting the wealthy Pendelton family -- until rising stakes and hidden truths force them to choose between deception and love. Original.
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| The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn SkyeAs a lonely child, Chloe makes a yellow origami rose for her new pen pal, whispering details about herself to the paper. When Oliver receives it, he somehow understands. The correspondents grow close as they grow up, until they lose touch. Years later, Chloe leaves flowers across Manhattan, where Oliver finds one in this heartwarming tale enveloped in love, belonging, and magical realism. For fans of: Lynda Cohen Loigman’s The Matchmaker’s Gift. |
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The witch's orchard : a novel
by Archer Sullivan
Former Air Force Special «Investigator Annie Gore is getting by as a private investigator and her latest case takes her to an Appalachian holler not unlike the one where she grew up.
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The librarians
by Sherry Thomas
When two patrons die after a themed game night, four Austin librarians—each guarding painful secrets—must overcome mistrust and unite to protect their beloved library, unraveling a mystery that threatens the refuge they've built and the fragile peace they've found.
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The dead husband cookbook
by Danielle Valentine
When Thea Woods is chosen to work with Maria Capello on her sure-to-be-infamous memoir, she finds that there might be something sinister lurking behind the Capello family.
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Murder at the Wham Bam Club
by Carolyn Marie Wilkins
Young widow Nola returns to Agate, Illinois, to live with her psychic Aunt Sarah, where Nola finds her own powers and contacts the spirits to investigate Lily Davidson's disappearance—when Lily reappears as fiancée to pimp Eddie Smooth and Eddie is found killed, Nola must clear Lily's name.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Morton Grove Public Library
6140 Lincoln Ave
Morton Grove, Illinois 60053
(847) 965-4220www.mgpl.org/ |
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