The Socialite's Guide to Murder by S. K. Golden

THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER by S. K. Golden is set at the Pinnacle Hotel near Central Park in New York in 1958. As such, it is both historical fiction and a mystery, but it also includes elements of romance and a definite sense of farce. Think of The Play that Goes Wrong or perhaps Noises Off. The main character, Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy, is a young woman who is the sheltered and spoiled daughter of the hotel’s widowed, very rich, and absent owner. Miss Murphy is seemingly adored by the hotel staff including the manager, Mr. Sharpe; front desk attendant Mr. Burrows; her maid Florence; and bell boy Mac Cooper. Mac is also her partner in investigating an art theft and subsequent murder. They are aided by Amelia, the young child of hotel guests, and by Presley, Miss Murphy’s precious dog. It’s all a bit sweet, full of laughs, and “over the top,” including Miss Murphy’s well publicized affection for Henry Fox, a famous actor, even though they consider their friendship to be purely platonic. There are plenty of confusing twists and confounding theories about whom the real murderer is. Also with a hotel setting, Nita Prose’s The Maid is the better written story, but fans of light and humorous mysteries will enjoy THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER and subsequent adventures at the Pinnacle Hotel.

When Women Lead by Julia Boorstin

WHEN WOMEN LEAD by Julia Boorstin offers a look, in the author’s words, at “understand[ing] how some women had been able to become exceptions. … how they had done it - and what we can learn from them.” Boorstin is CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech correspondent, an on-air reporter who created and launched CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list of private companies that are transforming the economy and challenging more established industry leaders. She uses her networking and reporting skills to identify and interview mostly female executives and entrepreneurs. Those narratives, combined with insights from academic research, provide the outline for Boorstin’s book which highlights strengths like being more empathetic, being more open to varied views, and leading with vulnerability. Her book is divided into three parts: How and Why Women Build Strong Companies; Fixing Problems; and Creating New Patterns. Boorstin is an engaging writer and provides anecdotes across a variety of industries, including healthcare, fashion, and finance. I particularly liked the image she referenced of Bumble going public with founder Whitney Wolfe Herd ringing the opening Nasdaq bell with her toddler on her hip. Our business students (and readers in general) will benefit from discussing and embracing Boorstin’s summary of women’s leadership models: “communal, empathetic, vulnerable, and purpose driven.” WHEN WOMEN LEAD received a starred review from Kirkus (“showing the positive impact of diversity and argues convincingly that the best counter to bias is citing the profitability figures and performance evidence for women-led firms.”). 

Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris

ANYWHERE YOU RUN by Wanda M. Morris is an historical fiction novel that takes place during 1964 in Jackson, Mississippi, in small town Chillicothe, Georgia, and in Cleveland, Ohio. Two sisters, Violet and Marigold Richards, are on the run, both physically and emotionally. One has killed a man and the other is pregnant, fleeing domestic abuse. Both are also haunted by the deaths of their older sister (Rose) and their parents. These young women were taught to be respectful and quiet (keep your eyes down and stay in the background) around “white folks,” but they chafe, in different ways, at the restrictions that exist, particularly in the South. A key lesson is expressed in this quote: “Papa used to tell me, the only way I’d ever be able to go anywhere in life was to walk courageously. He said being brave didn’t mean you had no fear. Bravery meant acting even in the face of fear.” Pursued by feelings of guilt and a man who is essentially a modern day bounty hunter, the sisters tell their story separately, but ultimately draw strength from each other.  Although a bit repetitive in some places, ANYWHERE YOU RUN received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and is a LibraryReads selection for October. This title is a solid choice that will appeal to students, particularly due to its elements of mystery, thwarted family expectations, and struggles with identity. Also, there is much important history; Morris repeatedly refers to the civil rights protests, Jim Crow laws, and the violence of that era, in particular the killing of three men in Neshoba County, Mississippi. In her acknowledgments, she writes, “This book has been a labor of love because I stand on the shoulders of strong women like the ones in this story, who were bound and shackled by the mores of an era that has passed but if we are not careful threatens to return.”