Five picks for September

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

The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (speculative fiction) – This lyrical combination of dystopian intrigue and historical fiction grabbed me from page one. Set in a 1970s small English town, the book follows triplet boys who are the only remaining residents at New Forest Home, in the care of three women they call Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon, and Mother Night. Their small and controlled world consists of taking their medicine to fight off an unknown illness, doing their chores, and playing games. A sense of dread builds in the reader as the story unfolds; clearly something is amiss, but what exactly? The tension ratchets up until the unexpected and highly satisfying ending. While there is a mystery at the heart of the story, so much more is at play – the nature of truth and control, testing the bounds of morality, and the age-old debate over nature versus nurture. This book will thrill readers looking for unique reads, provocative premises, and page turners.

Departure 37 by Scott Carson (speculative fiction) – Departure 37 is a creative blend of thriller, historical fiction, and science fiction with an added nod to The Twilight Zone. The book opens when pilots across the country receive calls from their mothers, urging them not to fly; however, the reader quickly learns that none of the women actually made the calls. Meanwhile, in Maine, Charlie watches a mysterious balloon drift toward a famous wreckage near her home. These seemingly unrelated events are connected through time, as the reader soon discovers. Carson expertly weaves the two timelines together, alternating between present day and 1962, at the height of Cold War tensions and a secret government experiment involving disappearing planes. The end result is a haunting, high-stakes mystery that wraps in the themes of AI, surveillance, and the military-industrial complex – incredibly relevant for today’s world. This one is great for readers who like thought-provoking premises, genre mashups, and distinctive stories.

Glorious Ruins by Judithe Little (historical fiction) –  Houstonian Judithe Little returns with another engrossing historical-fiction tale. In Glorious Ruins, she brings to life the relationships, heartbreaks, and antics of three powerful women whose lives intersect in Jazz Age Paris: Coco Chanel, Misia Sert, and Roussadana Mdivani. Little’s meticulous and exhaustive research is evident in the manner in which she tells their stories while also touching on themes of power, ambition, and love. The Author’s Note at the end is well worth the read. Gloriouis Ruins will appeal to those who like biographical fiction and tales about famous women and women lost to history.

The Killer Question by Janice Hallett (mystery) – Told completely in a mixed-media format through news reports, emails, pub trivia quizzes and notes, WhatsApp and text messages, police records, emails, and more, The Killer Question is an entertaining mystery with clever plotting that propels the story along. Set in and around The Case is Altered pub, located on an isolated road outside a small English town, the story follows new owners Sue and Mal who hold weekly trivia nights to draw in more pub customers. One evening, a visitor disrupts the trivia night and is found dead down the road from the pub later that evening. The unspooling of information through various documents allows the story to unfold in a way that keeps the suspense high as well as pulling the reader into the investigation in a unique and fun way. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. This one is a good fit for fans of the mixed-media format, trivia, humor, and fun mysteries.

Mrs Spy by M.J. Robotham (mystery/thriller) – This witty spy caper is a tongue-in-cheek take on the James Bond series told through a widowed single mom who feels her age. Set in 1960s London where the Cold War still rages on, Maggie Flynn is working for MI5 as a watcher. She is a master of disguise and keeps close watch on those to whom she is assigned. When she stumbles across information that indicates her husband was a spy versus the salesman she believed him to be, her world is turned upside down. I listened to this one, and the audio is outstanding. The narrator’s British accent brought the story to life, particularly the sly British humor. This smart game of cat-and-mouse was delightful from beginning to end. This book is for fans of classic mysteries, the Cold War, and stories set in London.  

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.