In this month’s roundup of the best-reviewed BookLife titles, we highlight a detective story, a regency romance, a space adventure, and more.
W.C. Gordon
Synopsis: Gordon’s superior debut opens quietly as his unnamed narrator, a South Florida police detective, handles the quotidian aspects of police work.
PW’s Takeaway: Gordon, a law enforcement officer and military veteran, comes up with plausible and intriguing plot twists and is especially good at portraying his lead’s PTSD.
Comparable Title: William Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace
Sample Line: “My phone conversation with Facebook Lady went about as well as expected.”
S.M. Laviolette
Synopsis: In 1802, impetuous 16-year-old Lady Elinor Atwood throws herself at her family’s new footman, setting off a devastating chain of events.
PW’s Takeaway: Lovers of historical romance will be hooked on this twisty story.
Comparable Title: Mary Balogh’s Bedwyn Saga series
Sample Line: “Iain had just opened his mouth to say something foolish and most likely job-ending when the door Lady Elinor had exited so violently opened and Lady Yarmouth stood on the threshold.”
Brian Corley
Synopsis: This fun space adventure follows a wayward prince’s attempts to return home after years spent touring the galaxy.
PW’s Takeaway: Subtle worldbuilding and comic mishaps will keep readers engaged as an unlikely trio races toward a thrilling conclusion.
Smokescreen
Khaled talib
Synopsis: In Talib’s thriller, the Israeli prime minister has secretly negotiated with the PLO and Hamas, agreeing to return all the occupied territories, in a deal brokered by Singapore.
PW’s Takeaway: Readers will be eager to find out how everything resolves in this high-octane story.
LIBBY FISCHER HELLMANN
Synopsis: Set during the Vietnam War and its aftermath, Hellmann’s gripping historical focuses on the divergent paths of two Vietnamese sisters.
PW’s Takeaway: This passionate story of survival has staying power.
