The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz –. An unconventional murder is investigated by a modern day Watson and Holmes staring the author himself, Anthony Horowitz, and a brilliant, if unpolished police consultant Daniel Hawthorne. This quirky murder mystery stars real life people blending truth and fiction in one amusing story.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty– Nine perfect strangers meet at a health resort run by the charismatic wellness director Masha, a woman so perfect (and insane) the guests don’t know what to make of her. As the guests are poked and prodded in the name of wellness, dark secrets begin to emerge.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens– Set in 1960s North Carolina, Kya Clark is abandoned at 7 years old and raises herself with the help of the marsh she calls home. When a man is found dead in the marsh, isolated Kya is the number one suspect.
The Sun is a Compass by Caroline Van Hemert– Caroline Van Hemert, an ornithologist from Alaska, recounts her 4,000 mile, man powered journey from Seattle to the Alaskan Arctic with her husband. Her love of birds travels with the duo from the Pacific rainforest, over the Coast Mountains, up the Yukon River, and across the Arctic Coast.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson– During the depression, President Roosevelt initiated the Pack Horse Library Project, a project to employ women and bring literacy to remote locations. Cussy Carter, a book woman, has methemoglobinemia, a disease that causes her skin to turn blue making her an outsider in her community. Racial tensions, historical oddities, romance, this book has it all!
The Inconvenient India by Thomas King– A frank, no nonsense look at relations between Indigenous people and settlers over the years, King manages to educate readers on North America’s violent history with Indigenous people while maintaining a witty, almost tongue in cheek dialogue.
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas– In this dystopian future, America has put in laws to ban abortion and in-vitro fertilization, and adoption is only available for straight, married couples. A good read in its own right, Leni Zumas’ Red Clocks is also a great conversation starter.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng– Character development is king in this slow burning, emotional drama. When a couple adopts a Chinese-American baby, the two main families in this story find themselves on either side of a custody battle that divides the town.
Walking on the Ceiling by Aysegul Savas – The debut novel of Aysegul Savas, follows a meandering narrative of a young woman recounting her life in Turkey to various people she meets while living in Paris. A beautiful story set mainly in Istanbul and Paris, this book evokes a sense of isolation while delving into human relationships.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green –An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a quirky story of man’s first contact with extraterrestrials. This book is good for a quick read on the beach.
