Books Publishing This Week
Books Publishing This Week: November 10 - 16
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It’s a crisp November afternoon, the kind where the cold air feels fresh and invigorating as it fills your lungs. You’ve been waiting for a moment like this all week—a quiet break where you can settle in with a new book and let the world slow down around you. Outside, the sky is a soft, muted gray, and the daylight is starting to fade earlier than it did just a few weeks ago. The colors of autumn, however, are still lingering, clinging to the branches of trees in vibrant shades of amber, burnt orange, and deep red. They flutter gently in the breeze, a reminder that fall is not yet over, even as winter edges closer.
You’ve found the perfect spot to enjoy this crisp afternoon, wrapped in a cozy blanket, with your favorite rust-colored sweater keeping you warm. A steaming mug of hot chocolate sits within reach, the rich scent of cocoa mingling with the cool air wafting through the window you cracked open just enough to feel the bite of the November chill. There’s something about the contrast—the warmth of the drink and the coolness of the air—that feels just right, like the perfect balance between comfort and the world outside.
The book in your hands has been waiting for this moment, too. You picked it up knowing it would be your escape, your companion for afternoons like this, when the world outside feels quiet and peaceful, and all you want to do is lose yourself in a story. As you turn the first few pages, you can already sense the promise of the journey ahead—new characters to meet, a world to explore, and the kind of plot that draws you in deeper with each chapter.
You take a sip of your hot chocolate, letting the warmth spread through you, and glance out the window again. The leaves outside seem to shimmer, their colors more vivid against the gray sky. They float gently to the ground in lazy spirals, carpeting the earth in hues of gold and red. You can imagine the soft crunch underfoot if you were to walk through them, but for now, you’re perfectly content to watch them from your cozy spot indoors.
The afternoon light is shifting, growing softer, casting long shadows across the room. It’s the kind of light that makes everything feel a little slower, a little calmer. It’s as if the world outside is urging you to stay put, to take this time to rest and enjoy the simple pleasure of a good book. You settle deeper into your blanket, the rust sweater keeping you snug as the cool air drifts in from the window.
With each page you turn, the story begins to take hold. You can almost feel the world around you slipping away as the characters and settings come to life. The quiet of the November afternoon seems to heighten your focus, drawing you further into the plot, as if the stillness around you makes the story even more vivid. You’re completely immersed now, the steady rhythm of your reading broken only by the occasional sip of your hot chocolate, which has cooled slightly but still offers that comforting sweetness.
Outside, the leaves continue to fall, one by one, until only a few remain clinging to the trees. The wind picks up, a reminder that winter is approaching, but you’re safe and warm in your little reading nook. The rustling of the leaves is a soft, soothing sound, blending with the turning of pages as you lose track of time. This is exactly what you needed—a quiet afternoon where the only things that matter are the story in front of you and the peace that comes with it.
As the light fades even more, you glance up from your book, watching the last rays of sunlight stretch across the sky before giving way to dusk. You take one final sip of your hot chocolate, savoring the warmth as it lingers on your tongue. The world outside may be growing colder and darker, but inside, you’re wrapped in the comfort of your story, your sweater, and this perfect November afternoon.
You know that once the book is finished, you’ll look back on this moment with fondness, remembering how the falling leaves, the crisp air, and the hot chocolate made everything feel just a little more magical. For now, though, you’re content to stay right here, enjoying the cozy solitude and the quiet joy of a new book on a beautiful autumn day.
Trial by Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham by Marcia Clark
Also listed in Books Set in the 1950s
In this dramatic true account about the power of sensationalized crime, one woman’s case is exposed for its sexism, flagrant disregard for the truth, and, ultimately, the dangers posed by an unbridled prosecution.
Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse—offering her too many options of all the wrong kind. Her innate sensitivity left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the street, where she was left to fend for herself before she reached double digits. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster.
But in 1953, a catastrophic twist of fate would catapult her out of obscurity and into the headlines.
When a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary—a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted.
The frenzy of public interest and willful distortion paved a treacherous path for Barbara Graham. In Trial by Ambush, author and criminal lawyer Marcia Clark investigates the case exposing the fallacies in the demonizing picture they painted and the critical evidence that was never revealed.
All's Fair in Love and Treachery: A Mystery by Celeste Connally
Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in this dazzling next installment in a captivating Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin.
21 June, 1815. London may be cheering the news of Napoleon’s surrender at Waterloo, but Lady Petra Forsyth has little to celebrate after discovering that the death of her viscount fiancé three years earlier was no accident. Instead, it was murder, and the man responsible is her handsome, half-Scottish secret paramour Duncan Shawcross—yet the scoundrel has disappeared, leaving only a confusing riddle about long-forgotten memories in his wake.
So what’s a lady to do when she can’t hunt down her traitorous lover? She concentrates on a royal assignment instead. Queen Charlotte has tasked Petra with attending an event at the Asylum for Female Orphans and making inquiries surrounding the death of the orphanage’s matron. What’s more, the there may be a link between the matron’s death and a group of radicals with ties to the aristocracy, as evidenced by an intercepted letter.
Then, Petra overhears a nefarious conversation with two other men about a plot to topple the monarchy, set to take place during three days of celebrations currently gripping London.
As the clock counts down and London’s streets teem with revelers, Petra’s nerves are fraying as her past and present collide. Yet while all’s fair in love and war, she can never surrender, especially when more orphaned girls may be in trouble. And to save their lives, the monarchy itself, and even her own heart, Lady Petra must face her fears with the strength of an army of soldiers and fight with the heart of a queen.
The Starlets by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne
Also listed in Books Set in the 1950s
Real life is turning out to be stranger than a script for the silver screen.
Summer, 1958. Vivienne Rhodes thinks she’s finally landed her break playing Helen of Troy in Apex Pictures’ big-budget epic, A Thousand Ships, an anticipated blockbuster meant to resurrect the failing studio. Naturally, she’s devastated when she arrives on the remote Italian island of Tavalli and finds herself cast as the secondary character, Cassandra—while her nemesis, the fiancée-stealing Lottie Lawrence, America’s supposed “sweetheart,” is playing the lead role instead.
The tension on set, though, turns deadly when the ladies discover that members of the crew are using the production as a front for something decidedly illegal—and that they are willing to kill to keep their dealings under wraps. When the two women find themselves on the run and holding key evidence, Vivienne and Lottie frantically agree to work together to deliver the proof to Interpol, hoping to protect both their lives and their careers.
Staying one step ahead of corrupt cops and looming mobsters, the archrivals flee across the seas. Their journey leads them into Monaco’s casinos, Grace Kelly’s palace, on a road trip through the Alps—even onto another film set, before a final showdown back on Tavalli, where the lives of the entire cast and crew hang in the balance. Vivienne and Lottie finally have the chance to be real heroines—to save the day, the film, maybe even each other—but only if they can first figure out how to share the spotlight.
I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker
A grieving young widow. The AI program that allows her to continue to "talk" to him. And a message she never expected: "I think I was murdered."
Just a year ago, Katrina Berg was at the pinnacle of her career. She was a rising star in the AI chatbot start-up everyone was talking about, married with an adoring husband, and had more money than she knew how to spend. Then her world combusted. Her husband, Jason, was killed in a fiery car crash. Her CEO was indicted and, as the company's legal counsel, Katrina faces tough questions as the Feds take over and lock her out of her office. The final blow is the passing of her beloved grandmother.
Her most prized possession is the beta prototype for a new, ultra-sophisticated chatbot loaded onto her phone. The contents of Jason's email, social media backups, pictures, and every bit of data she could find were loaded into the bot, and Katrina has "talked" to him every day for the past six months. She has been amazed at how well it works. Even the syntax and words the bot uses sound like Jason. Sometimes, she imagines he isn't really dead and is right there beside her. She knows it's slowing her grief recovery, but she can't stop pretending.
On a particularly bad day, she taps out: Tell me something I don't know. The cursor blinks for several moments and seems frozen before the reply flashes quickly onto the screen: I think I was murdered.
Distraught, Katrina returns to her cozy Norwegian-flavored hometown in the northern California redwoods and enlists the help of Seb Wallace, local restaurateur and longtime acquaintance, to try to parse out the truth of what really happened. They must navigate the complicated paths of grief, family dynamics, and second chances, as well as the complex questions of how much control technology has. And staying alive long enough to do that is far more difficult than either of them dreamed.
Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say half feral—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.
Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.
With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests. But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness.
Surviving the trials and overthrowing a tyrant king will take cunning, courage, and an iron will... but even that may not be enough.
Pickleballers by Ilana Long
A pickleball newbie looking to recover from life’s swings and misses crosses paddles with love in this debut romantic comedy.
Meg Bloomberg is in a pickle. When Meg’s ex turns out to be a total dink, she and her bestie take off for a mood-lifting pickleball excursion to Bainbridge Island. It’s supposed to be an easy lob, a way to heal, not the opening serve to a new courtside romance that’s doomed to spin out.
No matter how Meg tries, she can’t shake her feelings for Ethan Fine. A charismatic environmental consultant and Bainbridge local, Ethan seems like the real dill. But when Meg discovers that Ethan is sabotaging her home court, she decides the match is over.
It’s time for Meg to take control of her own game. And maybe, just maybe…love will bounce back.
Naples 1343 by Amedeo Feniello
A fresh perspective on the early mafia as a means of resistance against invasion, this gripping history illustrates the previously unknown extent of these families’ power in the 14th century.
1343: there is famine in Naples. After nightfall, a Genoese ship loaded with wheat is attacked by members of two local clans who brutally kill several sailors and their captain. The attackers returned to the city, greeted by the cheers of their countrymen, and the blind eye of the authorities. The Republic of Genoa presented the Kingdom of Naples with a formal protest against the incident. But, in a historical document of great importance today, King Charles I of Anjou admitted he did not control his own city, that the true rulers of Naples were the “family.”
The purpose of this book is not to retrace the birth of the Camorra through the traditional roads of ethnology, anthropology, sociology, or even folklore for the umpteenth time. Amedeo Feniello takes a new route through a number of previously unstudied elements and makes a unique observation: that these “families” of Naples were in power at the time of the birth of the Angevin Kingdom of Naples—one of the first European nation states. They would have been leaders of the new state, actively participating in the business of the royal family and serving as a new class of directors, officers, and bureaucrats.
Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan
A centuries-long curse is no match for rom-com shenanigans when a medieval knight is brought to life in modern-day Chicago.
Forgotten by time and abandoned by hope, Sir Griffin de Beauford’s existence stretches out before him. Cursed by a ruthless enchanter to see, hear, and think, but never to move or speak, Griffin suffers the long, lonely centuries trapped in stone…until an unexpected kiss from a fair maiden breathes new life into his soul—and his body.
Emily Porter, a recently divorced conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago, is charged with the restoration of a statue of a medieval English knight. Breaking curses was not part of the job description. And yet, here he is, the man of her dreams come to life, resplendent in shining armor as he joyously barrels into priceless antiquities...and goes on to dismantle her defenses, wreak havoc on her senses, and tempt her to believe once more in happy-ever-afters.
But the modern age tries Griffin’s patience and pride, and Emily is a prime suspect in the investigation of the missing sculpture. In a complicated world, can they find their way to a fairytale ending?
The Nutcracker Chronicles: A Fairytale Memoir by Janine Kovac
Janine Kovac was seven years old when she got a fluttery feeling in her chest while watching her first performance of The Nutcracker. From that moment, she knew she wanted to be a ballerina. It wasn’t long before she herself was dancing the part of a snowflake, flower, mouse, soldier, and Fritz, Clara’s brother, who snatches the nutcracker from her and yanks off its head—all in search of the magic she felt only on the stage.
Over a twelve-year career, Janine dances with ballet companies in San Francisco, Seattle, Germany, Iceland, and Italy, returning home every holiday season to perform The Nutcracker with Ballet El Paso. Despite the challenges of the ballet world, Janine can’t resist the inner glow and effortlessness she feels on stage, under the lights, dancing to Tchaikovsky in the Land of Sweets, ruled by a sugar plum fairy. That’s when she feels beautiful.
Puck and Prejudice by Lia Riley
From the author of Mister Hockey comes a sizzling marriage of convenience romance between a pro hockey player who accidentally travels back in time to Regency Era England and the brazen contemporary of Jane Austen he just can’t help but fall for…
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a modern single man in possession of a hockey jersey may be exactly what a Regency woman needs to avoid the shackles of marriage...
Goalie for the Austin Regals, Tucker Taylor is benched due to health issues. So he decides to visit his sister in England. But an accidental plunge into an icy pond thrusts him back to 1812 where he comes face to face with a captivating blue-eyed woman who regards him as if he’s grown two heads.
Lizzy Wooddash dreams of a life surrounded by books, engaging conversation, the presence of literary icons like Jane Austen, and... nary a husband in sight. But in Regency England, only widows like her cousin Georgie enjoy freedom and solitary pursuits, unencumbered by expectations. The only way to quickly become a widow is by marrying a dying man or killing a perfectly healthy one, neither of which Lizzy desires.
A visitor from the future might just be the husband of her dreams. Once married, they can figure out how to return Tucker to his proper time, and his absence—aka death—will make Lizzy the widow she always dreamed of becoming. Yet as sparks ignite, they soon realize that matters of the heart rarely adhere to carefully laid plans. Can their love stand the test of time, or will Lizzy get exactly what she wanted...as well as a broken heart?
In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price
The first book in a thrilling mystery duology that follows Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy from the acclaimed Jane Austen Murder Mystery series!
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that London’s first female solicitor in possession of the details of a deadly crime, must be in want of a suspect.
The tenacious Lizzie Bennet has earned her place at Longbourn, her father’s law firm. Her work keeps her busy, but luckily it gives her plenty of reasons to consult (and steal occasional kisses) with Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a stern but secretly softhearted solicitor at Pemberley.
Lizzie is hired to investigate a deadly warehouse fire and to find the mysterious woman who was spotted at the scene moments before the flames took hold. But when the case leads to the sitting room of a woman Darcy once proposed marriage to, the delicate balance between personal and professional in their relationship is threatened.
Questions of the future are cast aside when the prime suspect is murdered and Lizzie’s own life is threatened. As the body count rises and their suspicions about what was really going on in the warehouse grow, the pressure is on for Lizzie and Darcy to uncover the truth.
Classic characters with an enthralling twist—Lizzie and Darcy, as introduced in the hit novel Pride and Premeditation, are back for more suspense, danger, and romance!
Toto by A. J. Hackwith
The true hero of The Wizard of Oz takes center stage in this brilliant, delightfully snarky reimagining from the author of The Library of the Unwritten.
I was mostly a Good Dog until they sold me out to animal control, okay?
But if it’s a choice between Oz, with its creepy little singing dudes, and being behind bars in gray old Kansas, I’ll choose the place where animals talk and run the show for now, thanks.
It’s not my fault that the kid is stuck here too, or that she stumbled into a tug-of-war over a pair of slippers that don’t even taste good. Now one witch in good eyeliner calls her pretty and we’re off on a quest? Teenagers.
I try to tell her she’s falling in with the wrong crowd when she befriends a freaking hedge wizard made of straw, that blue jay with revolutionary aspirations, and the walking tin can. Still, I’m not one to judge when there’s the small matter of a coup in the Forest Kingdom....
Look, something really stinks in Oz, and this Wizard guy and the witches positively reek of it. As usual, it’s going to be up to a sensible little dog to do a big dog’s job and get to the bottom of it.
And trust me: Little dogs can get away with anything.
Open Minded by Chloe Seager
Chloe Seager creates a fun yet thought-provoking novel about two very different women, Holly and Fliss, who are grappling with drastic changes in their relationships after Holly’s boyfriend wants to “open” their relationship and Fliss’s boyfriend wants to “close” theirs.
Love in Bloom by Lucy Eden
It took exactly twenty-four hours for Atlanta publicist Emma Walters’s life to go from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. All that’s left is for her to take the still-smoking remains of her dignity and flee to her new farm in Green Acres, Georgia.
However, Emma’s new country life is anything but peaceful. The quirky locals seem to inexplicably dislike her, and farming proves way messier than she expected. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm’s infuriatingly handsome manager, who doubts her ability to handle even the simplest tasks.
Emma soon discovers that the farm isn’t exactly what it seems. It doesn’t sell anything, making her wonder if it's just a glorified petting zoo or if Dan is hiding something much bigger. With suspiciously named shops like Four and Twenty Blackbirds lining Main Street, it’s clear that the whole town might be in on a secret.
But when the farm—and the livelihood of the townsfolk—is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it. Because when you farm around, it’s just a matter of time before everyone finds out.
Napoleon's Mirage by Michelle Cameron
Author Interview with Michelle Cameron
Readers of Stephanie Drey and Allison Pataki will enjoy this highly anticipated sequel, an epic saga of love set during the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt that explores loyalty, cultural failures, and a potentially history-altering military defeat.
More than a year has elapsed since the ghetto gates were destroyed and Ancona’s Jewish community liberated by Napoleon’s troops. Yet Mirelle is ostracized—by the community, her erstwhile best friend, and even her mother—and labeled a “ruined woman.” As her efforts to nurture her family’s legacy are thwarted, she realizes she might have lost her last chance at love. Meanwhile, Daniel, now a lieutenant in the French army, and Christophe, the man responsible for Mirelle’s disgrace, set sail to an unknown destination with General Bonaparte’s forces. There, Napoleon and his men face a harsh and unforgiving landscape and new, implacable enemies, and Daniel’s faith in and loyalty to the commander he once worshiped are put to the test.
MICHELLE CAMERON is the author of Jewish historical fiction, with her most recent being Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity, which was a finalist in religious fiction in the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Previous work includes the award-winning Beyond the Ghetto Gates and The Fruit of Her Hands: the story of Shira of Ashkenaz. She has also published a verse novel, In the Shadow of the Globe. Michelle is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based creative writing program serving children, teens, and adults. She lives in Chatham, NJ, with her husband and has two grown sons of whom she is inordinately proud.
Love Lessons: Poems 1973–2023 by Mary Ellen Capek
Love Lessons: Poems 1973–2023 is Mary Ellen Capek’s first collection of poems, spanning fifty years, where she describes growing up in the ‘50s, coming of age in the ‘60s, first love, sex, marriage, her mother’s early death, friendships, divorce, stepchildren, and coming out as a lesbian at age 45. Several poems central to Love Lessons focus on language, paying tribute to Adrienne Rich and other writers struggling to realize Rich’s “dream of a common language,” essential for describing women’s lives. Her poems also focus on the interconnectedness of all creation, with allusions to essential understandings of justice, human rights, and the intersections of history and politics within our day-to-day lives.
