The Lions of Fifth Avvenue: A Novel by Fiona Davis

 

 

 The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel by Fiona Davis.Dutton, 2020. Adult fiction. Historical fiction.

 In 1913, Laura Lyons and her husband and two children actually live in an apartment in the New York Public Library. The home is a perk of Laura's husband's job as Superintendent of the Library.  She longs to be a journalist herself. The family is upended and suspect as valuable items go missing from the library.

 In 1995, Sadie Donovan is a curator at the New York Public Library and grand daughter of the famous essayist Laura Lyons. Her life has been rather topsy-turvy and she longs to find out more about her grandmother's life and her own family. The situation gets really sticky when items go missing from a display that Sadie is planning.

 The two voices merge as clues are found about the thefts and modern police get involved. Sadie is no longer incognito in her position. Readers will enjoy the details about the library itself and how the pieces are put together to solve the puzzle. They will root for Sadie! 

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks

 

 The Lindbergh Nanny: A Novel by Mariah Fredericks. Minotaur Books, 2022. Adult fiction. Historical fiction.

     Its no secret that in March, 1932, the toddler son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh was kidnapped from his bedroom. The incident became a world wide event in the press. Police and detectives everywhere followed clues and tried to find the child. Horrifically, the boy was found dead near the Lindbergh home. A massive trial followed with a conviction. 

     This novel's main character is the young Scottish woman, Berry Gow, who was the little boy's nanny. The cook, the chauffeur, the maids and other staff all figure into this tale. The world will probably never know if any of them were involved in the kidnapping, but the author builds tension as readers discover details about the family and their situation. The book is not so much a "Who Done it?" as "How could this happen?" It certainly will have interested readers scurrying to find photographs and news of the time.

The Last One: A Novel by Will Dean

 

  The Last One: A Novel by Will Dean. Emily Bestler Books, Atria, Simon & Schuster 2023. Adult mystery/thriller.

   When Caroline Ripley and her partner board the HMS Atlantica in Southampton, England for a week's cruise to New York, she has no idea that her adventure will take a deadly turn. After a delicious dinner the first night, Caroline (Caz) wakes up to find that she is alone. As she searches the ship, three other people do turn up: Frannie, a younger woman; Danny, a Korean American whose handyman knowledge becomes helpful; and Smith, an older gentleman who can be rather critical and snide. 

   Not to give away too much, let's just say that the adventure takes off as the group find they should cooperate in order to contact land and get themselves off the ship. Nothing is as it seems. Even in the very last chapter, the author has tricks up his sleeve! 

What in the World? by Leanne Morgan

 

 What in the World? A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings.  Convergent Books, 2024. Adult memoir.

  Those readers who are unfamiliar with Leanne Morgan's hilarious Netflix comedy show may not recognize her name. Those who know and love the show will find this memoir fun, too.

Telling all about her family, growing up, dating poor choices, marrying "The Rifleman", having children, and growing old are all fair game for laughter. In her fifties, Morgan achieved comedy club fame and lifelong goals of entertaining people. 

The Fairy Tale Fan Club by Richard Ayoade

 

 The Fairy Tale Fan Club by Richard Ayoade. Illustrated by David Roberts. Candlewick, 2024. Children's, Young Adult.

      Under the guise of "Legendary Letters collected by C.C. Cecily", this imaginative book has a collection of questions that children ask famous fairy and folk tale characters. The answers provide unusual insights into the tales and their characters. What a fun read! This would be an excellent choice for teachers of gifted students, too! The reading level does not cater to early readers, but it would work as a read-aloud for younger children. Young adults may hoot with laughter.

     Coming up with email addresses for fairy tale characters and matching their illustrations to their names at the end are fun additions to the postcards and letters. Students will soon be writing their own letters to the Fairy Tale Fan Club!