"A dangerous waterpark. A missing girl. A wife trapped in a nightmare. At Breakneck Bay, the rides are fast, the injuries frequent, and the lawsuits endless. But when a teenage employee vanishes after closing, leaving behind a blood-soaked crime scene, it's clear this summer will be the deadliest yet. Suspicion falls on park manager Mitch Blue, forcing his newlywed wife Kit to confront the cracks in their marriage -- and the unsettling secrets he's been keeping. But Kit and the police aren't the only ones looking for answers. Someone is watching from the shadows, waiting to finish what they started years ago. As Kit uncovers chilling ties between Mitch and the waterpark's dark past, she's left questioning everything she thought she knew -- including whether she's sleeping beside a killer. Because at Breakneck Bay, the only thing deadlier than the rides is the truth"--

"In a rocky cove at Hakata Bay, the bodies of a young and beautiful couple are discovered. Standing on the cold beach, the police see nothing to investigate: The flush of the couple's cheeks and the empty juice bottle speak clearly of cyanide, of a lovers' suicide. But in the eyes of two men, senior detective Torigai Jutaro and Kiichi Mihara, a young gun from Tokyo, something is not quite right. Together, they begin to pick at the knot of a unique and calculated crime." --

Jennifer Charles (JC) has sort of figured out their life. They're two months out of prison, clean, and sober, and just got a job at a CaFae Latte, owned by the mysterious and powerful fairy who goes by Violet. They're getting along with their knife-happy coworker and have even started dating one of the regulars who practices witchcraft. But JC is not the only one with a dark past. When Violet's Fae Realm enemies come for revenge, they frame JC for their crimes, putting their new life in jeopardy. With Violet missing and everyone blaming the ex-con, JC will have to face their own checkered past, Confederate vampires, and shapeshifting fairies to save their boss and themself. Meanwhile, Violet would like to remind the Fae why they call her the Iron Witch.

"In the small coastal town of Sparrow, Maine, tradition runs deep-and change is rarely welcome When Reverend Miranda McCurdy becomes the new parish priest at St. Gabriel-by-the Sea, she's determined to make a difference in her small community. But her eagerness to make the church more progressive stirs up a hornet's nest with members of the Thanksgiving committee who don't want to give up their long tradition of dressing like "Pilgrims and Indians," and when a young, pregnant, Honduran woman seeks sanctuary at St. Gabe's, the congregation's response is not what she'd hoped. Juggling the demands of her congregation with her own solitude as a young widow, it's hard to know if her calling to serve the church was real. When she's faced with a vote of no confidence, followed by an offer from her former employer to head up a new upscale restaurant in Seattle, she has an easy way out, but can she walk away? A lost dog and a handsome stranger only complicate matters." -- ONIX annotation.

"Maud Lavin’s debut novel follows a woman of a certain age who loves to swim and meets Evelyn, a mermaid—feral, strapping, rule-breaking—in Lake Michigan. Evelyn is all id. The two become friends, competitors, and reluctant activists in the Great Lakes clean water movement, while also taking over poetry readings and eating many blueberry muffins."--

"December 1921. Being single and a new Chief, Inspector Rutledge of Scotland Yard gets the short straw at Christmastime and is called upon by Chief Superintendent Markum to go to the Kentish home of a lord recovering from an attempt on his life. In bed with a concussion, the man is convinced someone is trying to kill him after he claims he was struck by the hoof of a running horse whose rider never stopped to check on him. Struggling with his own demons from the war and misgivings about helping a man who, as a colonel, oversaw the suffering of those on the frontlines from afar, Rutledge undertakes an uneasy investigation. And as the winter holiday approaches, he becomes increasingly convinced that nothing is as it seems" --

"Prosperity Island. Its history is filled with shipwrecks, cannibalism, and a string of unexplained deaths. And now ... it hosts the party of the century. A content creator millionaire and more than a hundred of his fans land on the beach. The plan: five days of elaborate games, drinking, and suntanned fun. Among the guests are a womantrying to hide from her bloody and notorious past, and a video journalist hunting for the next big scandal. The celebrations have barely started when the first guests go missing. Games take a deadly turn. And attendees are forced to question whether they've really been invited to paradise ... or whether something much darker is boiling just under the surface."--

"For readers of Our Wives Under the Sea and The Once and Future Witches comes a feminist gothic tale with a tough-as-nails female protagonist who must find her elderly aunt, long suspected of being a witch. A spooky, atmospheric, and fast-paced feminist tale about women called witches and the parts of our history we'd rather forget Madeline is missing. Ordered to find her, Madeline's estranged niece Fade must return to the lonely forest of Willow Sound, Nova Scotia. There, Fade discovers her aunt's once-cozy cottage empty and rotting. The ominous smell of something burnt hangs in the air. In her search for answers, Fade clashes with the people of Grand Tea, a nearby village struggling under the shadow of a massive, looming rock that could tip and crush them all at any time. For generations, they've invented bizarre lore about Madeline, calling her a witch and blaming her for their misfortunes. They've had more misfortunes than ever lately. And a hurricane is coming. Inspired by real East Coast traditions and witch lore, The Witch of Willow Sound is a modern gothic tale that explores family lost and found and throws firelight on dark truths about what societies do with the people, and the past, they don't want."--

"Asher Anderson is angry--at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins? He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood. Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil...where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying." -- Publisher annotation.

"Eric and Carl live in Dorset in a small white cottage under the shadow of a big cliff. Eric sells old records and antiques. Carl cooks, cleans and crochets. Nearing 70, Eric is a lifelong accumulator of obscure objects whose easygoing, chaotic approach to life masks some of the unaddressed sadness of his past. The significantly younger Carl is an old soul who has a sophisticated emotional intelligence and likes swimming, mid-century female novelists, fibre arts and Dolly Parton. If you passed them on a walk, you may not pay them much attention. Most likely you would see Carl's long floppy ears, tail and fur and mistake him for a dog. The story of Eric and Carl's friendship spans 21 years: a constant anchor in a changing world."--Publisher.

"Paige didn't set out to be a stay-at-home mom, but when her husband's screenwriting career took off right before they had a son withDown syndrome, the decision was made for her. Now, with their children nearly grown and unsure what's next, Paige writes a memoir aboutthe challenges of raising a child with a disability. When a major actress-turned-producer shows up at her door eager to make her 'inspiring' story into a movie, she's shocked, excited, and a little terrified"--

"Houston, 1975. A new Apollo mission launches into orbit, on course to dock with a Russian Soyuz craft: three NASA astronauts and three cosmonauts, joining to celebrate a new dawn of Soviet-American cooperation. But as NASA Flight Controller Kaz Zemeckis listens in from Earth, a deadly accident onboard the orbiting spacecraft changes everything. Meanwhile, from a remote location in east Asia, the first Chinese spacecraft secretly launches. On board is China’s first astronaut, Fang Kuo-chun, whose mission puts him on a collision course with the Apollo crew. As Kaz races against an enemy on the ground and for answers beyond the sky, the safety of the remaining crew hangs in the balance… Filled with shocking twists and real history—including the fascinating story of Professor Tsien Hsue-shen, the “Father of Chinese Rocketry” and founder of China’s space program—Final Orbit accelerates to a thrilling conclusion that captures the beauty and terror of survival 270 miles above Earth, as could only be written by one of the world's most experienced astronauts." --Dust jacket.

"When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous "friends," his reclusive life will never be the same, in this enthralling novel in stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series. Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories Dear Asil: We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for you: five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun! Sincerely, Your Concerned Friends"--

In the Everglades, a senseless murder unearths long-buried secrets. When artist Hezekiah Freeman is found drowned in the shallow waters of Everglades National Park, Special Agent Alison Nance and Clarence Johnson are tasked with uncovering the truth behind his death. What initially seems like a tragic accident soon reveals itself to be part of a larger, more intricate conspiracy. As they begin their investigation, Clarence and Alison discover that Hezekiah's artwork holds more than his artistic genius. Beneath layers of paint lay cryptic clues to a hidden history that some want to keep buried. The details suggest that Hezekiah was searching for something within the park, something that might have led to his untimely death. With each step closer to finding answers, the danger intensifies, forcing Johnson and Nance to untangle the connections between the murder and stories that the Everglades have long held.

"Madeline and Wes Drake have invited two hundred of their closest friends and family to their sprawling horse ranch for the most anticipated event of the year: a 'pistols and pearls' gender reveal party so sensational it is sure to make headlines. But the party descends into chaos when the celebratory explosive misfires, leaving one woman dead and a trail of secrets. As the aftershocks of the bloody party ripple across the small town, Agent Jamie Saldano is brought on the scene to investigate. Battling his own demons from the past, Saldano unearths a web of deceit spun around the Drakes. The appearance of some unexpected houseguests only deepens the mystery. And as tensions mount, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn't just an unlucky accident. But who was the target, and why? As the shadow of a killer looms, the happy parents-to-be must unravel the truth before it's too late"--

"Following the death of his wife and daughter, Colm Truesdale is left mentally scarred. After time off, and with no desire to return to the courtroom, Truesdale is brought back into the investigation of the murder of a young woman who ran a beauty salon outside of town. When a page from her appointment book goes missing, and then the crime scene burns down, it's up to Colm to untangle the web of deception that implicates a powerful judge and his family." --

"Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter investigates a murder that left a dog stranded in And to All a Good Bite, the latest Christmas mystery in David Rosenfelt's bestselling series. Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter can't wait for Christmas. He doesn't care much about the season, unless it's football season. Andy's excited to finally relax and watch the games. But when there's a murder related to an old case in Paterson, New Jersey, Andy puts the games on pause. Two years ago, a gas leak in an office building led to a tragic explosion that killed seven people. Jeff Wheeler was there to pick up his girlfriend and ran into the building to help. All he heard was the barking of a dog, Rufus, and was able to save him. The pup was the sole survivor and Jeff was named a hero. Initially, Rufus went to the Tara Foundation since his owner had died in the accident. But Andy met Jeff and liked him, respecting his courage and allowed him to adopt Rufus. Since then, Jeff and Rufus have formed an unbreakable bond. The accident never sat right with Jeff. He believed that one of the building owners was responsible for the tragedy. Now that owner has been murdered and Jeff is arrested for the crime, Rufus is left with Jeff's sister, who begs Andy to take the case. Andy remembered Jeff's tremendous bravery and with the lingering Christmas spirit, decides to help reunite the two. With David Rosenfelt's signature humor and hijinks, it's time to close this case for good and bid it a good night"-- Provided by publisher.

Her secrets shaped a kingdom. Her loyalty was deadly. Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor court, where nothing is more powerful than a secret. And power rests on the edge of a tyrant king's sword. She wears many masks--loving wife, devoted sister, and obedient spy. It's what a woman must do to survive. The only weapon she has is her voice. They say Jane's whispers sealed the fate of two queens. They called her a liar and a traitor. But the truth is far more dangerous.

"In the 1950s, nothing is valued more than conformity, and Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the ideal housewife. But after the birth of her daughter, Lulu's carefully constructed life begins to teeter. Exhausted by expectations and haunted by tragic memories, Lulu looks to her new neighbor, Bitsy. Bitsy, always the model of a perfect housewife, is not quite what she seems and Lulu knows something dark lurks beneath Bitsy's constant smile. Increasingly fixated on Bitsy and her perfectly crafted life, Lulu's mental state begins to fracture, and memories she had suppressed long ago begin to rise to the surface. Soon, Lulu is forced to confront the possibility that she might be headed down a path much darker than she could ever foresee. Set against the backdrop of a post-war era defined by tradition and constrained femininity, The Mad Wife weaves together a coming-of-age search for identity with a psychological drama so poignant, you won't be able to put it down"--

"The second eldest, Beth Schrock always believed herself the most level-headed sibling. After all, in the wake of their parents' divorce, it was she who emerged as the caretaker and steadying presence. Yet after almost two years in Ohio, Beth's life remains the most unsettled. Unlike her younger sister and brothers, Beth has yet to become Amish, or fall in love, much less marry. Still, she is about to take on the biggest responsibility of them all. She is going to be a mother. A single mother. While she's not proud of her actions, she is excited, and hopeful about the sense of purpose this change will bring. When Beth happens to meet family acquaintance Junior Lambright, they bump heads a bit. But after she takes a part-time job at his successful candle factory, it doesn't take long for sparks to ignite -- or for Junior to decide to be the friend Beth clearly needs. Still, neither expects a romance. Ten years older than Beth, Junior seems content to devote himself to work and his two senior Labradors. And as Beth's due date looms, she must choose a path. She considers returning to Cleveland and her high-paying, high-stress, realtor job. She could hire a nanny. But she'd miss so much about Walden -- including Junior. And then, Junior proposes. Beth is sure Junior's sweet offer is only to save her reputation... Unless, like her, Junior is also yearning for something more. With faith, and the courage to open their hearts, they might soon find out..." --

One of Ursula K. Le Guin's most realistic works, Searoad: Chronicles of Klatsand , first published in 1991 is also among her most inventive. A series of interconnected stories set in a small vacation town off the coast highway in Oregon, this contemporary classic paints a vivid and powerfully evocative portrait of Klatsand's residents and the community they build over the course of a century. Some have deep roots in the village while others have come for just a weekend but all are pilgrims subject of inexpressible longings.

"From the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Award-winning author of Kindred, the Parable novels, and “Bloodchild,” here in its spellbinding entirety is Octavia E. Butler’s epic of human survival and transformation. Conceived against a backdrop of Reagan-era nuclear brinksmanship, Lilith’s Brood: The Xenogenesis Trilogy—a classic of Afrofuturist speculative fiction—offers profound reflections on race, biology, colonialism, resistance, consent, sexuality, community, hybridity, technology, power, and the future of humankind."--Amazon.

"Against the vividly drawn backdrop of Victorian London, amateur sleuth Charles Lenox must unlock a mystery concealed in the architecture of the city itself, in this new novel from acclaimed author Charles Finch. It's 1879, and Lenox is convalescing from the violent events of his last investigation. But a desperate letter from an old servant forces him to pick up the trail of a cold case: the murder of an apothecary seven years before, whose only clue is an odd emblem carved into the doorway of the building where the man was killed. When Lenox finds a similar mark at the site of another murder, he begins to piece together a hidden pattern which leads him into the corridors of Parliament, the slums of East London, and ultimately the very heart of the British upper class. At the same time, Lenox must contend with the complexities of his personal life: a surprising tension with his steadfast wife, Lady Jane, over her public support of the early movement for women's suffrage; the arrival of Angela Lenox, a mysterious young cousin from India, with an unexpected companion; the dizzying ascent of his brother, Sir Edmund Lenox, to one of the highest political posts in the land; the growing family of his young partners in detection, Polly and Dallington; and the return of the problems that have long bedeviled one of his closest friends, the dashing Scottish physician Thomas McConnell. Featuring a beloved cast of characters, a top-notch puzzle, and Finch's trademark humor and richness of historical detail, The Hidden City is a novel by a master at the top of his form" -- Provided by publisher.