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Must-Read Books April 2026 |
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| Daughter of Egypt by Marie BenedictIn 1919, Lady Evelyn Herbert defies expectations and accompanies her father, Lord Carnarvon, and archeologist Howard Carter on digs in Egypt, where she seeks the tomb of Hatshepsut. In 1400s B.C.E., Hatshepsut becomes pharaoh against the odds. Following the lives of two women whom history almost forgot, this evocative novel is the latest from acclaimed author Marie Benedict. Read-alikes: Gill Paul's The Collector's Daughter; Saara El-Arifi's Cleopatra. |
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| I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 by Robert BrockwayDowntrodden Maksim "Ivan" Ivanov has the unique ability to see (and kill) other people's imaginary friends, a skill he utilizes to make a quick buck. But when he's pitted against violent prankster Eddie Video, the imaginary friend of 8-year-old Kay Washington, he discovers that Eddie is unlike any foe he's faced before. For fans of: Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman; Mister Magic by Kiersten White. |
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| Belgrave Road: A Love Story by Manish ChauhanNewly arrived in Leicester, England from India, Mira's arranged marriage and new life isn't what she'd hoped. But away from her husband and in-laws, she works at a sweet shop where she meets another newcomer, Somalian refugee Tahliil. Though they are drawn to each other, many things stand in their way in this powerful debut exploring love, family, and home. For fans of: Kiran Desai's The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny; Aube Rey Lescure's River East, River West. |
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| The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn ClarkeSix struggling authors are invited to the private Scottish island of bestselling novelist Arthur Fletch, a recluse known for his fiendish plot twists. Upon arrival, they learn Fletch has died and left a manuscript unfinished. Now, it's up to one of them to write the best ending. Whoever wins gets money and publicity, but they only have 72 hours, and then there's a murder. For fans of: Knives Out; Ande Pliego's You Are Fatally Invited. |
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| This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany CrumBenny Abbott and Joy Moore, beloved hosts of a hit survival podcast, are used to sharing others’ near-death stories -- but when Joy and her husband vanish, their own lives become the mystery. With police suspecting Benny and only Joy’s unfinished memoir as a clue, he must unravel hidden secrets, unspoken love, and dangerous truths before it’s too late. |
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| Guilt by Keigo HigashinoAfter a lawyer is killed, the police talk to a man named Tatsuro Kuraki, who quickly confesses to this murder and a decades-old one, too. Tokyo detective Godai arrests Kuraki, but doubts remain for him as well as the confessed killer's son and the victim's daughter, leading them to separately investigate. This twisty complex standalone tale explores guilt in all its guises. For fans of: suspenseful Japanese mysteries; Arnaldur Indridason's The Quiet Mother. |
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| Snake-Eater by T. KingfisherSelena is desperate to escape her horrid past. With nothing but her dog in tow, she flees to her late aunt's homestead in Quartz Creek. But strange ancient spirits linger along the edges of Selena's new home. One of them, known as "Snake-Eater," has come to collect a debt from Selena's aunt; with Selena being the new owner of the home, his attention -- and obsession -- turns to her. Fans of strange and intriguing horror-adjacent fantasy such as Chuck Tingle's Camp Damascus and Jennifer Thorne's Diavola will thrill at T. Kingfisher's latest. |
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| The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. MorilloAdvice columnist Maria "Marianto" Camacho accidentally broadcasts her break-up video on her employer's social media and is fired, but is offered the chance to come back if she reunites with her ex and writes an article about it. When charming singer Simón offers to help her, she finds herself falling for him instead. Try this next: Love in Focus by Lyla Lee. |
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| A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage by M.K. OliverLalla Rook, a suburban London mother, is determined to secure wealth, status, and a perfect family -- by any means necessary. When an intruder disrupts her plans, she kills him, then juggles body disposal, birthday parties, and social climbing. This twisted, darkly comic first-person thriller explores ambition, manipulation, and a disturbingly unflappable protagonist. |
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| 30seven by Jeremy RobinsonMarcus Lockwood is ready to forget the horrible murder that took away his wife Isabella. He decides to take his son Elias to Moose Hollow, a secluded campground, to try to forget and reset. But their vacation is cut short when a mysterious alien craft abducts the campgrounds' visitors...and Isabella's killer may be one of them. For fans of: science fiction on the gruesome and twisty side, such as Jonathan Janz's Veil and Nathan Ballingrud's Crypt of the Moon Spider. |
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| Star Shipped by Cat SebastianSimon Devereaux and Charlie Blake, reluctant co-stars on the long-running sci-fi series Out There, have spent years dodging the rumors from online shippers about their relationship, but all that changes when an unexpected road trip forces them to confront their true feelings for each other. Fans of Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery will enjoy historical romance author Cat Sebastian's first foray into contemporary romance. |
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| The Glowing Hours by Leila SiddiquiIn 1816, British Indian housemaid Mehrunissa Begum accompanies her employers, Percy and Mary Shelley, to Lake Geneva, where Mary begins writing Frankenstein. But as the summer progresses, Mehrunissa begins to notice the supernatural events plaguing not only the villa, but Mary herself. For fans of: Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles; Frankenstein-inspired novels like Eynhallow by Tim McGregor. |
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| A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn YangThough she's busy with her New York job and boyfriend, Qianze takes in her estranged father, who seems to have dementia. The story moves to the past when he begins talking about his family, leading to stories from the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and the Chinese Cultural Revolution. With elements of magical realism, this emotionally intense debut novel explores history, family relationships, and the effects of intergenerational trauma. Read-alikes: Wendy Chen's Their Divine Fires; Ali Araghi's The Immortals of Tehran. |
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| All the World Can Hold by Jung YunDays after September 11, 2001, a nostalgia cruise celebrating a Love Boat-esque program sets sail for Bermuda, with now-sober actor Doug reuniting with the cast for the first time in years. Meanwhile, Manhattanites Franny and her husband disagree about taking the trip during the tragedy, but as it’s her Korean mother's 70th birthday celebration, they do. Also on board is MIT student Lucy, who accepted her roommate's family's free invite. For fans of: Gish Jen's World and Town. |
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| The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster by Shelley PuhakWriter and poet Shelley Puhak's nuanced and demythologizing follow-up to The Dark Queens examines the life and exploits of 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory, whose conviction of (and imprisonment for) torturing and murdering 80 girls and women was the result of a smear campaign. It's "a stunning feminist reconsideration of one of history's most reviled villainesses" (Publishers Weekly). Try this next: When Women Kill: Four Crimes Retold by Alia Trabucco Zerán. |
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| Kennedy's Coup: A White House Plot, a Saigon Murder, and America's Descent Into Vietnam by Jack CheeversIn his richly detailed latest, political reporter Jack Cheevers (Act of War) utilizes previously unavailable government documents to chronicle the Kennedy administration's role in the 1963 ousting and assassination of South Vietnam president Ngo Dinh Diem. Try this next: All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer. |
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| Queso, Just in Time by Ernesto CisnerosAfter wishing for more time with his father, who died two years ago, Quetzalcóatl Castillo Anguiano -- aka Queso -- is transported back to 1985, where his father is just Pancho, a fellow 12-year-old. Deep emotions pair with time-travel culture clashes in this funny, moving story. |
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| Lies We Tell about the Stars by Susie NadlerIn near-future San Francisco, “The Big One” has rocked the earthquake-prone city. Although everyone else believes Nicky perished in the quake, Celeste hasn’t lost hope that she may find her best friend alive. Read-alikes: Cassandra Newbould’s Climate of Chaos; Jen Storm’s Little Moons. |
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| Hafsa's Way by Aisha SaeedAspiring doctor Hafsa is thrilled to travel from rural Pakistan to Lahore, where she's supposed to stay with her sister and attend an elite science camp. Once she arrives, nothing goes according to plan, but determined Hafsa won't let that stop her from making the most of the experience. For fans of: the author's inspiring companion books, Amal Unbound and Omar Rising. |
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| While We're Here by Anne Wynter; illustrated by Micha ArcherAfter rushing to arrive on time, a mother and child discover that the party in the park was actually yesterday. They're disappointed -- until they realize they've now got free time for rolling down hills, watching ducklings, and exploring trails. Read-alike: Oge Mora's Saturday, another mother-daughter story featuring textured, multilayered collage art. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Southeast Kansas Library System
218 E. Madison Ave.
Iola, Kansas 66749
620-365-5136sekls.org |
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