Books We Can’t Wait to Share!
Review by Steven Zacharius : President & CEO
Second Shot, by Cindy Dees, is non-stop action, from the beginning to the end. The main character, Helen Warwick, is a 55 year old retired CIA assassin; at least she was supposed to be retired. Her family who never had any knowledge of what she did for a living, are under attack, and it requires her to get back into the game. Not having any idea who is trying to kill her and her family is only the first problem. Staying alive long enough to try and figure this all out is her greatest obstacle. The story deals with corruption in our government, as well as Russian spies, the Russian mob and a gruesome serial killer.
Having real life credentials for writing this type of thriller don’t come easy. The author is an Air Force veteran, Dees enlisted after earning a degree in Russian and East European Studies, becoming the youngest female pilot in the history of the Air Force. She’s flown all kinds of military aircraft and has also worked in intelligence, traveling to forty-two countries on five continents. She was detained by the KGB and East German secret police, got shot at, flew in the first Gulf War, and amassed a lifetime’s experiences to fuel her stories of life on the edge of danger.
Once you start this book, you will not put it down.
Review by Michaela Hamilton: Executive Editor
June is the perfect time for cozy mystery fans to return to historic Mackinac Island to join fudge-maker/sleuth Allie McMurphy in solving a puzzling murder. Allie was hoping to win top honors at the county fair’s fudge contest. But a trip through the fair’s haunted house brings her to a body that is all too real. After a second unexplained death occurs much too close to home, Allie knows she has to figure out whodunnit. Readers can look forward to mouth-watering recipes, cute pets, quirky neighbors, an alluring setting, and a page-turning plot in this delightful Candy-Coated mystery.
Review by Barbara Bennett: General Counsel
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BALLROOM is the second book in the “Designing Debutantes” trilogy featuring the Harper sisters, whose parents were embroiled in a marital scandal, damaging their daughters’ prospects and seeing the young women treated dreadfully by the ton. To support themselves, the sisters run Elegant Occasions, a party planning business that also assists well-bred young ladies for whom entry into society and securing an advantageous marriage are somewhat challenging.
I adored the first book in this trilogy, A DUKE FOR DIANA, and I eagerly awaited this book, in which widowed Eliza finds true love as she and her sisters help young Jocelin March enter society. Jocelin, whose father was a military officer, was practically raised on the battlefield, and she has found herself widowed and raising a young child. Her guardian, Nathaniel Stanton, the Earl of Foxstead, hires Elegant Occasions to coach Jocelin, introduce her to the right people and help her find a suitable husband.
Nathaniel was friends with Eliza’s late husband Samuel Pierce, who was by all accounts a scoundrel. Nathaniel had admired Eliza from afar, as Samuel took great pains to isolate his wife from his friends. Now, as Nathaniel gets to know Eliza, he finds her charming, smart and (of course!) beautiful. And when he hears her sing at a party, he is completely mesmerized. But Nathaniel is hiding some very big secrets that can devastate Eliza and destroy both Jocelin’s prospects and his own position and standing in society.
As Nathaniel and Eliza learn to trust each other, understanding and mutual respect blossom. Add intense attraction and we watch Nathaniel and Eliza fall madly in love. I loved this couple, who overcome so much to find their happily ever after. I can’t wait for the final book in this trilogy, which will see Verity, the third Harper sister, finding true love.
Review by Larissa Ackerman: Senior Communications Manager
I’ve read all the books in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O’Connor, but Murder at an Irish Bakery might just be my favorite installment so far! I was so excited to find that the book has already received starred reviews from Library Journal (“fans of competitive baking shows or Amy Patricia Meade’s cozy mysteries will enjoy it”) and Publishers Weekly (“Excellent… O’Connor reinforces her place among the top rank of cozy writers”). Murder at an Irish Bakery very much deserves these high honors!
Murder at an Irish Bakery is Great British Bake Off gone bad, but in a good way—instead of friendly bakers that get along, you’ve got vicious competitors who are willing to stab each other in the back. Instead of hugs all around for the baker going home, you’ve got attitude and angry tears. And instead of a smooth-running reality TV baking competition, you’ve got a messy production…starting with the murder of a sugar protestor.
The baking competition is set in a bakery that is located in an old, non-operational flour mill called Pie Pie Love, outside of the village of Kilbane, County Cork, in Ireland. Pie Pie Love has the best baked goods in the area, and Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan is there to eye them all—oh, and to make sure nothing goes wrong. But when a protestor outside the bakery gets his nose powdered by the “Queen Baker of Ireland” Aoife McBride, and soon after dies from it, the atmosphere goes from jovial to eerie. When more creepy things start taking place, Siobhan is positive that something sinister is afoot. The storyline is less cozy than her past books and with several contestants, two hosts, and the bakery owner all having something to hide, it’s an extremely puzzling mystery for readers to solve. There’s a lot of heightened emotions, nasty behavior, and possibly deadly secrets. I hope you enjoy Murder at an Irish Bakery and the rest of Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series as much as I do. Even if you aren’t a fan of mysteries, the small village setting, charming and humorous characters, and gorgeously described rolling hills will have you yearning to book the next flight out to Ireland!
Review by Ann Pryor: Senior Communications Manager
I have watched the film The Sting countless times because it’s a complex story of a sophisticated heist. Professional con artists with everything to lose execute a high-risk scheme to defraud a crook and a murderer out of his millions. The scheme, known as a Big Con – as opposed to a grift or an outright robbery - is elaborate. It takes time to plan, organize, and pull off. The mechanics are complicated and even the language they use is unusual. The best part is that the mark – the one being conned – doesn’t even know it’s a con.
Thus I was excited to learn about GANGBUSTER, about Denver’s 1920s District Attorney Philip Van Cise, who revealed how cons work and how he blew them apart. His covert work investigating the art of the Big Con, including its rarefied lingo, became the basis of The Sting and was crucial to busting racketeers, profiteers and swindlers. Van Cise went on to defy Denver’s resurgent Ku Klux Klan using the same tactics he used to bust up the city’s big confidence rackets.
GANGBUSTER is a potent cocktail of true crime, history, and a bootful of Wild West lawnessness. Denver emerged after World War II as a hotbed of criminals, crooks, and underworld figures who slowly engineered a takeover of law enforcement, from the cops to lawmakers to the state’s highest office. Everyone was on the take, and no one was being collared. Cocky, restless, and ambitious, a decorated veteran of The Great War, Van Cise declared war on the corruption within Colorado’s power structure. Within a year of taking office, he had cleared out a complex criminal element entrenched in the highest levels of government, using espionage techniques that were decades ahead of their time. Using new methods of policing, Van Cise conducted secret, often perilous investigations involving electronic surveillance, undercover operatives, stakeouts, communication intercepts, and counterintelligence measures. He sent undercover agents to infiltrate KKK meetings and launched a grand jury probe of the group’s well-cloaked leadership and political connections.
This thrilling book is about the nefarious ways criminals organize, and how one man with integrity and character methodically took them all down. That’s the Denver way!
Review by Elizabeth May: Associate Editor
March is Women’s History Month, and as a feminist and a history buff, I’ve always had huge interest in learning about women’s contributions that have been overlooked or forgotten. That is why The Confidante by Christopher Gorham is such an illumination. It’s the first biography of Anna Rosenberg, a woman who started life as a Jewish Hungarian immigrant, without a high school diploma, and rose to become critical to FDR’s New Deal, and WWII efforts.
Just some of Anna’s numerous accomplishments include being the first recipient of the Medal of Freedom, for her role as special envoy in WWII, and becoming the Assistant Secretary of Defense in Truman’s administration. Yet everyone who I’ve talked to about this book, comes away with the same question. “How have I not heard of Anna Rosenberg?”
Brandy Schillace said it best in her review of The Confidante for the Wall Street Journal,
“I found myself engrossed and amazed by the “sparrow of a woman” and her endless energy. “The Confidante” covers four decades and some of the most future-shaping legislation ever passed by the U.S. government. Through it all, we can see Rosenberg’s fingerprints across the nation’s major events. As a result, Mr. Gorham’s biography is also a mystery. How could we have forgotten such a woman? . . . .. What “The Confidante” provides, with cinematic color and encyclopedic clarity, is a resurrection of that history.”
Christopher Gorham’s writing is powerful and immediate, a history teacher by profession, he has a talent for proverbially grabbing your hand and making you feel like you’re walking along side some of the most famous figures and moments of the twentieth century. From FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech, to the liberation of Nazi concentration camps, to Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” seeing them with fresh eyes, and standing beside Anna Rosenberg, an incredible woman who’s contributions have been overlooked. Until now.
Review by Michaela Hamilton: Executive Editor
Like the final episode of “Game of Thrones,” but more relevant to our world . . . like the final episode of “Yellowstone,” but more thought-provoking . . . in WHITE SMOKE, John Gilstrap concludes his stunning Victoria Emerson trilogy with a page-turning thriller that will stay in readers’ minds, long after they’ve closed the book. In CRIMSON PHOENIX and BLUE FIRE, fans have watched as Victoria, a former Congressional representative from West Virginia, leads the survivors of an unthinkable nuclear Armageddon to rebuild society. Receiving a summons to the bunker where the remnants of America’s leadership are under siege from forces of brutal anarchy, she risks everything to defend democracy. Full of action, vivid characters, and unforgettable scenes, WHITE SMOKE is not to be missed.
Review by Jackie Dinas: Associate Publisher
GEORGIE, ALL ALONG is one of those books that speaks to so many pieces of life. There is something for every reader to be found in these pages. If you are looking for a swoon-worthy romance of two misfits helping each other find their way, this book is for you. If you love a heroine who is so unapologetically herself, this book is for you. If you want a story of how female friendships can shape and determine our lives, this book is for you!
At its core, GEORGIE is a story of discovering your self and your worth, even if that discovery looks a little different than conventional wisdom might say it should look. The characters in this novel are so developed and deeply human it reads as if you could be having a late-night conversation with a friend who is trying to find the balance between who she thought she would become and who, in fact, she is now, and the role love can play in the deepest pieces of self-discovery.
I can’t recommend this book more highly, if you’ve never read Kate Clayborn before, now is the time!
Review by Michaela Hamilton: Executive Editor
Many of my friends say the first thing they read in the newspaper each morning is the obituary page. It’s not because they’re morbidly curious. They love to read obits because of their excellent writing. Each obituary is a small masterpiece of storytelling, a mini-biography full of vivid details and memorable anecdotes. But why should the best obits be limited to the rich and famous? James R. Hagerty, who writes obituaries for the Wall Street Journal, shares tips and skills that can enable us all to leave behind an account that is truly unique and full of personality. He encourages us to write at greater length through letters, journals, diaries, and memoirs – if not for our friends and family, for our own sake. Writing about our lives helps us focus on what’s really important, so we can spend our time on the real priorities. This book, written by a master, combines instruction and inspiration for readers of all ages.
Review by Larissa Ackerman: Senior Communications Manager
I love Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mysteries, featuring amateur sleuth-turned-guarda Siobhan O’Sullivan and set in a small fictional town in County Cork, Ireland. So when I discovered that O’Connor was penning a second mystery series with Kensington, of course I had to read it as soon as I could get my hands on the manuscript!
NO STRANGERS HERE, the first in O’Connor’s County Kerry mysteries, is definitively NOT cozy—it’s an atmospheric, dark book, set in the coastal town of Dingle, Ireland, and switches between two points of view: Dimpna Wilde’s, a veterinarian whose father—also a veterinarian—is suspected for the murder of wealthy racehorse owner Jimmy O’Reilly; and Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien, an outsider to the residents of Dingle who has to work hard to get any of the townspeople to open up to him, including Dingle’s own gardai.
There’s certainly some cozy aspects—a small town, with a murder that happens off the page, and Dimpna is a veterinarian with a pack of dogs that travel with her wherever she goes—but (other than being set in Ireland) that’s where any similarities to O’Connor’s Irish Village Mysteries end. The rest of the book is a chilly, spooky search for a killer and veers off into murky territory. You won’t be able to put this book down as Dimpna must reckon with her past—which is traumatic for several reasons that I won’t divulge here in an attempt not to spoil anything—while trying to prove her father’s innocence for the death of Jimmy O’Reilly.
NO STRANGERS HERE is a complicated whodunit and must read—if you love Tana French’s Irish thrillers, you’ll want to add O’Connor’s new series to your bookshelf.
Review by Shannon Gray-Winter: Senior Marketing Copy/ARC Manager
In acclaimed author T. Greenwood’s vividly lyrical drama, a former child star is forced to confront the darkest secrets of her youth when a controversial photo taken of her as a preteen ignites a media firestorm. It is a deeply moving story that touches on today’s headlines while exploring the often complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, the precarious lines between girl and woman, art and obscenity.
Alternating between a tranquil town in Vermont in the 90s to the seedy grit of New York City in the late 70s, Greenwood’s contrasting settings perfectly complement the dichotomy of protagonist Ryan Flannigan’s experience. Living a quiet life with her daughter in Vermont, the woman Ryan is today couldn’t be more different from the child star she became in the late 70s. But it all comes flashing back when a harrowing call comes from her oldest friend Gilly—a compromising photo of her as a preteen has resurfaced, taken during the darkest night of Ryan’s life, the ’77 blackout in New York City. To make matters worse, her estranged mother Fiona is wanted by the FBI amid accusations her connection to the photo could land her in prison. Then her dear friend who took the photo meets an equally dark end, forcing Ryan back to the city to face the past she desperately tried to leave behind. Returning to her artsy childhood apartment building in the West Village stirs up a lot of suppressed emotions for Ryan and she must now break down the walls she’s built around herself to make peace with her childhood. As she unpacks her buried trauma, Ryan will finally address the questions she’s avoided for decades: Can she forgive her fame-hungry stage mom after all the exploits, especially after her connection to the photo? And what about the other adults in her life as a preteen, what roles did they play in a time that forced girls to grow up too fast?
From chapter one, you’ll be invested in Ryan’s journey, the mystery around the photo, and how it all will play out. Greenwood has crafted a novel you’ll want to share with friends or book clubs, it was tailor-made for discussions. Like the best art, be it a striking song, painting, or riveting read, this novel will have you transfixed, thinking about it long after the last page has turned. I was so inspired by brave little Ryan, I made a companion playlist of evergreen songs from the 70s to revisit her world; I hope it transports you too: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HGRrlDUYCoGQ5NY140YEF
Review by Michaela Hamilton: Executive Editor
Black ops veteran Leo J. Maloney again takes thriller readers into the world of international intrigue with his action-driven new novel, BLAST WAVE. Protagonist Alex Morgan, the daughter of legendary agent Dan Morgan, proves herself just as tough and resourceful as her dad in her latest caper, which catapults her from the clandestine corridors of power in London to Tokyo’s vibrant street racing scene – and into the heart of danger. Leo J. Maloney’s thrillers, like the James Bond novels and films, feature fast cars and motorcycles, cutting-edge technology, breathtaking action scenes, down-to-the-minute timing, and vibrant, exotic locales. I love this feisty, strong, smart, fast-on-her-feet heroine. If you’re looking for a thriller that runs on pure adrenaline, BLAST WAVE will blow you away.
Review by Kait Johnson: Assistant Social Media Manager
I don’t usually read holiday books until it’s closer to November, but as soon as I heard about this book in a meeting, I knew I’d be reading it as soon as possible. Thank goodness for ARCs!
A tabloid catastrophe sends Los Angeles event planner, Morgan Ross, back home to her small town in the rugged mountains of California…but that’s the last place she’d like to return. Still, an email about a last-minute fundraiser there could be the perfect way for her to fix her reputation. It turns out that the email was from a meddling friend (Ben) who was trying to lure her back home. One of the reasons Morgan has avoided Fern Falls? Rachel Reed, her one-time best friend turned crush. And that’s just the beginning of this unforgettable second-chance rom-com with a steamy sapphic spin.
Truly, if you love Hallmark movies but are looking for something with a little more heat, then this is the book for you. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to start all over again and return to Courtney Kae’s world of Fern Falls. I’ll be rereading this one, but closer to December and with a nice cup of hot chocolate! I also cannot wait for Ben’s story, coming in August 2023!
Review by Lauren Jernigan: Assistant Director of Social Media
With social media being such a big part of my life OF COURSE I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns! This was such a fantastically fun and refreshing kick off for a brand new series centered all around Maddy Montgomery. Maddy is a social media star who finds herself taking over her great-aunt’s bakery (and discovering a dead body along the way). I absolutely loved how Valerie wove in Maddy’s disastrous skills in the kitchen (#relatable) with her desire to make a change and do something with her life. The mystery was fun and had me guessing at the clues every step of the way while rooting for Maddy and her pawsitively perfect pup-sidekick, Baby, to whip up the truth. 11/10 must recommend to anyone who loves a fun and modernly snarky character with a penchant for burning baked goods.
Review by Barbara Bennett: General Counsel
V.S. Alexander’s WWII story is set largely in Warsaw, beginning at around the time the Nazis marched into Poland and continuing through the establishment of the Warsaw Ghetto, its liquidation, and the uprising staged by a group of resisters who refused to go quietly to the Nazi death camps. The book features three brave women: Stefa Majewski, who lives with her family in the Ghetto, but when her family manages to escape the Ghetto, she stays with the man she loves and pursues a higher purpose; Stefa’s sister Hanna, who left Warsaw before the war, rejecting her family’s traditional ways in favor of living in England, but who returns to Warsaw as a spy for the British, using her connections and skills for her own objectives; and Janka, a Polish Catholic woman who, defying her hateful drunkard of a husband, helps Jews escape the Nazi persecution she finds abhorrent.
As with all of Alexander’s books, THE WAR GIRLS is populated with strong female characters who make things happen. Stefa, who spends her time in the Ghetto helping the poor and hungry, takes a stand against her father, choosing her own husband instead of having an arranged marriage as was the custom. When given the opportunity to escape the Ghetto and Poland itself with her parents and brother, she instead makes the brave decision to join her husband and a band of intrepid resistance fighters in standing up to the Nazis. Hanna is in Poland working for the British with instructions not to contact her family, as such contact could compromise her mission, but she defies that order and takes tremendous risks to save them. And Janka does what she knows in her heart is right, facing terrible danger to help the Majewski family and others by passing along strategic information she hears from her husband and his Nazi friends.
Meticulously researched and wonderfully dramatic, THE WAR GIRLS is a book I’ll long remember!
Review by Michaela Hamilton: Executive Editor
What do you think of when you see the name Tesla? A stylish electric car? An inventor who enabled us to enjoy all the benefits of electricity today? A scientific genius whose portrait hangs on Sheldon’s wall in “The Big Bang Theory” – and appeared on the cover of Time magazine? Nikola Tesla’s impact on the modern age has been vast. But few people realize that world leaders competed to acquire his inventions for use as devastating weapons. Tesla’s plans to build a particle beam weapon, often called the death ray, set off an international frenzy. Marc Seifer, author of the definitive Tesla biography WIZARD and star of “The Tesla Files” on the History Channel, delves deep into original sources to present a compelling narrative of a scientific genius in the vortex of global conflict.
Review by Kait Johnson: Assistant Social Media Manager
I wish there was a way to rewind and read Twice a Quinceañera for the first time again.
Nadia has finally taken a stand against her terrible fiancé and calls off their wedding a month beforehand. It’s also a month before her thirtieth birthday. All she has to do now is tell her family who are flying in and figure out a way to use the venue she’s already booked. When she reads about having a second quinceañera, Nadia decides to switch gears from throwing a wedding to throwing herself a quinceañera (times two) for her thirtieth birthday. But figuring out the venue leads Nadia to reconnecting with her college fling who might have been more than just a fling.
My favorite genre when it comes to movies or books has always been romcoms. I’ve watched all of the classics repeatedly, so I couldn’t wait to read Twice a Quinceañera by Yamile Saied Méndez once it was available. In romcoms, I love the meet cutes and the romance. Most of all, though, I love the journey that the characters go on as they not only find love but discover more about themselves. Throughout the story, Nadia is discovering her own confidence and I promise, readers, you’ll definitely be cheering her on from start to finish while also falling for Marcos…
Review by Jackie Dinas: Associate Publisher
THE SCANDALOUS HAMILTONS delves into the backstory of the impoverished Eva and the scion of the Hamilton family, Ray and how their lives intersected and resulted in a scandal that was so famous in its time you can’t believe you’ve never read about it before! This book gives meaning to the phrase "fact is stranger than fiction". The story has so much packed into it: scandal, wealth, baby farms, prostitution, attempted murder! It’s a fascinating look into the past and the ways we have developed (or not!) as a society.
The author does a stellar job of utilizing primary sources to tap into the sensationalism of this infamous 19th century trial and case while also analyzing how this kind of journalism drove and affected culture. Both main characters were products of their time and circumstances and while Eva was quite villainous, I think the author does a good job of showing how she may have arrived to such dire decisions.
I would recommend to any historical true crime fans or readers interested in the Gilded Age, Journalism, or the Hamilton family.
Review by Michaela Hamilton: Executive Editor
As you may imagine, I was pretty excited when my last name became the title of a bestselling book and then a mega-hit Broadway show. Even though, to my knowledge, my family has no direct link to the illustrious Alexander, I can’t help noticing that, on a ten-dollar bill, his nose looks a lot like mine. So I did a double-take when author Bill Shaffer contacted me to pitch his book about yet another Hamilton – again, no relation to me, but still interesting. Little did I realize how interesting! Robert Ray Hamilton, the great-grandson of the Founding Father, was a Gilded Age superstar who fell into the clutches of a wily, ambitious social climber named Evangeline Steele. As the saying goes, he loved her; she loved his money – and she set out to take it. A drunken argument and a flashing knife led to a scandalous trial that splashed the Hamilton name on newspapers from coast to coast. With a historian’s love of detail and a storyteller’s passion for narrative, Bill Shaffer takes readers into a world of celebrity worship that rivals that of the Kardashians. Step into these pages and you’ll be transported to another time – but one that is strikingly like our own in many intriguing ways.
Review by Ann Pryor: Senior Communications Manager
Almost three decades ago, Scott Lenga sat down with his father, Harry, and they talked about Harry’s life: how he and his three brothers had grown up in a Polish community, how the family was moved to a Jewish ghetto, then the three brothers shuttled together from one slave labor camp and concentration camp after the other during World War II. They survived them all, including Auschwitz.
Mr. Lenga then transcribed the recordings and spent seven years turning them into a chronological monologue of his father’s own words, relating the Lenga family’s journey from Poland through the War to their liberation in 1945, and then onto St. Louis. The result is The Watchmakers, an extraordinary story of resilience, tenacity, faith, and the unique horological skills of his father and uncles that carried them through the War.
How did they survive? First, they made a vow never to be parted, in life or in death. Second, they were craftsmen bound together by the art, science, and mastery of watchmaking. This skill gave them a hand they could play to influence their fate. Plundered watches were pilfered, coveted and traded by German overseers in the black-market economy of the camps. The vast majority of watchmakers in Poland were Jews. Many of them would have been older men, or killed, or without the tools or personality traits to function in the oppressive labyrinth of the camp economy. Harry Lenga and his brothers were young men with skills, tools, and an entrepreneurial spark that would prove to bind them together and save their lives through the horrors of The Holocaust.
The power of Harry’s vow to survive was so powerful, so astonishing and steadfast, that it is rippling out through time, passing from to his son to this book, through me and onto you, the reader. Harry still has the power to instill hope and resilience. There’s a moment in THE WATCHMAKERS where Harry has everything to lose, and in an extraordinary moment, he casts his fate to the wind. I promise that when you come to this moment, you’ll hold your breath like I did.