Upward Bound by Woody Brown

In Upward Bound, the reader meets both the employees and the clients of an adult day care center for people with disabilities. There's Walter, who's non-verbal and has gone to college. Tom nurses a crush on Ann (one of the workers), but complications of his cerebral palsy prevent him from telling her of his feelings. Dave, the director of the facility, is a failed actor who tries to do what he thinks is best without adequate funding. Worker Carlos is beloved by everyone and has developed a strong bond with Jorge, who doesn't speak and has a tendency to bolt from the center frequently. Written by author Woody Brown--whom the character Walter is based on--the novel is able to give the reader much insight into the disability community.

Missing by E.A. Jackson

In 1990, amid a heatwave in London, DI Martha Allen is in charge of the investigation into the disappearance of five-month-old Bella Carpenter. Bella and her parents--Viv and Tom--are visiting from Wells and staying at a local hotel where Bella was taken from the room as her parents slept. With two distraught parents and intense media coverage, no one is more surprised than Martha when Bella is dropped off at the police station by a woman named Nell Beatty. Even though Bella is back with her family and Martha is told to drop the case, she has lingering questions about the situation. Now, thirty years later, Martha gets word that Nell Beatty has died and decides once more to investigate Bella's kidnapping. With a tense, almost claustrophobic setting, Missing is a book that's hard to put down. A great read-alike for Nicci French's Frieda Klein series.

The Politician by Tim Sullivan

The former mayor of Bristol, Peggy Frampton, is found dead in her home. She was not without enemies--after her tenure she provided online advice and had more than five million followers. DS George Cross and DS Josie Ottey soon are looking for her murderer. The Politician follows along with their investigation, but also explores George's feelings about his mother, who left his father Raymond when George was a child. What part might Raymond have played in the breakup? A solid entry to the series.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama

In this delightful short novel, the story starts at the Marble Cafe in Tokyo, where Wataru, the manager, has feelings for a regular customer that he has nicknamed Ms. Hot Chocolate. From there, in each subsequent chapter the reader meets characters who are tangentially connected to one another. There's Ena who is reprimanded by senior teacher Yasuko for wearing nail polish to her job as a kindergarten teacher and  Yasuko, who gets her own story about her friendship with childhood friend Risa (who is getting married). Risa and her husband, Hiroyuki, then honeymoon in Sydney, where several of the stories are set. Hot Chocolate on Thursday then comes full circle with the last story told by Maco, Ms Hot Chocolate. A cozy, heartwarming read.

Life: a Love Story by Elizabeth Berg

As Flo Greene nears the end of her life at ninety-two years old, she begins to write letters to a woman named Ruthie. Ruthie grew up next door to Flo and they developed a strong friendship. Flo has decided to leave her house and possessions to Ruthie in her will, since Flo and her late husband Terrence had no children. Throughout Life: a Love Story, Flo recounts the events of her life, both major and minor, through the possessions she's leaving behind. A heartwarming story of connection and love.

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

When the women in Lauren's family are born, they are given a ticket that they can use once to turn back time. Lauren's mother, Marcella, used hers when Lauren was fifteen and Lauren's father, Dave, died in a car accident. Lauren's grandmother, free spirit Sylvia, still has hers, as does Lauren. The three generations of women, along with Dave, lived together in a house in Malibu (that Sylvia bought in the 1960's) until Lauren grew up. Lauren, now married to Leo, is coming back to the house as Leo is working in New York City for the summer. There has been strain in Lauren's marriage of late, owing to their inability to have a child. Leo wants to stop trying and move on, Lauren does not. When Lauren's first love, Stone, comes back into the picture she finds it hard to resist his charms. Once and Again explores the relationship between mothers and daughters and how the opportunity of a "do over" affects people's lives.

The Patient by Tim Sullivan

In this third book in the DS Cross series, George and his colleagues Ottey and Mackenzie investigate the death of a young woman named Flick after her mother, Sandra, repeatedly tries to tell the authorities that she was murdered rather than having died of a drug overdose. The team finds evidence that seems to support her claim, along with several suspects that deserve a look. The Patient is a satisfying police procedural that continues to develop the personal relationship between George, Ottey, and Mackenzie. Give to readers who enjoy Ann Cleeves and Peter Robinson.