A Year on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball

Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget have been friends for many years. After Bridget's husband passes away, they decide to leave their lives in Baltimore, and buy together an old fixer-upper in rural Virginia. They arrive in the spring, full of optimism about being able to do each of their passions--Bridget-cooking, Lindsay-art, and Cici-being handy around the house. Despite the tranquil life, the women's resolve is tested as the home needs more and more repairs--and their bank accounts dwindle. Their agreement was to live there for a year, then re-assess the situation. As the year draws to a close, will they go back to their previous lives or stay put?

Eddie’s Boy by Thomas Perry

Michael Shaeffer is living a quiet life in England with his wife when some men break into his home to kill him. Knowing that his past has intruded on his life once again, Michael takes care of the situation and flees to Australia to regroup and think about who is trying to eliminate him this time. Growing up, Michael was taken in by Eddie Mastrewski after his parents died and he learned to become a skilled contract killer. After Eddie’s death and his own marriage, Michael retired, although periodically, over the years, Michael still has to take care of old business. Eddie’s Boy takes the reader on Michael’s journey to eliminate the threat so he can go back to his peaceful life. Interspersed throughout the book are Michael’s recollections of growing up with Eddie and his training to become a hit man.

The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson

At 64, DI Hulda Hermannsdottir will be retiring at the end of the year from the Reykjavik police department. When her boss, Magnus, tells her that she actually has to retire right now, she is stunned, because her job means everything to her and she doesn't know what she will do with all the time she will have. Hulda is is able to get Magnus to agree that she can work two more weeks on a cold case of her choosing. Hulda knows just the case she will work on--the death of Elena, an asylum seeker from Russia who died less than two years ago. As she begins to investigate, Hulda realizes how much a colleague botched the original investigation, and there is little doubt that Elena was murdered. Will Hulda be able to wrap up the case in the time she's been given? The Darkness is the first book in the Hulda series. The series is actually a trilogy that will go backwards in time, with the next book taking place twenty-five years before this one. I really enjoyed The Darkness and look forward to reading the other books.

Save Me From Dangerous Men by S.A. Lelchuk

Nikki Griffin is a private detective. She also owns a bookstore and practices her own brand of vigilantism against men who abuse women. She is hired by Silicon Valley CEO Gregg Gunn to follow an employee Gunn believes is stealing information from the company. As Nikki observes the employee, Karen Li, she notices that Karen acts more like someone who is scared rather than an errant employee. Soon, Nikki is involved in something that puts her in great danger--and she knows that she has limited time to figure out the puzzle of what Gunn is really involved in before people lose their lives. Save Me From Dangerous Men is the debut of a new series and doesn't disappoint--an intriguing main character, engaging story and a solid sense of place. I can't wait for the second book when it's published in the spring.

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

When Alice sees a man sitting on the beach all day outside her home, she begins to worry. After talking to him, she realizes he's lost his memory and has no idea who he is. While in London, newlywed Lily fears her husband, Carl is missing after he doesn't come home from work. In an alternate storyline set in 1993, the Ross family arrives at the cottage they rent every summer in Ridinghouse Bay in East Yorkshire. Teenager Kirsty meets a man named Mark whom her older brother, Gray, takes an immediate dislike to. It soon becomes clear that all is not right with Mark and his feelings for Kirsty. I Found You explores the lives of Alice, Lily, and the Ross family, with the reader wondering how the storylines will intersect.

Deception Cove by Owen Laukkanen

Mason Burke has just gotten out of prison after fifteen years and the first thing on his agenda is finding out how the dog he trained in prison is doing. The dog, Lucy, lives with former U.S. Marine Jess Winslow, who fought in Afghanistan. Jess, alone after her husband's death--and with many battle scars--finds Lucy a great comfort. But when Mason arrives in Deception Cove, Jess is in trouble with the crooked local police, who are after her because her husband took something that belonged to them, and they want it back. However, Jess doesn't know what they want or where it is. Mason figures he will hang around and help Jess out, but for the authorities it's a matter of life or death. Deception Cove is the first book in a new series by author Laukkanen and is a great bet for readers of Nick Petrie, Robert Crais, and the Nick Mason series by Steve Hamilton.

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen

Poppy is the air-raid warden in her village of Little Buffenden and spends her evenings patrolling the area and making sure everyone is ready if the sirens go off. However, when two young women are murdered, she turns detective, questioning many in the village and teaming up with American pilot Griff O'Neal to discover the killer before anyone else comes to harm. Suspicions falls on the men who reside at the American air force base nearby, but Poppy believes the murderer is one of their own. This mystery is the first in the Poppy Redfern series.

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

Lawyer Mickey Haller is charged with murder after the body of Sam Scales, a former client, is found in the trunk of Haller's car after a traffic stop. Mickey knows he was framed, but by whom? Defending himself against the charges isn't easy, since he is in jail awaiting trial, which takes a toll on him both mentally and physically. With help from his half-brother (Harry Bosch), his family, and legal team, Mickey fights to clear his name and get his life back.

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

When Kerry Salter learns that her grandfather is dying, she travels on her Harley back to Bundjalung country. She plans to stay a short time, but when her family learns that there is a plan to build a prison on ancestral land, they know they have to band together to stop the development. Kerry's aims are to tolerate older brother, Ken, help her nephew Donny, and stay out of prison. However, the Salter's are a dysfunctional mob who fight and play hard. Will they be able to save Ava's Island? Too Much Lip won Australia's top literary prize, the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2019, and is a vivid, realistic picture of contemporary Aboriginal Australian life.

Murder in the Margins by Margaret Loudon

Bestselling author Penelope Parish has a case of writer's block, so she decides to accept the position of writer-in-residence at the Open Book bookstore in the village of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. She's enjoying her time in England and getting used to the British way of life, such as brewing the perfect cup of tea. When local resident Regina is murdered at Worthington Fest, Penelope is asked by fellow author Charlotte Davenport to investigate. Charlotte is the American fiancée of Arthur Worthington, Duke of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke, and feels that everyone in town already hates her for snatching up Arthur. She hopes that Penelope, as a fellow American, but one whom people like (and who is on Charlotte's side), will be able to find the killer. Penelope agrees to help out, but wonders what she really knows about how to investigate a crime. Murder in the Margins is the enjoyable first book in a new series by Margaret Loudon, who also writes under the names Peg Cochran and Meg London.

Three Little Truths by Eithne Shortall

Martha has moved with her family to Pine Road in Dublin after a traumatic event occurred while living in Limerick. She simmers with hate for her husband, Robert, because of his reaction to said event. Another resident of the block, Edie, longs to have a baby with her spouse, Daniel, but it never seems like the right time. While Robin has moved back into her childhood home with her young son, Jack, after a failed relationship. Three Little Truths tells the stories of Martha, Edie, and Robin, and some of the other residents of this block, where everyone seems to know (and want to know) everyone else's business.

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

It's summer and Amanda and Clay are looking forward to a week away with their son, Archie and daughter, Rose. They've rented a house in a remote area of Long Island. On their second day there, the owners of the home--G.H. and Ruth--arrive, saying that a blackout has happened in New York City and asking if they can take refuge at their home. With a media blackout and no cellular service, the group is in the dark about what's really going on, but it doesn't look good. Leave the World Behind explores all the characters' reactions to the situation and their interactions with each other in a unputdownable story. Similar in feeling to Bird Box and in character development to Lake Life and also a great choice for book clubs.

The Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

In Hampstead, the lives of the Fours family and their neighbor Owen Pick collide when teenager Saffyre Maddox goes missing. A few years ago, Saffyre was a patient of child psychologist Roan Fours. His wife, Cate, secretly looked at Saffyre's file, because she (incorrectly) suspected Roan of having an affair with her. Saffyre herself has recently been secretly keeping tabs on Roan and his family. Owen, meanwhile, has just been put on leave from his job as a teacher because of complaints from students, and has drawn suspicion from Georgia Fours, the daughter of the family, because she felt he was "weird." When the police become involved, Owen finds himself in even more trouble. In The Invisible Girl, author Jewell explores the everyday lives of the Fours, Owen Pick, and Saffyre Maddox--their secrets, suspicions, and lies--as she takes us on the journey to discover what really happened to Saffyre. 

Dear Child by Romy Hausmann

When a woman is hit by a car with her daughter nearby, the authorities believe she could be Lena Beck, who went missing thirteen years ago. The daughter, Hannah, accompanies her mother to the hospital, and slowly the police realize that Hannah has lived her whole life away from the world, locked up along with her mother and younger brother, Jonathan. As both Hannah and the woman she refers to as her mother tell their story, there are more questions than answers, frustrating all involved--especially Lena's father, Matthias. Lena and Hannah might also still be in danger, even though a man believed to be Hannah's father was found dead in the cabin where they were kept. In Dear Child, author Hausmann keeps the reader guessing until the last pages are turned.

The Searcher by Tana French

Cal Hooper has retired from the Chicago Police Department and has moved to the remote town of Ardnakelty, on the west coast of Ireland. He spends his days mostly in solitude, rehabbing the home he has purchased and listening to music. Then he realizes that he is being watched, and soon uncovers the culprit--a teenager named Trey. Trey wants Cal to find out what happened to his older brother, Brendan, who disappeared six months ago. Cal doesn't want to get involved, but agrees when he realizes that Trey won't leave him alone until he agrees. Cal has to watch himself because everyone knows everyone else's business in this small town and, as a newcomer, he's not sure of whom he should be wary. On top of that, Cal is also concerned  that his investigation could bring trouble from Dublin. The Searcher is a leisurely-paced, finely-detailed story of a man who was looking for the quiet life in a small town, but found something else.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and Joyce make up the Thursday Murder Club at the Coopers Chase Retirement Village. They meet in the Jigsaw Room under the pretense of discussing Japanese opera, figuring this will keep others away. When one of the owners of the retirement village, Tony Curran, is murdered, the group is thrilled to have real case to work on, rather than cold cases from the past. They also charm PC Donna De Freitas and DCI Chris Hudson to share information with them. The Thursday Murder Club is a humorous cozy that hopefully will become a series.

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant

 French-born Sophie is a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York. When her career is sabotaged by a jealous ex, she is devastated. Then her grandmother becomes ill and she travels to the family's chateau near Toulouse to be with her. When Sophie was a teenager her mother and grandmother stopped speaking and Sophie has not been back since then, although she does have great memories of spending time there every summer when she was a child. In fact, it was her grandmother who taught Sophie how to cook and nurtured her passion for food. The Secret French Recipes of Sophia Valroux recounts Sophie's journey to get her confidence back, reunite with her grandmother, and maybe even find love.

Bear Necessity by James Gould-Bourn

 Danny's son Will hasn't spoken since his mother, Liz, was killed in a car accident a year ago. Danny also misses Liz immensely and wishes there was some way to help Will start to heal. With his landlord pressuring him for rent that is a couple of months overdue, and having just lost his job, Danny wonders how he can dig himself out of the financial hole he's in. With nothing really left to lose, he decides to dress up in a panda costume to earn money as a street performer in London. He is stunned that one day Will talks to the panda not knowing that it's his dad, Danny, inside. How can Danny tell him of his identity and will Danny make enough money to pay his back rent and support himself and Will? Bear Necessity is a touching and humorous story about a father and his son.

The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

 At 85, Eudora Honeysett believes she is done living and wants to go out on her own terms. She starts to make plans to travel from her home in London to a clinic in Switzerland to make that happen. However, when 10-year-old dynamo Rose moves in next-door, Eudora finds herself enjoying spending time with her. Another neighbor closer to Eudora's age, Stanley, also joins them on their adventures. Slowly, Eudora begins to question her decision to end her life. Interspersed throughout the novel are scenes from Eudora's life--from growing up during World War II to the loves of her life and her relationships with members of her family. Despite the somber underlying theme of one's choice to end their life, the book is quite humorous at times. For readers who enjoyed The Story of Arthur Truluv and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning

Bostonian Kate Kirby is asked to write a magazine article about the Cheapside Hoard, a large amount of jewelry from the 16th and 17th centuries which were found in 1912 by workmen excavating a cellar in London. As a jewelry historian, Kate is excited about being able to see some of the collection up close since most of it is off-view. As she views the jewelry, Kate notices that it's similar to some drawings her great-grandmother Essie had in her possession. Kate wonders if there is some connection between the jewels and her family. In an alternate storyline, it's 1912 and Essie lives in poverty in London with her mother, brother, and three sisters. The family is barely able to make ends meet when her brother, Freddie, happens to be one of the workers on a job site where a large amount of jewels are discovered. The Lost Jewels follows Kate on her journey of discovery. A great read-alike for Jennifer Robson and Fiona Davis.

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

In 1840, governess Evangeline Stokes is sent from England to Van Diemen's Land (the island of Tasmania) because the lady of the house believes she stole a ring that was actually a gift from Evangeline's lover, the family's adult son. The many-months journey to Australia on an all-female prisoner ship is harrowing because of the elements, overcrowding, and lack of proper hygiene and food. While on the ship she meets teenager, Hazel, whose midwifery and knowledge of herbs in treating ailments is prized by many. The Exiles recounts the journeys of Evangeline and Hazel, along with the story of Mathinna, a young aboriginal girl. Mathinna, along with other aborigines, has been forcibly moved to Flinders Island. The wife of the governor of Tasmania spots her and decides that Mathinna would make the perfect project and takes her back to the family's home in Hobart. There Mathinna struggles to adjust to a way of life that is foreign to her and feels isolated and alone. A heartbreaking story that deserves to be told and read by many.

Atomic Love by Jennie Fields

It's 1950 in Chicago and Rosalind Porter works the antique jewelry counter at Marshall Field's after a traumatic exit from her job working on the Manhattan Project. When FBI agent Charlie Szydlo asks her to report on her former lover, British scientist Thomas Weaver, Rosalind is hesitant, even though Weaver left her heartbroken and was probably responsible for Rosalind losing her job as a physicist. Szydlo believes that Weaver is working for the Russians and giving them secrets about the atomic bomb, so getting information from him is extremely important to the American government. Rosalind's life becomes more even complicated when she realizes she has feelings for Charlie. Atomic Love tells the story of Rosalind's life both past and present, with a great sense of place for mid-century Chicago. A great read for those who enjoy Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig.

Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney

Pete Riley and his partner, Maddie, are stunned to discover that two-year-old Theo is not their biological child. Theo is actually the son of Miles and Lucy Lambert, who have been raising Pete and Maddie's son, David. The boys were switched sometime after their births, when both where transferred to a different hospital because they were premature. Miles explains that he would like both families to get to know one another and be in each other's lives. Soon, however, Pete and Maddie realize that Miles is controlling and is very keen to play a big role in Theo's life, since there are a lot of things David can't do because of developmental issues. Their lives become a nightmare as they face financial ruin and the fact that they might lose Theo to a monster who resorts to violence when he doesn't get what we wants. A novel of domestic suspense that's hard to put down.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

In 1913, Laura Lyons lives with her aspiring-novelist husband, Jack, and two children in the main branch of the New York Public Library, a perk of Jack's job as the superintendent. Laura has her heart set on attending the school of journalism at Columbia University, if they can just find the money for tuition.  Once she does, Laura begins writing about women's rights in the city. However, there have been a series of thefts of valuable books at the library and the family comes under suspicion. An alternating storyline tells the story of Laura's granddaughter, Sadie, who in 1993 has a position at the same library in the rare book room. Sadie has kept her family connection to the library secret, but when books again go missing, Sadie feels she needs to delve into the past to see if there's any connection between the crimes in order to save her reputation, the precious books, and her job.

Dead West by Matt Goldman

Private detective Nils Shapiro is hired by wealthy Beverly Mayer to check in on her grandson, Ebben, who lives in Los Angeles. Beverly is afraid that Ebben is squandering his inheritance. The sudden death of Ebben's fiancee Juliana, has made Beverly even more concerned. Minneapolis born and bred, Nils is not used to the California lifestyle, but he does take a liking to Ebben. When Nils realizes that Juliana was murdered and that the real target was Ebben, he decides that he needs to get to the bottom of the case. Dead West is the fourth book in the Nils Shapiro series and is very similar to the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben.

The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen

In 1973, when Joanna learns that her father, Hugo, has passed away, she returns to Langley Hall, the estate that had been in her family for many generations until her father had to sell it after World War II. Even after that,  Joanna grew up in the gatekeeper's lodge on the property. While going through Hugo's belongings, Joanna finds a letter her father wrote in 1945 to a woman named Sofia Bartoli in San Salvatore, Italy, which was returned to sender. Intrigued, Joanna decides to travel to Tuscany to see if Sofia is still alive and to learn about her connection to Joanna's father. Once there, Joanna is taken under the wing of a widow named Paola, who begins to teach her about all the wonderful food of the region. However, a cloud hangs over Joanna's visit,  because it seems that someone would like to keeps the secrets of the past buried. An alternating storyline in the novel tells the story of Hugo's and Sofia's relationship during the war when he crash landed in San Salvatore and Sofia nursed him back to health. Another enjoyable historical novel from author Bowen.

The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell

Adrian is in mourning for his wife, Maya, who recently died. Maya was his third wife, and he has great relationships with his two previous wives and his five children from those marriages. In fact, they all acted like one big happy family, even going on vacations together. However, Adrian finds out that someone was secretly sending horrible messages to Maya before she died, saying that the family hated her and wanted her gone. Did the messages come from someone in the family or a person close to them? In The Third Wife, the reader follows Adrian on his journey to discover the truth--and learns the reasons he finds himself  thrice-married and now alone. This Lisa Jewell book from a few years ago is more relationship-focused than her most recent books of psychological suspense.

The Survivors by Jane Harper

A pall has been cast over the town of Evelyn Bay, Tasmania since the day twelve years ago when teenager Gabby Birch disappeared and two residents died in a storm--including Kieran's older brother, Finn. Kieran has now returned to Evelyn Bay with his girlfriend, Mia, and baby daughter, Audrey. They are there to help his mother, Verity and father, Brian, pack up the family's home. Brian and Verity are moving to Hobart to place Brian in a nursing home because of his dementia. When recent resident Bronte is found dead on the beach, the authorities and residents wonder what happened. For Kieran and all those in the town, Bronte's death brings the memories and hurt of the past immediately back to the surface. Will the town of Evelyn Bay be able to heal and uncover what really happened twelve years ago and to Bronte? The Survivors is the latest novel by best-selling author Harper. I admit that I had really, really high hopes for this one since her book, The Lost Man was one of my favorite books of last year. This one seemed to be a leisurely-paced re-tread of that book. Let's hope she's back on track with the next novel. The Survivors will be published in February.

Lake Life by David James Poissant

The Starling family is gathering for one last weekend on Lake Christopher in North Carolina before their vacation home of more than thirty years is sold. The group includes Cornell college professors Richard and Lisa, their two sons Michael and Thad and their respective partners, Diane and Jake. However, a tragic accident on their first day causes tensions and secrets to come to the surface. A poignant, sometimes uncomfortable, yet lingering exploration of family and relationships, perfect for readers of Stewart O'Nan, J. Ryan Stradal, and Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.

The Yield by Tara June Winch

August Gondiwindi comes home to Australia from England after her grandfather, Albert, passes away. Her Aboriginal family has lived along the Murrumby River in rural New South Wales for many generations. Even though she's been gone for ten years, August finds not much has changed, except that a mining company has taken over a lot of the local land which is forcing August's grandmother, Elsie to move. The Yield recounts August's memories of growing up and the trauma of her sister, Jedda, going missing when they were young--never to be seen again. In addition, the story of Albert's life is told through the use of a dictionary, in which he was compiling words in the native Wiradjuri language. A third point of view in the novel is from German Reverend Ferdinand Greenleaf who lived in the area for over thirty years, beginning at the end of the 19th century. A novel of injustice and brutality that reminds us again of the wrongs that white Australia has perpetuated on its native people.

Fast Girls: a Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team by Elise Hooper

Fast Girls traces the lives of three female track and field Olympians in the 1920's and 30's. There's Chicagoan Betty Robinson, country girl Helen Stephens, and Louise Stokes, an African-American from Ohio. Filled with lots of personal details about their everyday lives, as well as the politics and social realities surrounding three Olympic games during a volatile period in world history, the novel is an engrossing read which makes the reader want to delve more into the lives of these three women (but don't start researching until you've finished the book).

The Distant Dead by Heather Young

Who would have wanted middle school teacher Adam Merkel dead? Not having completed even one school year in the small Nevada town of Lovelock, Adam wasn't well known by anyone. He had taken student Sal under his wing, and Sal was the one to alert the authorities to the murder scene. In addition, fellow teacher Nora Wheaton had gotten to know Adam a bit, and now feels compelled to help discover his killer. In The Distant Dead, the reader follows both Sal and Nora in the time before Adam's death and after in this dark leisurely-paced yet compelling novel that is reminiscent of the writing of Lou Berney.

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

When Mallory Blessing meets her brother Cooper's college friend, Jake McCloud, she's a"complete goner." Mallory lives on Nantucket in an oceanfront cottage she inherited from her Aunt Greta. Jake is visiting with Cooper over Labor Day weekend in 1993, and when Mallory and Jake find themselves alone for the weekend, they become romantically involved. However, it turns out that Labor Day weekend is the only time they will spend together annually for almost thirty years, despite their deep bond. Jake lives in Washington D.C. and has had an on-again, off-again girlfriend--driven lawyer Ursula de Gournsey--while Mallory loves island life and can't imagine ever leaving Nantucket. 28 Summers recounts Mallory's and Jake's lives over all those years. Author Hilderbrand is in fine form. A great beach read that I had a hard time putting down.

Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson

Pregnant by her high school art teacher, Izzy Poole decides to join the Infinite Family Project because of the stability it will provide her and her newborn son, Cap. The project is the idea of Dr. Preston Grind and billionaire Brenda Acklen. Basically, ten families with babies agree to live together for ten years and raise the children communally, with the kids not knowing who their real mothers and fathers are for the first several years. Izzy finds herself fitting in well with the rest of the parents, but starts to develop feelings for Dr. Grind. Not surprisingly, cracks begin to form in the relationships between other participants, too. Will Dr. Grind succeed in his vision of forming lifelong bonds, i.e. families made of people who aren't related? Perfect Little World is an intriguing story about an unusual community and the moral compromises that keep it together.

On Deadly Tides by Elizabeth J. Duncan

Penny Brannigan is on a painting holiday on the Welsh island of Anglesey when she discovers the body of Jessica Graham. Jessica was a reporter from New Zealand who was in Wales to write a story about actor Bill Ward and investigate the disappearance of a fellow Kiwi. Could Jessica's murder have something to do with the stories she was working on? On Deadly Tides is the latest book in Penny Brannigan mysteries series. It will be published in November.

500 Miles from You by Jenny Colgan

When Lissa, a nurse who lives in London, witnesses a deliberate hit and run, she can't move on from reliving it over and over in her mind. After it's proposed that Lissa do a job exchange with another nurse, Cormac, that resides in the village of Kirrinfief in Scotland, she agrees. Slowly, Lissa is able to heal and embrace the peacefulness and quirkiness of small town life. By phone and online, she finds herself confiding in Cormac--and he in her. As they develop feelings for each other, they start to look forward to meeting in person. Will their encounter live up to their expectations? 500 Miles from You is the third book in the Scottish Bookshop series.

Watching You by Lisa Jewell

Someone has been murdered in the well-to-do village of Melville Heights. Several people in the town are off-kilter or have something to hide. There's newlywed Joey, who is obsessing over her older neighbor Tom Fitzwilliam. Tom's teenage son, Freddie, has been documenting the activities of others, especially teenage girls Jenna and Bess. Jenna's mom spends all her time convinced that people are "gang stalking" her and peppers Jenna with questions about things having been moved in their home. In Watching You, Jewell details the lives of Joey, Freddie, Jenna, and Tom and their families as they collide in violence. Another novel by Jewell that's hard to put down...

The Second Home by Christina Clancy

The Gordon family has had a summer home on Cape Cod for generations. Ann and her younger sister, Poppy, look forward to travelling there each summer with their parents from their home in Milwaukee. When the girls are in their teens, the family adopts Michael, who is the same age as Ann. As the children near adulthood, the family becomes fractured and the vacation home is no longer a place of happiness and refuge, but rather of conflict and division. Will the Gordons eventually be able to all come together again? The Second Home is a great read-alike for the novels of Jamie Brenner and Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.

Lying in Wait by J.A. Jance

Detective J.P. Beaumont and his new partner, Sue Danielson, are called to the scene where a boat was set ablaze with the owner inside. The dead man turns out to be Gunter Gebhardt, whose wife Else attended high school with Beau. Who tortured and killed Gunter? Beau and Sue both wonder if his death had something to do with his cheating on his wife or perhaps his ties to Nazi Germany. In Lying in Wait, Jance writes another enjoyable entry in her long-running J.P. Beaumont series. (This is book twelve of the series and was first published in 1994.)

The Silence by Susan Allott

In London, Isla Green gets a phone call from her father in Sydney. He tells her that the police have questioned him about a neighbor who went missing thirty years ago. She decides to return to Australia because she can sense that her father, with whom she's always been close, needs her. Isla remembers the neighbor, Mandy, because Mandy babysat Isla when Isla was young. The Silence tells the story of Isla's parents and Mandy and her husband, Steve, in the late 1960's when they lived next door to each other, along with the contemporary story of Isla trying to uncover what happened to Mandy three decades ago. A great choice for those who like books about family relationships with a suspenseful edge.

The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths

For the past two years, after leaving her job at the University of North Norfolk, Ruth Galloway has been a professor at Cambridge University where she lives with her boyfriend, Frank, and daughter, Kate. She finds herself drawn back into helping the Norfolk police, especially DCI Harry Nelson, when convicted killer Ivor March tells Nelson he will divulge where two other women whom March is suspected of murdering are buried, but only if Ruth will do the excavation work. Ruth ends up finding two sets of remains at the site, as well as an older set of bones. In The Lantern Men the reader follows Nelson, his team, and Ruth in their journey to uncover who is responsible for the deaths. This latest book in the Ruth Galloway series will be published next month.

The Other Family by Loretta Nyhan

Ally is desperate to help her daughter, Kylie, who has an autoimmune disorder. Ally decides to do a DNA test to see if the results will help them discover if there is an unknown health issue that could be causing Kylie's problems. Ally had a great childhood with her adopted mother, Sophie, who brought Kylie and Ally into her home after Ally's separation from her husband, Matt. Sophie, however, is not happy about Ally's decision to take the test, feeling threatened about Ally possibly having a relationship with her birth family. When Ally does find them, will it enrich her life or cause more pain? If you enjoy novels about relationships and are looking for a new author, give this one a try.

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight

Lizzie is contacted by law school classmate Zach Grayson to represent him. He's been arrested for assaulting a police officer after finding his wife, Amanda, dead in their home. Zach knows that he's the prime suspect in Amanda's murder and might be soon facing charges. In A Good Marriage, the reader accompanies both Lizzie on her journey to uncover Amanda's killer and follows Amanda's life in the wealthy Brooklyn neighborhood where she lived the week before she died. It seems almost everyone involved has many secrets to hide... A page turner that's hard to put down.

The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

Liza, Maggie, and Tricia are the daughters of famous American writer William Sweeney. When he passes away, they reunite at the family home in Connecticut to sort out his affairs. Liza, the oldest, lives with her husband, Whit, and their teenage twins. Middle daughter Maggie is an artist who has floundered as an adult. Youngest Tricia is a successful lawyer in New York. While mourning their father and trying to unearth his memoir (due to his publisher), the women learn that they have another sister, Serena, whom William learned about a month before he died. The Sweeney Sisters is the story of the four over the course of a summer as they come to terms with the secret, bond, and move forward. An engaging novel, perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and readers who love novels about family relationships.

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

When reporter Jack McEvoy is interviewed by the LAPD as a possible suspect in the murder of a woman he dated once, his interest is piqued and he decides to look into the case. Jack discovers that her death might be connected to several other women's, since all were killed in a similar way and they had also all undergone genetic testing with the same company. The police want Jack to stop investigating and let them do their job, but Jack continues on with the help from a colleague and ex-FBI agent Rachel Walling. Soon, they find themselves involved with a far bigger case and foe than they could have ever imagined... Fair Warning will be published later this month.

One Last Lie by Paul Doiron

When Charley Stevens disappears, Mike Bowditch is worried. Charley has been a second father and mentor to Mike. Mike's concerns become even more grave when he discovers a letter written to him from Charley, explaining that there's something from Charley's past that he needs to take care of, and that Mike should not come after him. Mike disregards Charley's wish, knowing that Charley probably wants his help. One Last Lie recounts Mike's journey through the wilds of Maine to help his friend. A worthy addition to this long-running mystery series. It will be published next month.

The Last Flight by Julie Clark

Claire and Eva both have reasons for wanting to disappear, so when they happen upon each other at the airport, they decide to take the other person's flight. However, when one of the planes crashes, the danger they thought they were leaving isn't far behind. A great read-alike for The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, The Passenger by Lisa Lutz and Peter Swanson. It will be published in June.

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman

Scott and his wife, Lisa, win a raffle for a four-day vacation to Fripp Island in South Carolina. They decide to invite Lisa's best friend from childhood, Poppy, and Poppy's family to accompany them, since Poppy has been such a help to Lisa's mother, Carol, as she recovers from cancer surgery. Scott, Lisa, and their two daughters, Rae and Kimmy, lead an upper class lifestyle, while Poppy, her husband, John, and their two children, Ryan, and Alex, have had to struggle financially. The House on Fripp Island recounts the story of the vacation through the eyes of the two families, but with a dark undertone. The reader knows that one member of the group will die by drowning, which the authorities determine was accidental, but was actually murder. Recommended for those who enjoy stories that explore family relationships. It will be published in June.

The King's Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal

A serial killer is on the loose in wartime London, and the press have nicknamed him "Jimmy Greenteeth." The police are eager to have Maggie Hope help them with the case, since she was instrumental in putting the murderer Nicholas Reitter behind bars. Maggie wants no part in it and spends her free time drinking excessively, while being part of the official group that defuses Nazi bombs around London. However, as Jimmy Greenteeth claims more victims around the capital, Maggie is drawn into a web of murder yet again.

Hide Away by Jason Pinter

After her husband's violent death, Rachel Marin moves with her two children to Illinois from Connecticut. Since his passing, Rachel has become strong physically, in addition to not being afraid to take justice into her own hands. When the former mayor, Constance Wright, is found dead in what appears to be suicide, Rachel contacts the police to let them know that she believes Constance was murdered. Rachel then insinuates herself into helping investigate the crime when she believes the lead detectives, John Serrano and Leslie Tally, are getting off track. However, Rachel's involvement might put her family in harm's way yet again... A good read-alike for Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield series.