The Widow by John Grisham

All lawyer Simon Latch can see is dollar signs when eighty-five-year-old Eleanor Barnett comes to his office asking if he'll draft a new will for her. Eleanor is a widow with no children and says she has no debts and stocks worth $16 million. With a family to support and a penchant for small time sports betting, Simon is always in debt. Being Eleanor's lawyer could really help his financial situation, but he knows he needs to keep Eleanor's wealth secret so he doesn't lose out on making some real money. But is Eleanor really rich? And what about her two stepsons, Clyde and Jerry, who want their share of the fortune? Will meeting Eleanor turn out to be the best thing ever to happen to Simon or his worst nightmare?

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan

DS George Cross is extremely successful at his job. Having autism allows him to see things others don't, in addition to having a thoroughness and tenacity that is unmatched at the Bristol police station. Cross' latest case is the murder of Leonard Carpenter. Leonard was a former dentist who went missing years ago, was declared dead by his family, and has just been found dead near a gorge. Where has Leonard been all this time and why did he come back to his hometown of Bristol? Cross, his partner DS Josie Ottey and Police Staff Investigator Alice Mackenzie attempt to uncover the mystery of his death. The Dentist is the first book in the DS George Cross series with the next books being published over the next several months. A great read for those who enjoy British police procedurals.

Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent

Martha Thornhill comes back to her hometown of Oxford to take a job as the senior editor of the Clarendon English Dictionary (think OED). She spent the last ten years living in Berlin, trying to put the disappearance of her older sister Charlie behind her. When letters start arriving addressed to Martha and her colleagues Simon, Alex, and Safi that seem like coded messages related to Charlie, the quartet can't ignore the clues in front of them. The police become involved again in the investigation, and the dictionary group start following their instincts and interviewing people themselves. It seems that maybe Martha and her father Gabriel will finally have closure. Guilty by Definition is a leisurely-paced novel for those who enjoy etymology, puzzles, and mysteries set in academia.