Whether you do plan some sort of outdoor activities(depending on the ongoing health crisis that is not over by a long shot yet) or intend to stay cool inside near any type of AC, having a book on hand is as essential as a cold drink during those warm temperature times.
With that in mind, I have a few upcoming May/June releases to recommend that you keep an eye out for as you make those vacation plans:
INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF MYSTERY
When Ruth gets a visit from FBI agent Sumner Fox regarding her sister Iris, who defected to Russia with her husband Sasha several years ago, it becomes apparent that a reunion is in the best interest of all concerned.
Flying to Russia under the guise of helping Iris during her pregnancy, Ruth does her best to get both Iris and Sasha out of the country before the KGB catches on to the double dealing spy business that they're in. However, such carefully made plans tend to go awry yet Ruth is determined to do what she can to protect more than one innocent life in the balance.
Williams does have a way with well developed female characters that makes their seemingly standard situations much more complex and emotionally nuanced than one might think at first glance. I have no doubt that this will be the case here(June):
SAVORING SOME SHORT STORY SHORTBREAD
Many of the stories here are connected by Lionel, who we meet in the engaging opening story Pot Luck, where Lionel, a college math proctor, is seeking to reconnect with the world after a suicide attempt. While at the title party, he finds himself bonding with Charles, a dancer who is in a relationship with Sophie, who Lionel also feels a kinship with.
As this triangle goes forward, Lionel's unease at balancing both of these newly formed connections is felt throughout the book. The other stories here showcase a distraught private chef/babysitter and her less than happy charge, a pack of turbulent teens seeking trouble and then finding it in a rather violent manner and a young woman having more than her fair share of coping with her physical and emotional health.
While I'm not a big short story reader, this collection is a compelling book that ought to bring all of the reluctant readers to the yard(June).
Another set of short stories due out soon is a creative twist on the usual fairytale lore , courtesy of Majorie Liu.
The Tangleroot Palace showcases such delights as Amish vampires in After the Blood, a supervillian in need of a hero to face down in The Last Dignity of Man and an apprentice witch looking to free herself from her vindictive teacher in Sympathy for the Bones.
One of the big showstoppers here is The Briar and the Rose, a reinvention of the Sleeping Beauty story where a woman warrior finds it difficult to allow her enchantress employer to take possession of the title princess. Liu is well known for her incredible literary craftsmanship in such works as Montress and this set of short but sinister sweet tales should be more amazing than any blockbuster fantasy film on the cinematic horizon(June):
MAKING SOME MARVELOUS MYSTERY MEALS
Lila is more than happy to be at Tia Rosie's Kitchen but with the persistent presence of former high school sweetheart Derek, now a food blogger who constantly gives the place negative reviews, things get less than appetizing.
Upon Derek's untimely demise due to food poisoning, Lila is seen as the prime suspect in the case and she has no choice but to clear her name.
Aided by her best friend Adeena, Lila looks into other factors such as the fact that Derek was the stepson of Ed Long, the restaurant's landlord who has been looking to shut Tia Rosie's Kitchen down for awhile. Was Derek's death a means to that end or are there other intriguing ingredients to be found for this recipe for murder?
Starting a new series is always fun and when it comes to culinary cozies, such savory sleuthing is too tasty to resist:(May)
On the other hand, getting cozy with an old favorite is just as fun, which is good for the next entry in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series.
Mocha, She Wrote puts it's storytelling spotlight on Andy, Juliet Capshaw's top barista who is hoping to make coffee his ultimate career. The announcement of a major coffee competition coming to their beloved town of Ashland has everyone excited,especially when Andy is selected as a contender.
However, things go from brew to worse as the head judge finds Andy's initial entry to be truly tasteless. When said judge turns up dead with that same unlikable latte in hand, Andy finds himself in seriously hot water. Can Juliet save the situation before her favorite worker is ground up by the system?
While I'm not a coffee drinker, I do appreciate the caffeinated love that folks have for their beverage of choice and this newest cup of criminally good java should be a stimulating read indeed:(June)
As much as I enjoy spring, summer time does have it's charms and having a good book to look forward to is definitely one of those.
So are summer movies and whether theaters become safer to enter or you just settle down on your sofa with a bucket of buttery popcorn, that is one delight worth waiting for. Personally, I'm happy to now have HBO Max in order to have a front row seat for such sumptuous film fare like In The Heights this June!:
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