New for August...

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

Andrea adores her quiet speech pathologist mother Laura and is certain Laura has nothing in her past to hide: until the pair are having Andrea’s birthday lunch at a restaurant in the mall and a shooter enters the restaurant.  Andrea is stunned at how calmly, deliberately, and violently Laura reacts; she is even more shocked when her mother demands Andrea move out of her garage apartment immediately and sends her away to keep safe.  Andrea embarks on a cross-country odyssey working to uncover the secrets from her mother’s past, secrets that affect everything Andrea thought to be true, about her mother’s and her own, lives.  The narrative alternates between present time and 1986, from Georgia to California, to Texas, and Oslo where events unfolded that alter everyone’s story.  This is much different than Slaughter’s usual thrillers and series novels, but every bit as gripping and compelling.

Feared by Lisa Scottoline

Philadelphia attorneys and law firm partners Bennie Rosato and Mary DiNunzio are used to suing on behalf of their clients and defending suits: they are not used to being sued and are shocked and furious when they learn they are being sued for reverse sex discrimination.  Three men claim they were not hired by the mostly female firm because they were men.  Nick Machiavelli, Mary’s nemesis since the old neighborhood, whom she just beat in a high-profile case, is not only out to win the suit, he is out to destroy the firm, and Mary.  The firm is shaken further when their only male attorney announces his resignation, giving credence to the claim that men are unwelcome in the firm.  When one of their own is murdered, they shift into high, defending themselves not only from the suit and with their current clients who are considering retaining new counsel, but the defamation Machiavelli is raining down on them.  All the while, Mary is seven months pregnant, trying to stay healthy and keep calm, amidst the turmoil at work and a gregarious extended Italian American family with strong opinions on everything.  Another Rosatto and DiNunzio novel is always like coming home to visit with old friends.

Bone on Bone by Julie Keller

Bell Elkins, former Ackers Gap, West Virginia prosecutor has finished serving her three year prison sentence for murdering her abusive father almost forty years ago when she was ten years old.  Her older sister Shirley, now dead from lung cancer, took the blame for the murder, and served what amounted to a life sentence.  Newly released from prison, Bell plans on staying in Ackers Gap, but is no longer certain just how she fits in.  Before long, though, she picks up right where she left off.  The opioid crisis is still rampant in Ackers Gap and has torn many families apart.  A recent murder strikes a chord with Bell and she unofficially teams up with Jake Oakes, a former sheriff deputy now confined to a wheelchair, to try and save another family from more heartbreak and tragedy.  Keller’s characters are about as good as they come, and her plots strike the right balance, a balance Bell always achieved as a prosecutor, one she is trying to restore to her life, and to her town.

Our House by Louise Candlish

Fiona Lawson returns to the home in which she and her estranged husband Bram are alternating custody of their two sons to find the house has been sold to another couple and Bram, the children, and proceeds fo the sale have vanished.  This is just the beginning for Fi as she slowly learns of Bram’s many deceptions throughout their marriage and the lengths to which he went to keep them from her.  Told in alternating voices, Fi’s story in the form of a podcast called “The Victim” and Bram’s suicide note, a portrait of a life gone out of control slowly emerges, building to a shocking, tragic conclusion.  For fans of intelligent, clever domestic thrillers.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Lush and lyrical, this debut novel tells the story of ‘the Marsh Girl”, Kya Clark who grew up feral on the rural coast of North Carolina during the 50’s and 60’s.  Kya, who never felt the need for human companionship relied on her natural surroundings for comfort, has always been viewed with suspicion by the community, but never more so than when handsome local hero Chase Andrews is found dead.  As Kya is forced into contact with others, she begins to yearn for human companionship and slowly ventures out of the protective world she has created for herself.  The strong natural setting and the warmth of the North Carolina coast make this the perfect late summer read.

Trust Me by Hank Ryan

It has been 442 days since the car accident that killed journalist Mercer Hennessey’s husband and three-year-old daughter.  Feeling she has nothing left to live for, Mercer spends her days avoiding life until she is approached by her friend and book publisher to write a book about the Baby Boston murder trial.  Tasha Nichole Bryant’s body was found in Boston Harbor, her mother Ashlyn was arrested and is being tried for murder.  Mercer, reeling from the death of her own little girl, is certain Ashlyn is guilty, but when the young woman is found not guilty, Mercer needs to reframe her story and write one of redemption; this will include spending time with Ashlyn who has one story after another to tell Mercer, each one more outrageous than the last, but so outrageous that something in Mercer wants to believe Ashlyn.  As Ashlyn’s story gains momentum, she begins to tell Mercer things about Mercer’s life that she had been missing, making Mercer doubt what she knew to be true, but giving her the strength to retell her own narrative and begin to heal.  This creepy, twisty tale will have you questioning what truth is and which stories are true, from those told by Ashlyn, to those told by her mother, to those told by Mercer herself.  Though there is still doubt, the ending is more than satisfying in this era of fake news and how do we know who we can trust, even when it’s ourselves we are questioning.  Can you spot the Liar?

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

Emily falls head over heels in love with Adam and he with her.  There is just one thing that stands in the way of their happiness: Adam’s mother Pammie.  Adam and Pammie are totally devoted to each other, and while publicly Pammie appears to like Emily, when they are alone, she is conniving and can be downright harsh and cruel. Emily, making it clear to Pammie that she is going to be the most important woman in Adam’s life.  At first, Emily is firm in her commitment to try and win Pammie over and make a life with Adam and his mother, but the more vicious Pammie becomes, the more resolved Emily becomes that Pammie will never be part of their lives.  When it seems everything has finally settled down, there is one last, startling revelation that changes everything, but it may come too late for everyone.

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

Fifty years separate Clara Darden and Virginia Clay but are united by their connection to the historic and majestic Grand Central Terminal.  In 1928, Clara teaches at the Grand Central School of Art, the only woman instructor, and is attempting to make a name for herself, and a living, as an artist as the Great Depression looms.  In 1974, the terminal has fallen into terrible disrepair as recently divorced Virginia gets a job at the information booth.  With the possible destruction of this landmark a distinct possibility, Virginia finds herself caught up in the fight to save the grand space.  Stumbling across a pieces of artwork left behind when the school closed sends Virginia on a trail to discover the artist and ultimately, learn what happened to Clara, who seems to have disappeared in 1931.  A lovely, well-researched homage to a time long gone, and an iconic building that will last for generations.

The Drama Teacher by Koren Zailckas

Gracie Mueller learned how to pull cons, simple and complicated, from watching first her father, and then her first husband.  With her second husband Randy’s real estate business beginning to fail and their upstate New York home in foreclosure Gracie takes matters into her own hands and sets out on a con to provide a good life for her young children.  When things go very wrong, she must make a quick getaway, fakes hers and her children’s deaths, and disappears into New York City where she settles into a new fabricated life with a teacher from an exclusive school, enrolling her children there, and even becoming the drama teacher.  When her past catches up with her, things spiral out of control and Gracie must face her demons and soon realizes she has more questions than answers.