Genard excels in conjuring the darkest alleyways, grisly wounds, and wounded hearts of London’s East End, with a doomsday wordplay that will either disturb or delight, based on readers’ inclinations. Just as sickening as the poverty and the incisions in the women peddling quick “Tuppenny Upright”s are the grotesque descriptions of the slaughter of men that The Society of Supernatural and Psychic Research surmises, contrary to conventional serial murder, are either animalistic attacks from zoo escapers, or they perhaps involve something more ghoulish. Perspective chapters immerse readers in the minds of victims and residents as Scarlet investigates, encountering the kind of secretive organization, Friends of the Daughters of Night (purportedly concerned “with bettering the lots of unfortunate women”), that readers crave in Ripper tales.
While the tone and brisk pursuit of clues will feel familiar to fans of historical crime thrillers, Genard sets the Scarlet series apart with frank descriptions of life as it was lived, a lively fascination in Victorian esotericism—with an eye for the occult and attempts to achieve a redemptive transcendence— and the teasing possibility that, for all the case’s resemblance to the epochal Ripper crimes, something more may be afoot. This thriller of a seamy, seething London has bite.
Takeaway: Victorian London serial killer thriller with a cultish, supernatural twist.
Comparable Titles: Lyndsey Faye’s Dust and Shadow, Sarah Pinborough’s Mayhem.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
In clear language that blends a coaching tone with the elemental directness of cliff faces, Goldman showcases what mountains and mountaineering can reveal about universal experiences, such as being afraid, growing old, and confronting a challenge. Occasionally readers will hear echoes of the author’s years as a Harvard-trained lawyer, not just in his sophisticated vocabulary and cultural references or occasional burst of Latin, but also in his precision and clarity, such as his consideration of the limits of a rope partner’s responsibilities in “Rope Partner of Mine.” Similarly, he pursues a kaleidoscopic inquiry into what mountains mean to climbers throughout the book, embracing the question’s nuances and possibilities.
The poems take on varied forms, from more traditional poetic couplets and stanzas to blank verse and robust prose poems. The new entries showcase the stylistic diversity: “Hidden Peak” begins with a familiar AABB rhyme scheme, whereas “Guarded Revelation” plunges readers into a ragged, unpredictable rhythm that mimics the speaker’s racing pulse and culminates in a wild surge of words representing his epiphany. Though summiting a mountain may appear a straightforward (though not simple) act, Goldman’s work reveals its beauty and its complexity, showing how its rippling implications reach even those far below its peak.
Takeaway: Impassioned, incisive poems of climbers, mountains, and life.
Comparable Titles: Nan Shepherd, Gary Snyder.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Obsessions, unexpected connections, and a resonant frustration with the business of publishing all abound, as Wood demonstrates high ambitions for exploring the relationship between fiction, real life experience, and the impact of writers in the larger world. A tangle of subplots includes Quigley’s hopes to open discussion on justice, the appeal of Catherine’s depiction of college life to contemporary students, the dubious ethics of agent Sandra pushing her lover to invent a better hook for a biography he’s written, and the public obsession with Brady’s self-published novel once he becomes a high-profile criminal. These ambitious themes build to insights and surprises, though readers might wish that the novel explores the written craft of more of its cast of authors. Brady’s disordered writing, the only in-character prose here, provides some of the strongest, most engaging characterization.
A core twist is teased early, but well-planted shocks cutting short some publishing drama are a testament to Wood’s refusal to play things safe. This literate thriller succeeds in making writers’ lives engaging while still honoring the truth of them, the “long, lonely months of writing, rewriting, and incorporating changes”—and, of course, the resentments, grievances, and, yes, even the rewards.
Takeaway: Idea-driven thriller of novelists, publishing, and obsession.
Comparable Titles: Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot, Catherine McKenzie’s Fractured.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Through research, alternative methods, and a strong, informed medical support system, Quiros took control of her diagnosis and her path to healing. Quiros explains that once she learned how to "tame inflammation,” she understood how to manage the triggers of her lupus flare ups. After a near-fatal car accident, Quiros felt led by a higher purpose and taps into a more spiritual lifestyle to grapple with her struggle with her illness. “I could not and would not live in misery and accept that I would die in my thirties," Quiros recalls, and her book encourages readers to take their life and whatever they may need to heal into their own hands through focusing on inner wisdom, trusting their own intuition in knowing what is right for the individual, and connecting with a spiritual source. Quiros provides physical exercises such as yoga, mindfulness exercises such as sound frequency, and nutritional dietary changes to fortify the mind and body as a whole.
With actionable steps such as journaling, exercises, and affirmations, Starving the Wolf blends memoir with self-help, crafted as a beacon rather than a blueprint for others. With clear, engaging prose and lots of heart, Quiros makes the case for “listening to your inner wisdom and mind and body, honoring its rhythms and nurturing its whispers with self-compassion and steadfast belief.” Quiros' inspiring words will resonate with readers facing journeys to healing.
Takeaway: Encouraging self-help memoir about reclaiming one's life from disease.
Comparable Titles: Glady McGarey's The Well-Lived Life, Manisha Rayavarapu's Butterflies, Boards, and Blessings.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Olivier seems to relish toying with readers’ expectations, as the questions about what’s really going on become ever more urgent. The one other hiccup in the leads’ bubble—besides intense dreams in which Olivier conjures intimate, sometimes eroticized dread via wrenching and poetic imagery—seems to be Nina’s drinking, which is made worse for Oliver by the facts that his parents apparently died in a collision with a drunk driver. But as dreams and reality collide the story takes even wilder turns, with a hostage situation, unexpected blood test results, mad scientists, and tantalizing hints about the true nature of this couple’s connection.
Though labeled a romance, The Girl in My Dreams plays out as a darkly romantic thriller with a science-fiction edge, as Olivier demonstrates a deft sleight-of-hand when it comes to plotting, genre, and the ways that her leads truly are connected. The twists jolt, the couplings are vigorous and inventive, and a host of dreamlike and unsettling moments—like one love scene involving a forked tongue, or another centered on inked markings on a body—prove truly disorienting, but perhaps the biggest surprise, in the end, is that, touchingly, romance wins the day.
Takeaway: Obsessive romantic thriller of paralysis, mad dreams, and unexpected connection.
Comparable Titles: Karen Hamilton’s The Perfect Girlfriend, Lisa Jewell’s Watching You.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
With crisp prose and a strong feeling for characters living at the ends of their ropes, Sheldon mines tension not just from the crime and its coverup. Throughout, Hekla understands that Iceland’s future is in some ways at stake, from her disgust at Drumman’s hotel—“sleek, two-story monument to excess” —to her reluctance to ascribe guilt to Aldís, who has stoked great controversy in her zeal to push “back on the corroding influence that countries like the United States had on Iceland.” Hekla’s nerves and exhaustion, touchingly drawn, never diminish her savviness, and she proves a compelling detective as she faces bureaucratic setbacks, red herrings, and tough interrogations—she snaps at her nation’s wealthiest citizen, a business partner of Drumman’s wife, “If you’re helping Iceland, why are all your negotiations in secret?”
Sheldon’s plot eventually pairs Hekla with August Sorenson, a former FBI legal attaché in Copenhagen who once was close to Aldís. August, too, is living bleakly, and his early perspective chapters wallowing in sex, suicidal ideation, and autoerotic asphyxiation feel convincingly miserable but diminish narrative momentum. Still, August eventually proves a memorable co-lead, but it’s Hekla who grabs attention and keeps the pages turning.
Takeaway: Dark Icelandic noir with a strong edge of outrage at economic injustice.
Comparable Titles: Sara Blædel, Ragnar Jónasson.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Gastreich creates a tense, spooky atmosphere—her underworld is as intriguing as it is scary. A pantheon of scheming immortals and figures from history (Anne Boleyn, Mozart) populate the Soul Hunter realm. Plucky Mayela’s budding romance with Nathan is buoyed by moments of eroticism, and the dialogue is fun: “I ate duck in the Underworld? I went to the bathroom in the Underworld?” Both worlds have their complexities, as Mayela’s right-wing father, sporting his red ballcap, insists he’s no racist but just wants what’s best for the country, a case of Gastreich striving for nuance, while a serial-killer twist is not up to the level of invention of the book at its best.
Gastreich is ambitious, and the immortals here do so much that it can be a challenge keeping up with all the powers and portents: the reaping of historical souls, seeing future pandemics, influencing natural phenomena, politics, and religion. However, there are many flashes of brilliance, especially when Gastreich lets Mayela breathe and discover her own brand of nature magic. Soul Masters will appeal to seasoned fantasy readers up to the twists and turns of Gastreich’s storytelling.
Takeaway: Spooky, inventive romantic fantasy of souls, immortals, and the underworld.
Comparable Titles: Maggie White’s Soul of Light and Shadow, Susan F. Banks’s Red Souls.
Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-
Siegel earns reader’s trust with his painstaking, historically informed approach, drawing on established scholarship about biblical authorship, offering clear explanations of how different texts were combined and expanded upon over the course of the Bible’s composition, and illuminating consideration of why authors in different eras would pen contradictory details, such as why in one version of the Noah story the ark-builder gathers seven pairs of animals rather than just two. (The likely explanation? Each authorship period’s rules for animal sacrifice.)
Writing with crisp precision and a welcome lack of dogmatism, Siegel both illuminates and challenges contemporary scholarship about biblical history, the development of monotheism, the deep histories of the twelve tribes of Israel, the life of Moses, and more. He always acknowledges that he’s offering informed speculation rooted in the best-available history and interpretation, rather than carrying truth down from the mountain, buoying his arguments.
Takeaway: Historically informed look at the veracity of the Torah’s story of exodus.
Comparable Titles: Richard Elliott Friedman’s The Exodus, Yitzhak Meitlis’s Excavating the Bible.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Myrtle’s journey is every bit as fanciful as readers might hope, given her dreamlike descent to the ocean. Pham paints her adventures in sweeping strokes of aquamarine wonder, as Myrtle is flanked by otters, dolphins, and even a quizzical octopus, all curiously asking her “Where is your home? And who are you? You came here right out of the blue.” She adapts to her new surroundings quickly, making friends and sharing her dreams—an inspiration for younger readers facing unfamiliar situations—and that willingness to stretch her wings pays off big in the end.
Welton’s rhyming structure feels forced in places, but Myrtle’s charisma and sense of whimsy more than make up for it. “In my land, I wished to be queen,” she announces, giving birth to a spectacular cavalcade of briny fun, as she learns to swim with dolphins, frolics with flying fish, and pretends to be a turtle alongside Max—culminating with a dramatic ending that plays off Myrtle’s imagination and special fondness for sea turtles. Welton’s pearls of wisdom—to “see what happens when you believe”—are the perfect fit for this saltwater romp, and Myrtle’s eventual transformation will make even the youngest reader believe in the magic of imagination.
Takeaway: Dreamy aquatic adventure that stretches the imagination.
Comparable Titles: Patrick McDonnell’s Shine!, Amy Sparkes’s Once Upon a Wish.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A
Promised Land: The Encoding
While the stakes could not be higher, bin Vilio roots the novel in the compelling lived experience of his leads. Ida is partially deaf and has vitiligo, the rare skin condition; Black and adopted by a mixed-race couple, she has always felt out of place. Her sisterhood with Soweto and Abeni, plus the love of her professor parents, are all she can count on, even before they find themselves facing ghosts and, eventually, the government’s totalitarian overreach. Into that potent study of three Black women’s journeys bin Vilio deftly incorporates history, rousing voices from the past, “chosen one” elements edged with cultural critique, and depictions of authoritarian terror that all-too-convincingly suggest contemporary politics.
Especially powerful is the women’s bearing witness to what they previously knew from historical accounts. “It was then that the dominating sentiment being sadness stopped,” bin Vilio writes. “Fear came to the fore and took a firm stake.” And then, following fear: action, though what that will actually look like is a matter for readers to discover. Promised Land is about learning one's past and taking back one's power, with three educated, resourceful young women standing on the strength of their knowledge, their family lineage, and the protection of their ancestors.
Takeaway: Three Black women’s powerful trip through a near-future America with ghosts of the past.
Comparable Titles: Tochi Onyebuchi’s Riot Baby; LaTanya McQueen's When the Reckoning Comes.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Ideal for readers who are politically minded, with an interest in civil rights, but still look to books for escapism, Collective Vengeance centers on a high-stakes, long-game battle that finds Ryleigh making desperate choices both in past and present, some unbeknownst to even Sam—readers should expect surprises. Stanley keeps the stakes high as, in 2019, Sam and Ryleigh put together a team to expose the Jaymes family’s many corruptions, while dodging a hired thug for the Jaymes family who quickly accelerates from intimidation to assault. Sam and her team must think two steps ahead because Jonathan, a convincing villain, will stop at nothing to silence them.
This inspired-by-the-headlines novel moves quickly and is sharply plotted, making for a swift thriller, edged with real-world concerns, that stirs real tension but at times might benefit from slowing down a touch. An unaddressed irony that stalks this book is that the main character of a story focused on a woman's right to choose rarely gets to make choices for herself, or her moment of rage about her manipulation. Still, the stoy’s jolts all jolt, and characters like Cynthia James prove gripping.
Takeaway: Political thriller of a long-ago victim and a supreme court nominee.
Comparable Titles: Anthony Franze’s The Advocate’s Daughter, Stacey Abrams’s Avery Keene series.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
In the striking “Not much” from 1989, Kerl writes “I was feeling like not much at all, except maybe a lifeless rock,” moving through the world listlessly, naming the stars pallid rather than brilliant. Thus concentrated, Kerl’s collection allows readers a far-removed overview effect of his life, something like seeing a photograph of Earth from the moon, and from the fresh perspective offered by the collection’s structure and approach, the concept of time both stretches and shrinks. That’s particularly true in Kerl’s six Perseid and Orionid meteor shower poems, which are dispersed throughout Brevity and mark the transformations and cycles of Kerl’s—and the cosmos’s—existence.
In these surprising and thought-provoking entries, the poet and the cosmos are united; Kerl’s words bridge human and asteroid and show that each is a body of stardust, just differently shaped. For Kerl, humanity is not insignificant and separate from the universe, but as necessary a part of it as gas giants and galaxies. In the collection’s penultimate poem “Kitchen,” which tenderly describes an “old and threadbare” kitchen rug worn by years of use, the speaker writes “say what you want,” about the tattered carpet, “it is the center of the world.” Everything matters, Kerl’s collection shouts, because everything contributes to “more irreplaceable brief sudden-bright moments such as this.”
Takeaway: Moody, reflective poetry surveying love, time, life, and the cosmos over 35 years.
Comparable Titles: Christopher Buckley’s “Perseid Meteor Shower,” Paul Smyth’s “Desert Watch”
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Cancer Moon: How I Survived the Best Years of My Life
Her crack comic timing and eye for the killer detail never come at the expense of hard-won wisdom, and her reflections on her twenties exhibit maturity and grace while offering an inspiring call for young people to think independently. Tico deftly puts readers in her shoes in moments of turmoil and joy, facing the “Stages of Alone” and learning that “confusion, shock, and ambivalence are perfectly normal—nay, healthy—responses to pregnancy.” The awkwardness of finding your footing and power while navigating adult relationships and being part of a generation taught in health classes to “Fear the Sperm” feels relatable, poignant, and rousing.
Tico’s form is bold, as Cancer Moon mixes straight-ahead memoir with pages of intimate blank verse that dig deep into ideas and feelings, like the poem “Call Your Mother”’s contemplation of her, her mother’s, and her grandmother’s lineage: “we are granddaughters of a million versions of moon, / And sometimes they’re waxing poetic /’Bout everything they have done wrong.” That one finds Tico in powerful communion with her own unborn daughter. These raw verse passages may at first strike some readers as interruptions to the flow of the polished memoir, but Tico uses them to plunge deep into the emotions and themes that power the narrative, and her linework—playful, urgent, surprising, inviting—rewards leaping with her.
Takeaway: Rousing, bold, funny story of growing into one’s power.
Comparable Titles: Phoebe Robinson’s Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outdoor Clothes, Jessi Klein’s You’ll Grow Out of It.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
With a nod towards behavioral-analyst pioneer B. F. Skinner, Gavoni notes that when faced with a leadership conundrum, there are three basic courses of action: accept the status quo, try to change it, or walk away. It’s the second option that provides the impetus for the book. Gavoni persuasively describes effective leadership as “a dance of balance and precision, akin to traversing a high wire.” Leaders, he argues, should positively contribute to the greater good, with each decision and action nurturing a “culture of trust, collaboration, and collective excellence." With clarity, evidence, and more rigor than many titles in the genre, Gavoni lays out practical steps leaders can take to achieve that goal: understanding one’s limitations while finding ways to surpass them, setting reasonable goals, managing boundaries, keeping communication open, giving credit, remaining unselfish, and maintaining behavior accountability, including for those at the top.
Gavoni also advocates for “quick wins” that set a positive tone while encouraging momentum and cohesiveness, and establishing clear paths to victory to improve the chance for group success and set the stage for meeting greater goals. For all the striking, research-backed insights, Gavoni’s tone bounces from serious to crass—he’s fond of the capped, half-censored term “A$$ CLOWNS”—which may put off some readers. A glossary, checklists, and a heartfelt epilogue all add to the book’s value and utility.
Takeaway: Persuasive, pragmatic guide to encouraging, effective leadership.
Comparable Titles: Natalie Parks, Ashley Tudor, and Adam Ventura’s Leadership in Behavioral Analysis, Aubrey C. Daniels’s Bringing Out the Best in People.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Dinner at God's House
Fate soon explains that situations that appear to be random instead were orchestrated by his machinations. “Many—not all—of those moments are creations of my imagination. They are designed to delight God,” Fate intones. A fellow traveler is shown the unlikely way he met his beloved wife of five decades; another received a promotion when the lost file he’d been fired for reappeared. And Erik is shown the many times during his life that he lost out by not making choices — when it’s too late to do anything about it. Or is it?
Lieman deftly illustrates the weight of mortality carried by all humans, and his polished, inviting prose allows readers to imagine themselves in similar situations. Indeed, he punctuates each chapter with a real-life unlikely situation—including a NICU nurse who cares for a baby and after twenty-eight years and across the country cares for that preemie’s own infant — all examples are footnoted at the end of his story. Anyone who has ever contemplated the meaning of life and its fleeting duration will find deep meaning in Lieman’s words.
Takeaway: This inspiring novel will have readers re-evaluating their own life choices.
Comparable Titles: Mitch Albom, Richard Bach.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
The novel is fast-paced, with characters and situations flung from all sides. Every interaction seems to teem with hidden pasts and mysteries, hinting at the history that people share with each other, courtesy of living in a small town. There’s also the odd little detail about people thrown in now and then, again exuding a small-town quaintness. Even as the narrative hurtles forward at break-neck speed, Archer’s characteristic sense of humor, part sarcastic, part ridiculous, brings a refreshing lightness to the at-times quite dire happenings. The characters remain memorable and engaging creations, capable of surprises, and readers new to the series will feel invited right in.
At points, there’s so much happening—plot twists and surprising situations that stretch credulity—that Double Blast at times tests suspension of disbelief …how many mysteries can one town hold? Most of the time, though, Archer is right on the money, capturing a slightly heightened realism with surprises that stir gasps and character motivations that resonate. It’s an extremely fun read alive with crime, action, heaps of local dish and color, and above all, transporting entertainment.
Takeaway: Fun, funny small-town caper with a fill-in police chief.
Comparable Titles: Janet Evanovich; Victoria Houston’s At the Edge of the Woods.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
