The Vanishing Kind by Alice Henderson

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter travels to New Mexico to determine if there are jaguars present in the area. She is working for the Land Trust for Wildlife Conservation. The organization believes that the animals might be coming over from Mexico and back again. Working alone by setting up cameras and hair snares, Alex revels in the flora and fauna near the Gila National Forest. However, there is a group of unknown men who are terrorizing nearby residents of Latino descent. They also don't like the work that Alex is doing because they believe in a closed border with Mexico, not one that would allow the jaguars to go between the two countries. In this fourth novel in the Alex Carter series, Henderson transports the reader to the southwest and features an extremely likable main character in Alex. The Vanishing Kind will be published in March.

Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens

Anna Appleby writes a column for Bath Living magazine. When Anna gets the news that the magazine is in financial trouble and her job is on the line, she comes up with the idea to devote her column to writing about the dates she goes on. Her hook will be that she will only go on dates with people suggested by her two children, Jess and Ethan. Unfortunately, Anna has to share the back page of the magazine with colleague Will Havers, who is always trying to give her advice to make her column better. Anna finds him so annoying, but when they go on an eco retreat for work, sparks fly. Will Anna and Will put themselves out there for a real relationship? Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a humorous romance in the style of Annabel Monaghan.

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

For the past two years, Annie has been Doug's bot girlfriend. They live together in his apartment in New York City where Annie stays home all day while Doug goes to work. When Doug's best friend, Roland, unexpectedly visits from Los Angeles, cracks begin to form in Annie and Doug's relationship. Told through Annie's eyes, the reader sees Doug as controlling and manipulative. While Annie tries to work out how she can be the best girlfriend to Doug, she grows emotionally and doubts begin to form whether living with Doug is the best thing for her. An interesting novel that's hard to put down.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

In Kyoto, a coffee shop can appear from nowhere for those who need a little help in their lives. In addition, the people working there morph into cats to dispense advice and make yummy food and drinks like Aquarius Trifle and Moonlight and Venus Champagne Float. The cats aid scriptwriter Mizuki Serikawa to get her mojo back in her job. Then they help movie director Akari Nakayama see her romantic life more clearly so she can take action. A magical, light story, like a cross between a Miyazaki film and Maeve Binchy (it sounds weird, but it works).

D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton

When private investigator Kinsey Millhone agrees to deliver a $25,000 check for a new client named Alvin Limardo, she finds herself embroiled in murder. John Daggett, who presented himself to Kinsey as Limardo, ends up dead, yet the authorities believe it was accidental. Kinsey, though, is convinced he was murdered. It turns out that Daggett killed five people while driving drunk and went to prison. The check was for teenager Tony Gahan, whose whole family died in the accident. Could Daggett's death be revenge for the deaths he caused? Kinsey's has her hands full trying to ferret out the truth.

The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak

It's 1987 in suburban New Jersey and all Billy can think about is using his Commodore 64 to program video games. Billy and his best friends Alf and Clark also cannot stop thinking about getting their hands on the current Playboy issue with Vanna White on the cover--but they are only 14 and you need to be 18 to buy the issue. So how can they get it? The three friends come up with one failed plan after another to get their hands on the magazine, but finally decide to have Billy befriend a girl named Mary, whose father owns the store where it's being sold. It turns out that Billy and Mary both love computer programming and decide to enter a contest to submit Will's game "The Impossible Fortress" so they can win an IBM PS-2. They spend many weeks together, learning machine language to make the game the best it can be. It's also obvious that Billy and Mary have feelings for each other. Will the plan to steal the magazine get in the way? A humorous coming of age tale with lots of heart.

A Stolen Child by Sarah Stewart Taylor

In the last book of the Maggie D'Arcy series, Maggie is finally a policewoman in Ireland--starting at the bottom doing community policing in Dublin. Maggie and her partner, Jason, are involved in a domestic disturbance that turns into murder. A young woman named Jade is killed and her two-year-old daughter, Laurel is missing. With the Garda being shorthanded, Maggie is given special permission to work on the case. Everyone is on edge, desperate to find Laurel. Those who knew Jade aren't very forthcoming with the authorities, so it's tough to move the case forward. Will Maggie and her colleagues be able to bring Laurel home safe and find justice for Jade?

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai

In this second book in the Kamogawa series, the reader meets six new people who come to Kyoto to have father-daughter duo Nagare and Koishi, recreate a food dish from an important time in their lives. There's Olympic swimming hopeful Kyosuke, wanting to eat the nori-ben his dad made him when Kyosuke was young. Married couple, Yoshie and Masayuki Sakamoto, ask Nagare to make the Christmas cake that their young son, Kakeru loved. Another enjoyable entry in the series.

The Autumn of Ruth Winters by Marshall Fine

Ruth, in her seventies and a widow, spends her days babysitting children in the neighborhood. She does have a close relationship with her niece Chloe, who lives in California, but Ruth is estranged from her younger sister Veronica, Chloe's mother. Over the years, Ruth and Veronica have traded barbs, letting the issues and resentment pile up between them. Then Veronica reaches out asking Ruth for help. The plea for assistance from Veronica causes Ruth's social circle to widen and might lead Ruth to see a different path forward, especially when a high school flame contacts her. However, with hope and change, there is also sorrow. The Autumn of Ruth Winters is a great read-alike for Elizabeth Berg, Anne Tyler, and Emily Alone by Stewart O'Nan.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

Unhappy with her life, Yeongju opens a bookstore in Seoul. She hires a young man named Minjun to be the barista, making drinks for the customers. In Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, the reader is immersed in everyday lives of the bookshop workers and frequent customers. There's Mincheol (a high school student) and his mother Heejoo. Jimi, unhappy in her marriage, owns the coffee roastery that supplies beans to the cafe and has become very good friends with Yeongju. Lastly, a woman named Jungsuh spends hours knitting at Hyunam-Dong. Her skills are a calming presence for several of the regulars. A quiet, relaxing read.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

In a nondescript building in Kyoto, people come to the restaurant owned by Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter, Koishi, to taste a dish that reminds them of a particular time in their life. In this first book in the series, the stories of six individuals are told. Nagara's former co-worker Hideji, from when they were both in the police force, is craving nabeyaki-udon that his first wife made. If Hideji can get Nagare to make the food, he can then pass on the recipe to the woman who he is moving to Takasaki with. Another tale is about a woman named Asuka who wants to eat napolitan spaghetti that she had on a trip with her grandfather when she was young. In addition to learning about the lives of the six people hiring the Kamogawa detectives, the reader also gains insight into the father-daughter pair and their cat, Drowsy. A feel-good read...

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Newly sober, Mallory Quinn, accepts a job as a nanny to five-year-old Teddy for the summer. Teddy's parents, Caroline and Ted, live in an old Victorian, in the upscale suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey. Mallory really enjoys spending time with Teddy, but soon Teddy is talking about someone named Anya who is telling him stories that he then draws on paper. These pictures are disturbing. Mallory, though, figures Anya is just Teddy's imaginary friend. In addition, next door neighbor, Mitzi, asks Mallory if she's uncomfortable sleeping in the guest cottage. Mitzi explains that in the 1950's a woman named Annie Barrett was probably murdered in the cottage. Mallory is seriously creeped out. Teddy doesn't stop drawing the pictures, so Mallory decides to find out more about Annie Barrett and to try to uncover what's really going on--but danger is not far away...

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn

After turning down her boyfriend's marriage proposal, Maren escapes to the northwoods of Wisconsin, where she's inherited a rundown bait shop. The bait shop was owned by Fost, who Maren spent many summers fishing with. While there, Maren develops an attraction for Joe, who was her older brother Liam's best friend. Joe, in turn, also has feelings for Maren--but his life is complicated. He's divorced, with two young children--Anders and Lucy. Maren, however, loves both Anders and Lucy, and they feel the same way about her. Now Maren and Joe need to get Liam to realize that Maren is a responsible adult, not just his kid sister. Catch and Keep is the last book in the trilogy that Hahn has written about Maren and her two best friends, Shelby and Lorelei.

Prey by Hilary Norman

In 1941, Harriet lives at Calla House in northwest London. She owns the building and inhabits the top floor, renting out the bottom floors to people who have become her friends. However, a killer is afoot, murdering women with red hair. Harriet's entanglement with Alfred, the killer, will reverberate many decades later. By 2019, Harriet's granddaughter, Libby, has made the top floor her home, but when repairs are undertaken at Calla, Libby has no idea of the danger she is in...

Winterkill by C.J. Box

Game warden Joe Pickett is stunned when he finds Lamar Gardiner shooting several elk. Before Joe can bring Lamar in, Lamar is killed by two arrows that go straight through his chest. Joe wonders why Lamar murdered the elk and also who would want Lamar dead. In the meantime, a group calling themselves "The Sovereign Citizens" have taken over a campground and won't leave. One member of the group turns out to be Jeannie Keeley, the birth mother of April, who Joe and his wife, Marybeth are hoping to adopt. Joe finds himself caught between different forces in trying to solve Lamar's murder and keeping April safe. Winterkill is the third book of the Joe Pickett series.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

It's 1987 and pharmacist Augusta Stern retires and moves to a senior community in Florida. After arriving, she discovers that her first love, Irving Rivkin, also lives there. Sixty years ago, Augusta and Irving parted on bad terms, with Irving leaving Brooklyn and marrying someone else. It's obvious to all that they still have feelings for each other. Will the couple be able to forgive and find their way to each other again? The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern tells the story of them as teenagers, along with the contemporary story of their relationship. With lots of detail of Jewish life in 1920's Brooklyn and feisty main characters in Augusta and Irving, this is a good choice for readers who enjoy novels about romance late in life.

The Life and Death of Rose Doucette by Harry Hunsicker

Private detective Dylan Fisher agrees to meet his ex-wife, Rose, even though they haven't been in touch in three years. However, Rose is murdered before she can tell Dylan why she wanted him to look into the death of a man named Josh Gannon. The authorities are also trying to pin Rose's murder on Dylan. Dylan decides he owes it to Rose to find her killer, but Rose had many secrets that others want to stay buried. The Life and Death of Rose Doucette is a mystery that keeps the reader engaged and entertained. Here's hoping we see Dylan Fisher in another book. For readers who enjoy Michael Connelly and novels featuring private detectives.

Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie R. Rendon

Quill has found that running is a great release. As a native woman living on the Red Pine reservation in Minnesota, she has seen the violence perpetrated against tribal women. While preparing for a marathon, she hears a woman's scream in the forest and then finds an earring. Quill is convinced that harm has to come to someone. With the support of her friends and running mates Punk and Gaylyn, Quill attempts to find out if a woman has disappeared. However, there is violence and lawlessness all around her--at the casino and from outsiders (men who are working on the pipeline). Where They Last Saw Her is an unsettling, but essential read featuring a great sense of place and culture with a compelling main character in Quill. Memorable and hard to put down.

The Big Empty by Robert Crais

Private detective Elvis Cole is hired by Traci Beller, a.k.a. The Baker Next Door, to look into the disappearance of her father Thomas, who went missing ten years ago. A fellow investigator, Jess Byers, thoroughly worked over the case five years ago and wasn't able to find Thomas.  As Elvis delves into the last day Thomas was seen alive, he and others connected to the case are followed, threatened, and harmed. Will Elvis be able to uncover the truth about what happened to Thomas and give Traci some sense of peace? The Big Empty will be published in January.

Den of Iniquity by J.A. Jance

Retired Seattle cop J.P. Beaumont now has his private investigator's license. When he's asked by a friend to look into the death of Darius Jackson, who authorities had determined died of an accidental drug overdose, he agrees to help. Soon, Beau discovers other deaths similar to Darius' and wonders if they are all connected. In Beau's personal life, his grandson Kyle, has come to stay with Beau and his wife, Mel. Kyle, in his senior year of high school, doesn't want to live with his father, Jeremy and his new girlfriend, Caroline. As a favor to Kyle, Beau agrees to look into Caroline's background. In Den of Iniquity, Jance writes another solid entry in this long-running series.

Where the Forest Meets the River by Shannon Bowring

It's the summer of 1995, five years after the events in The Road to Dalton. Nate lives with his young daughter, Sophie, and works at the mill that's owned by Marshall Frazier. Marshall, meanwhile, wonders how he can help his wife, Annette, who has become an alcoholic after the death of their daughter. Other inhabitants of Dalton, Maine that feature in the novel include Rose (who is raising her boys on her own) Vera (a nurse who's taken a job at the local clinic) and Greg (a college student who would like to pursue a career in horticulture rather than taking over the family hardware store). A great choice for readers who enjoy novels about life in a small town.

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

It's Susan's and her teenager Zoe's first visit to Purity, Maine after Susan married Ethan Conover. Soon after their arrival, Zoe disappears. Acting police chief Jo Thibodeau wonders what could have happened to her. The Martini Club (four retired CIA agents--Maggie, Declan, Ben, and Ingrid) decide to get involved, much to Jo's dismay. Could Zoe's disappearance be connected to murders over fifty years ago one July day? The Summer Guests continues the adventures of the Martini Club. I loved the first book in the series and had high hopes for this one, but it's a miss for me. The book focused on too many characters instead of developing a few of them really well. In addition, the mystery itself wasn't that interesting. It will be published in March.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

Frank Szatowski, estranged from his daughter, Maggie, gets a call inviting him to her wedding. Maggie is marrying artist, Aidan, son of wealthy businessman Errol Gardner. The wedding will be held at the Gardner estate in New Hampshire. As Frank gets to know Aidan and his family, he becomes more and more uneasy about the marriage, but his pleas to Maggie to reconsider fall on deaf ears. Even Frank's sister, Tammy, who accompanies him to New Hampshire, tells Frank to keep his feelings to himself, lest his relationship with Maggie becomes even more fractured. As two deaths circle around the Gardners, Frank cannot let his suspicions rest. The Last One at the Wedding is a page turner with humor, heart, and a great read-alike for Harlan Coben. I loved that I couldn't predict what was going to happen! It will be published in October.

The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson

It's 1965 and Hazel Bates works as the tea lady at Sydney's Empire Fashionwear in the garment district in Surry Hills. In her job travelling between the floors of the dress company, Hazel gets to know the dressmakers, the machinists, the people in accounts, and the owners--the Karps. One day Hazel sees a woman in the window at the abandoned bond store across the street. Soon after, the bond store is on fire and one of Hazel's coworkers is found dead. It's up to Hazel and her fellow tea ladies, Betty, Irene, and Merl to find a murderer. The Tea Ladies is the first book in the series and gives the reader a great sense of place of working class 1960's Sydney.

Wordhunter by Stella Sands

Living in Florida, Maggie is working on her Master's in forensic linguistics and has a real gift in interpreting and finding patterns in the written word. After the local police department asks for her assistance in a stalking case and Maggie succeeds in pointing them in the right direction, she becomes part of the team when the mayor's teenage daughter goes missing. However, all of Maggie's demons lie just below the surface--her best friend Lucy's disappearance when they were teenagers, her mother's death from cancer, and Maggie numbing herself from the pain by drinking too much. Jackson, a cop in his 40's, becomes a friend and a confidant, and just might give Maggie the support she needs. An interesting debut that leaves the story open for a sequel.

Highway Thirteen: Stories by Fiona McFarlane

In this collection of linked short stories, the common thread is the twelve murders committed by killer Paul Biga. Biga is loosely based on the real life serial killer Ivan Milat. Laid bare to the reader is how violence and trauma can affect so many. There's Simon from England, whose older sister was backpacking in Australia and disappeared. While Eva and her husband, Gerald, lived across the street from Biga when he was young and are witness to the tearing down of the home many years later. In another story, May lives with her boyfriend and suspects that he could be the one the authorities are looking for. Other stories feature a famous actor playing Biga in a miniseries, a politician running for re-election with the bad luck to have the last name Biga, and a group of English schoolgirls' trip to Rome that has a connection to the case. The stories, spanning over 70 years with characters of a wide variety of ages, are thought provoking and hard to forget.

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen

It's 1968 and journalist Liz Houghton is stuck writing obituaries after her big story is quashed by her superiors. When her flatmate, Marisa--who works for the London Metropolitan Police--is sent to the seaside with a lead on the whereabouts of a missing young girl named Lucy, Liz decides to travel there herself, figuring that it might make a good news story. While there, Liz learns about a village, Tydeham, where the residents were forced by the government to leave during World War II. Liz also begins to have memories of her childhood that don't match what she's always remembered about growing up. The Rose Arbor is another engrossing historical read by Bowen with a strong mystery element and a main character you really want to succeed.

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

It's the beginning of the school year at Baldwin High School in Houston when substitute teacher Mr. Lehrer dies in the teacher's lounge. Mr. Lehrer had taught at Baldwin for many years and, after retiring, came back to sub. While Mr. Lehrer died of natural causes, his passing sets off a chain of events that could cost respected Principal Kendricks his job. In The Faculty Lounge, the reader meets many of the people who work at Baldwin: teachers, administrators, the school nurse, and even a janitor. An enjoyable, humorous read similar to Help Wanted, Last Night at the Lobster, and the novels of Tom Perrotta.

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

Renee Ballard is the head of the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit. She and her team of volunteers work on a variety of cases at the same time. It turns out that the unit has a lead on a series on crimes from the early 2000's. Someone nicknamed the "Pillowcase Rapist" assaulted dozens of women and killed one (his last, in 2005). The team has gotten a familial DNA match, which means they can hopefully now trace and arrest the person who was responsible for the crimes. In addition, Harry Bosch's daughter, Maddie, also part of the LAPD, has come to volunteer for the unit. Maddie would like to move up the ranks, figuring the experience working with Renee will help her chances. Maddie also believes that she might have solved the infamous Black Dahlia case. Will both Renee and Maddie get what they're looking for? The Waiting  will be published in October.

The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff

Growing up as next door neighbors and friends in the 1940s, Joseph and Evelyn fall in love. Almost sixty years later, they make the decision to end their lives in twelve months because Evelyn has been diagnosed with an advanced case of Parkinson's. Joseph reasons he can't live without the love of his life. Their three grown children--Jane, Thomas, and Violet--are furious with their decision and wish they would change their minds. In The Days I Loved You Most, the story alternates between recounting the many years of the ups and downs of their marriage while exploring how Joseph's and Evelyn's decision has affected both of them and their family.

The Most by Jessica Anthony

It's 1957 and Kathleen--mother of Nathaniel and Nicholas, wife of Virgil-- decides not to go to church on Sunday. She instead spends the day in the pool of the apartment complex they live in. Virgil, perplexed at her actions, wants her to get out of the pool so he can go and play golf. The novella explores Kathleen's and Virgil's marriage through both their points of view. Give to fans of Katherine Heiny and Claire Keegan.

Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent

Food critic Olive is surprised when her estranged father Nicky leaves her his restaurant (named Nicky's) in his will. Olive and Nicky had not spoken in many years, but Nicky was extremely close with his sous chef, Leo Ricci. In addition, Nicky was working on a cookbook when he died and Olive decides she will finish the cookbook with Leo. Completing the book means several weeks spent with Leo in Sicily, Tuscany, and Liguria. The trip starts off tense because Olive has told Leo that she will be selling the restaurant when they get back to London. But as they work together, eating and cooking their way around Italy, it becomes obvious they both have feelings for each other. Is their time together just a fling or something more? Just One Taste is a perfect beach read filled with likeable characters and luscious descriptions of food.

Our Kind of Game by Johanna Copeland

Stella is married to Tom and has two teenage children--Colin and Daisy. One evening when fellow mom, Gwen, knocks on her door and seems to be in distress, it causes Stella's life to come crashing down. What did Gwen want and why did she leave her purse and phone behind? How is Stella connected to a teenager named Julie, whom the reader learns about in an alternate storyline set in 1987? Our Kind of Game is a great read-alike for Lisa Jewell and Erin Kelly.

Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos

On July 4th, when a plane crashes in Lincoln County, Nevada, sheriff Porter Beck discovers that it went down on land owned by his childhood friend, Jesse. Porter has not seen Jesse in a while and, after visiting him, realizes that Jesse is probably involved in some illegal activities. It also seems that someone deliberately crashed the plane on his land. But why? Soon, Porter and his colleagues find themselves caught between a Mexican drug cartel, a teenage hacker, Chinese spies, and the federal government. Shades of Mercy is the second book in the Porter Beck series and features even more action than the first. A great choice for readers who like mysteries and thrillers.

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan

After being given a leave of absence from her job because of her drinking, Jane, an archivist, moves back to her hometown of Awadapquit, Maine. Jane is living in her mother's home that she and her sister, Holly, are getting ready to sell. With not a lot to do, Jane agrees to help Genevieve, a wealthy new resident, research the history of her house. Genevieve believes the house, built in the 1800's, is haunted. The Cliffs tells the story of Jane and the inhabitants of Genevieve's house over the years, and delves into the Native American history of the area. A great choice for book groups.

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

After Lula Dean has succeeded in removing all the books she has deemed inappropriate from all the school libraries and the public library in Troy, Georgia, she creates a little library in her front lawn, featuring the books she feels people should be reading. However, someone secretly removes the actual books and takes the book jackets from Lula's recommendations and puts them on books that have been banned. The novel tells the stories of the townspeople who read these books and the effects reading the books have on their lives. One also wonders what will happen when Lula finds out about the switch. A humorous, satirical read. Readalikes include The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady, and Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women's Literary Society.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Rocky has always looked forward to the family's annual summer vacation to Cape Cod. She and her husband, Nick, have been renting the same house for over twenty years. This year, in the midst of menopause, watching her parents age, and her two children (Jamie and Willa) well on their way to having their own lives, Rocky finds past events more on her mind than ever. Sandwich explores motherhood, marriage, and being someone's daughter at midlife. A great choice for book discussions.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

At 70, Daphne has shut herself off from the world for the past fifteen years. Impulsively, she decides to join the senior citizens social group at the local community center to try and make some friends. Art, an actor whose job prospects have dried up, becomes a member too. When part of the ceiling of the building collapses at the first meeting, the group might be over before it's even started, since there's talk of the local council closing the center. Lydia, who runs the club, might then lose her job, and teenage single dad Ziggy will not have the low cost daycare that's also housed in the building, which he needs for his baby daughter, Kylie. Told through the eyes of Daphne, Art, Lydia, and Ziggy, the novel highlights the group's camaraderie and friendship and their aim to keep the center open. A great read-alike for Freya Sampson and The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett.

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor

It's 1965 and Franklin Warren is starting a new job with the Vermont State Police after leaving Boston under difficult circumstances. He's called out to the Weber farm on Agony Hill where Hugh Weber is found dead in the family's barn. Hugh made many enemies in the small town of Bethany with his outspoken beliefs and his weekly letters to the local newspaper. His much younger wife, Sylvie, also falls under suspicion. In this first book in a new series, Taylor introduces the reader to many interesting characters that hopefully will be featured in future books. Perfect for readers who enjoy Julia Spencer-Fleming. It will be published in August.

Everyone Knows But You by Thomas E. Ricks

FBI agent Ryan Tapia is settling into his new job in coastal Maine when he's called out to help pull a dead body out of the water. The victim, Ricky Cutts, was not well liked in Liberty Island. Ryan finds himself an outsider in the small town where the residents seem to abide by a different code. As Ryan deals with the demons that caused him to move across the country from California, he also works hard to uncover who was responsible for the crime. Everyone Knows But You is a solid read, perfect for those who enjoy mysteries set in the outdoors.

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand

Nantucket police chief Ed Kapenash is a few days from retirement when Bull and Leslie Richardson's home burns to the ground. Additionally, their assistant, Coco, is missing. The Richardsons have had the whole island abuzz this summer, gossiping about their lavish parties, with people clamoring to be on the guest list. However, since the Richardsons are newcomers, residents are also wondering about their pasts before they arrived on Nantucket. Told through the eyes of Coco and the many residents of Nantucket, the reader gets to see everyone's lives leading up to that fateful night. In her last novel set on Nantucket, Hilderbrand also mentions lots of the people and places (Tuckernuck!) from her other books, giving longtime readers a special treat.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Ali is a shell of herself since her husband, Pete, said he wants a divorce, and her mother's death two years ago. When she meets a guy named Ethan at the local dog park, Ali begins to feel something other than sadness and grief. With her three children in camp for the summer, she also has time to spend with Ethan. In fact, Ethan knew her when they were young, and remembers the confident, self-assured Ali that he had a crush on. Soon, it's obvious to everyone how deep Ali's and Ethan's feelings are for each other. Can this be more than a summer romance? In her third novel, Monaghan rebounds from her lackluster second book with another sure bet romance.

Last House by Jessica Shattuck

In 1953, Nick and Bet Taylor live with their two children, Katherine and Harry, in suburban Connecticut. Nick, a veteran of World War II, works as a lawyer for American Oil, and has recently travelled to Iran for business. Bet, meanwhile, is a housewife, but had dreams of getting a PhD in American Literature. Later in the late 1960's, Katherine's and Harry's values run counter to their parents as Katherine becomes involved in the anti war movement and Harry attempts to find his own path. Last House is the saga of the Taylor family over the course of 80 years. For readers who enjoyed The Dearly Beloved and Ask Again, Yes.

The Last Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal

In this final book of the Maggie Hope series, it's 1944 and Maggie is asked to go undercover by fellow spy Kim Philby to discover how far Germany has progressed in building an atomic bomb. Maggie has to go to Madrid and get close to Nobel prize winning German physicist Werner Heisenberg. If Heisenberg is building the weapon, Maggie must then assassinate him. Travelling to Spain, Maggie encounters both friends and foes, including fashion designer Coco Chanel, and it's hard to know whom to trust. Will Maggie get the happily ever after she deserves?

A Lonesome Place for Dying by Nolan Chase

Ethan Brand has just been appointed the police chief in Blaine, Washington. He's been on the force for fifteen years, but some are not happy that he's now in charge. In fact, someone has put an animal heart on Ethan's front porch with a note telling him to quit. When a woman's body is found near the train tracks, Ethan and his team are under pressure to solve the first murder that Blaine has seen in many years. A Lonesome Place for Dying is an engaging mystery with an interesting main character and story. Here's hoping this will become a series. A great read-alike for C.J. Box, Paul Doiron, J.A. Jance's J.P. Beaumont series and Northwoods by Amy Pease.

Lovers and Liars by Amanda Eyre Ward

Children's librarian Sylvie has found love after much heartbreak. Her husband, Alexander, died in a car accident ten years ago. She is now engaged to Simon, a wealthy British man whose family owns Mumberton Castle in the north of England, where the wedding will be held. Sylvie has invited her sisters Cleo and Emma and their mother Donna for a weekend of festivities leading up to the nuptials. The sisters have lost touch, although all three are united in their feelings towards Donna, who was both aloof and self-centered as they were growing up. Cleo brings her boyfriend, Danny, as her guest, although their relationship is on shaky ground because Cleo is in love with her friend, Isaac. Cleo has also been keeping a secret from Sylvie that she should have confessed long ago. Middle sister Emma, happily married with two kids, is not far from financial ruin, which she has not told her husband Rich about. In Lovers and Liars, the sisters bond, confess, and work through their problems together.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

In 1918, Jessie Carson leaves her job as a children's librarian at the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD) in an area that was decimated by the Germans in the war. The philanthropist Anne Morgan created the group, which consists entirely of women. The village that Jessie is based in, Blerancourt, is largely destroyed-- the people living there are shellshocked and fighting to survive. Jessie and the rest of the Cards find themselves bonding with the residents and each other. In an alternating storyline set in 1987, aspiring writer Wendy Peterson works in the Remembrance Department at NYPL and stumbles upon articles about the CARDs and vows to make their work, all but forgotten, better known. Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is a sure bet for readers who enjoyed Skelsien Charles' book The Paris Library  or Lauren Willig's Band of Sisters.

Don't Let the Devil Ride by Ace Atkins

Addison McKellar is oblivious to how her husband, Dean, makes his money. So when he goes missing and she visits where his office is located, she is stunned to discover that it doesn't exist. Addison then hires private detective Porter Hayes to find out what happened to Dean. Dean, however, has been involved in lots of illegal activity--Dean might not even be his real name. Don't Let the Devil Ride is filled with colorful characters reminiscent of Elmore Leonard, Tarantino, and S.A. Cosby and has a great sense of place in Memphis. It will be published next month.

Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron

When Hammond Pratt goes missing, game warden Mike Bowditch goes to investigate. Pratt had come to Maine from Idaho, looking for a man and his daughter who were living in the woods. The man, Mark Redmond, is building a cabin near the Canadian border for a woman named Josie Jonson, who is close with Stacey (Mike's wife) and her father, Charley Stevens. The simple act of finding a missing person leads Mike on a trail of violence and murder, with even Mike himself fighting for survival. Pitch Dark is similar in format to Doiron's Dead by Dawn. It will be published next month.

The Widow Spy by Megan Campisi

It's 1861 and Kate Warne and several of her Pinkerton colleagues are trying to break Confederate spy Rose Greenhow. They are searching Greenhow's home for her cipher key, because finding it would help the Union's cause immensely. Greenhow, however, is clever and threatens to derail the group's plans. In The Widow Spy, Campisi details the life of Kate, who was a real person. An interesting read for those who enjoy historical fiction featuring female characters.