Article by:
Cher Collins

The lazy days of August are here! It’s never too late to indulge in easy beach reads. But here are some can’t-miss titles that offer more thrills, intrigue and adventure to round out your summer. And why should the kids have all the fun as they prepare to get back to the books? It’s National Back to School Month and we’ll explore some fun book-themed stories to get us back into the routine.

Brand new this week, Bestselling author Shari Lapena releases her seventh thriller, Everyone Here is Lying. Lapena delivers the fast-paced story of a missing child and the lengths her friends and neighbors will go to to keep their own secrets. In the community of Stanhope, William Wooler has just ended an extra-marital affair and is on edge when he comes home to find his troubled nine-year old daughter Avery in trouble once again. After a surprising physical altercation with Avery, William drives away to compose himself. Just a few hours later, Avery goes missing. The suspense is palpable throughout the novel as the investigation continues. Everyone has a secret. And every new theory about Avery’s disappearance is complicated by the elaborate lies everyone tells to deceive.

The intrigue is felt in the deeply flawed characters of the Stanhope neighborhood. The reader begins to feel that no one in this neighborhood is capable of telling the truth for fear of exposing their own misdeeds. Lapena succeeds in giving the reader an unexpected look into a twisted middle-class neighborhood where everyone is trying to save themselves rather than focus on the crisis at hand. The short chapters make for a quick, intense read. Domestic thriller fans will tear through this book in a flash. Ruth Ware fans, take note!

For a different kind of thriller, New York Times Bestselling Author Daniel Silva gives readers another action-packed book with international appeal with his latest, The Collector. Art restorer and retired spy Gabriel Allon is a recurring character in Silva’s books, but his books can be read as stand-alones with a wide-ranging appeal for readers. Silva is adept at connecting current world events to Gabriel’s adventures in pursuing missing world famous masterpieces.The Collector is no exception.Gabriel is tasked with tracking down The Concert by Johannes Vermeer, one of the thirteen famous works of art stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. With a cast of well-developed characters and intelligent dialogue, Silva cleverly leads the reader on a world wide adventure seeking the missing painting. However, the plot quickly turns into something entirely different. With the help of a computer hacker and art thief, Allon learns that the mysterious disappearance of the art piece is a key element to the escalating Russian hostilities in Ukraine.The recovery of the painting becomes secondary to saving millions from a nuclear threat. Silva’s strong attention to detail is matched only by his uncanny ability to keep the reader glued to the 400+ pages. Silva subtly weaves his knowledge of art history into the Gabriel Allon series so that his readers are tricked into learning as well as being entertained. The Collector is highly recommended if you’re looking for an absorbing spy thriller.

August sets the stage for a return to the school routine. Check out some fun, easy-to-read books about, well…books! The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons takes place in London, just as the Blitz begins in WWII. Bookshop owner Gertie has just lost her husband and struggles with whether she wants to continue running the shop the two founded. As the Germans continue their European siege, Londoners send their children to the countryside to be safe. Gertie takes in Hedy, a strong-willed teenager who convinces Gertie to not only continue caring for her bookshop, but offers the idea to start a book club to provide comfort and community during a frightening time. Gertie rediscovers the passion for her bookstore, but also learns that family is not always related by blood. This is a heart-warming story that stands out in the World War II genre. Readers will be sure to remember this long after the covers close. New from Nina George, author of the blockbuster The Little Paris Bookshop (2015), comes a magical companion to continue the story of Marie-Jeanne, a young woman with a special gift for match-making. Marie-Jeanne and her foster father travel around the south of France with their mobile library. Along the way, Marie-Jeanne delivers books, but also matches soulmates wherever she goes. As she gets older. Marie-Jeanne wonders if love will ever find her. Surely everyone has a soulmate? This is a beautiful book written in prose by Love, Pride and Fate. It will transport the readers to the south of France and make us all believe in Love.
Enjoy the waning days of summer!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Cher Collins is a librarian by day who once made a New Year’s resolution to write more. She enjoys the outdoors, as long as it is not biting her and she aspires to make her bed everyday. Cher is also an amateur genealogist whose family stories are fodder for future historical fiction novels. She watches more Netflix than she should, is a self-proclaimed coffee nut, and truly appreciates the little things in life. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband, teenage daughter and rescue dog named Opie

By Published On: July 30, 2023Categories: Book Review

About the Author: Cher Collins

Cher Collins is a librarian by day who once made a New Year's resolution to write more. She enjoys the outdoors, as long as it is not biting her and she aspires to make her bed everyday. Cher is also an amateur genealogist whose family stories are fodder for future historical fiction novels. She watches more Netflix than she should, is a self-proclaimed coffee nut, and truly appreciates the little things in life. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband, teenage daughter and rescue dog named Opie.

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