Article By:Cher Collins
Contributing Writer

Happy Holidays, Readers! December is here and with it comes a few notable titles, both for
fiction lovers and non-fiction lovers.
What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane is getting a lot of pre-pub buzz. If you find yourself needing
a distraction around the holidays, this might be the perfect pick. Twists and turns and lots of
sass fill this fast-paced whodunnit thriller and certainly won’t take long to finish once you start.
Newlywed Addison Dougherty is accused of her husband’s murder just a mere 97 days after
they were married. Her biggest regret? She wasn’t the one to kill him. Addison marries
Richmond Dougherty as part of a revenge plot from old family dysfunction. Richmond was a
world famous pediatric surgeon and teenage hero, but he had an ego that wouldn’t quit. When
the investigation-led by Richmond’s ex-wife- starts circling around Addison, she digs in and
vows to ruin Richmond’s legacy once and for all. Told from various perspectives and flashbacks,
there is not one redeeming character in this novel. Everyone has an agenda. Everyone is out to
save themselves. Addison races to reveal Richmond’s true colors before she is arrested-or the
real killer strikes again. The suspense builds on every page and readers are kept guessing until
the very last page. Kane proves herself as a standout in the domestic thriller genre. What the
Wife Knew is heartless and breathtaking, but readers will wonder how the 368 pages goes by in
the blink of an eye.
Let’s switch gears and take a look at a few titles that are also easy holiday reads-for very
different reasons. Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss is the perfect cozy, seasonal book.
The whole town seems to be buzzing with Christmas cheer, except teacher turned school
counselor Harriet Smith. After a few too many mulled wines, Harriet has a one-night stand with a
handsome stranger and she wonders if her holiday spirit can recover. When some of her
troubled students break into the crumbling, old town theater; she takes the fall for them. At the
hearing for the break-in, Harriet learns that the lawyer for the theater is none other than the
handsome stranger from her wine-fueled tryst! To keep herself and the students out of jail,
Harriet agrees to clean up the theater and direct the very last holiday play. All the while,
handsome James is overseeing that tasks are being completed. Their chemistry grows and the
motley crew of students, staff and theater crew begin to feel the Christmas spirit taking hold.
Harriet goes from a depressed empty nester to a stronger, mid-lifer who earns and deserves a
second chance at love. This is a quick and easy read that leaves the readers feeling the true
meaning of the holidays- togetherness, and a heart-warming sense that family is not always
flesh and blood.
Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot introduces Abby and Seth. Abby owns the cafe where Seth’s
daily visits annoy her to no end. Seth’s incessant smile and endless cheerfulness attempt to
break through Abby’s tough exterior, but she’s having none of it. When fate forces them to work
together on the town’s first Hanukkah display, her defenses start breaking down. Seth is
well-connected with vendors and businesses that can help with finding appropriate holiday
decorations, but it requires a visit to New York City, where his parents are also expecting his

visit. When he arrives home at that special time of year, Abby slowly starts to see how wonderful
love can be. Hailed as a Hanukkah Hallmark movie, this rom-com hits all the right elements
you’d expect in a cozy, holiday book. Likeable characters, twinkling lights and the dazzle of NYC
in December make this one of the better holiday books of the year.
Author and motivational speaker Mel Robbins releases The Let Them Theory, asserting that two
simple words can help us all feel unstuck and less overwhelmed when dealing with the
expectations of others: Let Them. Giving others the power over our own feelings of self-worth
erode the control we have over our own lives. Robbins excels at simplifying self-care and it’s
perfect timing for starting off the new year with a new approach.
It’s hard to believe we are at the end of yet another year. I hope you met and surpassed your
reading goals for 2024 and go above and beyond in the new year. Thank you for letting me
make suggestions every month; I hope I’ve given you all some good ideas for your TBR’s and
maybe introduced you to something new. It’s a pleasure to research and write about books-truly