It’s an all-fiction recommendation
It is an all-fiction month. Don’t turn away! Great books ahead!
Ann Patchett never disappoints, and “Tom Lake” is another winner. Lovely story, easy to enjoy without being shallow or tepid. Michigan lovers will savor the Traverse Bay setting.
“The East Indian” by Brinda Charry was wonderful. A dark tale of a boy from the Coromandel Coast who makes his way to London, changing his name to “Tony” in the process. He is soon indentured and sails off to the Jamestown settlement. Excellent writing and characters in this atmospheric novel.
“Stealing” by Margaret Verble is the story told by a girl in the 1950s sent to a “Christian” school because she was “unruly” and part Cherokee. Based on historical boarding schools for Indian children, this is a clear-eyed description of physical and sexual abuse. I highly recommend it for high school readers and up. Verble was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
“How Can I Help You” by Laura Sims is a delicious cat and mouse thriller between two library workers. Ha! Some scenes are very graphic. The audiobook version is particularly well narrated if you like to listen on your walks or in the car.
“The Girl by the Bridge” by Arnaldur Indridason is an Icelandic murder mystery. I have an affinity for Icelandic and Scandinavian thrillers. They are bold, with lucid descriptions, and detailed characterizations. Also in this genre – “The End of Drum Time,” “Miss Iceland,” and anything by Jo Nesbo, or Lars Kepler.
“Sidle Creek” by Jolene McIlwain is a short story collection centered on a small community in Appalachia. Some stories are harsh, even violent, while others are tender and sweet. All of them are honest and thought-provoking. For fans of Tiffany McDaniel.
“The Lie Maker” by Linwood Barclay is another thriller. Set in Boston and centered on the Witness Protection Program, it keeps you reading with twists, turns, and deceptions.
Bad, Bad, Seymour Brown by Susan Isaacs is a tad too long for its own good, but Isaacs is a skilled writer and keeps her story moving along. Former FBI Agent Corie Geller is trying to be a suburban mom, but her retired policeman dad is hauling her back into a case.
“Panther Gap” by James McLaughlin is all about family secrets, money, drug cartels and the wilderness. For fans of “Yellowstone” and “Breaking Bad.”
“How to be Remembered” by Michael Thompson is a tale about how to leave your mark on the world when everything you do simply disappears. A bit of fantasy is the hook to make the point about love, ingenuity and persistence. There is only a wee bit of violence in this creative book with a sweet, sweet ending.