Good Reads & Views

The Sorcerer’s Appendix by P.J. Brackston
Fiction 

What it’s about: Private investigator Gretel, assisted by her brother Hans, takes on the case of a missing sorcerer. Her pursuit leads her into the deep, dark forest and an encore encounter with an old nemesis the siblings are very familiar with.

Why you might like it: Delightful wry humor, a voluptuous and very fashion-conscious 18^th century Bavarian heroine, and her loveably useless brother make for a nice change of pace from “heavier” mysteries. Light and fun.

You might also enjoy: This is the fourth in the Brother’s Grimm Mysteries series, after Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints, Once Upon a Crime, and The Case of the Fickle Mermaid.

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Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Nonfiction

What it is: Racial disparities and racism in the United States are skillfully reframed as a classic caste system in this fascinating, well researched history lesson. Pulitzer Prize winner Wilkerson (The Warmth of Other Suns) compares America's caste system with the one that operated in Nazi Germany and the one still operating today in India. 

Want a taste? “Caste is structure. Caste is ranking. Caste is the boundaries that reinforce the fixed assignments based upon what people look like. Caste is a living, breathing entity.”

Reviewers say: "This is a brilliant book, well timed in the face of a pandemic and police brutality that cleave along the lines of a caste system” (Booklist); “A memorable, provocative book that exposes an American history in which few can take pride” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Survivors by Jane Harper
Fiction

What it’s about: Years ago Kieran made a foolish and reckless mistake, the consequences of which still haunt him. Recently returned to his hometown to help his struggling parents, long-held secrets threaten to bubble up when the body of a young woman is found on the beach.

Here’s a taste: “Are they supposed to be happy or sad? I mean, is it a celebration of the people who made it, or a memorial to the ones who didn't?”

Also recommended: Jane Harper’s other novels are The Dry, Force of Nature, and The Lost Man.

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The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Fiction

What it’s about: In this creepy Native American horror story, 4 friends in their 30’s, who all grew up on the Blackfeet reservation, are being stalked by an entity. A decade ago they ignored the hunting boundaries of their community and hunted an elk herd on land reserved for Elders. Big mistake!

Why you might like it: A well-developed cast of characters and a great combination of suspense and creepiness, coupled with beautiful writing, makes this an unusual read for the genre.

Reviewers say: “Jones's writing is raw, balancing on the knife-edge between dark humor and all-out gore as he forces his characters to reckon with their pasts, as well as their culture's. This novel works both as a terrifying chiller and as biting commentary on the existential crisis of indigenous peoples adapting to a culture that is bent on eradicating theirs. Challenging and rewarding” (Publishers Weekly).

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Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
Fiction

What’s it about: The prequel to Practical Magic and Rules of Magic, this tells the story of Maria Owens who invokes the curse that will haunt her family for generations to come. The locations range from 17^th century England to Dutch Curaçao to Salem, Massachusetts, and New York City.

Want a taste? “Some people grow weak when they are victimized, others grow stronger, and still others combine those two attributes to become dangerous”; “No one knows where time goes, all the same it disappears.”

Reviewers say: “Maria's page-turning adventure is thoroughly enjoyable. Hoffman's redemptive story of a fiercely independent woman adds an engrossing, worthwhile chapter to the series” (Publishers Weekly).

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The Searcher by Tana French
Fiction 

What it’s about: Retired Chicago cop Cal Hooper is looking to start a new life in a small Irish village, spending his days fishing and fixing up an old house. Then he is talked into helping find the missing brother of a local kid and by doing so finds dark secrets among an insular community.

Want a taste? “The wind combs the heather and gorse with a low ceaseless rustle. Its smell has a sweetness almost too cold to catch. The sky is a fine-grained gray, and from somewhere in its heights a bird sends down a pure wild whistling.”

Reviewers say: Delivers “plenty of twists, shocking revelations, and truly chilling moments. Slow moving and richly layered” (Kirkus Reviews); a “slow-burn stunner that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night” (Library Journal).

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The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Fiction

What it’s about: Unappreciated suburban housewives tend to their True Crime book club while battling a dark force in the shape of James Harris, a charming new neighbor. FYI: Don’t mess with the housewives!

Is it for you? If you are on the squeamish side and break out in a cold sweat when rats (pgs. 128-132) and cockroaches (pgs. 295-298) are involved, you may want to pass on this one. If, however, you like horror with humor and don’t mind some gross stuff, you should enjoy this.

Reviewers say: “Hendrix draws shrewd parallels between the serial killers documented in the book club's picks and Harris's apparent vampire persona, loading his gruesome story with perfectly-pitched allusions to classic horror novels and true crime accounts. This powerful, eclectic novel both pays homage to the literary vampire canon and stands singularly within it” (Publishers Weekly); “Fans of smart horror will sink their teeth into this one” (Kirkus Reviews).

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Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith 
Fiction 

What it’s about: Private Investigators Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott are looking into the cold case of Dr. Margot Bamborough whose disappearance has some similarities to serial killings committed by Dennis Creed, who is serving a life sentence.

Series info: This is the fifth installment in the series which starts with The Cuckoo’s Calling, and continues with The Silkworm, Career of Evil, and Lethal White.

Reviewers say: “After wading through a barrel of red herrings, … Galbraith delivers the real killer, the least obvious of the lot, and it's a masterful, perfectly thought-through revelation … skillfully told, with a constantly gleeful interest in human awfulness” (Kirkus Reviews).

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Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
Fiction

What it's about: Bookseller and blogger Malcolm is contacted by the FBI, seeking his help. Years ago he created a list of literature's most perfect murders, and now someone seems to be using Malcolm's list as a playbook for unsolved killings. Twists and turns galore, and if you actually figure out the killer early on (I did not), then kudos to you.

Reviewers say: "Swanson will keep most readers guessing until the end. Classic whodunit fans will be in heaven" (Publishers Weekly); "The perfect gift for well-read mystery mavens who complain that they don't write them like they used to" (Kirkus).

Author Notes: Swanson is the author of six novels including The Kind Worth Killing for which he won the New England Society Book Award and Her Every Fear, which was an NPR book of the year.

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Miss Iceland by Auður A. Ólafsdóttir 
Fiction 

What it’s about: Moving to 1960s Reykjavik to pursue her literary ambitions, an aspiring novelist moves in with her gay childhood friend only to be confronted by a male-dominated literary community that does not believe women belong in the art world.

Reviewers say: “In this excellent introduction to her work, Ólafsdóttir creates a world where either escape or hiding one's true nature are the only choices” (Library Journal); “This winning tale of friendship and self-fulfillment will inspire readers” (Publishers Weekly). 

Want a taste? “I, the undersigned, Hekla Gottskálksdóttir, hereby resign from my job as a serving girl at Hotel Borg. The reason for my resignation is the indecent behaviour of the hotel’s male customers who have been harassing me both at work and in my private life.” 

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