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Week of February 12, 2024

New in Paperback

Week of February 12, 2024

Paperback releases for the week of February 12th include David Baldacci's SIMPLY LIES, a twisting psychological thriller in which two women --- a former detective and a dangerous con artist --- go head-to-head in an electrifying game of cat and mouse; SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES by Jojo Moyes, a memorable story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances; AFTER THAT NIGHT, a hard-hitting thriller from Karin Slaughter that marks the welcome return of GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton; Elin Hilderbrand's THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND, the   surprising and captivating story of food blogger Hollis Shaw, who, on the heels of a personal tragedy, gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket; and THE CRITIC'S DAUGHTER by Priscilla Gilman,   an exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity.   

After That Night by Karin Slaughter - Mystery/Thriller

February 13, 2024

Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton’s life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she finally has managed to leave the past behind her. Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper’s assault is uncannily linked to Sara’s. And the past isn’t going to stay buried forever.

At First Spite: A Harlot's Bay Novel by Olivia Dade - Romantic Comedy

February 13, 2024

When Athena Greydon’s fiancé ends their engagement, she has no choice but to move into the Spite House she recklessly bought him as a wedding gift. Dr. Matthew Vine the Freaking Third --- aka the uptight, judgy jerk who convinced his younger brother to leave her --- is living on her other side. Unfortunately, loathing Matthew proves more difficult than anticipated. He helps her move. He listens. And he’s kind of…hot? Matthew may not regret ending his brother's engagement, but he does regret what the breakup has done to Athena. He'll help her in any way he can. She’ll never forgive him, though. Even if she did, how could he ever tell his beloved younger brother the truth --- that Matthew wants the very same woman he encouraged Johnny to leave?

At the River by Kendra Elliot - Mystery/Thriller

February 13, 2024

Twenty years ago, five teenage campers disappeared. Two eventually turned up, bound and left for dead on the Columbia River’s rocky shore. Only Devin Bonner miraculously survived, but with no memories of what happened in the Oregon forest. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband, Police Chief Truman Daly, are investigating the murder of a true-crime podcaster found at the river’s edge in the same location, and with the exact same manner of death. With the discovery, Devin’s nightmares return. His only real friend is Ollie Smith, Truman’s orphaned ward, whose own search for the truth sucks Ollie into a mystery far greater and more dangerous than anyone imagined. Mercy and Truman must work fast to unlock whatever traumas are buried in Devin’s memories before the secrets of the past claim another victim.

Boy of Chaotic Making by Charlie N. Holmberg - Historical Fantasy

February 13, 2024

Merritt Fernsby’s life has changed considerably since he inherited Whimbrel House. He’s engaged to Hulda Larkin, who opened his eyes to the uncanny. And he’s grown quite protective of his uncle Owein, who is presently inhabiting the body of a mixed-breed terrier when Merritt receives a missive from none other than Alexandrina Victoria, the Queen of England: I am interested in your dog. It’s the queen’s duty to the peerage to keep British wizardry empowered. Her offer: England will find a human vessel for Owein, marry him into the royal family, and add this remarkable soul-shifter to its lineage. For Owein, a boy trapped in the body of a pup, it’s a dream come true. However, once they are in London and in consortium with a necromancer, the situation doesn’t feel right, both with their hosts and the house they inhabit.

Brutes by Dizz Tate - Fiction

February 13, 2024

In Falls Landing, Florida --- a place built of theme parks, swampy lakes and scorched bougainvillea flowers --- something sinister lurks in the deep. A gang of 13-year-old girls obsessively orbit around the local preacher's daughter, Sammy. She is mesmerizing, older and in love with Eddie. But suddenly, Sammy goes missing. Where is she? Watching from a distance, they edge ever closer to discovering a dark secret about their fame-hungry town and the cruel cost of a ticket out. What they see will continue to haunt them for the rest of their lives.

The Critic's Daughter: A Memoir by Priscilla Gilman - Memoir

February 13, 2024

Growing up on the Upper West Side of New York City in the 1970s, in an apartment filled with dazzling literary and artistic characters, Priscilla Gilman worshiped her brilliant, adoring and mercurial father --- the writer, theater critic and Yale School of Drama professor Richard Gilman. But when Priscilla was 10 years old, her mother, renowned literary agent Lynn Nesbit, abruptly announced that she was ending the marriage. The resulting cascade of disturbing revelations --- about her parents’ hollow marriage, her father’s double life and tortured sexual identity --- fundamentally changed Priscilla’s perception of her father, as she attempted to protect him from the depression that had long shadowed him.

The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - Historical Fiction

February 13, 2024

Strasbourg, 1518. In the midst of a blisteringly hot summer, a lone woman begins to dance in the city square. She dances for days without pause or rest, and when hundreds of other women join her, the men running the city declare a state of emergency and hire musicians to play the Devil out of the mob. Outside the city, pregnant Lisbet lives with her husband and mother-in-law, tending the bees that are the family’s livelihood. Though Lisbet is removed from the frenzy of the dancing plague afflicting the city’s women, her own quiet life is upended by the arrival of her sister-in-law. Nethe has been away for seven years, serving a penance in the mountains for a crime no one will name. It is a secret Lisbet is determined to uncover.

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey - Romantic Comedy

February 13, 2024

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life. Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around and split the prize money. As they travel together, sparks fly. Before long, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. Is this real life?

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand - Fiction

February 13, 2024

Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’ perfect life --- her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline --- grow deeper. So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend” --- one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her 20s, her 30s and midlife --- she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie.

Follow Me to Hell: McNelly's Texas Rangers and the Rise of Frontier Justice by Tom Clavin - History

February 13, 2024

In turbulent 1870s Texas, the revered and fearless Ranger Leander McNelly led his men in one dramatic campaign after another, throwing cattle thieves, desperadoes, border ruffians and other dangerous criminals into jail or (if that's how they wanted it) six feet under. They would stop at nothing in pursuit of justice, even sending 26 Rangers across the border to retrieve stolen cattle --- taking on hundreds of Mexican troops with nothing but their Sharps rifles and six-guns. The nation came to call them “McNelly’s Rangers.” Set against the backdrop of 200 years of thrilling Texas Rangers history, FOLLOW ME TO HELL takes readers into the tough life along the Texas border that was tamed by a courageous yet doomed captain and his team of fearless men.

Killer Story by Matt Witten - Thriller

February 13, 2024

Talented and idealistic young reporter Petra Kovach is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder. Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim; she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences. Petra’s investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice --- and clicks --- Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line.

A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie - Mystery

February 13, 2024

On a rainy November evening, trainee doctor Sasha Johnson hurries through the crowd in London's historic Russell Square. Out of the darkness, someone jostles her as they brush past. A moment later, Sasha stumbles and then collapses. When Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his sergeant, Doug Cullen, are called to the scene, they discover that she's been stabbed. Kincaid immediately calls in his detective wife, Gemma James, who recently has been assigned to a task force on knife crimes that are on the rise. As the team unravels the victim's tangled connections, another murder raises the stakes. Kincaid, Gemma and their colleagues must put even friendships on the line to find the killer stalking the dark streets of Bloomsbury.

A Likely Story by Leigh McMullan Abramson - Fiction

February 13, 2024

Growing up in the ’90s in New York City as the only child of famous parents was both a blessing and a curse for Isabelle Manning. Her beautiful society hostess mother, Claire, and New York Times bestselling author father, Ward, were the city’s intellectual It couple. Ward’s glamorous obligations often took him away from Isabelle, but Claire made sure her childhood was always filled with magic and love. Now an adult, all Isabelle wants is to be a successful writer like her father. But after many false starts and the unexpected death of her mother, she faces her upcoming 35th birthday alone and on the verge of a breakdown. Her anxiety only skyrockets when she uncovers some shocking truths about her parents and begins wondering if everything she knew about her family was all based on an elaborate lie.

The Maltese Iguana by Tim Dorsey - Mystery/Humor

February 13, 2024

After a long and arduous COVID-19 quarantine, Serge A. Storms is fully vaccinated and ready to hit the road. Along with his condo neighbors, he cooks up a wild plan to celebrate in true Serge fashion: each week, they rent a shuttle van and head out for funky Florida road trips and some serious revelry. Meanwhile, a CIA revenge operation down in Honduras goes very, very wrong. The local liaison hired to help with the mission is the only witness to the disaster, and the CIA quickly sets a black ops contractor on his trail to eliminate him. Forced to flee his home country, the witness lands in Miami with a new identity and passport. But the CIA is still on his tail, pushing him further and further south to the Florida Keys, where he runs into Serge’s convoy.

My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin - Fiction

February 13, 2024

It’s 1998, and Isabel Rosen has one semester left at Wilder College, a prestigious school in New Hampshire. Desperate to shed her working-class roots and still mourning the death of her mother four years earlier, Isabel has always felt like an outsider at Wilder. But now, in her final semester, she believes she has found her place --- until a nonconsensual sexual encounter with one of the only other Jewish students on campus leaves her reeling. Enter R. H. Connelly, a once-famous poet and Isabel’s writing professor, a man with secrets of his own. Connelly makes Isabel feel seen, beautiful and talented. His belief in her ignites a belief in herself, and the two begin an affair that shakes the foundation of who Isabel thinks she is --- for better and worse.

The Perfect Passion Company by Alexander McCall Smith - Romance/Humor

February 13, 2024

As the new manager of the Perfect Passion Company, Katie’s mission is to help the lonely hearts of Edinburgh. With the assistance of her amiable and handsome office neighbor, William, she finds herself using a personal touch to find matches for the city’s lovelorn citizens. When an airline pilot comes to her looking for a woman to take care of him, Katie sends him to cooking school. The case of a hotelier with a particularly overbearing mother may require a delicate two-pronged approach. And for a client who has a habit of talking so much she does not even seem to draw breath, Katie doesn’t turn down a case just because it’s challenging. Along the way, she learns that her work may be a little broader in scope than she had originally thought, and there may be something to learn about her own future happiness as well.

The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang - Historical Fiction

February 13, 2024

San Francisco, 1906. Two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace. His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined…until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice.

Simply Lies by David Baldacci - Psychological Thriller

February 13, 2024

Former detective Mickey Gibson is juggling the demands of her two small children with the tasks of her job working remotely for ProEye, a global investigation company that hunts down wealthy tax and credit cheats. When Mickey gets a call from a colleague named Arlene Robinson, she thinks nothing of Arlene’s unusual request for her to go inventory the vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled. That is, until she arrives at the mansion to discover a dead body in a secret room. Not only does the arms dealer not exist but the murder victim turns out to be Harry Langhorne, a man with mob ties who used to be in Witness Protection. What’s more, no one named Arlene Robinson works at ProEye. In the blink of an eye, Gibson has become a prime suspect in a murder investigation.

Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes - Fiction

February 13, 2024

Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope --- she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in. That’s because Sam Kemp --- in the bleakest point of her life --- has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag --- she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat. When she tries on Nisha’s six-inch-high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, the resulting jolt of confidence makes her realize something must change --- and that thing is herself.

The Stranger in Her House by John Marrs - Psychological Thriller

February 13, 2024

Paul is just here to help, or so he claims --- sent by a charity for vulnerable people to do odd jobs for elderly widow Gwen. But for Gwen’s daughter, Connie, there’s just something about Paul that rings alarm bells from day one. The last thing she wants is a stranger meddling in the safe routine she’s built around Gwen. She loves being the one Gwen turns to for cooking, cleaning and company. But the more Paul visits, the more Gwen is relying on him. By the time he conveniently finds himself between homes and has no choice but to move in, Connie is certain he’s trying to push her out completely. It’s her word against his, though, and as her attempts to unmask him become ever more desperate, she’s not the only one left wondering if she’s lost her grip on reality.

The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane - Fiction

February 13, 2024

In September 1883, a small town in the South Australian outback huddles under strange, vivid sunsets. Six-year-old Denny Wallace has gone missing during a dust storm, and the entire community is caught up in the search for him. As they scour the desert and mountains for the lost child, the residents of Fairly --- newlyweds, farmers, mothers, indigenous trackers, cameleers, children, artists, schoolteachers, widows, maids and policemen --- confront their relationships, both with one another and with the landscape they inhabit. The colonial Australia of THE SUN WALKS DOWN is noisy with opinions, arguments, longings and terrors. It's haunted by many gods --- the sun among them, rising and falling on each day in which Denny could be found, or lost forever.

This Disaster Loves You by Richard Roper - Fiction

February 13, 2024

Brian’s wife, Lily, disappeared from his life without a trace nearly seven years ago, but Brian never lost hope. Since her disappearance, their once beloved English pub --- and Brian’s livelihood --- has been crumbling piece by piece. As the anniversary of her absence approaches, Brian desperately needs a sign. One doom-scroll on his business’s reviews later, he finds it: an active TripAdvisor account for PinkMoonLily1972 that he knows in his heart is his Lily. Interspliced with Brian’s journey to find Lily is the story of their love. As Brian jumps from one destination to the next to find Lily, Brian comes back to life with the help of Tess, a sarcastic, kind and surprising traveling companion. But in order to move forward, he’ll need to decide: stay in the past or take a chance on something unexpected.

Tina, Mafia Soldier written by Maria Rosa Cutrufelli, translated by Robin Pickering-Iazzi - Noir Thriller

February 13, 2024

Sicily, 1980s: When she was just eight years old, Tina watched as her father, a member of Cosa Nostra, was murdered in cold blood. Now a teenager, she terrorizes her hometown of Gela, having made it her mission to join the mafia, an organization traditionally forbidden to women as made members. Nicknamed ’a masculidda, or “the tomboy,” Tina has taken charge of her own gang, and is notorious for her cruelty and reckless disregard for societal expectations. When a news article is published about Tina’s latest crimes, a teacher living in Rome feels compelled to write a novel about her --- even though it means returning to her native Sicily to gather material. She and Tina circle around each other in a dangerous dance of obsession and violence until their first, and last, explosive meeting.

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren - Romantic Comedy

February 13, 2024

Ironically, beloved romance novelist Felicity “Fizzy” Chen has never really been in love. Connor Prince, a documentary filmmaker and a single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass --- unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on “The True Love Experiment” begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.