Dark Tide Rising by Anne Perry – Anne Perry has delivered yet another well-plotted mystery featuring Inspector Monk and his band of Thames River Police. If you are a fan of the Monk series, this will not disappoint. If you haven’t read Monk, the nice thing about Perry’s series is that you can pick it up in the middle and stillunderstand what’s happening. Then, you will go back and read them all. Recommended.
Publication Date: September 18, 2018
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
Florida by Lauren Groff – Lauren Groff has delivered a collection of absolutely gorgeous prose in the form of short stories all tied to Florida. Strung through with common threads of family, women, and children, each story is an exquisite vignette showcasing the often ugly underbelly of life in the Sunshine State. From children abandoned on a deserted island, to a temporarily failed scholar-turned-homeless, to a common character who seems to be Groff herself, these stories resonate and amplify the real possibility that your life, no matter how idyllic, can be fucked up at any time by circumstance and chance.
I met Groff at a literary event shortly after Trump was elected, and boy was she pissed. I sense much of that anger in these stories and have to assume writing these was somewhat of a catharsis for her. We often produce our best work while under stress, and I think that’s happened here. This one should appear on all the “Best of 2018” lists because it’s that good. Highly recommended.
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Publisher: Penguin
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
The Deepest Grave by Jeri Westerson – Ellis Peters set the standard for medieval mysteries with the Cadfael series, but Jeri Westerson’s Crispin Guest more than matches up with the intrepid monk. Westerson has delivered a tightly plotted mystery with just enough human drama and a didn’t-see-it-coming plot twist at the end that had me sitting up and taking notice that this is an author to watch. The protagonist, Crispin Guest, a disgraced knight now turned “Tracker” (the medieval version of a PI), is a flawed but dignified, smart, and decent man who uses his deductive powers to solve crimes for money. His relationships are complicated to be sure, but Westerson writes Guest as the Good Guy who will always put the greater good above his own needs and desires. I look forward to more of Crispin Guest. Highly recommended.
Publication Date: August 1, 2018
Publisher: Severn House
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
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