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Must-Read Books January 2024 |
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| The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess ArmstrongIn 1922 England, Ruby Vaughn, a modern-minded American, visits Penryth Hall to catch up with an old friend. But after a murder and talk of a local curse, Ruby works to unearth the truth and keep her friend safe. This award-winning, Gothic-tinged debut offers an "intriguing and altogether enchanting mystery" (Kirkus). Read-alike: Sarah Penner's The London Séance Society. |
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| The General and Julia by Jon ClinchIn this "superb" (Booklist) biographical novel, Ulysses S. Grant, who's dying of cancer, doggedly writes his memoirs and reflects on his past, including courting his beloved wife, leading the Union Army, serving eight years as president, and losing money to a con man. Read-alikes: Varina by Charles Frazier; Black Cloud Rising by David Wright Faladé. |
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| The Final Curtain by Keigo HigashinoTokyo detective Kyoichiro Kaga investigates two recent murders that are seemingly unrelated and discovers a link to the death of his own mother 10 years earlier. This twisty 4th Kyoichiro Kaga mystery works for series fans or newcomers who enjoy intricately plotted tales. For fans of: Golden Age mysteries; the Detective Kosuke Kindaichi novels by Seishi Yokomizo. |
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| A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle PorterNarrated by a variety of voices, including five generations of Métis women (including one in the Afterlife) as well as a bison, the Canadian grassland, and more, this moving debut novel examines healing, connection, and family bonds. Read-alike: Mona Susan Power's A Council of Dolls. |
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| Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo SeguraIn this steamy and action-packed debut, archaeologist Dr. Corrie Mejía must work with her professional nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews, on a dig in Mexico that may be the resting place of famed Aztec warrior Chimalli. Read-alikes: Ali Hazelwood's Below Zero; Sarah Smith's On Location. |
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| Starkweather: The Untold Story of the Killing Spree that Changed America by Harry N. MacLeanIn this bleak and atmospheric true crime tale, Edgar Award-winning author and Nebraska native Harry N. MacLean chronicles the 1958 murders committed by Nebraska teenager Charles Starkweather, whose girlfriend (and possible accomplice) Caril Ann Fugate accompanied him during the spree. The pair's story later served as the inspiration for the 1994 film Natural Born Killers. For fans of: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. |
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| The Money Kings: The Epic Story of the Jewish Immigrants Who Transformed Wall Street... by Daniel SchulmanMother Jones deputy Washington, D.C. bureau chief Daniel Schulman's engaging and richly detailed history explores how German Jewish immigrants (among them the Lehman, Goldman, and Sachs families) created the modern American banking system. Try this next: The Last Kings of Shanghai: The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China by Jonathan Kaufman. |
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| Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song by Judith TickMusic historian Judith Tick's comprehensive and well-researched biography of trailblazing jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald utilizes concert footage, interviews, and rare archival materials to offer an insightful portrait of the "First Lady of Song." Try this next: Queen of Bebop: The Musical Lives of Sarah Vaughan by Elaine M. Hayes. |
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| The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story by Sam WassonEntertainment writer Sam Wesson's episodic and nonlinear biography of Francis Ford Coppola offers an inventive peek into the legendary film director's creative process and the evolution of his production company, American Zoetrope. For fans of: Chasing the Light by Oliver Stone. |
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| Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda ChengA workshop offering Sunny Lee potential K-pop stardom reunites her with Candie, her former bandmate. Candie may know how Sunny’s best friend mysteriously died, and she may also be behind the twisted turn the workshop takes. Read-alikes: Jamison Shea’s I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me; Joelle Wellington’s Their Vicious Games. |
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| Hornbeam All In: Three Small Stories about One Large Moose by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Arthur HowardMeet genial moose Hornbeam, motivated by friendship to try new things like swimming, sleepovers, and a party that might not have enough potato salad. Written to be approachable for beginning readers, this series opener by popular cocreators Cynthia Rylant and Arthur Howard is bursting with affable charm. |
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| Punycorn by Andi WatsonWhen the wicked Sir Ogre threatens the kingdom of Carbuncle with his magical Gauntlets of Ultimate Victory, the only hero for the job is clumsy, brave-hearted Punycorn. Pairing epic adventure with cute, candy-colored artwork, this graphic novel offers fun for lots of different readers. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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