Books & Bites: April 2023

Two estranged siblings delve into their mother’s hidden past—and how it all connects to her traditional Caribbean black cake—in this immersive family saga, “a character-driven, multigenerational story that’s meant to be savored” (Time).

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming...

When a group of friends in Mason, Missouri decide to start a monthly supper club, they get more than they bargained for. Instead of sharing recipes, they begin sharing secrets.

"Well-paced....another page-turner for Box, who writes lyrically about big sky country."--Publishers Weekly

Beloved New York Times bestseller M. C. Beaton’s cranky, crafty Agatha Raisinis back on the case again in Devil’s Delight.

Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman’s struggle for fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the modern, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.

“A non-stop, action-filled race against time. Rolling down the superhighway of suspense, this thriller will leave readers breathless.” ―Library Journal (starred review)

“A triumph of historical fiction” (The Washington Post) set in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, DC, that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.

"From the beloved author of Dominicana, an electrifying and indelible new novel about a woman who has lost everything but the chance to finally tell her story.

Elizabeth Strout once again turns her exquisitely-tuned eye to the inner workings of the human heart, this time following the indomitable heroine of My Name Is Lucy Barton and Oh William! through the early days of the pandemic.

“The topical follow-up to Coben’s best-selling The Boy from the Woods addresses reality shows, DNA searches, cyberbullying, and social media influencers in a suspenseful novel guaranteed to be a hit.”―Library Journal (Starred Review)

The hilarious underground bestseller about one woman’s pursuit of carnal pleasure—and the philosophy that gets in the way.

The KGB Comes to Westport in Search of The Moscow Five…Fast-paced, wide-ranging, and shaped by real events…The Moscow Five brings a unique voice and indomitable characters to the mystery-thriller genre.

In the wealthy Gold Coast enclave of Westport, a feud between mystery writers turns deadly—and retired spy Dasha Petrov must find the real killer to clear her name.

In his second New York novel (after Dreamland), Baker takes a grisly event-the 1863 Civil War draft riots-and crafts a terrifying, human story bursting with all the calamity, brutality and power of the riots themselves, which may have been the worst civic disturbance in U.S. history. -- Publisher's Weekly

Dylan, who began working on the book in 2010, offers his extraordinary insight into the nature of popular music. He writes over sixty essays focusing on songs by other artists, spanning from Stephen Foster to Elvis Costello,

“A delicious new Gilded Age family drama—almost a satire—set in the leafy enclaves of Brooklyn Heights....A lighthearted book that captures a slice of New York society, a guilty pleasure that also feels like a sociological text, punctuated with very particular references to restaurants, preschools, nightclubs, and other pillars of urban life in 2023.”
—Vogue

Unaware of a violent event that marked the beginning of her mixed ancestry, ambitious young Evelina Harp, a part-Ojibwe, part-white girl prone to falling hopelessly in love, learns disturbing truths from her gifted storyteller grandfather.

“Royce keeps the plot twists coming as she vividly depicts the uncertainty and mistrust generated by the pandemic, which drives both Linda and Noelle inexorably toward madness... This is an expertly paced thrill ride.” -- Publishers Weekly

“Stunning not only on account of the author’s talent, of which there is clearly plenty, but also in its humanity.” —New York Times Book Review

"The Sea Glass Murders is a fine mystery that offers twists, turns, and unexpectedly intriguing moments ... a fast-paced story filled with quirky moments, tense confrontations, revelations, and strong characters that draw readers into the mystery with a compelling saga indeed." ― Midwest Book Review

The Silver Star, Jeannette Walls has written a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about an intrepid girl who challenges the injustice of the adult world—a triumph of imagination and storytelling.

“Superb . . . [The] final, splendid, most personal work of [Janet Malcolm’s] long career.” ―Charles Finch, The New York Times Book Review

“Suspenseful, funny, and poignant. The delightful, spirited characters from this witty, sometimes bittersweet story deserve a return engagement.”
—Booklist (starred review)

A modern love story about two childhood friends, Sam, raised by an actress mother in LA's Koreatown, and Sadie, from the wealthy Jewish enclave of Beverly Hills, who reunite as adults to create video games, finding an intimacy in digital worlds that eludes them in their real lives

An award-winning writer of absorbing, sophisticated fiction delivers a stylish and propulsive novel rooted in early 20th century New York, about wealth and talent, trust and intimacy, truth and perception.

The Years is a personal narrative of the period 1941 to 2006 told through the lens of memory, impressions past and present -- even projections into the future -- photos, books, songs, radio, television and decades of advertising, headlines, contrasted with intimate conflicts and writing notes from six decades of diaries.

Heather Corbally Bryant eloquently evokes the entirely lost world of her grandparents' 1920s Shanghai, with love and sadness. Her pioneering journalist grandmother's intrepid spirit leaps from the page. What a story!