Five picks for June

Buzz Reads is a column about books by reviewer Cindy Burnett. Each month, Cindy recommends five recently or soon-to-be released titles.

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin (mystery) – Widowed mother and grandmother Kausar Khan becomes an amateur sleuth when her daughter is accused of murdering the landlord of her clothing boutique. For the first time in 20 years, Kausar returns to the Toronto neighborhood of Golden Crescent, where she raised her family, and sets out to solve the landlord’s murder. Kausar comes to terms with how much the area has changed while working to piece together who wanted the landlord dead and uncovering the secrets her daughter is harboring. Jalaluddin weaves in a good amount of detail about Muslim culture and traditions while crafting a clever whodunnit. She also touches on mental health, the power of secrets, repairing familial relationships, and the joy of community. This is the start of a new series, and I look forward to book two. Detective Aunty will appeal to fans of light-hearted mysteries steeped in culture and family.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (thriller) – The Ghostwriter follows Olivia Dumont, an only child, who has been engaged to write her estranged father’s memoir, the man from whom she has spent years trying to distance herself. Vincent Taylor, her father, is a highly successful horror author who many suspect murdered his sister and brother when they were teens. While the police cleared him of the crime, persistent whispers followed him and, as his career grew, so did the accusations. Now, suffering memory loss and worried about the truth dying with him, he is finally ready to talk about what really happened to his siblings years ago. The story is relayed in alternating timelines and points of view, and the tension slowly builds through numerous twists and turns and red herrings. The truth is elusive, and no one feels entirely reliable as the story progresses. Clark’s intelligent thriller combines strong characters, a well-plotted mystery at the heart of the story, and 1970s nostalgia. This book will appeal to fans of clever thrillers with depth and originality.

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan (romance) – Jane Jackson is a former child actress famous for playing the nerdy sidekick on one of the country’s favorite sitcoms. Now in her 30s, Jane is an aspiring producer working to get her first project off the ground, a sweet romantic movie. Dan Finnegan, a cinematographer and Jane’s one-time crush, surprisingly agrees with Jane about the film and is willing to help her get the project greenlit. They travel cross country to Dan’s home to attend a music festival to track down popular musician Jack Quinlan – who Jane claimed in a panicked moment that she knew well enough to convince him to write a song for the project. What Dan does not know is that Jane hasn’t spoken to Jack in 20 years. While the romance occupies center stage, Monaghan also weaves in other themes, including the importance of being true to oneself, worthiness and sense of self, and family. These characters have stayed with me since I finished the book, especially Dan’s wonderful family, and I loved the way Jane and Dan’s relationship developed. Those who enjoy engaging tales with standout characters and fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will devour this one.

The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram (fiction) – Two decades after their teenage romance suddenly ended, Tess Murphy and Grant Alexander are running against each other for governor of Virginia. No one knows about their relationship, including their spouses, but secrets from that summer begin to rise to the surface threatening their political ambitions as well as their families. While lighter themes such as second-chance romance and first love are explored, the book also addresses the role of family expectations and obligations, ambition, tragedy and its impact on lives, and class inequality. The Summer We Ran is a timely read as well considering the country’s current political climate and the standards to which women are held versus men when both are in the public eye. It will be a great fit for those who enjoy cross-genre stories and compelling dramas.

Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess (mystery) – After her estranged mother passes away, Cath is cleaning out her mother’s belongings and stumbles across two tickets to England for a murder mystery week, something that Cath finds very out-of-character for her mother. Even stranger, her mother had apparently planned the trip for the two of them. On a lark, Cath decides to attend the event, hoping to understand her mother better. Upon arrival, she meets two other Americans, Wyatt and Amity, who she teams up with to solve the fake murder mystery as well as her mother’s decision to attend the mystery week. Bibliophiles will revel in the literary references sprinkled throughout this delightful book, and the quaint English village setting and its entertaining residents make this a highly enjoyable read. Welcome to Murder Week is a wonderful blend of intrigue, travel, romance, and unexpected connections. It is a must-read for fans of light mysteries, a strong sense of place, and thoroughly engaging characters.

Editor’s note: Book reviewer Cindy Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column. She hosts an award-winning book podcast entitled Thoughts from a Page Podcast www.thoughtsfromapage.com, runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfrompage, and regularly speaks to groups about books.