Liz Recommends
Librarian Kiela has spent the last decade sequestered in the Great Library of Alyssium, charged with preserving spell books for the elite magicians of the kingdom. When an uprising burns down the library she’s worked so long to protect, Kiela escapes with a handful of her most prized books and Caz, the sentient spider plant who is also her best friend. With no home or job, and no other options, Kiela flees to the island home that her parents abandoned long ago. With a bit of illegal magic, some recipes that her family left behind, and her intriguing new neighbor, Kiela opens a shop selling jam (and secretly spells) and slowly discovers a newfound family.
Try it if you liked: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.
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In 1885 Paris, spoiled nine year old Aubrey finds a wooden puzzle ball on her way home from school. Days later, she begins to bleed to death during dinner. Her doctor can’t help, but when she travels to his office, she realizes that as long as she’s moving, her condition improves. She leaves home, and as she travels she quickly learns both that she must be resourceful, and that the people around her genuinely want to help. Through the many years that follow, Aubrey travels the globe by foot, boat, train, and airplane, and experiences places and things others only dream of. In the fleeting company of the friends, lovers, and even enemies that she finds along the way, Aubrey learns to cherish what she has as long as she has it.
Try it if you liked: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, or The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
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For years, master art thief Stéphane Breitweiser carried out bold, often reckless art thefts from museums and galleries across Europe, with his girlfriend acting as lookout. Unlike most thieves, his goal was never to steal to sell; instead he was almost pathologically obsessed with owning the best, most beautiful pieces in the world. He and his girlfriend lived in his mother’s attic, surrounded by some of the most spectacular art pieces in the world, working odd jobs and planning his next heists. Yet as time went on, pressure from the authorities grew more intense, and Breitweiser grew more and more reckless until the inevitable happened. This was an absolutely fascinating look at the pathology of someone who is compelled to steal, and the people that he drew into his orbit. It’s a great book, and an excellent listen for readers who like true crime, art, history, and psychology.
Try it if you liked: The Woman Who Stole Vermeer by Anthony Amore, The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson, or The Rescue Artist by Edward Dolnick.
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On Christmas Eve of 1959, a delivery man in search of water for his horse makes a horrifying discovery. On the banks of the local river, a mother and her children lie dead. Panicked, he runs for help, and only later realizes that the baby is missing. Sixty years later, London journalist Jess is adrift and between jobs when she learns that her beloved grandmother is seriously ill. Returning home to Australia and the house she grew up in, she discovers a letter about the deaths and begins to investigate. Jess and her grandmother Nora are wonderful characters, and the Australian setting is so vivid that it feels like a character in its own right. A compelling, twisty mystery makes this a page turner that’s impossible to put down.
Try it if you liked: Exiles by Jane Harper, When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain, Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield.
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Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is a brilliant scholar and an expert in the fae, but she’s not great at people. Prickly and socially awkward, she’s generally grumpy about anything that doesn’t involve research. When she starts a long awaited field study in the remote and hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, she finds the villagers standoffish and easily offended. To her irritation, her academic rival Wendell Bambleby soon appears unannounced and wins over the townspeople seemingly without any effort. Soon, she finds herself in peril, seemingly in the midst of one of the stories of the fae that she intended to merely collect. Told almost entirely through her diary entries, this is the first in a series. Emily is a great character with lots of quirks and (unintentional) charm, and she’s often clever and funny. Watch for the next book, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands, due to be released in January.
Try it if you liked: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, The Library of the Dead by TL Huchu.
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When long suffering Queen’s bodyguard Reyna finally snaps after a failed assassination attempt leaves her injured, she convinces her longtime (and very secret) girlfriend Kianthe to run away with her. As the world’s most powerful mage, Kianthe is exhausted by years of punishing travel and spellwork, and she jumps at the chance to make a new life with the person she loves most. Fleeing from the vengeful Queen Tilaine and a charge of treason, the two finally settle in the tiny town of Tawney, where they open a bookshop that serves tea. The Queen’s Guard is in pursuit, though, and there’s the small matter of a nearby dragon problem before they can truly settle into their new life. Both charming and funny, this is the first book in a new series, and the perfect pick when you want some adventure but need to know that everything will work out okay in the end.
Readalikes: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
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Amidst wartime rationing in Britain, three women come together to repair a wedding dress once owned by Grace’s mother. This first dress launches a lending service for brides with no means to create their own, a project that brings together women throughout the country. Even though this novel takes place against the very real, serious backdrop of the war, it’s primarily a reminder of the kindness and community that exists even during the worst of times. That makes it a great pick for readers who gravitate toward stories of wartime, but who are finding them challenging right now.
Try it if you liked: Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce, Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes, Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan.
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Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked as professional assassins for the Museum for forty years. Now that they’re sixty and ready to retire, their employer has sent all four on an all-expenses paid vacation to celebrate. When one of their former colleagues poses as a member of the ship’s crew and attempts an assassination, they realize that they are the newest targets of the Museum. Determined to live long enough to enjoy retirement, they vow to eliminate everyone involved in the plot. One review refers to this book as Golden Girls meets Kill Bill, and that’s spot on. Furious, bloody, and often hilarious, at its heart this is a great read about a group of women tired of being underestimated.
Try it if you liked: Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.
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Hannah Brooks is cute, and also efficiently deadly. As a professional bodyguard, she’s comfortable in just about any situation, at least until now. When superstar actor Jack Stapleton hires her firm to protect him from a fanatic, corgi loving fan while he’s home caring for his mom, Hannah figures it’s business as usual. But then he throws her a curveball; since his mom is sick he doesn’t want to tell her about his stalker, so Hannah needs to pretend to be his girlfriend so she can stay close. This is a charming, thoughtful romcom perfect for vacation reading or a trip to the beach.
Try it if you liked: Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, or Talia Hibbert.
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Four strangers are silently working at a table in the reading room of the Boston Public Library when a scream causes a commotion. Instructed to stay where they are by security guards, the four begin to chat, and quickly make friends. Each is there for something different, but only one is there for murder. There’s big buzz for this book, scheduled to be released in just a few weeks on June 7. This is a good pick for mystery readers who like their puzzles especially twisty, and their characters unreliable.
Try it if you liked: The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz or Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson.
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Mystery readers know that poison is one of the most enduring and popular options for the aspiring murderer. Poisoning can happen through eating and drinking, touching contaminated surfaces, or even just breathing the air. This versatility historically made poison a challenge to detect, and poisoners difficult to find and prosecute. In this fascinating blend of true crime and popular science, Bradbury explores the history and detection of poison through the stories of eleven notorious cases from ancient times until today. Click here to find a copy.
Try it if you liked: 18 Tiny Deaths by Bruce Goldfarb, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara, or Stiff by Mary Roach.
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At the height of WWII, Ellie and her Uncle Mick make ends meet in a bit of an unconventional way-they break into the homes of the rich and crack their safes. When they’re caught red handed during a particularly tricky heist, the British government makes an offer they can’t refuse. Either Ellie agrees to break into a safe to retrieve blueprints vital to the war effort, or both will be turned over to law enforcement. With a solid puzzle, espionage and double agents, humor, and a little romance, this is a great pick for mystery readers. Click here to find a copy.
Try it if you liked: Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood, Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer, or mysteries by Rhys Bowen.
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