HOURS
CONTACT US
At the start of this riveting Gilded Age mystery, a man is dead. What happened? One thread of the story follows his sister Janie in her quest for answers; another details his courtship of his wife five years earlier. With a compelling combination of historical detail, strong characters, and intricate plot, The English Wife will grab you immediately and keep you guessing until the shocking end. Lauren Willig‘s latest novel is darker than her previous works, but so worth a read.
All posts by Current Picks
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (2010)
In this intriguing page-turner, Elly Griffiths introduces forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway. A professor at the local university, she finds herself called into a murder investigation by the police when a child goes missing and bones are uncovered in the remote marshy area where Ruth lives. During the course of the investigation, Ruth grows closer to Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson.
The edition of The Crossing Places I read previewed the first two chapters of the second book in the series, The Janus Stone. Griffiths managed to hook me into that story too. I’m longing to learn more about forensic archaeology, curious to discover what lies beneath the reclusive Ruth, and of course, anxious to see how the relationship between Ruth and Harry will evolve.
None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio (2015)
I. W. Gregorio’s novel chronicles the struggles teens can face growing up intersex through the eyes of character Kristin Lattimer. After homecoming, Kristin has relations with a fellow teen only to discover her worst nightmare: her body isn’t what she thought it was. None of the Above is a story of discovery, bullying, and ultimately acceptance of ourselves and others. It also serves as a reminder to always be kind: you never know what someone else is going through.
Audiobook Narrator Spotlight: Bahni Turpin
If you are an audiobook listener, chances are you are already a fan of Bahni Turpin, even if you don’t realize it yet. Narrating over 100 audiobooks, Turpin has set herself up to be one of the best narrators, and she has the awards to prove it. With her clear pronunciation, mastery of accents, easily distinguishable character voices, and immersive storytelling, Turpin brings emotion and life to any book. Though she has voiced a wide range of characters, her melodious voice is, in my opinion, perhaps the best I’ve heard for young African-American female characters. No matter the character, genre, or author, you will never be disappointed with Bahni Turpin at the mic.
Here are some of our favorite audiobooks narrated by Bahni Turpin:
- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016): Read Jez’s review of the audiobook here and listen to a sample of Turpin’s award-winning narration of The Underground Railroad audiobook here.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017): Read Luella’s review of the book here.
- The Muse by Jessie Burton (2016): Read Jennifer’s review of the book here.
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett (2009): Read Joan’s review of the book here.
- The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (2016): Read Jez’s review here.
Rooster Bar by John Grisham (2017)
Four students at a substandard law school where fifty-percent of the graduates don’t pass the bar the first time, come to the realization that they are massively in debt with student loans in the six-figures and no job prospects on the horizon. They decide to take matters into their own hands and pass themselves off as lawyers without finishing school. Picking up clients outside of courtroom doors, the students think they are in the clear, but soon their scheme starts falling apart. It’s all fun and games trying to avoid the local police, the FBI, and a whole bunch of bad guys in John Grisham‘s newest legal thriller, The Rooster Bar.
Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (2016)
At the beginning of this compelling novel, a private plane crashes 16 minutes after takeoff from Martha’s Vineyard; only 2 (of 11) people survive. The rest of the story alternates between the investigation of the crash and the stories of those on board leading up to the crash (we get a chapter from the perspective of each person on board).
Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley writes a compulsively readable novel, revealing bits of information until you unravel what happened and why. Before the Fall is an excellent choice for a book group, inspiring discussions about truth, technology, the media, and flawed characters.
A Question of Identity by Susan Hill (2012)
In Yorkshire, a suspect is acquitted of murder following very uncertain testimony by an eyewitness. He is placed under identity protection due to the heated response of the local community, and ten years later Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler of Lafferton is confronted with first one, then a second brutal murder of elderly women under circumstances similar to the Yorkshire case.
In Susan Hill’s A Question of Identity, the reader follows the case development with the police superintendent as well as the views of the suspect and a lonely hermit who wanders and watches. Find previous books in the series on Goodreads, plus check out my recent reviews of The Betrayal of Trust and The Risk of Darkness.
Wagging Through the Snow by Laurien Berenson (2017)
Do you love dogs? Christmas? Murder mysteries? Stop right there! Wagging Through the Snow, the latest installment of Laurien Berenson’s Melanie Travis series, is just what you’ve been looking for. Melanie is hoping for a quiet Christmas this year with her family and six dogs (five of them standard poodles, of course), but her family has other plans when her brother buys some cheap property for his joint business with Melanie’s ex-husband. Reluctantly roped into helping out, Melanie discovers more than she bargained for: a cute little Maltese dog—and his dead owner under a tree.
Find more Christmas mysteries at the library.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (2016)
Natasha is a girl who believes in science and facts and she’s got far bigger problems to deal with than falling in love. Daniel is an incurable romantic who puts his faith in fate and poetry. The two teens couldn’t be more different, but when they keep crossing paths, they learn that they may have more in common than they first thought.
Alternating chapters between the two characters, with interspersed sections written from an omniscient narrator about the teens, their families, and the universe, this beautifully written YA book tackles big issues like deportation, second-generation immigrants, familial expectations, racism, and the existence of love and fate. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon will make you cry tears of sadness, joy, and laughter, and leave you feeling a little glow in your heart.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (2016)
Short chapters alternate among three young evacuees in East Prussia during the winter of 1945. A fourth voice also fits into the storyline. Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred are aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff when it is hit by a Russian torpedo and quickly sinks. The story leads up to this moment when life-changing decisions are made. We get to know, love, and understand the differing life circumstances that have brought these characters together from all over Eastern Europe at a crucial time in the war.
Ruta Sepetys has a talent for drawing tears from her readers and little known stories from history. Between Shades of Gray exposed the tragic story of the Lithuanian prisoners in Siberia with the same drama and sensitivity that she tells this story of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. The epilogue in Salt to the Sea adds another poignant note to this moment in historical fiction.