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Week of October 6, 2025

New in Paperback

Week of October 6, 2025

Paperback releases for the week of October 6th include TO DIE FOR, David Baldacci's third 6:20 Man thriller, in which Travis Devine is sent to the Pacific Northwest to aid in a complicated FBI case --- and he’s about to come face to face with his nemesis, the girl on the train; SAFE ENOUGH, a collection of 20 pulse-pounding stories from Lee Child that are intimate portraits of humanity at its best and worst; PRECIPICE by Robert Harris, a spellbinding novel of passion, intrigue and betrayal set in England in the months leading up to the Great War; JOHN LEWIS, David Greenberg’s profoundly insightful biography of the Civil Rights icon, which draws on interviews with Lewis and approximately 275 others who knew him at various stages of his life, as well as never-before-used FBI files and documents; and Wade Rouse's MAGIC SEASONan unforgettable story of love, family and forgiveness set against the backdrop of America's favorite pastime.

Blood Test: A Comedy by Charles Baxter - Fiction/Humor

October 7, 2025

Brock Hobson, an insurance salesman and Sunday-school teacher, finds his equilibrium disturbed by the results of a predictive blood test. From his good-as-gold, gentle girlfriend to the macho subcontractor guy his ex-wife left him for, not to mention his well-raised teenage kids, now exploring sex and sexuality, the secondary characters in Brock's life all contribute meaningfully to the drama, as increasing challenges to his sense of self and purpose crash over him. The final battle --- no spoilers, but there is one --- couldn't be more delightful, as BLOOD TEST reminds us to choose the best people to love, accept the ones we love even if we didn’t choose them, and love them all well.

The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister - Gothic Horror

October 7, 2025

Since time immemorial, the Haddesley family has tended the cranberry bog. In exchange, the bog sustains them. The staunch seasons of their lives are governed by a strict covenant that is renewed each generation with the ritual sacrifice of their patriarch, and in return, the bog produces a "bog-wife." Brought to life from vegetation, this woman is meant to carry on the family line. But when the bog fails --- or refuses --- to honor the bargain, the Haddesleys, a group of discordant siblings still grieving the mother who mysteriously disappeared years earlier, face an unknown future. As youngest daughter Nora takes desperate measures to keep her warring siblings together, fledgling patriarch Charlie uncovers a disturbing secret that casts doubt over everything the family has ever believed about itself.

The Boundaries We Cross by Brad Parks - Domestic Thriller

October 7, 2025

Charles Bliss, a teacher at an elite Connecticut boarding school, has been accused of engaging in a romantic relationship with a student. The student behind the accusation, Hayley Goodloe, is the daughter of a state senator, the granddaughter of an ex-governor, and an heiress to a massive fortune. But Charles has long prided himself on keeping proper boundaries with his students. He insists he would never cross the line. Or would he? Hayley’s diary makes it clear she had strong feelings for her teacher. Was it just an unrequited schoolgirl crush? Or was it something more? When Hayley disappears under suspicious circumstances, a daunting pile of evidence points to Charles as the chief suspect. Charles swears he’s being framed. And it soon becomes apparent there’s only one way he can clear his name. Find her.

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane - Romantic Comedy

October 7, 2025

Bel has just landed a job at the Manchester office of a big national newspaper. But she’s not impressed with the new intern, a thirtysomething man named Connor. Connor’s life is in a state of collapse. He’s left his seemingly perfect life in London for a chance to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a reporter. After a bad first impression with Bel, his internship begins to feel like another in a series of poor decisions. When Bel suddenly finds herself at the heels of a huge story, she’s determined to see it through --- even if it means involving the inscrutable and aloof Connor. Before they know it, they must convince people they’re not just a couple, but a couple madly in love. But as time goes on, they start to wonder if their cover story is just an act, or if their feelings are real.

Crafting for Sinners by Jenny Kiefer - Supernatural Thriller/Horror

October 7, 2025

Ruth is trapped. She’s stuck in her small, religious hometown of Kill Devil, Kentucky, stuck in the closet, and stuck living paycheck to paycheck. After her manager finds out that she lives with her girlfriend, Ruth is fired from her job at New Creations --- a craft store owned by the church that dominates life in Kill Devil. In an act of revenge, Ruth attempts to shoplift some yarn but is caught red-handed. Instead of calling the police, the employees lock her in the store --- and attack her. As Ruth fights for her life using only the crafting supplies at hand, she plunges deeper into the tangled web of the New Creationists, who are hiding a terrible secret that threatens not only her but the entire town.

Dealing with a Desperate Demon by Charlotte Stein - Paranormal Romantic Comedy

October 7, 2025

Nancy has just about given up on finding her special person when Jack Jackson walks into her bookstore. After a bit of gentle persuasion, he finally accepts her guidance in securing his dream girl. There’s just one problem: his dream girl might have more than an issue with his dating skills. Because Jack isn’t just a little clueless; he’s actually the demonic son of Satan. He’s spent his entire long underlife dragging evildoers to their fates, while really trying not to live up to his dad’s expectations. Now, it isn’t just about getting a date with his dream girl. He needs to become a better man to win over the woman to whom he’s been cosmically bound. If he fails, everyone he cares for will face a terrible fate. Luckily for him, Nancy may well be the witch she’s always tried to pretend she wasn’t.

Hollow Out the Dark by James Wade - Historical Fiction/Gothic Adventure

October 7, 2025

A veteran of the Great War, Jesse Cole is grateful for the quiet life he now leads. But when his closest friend runs afoul of local criminals, Frog and Squirrel Fenley, Jesse is forced to spin his moral compass and enter a violent and volatile underworld. There he encounters corrupt lawmen, hired assassins and a dark family secret that will upend all he once knew. Complicating matters are Texas Ranger Amon Atkins --- who arrives to investigate the Fenleys just as their empire is threatened by a deadly new competition --- and the green-eyed, raven-haired Adaline, a love Jesse thought he'd lost forever. With resources scarce and winter falling hard on the town, a desperate Jesse must choose between the law and the lawless and find a way to survive while still protecting the people he loves.

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone - Romantic Comedy

October 7, 2025

Sunny Palmer has accidentally sold her very first screenplay to the Hope Channel. That was six months ago. Fast forward to a looming deadline, and an uninspired Sunny has returned to the source of her inspiration in Christmas Notch, Vermont, to immerse herself in the local Christmas miracle on which her fever dream of a movie pitch was based. Isaac Kelly, a former boy band heartthrob, is the latest owner of the town’s historic mansion. After his years of heartbreak following his young wife’s death, Isaac’s record label is done waiting for new music. What better place to attempt his first holiday album than a snow-covered mansion where he can become a hermit in peace? When Sunny and Isaac discover they’re both creatively blocked, they make a handshake deal: Isaac will help Sunny hunt down the truth behind the local lore, and Sunny will find Isaac a new muse.

John Lewis: A Life by David Greenberg - Biography

October 7, 2025

Born into poverty in rural Alabama, John Lewis rose to prominence in the civil rights movement, becoming second only to Martin Luther King, Jr. in his contributions. As a Freedom Rider, he played a crucial role in integrating bus stations across the South. Lewis was a prominent leader in the Nashville sit-in movement and delivered a historic speech at the 1963 March on Washington. As the youngest speaker and chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he transformed it into a major civil rights organization. His legacy endures through the harrowing events at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where he survived a brutal beating on “Bloody Sunday.” Rich with new insights, David Greenberg’s biography follows Lewis’ journey beyond the civil rights era.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak - Domestic Thriller

October 7, 2025

Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic and determined to finally make things right. He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose her forever.

Lethal Prey: A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford - Mystery/Thriller

October 7, 2025

Doris Grandfelt, an employee at an accounting firm, was brutally stabbed to death, but nobody knew exactly where the crime took place. Despite her twin sister Lara Grandfelt’s persistent calls to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the killer was never found. Twenty years later, Lara has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is determined to find Doris’ killer once and for all. She dumps the entire investigative file on every true-crime site in the world and offers a $5 million reward for information leading to the killer’s arrest. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are called in to review anything that might be a new lead. When one of the bloggers locates the murder weapon, Lucas and Virgil begin to uncover vital details about the killer’s identity. But what they don’t know is that the killer lurks in plain sight.

Lies He Told Me by James Patterson and David Ellis - Thriller

October 7, 2025

Everyone in Hemingway Grove, Illinois, knows David and Marcie Bowers. David owns the local pub. Marcie is a former big-city lawyer who practices family law. When David jumps into Cotton River to save a drowning stranger, he’s celebrated as a hero. His muscled physique, shaved head and piercing blue eyes are broadcast on every news outlet. For most people, newfound fame is a lifeline. For David Bowers, it’s a death sentence. For Marcie Bowers, it’s a test. A wife knows the difference between a loving husband and father and a cold-blooded assassin. Right?

Magic Season: A Son's Story by Wade Rouse - Memoir

October 7, 2025

As a queer kid in a conservative Ozarks community, Wade Rouse struggled at a young age to garner his father Ted’s approval and find his voice. But Wade and Ted had one thing in common: an undying love for the St. Louis Cardinals. When his father's health takes a turn for the worse, Wade returns to southwest Missouri. Together, during their own magic season, they'll move toward forgiveness, reconciliation and peace. 

Mate by Ali Hazelwood - Paranormal Romance

October 7, 2025

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left --- if he’ll have her. As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. Nothing will stop him from keeping her safe. But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her --- and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation.

A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan - Romance

October 7, 2025

Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret? Her twin sister, Rosie, married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but Rosie’s insecurities are growing. Will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart? Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie. The Balfour Christmas traditions sound wonderful, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards - Mystery

October 7, 2025

Six down-on-their-luck people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust. The challenge seems simple but exciting: Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote but wonderfully atmospheric village in north Yorkshire to win a prize that will change your fortunes for good. Six staff members from the shadowy Trust are there to make sure everyone plays fair. The contestants have been meticulously vetted, but you can never be too careful. And with the village about to be cut off by a snowstorm, everyone needs to be extra vigilant. Midwinter can play tricks on people's minds. The game is set --- but playing fair isn't on everyone's Christmas list.

Precipice by Robert Harris - Historical Thriller

October 7, 2025

In 1914 London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley --- aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless --- is part of a fast group of upper-crust bohemians and socialites known as “The Coterie.” She’s also engaged in a clandestine love affair with the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state. As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer with Scotland Yard is assigned to investigate a leak of top-secret documents. Suddenly, what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that could topple the British government --- and will alter the course of political history.

The Restless Wave: A Novel of the United States Navy by Admiral James Stavridis - Historical Fiction

October 7, 2025

Scott Bradley James arrives in Annapolis, Maryland, as a plebe in the class of 1941 without a terribly good idea why he wants to be a naval officer, other than that his father was a sailor, and he wants to see the world, whatever that means. Scott and his roommate become fast friends, and, after surviving scrapes of their own making, the two fetch up at Pearl Harbor. War is brewing, and their class has graduated early. They have been sent to battle stations. Admiral James Stavridis is an acclaimed novelist, a decorated military leader and a great student of military history. He draws on it all to capture the experience of being storm-tossed by the bloody first years of the Second World War. Scott Bradley James is a talented young officer, but he has a lot to learn. And war will have a lot to teach him.

Rough Pages: An Evander Mills Mystery by Lev AC Rosen - Historical Mystery

October 7, 2025

Private Detective Evander “Andy” Mills has been drawn back to the Lavender House estate for a missing person case. Pat, the family butler, has been volunteering for a book service, one that specializes in mailing queer books to a carefully guarded list of subscribers. With bookseller Howard Salzberger gone suspiciously missing along with his address book, everyone on that list, including some of Andy's closest friends, is now in danger. A search of Howard’s bookstore reveals that someone wanted to stop him and his co-owner, Dorothea Lamb, from sending out their next book. The evidence points not just to the Feds, but to the Mafia, who would be happy to use the subscriber list for blackmail. With his own secrets closing in on him, can Andy find the list before all the lives on it are at risk?

Safe Enough: And Other Stories by Lee Child - Thriller/Short Stories

October 7, 2025

You know Jack Reacher. Now meet 20 more heroes and heavies from the brilliant mind of legendary crime author Lee Child. A drug-dealing hit man feels that he must unburden his fears and guilt to a stranger in “Ten Keys.” A rookie cop in “Normal in Every Way” is assigned to the department’s file room, where he makes connections to historic dates that could lead to solving crimes. A methodical bodyguard quits his job when he’s outsmarted. A military mission is planned to perfection. A potential worker for the Manhattan Project is carefully surveilled by an FBI agent. A killer preys on other killers. Taken together, these stories are a riotous calamity of criminals and crime fighters; individually, they are expertly crafted, piercing tales that hit hard enough to leave a mark.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw - Dark Fantasy/Horror

October 7, 2025

You may think you know how the fairy tale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes. On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who thirst for blood and the three “saints” who control them. The mermaid and her doctor must embrace the cruelest parts of their true nature if they hope to survive.

The Salvage by Anbara Salam - Historical/Gothic Literary Thriller

October 7, 2025

It is 1962, and Marta Khoury, a trailblazing marine archaeologist, has been called to Cairnroch, a small island off the east coast of Scotland. A Victorian shipwreck holds the remains of a celebrated explorer and the treasures of his final expedition. But on her first dive down to the ship, Marta becomes convinced she has seen a dark figure lurking amid the wreckage. When the Cuban Missile Crisis and the deep chill of a record-breaking winter keeps Marta stranded on Cairnroch, she forms a relationship with Elsie, a local woman working in the island’s only hotel. When the ship's artifacts inexplicably disappear, Marta and Elsie have to brave the freezing conditions to search for the missing objects before anyone else catches on. 

Slaveroad by John Edgar Wideman - Fiction/History/Memoir

October 7, 2025

For centuries, the buying and selling of human beings was legal, and millions of Africans were kidnapped and then forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean to serve as slaves. The enduring legacies of this slave road traffic --- denied, unacknowledged, misunderstood, repressed --- continue to poison the experiences and journeys of all Americans. In a section of “Slaveroad,” called “Sheppard,” William Henry Sheppard, a descendant of enslaved Virginians, travels back to Africa where he works as a missionary, converting Africans to Christianity alongside his Southern white colleague. Wideman imagines drinking afternoon tea with Lucy Gant Sheppard, William’s wife, who was on her own slaveroad, as she experienced her husband’s adultery with the African women he was trying to convert.

Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne - Romance

October 7, 2025

Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now. Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So they make a deal: he’ll be her date if she’ll help him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away.

The Third Realm written by Karl Ove Knausgaard, translated by Martin Aitken - Fiction

October 7, 2025

For several days, a strange and bright new star in the sky above Norway has sown an unyielding sense of foreboding, agitation and fear. Tove, a painter on holiday with her family, has spiraled into a psychosis that stirs her into a flurry of unbridled creativity. Geir, a policeman who has been investigating a grisly triple murder, comes to a sinister revelation he must keep to himself. Nineteen-year-old Line falls in love with the lead singer of a metal band and is lured into a secret and frightening world. But most bewildering, and disquieting, is the discovery made by Syvert, an undertaker. Since the star has appeared, no one has died. In THE THIRD REALM, Karl Ove Knausgaard returns to the spellbinding world of THE MORNING STAR and THE WOLVES OF ETERNITY, as a cast of new and familiar characters continue to reckon with the meaning of this star. What is haunting them, and why?

To Die For: A 6:20 Man Thriller by David Baldacci - Thriller

October 7, 2025

Travis Devine has become a pro at accomplishing any mission he's given. But this time it’s not his skills that send him to Seattle to aid the FBI in escorting orphaned, 12-year-old Betsy Odom to a meeting with her uncle, who’s under investigation for RICO charges. Instead, he’s hoping to lay low and keep off the radar of an enemy --- the girl on the train. But as Devine gets to know Betsy, questions begin to arise around the death of her parents. Devine digs for answers, and what he finds points to a conspiracy bigger than he ever could’ve imagined. It finally might be time for Devine and the girl on the train to come face to face. Devine is going to find out the difference between his friends and his enemies --- and in some cases, they might well be both.

War by Bob Woodward - Politics

October 7, 2025

WAR is an intimate and sweeping account of one of the most tumultuous periods in presidential politics and American history. We see President Joe Biden and his top advisers in tense conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. We also see Donald Trump, conducting a shadow presidency and seeking to regain political power. With unrivaled, inside-the-room reporting, Bob Woodward shows President Biden’s approach to managing the war in Ukraine, the most significant land war in Europe since World War II, and his tortured path to contain the bloody Middle East conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston - Fiction

October 7, 2025

Waco, Texas, 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb’s gospel --- signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They’ve come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye’s mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb’s methods --- and his motives. Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff, a 14-year-old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trouble who falls for Jaye without knowing of her mother’s attachment to the man who is currently making his father’s life hell. The two teenagers are drawn to each other immediately and completely, but their love may have dire consequences for their families.

The Witching Moon Manor by Stacy Sivinski - Historical Fantasy/Romance

October 7, 2025

The Crescent Moon is thriving after a much-needed expansion, with the ladies who step through its doors continuing to seek comfort in the glimpses of their futures found in the swirls at the bottom of their teacups. Anne is leading the city’s witches as Chicago’s Diviner, Beatrix is swept away on a book tour across the country, and Violet has found her place with her feet swinging through the air above the circus crowds. That is, until the Quigley sisters find themselves stumbling on their chosen paths, and they are drawn back home in search of refuge in each other’s company. But when the threads of fate begin to unravel, Anne must lean on her sisters and team up with a mysterious --- and oddly infuriating --- necromancer to save the city from an uncertain destiny and help old friends find a happy end.

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto - Psychological Thriller

October 7, 2025

Influencer Meredith Lee didn’t teach Aspen Palmer how to blossom on social media just to be ditched as soon as Aspen became big. So can anyone really blame her for doing a little stalking? Then, Mer gets lucky; she finds one of Aspen’s kids’ iPads and swipes it. Now, she has access to everything. Would anyone else be able to resist tweaking things a little here and there, showing up in Aspen’s place for meetings with potential sponsors? Meanwhile, Aspen doesn’t understand why her perfectly filtered life is falling apart. If she doesn’t find out who’s behind everything, she just might lose it all. When Meredith suddenly goes missing, Aspen’s world is upended, and mysterious threats begin to arrive. But she won’t let anything get in the way of her perfect life again.