Fall Reading, 2017

Naomi doesn't remember why she was running when a group of migrants found her as a lost child outside a field, but she devotes her adult life to answering that question for other lost girls. A private investigator, Naomi is skilled at tracking down lost children. But when a new case draws her back into the broken memories of her past, Naomi is scared of what she might find. A beautiful, chilling tale of loss and redemption. - Sara

When teenager Lucinda Hayes is found murdered in her suburban town, all eyes shift to her quiet and decidedly different neighbor, Cameron Whitley. But in this perfectly-paced, suspenseful novel, the reader is kept guessing of the true nature of their connection and helps us realize that what we see on the surface might not always be the truth.  Danya Kukafka’s breakout debut will grab you early on and propel you to the finish where you just want to re-read it all over again. - Casey

In a small town along the Mississippi coast, one American family struggles with the ebbs and flows of a roller-coaster life grappling with addiction, connection, imprisonment, belonging and multi-generational strife. Jesmyn Ward, author of National Book Award winner Salvage the Bones, writes with gloriously, lyrical prose – a true mix of magical realism and honest observation of human nature which fully demonstrates that she is one of the greatest American authors writing today. - Casey

I look forward to each new Krauss novel, and for good reason. Her latest is an exploration of identity and belonging. An aging lawyer and a struggling writer travel to Israel in near-intersecting stories, each searching for something unknowable, and the not knowing is the prize. Add in some Kafka, some metaphysical philosophizing, oh and the multiverse, and you have an intellectual journey in want of a curious reader. Let it be you. - Melinda

Shamsie is a young author already lauded in England, so it’s a pleasure to break her out here with her latest novel. Home Fire is a modern retelling of Antigone, taking shape in the lives of two Muslim sisters and their radicalized brother, and in two families as they become intertwined by love, loyalty and politics. A powerful story, fast paced, light of touch and beautifully written – it’s an unforgettable introduction to Shamsie’s work. - Melinda

Englander has tackled the intimate and the impossible, looking with a novelist’s eye at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the cycles of harm, and the notions of identity, loyalty, and possibility. An unnamed prisoner and his guard, an Israeli spy, a traitor, a conscience and a powerful leader trapped in a coma -- how they connect is both a simmering espionage tale, a bit of a love story and a parable for our complicated times. - Melinda

My Absolute Darling is a perfect combination of propulsive storytelling and languid observation, a hero’s journey in the form of Turtle Alveston, a meticulous near-feral girl who is at ease in the expansiveness of the Mendocino coast but lost to the violence in her own home. Gorgeous in its depiction of nature, human and otherwise, unafraid to tell the truth, even in its complexity, this novel both breaks your heart and patches it with hope. - Melinda

This is a distinctly Irish story and one not often told. Until 1993, it was illegal to be homosexual in Ireland and we see the fear many faced through the eyes of Cyril Avery. In an era sweeping story, Cyril guides us from his dramatic birth to slow death touching many important parts of history on the way. I loved growing up and old with Cyril even with the hardship and I hope you will as well. - Ivy

Told in pieces of the past, present, and future, The History of Bees is is a beautifully written story about our relationships with each other and with the world we share. I will never again see a bee and have it not remind me of our responsibility to respect the balance of power in nature. Lunde's novel has illuminated the path of the bees and in turn has given us a beacon of hope for our future. - Jenny

There was nothing I didn’t love about this book. It follows five generations of witches, from mother to daughter, experiencing all the dangers of paranoia of the era regarding witchcraft and really female empowerment. I appreciated the way Morgan portrayed the mother/daughter relationships in all their complexities. This is Morgan’s debut novel and I’m impressed with how fantastic her writing is. This is a book that will draw both literary and fantasy fans alike. - Karena