These are the fiction titles our reviewers liked best this month.
When the Fireflies Dance, by Aisha Hassan
Aisha Hassan’s novel follows Lalloo, a kindhearted 20-year-old scraping by in Lahore, Pakistan, as a driver for a wealthy clan. His goal is simple and, readers soon learn, nigh impossible: to save enough money to free his family from their indentured labor as brickmakers. The fast-moving story rebukes an unjust system, with heart to spare. –Erin Douglass
Why We Wrote This
Our reviewers’ picks for this month include edge-of-your-seat mysteries and a meet-cute romantic comedy. Among the nonfiction fare, a woman traces her own family’s dark past as German spies, and a new biography of Dolly Parton focuses on her triumphs over adversity.
The Living and the Dead, by Christoffer Carlsson
Set in Sweden, Christoffer Carlsson’s absorbing tale of a teenage boy’s murder after a late-night party investigates not merely a crime, but the ecosystem of missteps – sloppy professionals, buried secrets, compromised decisions, and vengeful acts – that dogs the community and its young men in the years that follow. There’s much to ponder about class, guilt, and obfuscation. –Erin Douglass
The List of Suspicious Things, by Jennie Godfrey
When 12-year-old Miv sets out to identify the Yorkshire Ripper, the serial killer who haunted England in the 1970s, her investigation uncovers the secrets that adults conceal every day, including racism and infidelity. The coming-of-age novel unwinds a tale not only of lost innocence but also the sustaining power of friendship and family bonds. –Joan Gaylord
Yours for the Season, by Uzma Jalaluddin
When lawyer Sameera Malik meets chef Tom Cooke at a holiday party, they later make an impromptu cooking video that goes viral, and a romance rumor grows. A faux-mance could benefit both their careers. When their families maneuver them to Alaska at Christmas, the antics multiply. Uzma Jalaluddin’s warmth and wit make this a delightful intercultural rom-com. –Stefanie Milligan
The Italian Secret, by Tara Moss
When private investigator Billie Walker discovers a box harboring family secrets, she sails on a luxury liner from Sydney with her mother to postwar Naples to learn more. This noirish historical mystery delivers intrigue, glamour, and romance, as Billie’s professional work becomes dangerously personal. –Stefanie Milligan
The Heir Apparent, by Rebecca Armitage
Having rejected royal life in favor of pursuing a medical career, Lexi loves her life in Australia. She’s discovered that she’s falling in love with her best friend, Jack. Suddenly called to London, she learns her father and brother have died, leaving her next in line to the British throne. Rebecca Armitage’s royal expertise infuses this modern fairy tale with emotional honesty and rich storytelling. –Stefanie Milligan
These are the nonfiction titles our reviewers liked best this month.
Family of Spies, by Christine Kuehn
In this work of nonfiction, former journalist Christine Kuehn investigates her family’s murky past. She unveils eye-popping truths about her German grandparents’ slide into Nazi ideology and their work as Japan-financed spies on Oahu, Hawaii, in the run-up to the Pearl Harbor attack. Famous – and infamous – figures dot the compelling account, as do difficult questions about complicity, innocence, and redemption. –Erin Douglass
Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist, by Daniel Pollack-Pelzner
This book about the whiz kid who brought the hip-hop musical “Hamilton” to life is a jubilant celebration of the creative process. You don’t have to love musicals to appreciate the energy and collaborative spirit that Lin-Manuel Miranda brings to his work. –April Austin
The Sea Captain’s Wife, by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Tilar J. Mazzeo tells the forgotten story of Mary Ann Patten, who, in 1856, when 19 years old and pregnant, took command of a merchant vessel after her captain husband fell ill near Antarctica. In addition to the gripping story, the book provides compelling context covering everything from seafaring and navigation to the era’s gender norms. –Barbara Spindel
Ain’t Nobody’s Fool, by Martha Ackmann
Martha Ackmann’s engaging biography of Dolly Parton begins with the country musician’s impoverished childhood in Tennessee and traces her achievements as a singer, songwriter, actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. The author chronicles bumps along the way but focuses on the talent and ambition that propelled Parton to lasting fame. –Barbara Spindel
