Staff Picks
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A fascinating collection of 12 articles by award-winning and best-selling author Patrick Radden Keefe. He picks as his subjects a wide range of complicated and nefarious characters who he examines with the zeal of the best investigative reporters. Their exploits read like the best mystery thriller novels. Well researched and covering a wide ranging spectrum of subjects such as wine collecting, politics, drug trafficking, Hollywood secrets and more. (Bob)
A great sprawling tale about real life pilot Marian Graves & the actress, Hadley Baxter, who plays her in a film nearly 100 years after Marian's death. Along the way we learn about Marian's difficult start in life, her family in Montana, and her obsession with planes from childhood. We also learn about Hadley's life and how the two women, seemingly so different, share much in common. There are frequent digressions, too, concerning the natural history of Montana & the Graves family & the history of aviation. Plenty of action & great character development makes this a good one for long summer days. (Kim)
The story of the Demarest family told through 3 different time periods in their lives and set mainly in Haven Point, Maine, a small coastal community similar to the one I spent my summers at on the Jersey shore. If you weren't born there or spent the entirety of every summer there, you were an outcast and treated as such. While Oliver Demarest was secure in the folds of Haven Point, his wife and children were not, which causes great stress and major problems for the family as the years go by. A quirky cast of characters, a beautiful setting, and a very relatable family make this a terrific read. (Sue)
Lt. Commander James Reece has a bad feeling about the mission his Seal team has been given from the top brass. When the mission goes off the rails, an incredible tragedy occurs. I wanted to read this book after seeing the first episode of the new series based on it. I was drawn in immediately and was fully engrossed as James adds and crosses out the names on his terminal list. A modern Count of Monte Cristo like tale, this book was an exciting ride of action, totally unscrupulous villains and the strong bonds of friendship. I look forward to diving into the next book! (Lisa)
A thrilling combination of history, personal drama, compelling characters, and suspense that will keep you absolutely riveted from the very first page. Actress Katie Barstow and her husband bring a group of their Hollywood friends to the Serengeti for what they anticipate will be a glamorous, luxurious adventure. Those visions evaporate when their camp is attacked, a kidnapping is botched, and the group is unwittingly thrust into the midst of an international incident. Every chapter of the book offers a different character's point of view, and the backdrop of the Serengeti becomes a character of its own. Bohjalian has a way of immersing you into the landscape and time period he's writing about, and he has done so especially masterfully in The Lioness-I may have been sitting on my couch reading, but almost found myself looking over my shoulder to check for hyenas a few times! The perfect combination of historical fiction and suspense, and the kind of book you can't stop thinking about, even long after you've finished it. (Michelle)
I was instantly invested in this young adult novel by Sci-Fi author T.J. Klune. Nick and his group of friends are in high school when Before becomes After and everything changes. Suddenly there are superheroes in Nova City, and Nick finds himself infatuated with one of them. But what happens when he finds out who is behind the mask? Part of what has endeared me to this author is how he keeps his style of writing the same for both adults and young adults, he simply writes about different topics. His ability to create wonderfully flawed and realistic characters who identify as queer and neurodivergent will resonate with readers of all ages. (Carrie)
I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I thought it was going to be all about this epic annual party at a Malibu mansion, but that turned out to be the secondary plot. The story is really about the Riva family, four siblings, their proud mother, and their deadbeat famous father. It is about their survival, despair, ingenuity, and many twisted relationships. It does culminate in the annual party that the oldest sibling Nina throws at her beach estate, which is everything you think about when you hear about an LA party. A fun, but very poignant read in which I found myself rooting for the Riva's happiness. You will have to read it to see if they get there. (Sue)
The Swans are a seemingly happy and picture-perfect family living in a quiet town near Mobile, AL. That is until a total stranger walks into their lives and shatters the illusion, completely changing the dynamics of all their relationships. Years earlier, before they married, Mac & Edie broke up for a summer. Mac got a job at a marina, met Kat, and fell in love. Kat realized they had no future with him and let him go. Now 19 years later, their daughter Riley, who Mac never knew existed, walks into his doctor's office pregnant herself and nothing will be the same again. Denton is great at writing very relatable stories. I have loved them all. (Sue)
A family saga set at an Earl's estate in 1920's England. WWI has ended, but it's lasting impact runs deep at Castle Braemore and affects all who live and work there. The Earl of Wakeford is in isolation because of war injuries, both physical and emotional. His brother Roland is oblivious as to the diminished state of affairs of the estate and his sister Celia isn't speaking to him. Along comes Bertie Preston, an aspiring artist looking to forge an independent life away from her parents. She has been commissioned by the Earl to paint the castle, it's grounds, and inhabitants, except him. Bertie falls in love with the Earl, his family, and the estate, but can she bring peace and healing to this family? A wonderful depiction of the times and the effects WWI had on the country. (Sue)
Six women travel to a sun-soaked Greek island for a hen/bachelorette weekend to celebrate their friend Lexi's upcoming wedding. The isolated villa they are staying in is surrounded by crystal clear waters, a private beach and incredible ocean views but all is not as it seems for dangerous undercurrents are swirling beneath the idyllic setting. This book was fantastic! The well-written characters were engaging yet complicated. As the layers of their lives were revealed, I was spellbound and couldn't tear myself away! The vivid descriptions of the beautiful Greek island and its surroundings are so exquisite I felt I needed sunscreen to protect my skin and the food made me want to head to the nearest Greek restaurant for a meal. A mesmerizing read about the bonds of female friendship and the deadly consequences a buried secret can cause! (Lisa)
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a career ending foolish act, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Her only companions in her exile are her well stocked liquor cabinet and a pair of binoculars. Her voyeuristic glimpses into her neighbors' lives lead her to save Katherine Royce, a former model, from drowning in the frigid waters of the lake. As she gets to know Katherine and her tech innovator husband, Tom, Casey begins to think all is not as perfect as it appears in their lives. Riley Sager takes us on another psychological suspenseful thrill ride filled with sharp, twisty turns that will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very shocking end. I had a very hard time putting this book down! I highly recommend this addictive, eerie mystery! (Lisa)
Elise King was once a successful and ambitious detective until cancer derailed her career. She now spends her days gazing out her window in the small seaside town of Ebbing, where the tensions are rising due to the weekenders renovating and making changes that rub the locals the wrong way. The conflict reaches a boiling point at a weekend music festival where two teenagers overdose on drugs and a beloved local man goes missing. Like the tangled roots of an old tree, the backstories of these two events lead the reader on a twisted, captivating visit to a small town where secrets and hidden connections run deep. The suspense and clever plot kept me guessing until the very end! Another great mystery from Fiona Barton! (Lisa)
If you’re searching for a book that will warm your heart, make you laugh, and leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling, look no further. This story of gay Uncle (Guncle) Patrick and his niece and nephew who are unexpectedly thrown together for the summer is the perfect antidote for the heaviness of the world. There are undercurrents of seriousness and even some sadness, but the interactions among the book’s wonderfully drawn characters keeps the story moving forward in a beautifully warm and funny way. This one is both insightful and thoughtful, with a healthy dose of humor, and fun characters that I was sad to leave behind when I finished. (Michelle)
This is, at its heart, a story about love and family and forgiveness, and it is populated with wonderfully drawn characters who come to feel like friends. But it also masterfully weaves in a plot line full of secrets and twists and turns that give it the page-turning suspense of a thriller. After reading one particular passage, I did a literal double-take, flipping back to that page to be sure I had read it correctly. A very emotionally satisfying read. (Michelle)
Appearances are deceiving is the theme that runs throughout this psychological thriller, “Golden Couple” Marissa and Matthew seek counseling from an unlicensed therapist with unorthodox and controversial methods. As the secrets they’ve been hiding are slowly unraveled, their worlds begin to collide in unexpected ways. Lots of twists, turns, and flashbacks round out this riveting story-line that will keep you guessing right up until the very end. (Michelle)
I had been having trouble finding a book I was really loving, until I picked up this book. Although on the shelf with romance, Verity is also categorized as a psychological thriller, and in my opinion the thriller aspect is the stronger one. Lowen, a struggling author, has been hired to finish a book series that the original author is unable to finish. It's a job that could skyrocket her career. But while going through the original authors notes on the series she finds a hidden, and devastating manuscript. A departure from the books I usually read, this book absolutely blew me out of the water. Terrifyingly compelling and well written, Verity makes me excited about the authors other works. (Carrie)
An emotional and beautifully written story about how unwilling society is to recognize and discuss any issue deemed 'feminine' in nature. Alex is just a toddler when the Mass Dragoning happens in 1955. Her favorite people in the world are her aunt Marla and her sister Beatrice. When Marla disappears, Alex's mother returns home with Beatrice in hand and new rules for the household. Don't mention the people that disappeared in 1955, don't mention any feminine changes, and definitely don't mention dragons. But what happens when new dragons appear and the old ones come home? (Carrie)
This teen/young adult fairy tale caught my attention right from the first few pages. With elements of legends from her own Persian upbringing, Bashardoust weaves together the unique story of Soraya and her twin brother. Born into the royal family, Soraya, who was cursed at birth to forever have poison in her veins, must watch her twin become leader while she stays hidden in the secret passageways of the castle. A compelling story that stays theme-appropriate for younger readers, this book quickly became a favorite. (Carrie)
Noah Hawley’s work with the Fargo TV series won me over as a fan and he packs a lot into this, his 6th novel. It’s a thriller set in the near future post-covid and a new global nightmare is unfolding with the mysterious deaths and disappearances of teenagers all over the world. What are the causes? Is it environmental? mental illness? drugs? PTSD? or something entirely new? As he jumps from character to character, some good and some very bad, it propels the story forward, as a group of adolescents sets out to fix the world they have been given. Horrific in parts, but hopeful in others, it's fast paced, and loaded with social commentary, that's entertaining and thought provoking. (Bob)
An ordinary family is involved in what seems like an act of random crime, but in this fast paced, twisty novel, nothing is quite what it seems. A self employed court reporter, Jason Bennett has a lovely wife and two beautiful children, but then everything is shattered in one devastating moment. Jason tries to grasp his new reality but instead finds that the once stable ground of his family life keeps shifting beneath his feet. (Kim)