Fifth-grader Sylvia Locke has a singular goal—to get herself a bowl of Cookie Crunchies, and, as the Wizard of FLOSZ (otherwise known as Fairytale Land Official Security Zone) astutely observes, “whatever Sylvia wants, Sylvia gets.” When her Gram-Gram defers making her Cookie Crunchies for breakfast in lieu of finishing their work on the farm, Sylvia sets out into the forest of Farmington, Fairytale Land, where she comes across the Bear family, who’ve just left home—and their window open. Sylvia seizes the opportunity to break in, with a plan to finally snag a bowl of Cookie Crunchies, but her mission is derailed by booby traps, a magical mirror named Reginald, and a worrisome next-door neighbor.

A fresh, modern take on the classic fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Horn’s first in his Tairy Fails series features wizards, mythical mountains (aptly named the Mythical Mountains of the Lost), and an unsolved mystery: what really happened to Sylvia's parents, who, as the story goes, abandoned her one day in Farmington? Spoiler alert: they didn’t really abandon her, and there’s more—much, much more—to their disappearance than anyone, including Sylvia, knows. Despite that truth, unveiled later in the book, Sylvia’s a pro at masking her pain over their disappearance, mostly with a mean attitude and a penchant for trouble making. Her reputation proceeds her on the journey, but, still, she manages to make new friends and eventually stumbles onto the truth of her heritage.

Sylvia’s comical adventure, paired with Horn’s lovingly eccentric characters and Judit Tondora’s charming black and white illustrations, will wow middle grade readers—and transform them into instant devotees of the next in the series. Sylvia’s over the top antics are laugh-out-loud worthy, and, though her aversion to following the rules is entertaining, she also provides readers with a worthwhile glimpse of determination, taking initiative, and friendship along the way.

Takeaway: Fresh, laugh-out-loud funny retelling of a classic children's story.

Comparable Titles: Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, Jen Calonita's Mirror, Mirror.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Sylvia Locke and the Three Bears (Tairy Fails Book 1)

In this concise, emphatic memoir, Lauren examines wrenching personal experiences with commendable candor and courage, offering poignant insights into the pervasive and cruel reality of sexual exploitation and answering a pressing question for survivors: “Once freedom is achieved, how do we help each other heal from what happened?” Opening with the startling statistic that 4.5 million individuals worldwide are currently victims of sexual exploitation, Lauren emphasizes under-reported cases—those occurring in seemingly ordinary circumstances, catching victims unaware, such as being tricked to "please a boyfriend" or infiltrating the children's world of the online game platform Roblox. Her own story upsets, as she exposes her mother's unsettling role in "grooming" her into drugs, blackouts, and exploitation by age 19, before escaping into a safe house and recovery program. Lauren’s reunion with her mother, who herself endured a childhood of abuse, illustrates the distressing cycle where trauma breeds further trauma.

Lauren writes touchingly of disrupting cycles of addiction and toxic thought patterns. Her devotion to her children becomes the catalyst for the determination and discipline to pursue the less-traveled road to healing. In a narrative that leans more towards catharsis than structure, Lauren discusses an array of rehabilitation techniques, including positive self-talk, acupuncture points, frequency-inducing sound therapy, plant medicine, Divine awareness, and education—which, she notes, not only raises awareness but also increases dopamine levels. A chapter on the transformative potential of psilocybin is upbeat and possibly surprising, describing the treatment as a catalyst for an "ego death" that liberated her from feeling like a victim of external forces. With newfound clarity, Lauren asserts, "My ego can drive me toward addiction and destruction if I allow it to direct my choices."

Lauren offers hope to others when she reveals how her awakened spirituality dismantles the blueprint of trauma: shame, guilt, rage, despair, and pain. She inspires readers who have faced humanity’s worst with a reminder that there are paths, however circuitous and surprising, to acceptance, forgiveness, and love.

Takeaway: Insightful, poignant story of finding a path to healing after abuse.

Comparable Titles: Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life, Sheila Hamilton's All the Things We Never Knew.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Alchemizing Exploitation

A psychologist specializing in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions, including perfectionism, Chasson makes the case that perfectionism, so often seen as a boon, actually “wrecks” and can “sabotage” teams and businesses. Having high standards is important and can be healthy, Chasson acknowledges, but an organization can also become seriously sidelined and disrupted by unrelenting pursuit of perfection. Such an over-emphasis can also have negative repercussions on employee health and overall wellbeing, negatively impacting morale and encouraging costly turnover. Chasson offers “antiperfectionism” strategies, for business leaders and individuals, plus some good news: most of us fall somewhere in the middle, non-lethal perfectionist range and can generally succeed by focusing on how to achieve “meaningful goals with ethics and urgency.”

As Chasson argues, there’s a lot not to like about being perfect or regularly trying to be so. The perfectionist’s thinking is often highly inflexible and given to self-doubt about taking action. Perfectionists have a “contradictory relationship” with control, Chasson writes, demonstrating that this trait should not automatically be considered the asset it’s often perceived as. He’s especially persuasive on the fact that there can be a bright side to mistakes—they can enable one to view a situation differently, encourage teamwork and original thinking, empowering an organization to rebound with more efficient solutions. Chasson’s advice is persuasive: embrace principles and be flexible, honest, and gracefully imperfect.

Chasson earns points for tackling a serious, largely underreported condition in plain, direct language, at times with a biting wit and much practical, hard-won guidance and illuminating tools, including his own “Emphasis Framework” crafted for “understanding behavior in a context of effort-value pressures.” Chasson’s prose is as clear as his thinking and approaches are rigorous. His examination of the inner conflict that arises in the ongoing struggle over whether he should or should not fold the household towels employs a simple, everyday example to drive home key points of being true to one’s values vs. the overall good of an organization—in this case his marriage. Many readers will immediately turn to revelatory the chapter about dealing with a perfectionist boss.

Takeaway: Eye-opening guide to the problems of workplace perfectionism and how to face them.

Comparable Titles: Thomas Curran’s The Perfection Trap, Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Flawed

In Borchert’s third installment of her Château de Verzat series (after Her Own Revolution), Geneviève LaGarde returns, now married to Louis LaGarde and vigneron of her husband’s celebrated family vineyard. The deeply passionate couple’s livelihood is at stake, thanks to Napoleon Bonaparte’s political machinations—and the Republic’s schemes to seize their vineyard if they fail to pay their escalating taxes. Adding to the intrigue, Louis is in hiding—masquerading as a mere vineyard owner when he’s really a Noble of the Sword—to avoid being conscripted into Bonaparte’s fight against England.

Borchert covers much fertile historical ground in this emotional story, surveying the tense French political scene (including fascinating trends like the Incroyables, “foppish dandies who dressed to mock the former aristocracy”) alongside Louis and Geneviève’s intense dedication to their way of life—and each other. The plotting illuminates a complex era that Borchert vividly conjures: when Geneviève is betrayed by a jealous worker for impersonating a man, and imprisoned in an asylum, the couple discover there’s no end to their willingness to sacrifice all in the name of love, even when that means Louis must face the dread of a forced military campaign under that “self-serving war monger,” Bonaparte. That leads to heart-rending choices as he must leave behind a pregnant Geneviève, charged with keeping the vineyard and their close friends safe.

Geneviève is every bit the resolute, strong female lead of the other books in the series, but her pregnancy—and the shock of Louis’s conscription in exchange for her freedom from the asylum—allow her a soft, vulnerable edge. That vulnerability, combined with her belief that restoring the monarchy is France’s only hope, prompts her to dare to attempt acts of espionage herself. Readers of historical fiction with a strong current of love and loss will enjoy watching both Louis and Geneviève fight their own battles in hopes of reuniting—and reunifying their ravaged country.

Takeaway: Sweeping, passionate portrait of the everyday lives in Bonaparte’s France.

Comparable Titles: Penny Haw’s The Woman at the Wheel, Stephanie Dray’s The Women Chateau Lafayette.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Her Own War

A talented guitarist embarking on a new career after the breakup of his band discovers love amid the danger of a separatists’ revolt in this romance blending rock and international intrigue from Merrill (author of the Forces of Nature series, among others). After his band, MoonCraft, breaks up, Randall Sutter finds a job as a music teacher at an elite school for international students in Castelldefels, near Barcelona, arranged by his former teacher, Cecilia Galván. But Randall is jolted to discover that Alonso, the custodian at the school, is the man who rescued Randall during a protest for Catalonian independence, and said to him, in a moment of tenderness, “I definitely don’t make it a habit of kissing American musicians in trouble, but sometimes…”

This polished entry in the multi-author Accidentally Undercover series is powered by both romance and suspense as Randall begins to feel a deep attraction to Alonso while trying to understand why separatists are arguing in the school parking lot. The tense, well-described milieu ups the stakes as Randall soon learns that Alonso is a soldier working undercover as a custodian and also the brother of Cecilia’s fiance, whose family owns a winery in Catalonia. As the attraction builds, Randall learns that Alonso is working to identify potential terrorists with connections to the school seeking Catalonian independence. The romance pulses with both levity and intrigue, providing a respite from the danger from those involved in the quest for Catalonian independence while leaving Randall wondering whom he can trust in a country where he is still learning the language.

As the pace intensifies along with the peril to both Alonso and Randall, Randall’s authenticity shines through as he becomes immersed in Catalonian culture, made inviting and fascinating by Merrill, and thrives in his role as a music teacher. Readers will be cheering for Randall to find his happily ever after with Alonso, especially when Randall risks his life for one of his students who was kidnapped, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

Takeaway: A rocker-turned-teacher in Spain gets caught up in romance and tense political unrest.

Comparable Titles: Sarina Bowen’s Roommate, Elle Keaton’s Conspiracy Theory.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Under His Sheets

This nimble series starter from Barnes (author of The Gentlemen Authors series, among others) prowls the dark streets and undercover activities in the London of 1817. When the latest young woman turns up murdered—the third victim of an increasingly vicious killer preying on society women—Chief Constable Peter Kendrick and his Bow Street supervisors face serious pressure over their failure to solve the crimes terrorizing the city, and he’s pressured, in the meantime, to score a victory, going after a wealthy family suspected of illegality. Enter Adrian Croft, son of a tyrannical father known for his powerful influence and shady business dealings. Set up to succeed his father as the “King of Portman Square,” Adrian is in fact disgusted with his family’s gritty transactions with the London underworld—but when the killings connect to his own life, his thirst for vengeance might undo him.

Barnes blends procedural and espionage elements with a vividly evoked London of fog, jouncing hackneys, and churchyards where the gravestones suggest “crooked teeth in the darkness.” A smart setup pits two savvy characters against each other, with a dash of romantic tension: as he strives to look out for his sister Evelyn, Adrian’s targeted by a highly secretive ring of female spies known as The Nightingale Project, with Samantha Carmichael, the star agent, tasked with infiltrating Adrian’s life and securing his family’s secret files.

Barnes maintains a steady clip, deftly combining mystery and romance elements to spin an enticing tale of intrigue, passion, and danger. As Samantha grows closer to Adrian and Evelyn in an effort to win their trust, she uncovers a side of Adrian that sparks a deeper connection between the two, even as they each continue to harbor distrust for each other. Barnes builds to a startling ending that leaves their future hanging in the balance. Readers will be eager for the next in the series.

Takeaway: Intrigue, romance, and murder combine in this lively old London series starter.

Comparable Titles: Nicola Cornick’s House of Shadows, Ellen Marie Wiseman’s What She Left Behind.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about A Vengeful King Rises: A gripping historical mystery romance (House of Croft Book 1)

“Radical autonomy is terrific if you’re trying to escape something horrid,” Richardson notes in this incisive, illuminating debut, but in other cases the American ethos of individualism, especially as represented by the “overwhelming lifestyle choice of the modern urban world,” can be confusing, overwhelming, and anxiety-provoking, especially for young people finding their place in life. Richardson likens contemporary Americans’ 20s and 30s to a sort of Rumspringa, a time of “exploring opportunities physical, intellectual, and income related” without “significant structural guidance, coaching, (and even therapy) from the broader communities in which we live and work,” an approach that, understandably, yields “sadly unequal outcomes” that favor “neurotypical, white men from upper-middle-class backgrounds the most.”

An anthropologist, Richardson persuasively explores the impact that growing up and living in an increasingly “hyper-individualistic” society has on careers, family life, personal happiness, and more. He examines contemporary tendencies toward loneliness, weaker friendships, over-consumption, and the costs of the “freedom to ignore the past.” He does not promise academic rigor, and draws heavily on his own experience of neurodivergence creating challenges in navigating “the confusion and ambiguity” of shifting societal rules. But as he considers telling examples like the rise of potlucks, the decline of formal club membership, and the waning influence of elders on young people, Richardson takes welcome pains to avoid nostalgia, and he acknowledges when he’s generalizing. Richardson’s a shrewd, witty, sometimes outraged observer who urges readers to approach individualistic impulses more critically.

Richardson’s life and anecdotes from interviewees illustrate his most striking arguments, such as the peculiarly American brand of individualism feeding the belief that “failures, traumas, and tragedy (whether failed relationships, getting conned abroad, or old-fashioned physical abuse)” are personal outcomes whose social context “fades into the margins of our moral memory.” The book sprawls some, but the strongest sections—like a consideration of snack culture, the erosion of meal culture, and the rise of obesity—dazzle.

Takeaway: Sprawling, dazzling exploration of the costs of American hyper-individualism.

Comparable Titles: Robert D. Putnam; Peter Callero’s The Myth of Individualism.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Our Worst Strength

In his third outing, the mysterious agent Arsen heads to Georgia, on the trail of a violent militia known as the Ridgetown Riders, aka the Silent Mirage, a hate-fueled group similar to the Proud Boys and headed by the battle-hardened Major Coker. Arsen's controller, Nils, tasks him with infiltrating the Silent Mirage and find out what connections they have. A veteran himself, Arsen easily slips into the group, thanks partly to his growing relationship with group member Crimson Fox, who busts heads at the bar she co-owns and served as a hand-to-hand combat training instructor at Fort Benning. As the Silent Mirage's activities become increasingly deadly, Arsen must come to terms with his own bloody past, while Crimson questions her own loyalties. The final reckoning is cathartic—and surprising.

Tindle, a Vietnam veteran, is very much at home in the military milieu and rolls out the characters with a strong sense of their background. Fans of military thrillers will revel in the wide range of hardware and high-tech descriptions. And for those who like their violence graphic, Tindle doesn't disappoint: a dead man's head looks "like a watermelon that had been dropped off a ten-story building." Readers may fear that the repellant Silent Mirage is out of control, but Arsen again proves as capable—and morally flexible—as James Bond. Indeed, he refers to himself as a "contract assassin" and goes about proving that the title fits.

Although the focus is on plot and action, Tindle has a good ear for the coarse camaraderie of soldiers, including some macho strutting that is straight out of high school. Nevertheless, an occasional real emotion affects these tough guys. And the love affair between Arsen and Crimson is fun and sexy, rounding out the characters and serving as an effective break between action scenes. Interestingly, though, in this man's man book, the cleverest exchanges are found in the bromance between Arsen and his boss Nils. Overall, a good choice for action fans.

Takeaway: Explosive action as an off-the-books agent infiltrates a domestic hate group.

Comparable Titles: T. R. Hendricks's The Infiltrator, Jack Carr.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+

Click here for more about Ridgetown

Blythe’s third story in her Ginger series (after Ginger Meets a Leprechaun and Makes a Wish) follows Ginger, a russet-colored deer inspired by a real-life animal, as she joins her pals for a July 4th parade. After convincing her forest friends that a hike to Bee Branchville is just the ticket to celebrate the Independence Day holiday, Ginger and crew find the city’s streets deserted, with closed signs hanging on the store windows. When the group spots a board advertising the town’s 4th of July parade—and asking for helpers to man the Fireworks Safety float—Ginger promptly dons her customized holiday sunglasses and signs on.

The animal stars in Blythe’s uncomplicated tale deliver a crucial message: fireworks may be fun, but they’re serious business. As Blythe points out in the backmatter, there are “over 10,000 injuries yearly associated with fireworks,” and many of those happen to young children. To promote a dazzling —and safe—4th of July, Ginger and her friends share safety rules on their float, ranging from “older children should use fireworks under close adult supervision” to “never point or throw fireworks at another person.” Each rule is accompanied by bright graphics with warning signs, allowing younger readers a visual representation of fireworks dos and don’ts.

Blythe’s digital illustrations feel bland in places, sometimes static and repetitive, with varying styles for individual characters giving some spreads an inconsistent patchwork look. Younger readers may find the bold colors and individual animals entertaining (particularly Ginger’s squirrel friend, who vows to take an acorn on their walk into town, just in case hunger strikes on the road). The story’s implication—that using fireworks without safety considerations can be deadly—sounds grave but is important, and Ginger’s parade ends in a happy celebration, including a glittering outdoor fireworks display. Blythe’s photograph of the real-life Ginger will delight younger readers, as will the suggestion to use glow sticks or silly string for a safer July 4th option.

Takeaway: Animal friends share dos and don’ts for fireworks safety.

Comparable Titles: Kate Riggs’s To the Rescue!, Jenny Cable’s PJ the Flame.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: B-
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about Ginger's Fireworks Safety Tips

This rousing superhero debut and origin story boasts a compelling cast, polished art, a savvy understanding of crime, cops, and media, and above all a welcome emphasis on what justice actually means—and what it takes to pursue it. The lavishly successful businessman/sociologist/psychologist Dr. Chris Withers and his journalist wife, Crystal Withers, enjoy a loving life in a city they know is too often unjust. In fact, a seemingly organized rash of abductions of young women of color concerns them both, as neither the police nor the “Assembly of Heroes” can be bothered with saving “the people who would not be missed.” When a tip about the involvement of a corrupt cop puts Crystal in danger, Chris, a devotee of martial arts, takes to the streets, beating information out of drug dealers affiliated with Crystal’s target.

Soon his friend Alicia Johnson, genius CEO of Johnson Industries, presents him with a life-changing offer: a cutting-edge tactical combat suit, complete with weapons, gadgets, and a motorcycle Alicia calls her “black beauty.” Elements of this origin are familiar, of course, but Washington freshens the storytelling with memorable insights. Chris’s discussion with students of the concept of “privilege” is powerful and illuminating, as is Crystal’s outrage that the scant press coverage the missing girls have received invariably links them to street gangs. The tension in the second half isn’t just in whether Chris will win the day—it’s in how far he will go.

Zhengis Tasbolatov’s art is crisp, clear, and compelling, whether characters are engaged in thoughtful colloquies or armed combat. Chris flipping on a rooftop to avoid gunshots is a striking enough image to linger over, but the sense of momentum from one panel to the next makes lingering a challenge—comics fans will be rushing to see what’s next. Washington’s characters may be accomplished, but nothing comes easy for them. Black Justice powerfully centers Black strength and genius, but also hard work, self-knowledge, and taking accountability.

Takeaway: Powerful superhero debut pitting Black Justice against corruption and kidnapping.

Comparable Titles: Devin K. Grayson’s Omni, Saladin Ahmed’s Abbott.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Black Justice: The Awakening

Tales and tails play off each other in this fun and sumptuously illustrated adventure. When five young girls from different walks of life, each unsatisfied with their current circumstances and united by a shared love of storytelling, are separately invited to a magical forest by an intrepid talking fox who appears unexpectedly in their lives.“There are stories waiting for you to help them grow, and there are tales that only you can tell,” the fox says, promising that each invitee’s unique skills are needed because “no good story gets a happy ending without a little help”—and further promising to return them to the precise time and place from which they departed. The girls agree, appearing in a storybook forest whose foliage “glittered like the inside of a treasure chest.”

The diverse cohort of young girls–Danielle, from California; Pax, in Tennessee; Eva in New York; Amy from Texas; Kex from Michigan–find much allure in the promise of adventure. Of young Eva, frustrated by her mother's workaholism on a planned trip to the New York Public Library, Hewitt writes, “It was a beautiful feeling, being invited. To know that she was needed.” Eva is enticed by the promise of time travel and aiding others, and Hewitt deftly gives each participant her own compelling reasons for taking this chance.

With a whoosh and a thump the fun begins, as the fox transports the girls to the forest and then on fun jaunts: first, to a dusty town struggling with drought for years, and after that they join a sea captain determined to amass all the world's treasures. Can the girls observe, collaborate, and determine how to bring these tales to their happy endings? Only by combining their individual skills and working together will they have a chance to fulfill this goal. In frisky, engaging prose that is itself touched with forest magic, Finding Foxtale Forest weaves together themes of friendship, adventure, collaboration, and the power of storytelling, all while creating a delightful and engaging tale of its own.

Takeaway: Fun adventure of girls discovering magic, friendship, and the power of storytelling.

Comparable Titles: Jacqueline West’s Long Lost, Katherine Applegate’s Willodeen.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Finding Foxtale Forest

Bracco’s bold collection of performance-ready verse from the collective Poetic People Power (now celebrating its 20th year) is a resonant call to action from an ambitious group of writers and activists who believe “another world is possible with poetry.” Each of the P3 “show”s here offers a series of spoken-word poems with stage directions that address an urgent issue, like the climate crisis, sexism, and human rights abuses across the globe. Powered by a collective intention to transform readers “into [...] change agent[s] in the world,” these pieces focus, in language of uplift and outrage, on pollution in marginalized communities, persecution of LGBTQ people in Uganda, food scarcity, sex trafficking, the lingering effects of colonialism and many more social, political, and environmental problems.

While the page can’t capture the vibrancy and artistry with which these pieces can be performed onstage—readers can bear witness to P3’s explosive showmanship in online videos—this collection performs the welcome service of expanding access to the poets’ work outside of New York City playhouses. However, they certainly do not lack urgency. The first show, “The Eco Rise,” highlights “environmental heroes” without international recognition, like Peggy Shepard, who spoke out against the “low-income minorities being disproportionately affected,” by pollution caused by public transit in New York City. Because of her, every “NYC bus was replaced with a hybrid.”

“While We Were Sleeping,” the collection’s third show, focuses on human rights atrocities being committed in Uganda, the Philippines, and New York, among several others, and doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions of the sexual and physical violence being inflicted upon people in these regions. Without comprehensive media coverage of these events, the poets write, “while we were sleeping, others were suffering,” but the power of poetry is that it awakens poets and readers alike to insights unknown. Readers seeking a collection of unflinching activism poetry will find much that inspires and provokes in the collective’s heroic first collection, edited by founder and artistic director Bracco.

Takeaway: Powerful collection of spoken-word poetry from a New York collective

Comparable Titles: Terrence Hayes’ Watch Your Language, and Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Poetic People Power

Deana Harris, now Deana Cooney, returns in McKenna’s sequel to Last Tracks, and this time she’s headed to rural Virginia with friends Cindy, Shelly, and Jean, in search of serenity and a peaceful round of golf, but when Deana stumbles onto a dead body while searching for a lost ball, their tranquil getaway is shattered. The body belongs to Kyle Dixon, a shady real estate agent working under the alias of Ken Draper in Washington, D.C., who swindled Shelly and Jean.

Whether you’re a brother or mother, the disco-inflected mystery that follows will keep you on your toes as Deana and her dishy, sharply drawn crew face multiple suspects, from scorned lovers and their partners to, well, each other. Kyle is well-known as the philandering husband of the wealthy Jennifer Dixon, co-owner of the Monarch Estates, the swank gated community where the body was discovered. Complicating matters is the fact that a major development is in the works for Monarch, and Kyle’s opinions—and involvement—in the scheme may have put him at risk. Soon enough, more death follows, and as the friends begin to understand the danger they’re in, and local detective Greg O’Neill gets involved. Deana and co. are quick to jump in and offer assistance to O’Neill, along with their retired police officer friend Snooky, as the group works to overcome lies and betrayals.

McKenna brings the milieu, in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to engaging life—“this bucolic area certainly does remind one of the goings-on in the English crime shows” Shelly declares—as the story blends sleuthing, suspense, and complicated friendships. A touch of romance is welcome, despite the setting’s decidedly dangerous happenings. This murder mystery is served with a slice of lightheartedness though, as the titular song functions as the story’s theme song, playing every time Cindy’s doorbell rings and offering comic relief, while still reminding the crew of their ultimate goal.

Takeaway: Dishy mystery pitting friends against murder in gated-community Virginia.

Comparable Titles: Ellen Crosby’s The Merlot Murders, Ella Barrick’s Quickstep to Murder.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Stayin' Alive

Cooper’s twisty debut, the kickoff to a series, centers on the secrets of a sprawling mansion some 70 miles outside of Pasadena, recently purchased by Kevin Swan, the wealthy thirtysomething son of a SoCal shipping magnate. Kevin lives for martial arts, classic cars, hang gliding, and travel—he’s the owner/publisher of a magazine dedicated to it—and has vague plans of transforming the estate into a museum. But as soon as he tries to open the front door, he and his closest companion —his German Shepherd, a rescue named Princess—face uncanny strangeness, from a screen door blown into the upper boughs of a mighty cottonwood, to vile substances in a locked observatory, to a surprise library with titles like Necromancy: Pedigrees, Formulations, Analyses. Underhill, the local salt overseeing a rewiring project, warns him away from the central tower. Worst of all: Princess is acting up, even fighting with her human.

The novel is as sprawling and unpredictable as its subject, a mansion with more rooms and curiosities—like its bewildering abundance of cupboards—than Kevin can count. Hints come early about elements that might power the mysteries (a chance encounter with a beautiful woman in China years before; the Swan family’s connection to a cursed ancient knife), but even after Kevin brings some experts in supernatural weirdness, a Caltech prof and a “witch” named Spooky who’s “one fry short of a Happy Meal,” this chatty, discursive novel never resists a joke or charts a straightforward storytelling path. Kevin engages in patter comedy routines with his friends and a pair of unhoused day laborers, and his excursions via Harley, Jaguar, and 1950 Pontiac Chieftain are lovingly detailed.

Readers interested primarily in the mysteries will find the pacing slow, with the comedy clashing with the darker material. When horror elements take center stage (as in scenes of exploration or a setpiece séance) Cooper demonstrates wicked inventiveness and timing. He can spring a jolt, a gross-out, and a surprise.

Takeaway: Sprawling, surprisingly comic novel of a possibly haunted estate.

Comparable Titles: Grady Hendrix’s How to Sell a Haunted House, Edgar Cantero’s The Supernatural Enhancements.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Fly in the Ointment

Olson’s accomplished, time-crossed debut weaves together elements of mystery, romance, and the supernatural against the backdrop of desolate Cape Wrath in the Scottish Highlands. The time-crossed story centers on the lives of Andrea Sinclair, a theater actress, and Thomas MacAllister, a Royal Navy officer turned lighthouse keeper in the years after World War II. Andrea believes “If he loves me, he will leave” the Highlands, but soon their love is overshadowed by secrets and tragedy. Olson skilfully constructs a dual timeline narrative that follows the intertwined fates of characters across generations, with the novel’s first half focusing on Andrea and Thomas’s love affair, the mysterious lighthouse, and Andrea’s acting career, the narrative gradually unveiling layers of hidden truths. In the second half, Mary, an investigative reporter, and Evan, Thomas's nephew, join forces to unravel the mysteries surrounding Thomas's untimely demise and a possible supernatural presence haunting the abandoned lighthouse.

Despite the lack of a singular protagonist, Olson’s ensemble and his intricately crafted milieu propels the narrative forward. Andrea emerges as the connecting thread between the two narrative epochs, as she embarks with Mary and Evan on a quest for answers. The atmospheric setting of Cape Wrath serves as a character in itself, with Olson's vivid descriptions (one light is “small but brilliant, and it hovered above the dark mass of the ridge, on a horizon separating land and sea”) evoking the harsh beauty and isolation of Scotland's northern coast.

In the end, the lighthouse fittingly emerges as the center point of everyone’s quest for answers, providing much-needed closure for Andrea. Olson's indulgent storytelling and rich character development will transport readers of richly emotional literary romances into a place caught between land and sea, past and present, and reality and the supernatural. Olson captures the essence of this place and these characters across decades, crafting a timeless romance rich with poignant reflections on the human experience and the complexities of grief.

Takeaway: Decades-spanning story of romance, mystery, and a remote Scottish lighthouse.

Comparable Titles: M.L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans, Hazel Gaynor’s The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Cape Wrath

Drawing on years of experience as an educator, Hazel debuts with a fresh approach for teachers new to the field, offering hands-on tools and down-to-earth advice on coping with the “realities of being a teacher in our current education systems.” She acknowledges the challenges that accompany teaching, covering topics from classroom management to effective communication with parents, and emphasizes, above all, the urgent truth that can make a career in education so rewarding: “There are kids out there that need YOU, specifically, to be their teacher. On those challenging days, think of those kids. You are meant to be here.”

Teachers—both beginners and those more seasoned—will appreciate Hazel’s sensible, action-oriented advice. Whether it’s creative ways to collaborate with colleagues and the community (including a fun aside about International Dot Day that offers readers inventive ways to “celebrat[e] the unique talents and gifts” of students) or ideas on how to effectively utilize wall space, Hazel covers all the bases, providing crisp, logical methods to “mak[e] a lasting impression on the lives of children,” while easing the stress that inevitably accompanies a career as challenging as education. In a nod to that stress, Hazel takes time to highlight why self-care is so important, encouraging teachers to set personal and professional boundaries and continually assess their priorities to become “a happier, more productive, more effective teacher.”

Particularly helpful are Hazel’s real-life examples and concrete guidelines, including potential tasks teachers can share with a grade partner, incisive considerations about the role of a public sector employee, and the signs that a class is well-organized and efficient (among them: students won’t need constant direction and a sense of calm will prevail, among others). She details preferred ways to respond to problems that arise as well, including sticky conversations with parents, and her advice that teaching is “a huge responsibility and an incredible gift” resonates.

Takeaway: Hands-on, functional guidance and advice for educators.

Comparable Titles: Andi McNair’s A Meaningful Mess, Jeff C. Marshall’s The Highly Effective Teacher.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about New Teacher Confidential: What They Didn't Tell You About Being a Teacher