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The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches:
A Flavia de Luce Novel
by Alan Bradley
“Flavia de Luce is still on the loose! This time, the almost-twelve-year-old prodigy explores some tantalizing mysteries involving her own family. Flavia uncovers surprising secrets about the characters we know and love and meets some fascinating new people, including a precocious distant cousin. You’ll enjoy seeing new depths in Flavia–this novel takes the series in an exciting direction.”
– Nancy Russell, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OH
A Star for Mrs. Blake: A Novel
by April Smith
“A little-known slice of American history receives meticulous, elegant treatment in this compelling novel about a group of mothers who travel to post-WWI Europe to visit the graves of their fallen soldier-sons. Cora Blake, grieving the loss of her only child, pulls the group together to provide support on their difficult pilgrimage. Sure to be a sleeper hit with book groups looking for heart-tugging history.”
– Kaite Stover, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO
Lost Lake: A Novel
by Sarah Addison Allen
“I was thrilled to find out that Sarah Addison Allen had a new book out, and it did not disappoint. Allen’s trademark magic is woven throughout the story and can be found in the lake, the town, and the people, but at its heart, this story is about finding home—something we can all relate to.”
– Ally Watkins, Central MS Regional Library System, Pearl, MS
The Days of Anna Madrigal: A Novel
by Armistead Maupin
“So good to see all these beloved characters again! And we finally get the true story of Anna Madrigal. If you’re either a fan of the Tales of the City series, Burning Man or both, this is a fun Sunday-afternoon kind of book.”
– Jenne Bergstrom, San Diego County Library, San Diego, CA
A Highly Unlikely Scenario, or a Neetsa Pizza Employee’s Guide to Saving the World: A Novel
by Rachel Cantor
“Leonard works for Neetsa Pizza, a Pythagorean pizza chain, in the near-ish future. His job is to take calls, listen to complaints and help his customers achieve maximum pizza happiness. His employee manual gives him an answer for every scenario–until he gets a call from Marco, who seems to be calling from another time or space. Think of Terry Pratchett crossed with Douglas Adams.”
– Jane Jorgenson, Madison Public Library, Madison, WI
The Wind Is Not a River: A Novel
by Brian Payton
“A tender love story about a reporter stranded during World War II on one of the Aleutian Islands, and his feisty wife, who travels to find him. The geographical and historical setting of American warfare in the North Pacific, little known to most, is very intriguing. Readers will fall in love with the main characters’ fierce determination to survive and love against all odds.”
– Paulette Brooks, Elm Grove Public Library, Elm Grove, WI
Orfeo: A Novel
by Richard Powers
“Experimental music and genetic engineering? Heady stuff indeed, but what is most remarkable about this thought-provoking journey is how intensely it makes you feel about human creativity, experience, and the enigmatic fugitive Peter Els, whose flight from an uncomprehending world anchors the narrative. A perfect introduction to this brilliant but sometimes forbidding author.”
– David Wright, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA
The Kept: A Novel
by James Scott
“Scott has written a haunting novel about two characters who are tormented by regret and guilt and who do all the wrong things to find redemption. Beautiful writing and unforgettable characters mark this first novel that has been compared to the work of Cormac McCarthy and Michael Ondaatje.”
– Alison Kastner, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Little Failure: A Memoir
by Gary Shteyngart
“Little Failure is the marvelous tale of the Shteyngart family’s journey from Leningrad to Queens in the 1970s. Gary Shteyngart captures an amazing snapshot of that time in history, and this engaging memoir is suffused with conflict, love, and a lot of hilarity.”
– Laura Scott, Park Ridge Public Library, Park Ridge, IL
The First True Lie: A Novel
by Marina Mander
“An unusual, well-written story told by a young boy who lives with his talented, but troubled mother in a city apartment in Italy. One morning, Luca finds his mother dead, and his worst fears paralyze him. How long can he hide the truth from his teachers and classmates? Luca uses what he loves most, words, to reach a place where he can finally open the door to others. An excellent reading group selection.”
– Margaret Donovan, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA
