Diaries of a Dancing Queen

Themes: Thriller, Mystery, Murder, Psychological

This spine tingling page turner will keep you guessing until the last few pages! Michaelides’s characters come alive as you dive into a web of mystery, unspeakable violence and silence. Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, is fascinated by the tragic story of Alicia Berenson, a successful painter whose husband came home one day only to be shot in the face five times by his wife. Alicia has not spoken a word since the murder and Theo is determined to discover why a woman who seemingly had everything, would throw it all away.

Themes: Fantasy, Romance, History, Contemporary

A beautifully human story, this book will make you laugh, cry and everything in between. What would you do for one more day? How will you ever see it all? Would you give it all away for true freedom? It’s 1714 and Addie Larue wants to see the world. She doesn’t want to get married, have children and grow old in her little town. On the day of her wedding, she desperately makes a Faustian bargain to live forever. But there’s a catch. Everyone she meets will forget her. 300 years later, Addie wants to leave her mark on the world. But how will she escape her promise?

Themes: Historical, Forbidden Romance, Thoughtful

Brought alive by the adventures of those who have called it home over the past one hundred and fifty years, Birchwood Manor stands on the banks of the Upper Thames, and it has a story to tell. Elodie Winslow, an archivist in London discovers a satchel with a faded Victorian photo along with an artist’s sketchbook. The sketchbook contains a drawing of an old manor house that stirs a memory for Elodie but she can’t seem to put her finger on why. A beautiful story of inspiration, family, and the supernatural, The Clockmaker’s Daughter elegantly ties together the shared history of Birchwood Manor while slowly revealing the secrets once believed to have been long buried by the past.

*Graphic Depictions of Assault & Medical Trauma*

Themes: Feminism, Historical, World War I, World War II

The Alice Network tells the unforgettable story of two women navigating the turmoil of the World Wars mere decades apart. Eve Gardiner, a passionate young woman who longs to join the fight against the Germans is recruited into the Alice Network. She is sent to occupied France where she is trained as a spy. Thirty years later, Charlie St. Clair, a pregnant American socialite, is sent to Europe by her parents. Despite being there to hide her pregnancy, she desperately wants to find her beloved cousin Rose who disappeared shortly after the Germans occupied France. A beautiful story that pays homage to the real life queen of the spies, Louise de Bettignies, The Alice Network is a story of courage and strength during hardship that will resonate across generations.

*Graphic Depictions of Violence and Child Abuse*

Themes: Contemporary, Murder, Police, International

Sublimely creepy, The Chestnut Man tells the story of the ultimate police investigation. With larger than life characters, Søren Sveistrup pulls the reader into the world of violence, mystery and chaos. The killer is leaving Chestnut Men, (handmade dolls made out of chestnuts and matchsticks) at gruesome crime scenes and always seems to be two steps ahead of police. This complicated and twisted story will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Themes: Thriller, Murder, Page Turner, Family

Chloe Davis is the daughter of a convicted serial killer. At age 12, her father was arrested for the murders of young girls in her hometown. 20 years later, Chloe is a successful psychologist, still coming to terms with her father’s conviction and trying to understand how the father she knew turned out to be the monster he was. When local teenage girls start to go missing in suspiciously similar ways, Chloe is brought back to the trauma of her childhood, replaying the events of her past. Feeling an instant connection to the case, Chloe attempts to uncover the killer. As the case gets closer and closer to home, she can’t help but wonder, does she have another killer in her life?

Themes: Historical, Murder, Mystery, International

Join literary legends Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle as they work to unmask one history’s most notorious serial killers. The creator of Sherlock and Watson becomes a detective in his own right as he recounts his adventure with Wilde as the two scour London for the culprit. A light read, this novel is a must read for history lovers everywhere!

Themes: Uplifting, Historical, Literary

An incredible story of adventure, determination and small town life; The Giver of Stars is beautiful representation of female friendship. Set in depression era Kentucky, Alice Wright has just arrived in the United States after marrying handsome American Bennett Van Cleve. Feeling as lucky to have escaped her life in England she finds herself trapped again, this time by oppressive in-laws. Alice finds her escape when she volunteers to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s traveling library. There, she meets four other women who make up the rest of the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. Friendships bloom as Alice and her friends band together against tradition and those who would like to take them down. 

Themes: World War II, International, Feminism, Spies

Kristin Hannah’s beautiful prose brings war torn France to life in The Nightingale. The achingly heartfelt story of family, resilience, national pride, and courage centers on two sisters, Isabelle and Vianne. When the Germans occupy their area France, Vianne , whose husband was sent to the front, is forced to open her home to a German soldier. Meanwhile, her younger sister Isabelle, a passionately rebellious eighteen year old, will stop at nothing to do her part in the war effort. The Nightingale is hauntingly realistic, bringing the reader into the gritty and turbulent atmosphere of World War II, it highlights the daily battles of the women left at home and the power they had to resist from within.

Themes: Romance, Science, Feminism, Historical

Rosalind Porter has always been exceptional. In the years after the war and her work on the Manhattan project; Roz is mourning not only the end of the project and the consequences of the bomb, but also the end of her relationship to fellow physicist Thomas Weaver. When special agent Charlie Szydlo approaches Roz, he tells her that Weaver is suspected to be passing nuclear secrets to Russia. Propositioned to spy on her former lover, Roz must overcome the love the still feels for Weaver. But as she continues to work with Charlie and a deep mutual attraction becomes apparent. Will Roz have her choice between the men? Or will the danger she faces pull her away from them both?

Themes: Fantasy, Adventure, Mythology, International

A beautiful glimpse into Mayan Mythology, Gods of Jade and Shadow is the story of Casiopea Tun, the black sheep of her wealthy family. Set in the jazz age, there is nothing Casiopea wants more than to explore the vibrant cities around her and get on her dancing shoes. Instead, she is stuck cleaning her grandfather’s large house. When she discovers a mysterious box in her grandfather’s room, she accidentally releases the Mayan God of death who requests her help to defeat his brother and reclaim his throne in the underworld. Casiopea embarks on an unforgettable quest with the charming God who promises her all her heart desires…but only if she succeeds.

*Graphic Violence*

Themes: Murder, Revenge, Family, Friendship, Biker Gang, LGBTQIA+, Fatherhood

Ex-Cons Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee never wanted to meet. Reluctant father’s of two gay men, their lives become permanently intertwined when their sons are brutally murdered and the men embark on a journey of revenge and self-discovery. Confronted by the guilt they feel for distancing themselves from their sons, the father’s are forced to confront their prejudices as they learn more about their son’s lives. Digging up connections from their past, they desperately stalk the killer doing whatever it takes to avenge their sons… and forgive themselves.