Murder on 34th Street by Mariah Fredericks

MURDER ON 34TH STREET by Mariah Fredericks is a fun, holiday-themed mystery story set in New York City in 1932. The delightful main character is named Grace Verlander who is Assistant to the Head of Personnel at Macy’s. She seems to know each of the 8000 (!) employees and is constantly dealing with one crisis (e.g., smudgy counters) to another (e.g., request for a raise) to another (e.g., quality of toilet paper). I especially enjoyed the opening scene as she moves through the store to meet with Santa; it made me think if the West Wing opening when Leo walks through The White House. The staccato pace to her monologue and asides to the reader is quite amusing, particularly in regard to Raymond Di Nunzio, the window designer and a possible romantic interest. But for Grace, work comes first: “Lil [perfume saleswoman and her friend] would tell me to stop worrying about work and enjoy life. But what Lil does not understand is that I enjoy work because work can be divided into a thousand little tasks that can be put on a list, accomplished, and crossed off.” It gets quite involved when Santa’s life is threatened, just prior to the 9th annual Macy’s parade and when a body is found as the parade ends. Several other deaths occur, and Grace tries to investigate, even if it means suspecting Raymond or Lil.  Booklist gave a MURDER ON 34TH STREET starred review (“prose so witty and crackling that readers might start to hear the fast-talking Katherine Hepburn or Rosalind Russell in their heads”) and I sincerely hope that Mariah Fredericks writes more mysteries featuring Grace and this fun cast. Enjoy!

On a related note, Goodreads just posted “92 New and Beloved Cozy Reads for Fall.” Bookmark it now – the list includes so many titles personal favorites that we have enjoyed and reviewed (Everyone in this Bank is a Thief, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies, The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances, The Reimagining of Thornwood House, This Book Made Me Think of You), plus “classic cozies” like Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand or The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and many more. It is a great resource.

Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson

BAD WORDS by Rioghnach Robinson is a Library Reads selection, #1 Indie Next pick for October and recipient of a starred review from Booklist - maybe in part because people like reading about writers and books? In fact, per Kirkus, this adult debut is “perfect for bibliophiles.” It tells the story of a writer, Parker Navarro, whose work is decimated in a scathing review by a young critic, Selina Chan. They have a public feud and gradually discover more private aspects about each other as their relationship deepens. Their banter in a series of emails is fun and engaging. BAD WORDS had plenty of opportunity to show the growth - personal and professional – of both Selena and Parker. And Robinson generally has given readers a well-written exploration of their relationship and of the impact of social media. Maybe, by chance, I have just been reading too many books where the main characters suddenly jump into a sexual relationship, but I don’t think that necessarily improves the quality of a story even though it is included here. Throughout, there is quite a bit of angst and need for introspection so it seems this book would appeal most to younger adults just starting their careers. It has certainly generated interest, including being chosen as a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.

The Valencia Expat Club by June Patrick

THE VALENCIA EXPAT CLUB by June Patrick has an especially appealing, colorful cover, reflecting Patrick’s author bio which says that she “writes witty, escapist stories set in swoony, faraway places.” And her descriptions of places, food and culture around Valencia, Spain were plentiful and interesting, the best part of this novel overall. The main characters are Dahlia (trying to reset her life after a divorce) and Liam (proprietor of the Expat Club) who experience a fairly typical enemies to lovers romance. The story, though, required a bit of effort to stay engaged due to the number of similes that the author employed. In fact, the word “like” appears 705 (!) times, or more than twice per page. At first, this adds color and imagery (e.g., “The taxi wound through Valencia's streets like a thread stitching together patches of a centuries-old quilt” or “the Mediterranean appeared ahead like a gift, spreading out to the horizon in shades of blue that would make Pantone jealous”), but with so many comparisons, it quickly gets annoying and then requires effort to ignore. Even Patrick seems to appreciate her overreliance on this technique, writing at one point: “…his voice all rich and velvety, like expensive chocolate or aged whiskey or some other metaphor that would make my former English professors cry.”

Banned Book Week Resources

BANNED BOOK WEEK is October 4 to 10 so I wanted to post some relevant resources here:

From the ALA: https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

From School Library Journal: https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/ALA-Releases-150-Most-Challenged-Books-from-1990-2025

Banned books week.org: https://bannedbooksweek.org/  and suggested their action steps: https://bannedbooksweek.org/let-freedom-read-day/

Banned Book List – compiled by PEN America: “The 52 Most Banned Books in US Schools” covers 2021 through 2025: https://pen.org/top-52-banned-books-since-2021/    

ALL of these are on the Dan Patrick/Texas list (no longer accessible unless you look at Recover America’s list of “harmful” books which is linked in this PEN America article about book bans in Texas: https://pen.org/were-coming-for-the-books-texas/

BANNED BOOK WEEK is certainly about censorship, but it should also prompt us to think about literacy and the ties to democracy (see recent “buzz” around The New Dark Ages by James Marriott). Molly Guptill Manning has written several texts about WWII era soldiers and literacy. I have read and enjoyed When Books Went to War and I am hoping to read her The War of Words, about soldiers writing about their experiences.  Her most recent non-fiction work is titled A Librarian’s War and was reviewed positively in the Wall Street Journal. Some of the statistics that she uncovers are shocking, especially in contrast to the efforts today to repress reports and journalism from the troops or about their experiences. Back to banned books … consider the list of titles removed from the Naval Academy in April 2025.

In This Life or Another by Melissa Payne

IN THIS LIFE OR ANOTHER by Melissa Payne allows readers to experience an “in-between” place with Rusty Wilson, an almost sixty-year-old man who is shot at a local restaurant. There is definitely an element of magical realism as Rusty is visited by important people (parents, wife, friends, employers and employees) in his life, both living and dead. His reflection on life and its purpose is honestly a bit sad, although it is beautifully written. The novel is a challenge to read, though, since chapters move between several points in the past, the present, and even a parallel life of sorts. Award-winning author Payne explores grief and its harrowing consequences, particularly on parents and spouses and across generations. She also explores second chances and notes, “sometimes the smallest act of kindness can have an impact we never would have predicted. … Maybe it's as simple as being kind to someone who needs it, or Sunday dinners with the family, or giving a girl a chance to support herself…” Book groups would find IN THIS LIFE OR ANOTHER of interest; discussion questions are included.

The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

THE PIRATE QUEEN is another amazing work of historical fiction by Ariel Lawhon; my favorite titles by her include Flight of Dreams and The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress. THE PIRATE QUEEN is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for September 2026 and received a starred review from Booklist. This novel tells the story of a storm-born girl with a special affinity for the sea, Grace O’Malley (Grainne Ni Mhaille), an Irish contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I. As such, she lived during violent times and was “a woman who took two husbands and birthed four children; who was taken captive and who took lives; a pirate; a mother; a rebel; a sacker of castles and captain of ships, of battles and blades.” There is much adventure, bloodshed, heartache, and joy in Grace’s story. It is mesmerizing, but a bit difficult to follow as Lawhon purposefully skips back and forth between chapters which recount Grace as a Maiden, a Mother and a Matriarch. She helpfully provides a long list of characters (including fictional servants Ultan, Gutty, and twins Finn and Murray), family tree, and pronunciation guide. Historical fiction fans and book groups will truly enjoy THE PIRATE QUEEN.

Snowed Inn by Valerie Bowman

I recently listened to SNOWED INN by Valerie Bowman with Andi Arndt as the narrator. This festive, small-town romance works as a stand-alone, although it is the second book in the Honeycrisp Orchard Romance series (and a third appears on the way). Maria is a driven New York City public relations professional who is trapped by a blizzard at her best friend’s inn. She finds the bartender, Jesse Butler, to be especially obnoxious until they are thrown together repeatedly after her friend becomes ill and Maria helps to keep the inn functioning. The story is cute and certainly has a holiday flavor (and a Christmas Eve kitten), but the slow burn is really sloooow. Arndt is an excellent narrator, differentiating between speakers, but I found myself listening at 1.5 times regular speed in an attempt to move the angst along. Still, the beautiful cover may grab your attention, especially if you like winter romances like Borison’s Lovelight Farms or Gilmore’s The Christmas Tree Farm or titles from Beth O’Leary. Jesse and Maria have a special chemistry with lots to learn about themselves and each other.