Dark Horse by Felix Francis

DARK HORSE by Felix Francis (Hands Down) continues in the spirit of horse racing mysteries of which Dick Francis was such a champion. His son introduces Imogen Duffy, a young conditional jockey, and reprises the beloved character of Sid Halley. The book feels disjointed, though, with the first half focused on Imogen’s racing career and its disruption by her abusive ex-boyfriend and fellow jockey, Liam Carson. He is stalking her but is clever enough to persuade others that she is irrationally threatening him. A sudden death leads to a murder trial, and it is in the second half where Sid Halley becomes involved – checking alibis and witness statements in an attempt to provide a viable defense and discover the truth. Although the story does not flow as smoothly as some of the best from Dick Francis himself (the reference to his life size statue at Aintree Racecourse is a nice salute), readers will enjoy the suspense (once again, Sid’s life is threatened) and the vivid descriptions of racing and horse jumping action.

Lauryn Harper Falls Apart by Shauna Robinson

LAURYN HARPER FALLS APART by Shauna Robinson is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for September 2025. It is a cute story about a confused young woman who finds her way after being demoted due to a misunderstanding at her workplace. I read portions of the ebook and listened to the majority of the Spotify audiobook which is excellent. The narrator, Deanna Anthony, perfectly captures the bewilderment and self-delusion that Lauren Harper exhibits as she repeatedly is her own best enemy, reluctant to rely on the collegiality of other disgraced and misfit corporate employees. They have all been sent to a rural outpost which hosts the charity arm, Ryser Cares, of a big and often controversial conglomerate. Together the group bonds as they attempt to resurrect the former Fall Festival in order to raise funds to support Greenstead’s Community Center. I think Robinson’s fans will enjoy this feel-good tale, even if it seems very predictable. My own issues are similar to those I expressed about her earlier work, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks: the financials just don’t add up. If Lauren is set to retire in the next few years, what is keeping her from donating (or loaning) $10K to cover the festival costs? Surely, she has that amount readily available and doesn’t need to subject readers to repeated musings about where she can find sources of funds. And, to me, Ryser’s funding proposals and grants seem so inconsistent as shown by the wide disparity versus funds they eventually allocate. A heartfelt story evoking memories of local festivities.

The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar

THE MAGICIAN OF TIGER CASTLE by Louis Sachar was a Library Reads Selection for August 2025 and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly (“melancholy, heartfelt, and utterly immersive Renaissance-esque fantasy”). Yes, there is a sense of sadness and foreboding as a magician, Anatole, attempts to prevent unhappiness for two star-crossed lovers, a young apprentice scribe named Pito and a charming princess, Tullia. But the experimentation with various potions takes a long time and story dragged for me so it did not feel all that magical. Anatole was attempting to have the lovers lose the memory of each other and therefore their personalities seemed somewhat fragile, too, making it difficult to develop concern about their fate. This is Sachar’s first attempt at a novel intended for adults; some read-alikes that came up on the library catalog which I would heartily recommend include The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater and The Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett. Plus, of course, there are numerous fabulous books by similar authors (like Carl Hiaasen, Jack Gantos, and Richard Peck) that adults will enjoy even if they are primarily intended for younger readers.

Dream School by Jeffrey Selingo

DREAM SCHOOL by Jeffrey Selingo (Who Gets In and Why) is the latest round in his writings about “Finding the College That's Right for You.” Here, Selingo leverages his decades long experience plus surveys with thousands of parents collected during two years of research; he once again stresses the benefit of looking beyond super selective schools. The book is divided into three main sections which outline often faulty assumptions, the “new admissions landscape,” and what to look for in a dream school. An appendix lists specific colleges (Hidden Values, Breakout Regionals, and Large Leaders), with a brief description and anecdotal standout factor for each. Learning about and choosing between schools is a difficult task, filled with emotion and incomplete information. Called a “refreshingly practical approach to choosing where to apply” by Lisa Damour, resources like Selingo’s offer a helpful perspective to both students and parents. DREAM SCHOOL received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was the subject of a recent Family Action Network session with Frank Bruni (scroll to bottom of that page for video).

Apostle's Cove by William Kent Krueger

APOSTLE’S COVE by William Kent Krueger (This Tender Land and Fox Creek) is book 21 in his excellent series which features lawman Cork O’Connor of the Boundary Waters area in rural Minnesota. This tale transports readers twenty-five years into the past with one of Cork’s first murder investigations as Sheriff. At that time, Cork had misgivings about the resolution to a brutal murder that involved an Ojibwe man named Axel Boshey. Once again, Krueger explores a crime of passion, substance abuse, and the prejudices against Indigenous peoples. Because it is telling a story from long ago, APOSTLE’S COVE could work as a stand-alone (the publisher calls it “the perfect entry point for anyone who might be new to the series”). The first half of this novel is set firmly in the past, but the case is revived in the modern day during the second half when Cork’s son gets involved through an Innocence Project like effort. Was the wrong person sent to prison? Is the killer still at large? The conclusion is full of evil and felt a bit rushed, but it’s balanced by the wisdom of tribal elder Henry Meloux and Cork’s persistence in solving a suspenseful mystery (as Cork says, “Truth is a tricky critter. Not always what it seems.”). 

The Happiness Files by Arthur C. Brooks

THE HAPPINESS FILES by Arthur C. Brooks offers “Insights on Work and Life” and is based on the popular essays he has written for a weekly column in The Atlantic. Amongst other full-length titles, Brooks wrote From Strength to Strength and he teaches classes on happiness from a scientific perspective (encompassing neuroscience, social psychology, and behavioral economics) at Harvard Business School. Brooks has divided his newest title into sections On Managing Yourself; On Jobs, Money, And Building Your Career; On Communicating and Connecting with Others; On Balancing Work Life and Relationships; and, finally, On How You Define Success. The thirty-three essays are generally five or six pages in length and deal with topics like exhibiting leadership, setting boundaries, promoting value, developing relationships, and establishing purpose and direction. THE HAPPINESS FILES is very well-written, action-oriented, and quite accessible. In completing book reviews, I have been exploring the ideas dealing with well-being and happiness from Brooks and others and writing about them for years. THE HAPPINESS FILES would be a great book to read and discuss as a group, perhaps choosing an essay a week as the focus.

Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library

MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY by Amanda Chapman is my new favorite book of the year. It is a very cleverly written mystery and features an appearance by Agatha Christie as she returns from “eternity” to solve a murder in current day New York City. Her fellow sleuths include Tory Van Dyne, a young book conservator who is coming to terms with her own past trauma. Tory’s voice (and the self-reflections to which readers are privy) is fun, observant, and somewhat self-deprecating. She is a very appealing character as is her ditzy actress cousin, Nicola (“exactly what you would imagine a grown-up Eloise would be like”). There is also her steadfast co-worker (Adrian Gooding), an 11-year-old neighbor from Ireland (Mairead – like parade), and Detective Sebastian Mendez-Cruz, all of whom contribute to solving the intricate, puzzling mystery with its multiple suspects and unexpected twists. Sebastian (a “man with the eyes of a sad saint”) provides a slowly building romantic interest which adds to the humor, but the best part of this novel is the way in which Chapman skillfully incorporates quotes from numerous works by Christie. Several are included as chapter introductions, but the author often had me smiling at the many others which are inserted almost seamlessly in the witty dialogue. MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY received a starred review from Library Journal (“a real treat for any Christie fan”) and Publishers Weekly (“Uncovering a killer, it turns out, can be just as fun in the Big Apple as it is in St. Mary Mead.”). Highly recommended. 

In her Author’s Note, Amanda Chapman recommends reading Lucy Worsley’s biography and John Curran’s Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks, saying of Agatha Christie, “I imagined I could almost hear her voice in my head as I began to write -- a bit reserved but warm, quietly confident and often very, very funny.”

Just Another Dead Author by Katarina Bivald

JUST ANOTHER DEAD AUTHOR by Katarina Bivald (The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend) follows Swedish writer Berit Gardner after her initial adventures in The Murders in Great Diddling. She is now in France as a guest speaker at a writers’ conference. Once again, Berit utilizes her powers of observation and analysis to unconventionally aid the local police in solving a murder. The dead author is John Wright, a distinctly unpleasant character who has managed to offend or alienate most people, resulting in plenty of suspects amongst the speakers and guests at the conference. To further complicate the investigation, they are all writers (“basically in training to become liars”) and therefore prone to flights of imagination: “…used to bending the truth to suit their needs and wishes. An intoxicating habit of playing God, of being able to control reality, change it, stretch it according to their own ideas and wishes.” Secrets and surprises are rampant in this entertaining tale in which Bivald deftly employs humor and Berit’s refreshing perspective on the writing life: “When writing is at its best, it lets us imagine things and play like a child … see the world with the wide eyed fascination of a child, talk to imaginary friends inside our head, travel all over the world without leaving our chair, befriend dragons, find love, save the world.” A Reading Group Guide and notes from a Conversation with the Author are included.

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

AUTOMATIC NOODLE by Annalee Newitz (Four Lost Cities, The Terraformers) is a thoughtful science fiction work which received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly (“Newitz packs this tale with simmering action, endearing characters, and political savvy, topping it all off with generous dollops of humor and imagination. It’s delicious.”). Newitz (whose work has won numerous awards including being a Nebula award finalist) meets a high standard with this tale set near San Francisco in the late twenty-first century, post-war between America and California. The main characters are robots named Staybehind, Sweetie, Cayenne, and Hands who each have their own personality and specialty (security; organization; taste; cooking) and they decide to revive a restaurant with the help of a recently homeless human. Robots have some civil rights in the newly independent California and it’s exciting to see them grapple with the start-up issues as well as fake reviews and prejudice against machines. AUTOMATIC NOODLE is the Top Pick for LibraryReads selection for August. At only 176 pages, this is a quick, cozy read and highly recommended, especially for sci-fi fans of books like Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot or Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust or Julie Leong’s The Teller of Small Fortunes.

Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen

MRS. ENDICOTT'S SPLENDID ADVENTURE is the latest historical fiction from Rhys Bowen (In Farleigh Field). She is a personal favorite and a prolific author of novels including The Constable Evans mysteries, The Royal Spyness series, and many featuring Molly Murphy in addition to several dealing with WWII and its impact.  This novel begins in 1938 in Surrey, England and moves fairly quickly to the South coast of France (near Marseille) throughout the war. After Mrs. Endicott’s husband seeks a divorce, she – and a group of “strays” – settle in a charming village whose inhabitants, including many fishermen, are largely self-sufficient. Gradually, Mrs. Endicott and her companions (an older woman with health problems, a kind-hearted cleaner fleeing spousal abuse, and a young, unmarried lass) build a community and start to thrive. Even in this remote area, the war years are predictably difficult, but most everyone (including other English ex-pats, a broad-minded priest, and the head of a nearby monastery), pull together. Mrs. Endicott learns to try new adventures, reflecting, “All my life I've been sensible and reasonable. I've done the right thing, tried to please everybody, but nobody ever tried to find out what I wanted.” Instead of giving into despair, she and the others grow and manage to find happiness. At one point, the abbot advocates prayer: “Why don't you start with three things you're blessed with, three things you're afraid of and finally three things you ask of him? And don't forget to listen, too.” An uplifting story in a beautiful setting. 

The CIA Book Club by Charlie English

THE CIA BOOK CLUB by Charlie English was a LibraryReads selection for July and received a starred review from Booklist. Its subtitle is “The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature,” but a fellow book group member and I agreed that it focuses more (sometimes graphically) on the resistance in Poland. This sentiment was echoed in The Wall Street Journal review which, while praising the book, noted: “The title of Mr. English’s book is somewhat misleading” due to its sole focus on Poland and on its book smugglers, noting that the CIA’s main role was financial support and smuggling equipment. The tales of dissidents and courage seem especially poignant as the world awaits the outcome of meetings on the war in Ukraine. Interesting, too, to note the books which were smuggled and circulated (Camus, Orwell, Vonnegut) in light of recent commentary like David Brooks’ opinion piece “When Novels Mattered.” Ironically, reading the entire text of THE CIA BOOK CLUB would likely be too much for most book group participants, but an excerpt could prompt discussion on international policy and funding cuts, on the role of truth in light of social media, and on domestic book banning efforts. “Literature, together with language, protects the soul of the nation.” ~Solzhenitsyn

An additional reviews is available from The Washington Post (“This true story of CIA book smuggling reads like an Ian Fleming novel”) and a portion of THE CIA BOOK CLUB was published recently in The New York Times (“‘1984’ Hasn’t Changed, but America Has”). 

National Book Lovers Day ...

 A reminder from a dear book group friend (via Sandra Boynton!) ...

 

Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce

DEAR MISS LAKE by AJ Pearce is the final novel in an excellent four book series which began with the award-winning Dear Mrs. Bird. These historical fiction titles should be read in order and are set primarily in London or the English countryside during WWII. Emmy Lake is a major character who becomes an active correspondent for a magazine titled Woman’s Friend.  In the latest book, she is devoting time to an advice column dealing with issues like financial worries, problems with relatives living together, unexpected pregnancies, and unfaithful husbands. In addition, Emmy works with the British government by conducting interviews and profiling the contributions that women like nurses and factory workers make to the war effort, especially on the Home Front. It is all quite upbeat even when she becomes involved in trying to obtain answers about British POWs. Throughout, there is a strong comradery amongst the team (e.g., brother-in-law Guy Collins, fashion editor Monica, young assistant Hester, and stalwarts like Mrs. Shaw and Miss Peters) at the magazine. And, happily, there’s a wedding or two to plan despite the wartime shortages impacting food and clothing. Resilience, resourcefulness, and courage combine again and again in this hopeful, inspiring read: “Tonight as I kiss the glass of the photo frame and wish Charles goodnight, I felt sure he would know I was thinking of him. … ‘whenever you think of me, I will feel it in my heart and be thinking of you too.’” 

Murder in Pitigliano by Camilla Trinchieri

MURDER IN PITIGLIANO by Camilla Trinchieri is book five in a series and a recommended summer mystery read by The Washington Post. The main character is Nico Doyle, a retired American detective who has been rebuilding his life in Italy when 7-year-old Cilia asks him to save her father (Saviero), a fugitive accused of murder. Nico (and his faithful dog named One Wag/Rocco) cannot resist the little girl’s pleas and team up with the local police to look into the murder of Saviero’s business partner. There are a myriad of suspects and motives (necessitating a multi-page cast of characters) and the investigation drags out. It is interspersed with descriptions of food and cooking as well as the dog’s many antics. This was the first title I had read in this series and it worked as a stand-alone. The similarities to Walker’s Inspector Bruno series, however, were many: European setting, emphasis on food (and wine), pampered canine companion, romantic interest, collegiality with the local police and residents and I think that Walker provides a more succinct, engaging mystery.

The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream

THE PECULIAR GIFT OF JULY by Ashley Ream is a charming novel which deals with the idea of family, “everyday magic,” and belonging. The story takes place on Ebey’s End, a small fictional island community near Seattle that is reached by ferry. It is into that interconnected, caring community that July, a fourteen-year-old girl is plummeted after the death of her adoptive mother. Somehow July seems to instinctively know what others need… whether it is Anita, the lonely middle-aged retail grocer with whom July now lives, or Mack, Anita’s eccentric and garrulous father, or Jim, the librarian caring for his disabled sister, or Chet, the local pastor and his teenage son, Malcolm, or Carol and Doc, a couple dealing with being unfaithful to each other. Reading about everyday events allows for developing affection towards July and the island’s inhabitants, making the contrast with the fast-paced and surprising ending even more evident. THE PECULIAR GIFT OF JULY received a starred review from Booklist (“readers will face the dilemma of consuming this book as quickly as possible or limiting pages to slowly savor.”). Ream writes distinctively; here are just a few quotes to recall:

·        “It was raining outside, a heavy drizzle that started in October and marched with head down and shoulders hunched right through April.”

·        “It had taken her an hour to cook dinner. It took almost no time to eat it, sitting alone at the kitchen table.”

·        “But knowing you should say something and knowing precisely what that something might be we're two different kinds of knowing.”

·        “She had a hard time remembering most of what happened during that time period it was like the film in her brain had been corrupted, leaving staticky bits that were almost never things you would want.”

·        “Two months ago, she'd been thinking of getting a cat for company, and now her life felt like an elevator with people coming in and in and in until she was pressed into the corner with nowhere to go and not enough air.”  

Codebreaker by Jay Martel

CODEBREAKER by Jay Martel is an action-packed young adult novel which is highly entertaining. This debut is written by the husband and wife writing team of Andy Bennett and Katy Helbacka. They have created high school age (or slightly older) characters named Mia and Logan who share an amazing adventure after Mia’s mother, a famous journalist, is killed and her father, a renowned cryptographer, disappears. Mia starts to get coded messages from him that readers can participate in solving. They are fun and illustrate a variety of coding types. The action really picks up when a powerful group takes off after Mia and Logan trying to locate a missing “treasure.” The setting is in DC and the city and its history (particularly early post-Civil War times) play a part in the story, too.  In addition to probing possible consequences of economic inequality, an underlying theme is whether the official story is always a true one. CODEBREAKER has already appeared on a number of recommended booklists and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. An excerpt is available on Macmillan website and discussion questions are available through Follett Titlewave.

The Black Family Who Built America

THE BLACK FAMILY WHO BUILT AMERICA is written by Cheryl McKissack Daniel, the award-winning president and CEO of McKissack & McKissack. Her family’s company is America’s oldest minority-owned construction firm and she shares the history of its development, founding, and works throughout the twentieth century until today. However, unlike Invisible Generals or The Warmth of Other Suns, THE BLACK FAMILY WHO BUILT AMERICA is written in a rather dense style, making it difficult to fully appreciate the many anecdotes about “projects like the Morris Memorial Building, Capers C.M.E. Church, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.”

Cheryl McKissack Daniel strives to be inspiring, noting, for example, “Without any hesitation, I said, ‘McKissack will do it!’ That became my motto. If I heard anything that needed to be done, I'd say, ‘we'll do it!’ It didn't matter whether we had any idea how to do it or not. I had a talented staff; I knew we could figure it out.” The multi-generation legacy is quite remarkable and readers can further appreciate the design talent described by Cheryl's twin in this video hosted by CNBC:

The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall

THE LIBRARY OF UNRULY TREASURES by Jeanne Birdsall (The Penderwicks) transported me back to the summer when I was around 10 years old. This is a book geared to 4th through 6th graders and I loved it. So did the professional reviewers at Booklist, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal (“an essential purchase”), all of whom gave it a starred review. The novel tells the story of Gwen MacKinnon; she’s only eleven years old and is sent to live with a distant uncle. Thankfully, he’s a kind man who indulges her fascination with the Lahdukan, tiny, winged creatures who have their own language and live in the local library. Of course, readers need to turn up the imagination factor and accept the rather fanciful adventures – perfect for middle-grade readers. This book is described as a whimsical, heartwarming story with memorable characters and a blend of real and magical worlds. It contains beautiful drawings by Matt Phelan. I especially loved thinking about many of the titles on this list of Penderwicks readalikes. A truly feel good, although totally implausible, story. Birdsall’s devotion to her characters and the story is evident – she says that she wrote this book over eight years. Let’s hope she gives us another funny, brave hero soon! 

Tricks of Fortune by Lina Chern

TRICKS OF FORTUNE by Lina Chern (Play the Fool) is the second murder mystery to feature tarot card reader Katie True. This time, her good friend, Gina, is a prime suspect in the murder of a local cop, Officer Pete. Chern is an Edgar Award-winning author, and I find her stories to be filled with suspense and humor. I had a sixth sense while reading and was gratified to see the author’s note which refers to the real-life case involving Illinois resident Lt. Joe Gliniewicz. Chern adds her own twists and character secrets. She also flashes back to the time when Katie’s eccentric Aunt Rosie, stressing the need to move forward and accept change, first explained how to read the cards. Those chapters are guaranteed to make readers smile and laugh. TRICKS OF FORTUNE works as a stand-alone mystery, but readers will enjoy reading Play the Fool first. As Katie says, “Our brains are wired to look for patterns. You get a bunch of random images, your brain is automatically going to make a story out of it. It's why the cards work. It's not magic, but it's real.” For more on Chern's  perspective on the cards and writing mysteries, see her interview with Chicago Review of Books. 

Guide Me Home by Attica Locke

GUIDE ME HOME by Attica Locke is the third book in the Highway 59 series which began with award-winning Bluebird, Bluebird. No doubt it would have been better to have read the entire series in order, but this one (a selection for one of my book groups) was an engaging, quick read and worked fairly well as a stand-alone. The main character is Darren Mathews, a Black man in East Texas who has just resigned his role as a Texas Ranger. Locke fills in some of the backstory regarding Darren’s dysfunctional relationship with his mother and estrangement with the uncle who raised him. When a young Black girl, Sera Fuller, goes missing from a local college campus, Darren tries to find answers, leading to his harassment by the police force at a company town called Thornhill. As readers try to piece together the events surrounding her disappearance, they are also drawn into the shifting relationship between Darren and his mother. Darren also provides frequent commentary on the current political situation, for example: “He wondered what those kids marching for civil rights, marching against Vietnam, would have made of the country today. Wondered which wounded the soul more, living in a country that had never kept any of its promises or seeing America's capacity for good catch wind and fly for a while, only to come crashing back down.” GUIDE ME HOME is a story full of principle, heartache, and forgiveness. It received a starred review from Booklist (“exceptional writing, pivotal character evolution, and a baffling mystery”). 

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES by Sandra Jackson-Opoku is a brand-new culinary mystery. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karen Chilton – she did an excellent job. I liked the voice, the cozy story, and the clever use of language (e.g., “looking back from the intersection of hindsight and regret…”). This mystery debut is set in Southside Chicago so hearing about familiar locales was fun for me (despite the disparaging remarks about the beloved Cubbies baseball team). The title character is a woman trying to be strong and to give back to her community. She runs her own business, a soul food café based on her great Aunt Essie's recipes. But when a patron dies suddenly, Savvy’s livelihood is threatened, and she (along with her nosy assistant and policemen ex-husband) tries to figure out what happened. Savvy persists, often reflecting on Aunt Essie’s truisms like there are three sides to every story: “her side, his side and the dad-gone truth.” Library Journal gave SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES a starred review, praising its “engaging community of characters.” 

The Satisfaction Cafe by Kathy Wang

THE SATISFACTION CAFÉ by Kathy Wang is a LibraryReads selection for July and was recently recommended by Ann Patchett on a PBS NewsHour feature (see video below). However, I found the story evoked feelings of loneliness and sadness. The main character is named Joan and although she is from Taiwan, she eventually moves to California and becomes the fourth wife to an older, wealthy white man. It feels as though she is constantly denying herself and suppressing her feelings in order to “fit in.” No one is very welcoming; why does she bother? The book moves slowly, although it covers several decades, with her own grown children eventually confronting many of the same issues about belonging and following rules. The title reflects her dream: “Joan wished there was a place she could visit to feel less alone: a restaurant with very friendly servers, perhaps, where she might order a bowl of spaghetti and casually surrender her insecurities. When she was little, she used to daydream of a place she named in her head the Satisfaction Café, which had friendly employees and nice food and pretty toys; even as a child, Joan’s imagination had not stretched to fantastic outcomes but, rather, a reasonable amount of happiness.” That feeling proved elusive and instead of peaceful contentment, a melancholy atmosphere pervades the story. Those who prefer a feel good story will be disappointed.  

Mailman by Stephen Starring Grant

MAILMAN by Stephen Starring Grant is a non-fiction work subtitled “My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home.” After twenty years as a consumer strategist, Grant became a rural letter carrier during the pandemic. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he lives in Blacksburg, Virginia. And he can tell a good story … whether it is delivering a small refrigerator (USPS has a 70 pound weight limit on packages), a Lord of the Rings sword, a special rifle, or finding the magic of Christmas lights in a hollow … He writes gratefully about the other letter carriers who supported him as a rookie and about the citizens/residents along his route. In a recent Wall Street Journal excerpt, he notes, “And yet, somewhere in those early months, change did come. Letter by letter I was learning. I got tougher. I became capable of delivering everything that I loaded into my truck in the morning. The economics of delivering the mail were unsentimental -- paying for my mortgage and groceries cost more than I was bringing in. But out there on Route 3 the job became more than just a financial delaying tactic. I was inhabiting something real, feeling what it was like to be there for people. I had become a mailman.” MAILMAN received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus who described MAILMAN as “A charming book that’s guaranteed to make you think differently about the USPS.” I am so happy that I could share this title with my mailman and tell him how I have a whole new respect for the work he does every day. 

Port Anna by Libby Buck

PORT ANNA by Libby Buck is a gentle story about starting over and second chances. Set in small-town coastal Maine (Port Anna is named for Anna Vale, a long-ago lighthouse keeper), this debut features Gwen Gilmore whose younger sister Molly drowned several years ago. Having lost a teaching position, Gwen decides to move back to Maine and encounters friends from her childhood and youth; later musing that “the defining moments of our lives happen before we turn 18.” She struggles to make peace with past events and to overcome hardship, including housing challenges, while gradually amassing the start of a new life with elements of romance, friendship, protectiveness towards a runaway teen, and developing a shared community at the local high school, her new employer. Throughout the story, Gwen reflects on love and grief and how “You cannot have one without the other. … In the middle of grief, there were also gifts: a smushed loaf of banana bread from a friend who knew she forgot to eat, the caress of a man covered in blue paint, and the skinny girl’s indomitable spirit.” When reviewing this novel, Publishers Weekly said, “Readers looking for a sweet, summery outing … will want to check this out." Overall, PORT ANNA is an engaging, feel-good read enlivened by Buck’s strong affection for Maine, as she says, “I am deeply grateful for its many gifts -- the bounty and diversity of the land and seascape as well as the fascinating, complicated people who call it home.” 

The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO by Adriana Trigiani is a coming-of-age story from a favorite author about Italian American families, culture, and expectations. Trigiani introduces readers to Giuseppina Capodimonte Baratta (called Jess), a recently divorced thirty-something who has moved back in with her parents in Lake Como, New Jersey and handles household chores (e.g., the big Sunday dinner) somewhat resentfully. Jess was not able to go away to college and has worked for her childless Uncle Louie as a designer at his marble and stone importing company. She is finally allowing herself to dream a bit, especially about the trip to Italy that Louie has promised. A premature death thwarts those plans, but Jess perseveres and challenges herself to find independence and forgiveness. Amongst the advice for her: “When adapting to a new environment, be kind to yourself. Making friends and acclimating is a process. Seek comfort and familiarity but set a goal to talk to someone you don't know every day. You will be empowered to form bonds and make friends.” Romance, family history, and a visit to the original Lake Como await. THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO received starred reviews from Booklist (“this may be her best yet”) and Library Journal (“a captivating and memorable read”). Be sure to also look for Trigiani’s debut novel Big Stone Gap (published 25 years ago), Big Cherry Holler, Milk Glass Moon or one of over a dozen other titles she has written.

How the Rich Get Richer by Gabriel Shahin

HOW THE RICH GET RICHER by Gabriel Shahin has a title and subtitle (“Your Ultimate Guide to Building Wealth”) that are sure to attract attention. Shahin is president and founder of Falcon Wealth Planning and has been advising clients for over two decades. His new book has sections on knowing what you want (what purpose does money have for you?) and investing for the long-term. He extols the virtues of choosing a partner wisely, overplanning, and owning a business. In a chapter on “healthy financial habits,” Shahin points to being disciplined, tracking spending, and learning to respect money. There is insight here, too, like the negative emotions (e.g., fear, guilt) often associated with money and also many personal, client or family examples (related to insurance, IRAs, and/or taxes), although the text is simultaneously a vehicle to promote his own firm and philosophies. In terms of recent texts on investing, I would also be curious to see The Wealth Ladder by Nick Maggiulli, recently reviewed in The Wall Street Journal.  

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans is a truly wonderful debut novel, one of the best books of the year so far. The main character, named Sybil Van Antwerp, is in her 70s and readers meet her as well as friends and family members through a series of letters, Sybil’s preferred way of communicating. A former lawyer and clerk for a well-known judge, Sybil writes to and receives letter from her dear friend Rosalie, her ex-husband, her brother Felix, her two grown children (another died at age 8), those involved in her law work, the young son of a former work colleague, her neighbor, and inspirational writers like Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Secrets and traumas gradually peel back and Sybil increasingly sets herself new challenges while also joining others in reflecting on the past: “You are right about what you said - we are thirty in our hearts, before all the disappointment, all the ways it turned out to be so much more painful than we thought it would be, but then again, it has also been magic.” Kirkus describes this intriguing novel brilliantly: “Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life.”  Highly recommended for all, including book groups.

Another favorite quote: it seems you're the only person on this earth who knows me and knowing you are there is a comfort. Has been a comfort, a great comfort, and I will miss that. The things only you knew -- who else will keep my memories … when you are gone?

Infinite Archive by Mur Lafferty

INFINITE ARCHIVE by Mur Lafferty is another murder mystery featuring Mallory Viridian. Set in space, with aliens and humans co-existing, this is the third in the series, after Station Eternity and Chaos Terminal. These novels should definitely be read in order especially because the first two are stronger than the latest installment. The pace here is a bit slower, although there are plenty of twists with a new sentient ship hosting a mystery fan convention while attempting to replicate the entire Internet. A new type of alien is introduced as well as past characters, some of whom actively try to help amateur sleuth Mallory solve the murder of her literary agent.

An Enemy in the Village by Martin Walker

AN ENEMY IN THE VILLAGE by Martin Walker is book 18 in the Bruno, Chief of Police series. This mystery is set in St. Denis, a small village in the Périgord (Dordogne) region of France, a little over two hours southwest of Paris by train. Walker recently appeared at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, DC and commented then on the way Bruno seems to have entered into the hearts of readers around the world. His own affection for Bruno and his many fictional friends (like the mayor, the riding school director, local author, and the doctor) and their families is evident, too; Walker describes this special camaraderie as having “taken on a life of its own which I feel particularly delighted about.” AN ENEMY IN THE VILLAGE has Bruno investigating the apparent suicide of Monique, a local entrepreneur in the real estate and hospitality field. There is also a new romantic interest, Laura, who shares Bruno's interests, especially in basset hounds. And whiffs of internal corruption between the cops and gendarmes, bolstered by the Greens contributing to a misinformation campaign which could harm Bruno. Always full of twisty mysteries, sumptuous food and wine, and adventure in a European setting, be sure to look for titles in this excellent series.