The winter months stretch ahead of you and you’ve already decided one thing: They’re full of great days to read. Take one warm blanket, one hot beverage, one cushy spot to sit, then grab one of these great ideas for your novel cravings … For the reader who wants a women’s tale with humor and history, check out “ Women’s Hotel” by Daniel M. Lavery HarperVia, $28.99).
The Biedermeier Hotel is full of women needing a place to stay in Manhattan while they work in dying mid-century professions. It’s a safe place to be but there are problems, starting with money- saving cuts that nobody likes. The writing is on the wall for the Biedermeier, the women who live there and those who work there.
Funny, charming and totally immersing, you’ll love this novel.
Another humorous tale to find is “Blood Test: A Comedy” by Charles Baxter (Pantheon, $28). It’s the story of Brock Hobson, a Midwestern divorced father who takes a blood test similar to that which many Americans have taken. For Brock, though, the results are shocking: He learns from this test that he could easily become a murderer. Yes, this book’s exactly what the subtitle promises, but it’s also a book that’ll make you think about those you choose to have around you.
Speaking of mysteries, if you need one that’s truly different, “Pony Confidential” by Christine Lynch (Berkley, $28) will fill that bill fully.
On and off through his lifetime, Pony has moved from barn to barn to one lot and another lot until he’s had enough and he breaks out to run away to the only little girl who ever really loved him. Her name was Penny and once Pony finds her, he learns that she’s not a little girl anymore. She’s a grown woman now, and she’s been accused of murder!
What happens inside this mystery is something whodunit fans won’t want to miss, especially if they’re horse lovers or have ponies of their own.
Sometimes, when reading a novel, you forget it’s not true. In “The Close-Up” by Pip Drysdale (Gallery Books, $28.99), an author pens a thriller that she knows is just a story… but a fan-turnedstalker turns it into fact. This scary novel is satisfying and terrifying, especially in light of current events.
And finally, if a Christmas tale is what you want now, look for “Time of the Child” by Niall Williams (Bloomsbury, $28.99).
For Dr. Jack Troy, growing up in the small Irish town of Faha has meant living on the periphery, mostly because his fellow townspeople hold him up in such high regard. Right or wrong, his daughter, Ronnie, lives under the same light. But just before Christmas of 1962, a surprise falls into their lives, a child that they assume responsibility for, and it changes them and their entire town. It’s the perfect tale for the holidays.
And if you need more novels, reach out to your favorite librarian or bookseller. They’ll help you find what you want, winter and all year long.
Season’s Readings!
— The Bookworm Sez
