Definitely part 1. If you could only see all the October books. And, I’ll be in Ireland for over a week that month, so I know I won’t get to all the books I want to read. I’m going to highlight the mysteries, and a few other books for the next couple days. And, then one of you had a great idea. Tomorrow, I’ll list the books I didn’t summarize, just so you can see if there are titles or authors that you might want to read. Let’s dive right in for the first day of treasures.
Ritter Ames’ third Bodies of Art mystery, Abstract Aliases, finds art recovery expert Laurel Beacham dealing with heist plots and forgeries and the murder of an ally, while traveling around Europe. (Release date is Oct. 11.)
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict was one of the hot books at Book Expo America (BEA). It’s the story of Albert Einstein’s wife, Mileva, a brilliant mathematician and physicist, overshadowed by her husband. After I lent a copy to a friend, she said you’ll never look at Einstein in the same way. (Release date is Oct. 18.)
Brit Bennett’s The Mothers is another one of those hot word-of-mouth books, a debut novel. It’s a story of secrets. Nadia Turner, a rebellious seventeen-year-old, mourning her mother’s death, takes up with the local pastor’s son. They’re young, and it’s not serious. But, they keep everything a secret, even from Nadia’s best friend. Years later, as adults, their still living with the secrets from their youth. (Release date is Oct. 11.)
I’m on a panel at Bouchercon, and we get to talk about the books we’re anticipating. Ann Cleeves’ latest Vera Stanhope mystery, The Moth Catcher, is on my list. Valley Farm is a quiet Northumberland community. The owners of a big country house hire a house-sitter to watch the place while they’re gone, but when he’s found dead by the side of the lane, Vera Stanhope and her detectives arrive to investigate. And, then they find the body of a second man. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
I haven’t yet read Armando Lucas Correa’s debut novel, The German Girl, but this caught my attention. “Perfect for fans of Sarah’s Key and The Nightingale, this is the story of Hannah Rosenthal, a twelve-year-old girl who flees Nazi Germany with her family and best friend only to discover the asylum they have been promised is an illusion.” Release date is Oct. 18.)
We’re going back to Nazi Germany with Sirius by Jonathan Crown. It’s the story of a fox terrier, originally called Levi, then Sirius, and later Hercules. The extraordinary dog helps his Jewish family escape from Germany to California. He becomes a Hollywood star, and then finally contributes to Hitler’s downfall. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
Barbara Early launches her Vintage Toyshop mystery with Death of a Toy Soldier. Liz McCall never intended to grow up and manage her father’s vintage toyshop. But, after he put his entire police pension into the business, someone needed to help him. But, the mood turns from nice to naughty when a nervous man who was trying to have his vintage toys appraised ends up dead in the shop. Liz and her father find themselves dealing with a cold-blooded killer. (Release date is Oct. 11.)
I’m including a young adult novel for several reasons. Something in Between is by #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz. It’s also the launch title for Seventeen Fiction from Harlequin Teen. “Jaime de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.” And, then everything falls apart when a national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal that their visas expired years earlier. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college, and maybe deportation. But, Jasmine isn’t going to give up without a fight. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
In Sarah Domet’s The Guineveres, readers meet the four girls, each named Guinevere, who are abandoned by their parents at a convent to be raised by nuns. Together, they form their own family, “The Guineveres”. But when four comatose soldiers, casualties of the War looming outside arrive at the convent, the girls’ friendship is tested in ways they could could have foreseen. It’s a story of four girls approaching the harsh realities of adult life, and the families we yearn for and create. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
Sabrina Salter returns in C. Michele Dorsey’s second mystery set in the Virgin Islands, Permanent Sunset. Sabrina has a successful villa rental business, which just landed the newest and most opulent villa in the islands. But, when Sabrina discourse the body of a bride murdered on the eve of her wedding to the villa’s owner, the police suggest her business should lose its license because it doesn’t provide adequate security. Now, Sabrina has to prove the bride’s murder has nothing to do with her or her business. (Release date is Oct. 11.)
Allen Eskens brings back three characters from The Life We Bury in his latest novel, The Heavens May Fall. The story explores a murder case told from two opposing perspectives. “Detective Max Rupert and attorney Boady Sanden’s friendship is being pushed to the breaking point. Max is convinced that Jennavieve Pruitt was killed by her husband, Ben. Body is equally convinced that Ben, his client, is innocent. As the case unfolds, the two are forced to confront their own personal demons.” (Release date is Oct. 4.)
The Trespasser is Tana French’s latest Murder Squad novel. Detective Antoinette Conway hasn’t found the Murder Squad to be what she expected. Her partner, Steve Moran, is the only person who seems glad she’s there. The rest of her her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is getting close to the breaking point. And, when their new case appears to be a lovers’ quarrel gone bad, Antoinette and Steve are pushed to arrest the victim’s boyfriend. And, Antoinette doesn’t know if this case is another one in the ongoing campaign to force her off the squad, or if there really are darker currents to this investigation. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
Pepper Harding’s debut novel is The Heart of Henry Quantum. “A quirky, socially awkward man goes on a quest to find his wife a last-minute Christmas gift and encounters several distractions, including bumping into his ex-girlfriend – the one who got away.” It’s said to be in the tradition of A Man Called Ove and the film Love, Actually. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
It’s been more than a decade, but Charlaine Harris now brings back Aurora Teagarden in All the Little Liars. Aurora is basking in the new of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small Georgia town and her family. Four kids disappear from the school soccer field, and one is Aurora’s brother, Phillip. Is it kidnapping, conspiracy, runaways? And, then there’s a dead body found at the kids’ last known destination. (Release date is Oct. 4.)
I highlighted Joe Ide’s IQ at BEA. It’s been optioned for TV. And, it’s sleuth is a little different. Ide himself describes Joe Ide. “The main character of my novel is a high school dropout. He lives in a depressed neighborhood, isn’t physically intimidating, and doesn’t fit in. He also has a history of drifting fro job to job, possesses Sherlockian powers of deduction, and vanquishes his enemies with just his intelligence.” (Release date is Oct. 18.)
Death Among Rubies is R.J. Koreto’s second Lady Frances historical mystery following Death on the Sapphire. Lady Frances Ffolkes is incensed when she finds out that her friends Gwendolyn and Thomasina have been subject to vicious threats. She and her loyal made June Mallow travel with Lady Frances’ friends to their family estate. But, there’s an even bigger problem when Gwen’s father, a powerful diplomat, is stabbed to death with his prized ruby dagger. (Release date is Oct. 11.)
Detective Patrik Hedstrom has a confounding murder case in Camilla Lackberg’s The Lost Boy. His investigation into the death of a financial director is a look into the life of a man everybody liked, but nobody knew. He had something to hide. But when the man’s high school sweetheart shows up with her five-year-old son, she has her own secrets. The biggest question, “Is there anything a mother would not do to protect her child?” (Release date is Oct. 11.)
Is there anything in this list that appeals to you? If not, wait until tomorrow’s Treasures in My Closet.
The one that jumps out at me is the new Allen Eskens. I loved his first two books (The Life We Bury and The Guise of Another), so this is definitely on my list.
Oh, yes, there are several that appeal to me! The vintage toy shop sounds so fun heading into the holidays, the de la Cruz book sounds so very real. And there are good Sept reads just waiting before these all hit! We are lucky this fall.
We are SO lucky this fall. Terrific books in September & October!
THE TRESPASSER, THE TRESPASSER, and did I mention THE TRESPASSER? Tana French is one of my favorites, but the last one–with its focus on teenage girls–was a tad disappointing. I'm glad this one is back to dealing with adults.
Deb, I've never read one of Tana French's books, but the first Dublin Squad is downstairs waiting for me to pick it up. Going to get it now! Enjooy The Trespasser!
I'd definitely recommend reading them in order because the detectives in each book are loosely connected. My favorite is THE LIKENESS, but all of them are worth reading.
Picked it up on my lunch hour!
I've got the first French book sitting on the shelf here (with hundreds of others, granted) waiting to catch my eye when I'm in the right mood to try it.