The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader

When Clara's and Abbie's mother BettyKay dies, they are united in grief. The sisters felt loved by both their parents and had a happy childhood growing up in Iowa. When movie star Kitty Devereaux shows up at BettyKay's funeral, Clara and Abbie are confused and have lots of questions, especially about how Kitty knew their mother. The Sunshine Girls follows the story of Kitty and BettyKay meeting in nursing school in 1967 and follows their friendship over the years. This storyline alternates with the contemporary story, mainly dealing with a secret that BettyKay revealed to Clara before she passed away that threatens to upend all the characters' lives. The book is notable for being set during the 1960s-1980s time period, which is uncommon in historical fiction.

My Favorite Books of 2022

Here are the five books I enjoyed most this year.

In alphabetical order, by author:

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

Purely delightful--English village setting, lively characters, and an engaging plot. What more could one ask for?

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

A disquieting page turner that still resonates with me almost a year later.

The Net Beneath Us by Carol Dunbar

A novel about loss, perseverance, and acceptance by first-time author Dunbar.

Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett

Hartnett packs a lot of plot and memorable characters into her novel, yet the book doesn't feel stuffed, just perfect. That's the sign of a really great writer.

Tally Stick by Carl Nixon

Kiwi author Nixon creates an intriguing puzzle that kept me turning the pages.

The Heartwood Hotel by Kerry McGinnis

In the outback town of Tewinga, Lyn runs the local shop with her husband, Adam. Her aging father, Tiger, owns the pub. Lyn grew up in Tewinga and came back with Adam when it became obvious that Tiger needed help running the place. Lyn also longs for a child to complete their family, but it hasn't happened yet. Tiger has a young man, Max, that works for him, and Lyn has taken Max under her wing as almost a surrogate son. Soon, however, family secrets and crime come into the lives of Lyn, Adam, and Tiger. The Heartwood Hotel explores what life in small town Australia is like--the friendships, the sense of community, and also the isolation.

The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights by Kitty Zeldis

In 1920's Brooklyn, wealthy Catherine's life is shaken when she finds out she was adopted. Her birth mother, Bea, has moved from New Orleans to New York and, with the help of a detective, tracked Catherine down. Catherine also suffers greatly from not being able to have a baby--sometimes, the great love she and her husband Stephen have for each other doesn't seem like enough. Meanwhile, Bea, with the help of young Alice, who is a gifted seamstress, have opened up a dress shop that is turning out to be successful. The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights recounts the lives of Catherine, Bea, and Alice as resentments, secrets, and finally healing come to the surface. An enjoyable story, perfect for readers of Beatriz Williams, Fiona Davis, and Lynda Cohen Loigman.

The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne

Sloan McPherson works part-time for the Lauderdale Shores Police Department as a diver looking for evidence and helping recover bodies from the local rivers and canals. As a single mom with a good relationship with her ex, Sloan is also working towards in PhD in archaeology. When she discovers a body one evening on a dive, Sloan finds herself entangled with criminals, in addition to those in authority. Teaming with ex-cop George Solar, along with help from her father and even her imprisoned Uncle Karl, Sloan tries to get the bad guys behind bars and keep herself and her daughter safe. The Girl Beneath the Sea is the first book in the Sloan McPherson series.

Before She Was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney

Clemmie, now living in a retirement village in South Carolina, thinks that she's left her past far behind. When her next door neighbor Dom disappears and a dead body is found in his garage soon afterwards, Clemmie fears her past--that she's worked very hard to conceal--will soon be uncovered. Clemmie, not knowing whom to trust, must go to all lengths to keep the life she is now living intact. Before She Was Helen reminded me of the novels of Hallie Ephron.

Sometimes People Die by Simon Stephenson

A young doctor who is the unnamed narrator of the story has taken a job at St. Luke's Hospital in London after being suspended for stealing opioids at his previous job in Scotland. St. Luke's is a facility that is underfunded and where the staff is stretched to the limit. When patients begin dying under mysterious circumstances, the main character becomes the prime suspect because of his background. Sometimes People Die recounts the narrator's effort to clear his name while trying to find out who's responsible for murder. Taking place over the course of a year and told in the narrator's cynical style, it's a slow burn.

Paradise Valley by C.J. Box

Cassie Dewell, Chief Investigator for the Bakken County Sheriff's Department in North Dakota, is extremely close to capturing the serial killer nicknamed the Lizard King. However, he gets away and Cassie ends up losing her job. When Cassie finds out that one of her son's friends, Kyle Westergaard, has gone missing near the time that the Lizard King was in the area, she becomes concerned for Kyle's safety. Cassie agrees to go look for Kyle as a favor to Kyle's grandmother, Lottie. Does this mean that Cassie will finally be able catch the Lizard King once and for all? Paradise Valley is the fourth book in the Cassie Dewell series and shows Cassie's transition from being a member of the police force to private investigator.

The Inn at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods

After Nell's best friend, Megan, passes away from cancer, Nell travels from London to Vermont to spend two weeks in the small town that held a special place in Megan's heart. There, she is to scatter Megan's ashes--and then participate in a bucket list of activities that Megan has chosen for her. Megan also figures the trip will be a diversion from Nell's recent heartache. Nell becomes enchanted with Tansy Falls and the people who live there, especially forester Jackson Quaid. Soon, however, Nell will be back in England, so what's the point of pursuing a relationship with Jackson? That is, unless Nell decides to follow her heart, make a major life change and stay in Tansy Falls.

A Ghost of Caribou by Alice Henderson

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter is hired to see if there are any mountain caribou living in the Selkirk Wildlife Sanctuary in Washington State. A volunteer thinks that she saw one in the area, so Alex will spend some time there to try and get concrete evidence of the animal's presence. After Alex arrives, the body of a Forest Service employee is found in the center of the closest town, and Alex learns of an older woman who went missing in the area over a year ago. The authorities ask Alex to keep a look out for any of the woman's possessions that Alex might come across as she does her work in the wilderness. In addition, there have also been tensions between environmentalists and loggers that Alex finds herself in the middle of. It's no surprise that, soon, Alex's own life is in danger. In this third book in the Alex Carter series, Henderson immerses the reader in the flora and fauna in the area while also continuing the story of the very likable Alex.

Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson

In 1996, when sixteen-year-old Frankie meets Zeke at the local pool, she feels an instant bond with him. Zeke is living at his grandmother's house for the summer because his parents are having problems in their marriage. Bored, with nothing really to do in the small town of Coalfield, Tennessee, Frankie and Zeke create some art with the saying "The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us." They make the art into flyers and paste them all around town, charting the locations they've placed the flyers. All this they do anonymously. Frankie and Zeke realize though that others are putting up flyers too--or are saying that they have been kidnapped by those that created the saying. The town of Coalfield is soon in a panic that becomes famous worldwide. Can Frankie's and Zeke's relationship withstand all that's happened? An additional storyline is set in 2017, in which a reporter who contacts Frankie saying that she believes Frankie was responsible for the saying twenty years ago. Will Frankie finally reveal her role?  What has Zeke been doing for the past twenty years? I had very high expectations for this latest novel by Kevin Wilson, having loved his last two books, but it just didn't work for me. I did enjoy the 2017 storyline more than the 1996 one, which I felt did not have enough plot or character development.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Mika Moon is a witch who lives a solitary life in Brighton. When she's contacted about taking a job in Norfolk as a tutor for three young witches to help them learn and control their magical powers, she decides to take the position. The girls--Rosetta, Terracotta, and Altamira, live at Nowhere House with Ian and his husband Ken, housekeeper Lucie, and librarian Jamie. The girls' adoptive mother, Lillian, is an archeologist who spends her time travelling the world, leaving Jamie in charge of parenting duties. The household members are quirky and welcoming to Mika, except for Jamie and Terracotta who resent her presence. Slowly both begin to warm to Mika, especially Jamie, and it's obvious to all of a possible romance. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is charming first novel full of humor, love, and togetherness.

Small Game by Blair Braverman

Having grown up off the grid, Mara now works at a school teaching people how to survive in the outdoors. With her experience, she figures that joining a reality show called Civilization could be something she would do well at. The five contestants have to live six weeks in the elements, getting their food only from the land and being able to choose only one item or tool to possess. Anyone who makes it until the end receives $100,000. The game starts with the contestants jumping out of a helicopter into a lake near where they contestants will live. Soon, Mara begins to get to know the others. Daily life is tough, food is not easy to find, and the experience begins to wear on all involved. One morning, the group awakes to find the camera crew gone--they have been abandoned in the wild. Will the contestants be able to get out alive? Small Game creates a great sense of place for living in the wilderness and slowly builds into a novel that's hard to put down.

Foster by Clare Keegan

In the early 1980's a young girl spends the summer with relatives on her mother's side of the family. Her mother is due to give birth soon and having one less child at home will be a blessing. The unnamed girl bonds with both John and Edna Kinsella and takes to helping them around the farm and the chores of daily life. As the summer ends and the girl goes back home, the trio's lives are emotionally changed. Another powerfully charged novella from author Keegan.

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

In 1985, when teenager Theo and his older sister Sarah are involved in a car crash in which the other passenger, Misty Zimmerman, dies, the lies they tell that evening affect them for the rest of their lives. In Signal Fires, the reader follows Theo, Sarah, their father Ben, neighbor Shenkman and his young son, Waldo over the next thirty-five years. Sarah moves to California, marries, and has a extremely successful career in Hollywood, yet she is an alcoholic. Theo wanders the world until he finds a career as a chef that makes him happy. Shenkman and Waldo, meanwhile, struggle with their relationship because Waldo doesn't live up to Shenkman's expectations. It's been fifteen years since we've had a novel by Dani Shapiro and I'm glad she's returned to fiction. Give to readers who enjoyed What Could be Saved, Ask Again, Yes, and The Dearly Beloved.

The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg

In this third book of Berg's Mason series, the reader is introduced to the members of the Confession Club, a group of women who meet weekly to chat, eat, and possibly reveal something that's been bothering them. The club's meetings are woven throughout the novel as we follow the lives of the characters who have been featured in the previous books in the series: Maddy, Nola, Iris, Link, Tiny, and Monica. A slighter series entry, with not as much of a plot as the first two.

The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

Sara Glikman is ten years old when she makes her first match. On the boat coming to America in 1910, Sara sees the connection between her older sister, Hindel, and fellow passenger, Aaron. Three months later they marry. Since Sara is so young and is unmarried, she has to do her matchmaking in secret, because she doesn't want to anger the group of shadchans (professional Jewish matchmakers) in New York. After Sara passes away in 1994, her granddaughter, Abby, is given the journals and scrapbooks Sara kept of all her matches. In alternating storylines, the reader sees both Sara and Abby move through their lives. Sara, as she finds love for others and herself. Abby, as she realizes that she has the same gift as her grandmother. Will she use it or continue in her career as a divorce lawyer? The Matchmaker's Gift is an engaging story. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and multigenerational family stories should seek this one out.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with his dad, Ethan. It's been three years since he's seen his mother, Margaret. Margaret, an Asian-American poet, left the family in order to keep Bird safe. For the last ten years, the United States has lived under PACT--the Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act. People whom the government have deemed unpatriotic have had their children taken away, and crimes against and anger at Asian-Americans is at an all-time high. To protect Bird, Margaret disappeared and has cut off all regular contact. Now Bird (called Noah, to shield him more), yearns to be reunited with his mom. When Bird receives a letter that he knows is from Margaret, he sets out to find her. Our Missing Hearts gives the reader a lot to ponder, especially with the current state of divisiveness in the country. A great companion to A School for Good Mothers.

C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton

Kinsey is hired by Bobby Callahan because, nine months ago, someone tried to kill him by forcing his car off a bridge. Bobby survived, but his friend and passenger, Rick, was killed. Bobby had major injuries and memory loss after the crash, but is convinced that the person who wanted him dead is still after him. Bobby has no idea of who it might be, but is hoping that Kinsey can figure it out. Then, three days later, Bobby dies in another car accident. Kinsey, though, is determined to bring the culprit to justice.

Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg

In this second book of the Mason, Missouri series, the reader catches up with the characters from book one and meets new ones. Lucille has moved into Arthur's home and teaches baking classes that are extremely popular. A new family now lives next door and Lucille gets to know Abby, Jason, and Lincoln after Abby becomes ill. Transplanted Bostonian Iris feels right at home in Mason, despite holding regrets about her failed marriage. She develops a bond with her neighbor Tiny, and encourages him to follow his heart in pursuing a waitress, Monica, who has feelings for Tiny too. A humorous and light continuation of the series.

The Net Beneath Us by Carol Dunbar

When Elsa's husband, Silas, is critically injured in an accident, she finds herself unmoored. With two young children and living in an unfinished house that Silas was building himself, Elsa worries about the hard work of living on her own in rural Wisconsin, especially with winter coming. Sila's uncle and aunt, Ethan and Luvera, are happy to help Elsa any way that they can, but Elsa grew up wealthy and in a much different atmosphere than the one in which she now lives, which adds to Elsa wanting to keep her distance from them. The Net Beneath Us recounts a year and a half in the family's lives as they all become accustomed to how their lives have changed. With memorable characters and a great sense of place, this is one of my favorite books that I've read this year. Read-alikes include Wildwood by Elinor Florence and Tin Camp Road by Ellen Airgood.

Badlands by C.J. Box

Cassie Dewell has accepted a new job as the Chief Investigator for Bakken County in North Dakota. The area is in the middle of a population boom because of all the oil being drilled there. Along with an influx of commerce is an increase in crime, so Cassie will be busy. Cassie's boss, Jon Kirkbride, also believes that there is someone in the department who is working with the criminals, feeding them information. When a drug shipment and a large amount of money go missing after a car accident, there's an uptick of violence. Local teenager Kyle Westergaard unknowingly brings danger to his family when he finds something at the scene and brings it home. Will Cassie be able to keep Kyle safe and bring some justice to town?

Cutters End by Margaret Hickey

Detective Mark Ariti travels from Adelaide to the outback because a colleague wants him to look into the case of Michael Denby. Denby died thirty years ago and the death was considered suspicious, but no one was ever charged. Mark grew up with two young women, Ingrid and Joanne, who were in the area around the time of Denby's death and it's figured that a personal connection might help get answers about what happened to Denby. Mark also has the help of local constable Jagdeep Kaur. In Cutters End, Hickey creates a great sense of place for the desolate and harsh landscape in addition to creating interesting characters and story. A fabulous addition to Australian crime literature. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

 The Thursday Murder Club quartet of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim decide to delve into the case of reporter Bethany Waites. Bethany was presumed dead ten years ago when her car was seen driving off a cliff. They get close to journalist Mike Waghorn (who was Bethany's good friend at the time she disappeared), in hopes that Mike will help lead them to cracking the case. In addition, Elizabeth find herself in a quite a spot. As a former spy, someone wants her to commit a murder for them. If Elizabeth refuses, the person, nicknamed the Viking, will kill Joyce. How will Elizabeth get herself out of this situation and keep Joyce safe? In this third book of the Thursday Murder Club series, Osman doesn't disappoint with his light-heartened humor and memorable characters.

A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan

Morgan Carter owns a bookstore in Door County, Wisconsin. She is also a cryptozoologist in her spare time, searching for creatures that people say exist, but have never been proven (e.g., Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster). The police chief of Washington Island, Jon Flanders, hires Morgan to consult on the deaths of two men who were found with the same injuries in the waters near the island. The authorities have hit a dead end on what could have caused the men's deaths. Morgan is excited to be working on the two cases, wondering if there really could be a creature in the area. Soon, however, her involvement puts herself and those around her in danger. A Death in Door County is the first book in a new cozy mystery series and is a fun diversion for those familiar with the Door peninsula.

Wake by Shelley Burr

 Private investigator Lane Holland contacts Mina McCreery because he needs the sizable reward money that solving her sister Evie's disappearance will bring in. Evie disappeared as a child almost twenty years ago on the family property in a remote part of New South Wales. The unsolved case still holds the public's interest which, along with the trauma of not knowing what happened to Evie, makes it hard for Mina and her father to move on. Mina slowly begins to trust Lane and opens up to him about details of the case, but might Lane have another reason he is so eager to solve the case? Wake is a great read-alike for Jane Harper and Scrublands by Chris Hammer.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

In 1952, Elizabeth Zott works as a chemist at the Hastings Research Institute, where she meets Calvin Evans, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. They soon fall in love. Lessons in Chemistry recounts their relationship, the birth of their daughter, Madeleine, and the creation of the cooking show "Supper at Six" that Elizabeth becomes famous for. Filled with humor, quirkiness, and a main character who refuses to let society's rules hold her back, it's a unique read.

The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson

After her boyfriend breaks up with her, Libby moves to London. On bus route 88, she meets pensioner Frank, who tells Libby that he's been routinely riding that route since 1962, hoping to meet again a woman who changed his life. They were probably going to have a date, but Frank lost her phone number, which was the only way he could contact her. Libby decides to help Frank find the woman, putting up flyers with the help of Frank's carer--mohawk-clad Dylan. Will Libby and Dylan be able to find her before Frank is moved into a retirement home due to his memory issues? And what about the burgeoning relationship between Libby and Dylan who discover they have feelings for each other? The Lost Ticket is a delightful second novel by Freya Sampson. For readers of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

Desert Star by Michael Connelly

Renee Ballard is now head of the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit, charged with working cold cases. She has convinced retired detective Harry Bosch to join her team. Bosch is very interested in looking into the murders of the Gallagher family. It's a case that he worked on when he was still with the force, but wasn't able to get enough evidence to charge Finbar McShane, the man Bosch believed was guilty. Ballard also wants Bosch to help with the case of Sarah Pearlman, the sister of Councilman Jake Pearlman, who was killed in 1994. Desert Star recounts Ballard's and Bosch's journey as they attempt to solve both of the cases. It will be published in November.

The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair

Business is good for the owners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau (Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Miss Iris Sparks), but they are dragged into solving a murder once again when a dead body--first assumed to be Iris--is found in Iris' apartment. In order to clear her name, Iris, along with a very reluctant Gwen (who is trying to gain back custody of her young son and needs to be above reproach) try to uncover the murderer. Another very enjoyable entry in the Spark and Bainbridge series.

The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander

 After Jess' grandmother dies and she loses her job as a librarian, she's ready for a change. She falls in love with Ivy College in the small English village of Middlemass and impulsively buys it. Jess has enough money tucked away to take some time off and decide what she wants to do next. When Jess learns that a red telephone box is part of the property she bought, she opens up a lending library for the people in the village using the many boxes of books that her grandmother bequeathed to her. Soon, Jess is feeling part of the local community and has made many friends, but as time ticks away Jess is finding it hard to find a job nearby. Will she have to leave Middlemass and move to the city? And what about her infuriating handsome neighbor, Aidan, with whom Jess has made a point not to get involved? A great read-alike for Jenny Colgan and Felicity Hayes-McCoy.

The Boys by Katie Hafner

Quiet and introverted, Ethan is thrilled when co-worker Barb is interested in him too. They soon marry and, in the months before the pandemic, Barb brings home twins Tommy and Sam to become part of their family. Both Ethan and Barb had decided they wanted children, so the boys are a welcome addition. Ethan takes to fatherhood almost obsessively--homeschooling the boys, worrying about their eating habits, and then taking them on vacation without Barb. We, as the reader, know from the first page of the book that something happened on that vacation to cause Ethan to be banned for life from travelling ever again with the company that organized the tour. What could have occurred? The Boys recounts Ethan and Barb's relationship, along with that fateful trip, in a quirky story of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. A great read-alike for Kevin Wilson.

Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen

In wartime London, Josie finds herself homeless after her home is destroyed by German bombs. Her husband, Stan, has already been called up and is headed to Africa. As she recuperates from a broken collarbone, Josie ends up in the small village of Sutton St. Giles, living at the estate of a woman named Miss Harcourt. At first, Miss Harcourt makes Josie feel quite unwelcome, but as Josie makes herself useful helping out around the house and eventually opening up a tea room for the local residents and the soldiers who live at the local military base, Miss Harcourt's resentments begin to ebb. In addition, Josie finds herself becoming part of the community and realizes that she is quite enjoying country life. Josie also begins to develop feelings for a pilot stationed at the base, but, being a married woman, she must put them aside--even though her marriage is not a good one. Where the Sky Begins is another enjoyable historical novel by Bowen and and is a great read-alike for those missing the novels of Maeve Binchy.

My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni

It's been twenty years since Seattle police detective Tracy Crosswhite's younger sister, Sarah, disappeared. Edmund House was convicted of the crime and sits in prison, even though Sarah's body was never found. Tracey has a lot of doubts about House's guilt, even though he served time before Sarah went missing. She has also spent a lot of time going over the documents from House's trial. Then Sarah's remains are discovered and Tracy figures this is the perfect time to try and find out who killed her--except that there are those who would like the case to stay closed. My Sister's Grave is the first book in Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series. It's been 15 years since I've read a book by Dugoni (Damage Control) and after reading this one, I wonder why it's been so long.

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

When Annie discovers her husband, Max, is having an affair with Ellie, a young waitress who works at their restaurant, it's the last straw. Done with turning a blind eye to his philandering, Annie tells Max she wants a divorce and moves to the seaside village of Willow Bay. Annie will be the winter tenant at Saltwater Nook, a home right on the beach. Saltwater Nook is owned by Mari, an older woman who cannot care for the property anymore. It will probably be sold soon by Mari's nephew, John, to make room for new flats, which has drawn the ire of some in the village. John is also worried about Annie living there, even more so when he sees that Annie has opened up the shuttered tearoom on the property, which is now doing a brisk business. Anger and sparks fly between Annie and John, but a relationship would be complicated, since Annie decides she would like to buy Saltwater Nook. Can Annie counter the high offer the developers have made? A Season for Second Chances is a charming novel, with a great sense of place, humor, and memorable characters. A great read-alike for the recent Nora Goes Off Script and for those who enjoy books about small English villages.

The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel

Meena is a photographer who travels around the world for stories and doesn't have a permanent home. When Meena inherits a lovely old apartment in the Back Bay of Boston from someone she doesn't know, she wonders why she was given this generous gift. Meena, still struggling with the unexpected deaths of her parents who adopted her when she was a baby (even though they passed away many years ago), sees the apartment as something to sell and move on. The other inhabitants of the building, though, won't let her go that easily. As Meena learns, everyone in the building descends from men who came from India to study at M.I.T. in the early 20th century. The Candid Life of Meena Dave is filled with loads of Indian culture and history. A delightful, multi-layered story of learning to belong and heal.

Hatchet Island by Paul Doiron

Maine game warden Mike Bowditch accompanies his girlfriend, Stacey Stevens, to Baker Island. Stacey received a message from her friend, Kendra, who is the project manager for the Maine Seabird Initiative on the island. When Mike and Stacey arrive, they find Kendra and her two interns, Garrett and Hillary, weary and concerned. The head of the research on the island, Maeve McLeary, has been missing for two days. In addition, they are being threatened by several locals. It's not long after that violence comes to the island and Mike finds himself trying to unravel who's responsible. Hatchet Island is another solid addition to the Mike Bowditch mystery series, featuring a great sense of place on the islands of Maine.

The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark

Aspiring journalist Kat has been waiting ten years to break the story of con woman Meg Williams. Kat discovers that Meg is back in Los Angeles and Kat wants to get close to her to try to uncover Meg's latest con. Kat blames Meg for something that happened to her all those years ago and Kat figures that exposing Meg will boost her career, in addition to making Meg pay. As Kat and Meg spend time together, they both begin to really like each other, but can either woman really trust the other, since both of them are not telling the truth? The Lies I Tell is the second suspense novel by Julie Clark and is a great read-alike for Lisa Lutz's The Passenger and Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry.

The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand

After a bad breakup, Lizbet Keaton relishes the challenge of being the general manager of the newly-refurbished Hotel Nantucket. She also hopes the hotel will be awarded the five key rating from the Hotel Confidential blog, which is the accolade that the billionaire owner of the hotel, Xavier Darling, is striving for. However, the staff come with their own baggage and the ghost of Grace Hadley inhabits the hotel. Grace, a maid at the hotel in 1922, was murdered there during a fire. She doesn't want to leave until someone realizes that her death was not an accident. Will the staff be able to put their personal issues aside and achieve perfection when Shelly Carpenter, the writer of Hotel Confidential, secretly makes her visit? With vivid descriptions of a Nantucket summer, this was a breezy read.

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

People keep to themselves on their daily train ride from Hampton Court to London's Waterloo Station. That changes on the day that Piers is saved from choking to death by Sanjay, a nurse. Both Iona and Emmie had tried to dislodge the grape that was stuck in Pier's throat before Sanjay came to the rescue. The four then get to know each other with teenager Martha and lawyer David joining their group. Soon, all are there for one another in moments of triumph and sorrow. A tale of friendship in all it's quirky glory, similar to The Last Chance Library and How Not to Die Alone.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Nora makes a living writing made-for-TV romances. When she sells a screenplay based on the breakdown of her marriage to be made into a feature film, she figures she can finally get out of debt. Another plus is that the movie will be filmed at her home in upstate New York, bringing another influx of cash. However, when leading man, Leo Vance, says he will pay Nora $1,000/day to just hang out at her house for a week, she finds the offer hard to refuse--except in that week, Nora falls hard to Leo, and he for her. In addition, her two children, Arthur and Bernadette, bond with Leo. Can Leo and Nora find happiness or has Nora just opened up her heart to be broken again? Nora Goes Off Script is a light and fun romance with memorable characters and setting. A great read-alike for Gil McNeil and Katie Fforde.

Deep Water by Emma Bamford

Newly married, Virginie and Jake decide to buy a boat and sail the Indian Ocean. When someone tells them about an uninhabited island called Amarante, they decide to go there. It turns out that others have also made it their temporary home—an Aussie named Roly (and his dog, Gus) and a Canadian couple, Stella and Pete. Right after Virginie and Jake arrive, wealthy Vitor and his girlfriend Teresa show up. Virginie and Jake had briefly met Vitor and Teresa on the mainland. Things are going fine at first, but the reader knows that soon the situation will somehow turn violent, leaving Virginie and Jake fighting for their lives--thanks to a first chapter that has the duo being rescued by the Royal Malaysian Navy and a traumatized Virginie saying "It's all my fault. I killed them." What really happened on Amarante? A beach read that's hard to put down.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are female assassins who have worked for forty years for an organization called The Museum. While on a cruise celebrating their retirement, the four women realize that someone is trying to kill them. Soon, they discover that it's coming from The Museum. The friends then do some investigating of their own to find out who wants them dead and know that the only way to be free is to eliminate the threat. Killers of a Certain Age is a fast-paced read with lots of action, snappy dialogue, and engaging characters that I hope to see again. It will be published in September.

Treasure State by C.J. Box

Private detective Cassie Dewell is hired by Candyce Fly to find the man that conned her out of millions of dollars. The previous detective on the case went missing in the small town of Anaconda, Montana, so Cassie figures that's a good place to start her investigation. The other case that Cassie is working on involves trying to uncover the identity of the person who hid "Sir Scott's Treasure," a treasure that has people from all over trying to find it. Cassie has actually been hired by the treasure originator because he is wondering how easy it would be for someone to discover who he is. This person figures that if it's hard to find his identity, then it will be equally as hard to find the loot. Since that is what he wants, he is hoping Cassie doesn't succeed. Treasure State is the latest novel in the Cassie Dewell series. It will be published in September.

Deer Season by Erin Flanagan

In the small town of Gunthrum, Nebraska, no one's life is really private and secrets are hard to keep. When teenager Peggy goes missing, the residents immediately focus on Hal, a developmentally disabled man who had showed affection for Peggy. Hal works on the farm of Alma and Clyle Costagan and has become like a son to them, since they don't have any children of their own. Both Alma and Clyle believe that Hal had nothing to do with Peggy's disappearance, but accusations against Hal and local gossip are running high. Deer Season recounts the crime through the eyes of Alma, Clyle, and Peggy's younger brother, Milo. The book also won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author this year.

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

 Judith Potts is convinced that her next-door neighbor, Stefan, was murdered, although the police (including DS Tanika Malik) believe it was suicide.  Judith then decides to investigate Stefan's death herself. In the course of her amateur investigation she meets Becks, the vicar's wife, and Suzie, a local dog walker. The trio are a humorous bunch who develop a real friendship, yet their skills and ingenuity are put to the test when they realize that a serial killer is on the loose. The Marlow Murder Club is a great addition to the cozy mystery genre. For those who enjoy M.C. Beaton and the Thursday Murder Club series.  I cannot wait for the next book!

Racing the Light by Robert Crais

 Private detective Elvis Cole is hired by Adele Schumacher to find her son, Josh, who has gone missing. Josh is in his twenties and does a podcast with his best friend, Ryan. As Elvis investigates with his friend, Joe Pike, he realizes that he's not the only one looking for Josh and that Josh might be in real danger. What has Josh gotten himself involved in? In addition, the love of Elvis' life, Lucy Chenier, and her teenage son, Ben, have arrived in Los Angeles for a visit. Could Lucy finally be ready to commit? Racing the Light is the latest book in the Elvis Cole series. It will be published in November.

Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett

 Emma Starling comes back to her hometown of Everton, New Hampshire because her father is dying from a brain disease. Emma's father, Clive, has also been fired from his job as an English professor at a small liberal arts college because he has been hallucinating seeing animals. In fact, he has befriended the ghost of Ernest Harold Baynes, who was considered a real life Dr. Doolittle and let wild animals live with him and his wife in the early 20th century. In Unlikely Animals, the reader gets an up-close and personal view of many of the inhabitants of the town of Everton, including the spirits of those whose graves are at the town cemetery.  These spirits act as sort of a Greek chorus throughout the novel. Author Hartnett has written as real gem of a book filled with humor, heart, and quirkiness. Don't miss it. It's one of the best books I've read this year! A great read-alike for Kevin Wilson, Katherine Heiny, and Billie Letts.

The Wise Women by Gina Sorell

When Clementine finds out that her husband, Steve, took the money she thought was for house payments and used it to help his start-up business (AquaVeg), she kicks him out. Clementine has enough to worry about with their young son Jonah's anxiety--and now she has to possibly find a new place for them to live. Meanwhile, her older sister, Barb, suspects her girlfriend, Jill, is cheating on her, while Barb is trying to stay at the top of her field as an architect in Brooklyn. Although Clementine and Barb are close, they haven't seen their mother, Wendy, a well-known advice columnist, in a while. Wendy has actually lost her job at the magazine she worked for, has moved to Florida and married her boyfriend, Harvey, without telling either of her daughters. Wendy, bored in forced retirement, senses that Clementine and Barb need her and travels back to New York to make things right and mend her relationships with both her daughters.

What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline

The Bennett family suffers an horrible tragedy when their teenage daughter, Allison, is killed during a carjacking that occurs when they are coming home from one of  Allison's field hockey games. Jason, his wife Lucinda, and their thirteen-year-old son, Ethan, are then put in the witness protection program because the culprits are part of a criminal organization. The whole family is reluctant about joining the program because it means giving up the lives and friendships they have built, as well as not being able to attend Allison's funeral. Emotional, and with a lot of time on his hands, Jason discovers that everything that they've been told about their situation is not correct. Angry, he takes matters into his own hands to find out the truth and to get justice for Allison.

The Sign for Home by Blair Fell

 Cyril Brewster and Arlo Dilly meet when Cyril is hired as one of Arlo's sign language interpreters for a writing class that Arlo is taking at the local community college in Poughkeepsie. Arlo is deaf and legally blind, so Cyril is interpreting in Tactile ASL, in which he does not have much experience. Arlo lives with his uncle, Brother Birch, who expects him to follow the strict commands of their Jehovah’s Witnesses religion. In addition, as Arlo’s guardian, Brother Birch does not allow Arlo much independence and makes most of the decisions about Arlo's life. When Cyril and his best friend, Hanne, discover that Arlo longs to meet with his friends from the deaf school he attended and also find out what really happened to the love of his life, they are compelled to break the rules. The Sign for Home is a heartfelt, sometimes humorous, look inside the DeafBlind community.