O’Connor’s harrowing, dexterous thriller (after the collection A Perfect Universe) delves into the impact of an art installation on a group of emotionally disturbed characters. In 1977, Los Angeles installation artist Jess Shepard processes the defining moments of her childhood—a near drown... Continue reading »

Bestselling mystery writer Lucy Harper, the insecure heroine of this outstanding suspense novel from Edgar finalist Macmillan (The Nanny), is the creator of capable and astute Det. Sgt. Eliza Grey, based on an imaginary childhood friend. Chapters that recount a tragedy in Lucy’s past altern... Continue reading »

World Fantasy Award winner Polk (Witchmark) delivers sharp social commentary in this excellent Regency-flavored fantasy. Sorceress Beatrice Clayborn must marry well or her family will plunge into poverty. But marriage means submitting to a collar that blocks women from access to magic, so B... Continue reading »

With this sweeping romance, Darke (Star-Crossed) spins a tender tribute to the healing powers of love and music. For seven years, gentle Australian computer whiz Arie Johnson and fiery concert pianist and composer Diana Clare have been each other’s “Amen.” While away on a concert tour, Dian... Continue reading »

Skelly (My Pretty Vampire) plays with the dark side of femininity in this quietly vicious graphic novel based on a historical murder case, which unfurls like a wicked fairy tale. In 1930s Paris, sisters Lea and Christine Papin work as maids to the Lancelins, a family too wrapped up in petty... Continue reading »

In this breathtaking distillation that draws from 10 collections and a nearly 60-year career, readers can see the literary evolution of the two-time Guggenheim Fellow and winner of the National Book Award in a new light. The poems are organized chronologically and selected by poet Bianca Stone, the ... Continue reading »

Bestseller Lewis (Child of Mine) returns with a resplendent tale of love, loss, and faith within the Amish community of Lancaster, Pa. Twenty-something Anna, after from a breakup, moves in with her mother’s cousin Sadie for a change of pace despite her parents’ disapproval and her own conce... Continue reading »

In this exhaustive history, journalist and crime novelist Barnes (Taped) documents the discovery, prosecution, and legacy of the Portland Spy Ring in early 1960s England. Drawing on KGB archives and declassified files from the U.K., Barnes details the investigation from its initial stages i... Continue reading »

Shearer and Teplin (The Home Edit) present being well-organized as a “lifestyle and mindset that anyone can adopt” in their excellent guide. Cannily making their advice as achievable as possible, Shearer and Teplin counsel starting with small spaces then building up to bigger ones. As long ... Continue reading »

Theologian Jennings (The Christian Imagination) delivers a searing critique of Western Christian divinity school training and higher education overall, which he claims sustains a system of white supremacist capitalist patriarchy. Weaving a powerful narrative composed of vignettes from his y... Continue reading »

National Book Award winner Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming) provides a beautiful and heart-wrenching story in her latest middle grade novel. Twelve-year-old Zachariah "ZJ" Johnson Jr.'s pro-football player father has always been hailed as an American hero and a loving husband and father. Slowly,... Continue reading »