10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte

When Richard Glead is shot to death at his home in Marchfield Square, none of the residents are sad. Most knew that he abused his wife Linda, and that he associated with some shady people. Celeste van Duren, who owns all of the buildings and lives at No. 1, asks Audrey and Lewis, who both live in the square to investigate who killed Richard. Audrey, a house cleaner, and Lewis, a novelist who has a full time job he hates, agree to team up to find the murderer. Disliking each other at first, Audrey and Lewis, soon find that they make a pretty good team. An enjoyable cozy—might this be a first in a series?

The Trouble Up North by Travis Mulhauser

For almost two hundred years, the Sawbrooks have owned a vast tract of land in northern Michigan. Because the land was unsuitable for farming, the family were bootleggers--transporting goods between the U.S. and Canada. Now Rhoda Sawbrook is struggling to keep the land. Her husband, Edward, is dying of cancer and his health care needs are straining them financially. Rhoda and Edward have three children--Lucy, Buckner, and Jewell. Lucy is considered by Rhoda to be a traitor to the family because she is a park ranger and has given the land Rhoda gifted her to a land trust. Middle child Buckner is an alcoholic who has struggled to maintain steady employment and staying sober. The youngest, Jewell, agrees to help someone out for some quick cash--an act that lands the five members of the Sawbrook family on the other side of the law yet again, fighting for survival. A great read-alike for Small Mercies.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

It's 1968 when novelist Gabriel Wolfe comes back into Beth's life. When they were teenagers, Gabriel and Beth were passionately in love. Now, years later, Beth is married to Frank, while divorced Gabriel has moved back to his family's estate, Meadowlands, with his son, Leo. When Frank shoots Leo's dog to protect his lambs, it sets in motion a series of tragedies and secrets for all involved.

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben

PI Sami Kierce is teaching a night school class when a woman walks in. Sami believes she is Anna, a girlfriend he last saw over twenty years ago. In fact, back then, Anna was last seen covered in blood and presumed dead--with Sami next to her in bed. Sure that the woman is Anna, Sami tries to follow her to figure out what's going on, but Sami's investigation ends up raising way more questions than answers. In Nobody's Fool, Coben writes another multi-layered puzzle of a novel that's hard to put down.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

Theo is engaged to wealthy Connor Dalton. Having not met anyone in Connor's family except his older sister Alexis, the couple is spending two weeks at Christmastime at the family's mountain retreat. Soon after arriving, Theo begins to feel uneasy. She feels as if she has been to this place before. It also doesn't help that Theo has been receiving anonymous texts telling her to "stay away from Connor Dalton." Who could be trying to warn Theo? Soon, Theo realizes she's in danger and doesn't know who she can trust. Will Theo be able to get away from the Dalton's safely? If you enjoyed First Lie Wins, give this novel a try.

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

We'll Prescribe You a Cat recounts the stories of five individuals who find themselves at the Nakagyo Kokoro Clinic for the Soul in Kyoto. All are there because of some unhappiness in their lives. There's Shuta Kagawa, who rents a cat because he's stressed out about the mental abuse he endures at his job. Handbag designer Tomoko Takamine discovers the therapeutic power of having a cat after she brings her animal home. Yusaku Koga, meanwhile, finds that a cat named Margot brings his family together. A great read-alike for The Blanket Cats. An added bonus is that some of the characters appear in other people's stories.

Kate & Frida: a Novel of Friendship, Food, and Books by Kim Fay

Frida, living in Paris, becomes friends with Kate when she writes a letter to a bookstore in Seattle, requesting a particular book. Kate, who works at the bookstore, sends Frida the item she desires and a friendship is born. Kate, an aspiring novelist, enjoys her job, adores her grandfather Bumpa, and is interested in co-worker Sven. Frida, meanwhile, dreams of being a great journalist. When the chance opens up to travel to Sarajevo to cover the Bosnian war, she takes it--and it changes her life. Kate & Frida recounts the friendship of the women through the letters they write to each other over a three year span. A light novel for those enjoy books about women's friendships.

The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony

In 1969, Maura marries a wealthy doctor named Christy in Dublin. Soon after, she realizes he's a man with a violent temper who abuses her when she doesn't do what he wants. Maura then meets Bernie, who has three daughters and is married to the local butcher, Dan. Bernie and Dan have a great marriage, but Bernie would be risking her life if she had any more children. The Women on Platform Two tells the story of the fight in Ireland for women to have access to contraception. Told through the eyes of fictional characters Maura and Bernie, it's a page turner similar to Kristin Hannah and Flynn Berry.

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu

In Tokyo, there is a shop where you can rent a cat for three days. The cats are many different breeds-Manx, Maine Coon, Calico, American Shorthair, and Russian Blue. They also come with a blanket which needs to be with them when they sleep. The Blanket Cats tells the stories of seven people who take a cat home, like Taeko, who's on the run after taking a lot of money from the company she works for. One story is from the point of view of a cat named Tabby, who escapes from the woman who rented her and goes on to protect two children who have run away from home. A great read-alike for The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen and the Kamogawa Food Detective series.

Tilda is Visible by Jane Tara

Tilda Finch lives outside of Sydney and knows she has a good life. Divorced with twin adult daughters, Tilda is stunned to discover one of her fingers is invisible. By the time she sees a doctor, other body parts have disappeared. Tilda's doctor runs some tests and says she has "invisibility disorder." While dealing with the diagnosis, Tilda meets blind surfer, Patrick--but can she even start a relationship with all that she's going through? Tilda decides to do all she can--therapy, mediation, a support group, examining her childhood and marriage--to make herself whole again.

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi

In a seaside town in Japan there is a place called Chibineko Kitchen. People come to the restaurant to eat a meal that reminds them of someone they were close to who has died. They are also able to see and communicate with that special person for one last time. In the novel, the reader meets Kotoko, whose brother died in a car accident, a boy named Tajii who was unkind to a classmate before she passed, and a widower named Yoshio who longs to see his wife again. With similarities to the Kamogawa Food Detectives series, this novel focuses more on the interpersonal relationships between the characters--including mother and son Nanami and Kai (the owners of the cafe)--and moving their stories forward. A poignant start to the series.

The Cafe with No Name by Robert Seethaler

In 1966, Robert Simon decides to open a cafe near the Karmelitermarkt in Vienna. It's a down-on-its-luck neighborhood that is just waiting for a local meeting place. In The Cafe with No Name, the reader gets up close and personal with Simon, Mila, the cafe's waitress, and the residents who frequent the cafe over the ten years it's in business. Give to readers who enjoyed The Door-to-Door Bookstore.

People of Means by Nancy Johnson

In 1959, Freda Gilroy, loves mathematics and is a freshman at Fisk University in Nashville. From a wealthy black family in Chicago, Freda hadn't thought a lot about what attending college in the south would mean. She's unprepared for the prejudice and, with the civil rights movement heating up, she wonders how she can contribute--and if she even should. Freda is also torn between Gerald, who is strictly focused on his studies and becoming a doctor, and Darius, an inspirational speaker who begins to devote all of his time to the movement. Freda's story alternates with that of her daughter Tulip, who, in 1992, lives in Chicago and is trying to get a promotion at the public relations firm where she works. Tulip is also dating Key, who her parents don't approve of and won't meet because he drives a bus for the city. With the trial of the police officers who beat Rodney King on the horizon, Tulip decides to become involved locally in the cause--but will it come at a personal cost?

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

Lila has a full house. Divorced, she lives with her two daughters--Celie and Violet--and her stepfather Bill, who doesn't like being alone after Lila's mother's death. When Gene, Lila's often absent father and semi-famous American actor, invites himself to stay, things get even more chaotic because Bill and Gene don't get along. Add to the mix that Lila's ex, Dan, lives not far away with his new partner Marja. That means that Lila sees Marja almost everyday on the school run. Lila is also on a deadline to hand in the first three chapters of the book she's writing, but she has writer's block. In typical Moyes style, the reader becomes immersed in Lila's life and those around her, hoping they all find the happiness they are looking for.

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.