FICTION:
The assassination of Margaret Thatcherand other stories by Hilary Mantel. The author turns to contemporary England as the setting for a collection of short stories.
Bitter crossing by D.A. Keeley. A border agent in Aroostook County tries to break up a smuggling ring.
The city of palaces by Michael Nava. It begins as a love story of two good people – a Catholic and an atheist – who find each other in the corrupt world of belle epoch Mexico City.
Day of atonement by David Liss. A historical thriller, this portrays 18thcentury Lisbon in vivid detail, leading up to the great earthquake of 1755. It paints a vivid picture of the waning days of the Spanish Inquisition and of the truly evil religious leaders who led it.
Deadline by John Sandford. Dognappers and a murdered reporter draw the attention of the Minnesota investigator Virgil Flowers.
Fives and twenty-fives by Michael Pitre. A war novel with a voice all its own, this will stand as one of the definite renderings of the Iraq experience.
Florence Gordon by Brian Morton. A wise novel about a woman who has lived life on her own terms for 75 defiant and determined years, only to find herself suddenly thrust to the center of her family’s various catastrophes.
Gray Mountain by John Grisham. A downsized Wall Street lawyer joins a legal clinic in a small Virginia town, and becomes involved both in real people’s lives and in litigation against the coal mining industry.
Ice shear by M.P. Cooley. A small town cop’s murder investigation turns deadly when she uncovers a web of politics and drugs linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang.
Motherless child by Glen Hirshberg. No fangs, no pretty shirtless vampires, and no romance here – this is fine, old-school horror which will delight fans disgusted with the overabundance of vampire lit now dominating the genre.
The paying guests by Sarah Waters. An enthralling novel about a widow and her daughter who take a young couple into their home in 1920s London.
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice. The Vampire Chronicles continue after a long hiatus with the reappearance of Lestat de Lioncourt.
Road ends by Mary Lawson. A woman finally escapes the responsibility of caring for her parent’s dysfunctional family by moving from Canada to London. Until, that is, the family starts unraveling and her brother calls her back.
Ruth’s journey by Donald McCaig. Authorized by the Margaret Mitchell Estate, this is the first-ever prequel to Gone With The Wind. It recounts the life of Mammy, one of literature’s greatest supporting characters, from her days as a slave girl to the outbreak of the Civil War.
The ship of brides by Jojo Moyes. Australian brides form friendships as they make their way to England after World War II aboard an aircraft carrier.
Treat us like dogs and we will become wolves by Carolyn Chute. When a journalist sets out to investigate the mysterious leader of the nearby homeschool known as “The Prophet”, she is drawn into the life of his self-sufficient counterculture community called The Settlement.
The visitors by Sally Beauman. A tale of love and loss, this tells of the hunt for King Tut’s tomb and the historic discovery as witnessed through the eyes of a vulnerable child whose fate becomes entangled in the dramatic quest.
The witch: and other tales re-told by Jean Thompson. Classic fairy tales are brought into the modern age with stories that capture the magic and horror in everyday life.
The wolf in winter by John Connolly. Carlie Parker is in Prosperous, Maine investigating the death of a homeless man…and the disappearance of his daughter.
NONFICTION:
Artful Christmas by Susan Wasinger. 30 elegant craft projects for those with Neiman Marcus tastes and Target budgets.
Destination unknown by Gay Grant. Sent away to live with strangers to escape Nazi bombs during the Second World War in England, Patricia Phillips North kept her experiences as a child evacuee secret until another war and an unlikely friendship helped her heal from long-repressed traumas.
Fields of blood: religion and the history of violence by Karen Armstrong. A sweeping exploration of religion’s connection to violence.
Ghosts, a natural history by Roger Clarke. This is replete with apparitions, poltergeists, séances and the human longing to believe.
Hate crimes in cyberspace by Danielle Citron. Frightening and infuriating, this is a demand for legal accountability for Internet barbarism and deserves widespread exposure and serious consideration.
The homeschooling handbook by Lorilee Lippincott. How to make homeschooling simple, affordable, fun, and effective.
How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman. A delightful tour through the intimate details of life in Victorian England, told by a historian who has cheerfully endured them all by living in re-created Victorian conditions.
Living hell: the dark side of the Civil Warby Michael Adams. Mutilation, madness, chronic disease, and advanced physical decay. Adams clusters the voices of actual soldiers on the firing line or in the hospital ward to create a virtual historical reenactment.
The Nazis next door by Eric Lichtblau. A Times reporter tracks the disturbingly large post war influx and shows how America became a safe haven for thousands of Nazis after World War II.
On immunity by Eula Biss. Why do we fear vaccines? This is a provocative examination by an author who has won the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Only in Spain by Nellie Bennett. In search of herself, the author fell passionately in love…with the land of flamenco. This is a foot-stomping, firecracker of a memoir about food, flamenco, and falling in love.
Raw color: the circles of David Smith by David Breslin. This addresses the relationships between landscape, industry, and the works David Smith realized between the years of 1961-63. The Circle series was his most ambitious attempt to pair painting and sculpture.
Smoke gets in your eyes by Caitlin Doughty. A young mortician goes behind the scenes, unafraid of the details of her curious profession.
Some desperate glory by Max Egremont. The story of World War I through the lives and words of its poets, most of whom during that conflict.
The Swift diet by Kathie Swift. Devised by a holistic nutritionist, this 4 week plan will be especially useful to readers suffering from Crohn’s and IBS.
The 3 promises by David Pollay. The author explains how making 3 simple promises to yourself – “ to find joy every day, do what you love, and to make a difference” – will make your life more positive.
Unbored games by Joshua Glenn. Compilation of games galore from the indoors to the outdoors, from computer to traditional board games.
The VB6 cookbook by Mark Mittman. Easy vegan cookbook for healthy vegan meals all day and flexitarian dinners at night.
Notes from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, and New York Times Book Review.