Staff Fiction Favorites

This is historical fiction at its voyeuristic, psychological and penetrating best. Tennessee Williams and his lover Frank Merlo go to Italy in 1953 for a party at Truman Capote's villa. The web of friendships, adventure, love, and betrayal is gorgeous and heartbreaking. Frank's emotional journey is one of the most evocative and nuanced in recent literature. - Clara

This well-crafted mystery builds momentum and suspense as the tale unfolds. Ten years ago six Oxford students vacationed at a farmhouse in the countryside of France. Severine, the French girl next door, became an integral part of their week together. On the last day of their visit, she disappeared. Now the discovery of Severine's body unearths long buried secrets that threaten everyone. - Trey

I make time every year to reread this and I always find a new reason to love it. The imagery alone is worth it. Descriptions of tents full of magic and wonder, characters who defy reality, and a circus that no one can predict makes this one of my favorite books of all time. "The circus arrives without warning." Consider this your warning. This is the read you were waiting for. - Karena

Kelly Link has seduced me into loving short stories. These stories are fantastical, insightful, and such a punch to the gut. There's no limits placed by genre or subject matter, the thoroughfare is Link's ability to tap into every one of your secret longings and carefully lay them bare on the page. Surprising and fascinating! - Clara

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Smiley’s masterpiece tells the story of an Iowa farmer who tries to divide his farm between his three daughters. As you might guess, things do not go as planned. A gorgeously written, sumptuous retelling of King Lear, the book exposes the dark truths in a typical American family. A haunting, unforgettable read. - Rico

This is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi novels. Set in a drought-ravaged Southwestern U.S. (primarily Phoenix and Las Vegas), water is scarce, and Arizona, Nevada, and California fight over the meager water that remains. This novel is dark and grittily realistic with complex, well-developed characters, expert worldbuilding, and a gripping plot. I couldn’t put it down. - Stuart

A beautiful French novel exploring the difficult subject of mental illness. Written to the soundtrack of Nina Simone singing Mr. Bojangles, this is a magical love story. A young boy tells the story of watching his parents dance their way through life even as his mother descends into madness. This is a book that will make you laugh and cry. An international bestseller. - Trey

Come for the necromantic-urban-space-lawyer-priests, stay for the twisty plots and hard-core women. This is the 3rd/5th book in the sequence (don't ask), but also completely readable as a standalone. The world building is endlessly cool. Soul is the universal currency that feeds coins, idol-gods, and the stock market, but how much of your soul can you give away? - Clara

This compulsively readable book is as much about NYC as it is about the two toxic friends who party in its private clubs and brownstone lofts. Burton takes you on a heart-pounding ride as Lavinia introduces Louise to a lifestyle any girl would kill for. It’s Bright Lights Big City meets The Talented Mr. Ripley, down to the last, bloody page. - Kelly

This is one of the most beautiful and strangely compelling novels I’ve ever read. Centered around a small group of mostly failed poets in Mexico City in the 1970s, it veers to Spain, Africa, and back to Mexico in surprising and wonderful ways. Part crime story, part hero’s journey, the book is funny, poignant and one hundred percent unique. - Rico