Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun

The Yeonnam-Dong Smiley Laundromat is in an area of Seoul that has undergone gentrification. Gone are most of the single-family homes, which have been replaced with apartments for the many young people attending university or who want to live in the city--yet widower Old Jang still lives in the house in which he and his wife raised his son Daeju. Now retired, Old Jang spends his days with his dog Jindol, and at times he gets lonely. While at the laundromat, he sees a book in which people have written their thoughts and sometimes even their problems. The notebook becomes a way for Old Jang to connect with others in the neighborhood, and soon people are coming together and helping each other in unexpected ways. Throughout the novel, the reader hears their stories firsthand. A cozy novel for readers of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.

The Mailman by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Mercury Carter has a delivery to make to Rachel Stanfield. When Carter arrives at Rachel's house, he finds that Rachel and her husband Glenn are being held hostage by a guy named Finn and his henchmen. Carter just wants to make his delivery and leave, but Finn kidnaps Rachel and leaves with her before Carter can complete the task. Carter then finds himself, accompanied by Glenn, on Finn's trail trying to rescue Rachel because Finn is convinced that Rachel has information that he needs--and Finn is prepared to kill for it. The Mailman is the first book in a planned series and is perfect for fans of Thomas Perry, Lee Child, and Nick Petrie.

Death Among the Stitches by Betty Hechtman

Los Angeles native Annie Sara inherits a yarn shop in the small town of Franklin, Indiana. Her plan is to see the shop, get it ready to sell, and go back to L.A. Annie Sara stays on track with her project, but finds that she is enjoying getting to know the residents and even hosting meet ups at the yarn store. After finding out that the previous owner, Eleanor, was murdered, Annie Sara becomes intrigued about who killed her and tries to find out more about Eleanor's life and who could have possibly wanted her dead. Death Among the Stitches is the first book in this new series and features an enjoyable cast of characters along with the Indiana Dunes setting.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Best-selling author Grady Green's life hasn't been the same since his wife, Abby, disappeared a year ago. Unable to get a good night's sleep and owing a book to his publisher, Grady has hit rock bottom. His literary agent (and Abby's godmother) Kitty suggests Grady go live in a home she owns on the isle of Amberly. Kitty inherited the property from the late author Charles Whittaker, but has never visited. When Grady departs for Amberly he's not allowed to bring his car on the ferry. He also thinks he spots Abby there after arriving. With only twenty-five residents, the people who live on the island are very tight-knit and a bit unusual, which makes Grady uneasy. Author Feeney ratchets up the tension by giving the reader insight into Abby's life before she went missing. A book very hard to put down...

I'll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman

I'll Come to You chronicles one year in the lives of the characters connected by the marriage of Paul and Corinne. Paul's mother, Ellen is trying to adjust to being single after his father divorced her a year ago. Gary, with whom Ellen goes on a date, would like to have something more serious with her. Paul, in addition to becoming a father himself, reflects on the breakup of his parents' marriage. The reader also hears from Corinne, her brother Rob and both Corinne's parents--Janet and Bruce. Kauffman continues to be one of my favorite authors and this book doesn't disappoint. A great read-alike for Anne Tyler and Stewart O'Nan.

The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler

In 1898, Harriet Morrow has just been hired as an investigator at the Prescott Detective Agency in downtown Chicago. She is given a week to find Agnes Wozniak, a maid who has disappeared from the home of her employer, Pearl Bartlett. Harriet starts by delving into the life of Agnes and whose paths would have crossed Agnes', since Agnes worked six days a week and only had Wednesdays off. In addition, many of Harriet's fellow detectives and the secretaries at the Prescott Agency resent Harriet's presence there, making her job even tougher. Featuring an extremely likable main character and immersing the reader into 1890's Chicago, The Case of the Missing Maid is a promising start to this new mystery series.