Midmonth BookNotes Volume 6 Issue 04 April 4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (888) 560-9919 • (480) 947-2974 poisonedpen.com • [email protected]

Upcoming Multi-Author Events all the club’s funds and some prize birds belonging to other members. Fans of early Maisie Dobbs books will want to checkout Ellicott’s new series.

Cozy Con 2019 Harris, CS. Who Slays the Wicked Saturday May 11, 2019 (Berkley $26) 2:00 PM Guest authors: Jessica Ellicott, Jenn McKinlay, Assisting Bow Street magis- Jill Orr, Paige Shelton, and Jane Willan. trate Sir Henry Lovejoy when Join a stellar lineup of cozy mystery authors for an the dissolute Lord Ashworth afternoon of mayhem, mirth, and munchies! is brutally murdered, Se- bastian St. Cyr scrambles to find the killer to exoner- ate his wrongly implicated Afternoon Tea with niece, who recently married Amanda Quick, Meg Tilly, and Sujata Massey Ashworth despite St. Cyr’s Saturday May 25, 2019 objections. The 14th stunning 2:00 PM addition to Harris’s Sebastian Meet New York Times best-selling authors Aman- St. Cyr series is another ad- da Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz), Meg Tilly, and Sujata dictive blend of an impecca- Massey for a fun afternoon of tea, talk, and some bly researched historical setting, cleverly constructed tempting treats. plotting, and memorable characters

Huber, Anna. An Artless Demise (Berkley $16) SIGNED FOR MOTHER’S DAY AND MAY After returning to London with her new husband, Se- bastian Gage, Lady Keira Darby finds her honeymoon Ellicott, Jessica. Murder Flies the Coop might be over when she is blackmailed over informa- (Kensington $26) tion, she has concerning her late anatomist husband and his connection with local body snatchers. In Ellicott’s captivating second mystery set in post- WWI England, adventure-seeking American Beryl Massey, Sujata. The Satapur Moonstone Helliwell and her old English school chum, Edwina (Soho $26.95) Davenport, who share a household in the hamlet of The sequel to The Widows of Malabar Hill Walmsley Parva, set up their own informal private ($15.95) investigation business. Their first client, Vicar Wilfred Massey introduced her new series character of Lowethorpe, calls on them for help in a matter that Perveen Mistry, Bombay’s only female lawyer in The requires sensitivity and discretion. One of the vicar’s Widows of Malabar Hill. In her first case Perveen parishioners, Lionel Cunningham, who’s treasurer of feels compelled to look into the estate of the late Mr. the local pigeon racing club, has gone missing with Omar Farid since she believes one of his three wid- ows was coerced into signing over her portion of the ing Cove in order to turn it into a bed and breakfast. inheritance to a suspicious charity. Now Perveen is Of course, having her first guest be murdered doesn’t back in The Satapur Moonstone when the two maha- help with future bookings, nor does having private ranis, the dowager queen and her daughter-in-law, of investigator Matthias Jones becoming a permanent the princely state of Satapur require some legal coun- fixture in her life with his persistent questions about sel as to exactly how the young prince will be educat- the incident. In her third Burning Cove set book, ed. Edgar finalist and Agatha award-winning Massey’s new 1920s India-set series is marvelously exotic and Quick (pseudonym for New York Times best-selling wonderfully evocative of the times. Jayne Ann Krentz) once again stylishly fuses an intriguing 1930s, Hollywood kissed setting with a McKinlay, Jenn. Dying for Devil’s Food quicksilver paced plot and then wraps the whole thing (Berkley $7.99) up in writing richly imbued with her deliciously tart sense of humor. When she is accused of murdering resident mean girl and her high school nemesis at their 15-year reunion, Shelton, Paige. The Loch Ness Papers cupcake store owner Mel Cooper must quickly find (St Martins $26.99) out who iced Cassidy Havers. The latest in McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery series is as much fun as plate of gour- Scrambling to find a last-minute pastor for her wed- met cupcakes but without all those pesky calories. ding, bookseller Delaney Nichols befriends an elderly Loch Ness monster enthusiast whose influence she Kelly, Martha Hall. Lost Roses staunchly defends and investigates when he is wrong- (Ballantine $28) ly accused of murdering his own nephew. The Loch Ness Papers, the latest in Shelton’s charming Scottish Kelly’s debut novel Lilac Girls sold over a million copies Bookshop series, was chosen as one of Bookpage’s around the country. Now the author delivers a prequel Top Picks in Cozy mysteries! of sorts to that best-seller by taking Eliza Ferriday, the mother of Lilac’s Caroline Ferriday, and pairing her up Thompson, Victoria. Murder on Trinity Place with her old school friend Sofya Streshnayva, a cous- (Berkley $26) in of the Romanovs, and a peasant girl, Varinka, who is hired to take care of Sofya’s young son, but who, Horrified when a neighbor they spotted behaving in unbeknownst to her employer, has ties to the revolu- uncharacteristic ways is found murdered during the tionaries pushing for change in Russia. 1900 New Year celebrations at Trinity Church, Frank and Sarah Malloy are prompted by scandal-fearing Orr, Jill. The Ugly Truth relatives to search for answers in the victim’s past. (Prospect Park $25.95 or $16) Calling all Anne Perry fans. Thompson’s equally richly detailed and impeccably crafted series will be right As Riley Ellison covers a shocking double murder in up your reading alley. her hometown, she’s confronted with things that are not what they seem to be. . . and people who aren’t, Tilly, Meg. Cliff’s Edge either. Orr continues to nail her small-town Southern (Berkley $16) setting, and the series ongoing cast of quirky char- acters – including Regina H. (Riley’s online personal Baker Eve Harris is all set to romance concierge) - add a generous dash of humor house sit for her honeymoon- to the author’s already deliciously dry sense of wit. ing sister Maggie when she discovers someone else is Quick, Amanda. Tightrope already made themselves at (Berkley $27) home. Movie star Rhys Thom- as is looking for a quiet place Amalie Vaughn is used to taking chances. After all, to unwind, so when his friend when she was an aerialist in the circus, she regularly Luke offers him the use of his worked without a net. But now Amalie may be facing home on Solace Island, Rhys the biggest risk of her life when she uses all of her jumps at the chance. As Eve savings to buy a reportedly “cursed” mansion in Burn- and Rhys settle their new liv- ing arrangements, however, a new danger threatens wife Molly, who hopes the publicity surrounding the to destroy the couple’s fledgling romance. Tilly may circles Daniel will create will help restore life to their be best known for her acclaimed Golden Globe-win- small Vermont hometown of Munsen. However, it ning performance in Agnes of God, as well as her isn’t long before Daniel finds he is drawn into a fam- work in The Big Chill, Valmont, and other movies, but ily struggling to stitch itself back together, and the her latest Solace Island novel proves she is equally consequences will change his life forever. One review talented at crafting a suspenseful, sexy, superbly called Boyce’s debut a “dexterous blend of love, loss, entertaining romantic thriller. work, and fortitude,” which neatly sums up the ap- peal of this marvelous example of feel-good fiction in Willan, Jane. The Hour of Death the manner of A Man Called Ove. (Crooked Lane $26.99) Cole, Alyssa. A Prince on Paper Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn make sleuthing a (Avon $7.99) work of art. But will they paint themselves into a corner when they investigate the Village Art Society Nya Jerami, who wants to escape her sheltered life, president’s death? The second warm and wonder- reluctantly enters into a pretend engagement with ful entry in Willan’s new series earned a number of celebrity prince Johan von Braustein, whom she loves review raves including this from PW “Willan’s loving to hate, only to start falling for the playboy prince for and witty portrayal of convent life in rural Wales real. This is the third in Cole’s endlessly entertaining will delight lovers of village mysteries. Besides, who and deeply satisfying Reluctant Royals series. doesn’t enjoy reading about a busload of nuns riding to the rescue on Christmas Eve?” If you enjoy M.C. Colgan, Jenny. My Very ‘90’s Romance Beaton’s Hamish MacBeth series, Willan’s books may (Harpercollins $15.99) prove equally entertaining. Fleeing a roommate situation from hell, down-on- her-luck florist Holly moves in with a motley crew of friends—Josh, a sexually confused merchant banker; Fiction, Mysteries, Romance, and More Kate, a high-flying legal eagle with talons to match; and Addison, a gorgeous computer geek who spends his days communicating with his online girlfriend and anyone who worships at the altar of Jean-Luc Picard. Archer, K.C. The Astral Traveler’s Daughter From the moment Holly catches a rare glimpse of (Simon and Schuster $16) Addison, she’s smitten. The only problem is how to In this exciting follow-up to School for Psychics, get him to swivel his chair from the computer screen ex-cardsharp Teddy Cannon, who has since learned to her adoring gaze. Colgan has built up a mega-read- she is psychic, is entering her second year at the ership on both sides of the Atlantic with her charm- well-hidden Whitfield Institute, a secret government ingly sweet Little Beach and Cupcake Bakery series, training facility where students master telepathy, and now her publisher is bringing back a repackaged telekinesis, investigative techniques, and SWAT tac- edition of one of her earlier titles. tics for covert roles in the US government. But Ted- . The Binding dy puts everyone she cares about in danger when Collins, Bridget (HarperCollins $26.99) an unexpected assignment leads her to the answers she’s chased for so long and reveal a clue about her In a magical world with echoes of 19th century En- own past. gland, books are repositories of individual lives. In order to banish painful memories from their past, in- Boyce, Erica. The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green dividuals visit bookbinders, who bind these memories (Sourcebooks $15.99) between the pages of a book, thus leaving the individ- As a member of a secret organization of circlers ual with a clean memory slate. Working as a bookbind- (those who create crop circles), Daniel Green trav- er’s apprentice, Emmett Farmer crafts elegant memory els across the country creating strange works of art volumes to help troubled customers before discover- that leave communities mystified. Most recently, ing that others in his profession use their skills for dark Daniel has been hired by dying farmer Sam and his ends. YA novelist Collins makes her adult debut with this mesmerizing novel that beautifully pays homage is a spooky suspense novel with tons of atmosphere. to the power of books in our lives. Just don’t start reading this one late at night!

Duncan, Emily. Wicked Saints Epstein, Jennifer Cody. Wunderland (St. Martin’s $18.99) (Crown $27)

A girl who can speak to gods, a prince who must learn Things had never been easy between Ava Fisher and whom to trust, and a boy with a monstrous secret her estranged mother Ilse. Too many questions hov- seek to assassinate the king and stop a centuries-long ered between them: Who was Ava’s father? Where war in this sunning debut novel inspired by the Joan had Ilse been during the war? Why had she left her of Arc legend. only child in a German orphanage during the war’s final months? But now Ilse’s ashes have arrived from Durst, Sarah Beth. The Deepest Blue Germany, and with them, a trove of unsent letters (HarperCollins $21.99) addressed to someone else unknown to Ava: Renate Bauer, a childhood friend. As her mother’s letters After she saves her island nation of Belene when it is unfurl a dark past, Ava spirals deep into the shocking threatened by a spirit-driven storm, Mayara is forced history of a woman she never truly knew. Epstein’s to reveal that she has the power to control the spirits poignant and powerful novel unfolds along two dif- and is sent to an island of bloodthirsty spirits as ferent time tracks. One takes place in the 1930s and punishment, but if she survives, she will become an follows the friendship that blooms between Ilse and heir to the queen. Durst is the author of the popular Renate in Germany, and how the two find themselves Queens of Renthia series, and her publisher has been on different paths as Hitler consolidates his hold on billing this standalone (with a slight connection to the their country. The other follows Ilse’s daughter Ava Renthia books) as “the natural magic of the classic as she reflects back to 1946 when Ilse leaves her in a The Island of the Blue Dolphins meets the danger and German orphanage and how she came to be a sin- The Hunger Games courage of .” gle mother now living in New York City. A powerful Elliott, Lexie. The Missing Years exploration of cowardice and courage and betrayal (Berkley $26) and forgiveness that will resonate with readers, who loved Lilac Girls or The Nightingale. Ailsa Calder has inherited half of a house. The other half belongs to her father, who disappeared without Fay, Juliette. City of Flickering Light a trace twenty-seven years (Gallery $16.99) ago. Leaving London behind to Its July 1921, “flickers” are all the rage, and Irene settle the inheritance from her Van Beck has just declared her own independence mother’s estate, Ailsa returns by jumping off a moving train to escape her fate in a to her childhood home, nes- traveling burlesque show. When her friends, fellow tled among the craggy peaks dancer Millie Martin and comedian Henry Weiss, of the Scottish Highlands, only leap after her, the trio finds their way to the bright to find that she is joined by lights of Hollywood with hopes of making it big in the half-sister who’s almost the burgeoning silent film industry. At first glance, a stranger to her. Ailsa can’t Hollywood in the 1920s is like no other place on escape the claustrophobic earth—iridescent, scandalous, and utterly exhila- feeling that the house itself is rating—and the three friends yearn for a life they watching her. She also can’t could only have dreamed of before. But despite ignore how the neighborhood animals refuse to set the glamour and seduction of Tinseltown, success foot within the gates of the garden. When the first doesn’t come easy, and nothing can prepare Irene, nighttime intruder shows up, Ailsa fears that the Millie, and Henry for the poverty, temptation, and manor’s careless rugged beauty could cost her every- heartbreak that lie ahead. thing. Elliott wowed readers last year with her spec- tacular debut The French Girl, and her sophomore literary effort is every bit as good. The Missing Years Gibson, Claire. Beyond the Point Gudenkauf, Heather. Before She Was Found (HarperCollins $15.99) (Park Row $16.99) Duty. Honor. Country. That’s West Point’s motto, and For twelve-year-old Cora Landry and her friends every cadet who passes through its stone gates vows Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary to live it. But on the eve of 9/11, as Dani, Hannah and sleepover—movies and Ouija and talking about boys. Avery face four grueling years ahead, they realize But when they decide to sneak out to go to the aban- they’ll only survive if they do it together. Upon doned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they graduation, the world—of business, of love, and of know that their innocent games will have dangerous war—awaits Dani, Hannah, and Avery beyond the consequences. Later that night, Cora Landry is dis- gates of West Point. These three women know that covered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But soon, friends nowhere to be found. Soon their small rural that adage no longer rings true—for their future, or town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to their friendship. As they’re pulled in different direc- hurt a young girl like Cora—and why? In an investi- tions, will their hard-forged bond prevail or shatter? gation that leaves no stone unturned, everyone is a This remarkable debut not only chronicles the expe- suspect and no one can be trusted—not even those riences women encountered while at West Point, but closest to Cora. is also a thoughtful meditation on the role friendship plays in our lives. Harper, Molly. Gimme Some Sugar (Gallery $16) Graham, Genevieve. At the Mountain’s Edge (Simon and Schuster $17) When her husband suffers a fatal accident while fixing his own truck, Lucy Brewer suddenly finds herself in For Liza Peterson and her family, the gold rush is a need of a fresh start. Lucy asks Duffy McCready, her chance for them to make a fortune by moving their old childhood friend, to put his cabinet-building skills general store business from Vancouver to Dawson to use, transforming the town’s meat shop into a bake City, the only established town in the Yukon. For Con- shop. As the bakery takes shape, Lucy and Duffy re- stable Ben Turner, a recent recruit of the North-West discover the spark that pulled them together so many Mounted Police, upholding the law in a place overrun years ago. Could this finally be the second chance with guns, liquor, prostitutes, and thieves is an op- he’s always hoped for? The third in Harper’s Southern portunity to escape a dark past and become the man Eclectic series is another winner for contemporary ro- of integrity he has always wanted to be. But the long, mance fans who like their love stories served up with a difficult journey over icy mountain passes and white- generous helping of sassy, Southern wit. water rapids is much more treacherous than Liza or Ben imagined, and neither is completely prepared for Herbert, A.L. Murder with Collard Greens and Hot the forbidding north. Sauce (Kensington $26)

Graves, Tracey Garvis. The Girl He Used to Know After pop culture icon Monique Dupree is shot to (St. Martin’s $26.99) death during a hair convention, Malia Watkins, who own a soul food restaurant, and her cousin Wavonne The tumultuous yet tender college love affair be- decide to investigate and discover that bitter feuds tween shy, brilliant Annika Rose and Jonathan Hoff- and rivalries exist in Monique’s vanity empire. This is man lasted a year before it ended when an unfore- the third in the endlessly entertaining Mahalia Wat- seen tragedy forced them apart. Now a decade after kins Soul Food mysteries. Jonathan fell in love with Annika, she walks back into his life. The attraction and feelings they once shared Hunting, Helana. Meet Cute are instantly rekindled, but until they finally confront (Grand Central $16) the fears and anxieties that pushed them apart years On her first day of law school, Kailyn ran - quite ago, any hope the couple has for a second chance at literally - into the actor she crushed on as a teenager, love will end before it truly begins. Lot’s of pre-pub- ending with him sprawled on top of her. Mortified lication buzz and some rave reviews for this love to discover the Daxton Hughes was also a student in The Rosie Project story that is being compared to by her class, her embarrassment over their meet-cute Graeme Simsion. quickly turned into a friendship she never expected. script – and the scripts of anyone else unfairly cast Of course, she never saw his betrayal coming either... aside by the studios – under someone else’s name. Now, eight years later, Dax is in her office asking for Before Roxanne knows it, business is booming, but legal advice. Despite her anger, Kailyn can’t help feel- when her new found financial freedom leads her into ing sorry for the devastated man who just became a passionate affair with Terrence Dexter, an Afri- sole guardian to his thirteen-year-old sister. But when can-American journalist, it could destroy everything her boss gets wind of Kailyn’s new celebrity client, Roxanne has carefully built. Fans of Melanie Benja- there’s even more at stake than Dax’s custody issues. min and Fiona Davis will want to add this superbly Fans of Rom-Coms will not want to miss Hunting’s lat- entertaining historical novel to their must-read lists. est, which manages to deftly interject some serious issues into the novel’s laughter-laced plot. McMahon, Jennifer. The Invited (Knopf $24.95) Johnson, Melanie. Getting Hot with the Scot (St. Martin’s $7.99) When an inspired effort to build her dream home is overshadowed by discoveries about her rural prop- Cassie Crow thought she was getting directions to the erty’s violent past, former history teacher Helen castle’s library. Instead, Cassie finds herself wander- Wetherell becomes obsessed with the stories of ing down a dark corridor and straight into the arms three generations of local Breckenridge women who of a sexy man in a kilt, who looks like he stepped off died under suspicious circumstances. LJ’s review the cover one of Cassie’s favorite Celtic time-travel captured the flavor of this spine-tingling novel saying romances. It only takes one kiss, “the latest from McMahon is like a nesting doll – a however, before Cassie realiz- thriller inside a murder mystery inside a ghost story – es her hunky Highlander is no and will chill readers with every sideways glimpse of visitor from the past in search a passing shadow.” of his true love, but is instead Logan Reid, host of the popular Morgan, Sarah. One Summer in Paris internet sensation Shenanigans. (HQN $26.99) Now Reid has the audacity to Embarking on a solo Paris vacation after being ask Cassie to sign a waiver so dumped by her husband of 25 years, cautious Grace that he can use his latest taped unexpectedly bonds with a rebellious London teen prank to secure a deal for a who helps her forge new understandings of family, television show. Well, Reid has love and self-confidence. Can’t afford a trip to Paris another thing coming. Unless, this summer? Morgan’s latest heartfelt and heart- of course, he can persuade Cassie to change her warming novel is the next best thing. mind with something more than just a kiss. With her flawlessly crafted debut, RWA Golden Heart finalist Moyes, Jojo. The Peacock Emporium Johnson serves up an addictive mix of compellingly (Penguin $16) etched characters, writing imbued with a delightfully saucy sense of wit, and enough off-the-charts sexual Athene Forster embraced the Sixties like few others. chemistry and boldly sensual love scenes to warm up Nicknamed the Last Deb, she was spoiled, beautiful, the coldest of Scottish nights. and out of control. And within two years of her mar- riage, the rumors had begun again. Thirty-five years Kalpakian, Laura. The Great Pretenders on, Suzanna Peacock finds refuge from her mother’s (Berkley $16) shameful legacy in her shop, the Peacock Emporium. Within its magical walls she discovers not just friend- After a falling-out with her grandfather, who founded ship, and an escape from her troubled marriage, but Empire Pictures, Roxanne Granville strikes out on her the first real passion of her life. But the spectra of her own becoming a low-budget agent for hungry young mother still haunts Suzanna, setting in place a series screenwriters. When an old family friend, who has of dramatic events. Only by confronting the past will been blacklisted by Hollywood for being a Communist she finally be able to face the future. This early work sympathizer, begs for help with selling his screenplay, by Moyes was originally published in the U.K. in 2005 Roxanne has a professional epiphany: she will sell his but is finally making its American debut. Roberts, Sheila. The Summer Retreat his novel, it threatens to unravel the already frayed (MIRA $7.99) relationship James has with his mother. I fell hard for Rowley’s debut novel Lily and the Octopus (a remark- Dumped by her boyfriend, Celeste Jones heads to able story about a man and his dog, but keep a box of Moonlight Harbor where she, while staying with her Kleenex handy for all the tears), and his second book sister, Jenna, and working at the Driftwood Inn, is is equally engaging. I especially enjoyed the snippets determined to find Mr. Right with Jenna’s help. Rob- about Jackie’s time as an editor at Doubleday that erts’ bright and breezy new women’s fiction series is Smale wove into the story. perfect beach reading for fans of Debbie Macomber and Robyn Carr. Shipman, Viola. The Summer Cottage (Graydon House $16.99) Rosen, Renee. Park Avenue Summer (Berkley $16) When she discovers a time capsule from 1893 in her family’s cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan, Adie New York City is filled with opportunities for single Lou reads through the letters of the daughter of the girls like Alice Weiss, who leaves her small midwest- first cottage owner and is surprised and inspired by ern town to chase her big-city dreams and unexpect- the feelings and frustrations she shares with this edly lands the job of a lifetime working for the first young girl who also dreamed of becoming an uncon- female editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, ventional woman. More feel-good, soothing fiction Helen Gurley Brown. from Shipman at a time when we can all use it. Nothing could have prepared Alice for the world she enters as editors and writers resign on the spot, Starling, Caitlin. The Luminous Dead refusing to work for the woman who wrote the (HarperCollins $16.99) scandalous bestseller Sex and the Single Girl, and confidential memos, article ideas, and cover designs Lying her way into an expedition with a big payout, keep finding their way into the wrong hands. When caver Gyre Price, while on a foreign planet, must someone tries to pull Alice into a scheme to sabotage embark on a terrifying psychological and emotional her boss, she is more determined than ever to help journey into the darkness and unknown in order to Helen succeed. The publisher has been promoting survive. Fans of Andy Weir’s The Martian will find this terrific historical women’s fiction novel as Mad they get sucked right into this hypnotic debut. Men meets The Devil Wears Prada, which I think truly White, Karen. Dreams of Falling does capture its literary appeal. (Berkley $16) Rowley, Steven. The Editor Larkin Lanier returns to her hometown after learning (Putnam $27) that her mother has disappeared, but when her mother Most aspiring writers would be thrilled just to learn is found badly injured and unconscious Larkin searches that their book has been sold. James Smale is dou- for answers and uncovers secrets from the past. bly thrilled since not only has his novel been bought by a major New York publishing Her Story company, but his new editor is none other than Jacque- line Kennedy Onassis or Mrs. Onassis as she’s known in the Ellis, Helen. Southern Lady Code office. Mrs. Onassis has fallen (Doubleday $22) in love with James’ candidly Helen Ellis has a mantra: “If you don’t have some- autobiographical novel about thing nice to say, say something not-so-nice in a nice his dysfunctional family, but way.” Say “weathered” instead of “she looks like she wants him to dig deeper a cake left out in the rain.” Say “early-developed” into his past and put more of instead of “brace face and B cups.” And for the love himself into the story. However, when word gets out of Coke Salad, always say “Sorry you saw something to James’s family about the upcoming publication of that offended you” instead of “Get that stick out of spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill’s “Minis- your butt, Miss Prissy Pants.” In these twenty-three try of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” She became the first raucous essays Ellis transforms herself into a domina- Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--de- trix Donna Reed to save her marriage, inadvertently spite her prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of steals a $795 Burberry trench coat, witnesses a man the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare fake his own death at a party, avoids a neck lift, and as we know it. Based on new and extensive research, finds a black-tie gown that gives her the confidence Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full of a drag queen. While she may have left her home secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspir- in Alabama, married a New Yorker, forgotten how to ing story of heroism, spy craft, resistance, and per- drive, and abandoned the puffy headbands of her sonal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of youth, Helen Ellis is clinging to her Southern accent No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one like mayonnaise to white bread, and offering readers woman›s fierce persistence helped win the war. a hilarious, completely singular view on womanhood for both sides of the Mason-Dixon. Reichl, Ruth. Save Me the Plums (Random House $27) Guisewite, Cathy. Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault (Putnam $27) For more than fifty years,Gourmet had been the culinary bible of cooks across the country. So, when “I stare back at the untouched six-step care system. Gourmet ceased publication Step 4 isn’t there because I tossed it in the bottom in 2009, it came as a shock to of my purse to use as hand lotion a while back. It’s everyone. As it turns out as lid promptly popped off, and my wallet, keys, and evidenced by Reichl’s latest el- a month of loose receipts and coupons got treated egantly written autobiographi- with $15.00 per ounce cell-regenerating bio-pep- cal account, it came as a shock tides.” This quote from Guisewite’s book gives you a to her as well. In her latest taste of this legendary cartoonist’s dryly ironic sense food-infused memoir, Reichl of wit and an idea of just how much fun this collec- chronicles the years she spent tion of 50 essays is. Guisewite spent almost 35 years at Gourmet learning the mag- distilling the experiences of single women in Amer- azine biz. It is the story of the ica into her chuckle-rich comic strip Cathy, which moment restaurants became appeared in 1,400 newspapers (remember those?) an important part of popular around the country. The protagonist’s battles with culture, a time when the rise her boyfriend, her boss, her family, and the tempta- of the farm-to-table movement changed, forever, the tion to dive into the ice cream hidden in her freezer way we eat. Readers will meet legendary chefs like provided many readers with a laugh. Now Guise- David Chang and Eric Ripert, idiosyncratic writers like wite looks at the lives of “the sandwich generation,” David Foster Wallace, and a colorful group of editors (which Guisewite calls the “panini generation”) who and art directors who, under Reichl’s leadership, find themselves taking on the challenges of caring for transformed stately Gourmet into a cutting-edge pub- aging parents while still dealing with the demands lication. This was the golden age of print media—the of their growing children all while trying not to lose last spendthrift gasp before the Internet turned the themselves in the process. The publisher calls this magazine world upside down. collection “in the spirit of Nora Ephron and Erma Bombeck” and for once they are right on the money. Cookbooks Purnell, Sonia. A Woman of No Importance (Viking $28) In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmis- America’s Test Kitchens. Vegetables Illustrated sion: “She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. (ATK $40) We must find and destroy her.” The target in their Almost everyone is looking for ways to get those sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who five servings of fruits and vegetables into their daily talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the diet. Now the culinary wizards at America’s Test Kitchens have come up with more than 700 kitch- Larruvee, Ricardo. Vegetables First en-tested recipes that hit that mark. Sure, you’ll (Random House $28) learn nearly 40 ways to cook potatoes and 30 ways with broccoli, America’s favorite veggies. But you’ll The 120 fresh and favorable recipes in Larruvee’s also learn how to make a salad with roasted radish- cookbook put vegetables front and center with rec- es and their peppery leaves; how to char avocados ipes like tomato and ricotta tartlets and squash and in a skillet to use in Crispy Skillet Turkey Burgers; roasted vegetable lasagna. Even drinks can showcase and how to turn sunchokes into a chowder and kale vegetables as Larruvee’s recipe for Beauty and the into a Super Slaw for Salmon Tacos. Every chapter, Beet cocktail demonstrates. from Artichokes to Zucchini, includes shopping, stor- Lewis, Edna. In Pursuit of Flavor age, seasonality, and prep pointers and techniques, (Knopf $26.95) including hundreds of step-by-step photographs and illustrations, gorgeous watercolor illustrations, and Decades before cornbread, shrimp and grits, and full-color recipe photography. peach cobbler were mainstays on menus every- where, Edna Lewis was pioneering the celebration Berry, Mary. Fast Cakes of seasonal food as a distinctly American cuisine. (Quercus $35) In this new edition of the James Beard Foundation Fast Cakes is a definitive baking book from the Cookbook Hall of Fame-inducted cookbook, Miss queen of baking, Mary Berry. Mary has incorporated Lewis (as she was almost universally known) shares her all-in-one method of preparation into as many the recipes of her childhood, spent in a Virginia recipes as possible, so her recipes are now faster farming community founded by her grandfather and to make than ever--nearly 100 of the bakes take his friends after emancipation, as well as those that only ten minutes to make. There are scones, buns, made her one of the most revered American chefs cookies, bars, and breads perfect for any school or of all time. Interspersed throughout are personal family party and, of course, fool-proof cakes for any anecdotes, cooking insights, notes on important occasion, from Honey & Almond Cake to Mary’s First- Southern ingredients, and personally developed Rate Chocolate Cake. Fast Cakes also includes many techniques for maximizing flavor. recipes perfect to make with kids, including Happy Tila, Jet. 101 Epic Dishes . Face Cookies, Traffic Lights, and Jammy Buns If you (Page Street $21.99) miss Mary’s wisdom and inspiration from The Great British Baking Show, or simply want a brand-new Jet Tila knows a thing or two about authentic Asian companion to Mary Berry’s Baking Bible, this is the cuisine. From a kid growing up in LA in a Thai and cookbook for you, with more than 150 easy recipes Chinese family to a prominent chef, restaurant owner to make with confidence. and judge on Cutthroat Kitchen, he brings his years of experience and hard-earned knowledge together in DiLonardo, Marcella. Bake the Seasons this breakthrough book. Step inside Jet’s kitchen and (Penguin $24) learn the secrets to making your favorite Asian dishes DiLonardo has always loved baking throughout the – like Korean BBQ Short Ribs on Coke, Beef Pho, and year with the wide range of fruits and vegetables that Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches - taste better than accompany the changing seasons. Now with a few takeout. This was named one of the Top 10 Cook- quality pantry essentials as well as some of the sea- books of 2017 by the LA Times. sonal bounty from the garden, Marcella offers cooks over 100 recipes for both sweet and savory treats including indulgent Smoked Gorgonzola and Winter Pear Pizza, Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread, and a range of beautiful holiday cakes. Nonfiction scandal and worship, one of the most famous women of her time, the Romantic Age in London’s 1820s, her life and writing on the ascendency as Byron’s came to an end. Lucasta Miller tells Landon’s full story and Benaim, Laurence. Yves Saint Laurent (Rizzoli $45) re-creates the literary London of her time. Yves Saint Laurent’s impact on fashion is legendary. Morrison, Robert. The Regency Years He took over creative control at the House of Dior at (WW Norton $29.95) the age of twenty-one. He created the Mondian-print The Regency (1811–1820) era began when the profli- shift dress as well as Le Smoking trouser suit. He gate Prince of Wales—the future king George IV—re- partied with Warhol in New York and relaxed with the placed his insane father, George III, as Britain’s ruler. jet set in his Marrakesh hideaway. Yet he remains an Around the regent surged a society steeped in con- enigmatic and compelling figure. Tracing the devel- trasts: evangelicalism and hedonism, elegance and opment of Saint Laurent’s visionary work through his brutality, exuberance and despair. The arts flourished charmed yet tumultuous life, respected fashion writ- at this time with a showcase of extraordinary writers er Laurence Benaim’s newly translated and updated and painters such as Jane Austen, Lord Byron, the biography of the famed designer explores how this Shelleys, John Constable, and J. M. W. Turner. Science unassuming prodigy became a legendary, celebrated burgeoned during this decade, too, giving us the public icon who changed the face of fashion, style, steam locomotive and the blueprint for the modern and celebrity. computer. Yet the dark side of the era was visible in poverty, slavery, pornography, opium, and the gothic Burke, Carolyn. Foursome Frankenstein (Knopf $30) imaginings that birthed the novel . With the British military in foreign lands, fighting the- Na Burke, the author of No Regrets, paints a captivating, poleonic Wars in Europe and the War of 1812 in the spirited account of the intense relationship among United States, the desire for empire and an expand- four artists – Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keeffe, Paul ing colonial enterprise gained unstoppable momen- Stand, and Rebecca Salsbury - whose strong person- tum. Exploring these crosscurrents, Robert Morrison alities, passionate feelings, and aesthetic ideals drew illuminates the profound ways this period shaped them together, pulled them apart, and profoundly and indelibly marked the modern world. influenced the very shape of twentieth-century art. Ratliff, Evan. The Mastermind Cohen, Jared. Accidental Presidents (Random House $27.99) (Simon and Schuster $30) The award-winning journalist and co-author of Safe Eight men have succeeded to the presidency when chronicles the decade-long quest to capture Paul Le the incumbent died in office. In one way or anoth- Roux, who used 21st-century technology to create a er they vastly changed our history. Only Theodore massive online drug cartel before he struck a deal to Roosevelt would have been elected in his own right. turn in his own people. Only TR, Truman, Coolidge, and LBJ were re-elected. Cohen covers these eight presidents – John Tyler, Synnott, Mark. The Impossible Climb Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester Arther, (Dutton $27.99) Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry S. Tru- “One slip, one false move, one missed toehold, and man, and Lydon B. Johnson - and the role they played you’re dead. Alex Honnold, the #1 free solo climber in in American history. the world, chose the route known as Freerider on Yo- semite’s El Capitan, a series of pitches so hard that it’s Miller, Lucasta. L.E.L. (Knopf $30) newsworthy when someone free climbs it with a rope. No one had ever ‘free soloed’ it before; only a few “None among us dares to say / What none will choose people have ever even contemplated it. That four-hour to hear”--L.E.L., “Lines of Life” Letitita Elizabeth climb on June 3, 2017, was, simply, one of the boldest Landon--pen name L.E.L.--dared to say it and made feats in human history. At the same time, it was almost sure she was heard. Hers was a life lived in a blaze of unbearable to watch--as Mark Synnott did”