“Indeed, the path to life without empathy is a long and painful one, full of bartered humanity sold at a steep discount.” – Brandon Sanderson, Tress of the Emerald Sea
Alice Baber: An Artist’s Triumph Over Tragedy by Gail Levin
nonfiction / biography / art / history.
From one of the most acclaimed art biographers writing today comes the surprising life of Alice Baber, who produced exquisite abstract paintings of vibrantly colored shapes that created an illusion of floating light. Heralded as an “artist of lyrical abstractions,” Baber’s paintings had already entered the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney at the time of her premature death at just fifty-four. How could such an accomplished and visionary artist then fall into near obscurity?
In Alice Baber, the artist’s fascinating story is finally revealed, despite concerted efforts to consign her to oblivion. Levin’s book is a vital corrective to the history of American art and a thrilling opportunity for the next generation to experience Baber anew. Vividly written and richly detailed, we journey through her rural upbringing to her years exhibiting around the world and experience the heady mid-century art world in all its glory.
Levin’s dynamic prose brings to life this synesthetic artist who links color to both movement and sound. We witness Baber’s talent and ambition, her tenacity and charm, and learn how her feminist activism and her work as a curator helped other artists. Alice Baber: An Artist’s Triumph Over Tragedy is an insightful and stunning portrait that resurrects a central figure in modern art.
“A richly detailed homage.” – Kirkus Reviews
“[A] remarkable story… Subtle, stylish, determined Baber and her luscious, lambent paintings have finally been rediscovered. Levin’s scrupulously detailed and incisive portrait will ensure enduring and informed appreciation.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist
“This well-researched biography is recommended as a must-add to most art, women’s studies, and art history–focused libraries.” – Nicole Gaudier Alemañy, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
Autobiography of Cotton by Cristina Rivera Garza; translated by Christina MacSweeney ★
fiction / historical fiction.
In 1934, a young José Revueltas traveled to Tamaulipas to support the cotton workers’ strike in Estación Camarón, which became the basis of his landmark novel Human Mourning. In her own groundbreaking novel, Autobiography of Cotton, Cristina Rivera Garza recounts her grandparents’ journey from mining towns to those same cotton fields as it intersects with Revueltas’s life in a vivid and evocative history of cotton cultivation along the Mexico-US border.
Through archival research and personal narrative, Rivera Garza chronicles the way cotton transformed the borderlands by reconstructing the cotton workers’ strike and reveals how cycles of deprivation and ecocide persist across generations. Deeply personal and politically acute, Rivera Garza crafts a new kind of border novel that tells how a brittle land radically altered her grandparents’ lives and the territories they helped develop. An intimate fictionalization, Autobiography of Cotton reveals a rich social history of agricultural colonization, labor activism, environmental degradation, and cross-border migration.
“A masterful blend of genres from a shining light of Mexican literature.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“[An] an impassioned testament to resilience and struggle. It’s not to be missed.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A wide-ranging hybrid of fiction, biography, sociology, and philosophy [that] is now available in an engrossing English-language translation.” – Cory Oldweiler, Boston Globe
“[A] fusion of fiction and nonfiction that excavates both national and family history… gripping… This book is one of restless movement and passionate hope.” – Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal
The Escapes of David George: An Odyssey of Slavery, Freedom, and the American Revolution by Gregory E. O’Malley
nonfiction / biography / history.
When most Americans think of slavery, they do not picture the colonial or revolutionary eras. Yet, in fact, one of six inhabitants of the thirteen original colonies was enslaved. The Escapes of David George: an Odyssey of Slavery, Freedom, and the American Revolution reveals a remarkable, untold experience of the American revolutionary period―a Black man’s quest for the freedom espoused by our Founders, but denied him and other enslaved people.
In 1762, at the age of 19, David George escaped from a plantation in Virginia. Running southwest by night, fording rivers and crossing borders, he embarked on a decades-long journey in and out of captivity that spanned multiple colonies and thousands of miles. George lived among White, Black, Creek, and Natchez settlements, fled to the British Army for the promise of liberty, founded what might have been the first Black Baptist church, helped to hack a settlement for refugees out of the Nova Scotia wilderness, and died as a leader of an experimental anti-slavery community in Sierra Leone.
Piecing together archival records and David George’s own brief account of his life―the earliest written testimony by a fugitive enslaved person in North America―Gregory O’Malley presents a thrilling narrative and a unique perspective on our nation’s origins, principles, and contradictions.
“[A] story that reads like fiction but is amazingly real… A fascinating account of someone who, despite all odds, exemplified resiliency in a world that mistreated him.” – Jacqueline Parascandola, Library Journal
“O’Malley’s meticulous evaluation of historical evidence and context provides an enlightening and thrilling narrative that underscores how bondage was enforced by an entire society, not a single enslaver.” – Becky Meloan, Washington Post
Family Drama by Rebecca Fallon
fiction / historical fiction.
In New England, Susan Bliss is a young mother married to a professor.
In LA, Susan Byrne stars in a soap opera beloved coast to coast.
Decades after she’s gone, her twins have no idea of their mother’s fame. But the past can’t stay hidden forever.
It’s 1997, and snow is blanketing a New England beach. Two befuddled seven-year-olds watch as their mother’s body is tipped overboard a crumbling boat. A Viking funeral, followed by a raucous wake. A send-off fit for a soap opera star: Susan Bliss.
Fifteen years earlier, Susan is a blazing, beautiful young woman, passionate about her art. It’s impossible not to fall in love with her, and so Alcott, a practical professor, does—hopelessly. And so begins the love story of Susan’s two-paneled life: an unconventional, jetlag-filled arrangement that takes her back and forth between her life in New England as a wife and mother to young twins to the bright lights of Los Angeles, where she becomes the beloved star of a daytime soap.
In the present, Susan’s twins grow up in the shadow of her all-consuming absence. Sebastian, a sensitive artist, cleaves to her memory, fascinated with the artifacts of her starry past. Viola, resentful of her mother’s torn allegiances, distances herself from the memories of her. But when Viola runs into her mother’s old costar Orson Grey—now a renowned Hollywood star—she finds herself falling deeply in love with him and begins to put together the pieces of a mother she never really knew.
Sharp, assured, and beautifully written, Family Drama is a story told in double-helix, with intertwined timelines that explore the different versions of ourselves we share with the world and with each other.
“The author’s emotional intelligence shines through in this affecting novel’s quirky, evolving characters.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Assured in her craftsmanship, radiant in her compassionate characterizations, Fallon invites comparisons to Ann Patchett, Ann Napolitano, and Anne Tyler.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“…brilliant… a beautiful portrait of a woman living a double life, torn between motherhood and ambition… Fans of Ann Patchett and Claire Lombardo will love this emotional story.” – Joanne Finney, Good Housekeeping
The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui
fiction / horror / historical fiction / fantasy.
“Strange how one can find they are an interruption in another person’s story…”
Summer 1816: London is a hostile place for the newly disembarked Mehrunissa Begum, who’s come to deliver her brother’s letter of inheritance before returning to her comfortable life in Lucknow, India. Only, she can’t find her brother anywhere and has no money for the return trip. With nowhere else to go, Mehr finds refuge in a boardinghouse for Indian maids. If she can’t find her brother, she reasons, she will get a job and start saving.
Mehr is soon hired at the English estate of Mary and Percy Shelley, young artists of burgeoning fame who are on the run from secrets of their own. Mary is brooding and quiet, but takes a curious liking to her new maid, asking her to accompany the Shelleys and her stepsister, Claire—as well as the eccentric Lord Byron and his physician, John Polidori—to Lake Geneva for the summer.
Almost immediately, Mehr notices strange, ghostly events at the villa. The walls breathe, portraits shift, and phantoms appear like unbidden guests who refuse to leave. The weather is fierce and foreboding, showing no signs of softening its relentless pall. And as Mary Shelley begins work on what will become her earth-shattering literary phenomenon, Mehr finds herself trapped in the villa as the rest of its inhabitants descend into madness.
“There’s been quite a few takes on that rainy summer when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in a Swiss villa, but The Glowing Hours catapults this historical moment into supernatural territory for my favorite version yet.” – Molly Odintz, CrimeReads
“…brilliant… Though the life of Mary Shelley has often been mined for material, Siddiqui brings a fresh perspective through the eyes of the witty and sullen Mehr, whose backstory and fraught relationships with the increasingly entangled Geneva party add to the intrigue. This is a real treat for fans of gothic fiction.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Injecting new menace into the history of a beloved horror classic, this is a great suggestion for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic and Donyae Coles’s Midnight Rooms or Frankenstein-inspired tales in the vein of Tim McGregor’s Eynhallow.” – Becky Spratford, Library Journal
Good People by Patmeena Sabit ★
fiction / mystery.
The Sharaf family is the picture of success. Prosperous, rich, happy. They came to this country as refugees with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. And now, after years of hard work, they live in the most exclusive neighborhood, their growing family attending the most prestigious schools. Zorah, the eldest daughter, is the apple of her father’s eye.
When an unthinkable tragedy strikes, everyone is left reeling and the family is thrust into the court of public opinion. There is talk that behind closed doors the Sharafs’ happy household was anything but. Did the Sharaf family achieve the American dream? Or was the image of the model immigrant family just a façade?
Like a literary game of ping-pong, Good People compels the reader to reconsider what might have happened even on the previous page. Told through a kaleidoscope of perspectives, it is a riveting, provocative, and haunting story of family—sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, and the communities that claim us as family in difficult times.
“A month into the year, the first great novel of 2026 is here… a domestic tale that reads like a propulsive thriller… riveting stuff…” – Chris Hewitt, Minnesota Star Tribune
“[An] electrifying whodunit… This propulsive tale heralds Sabit as a writer worth keeping tabs on.” – Publishers Weekly
“Sabit’s first novel masterfully dissects the glittering facade of the American Dream… Relatable in its raw humanity—every parent’s push, every kid’s pushback—Good People is a stinging reminder that success often exacts a hidden toll. At once heartbreaking and hypnotic, Sabit’s is a novel that demands to be devoured.” – Andrienne Cruz, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“A masterfully crafted family drama with the pulse and pace of a thriller at the intersection of immigrant dreams and deep-seated cultural values. A complex look at the fragile balance of assimilation, identity, and independence.” – Julie Slavinsky, The Indie Next List
Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson
fiction / fantasy / science fiction.
All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar―the supernatural birds his people bond with―on the deadly island of Patji. Then one fateful night he propels his people into a race to modernize before they can be conquered by the Ones Above, invaders from the stars who want to exploit the Aviar.
But it’s a race they’re losing, and Dusk fears his people will lose themselves in the effort. When a chance comes to sail into the expanse of the emberdark beyond a mystical portal, Dusk sets off to find his people’s salvation with only a canoe, his birds, and all the grit and canniness of a Patji trapper.
Elsewhere in the emberdark is a young dragon chained in human form: Starling of the starship Dynamic. She and her ragtag crew of exiles are deep in debt and on the brink of losing their freedom. So when she finds an ancient map to a hidden portal between the emberdark and the physical realm, she seizes the chance at a lucrative discovery.
These unlikely allies might just be the solution to each other’s crises. In their search for independence, Dusk and Starling face perilous bargains, poisonous politics, and the destructive echo of a dead god.
“[A] lean and focussed piece of literary machinery. It knows how many characters it needs and their personal arcs run like clockwork toward satisfying conclusions… a charming science-fantasy adventure ride with an ending that made me smile.” – Captain M Entertainment
“…weaves legends, lore and political intrigue to tell a story of hope and resistance through the eyes of two unlikely allies.” – B&N Reads
“Sanderson has a natural way to get you invested early with his characters and through top-notch pacing keeps you going from start to finish… a great stand-alone novel set in Sanderson’s wildly inventive Cosmere universe.” – Will Swardstrom, FanFiAddict
It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica ★
fiction / suspense / mystery.
A scream shatters the silence…
Courtney Gray’s peaceful vacation turns into a nightmare when she discovers her brother and sister-in-law dead in their lakeside cottage. Her niece Reese is missing. Her nephew Wyatt is asleep upstairs—unharmed.
A town full of secrets…
As police swarm the quiet resort, dark truths about Courtney’s family—and the town itself—begin to surface. Is Reese a victim… or the killer?
A truth no one saw coming…
With everyone hiding something, Courtney races to uncover the terrible mystery. But the closer she gets, the harder it is to know who—or what—to trust.
“Bestselling author Mary Kubica’s latest is sure to get your heart pumping.” – Andrea Park, Marie Claire
“[A] book you can’t put down… every page leaves you
wanting more…” – Taylor J. Bridgeforth, The Gloss
“Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and Shari Lapena… a deliciously twisty, white-knuckle thriller.” – Leandra Beabout, Reader’s Digest
“[Kubica uses] a very effective mechanism, building tension right from the get-go and not letting up whatsoever as the story progresses… Kubica doles out new information sparingly and in doing so keeps the reader guessing, revising and then guessing some more in the well-plotted and superbly paced It’s Not Her.” – Bruce Tierney, BookPage
Language as Liberation: Reflections on the American Canon by Toni Morrison
nonfiction / essays / literature.
In a dazzling series of lectures from her tenure as a professor at Princeton University, Toni Morrison interrogates America’s most famous works and authors, drawing a direct line from the Black bodies that built the nation to the Black characters that many of the country’s canonical white writers imagined in their work. Morrison sees these fictions as a form of creation and projection, arguing that they helped manufacture American racial identity—these “Africanist” presences are “the shadow that makes light possible,” as Morrison writes, and the reflections of their authors’ own deepest fears, insecurities, and longings.
With profound erudition and wit, Morrison breaks wide open the American conception of race with energetic, enlivening readings of the nation’s canon, revealing that our liberation from these diminishing notions comes through language. “How,” Morrison wonders, “could one speak of profit, of economy, of labor, or progress, of suffragism, or Christianity, of the frontier, of the formation of new states, the acquisition of new lands… of practically anything a new nation concerns itself with—without having as a referent, at the heart of the discourse or defining its edges, the presence of Africans and/or their descendants?”
To read these lectures, collected here for the first time, is to encounter Morrison, not just the writer but also the teacher, in the most penetrating and subversive way yet. With a foreword by her son Ford Morrison and an introduction by her Princeton comparative literature colleague Claudia Brodsky, Language as Liberation is a revelatory collection that promises to redefine the American canon.
“Deeply insightful investigations of major works.” – Kirkus Reviews
“If you’ve ever wanted to sneak inside one of Morrison’s classes, here’s your chance.” – Emily Temple, Literary Hub
“…provides unprecedented insight into Morrison’s roles as cultural critic and thought leader… inverts our understanding of classic American literature… An insightful invitation to revisit the familiar with new eyes.” – Lesley Williams, Booklist
The People Can Fly: American Promise, Black Prodigies, and the Greatest Miracle of All Time by Joshua Bennett
nonfiction / history.
The outside world’s perception of Black promise comes and goes. It does so in ways that are undeniably advantageous for Black children. Yet here, Dr. Bennett explores the rarely examined pitfalls of being a Black prodigy in a society that has, too often, defined Blackness as the very absence of intellect. Bennett probes what it means to be othered, even if this othering is the same key to an individual’s success in an unfair world, demanding that we build alternative futures that make space for the promise and hope of every child.
In The People Can Fly Bennet shares his own academic journey—including spoken word performances at The White House and Sundance Film Festival, an NAACP Image Award, and a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship—mirrors the ebb and flow between being deemed promising and “a problem.” He bolsters this personal narrative by observing how disability within his own family complicates societies perception of genius, and by diving into the under-examined history of young intellectuals like Oscar Moore, Thomas Wiggins, Stephen Wiltshire, and others. Together, Bennett lays out an arresting portrait of a world that obscures genius behind a disorienting facade of otherness and exceptionality.
With arresting prose and grace, The People Can Fly is an eye-opening reflection on what it means to be labelled gifted in today’s world; and a personal history and love letter to all the Black prodigies who have disturbed the veil of racism, and the children who will continue to do so.
“An inspiring invitation to welcome creativity and intelligence wherever they may be found.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A tender celebration of vulnerability and the strength that blooms quietly in its presence.” – The Atlantic
“Bennett renders this lush history in lively, captivating prose, smoothly transporting us back to the city blocks, bars, cafes and stages these artists traversed and inhabited. Perhaps most endearingly, and what makes this book shine with a refreshing dynamism, is that this history is also his own.” – Tas Tobey, New York Times
Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal
fiction / historical fiction.
Centuries ago, the myths say, the holy river Saraswati flowed through what is now Northern India. But when Satnam arrives in his ancestral village for his grandmother’s funeral, he is astonished to find water in the long-dry well behind her house. The discovery sets in motion a contentious scheme to unearth the lost river and build a gleaming new city on its banks, and Satnam—adrift from his job, girlfriend, and flat back in London—soon finds himself swept up in this ferment of Hindu nationalist pride.
As the river alters Satnam’s course, so it reveals buried ties to six distant relatives scattered across the globe – from an ambitious writer with her eye on legacy to a Kenyan archaeologist to a Bollywood stunt double – who are brought together in a rapidly changing India. Brimming with love, lust, violence and loss, Gurnaik Johal’s magisterial novel deftly animates the passions that bind us to our histories, our lands and each other.
“[A] sweepingly ambitious tale of family history and contemporary politics in a changing India…” – Justine Jordan, The Guardian
“Johal’s ambitious debut traces the sinuous paths of the seven siblings as history’s sweeping tides displace descendants—including an environmental activist, a Kenyan archaeologist, and a Mauritian entomologist—around the globe… Johal graphs an expansive arc of India across the centuries, including the cataclysmic partition of India and Pakistan, the rise of Hindu nationalism, and the wreckage wrought by environmental destruction… will sweep the reader along in the story’s earnest fervor.” – Poornima Apte, Booklist
“Johal attends thoughtfully to the kyriarchy that structures realities across continents – unpacking environmental destruction, colonialism, fascism and more… Johal has tremendous power as a writer, crafting some fiercely beautiful, often visionary chapters.” – Annie Hayter, Big Issue
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
fiction / romance.
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died five months ago…
When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift—twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.
At first Tilly can’t imagine sinking into a fictional world, but Joe’s tender words convince her to try, and something remarkable happens—Tilly becomes immersed in the pages, and a new chapter begins to unfold in her own life. Monthly trips to the bookstore—and heartfelt conversations with Alfie—give Tilly the comfort she craves and the courage to set out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to share her journey with others, her story—like a book—becomes more than her own.
“The perfect cozy read for book lovers, sure to break and heal hearts.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] beautifully crafted tribute to books, booksellers, and the transformative power of reading… Readers of all kinds will be captivated by this tender exploration of loss, healing, and the enduring connections that books create.” – Stacy Alesi, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“This painfully beautiful story of love and loss from Page is an emotional tour de force… Page crafts a taut plot and makes her characters achingly real; readers will be crying in some places, laughing in others, yet always in thrall to the story. This heartbreaking tale is sure to find a wide audience.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow
fiction / young adult / fantasy / romance.
Darling is the most talented―and unusual―Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms―if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job… until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover.
Calamity is the most talented―and arrogant―Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical “Happily Ever After.” When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy―Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too―a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand.
To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves… and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love.
“Written in engaging prose, this enchanting cozy fantasy with adult crossover appeal has it all—creative worldbuilding, well-developed characters, and a sweet, swoonworthy romance… Unmissable.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Nicely balancing laughter, longing, and hope, this cozy, whimsical fairy tale centers on Darling, a determined fairy who believes everyone deserves a happily-ever-after… Dow capably blends together varied themes in this multifaceted book that will satisfy fans of both romantic fantasies and emotionally grounded coming-of-age stories in imaginative packages.” – Aurora Dominguez, Booklist
“…fun and frothy… Calam and Darling’s charming alternating first-person POVs combine to deliver a hijinks-forward, vivacious true love story that empathetically portrays mental health challenges.” – Publishers Weekly
Who’s Watching Shorty?: Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly’s Abuse by Reshona Landfair
nonfiction / memoir / true crime.
Reshona Landfair—known as “Jane Doe” when she testified at R. Kelly’s trial—was the 14-year-old-girl in the child pornography video that ultimately led to racketeering and sex-trafficking convictions and a 30-year prison sentence for the R&B superstar. No one in Landfair’s world was looking out for her interests or trying to protect her from someone who was a known (or at least rumored) predator. The people who should have stood up for her—from her family to music business executives to social services to law enforcement—all looked the other way, blinded by his fame and celebrity. That’s the story that hasn’t been told, and which Reshona is finally ready to recount, in her own words.
What was it like to be a young teenager, emotionally still a child, and be caught up in his orbit? Why did she believe he loved her, despite how badly he treated her? Why did she keep his secrets for so long? This book is an insider’s view from the girl, now woman, that R. Kelly called his “goddaughter,” the man to whom she lost her virginity, her voice, her freedom, and nearly her life, in the years he had her under his perverse control.
A deeply personal and ultimately empowering memoir, Who’s Watching Shorty? is more than a story of bravery; it’s a hard-hitting reminder to always look after those you love. Jane Doe is no longer a nameless plaintiff on a long court document. Jane Doe is Reshona Landfair, a champion of victims of abuse and coercion, a woman whose fearless voice and transformative words will provide courage for generations to come.
“A moving reclamation of self after abuse.” – Kirkus Reviews
“[An] honest account of how sexual exploitation and abuse destroys both individuals and communities… Ultimately, Landfair’s story is one of courage and overcoming… All the more impressive that Landfair has found the inner strength and peace to reclaim all the broken parts of her life.” – Ms. Magazine
Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbø
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2016. When a small-time criminal and gun dealer is shot down in the street, all signs point to Tomas Gomez, a quiet man with a mysterious past—and deep connections to a notorious gang—who has seemingly vanished into thin air. Other murders soon follow, and it appears Gomez is only getting started. Meanwhile, Bob Oz, a down-and-out suspended police officer with a dubious past of his own, becomes fascinated by the case: he is obsessed with the notion of hunting down a serial killer who only he can understand, a killer with a story as tragic as his own.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2022. An enigmatic Norwegian man with ties to Minneapolis—a self-described crime writer—has traveled to the United States to research the Gomez case, in the hopes of writing a book about it. But as his investigation progresses, the writer’s seemingly neutral position reveals itself to be more complicated than the reader is initially led to believe.
“Nesbø has crafted a powerhouse here, a profoundly human exploration of loneliness and grief driven by a twisting procedural plot and grisly shocks.” – Christine Tran, Booklist
“Nordic noir master Nesbø sets his sights on the American Midwest in this exquisitely plotted, darkly funny thriller that tackles gun control, police corruption, and psychological trauma in contemporary Minneapolis… As the narratives converge and Nesbø reveals the precise nature of Ruch’s connection to the case, readers will have no doubt they’re in the hands of a brilliant storyteller. This soars.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“…for all its darkness, the novel is a pleasure to read with its engaging, easy-twisting plot, its cerebral touches, and characters like Liza, a bartender whose teasing scenes with Oz are highlights. Nesbø is clearly having a good time immersing himself in American culture, politics, and policing, revealing ‘Minnesota nice’ as ‘a friendly, polite surface obscuring a conflict-averse and passive-aggressive undercurrent.’” Oslo was never like this.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
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