How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold

 

 How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold. Poisoned Pen Press, 2025. Adult fiction. Mystery. Horror.

 After the death of Mortimer Queen, the king of horror novelists, seven people are invited to his estate with promise that they have been left something. One by one, si of them meet untimely ends in gruesome ways. Interspersed with "chapters" about the seven that are seemingly written by Mortimer Queen, readers learn how they were all connected to the writer, his work, or his family. Proceeding from room to room and trying to solve a riddle, the narrative moves forward.  Readers can have fun marking up their books, counting down the characters, and trying to decide who will survive this horror story.

You Should Have Known by Rebecca A. Keller

 

 You Should Have Known by Rebecca A. Keller. 2023, Crooked Lane, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox and Company. Adult fiction. Mystery.

When Francine Greene, age 72, is talked into moving into the senior adult assistive/independent living facility, Ridgewood, she struggles to make friends. Her son and  daughter are attentive to her, but it's hard to get over the death of her teen granddaughter four years before. When Francine recognizes someone from the past who is probably connected to the crime, it's hard to think of anything else. She vows to get revenge.

While it may be true that few really notice the elderly, when Francine plots to switch up the medicines of others with leftover prescription drugs from her own beloved dead husband, the story takes a sinister turn. She is a believable, vulnerable character. The residents are described with respect and small details make them seem like readers know these people. 

This is a debut novel and bodes well for the author. Although readers may think the letters to or from her cousin will add new details, not really. Although a possible romantic interest with handsome Evan is hinted at, Francine's problems take precedence. If all families were as connected with seniors in placement, life might be diffferent. Let's hope this author keeps going! 

Dinner with King Tut by Sam Kean

 

 Dinner with King Tut:  How Rogue Archaeologists Are re-Creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations by Sam Kean. Little Brown and Company, 2025. Nonfiction.

Have you ever heard of "experimental archaeology"? Follow Sam Kean through different time periods and cultures to learn how scientists, historians, and other professionals are learning about the past by recreating some of what they have only read about. Using all five senses, they make mummies, create their own weapons and go hunting and then prepare their kills, and try to actually experience what life was like in the past. A teacher and her students actually build a Roman road! In alternate chapters of fiction, each time period is brought to life by story.

Not all readers will be interested in every chapter so it is easy to skip around. Ancient Egypt? Viking life? Early Alaska? Even South American cultures? They are all here. This is one book that is NOT boring and learning something you did not already know is guaranteed! 

The Tides of Time by Sarah M. Eden

 The Tides of Time by Sarah M.Eden. Shadow Mountain, 2025. 

Adult fiction. A Storm Tide Romance part of series. 

  When the French Revolution is at its worst, Lili Minet must leave her home and take a ship to England. Unfortunately, the ship is wrecked near shore. Fortunately, Lili is rescued by Armitage Pierce, who with his grandfather, keeps a lighthouse in 1873! Somehow Lili has travelled through time eighty years into the future! Of course, since this is billed as a romance, the two young people fall in love. But life is complicated. When Lili's wicked brother, who is part of the Tribunal in Paris, arrives in the present and challenges their simple life, they must decide whether time travel works backward and if they can change the past by going back to rescue others. 

Fans of the Outlander series will enjoy another time travel story. Fans of the French Revolution times will appreciate the details about life then. Fans of lighthouses will like the details about life in a lighthouse. And, of course, who doesn't like a little romance? This book really may have something for everyone! 

I Wish I Didn't Hae to Tell You This by Eugene Yelchin

 

I Wish I Didn't Hae to Tell You This by  Eugene Yelchin. Candlewick Press, 2025.Graphic Novel. Memoir. Young Adult.

In his THE GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE, Eugene Yelchin describes his childhood passion for art and his life in the Soviet Union. In this graphic novel, he continues his life story as he becomes a young adult in the oppressing regime. He meets a young American woman and works through his feelings for her. He still lives with his mother and grandmother and does not want to  become a Russian soldier! He dreams of being an artist and living as an adult, perhaps as a theater designer and artist. Unfortunately, he comes under scrutiny of the government and sent to Siberia and even placed in a mental asylum. His finally escape into freedom is bittersweet.

The illustrations add a great deal to the words. The book moves along with humor and wit.(Grandmother's words and expressions are a highlight!) Readers who are not familiar with the Russian state may be surprised at the hard life of citizens. The scenes in Siberia are both challenging and sad. The book is perfect for adults who think graphic novels are just for children!

The Crime Brulee Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly

 

 The Crime Brulee Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. A Claire Walker Mystery. Adult fiction. Mystery.

Baker Claire Walker accepts an opportunity to be on Britain's Battle of the Bakers which means several weeks at a beautiful castle. The local viscount has reluctantly agreed to the show taking over, but when one of the bakers is killed and it resembles a long ago murder in his family, he must get involved to help solve the crime. It doesn't hurt that Claire also attracts his attention and the two become partners to help the police...and maybe more.

A cute cozy mystery, the first in a series, this novel has touches of humor as well as mystery. Claire's use of food and baking terms instead of "bad" language is contagious! 

The Miniaturist's Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford

 

The Miniaturist's Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford. Regal House Publishing, 2025. Adult fiction. Historical fiction.

 When art conservator Gamble Vance sees a young woman in 2004 Charleston, she realizes the young woman looks like a miniature portrait Gamble has worked to restore. With a recent miscarriage and divorce, Gamble feels fragile and uncertain and leans on her handsome friend and art professor Tolliver Jackson for support. But, nothing is as it seems when Gamble's work and life collide in 1804 style. For witty, sexy, smart Gamble is a time traveler. 

The descriptions of Charleston make the old city come alive. The problems of slavery and the interracial love story at the novel's center provide a historic context to Gamble's life. A lovely fairy tale of a book that readers will not want to end, fans of the Outlander series will enjoy this very different look into the past and present.

Death on the Island: A Novel by Eliza Reid

 

 

Death on the Island: A Novel by Eliza Reid. Poisoned Pen Press, 2025. Mystery. Adult fiction.

When several important people are invited to a small island off the coast of Iceland, things do not go as expected. Murder happens. The weather turns bad and no one can leave the island. From the mayor who has recently lost his spouse to the young artist whose exhibit at a local museum can make or break her to the ambassador and his wife, the chef who cooks for them all, a handsome journalist with local ties, and the man responsible for local business dealings and his wife, everyone is suspect at dasterdly dealings. 

  Advertised as "Agatha Christie meets Nordic noir, this novel gains momentum as it progresses. The author is the former First Lady of Iceland from 2016 - 2024 so details ring true. This is apparently the first in a series and has been optioned for television. It is perfect for travelers to Iceland who want a book for their bags! 

Blonde Dust by Tatiana De Rosnay

 

 Blonde Dust by Tatiana De Rosnay. Adult fiction. Historical fiction. Grand Central, 2025. (June, 2025 publication).

When Pauline Bazelet comes to America as a child, her French mother has married a soldier from Reno, Nevada. Although Pauline falls in love with the open spaces and wild mustangs, her mother never really feels at home. Pauline, as a teen, takes a job as a cleaner in the gorgeous,  tall Mapes Hotel in town. The people there get to know each  other and share their excitement as a film crew goes to work filming The Misfits. Pauline's life is changed by the son of the owner who takes advantage of the young woman. All is not lost, however, as close friends and none other than Marilyn Monroe herself help Pauline find a new life. Bookends of modern times center the book's story and provide context for the main narrative.

The author seems to have done her research well as the descriptions of the land and people of the 1960's in Reno ring true. Those who are interested in film history may enjoy the real and imagined as they twist and turn in this fascinating novel. 

The Ghostwriter A Novel by Julie Clark

 

 The Ghostwriter: A Novel by Julie Clark. Sourcebooks/Landmark, 2025. Adult fiction. Mystery.

Olivia Dumont has spent the better part of her life trying to understand her family. Her father, horror writer Vincent Taylor, is declining in health and hires Julie to ghost write his real story.  As a teen, Vincent lost both his siblings, Poppy and Danny, to murder. Although Vincent had an alibi, he has long been suspected as the one who killed them. Now, Olivia returns to her hometown, to the house where the murders took place, and to demons people only imagine.  Can she find the truth? Can she live with the truth?

Unique stories seem to be Clark's forte. If you have not read The Last Flight, try it, too! Two women, meeting at an airport, change places. Their flight goes down. Only one survives. Everything changes...

 

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware

  The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware. Scout Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2025. Mystery. Adult fiction.

     If you liked Ruth Ware's twisty thriller The Woman in Cabin 10, you will probably like this one. Lo Blacklock is back after ten years, a marriage, and two children. She is trying to revamp her travel writing career and when she is invited to be a guest at a lush resort in Switzerland, she takes the chance to get an interview with the mysterious, wealthy owner. But, as you might expect, nothing is simple. Some of the guests are familiar, Lo is soon caught in dubious decision making, and, of course, there is a murder. 

 

The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

 

The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly. Gallery Books, 2021. Adult historical fiction.

Until 1959, wealthy girls dressed in white and were "presented" to the Queen of England to herald the announcement of their presence in society. A series of teas, parties, and balls followed so that the girls could meet "the right" people and be seen by eligible bachelors. Lily Nichols is not terribly excited about the whole Season, but her mother and grandmother insist on the tradition. The friends she makes will influence her entire life. Family secrets loom large in this detail filled look at London and life in the late 1950's.

The Measure: A Novel by Nikki Erlick

 

The Measure: A Novel by Nikki Erlick. William Morrow, 2022. Adult fiction.

Suppose that when adults get up in March, small boxes wait for them. A string is enclosed and only accompanied by a paper that reads, "The measure of your life lies within." As people learn that the string shows the length of the rest of their lives, they fight battles of long stringers vs. short stringers. Ben, Hank, Maura, and a few others join a short string support group. They form the narrative as each chapter moves the story along and their lives intertwine in unusual ways. Time passes. Life happens. Readers will be caught up in their lives and learn that living long is not the same as living well. A fascinating notion for a book and well written, this would make a good book group read. 

Independence: A Novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

 

Independence: A Novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. William Morrow, 2023. Historical fiction. Adult fiction.

The subtitle of this book is "Three Sisters, Their Deep Bond, and the Struggle for India's Freedom." That really says it all. Priya in 1947 India loves Amit and dreams of becoming a doctor like her father. Deepa, the beautiful one, wants to marry and bring prestige to her family, but falls in love with a Muslim. Jamini walks with a limp, but is the one who can help her mother make beautiful quilts and who secretly craves the attention of handsome Amit. Caught up in the growing tensions of the Hindu and Muslims as the country of Pakistan fights for its birth, the daughters become adults and fight their own battles. Beautifully written, easy to understand even if readers know nothing about this part of the world. 

The Slow Road North by Rosie Schaap

 

The Slow Road North: How I Found Peace in an Improbable Country by Rosie Schaap, Mariner Books, 2024.

  Bar tender, wine expert, and journalist as well as a New Yorker, Rosie Schaap finds herself drawn to the Belfast area of Northern Ireland after both her mother and husband die. Grieving, mourning, and searching for both peace and a new life, she moves to the small village of Glenarm, a seaside oasis in which she makes new friends and finds love and acceptance. 

The Waiting Game by Nicola Clark

 

   The Waiting Game: The Untold Story o the Women who Served the Tudor Queens by Nicola Clark. Pegasus Books, 2025. Nonfiction.

   While a good deal is known about the wives of Henry VIII, much of the information about the women who surrounded them at court has been lost. Destroyed or just never recorded, the stories of the ladies-in-waiting, chambermaids, and others are definitely part of history. Nicola Clark has produced a masterful investigation of these women. With a lengthy bibliography of resources, including both print and online, Clark has pieced together details and woven a fascinating tapestry of the Tudor years in England.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

 

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman. Pamela Dorman Books, Viking. 2024. Mystery.

Amy Wheeler is an adventurer on assignment to protect famous author Rose D'Antonio. When she runs into trouble, Amy calls the one person she knows she can trust to help--her retired investigator father-in-law Steve Wheeler. Steve likes his life in a small English town complete with weekly pub quiz, cat named Trouble, and mourning his late wife Debbie. 

But, Amy needs help and this first adventure in a new series by The Thursday Murder Club author, takes readers from England to South Carolina to St. Lucia to Dublin to Dubai in search of the mysterious Francois Loubert. Someone is killing social media influencers and is now aiming  for Amy herself. Buckle up! This bodes well for a new series of fun and mystery in the hands of a master writer.

A Wilder Shore: The Romantic Odyssey of Fanny and Robert Louis Stevenson by Camille Peri

 

A Wilder Shore: The Romantic Odyssey of Fanny and Robert Louis Stevenson by Camille Peri. Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2024. Biography. Nonfiction.

   Think you know Robert Louis Stevenson? Think again! Camille Peri's chunky book on him and his wife, Fanny, will almost certainly provide new insights for most readers. Although they met when she was married and had children, the two spent the rest of their lives moving about and writing. Best known for Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and his curious tale about The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson was ill and near death many times during his lifetime. Fanny is given credit for being a muse, a nurse, a co-writer, as well as his wife. While she outlived him by some twenty years, her influence and works were never given much credit during his lifetime. Peri's deep dive into their lives corrects that omission.

   Among my favorite new pieces of information in this well researched book is that Stevenson is actually responsible for the slightly altered song lyrics in Outlander, the television series! (See page 305 for more information.)   

Annie's Secrets of the Quilt series

 

Annie's Secrets of the Quilt series. Fiction. Historical fiction. Various authors and dates.

When Sophie Porter of Cabot Falls, VT inherits a chest, a quilt, and a diary from her grandmother, she vows to learn more of her family history. About half of each of the twelve books in the series feature Sophie's modern family and friends. The other half spotlight one of the blocks in her grandmother's quilt and take readers back to different women in different time periods. It's up to Sofia to show how these women may be connected to her family and the quilt. 

Castle of Whispers by Elizabeth Penney. 2015,2017. Book 1 involves Caterina Vasari in 1503 Italy. Could the seamstress's mistress, Lisabetta Donati, actually be the woman in the Mona Lisa painting? In present day, someone is trying to break into Sofia's house. Sofia's daughter, Wynter, needs a cochlear implant.

Decadent Deceit by Deanna Julie Dodson. 2015, 2017. Cerise Belanger in 1789 is witness to happenings in the Palace of Versailles in France. In present day, the school play involves Sofia, Husband Jim, and son in drama

A Dangerous Tide by Kristi Holl. 2015, 2018. Can Sofia link  a whitework quilt square and Jane Austen to her antique quilt? Daughter Vanessa is falsely accused of causing a car accident.

Highland Treachery by Elizabeth Penney. 2015, 2018. Is the tartan square in Sofia's quilt indicative of her Scottish heritage? Set in the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie, can Isabel Ripa solve a murder? In modern day, the Highland Games in Vermont wrap Sofia in a baking competition and controversy. Can Sofia solve a murder or maybe prevent one?

Arsenic and Old Silk by Mary Blount Christian. Can Sofia link a quilt square to her ancestor to the court of King Henry VIII? In modern day, someone seems to be stalking Sofia's family.

Target for Revenge by Margaret Chase. 2016,2017. Most of the action takes place in 1885 Omaha, Nebraska where Libby and Meg's aunt has invited them to visit. The girls meet Annie Oakley and learn she is a seamstress. Will one of Sofia's quilt squares be tied to the famous sharp shooter? Sofia has her hands full when a Native American artist's show and visit to present day Cabot Falls goes awry.

Deadly Angel by Kristi Holl. 2016. When a Civil War era re-enactment group event takes place in nearby St. Albans, Vermont, Sofia's son Luke participates and Sofia caters the tea. But, it appears that ten year old Matthew has disappeared there. In 1862, Phoebe Ashford's husband, a Union soldier, is hurt and she goes to Washington, D.C. to be with him. Did he desert as accused? How can Phoebe find the truth? How will nurse Louisa May Alcott figure into Sofia's story? Does the famous Vermont quilter Jane Stickle become part of Sofia's quilt's history?

Mist on the Moors by Elizabeth Penney. 2016. Sofia is catering a charity auction of wealthy Catherine Stanley's jewelry collection, but both a blizzard ad thieves complicate things. Orphaned Beatrice Kimble in 1850 Yorkshire, England is an art appraiser for the National Gallery. When Beatrice gets a dream job appraising the collection of handsome Lord Blackwell, it leads to danger, adventure, and perhaps a promising new life.

The Thief of Hearts by Mary Blount Christian.  Sofia opens a temporary bakery shop for the Cabot falls founders' Day celebration. Her neighbor Jessop Norton provides trouble at home and in town. Can Sofia find out about the next quilt suare from 1871 and with only the word Pinkerton? When Hannah Reed is eighteen and leaves the orphanage in 17 Chicago, she finds the world is complicated. A silk baby quilt and a gold locket are in a reed basket she was given. With the initials A.J. and a photo that looks just like Hannah, she searches for her past.

All That Glimmers by Marlene Chase. 2016. When their father dies in 1849 Kanesville, Iowa, Quinton and his sister Adelia Long head to California's gold fields. Sofia gives art lessons at home to Ernest Hayes, Jr. and Marjorie Bennett. While preparing for a garage sale, Sofia and her children find a pouch of gold flakes and nuggets. The pouch vanishes and the mystery begins.  (Interesting that Kanesville becomes Council Bluffs) "Real treasure lies within the heart." p. 204 (Not as much about the quilt, more about Sofia's inherited diary in this book.)

Where Summer Never Comes by Kristi Holl. 2016, 2019. In 1848 Yorkshire, England, the Bronte sisters, Charlotte and Anne, are on a train where a young woman is murdered. They are accused of murder! In present day Cabot Falls, VT, Sofia's husband, Jim, is attacked and accused of "fixing" grades in his math classes. Sofia has volunteered to demonstrate cake decorating and candy making for two weeks to classes at the high school so she is on the scene to investigate what's going on there. And, where has the lavender paisley quilt square come from?  

A Lethal Journey by Elizabeth Penney. 2016. Young film star Daisy Grifin and her friend and writer, Aria Greco, get tickets on The HMS Titanic in 1912. The two hobknob with millionaires, but don't predict a they will be involved in a murder nor a love story.  In modern times, just before the three Pinot Painters and their families take a vacation at Lake Champlain, Julie's brother, Ian, shows up and then disappears. Can they find him? And how will Sofia ever connect her water stained quilt square to her family history?

Bright I Burn: A Novel by Molly Aitken

 

Bright I Burn: A Novel by Molly Aitken. Knopf, 2024. Historical fiction.

Alice Kyteler grows up the daughter of a wealthy innkeeper in Kilkenny, Ireland. Life is hard for a woman in 1279. Alice swears to never have no power as her mother did. Alice marries four times. By then, people have gossiped for years about her dead husbands and her family.

"Inspired by the true story of the first woman in Ireland to be condemned as a witch"