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Writer's pictureRebecca Bechhold

Summer Sizzle


Table for Two by Amor Towles

A stellar offering from a favorite writer. Having just enjoyed the utterly charming series of A Gentleman in Moscow ( was worried it could not possibly live up to the book) this collection of short stories and a novella was a delight. A















City in Ruins by Don Winslow

This is Winslows final book and the last in the Danny Ryan trilogy.

Do not miss his cartel trilogy or his book on the NYPD, The Force. His research is meticulous, authentic, and terrifying. A
















The Mountain King by Anders de la Motte

Big fan of Swedish crime novels. Brutal crime, flawed detectives, and Swedish setting. For fans of Jo Nesbo and Steig Larsson. A











Cold Victory by Karl Marlantes

Set in Finland just after WW II, this story of consulates from the US and Russia and their wives is enlightening regarding the difficult situation Finland dealt with during and after the war. Russia had a tight grip on life through intimidation, regulation, and surveillance. A














Flight of the Wild Swan by Melissa Pritchard

Historical novel of the life of Florence Nightingale. She was an unusual child and adult with a prickly personality, but she was single-minded in her devotion to the improvement of health care delivery, particularly for the military. She is not a likeable person, but her dogged commitment to her visionary work is truly remarkable. A











Real Americans by Rachel Khong

This book has received wide critical acclaim, but my take is more muted.

I do think it makes for a good discussion with timely topics of family, immigration, class disparity, genetic manipulation. B+















Not to be overlooked:

Honey by Victor Lodato. Octegenarian Mob princess returns home to NJ to find peace in her last years. But this is NJ! Fun read for beach, pool or plane.

Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon. Contemporary telling of the Greek tale of Persephone and Demeter. Classic story of a mothers determination to save her child.

The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian. A Las Vegas story of crime, the entertainment industry, and family dynamics.

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger. From the author of Peace Like a River. Set in the not too distant future- a man on a mission crossing Lake Superior and confronted by marauders, thieves, and environmental challenges. He is a kind man, but not weak. He is canny, resourceful, and determined.

Original Sins by Erin Young. The second book to feature FBI agent Riley Fisher. Set in a bleak Des Moines as she tracks a serial killer.

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