The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Westbury

THE OXFORD GUIDE TO SCANDAL AND LIES by Kate Westbury is a wonderful historical and cozy mystery debut set in the early 1950s.  The main characters are very different from each other: Ginevra Bishop (estranged daughter of a viscount and former debutante, trying to find purpose) and Sidney Braithwaite (former soldier, recovering from wartime emotional trauma) although they are both students at Oxford. It is at the university that they witness the death of a beloved librarian and are recruited by the security services (Rook is their handler) to investigate further. The handful of suspects (both professors and students) provides multiple scenarios for the dual to unravel, all while fighting a romantic attraction.  Westbury’s THE OXFORD GUIDE TO SCANDAL AND LIES was a LibraryReads selection, a September 2026 Indie Next Pick and received a starred review form BookPage (“The chemistry is delightful, the setting is academia personified and the story itself encourages propulsive page-turning―a heck of a debut novel indeed”). Enjoy!

The Devil's Bible by Steve Berry

THE DEVIL'S BIBLE by Steve Berry is the latest novel featuring Cotton Malone, a retired Justice Department agent. I had not read any previously, but I look forward to reading more in this series due to the twisty, relevant plot and exciting action. This story takes place in Sweden (which I now want to visit) where the sister of the King has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. The demand is for The Codex Gigas, a massive (165 pound) medieval manuscript originally created in Bohemia and belonging to Czechoslovakia but plundered by Sweden in 1648. The intent was to return the codex so as to facilitate a positive vote on Sweden’s entry into NATO, but that is now in jeopardy. Russia is suspected being behind the kidnapping and of using an agent close to the royal family. Berry includes some intriguing historical background and spycraft information, but really excels when Cotton; his former boss, Stephanie Nelle; and his girlfriend and former colleague, Cassiopeia Vitt encounter harrowing circumstances (attempted assassination at a circus, intense aerial combat, and gunfighting) and turncoat agents in their efforts to find the princess and deliver the bible. THE DEVIL'S BIBLE received a starred review from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly says, “Cotton’s narrow escapes and larger-than-life heroics are as outlandish and thrilling as ever.” If you are looking for mystery and adventure, try this.

Hunter's Heart Ridge by Sarah Stewart Taylor

HUNTER'S HEART RIDGE by Sarah Stewart Taylor (Agony Hill) is the second in a mystery series featuring state police detective Frank Warren and his neighbor Alice Bellows set in 1965 Vermont. It is the start of deer season when Warren and his assistant, Pinky Goodrich, are called to the Ridge Club, an exclusive hunting club, due to what is first presumed to be an accidental shooting death. Soon an early blizzard arrives, and the two police officers are marooned at the club, with plenty of likely suspects (diplomats, soldiers, and businessmen who have known each other for over twenty years) and even more weapons. Although Warren seems out of his depth at times and his questioning of suspects is rather repetitive, Taylor adds suspense due to the dangerous storm, discovery of another body, and an unexpected childbirth. She clearly cares for these characters, flaws included, and their tense, edgy adventures are likely to appeal to readers who enjoy works by Elly Griffiths, Ann Cleeves, and Jane Harper.

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”). 

Snoop by Gordon Korman

SNOOP by Gordon Korman is a fun, middle school read. I picked it up because I have such fond memories of Korman’s books, particularly Toilet Paper Tigers. This newly published novel features 12-year-old Carter Peregrine who broke both of his legs in a skiing accident. In an effort to avoid total boredom (and stay connected to classmates) he starts following local surveillance cameras and even hacking into some. There are, of course, several hilarious moments, but the limited qualms regarding surveillance and Carter’s use of a drone without permission subtract from the appeal as an adult reader. Rebellious pre-teens will likely be enthralled and relate to the endangered animals which Carter keeps spotting. SNOOP was positively reviewed with Publishers Weekly describing it as “fast-paced, rollicking contemporary homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.” 

The Sisterhood by Liza Mundy

THE SISTERHOOD by Liza Mundy is subtitled “The Secret History of Women at the CIA” and Mundy writes that “this book tells the story of one of the biggest transformations in CIA culture, from a male dominated institution where women were seen as typists and sexual playthings to one where women propelled some of the agencies most important successes.” Mundy, a bestselling author and an award-winning journalist, has written previously about the contributions of women in unusual, potentially dangerous occupations (Code Girls). This lengthy tome (480 pages) is also thoroughly researched; at least fifteen percent is devoted to detailed notes and an extensive bibliography. Plus, over 100 interviews were conducted. Those stories are what really capture the readers’ attention. They are split into three parts: The Assessment of Men; Ladies Doing Analysis; and Getting Their Guys, each of which has multiple chapters. As just one example, Mundy chronicles the career of Lisa Manfull, a diplomat’s daughter who spoke numerous languages and was recruited after graduation from Brown in 1966, hired at a GS level below her male counterparts, and faced significant resistance and discrimination, even from other women at the agency. Her “housewife cover” offers a fascinating look at operations in Europe and Africa during the Cold War as well as her own struggles to establish a career in balance with her marriage. THE SISTERHOOD received starred reviews from Booklist (“every page is electric with revelations”) and Kirkus (“a vivid, compelling, and important book”).

The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris

THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris (Sold on a Monday) is an historical fiction novel that occurs in the first half of the twentieth century. The main character, Fenna Vos, is introduced as a talented magician who idolizes and mimics Houdini while eventually having a chance to aid British intelligence during WWII. There are multiple flashbacks to 1928 when Fenna lived with her widowed immigrant father near a copper mine on Michigan’s upper peninsula. It is a lonely life and her one true friend is a young man named Arie Jansen. Eventually, they are reunited and hints of a romance form even as they struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and both work to help the Resistance in Europe. At almost five hundred pages, the book is long and its pace could be increased, but McMorris shares a moving and suspenseful story filled with numerous realistic details about life in the US during the Depression, London during wartime, and dangers associated with espionage efforts. THE WAYS WE HIDE, written by an award-winning author, is a LibraryReads selection for September 2022. 

Vera Kelly is not a Mystery by Rosalie Knecht

Don't you like this colorful and secretive cover? VERA KELLY IS NOT A MYSTERY by Rosalie Knecht is a great choice if you are looking to escape in time (it is set in 1967/1968) or place (to the New York City area and the Caribbean). Knecht, author of Relief Map and Who is Vera Kelly? returns with a second mystery featuring Vera, a former CIA operative. This time, Vera loses her girlfriend, Jane, and her job so, a bit despondent, she turns to work as a private investigator. The case which intrigues her involves a hunt for a young boy from the Dominican Republic whose missing parents threatened the dictatorial regime. The story is told largely through a noir-ish internal monologue from Vera: “I walked up to her unsure what to say. There was a great deal, but there was also very little.” Vera’s voice and her reflections on the 1960’s – in terms of both international relations and obstacles for women – are bitingly insightful. Paired with potential kidnapping, car chases, and dangerous deceptions, the result is a literary mystery to savor. I am already looking forward to the next in this underappreciated series.