|
Fiction A to Z December 2020
|
|
|
|
|
Eli's Promise
by Ronald H. Balson
Germany, 1946: Despite the betrayal of his employee-turned-war-profiteer Max Poleski, Polish Jewish businessman Eli Rosen and his son Isaac have both survived the Holocaust and managed to reunite. With no sign of his wife Esther however, Eli begins the daunting task of searching for her in a sea of displaced people.
Chicago, 1965: Eli learns that Max is up to his old ways, exploiting political corruption and the Vietnam War for financial gain. Seeing a chance to stop the destruction of more lives, Eli's new plan is to bring Max to justice by any means necessary.
|
|
|
The Twelve Dates of Christmas
by Jenny Bayliss
What happens: Kate Turner's best friend signs her up for The Twelve Dates of Christmas, a matchmaking service that promises love just in time for the holidays.
Read it for: Kate's comically disastrous dates, which entertain her entire village; mouth-watering descriptions of baked goods; the repartee between Kate and her friend Matt, the owner of the local café.
Reviewers say: This Yuletide-themed British debut "sets a cheerful, wintry scene and populates it with heartfelt characters" (Publishers Weekly).
|
|
|
Written in the Stars
by Alexandria Bellefleur
What happens: The stars don't align when astrologer Elle Jones and actuary Darcy Lowell meet for the first time -- on a blind date arranged by Darcy's brother (who's also Elle's business partner).
Love rising: Elle and Darcy decide that a fake relationship will prevent further matchmaking by meddlesome relatives.
For fans of: the fake relationship in Lilah Suzanne's Jilted, the "opposites attract" dynamic in Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material, or the astrology theme of Minnie Darke's Star-Crossed.
|
|
|
The Truth About Dukes
by Grace Burrowes
Starring: Robert Rothmere, Duke of Rothhaven, whose childhood seizures led to his involuntary commitment in an asylum, and Lady Constance Wentworth, the runaway who befriended Robert while employed as a maid in the institution.
What happens: Robert seeks a respectable wife and Constance, whom he has loved since they were teenagers, is his first choice, but Constance has a secret that could jeopardize everything.
Series alert: The Truth About Dukes is the moving 5th book in the Rogues to Riches series, which begins with My One and Only Duke.
|
|
|
Only Truth
by Julie Cameron
What it's about: Londoner Izzy Dryland-Weir agrees to leave the city for the suburbs after her husband suggests it might help with the lingering trauma and anxiety that plagues her after an assault. But while renovating their new home they come across evidence that it may have a dark past that could make Izzy's problems much, much worse.
Reviewers say: "A deep plunge into a haunted psyche slowly stretched to the breaking point" (Kirkus Reviews).
|
|
|
The Sicilian Method
by Andrea Camilleri
What happens: In Sicily, engaging Inspector Montalbano investigates the murder of an unpopular theater director and falls for a new woman.
Series alert: Author Andrea Camilleri sadly died in 2019 at the age of 93, but he left behind a few unpublished novels, including this amusing and delightfully atmospheric 26th Montalbano book. The 27th entry, The Cook of the Halcyon, is scheduled for publication in March 2021.
Did you know? These well-plotted books inspired two popular Italian TV shows, Inspector Montalbano and The Young Montalbano.
|
|
|
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
by Manda Collins
What it's about: With a serial murderer known as the "Commandments Killer" at large in London, journalist Lady Katherine Bascomb and Detective Inspector Andrew Eversham put aside their differences and join forces to catch a killer before he strikes again.
For fans of: the blend of romance and mystery found in Alissa Johnson's Thief-Takers series, Jillian Stone's Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series, or Stephanie Laurens' Casebook of Barnaby Adair series.
|
|
| The Office of Historical Corrections: A Novella and Stories by Danielle EvansWhat it is: a collection of seven stories that examine race, grief, relationships, and womanhood in the U.S., after 2010's Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self.
Why you might like it: Infused with a deep understanding of U.S. history, these character-driven stories employ sharp, compelling writing and incisive and sometimes witty commentary.
Reviewers say: "delectably readable, propulsive accounts of loss and fear and redemption that twist with O. Henry-level glee" (Entertainment Weekly). |
|
|
They Never Learn
by Layne Fargo
Starring: esteemed English professor Scarlett Clark, whose respectable image is the perfect cover for her primary extracurricular activity -- vigilante justice.
They had it coming? Each victim Scarlett chooses is a man who got away with sexual assault, whose deaths she stages as suicides. She's been at it for years, which is why she isn't prepared when questions about the demise of her latest victim (a popular college athlete) refuse to die down.
|
|
|
Death and the Maiden
by Ariana Franklin and Samantha Norman
What it is: the long-awaited final entry in the series of novels that began with Mistress of the Art of Death.
Starring: Italian-born physician Adelia Aguilar, first brought to England by king Henry II to investigate suspicious deaths using her medical training.
About the authors: This posthumously published novel was completed by journalist and film critic Samantha Norman, the daughter of original author Ariana Franklin.
|
|
|
The Lost Shtetl
by Max Gross
Where it's set: Kreskol, an insular Polish shtetl so isolated that its residents escaped the horrors of the Holocaust and the rest of the 20th century.
What happens next: A divorcee's flight from the village inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will drag Kreskol and its people into the 21st century, for better or worse.
Read it for: the surprising moments of absurdity and laugh-out-loud humor in this thought-provoking novel.
|
|
|
One of Our Own
by Jane Haddam
Starring: Gregor Demarkian, a brilliant former FBI agent and police consultant who's known as the Armenian American Hercule Poirot.
What happens: Demarkian investigates after a barely alive 72-year-old woman stuffed in a plastic sack falls out of the back of a van speeding through his beloved Philadelphia neighborhood.
About the author: Author Jane Haddam, whose real name was Orania Papazoglou, passed away in 2019, but this well-plotted 30th Gregor book is "a fitting coda to the career of one of America’s best contemporary fair play authors" (Publishers Weekly).
|
|
|
A Princess for Christmas
by Jenny Holiday
A fare to remember: Bronx taxi driver Leo Ricci becomes the unlikely chauffeur to the unexpectedly stranded Princess Marie of Eldovia.
And then: Marie invites Leo and his orphaned 11-year-old sister to her tiny Alpine kingdom for the holidays, where Leo and Marie fall in love amidst Eldovia's elaborate Christmas celebrations.
For fans of: Hallmark Christmas specials such as A Royal Christmas, Crown for Christmas, and A Princess for Christmas (no relation).
|
|
| The Orchard by David HopenFeaturing: 17-year-old Ari, who's much happier at his "modern conservative" Orthodox Jewish school in Florida than he had been at the ultraconservative one in Brooklyn, in part thanks to a welcoming circle of popular students led by the charismatic and unstable Evan.
What happens: Encouraged by his friends to try risky behaviors and to explore less traditional religious thought, Ari is pulled beyond his comfort zone in all aspects of life.
For fans of: coming-of-age stories; Jewish literature; the envelope-pushing characters of dark academia novels like Donna Tartt's A Secret History. |
|
| The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn JoukhadarIntroducing: three generations of Syrian Americans -- a 20-something trans man (Nadir, who is unnamed and misgendered at first), his late mother, and a long missing Syrian artist, Laila Z. -- linked by their love of birds.
What it's about: the search for identity and belonging in an unwelcoming world.
Why you might like it: Syrian American and trans himself, author Zeyn Joukhadar richly captures New York's Little Syria over the decades through the alternating perspectives of Laila Z. and Nadir. |
|
| To Be a Man: Stories by Nicole KraussWhat it is: a short story collection about the relationships between men and women at all stages of life, and how the characters' Jewish identities informs those relationships.
Don't miss: "Future Emergencies," which is alarmingly of-the-moment; "I Am Asleep But My Heart Is Awake," in which a daughter inherits her father's apartment, only to find it inhabited.
Why you might like it: Nicole Krauss' straightforward writing style is highly detailed and addresses weighty topics. |
|
|
The Burning God
by R.F. Kuang
What it is: the highly anticipated conclusion to the Poppy War trilogy, which finds warrior Rin facing off against colonizers, corrupt rulers, and the gods themselves.
Is it for you? This ultra-violent military fantasy, set in a world reminiscent of 19th-century China and starring an opium-addicted heroine struggling with PTSD, does not pull any punches.
Should you start here? Due to the complexity of the plot and world-building, newcomers should start with The Poppy War, followed by The Dragon Republic.
|
|
| Too Much Lip by Melissa LucashenkoFeaturing: queer First Nations Australian Kerry Salter, who travels back to her home in Bundjalung country in New South Wales on a stolen Harley when she hears that her grandfather has fallen sick.
What it's about: the needs of family and the effects of colonization: despite her intention to stay only briefly, Kerry is drawn into a family fight to prevent their spiritual home from being used to house a jail.
About the author: Melissa Lucashenko, who won the 2019 Miles Franklin Award for this book, is of Bundjalung and European heritage and is an advocate for prisoners' rights. |
|
|
Murder in Old Bombay
by Nev March
Introducing: Jim Agnihotri, an Anglo Indian man raised in a Poona orphanage who joined the British Indian army, and after a terrible battle, spent time in recovery reading newspapers and Sherlock Holmes stories.
What happens: In 1892, Jim's out of both the hospital and the military, and intrigued by news reports of two murdered women, visits the victims' well-to-do Parsee family in Bombay. Hired to investigate, he uses observations and disguises and seeks out information on a college campus, in a princely state, and in a war zone.
For fans of: award-winning debuts; evocative combinations of mystery, romance, and adventure; Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry mysteries; Abir Mukherjee's Wyndham and Banerjee novels.
|
|
|
These Violent Delights
by Micah Nemerever
What it's about: the thrilling, toxic relationship between two college students in 1970s Pittsburgh -- insecure, working class Paul and blithe, wealthy Julian.
What goes wrong: fueled by their families' efforts to keep them apart, the two grow increasingly obsessed with each other and with removing every obstacle standing between them and a life together, with potentially fatal consequences for everyone involved.
|
|
|
The Midnight Bargain
by C.L. Polk
What it's about: Beatrice Clayborn dreams of becoming a Magus, but her family insists that she find a husband during the upcoming Bargaining Season. Will learning forbidden magic from an ancient grimoire empower her to determine her own fate?
Why you might like it: This series opener by the author of Witchmark boasts an evocative setting reminiscent of Regency England, an inventive magic system, and a gentle romance.
For fans of: Zen Cho's Sorcerer Royal books or Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist series.
|
|
|
Fortune Favors the Dead
by Stephen Spotswood
Introducing: Willowjean "Will" Parker, our tough young narrator who's a quick learner and a circus knife thrower; Lillian Pentecost, a famous New York City PI who's 40ish, smart, and in need of an assistant since her multiple sclerosis has started to more easily tire her.
What happens: Lillian hires Will, and they investigate the locked-room murder of a wealthy woman as Will falls for the victim's daughter.
Why you might like it: It offers a witty, fresh take on detective stories set in the 1940s and has fully realized characters you'll adore.
|
|
|
Murder by Milk Bottle
by Lynne Truss
What it's about: In 1957 Brighton, England, three people -- a patrolman, a beauty contestant, and a BBC radio celebrity -- die within hours of each other, all killed with milk bottles. Constable Twitten and his fellow cops look for a common link between the victims as well as why the unusual weapon was used.
Series alert: This is the 3rd in a quirky, funny series by author Lynne Truss, who wrote the bestselling grammar guide Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
Reviewers say: "In her ability to blend crime and farce, Truss is in a class of her own" (Publishers Weekly).
|
|
|
If the Boot Fits
by Rebekah Weatherspoon
What it's about: After their one-night stand, aspiring screenwriter Amanda McQueen doesn't expect to see Oscar-winning actor Sam Pleasant again. But their worlds collide once more when she's invited to a wedding at Sam's family's ranch.
Read it for: an upbeat contemporary Cinderella story that doesn't downplay the challenges of being Black in Hollywood.
Series alert: If the Boot Fits is the 2nd book in the Cowboys of California series, after A Cowboy to Remember.
|
|
|
The Fires of Vengeance
by Evan Winter
What it is: the sequel to The Rage of Dragons, which follows warrior Tau and exiled queen Tsiora as they plot to reclaim what's rightfully theirs.
Why you might like it: This 2nd book in the Burning series boasts plenty of action, a growing cast of intriguing characters, and a vividly depicted, Africa-inspired setting.
For fans of: the inventive system of magic in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn novels, the gritty battles of Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and the world-building of Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy.
|
|
| Laura & Emma by Kate GreatheadIntroducing: privileged, inconstant Laura, a woman who drifts through life supported by her wealthy family, and her spirited daughter, Emma, the result of a weekend fling (of sorts).
Why you might like it: From the 1980s to the mid-nineties, this leisurely paced debut offers complex, unique characters and evocative descriptions of Manhattan.
For fans of: quiet, character-driven novels that center on mother/daughter relationships, like Elizabeth Strout's My Name is Lucy Barton. |
|
| It's Not All Downhill from Here by Terry McMillanThe weekend: As a way to celebrate her 68th birthday, Loretha and Carl Curry spend the weekend at a Palm Springs resort, only for Carl to suffer a fatal heart attack.
What happens next: Loretha must contend with her own health issues as she relies on her closest friends -- who are facing their own problems -- as she grieves.
Read it for: the longstanding friendships among a well-drawn group of mature Black women. |
|
| The Altruists by Andrew RidkerFeaturing: broke professor Arthur Alter and his two grown kids, who inherited their mother's fortune.
What happens: Hoping they'll bail him out, Arthur invites underemployed Maggie and shut-in Ethan home for the weekend, only to find that things don't quite go to plan.
Why you might like it: With its imperfect protagonists, this debut will appeal to fans of Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You or Cynthia D'aprix's Sweeney's The Nest. |
|
| Chances Are... by Richard RussoWhat it's about: Three long-time friends come together for a weekend on Martha’s Vineyard, where they puzzle out what happened to the fourth of their group, a beautiful young woman each had been in love with, and who disappeared 40 years previously.
Why you might like it: As usual, author Richard Russo effectively captures male friendships; a touch of suspense as secrets are revealed may surprise and engage fans. |
|
| The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto UrreaWhat it's about: the weekend-long gathering in honor of Miguel Angel de la Cruz, whose mother upstages what is sure to be his last birthday by dying herself.
Why you might like it: The stories and memories of the members of the sprawling Mexican-American family abound, resulting in a novel that is "knowing and intimate, funny and tragic at once" (Kirkus Reviews).
Want a taste? "He winked at her. Only Big Angel could wink and denote wisdom." |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Morton Grove Public Library 6140 Lincoln Ave Morton Grove, Illinois 60053 (847) 965-4220www.mgpl.org/ |
|
|
|