New Books

I'm quite excited about the pile of holds that arrived on my desk today:

Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda
From LJ: There's something for everyone in this new series debut--mystery, history, adventure, travel, even a bit of romance, plus one of the most appealing heroines to appear in the pages of a mystery. American Jade del Cameron, driving an ambulance on the battlefront in 1919 France, sees her RAF pilot fiancé crash in a dogfight and vows, as he dies in her arms, to find his half-brother, a quest that takes her to Africa. With an assignment for a travel magazine, Jade's off to Nairobi, where she stumbles onto a possible murder and finds herself the target of a shape-shifting witch, repelled only by an ill-smelling paste made by a Kikuyu sorcerer. Arruda evokes the landscape of colonial Africa beautifully, creates a fine cast of characters, and spins a spine-tingling story, all of which should create demand for her next book.

Sunstroke by Jesse Kellerman

From Kirkus: From the son of the bestsellers Kellerman (Faye and Jonathan), a superb debut thriller about love, lust, vengeance, murder and a good girl coping.



The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig
I loved The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and can't wait to read the sequel. From BookPage: In Lauren Willig's sequel to The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, the intrigues of the French Revolutionary era continue to haunt graduate student Eloise Kelly. On a trip to England, she pursues papers that will help to reveal the histories of English and French spies, most of whom used floral sobriquets. Colin Selwick is keeper of those secrets and his ancestor is one of the bouquet, the Purple Gentian. As The Masque of the Black Tulip begins, Eloise has discovered the 1803 papers of the Gentian's sister, Henrietta (Hen) Selwick. Hen is determined to help the English cause by exposing a mysterious spy, the Black Tulip, and her amateur efforts run up against her friend Miles Dorrington's more official assignment from the War Office. As the intrigues swirl, so does the romance as fiery passions surface between Miles and Hen. Their story is interwoven with Colin and Eloise's modern-day attempt to piece together the history and perhaps begin a romance of their own. An appealing tale that deftly blends the intrigues of wartime with the oldest story of all.

Also excited about the hold I received last week, which was published last year in the UK and is finally available in the US:

Utterly Monkey by Nick Laird (husband of Zadie Smith)
From LJ: This is an utterly engaging modern social satire with an unpredictable, violent edge. Danny Williams is a lovable yet flawed 28-year-old Northern Irish ex-pat chained to his desk at one of London's top law firms. Danny and his colleague Albert amuse themselves with sarcastic emails and mild corporate subterfuge. Then Geordie Wilson lands on Danny's doorstep, on the run from vicious Loyalist thugs. Geordie's a childhood friend with whom Danny shares a dark, never-discussed secret, and he's got something the bad guys want. Danny's other troubles begin to pile up: his firm is sending him back home to work on an ugly takeover bid that will result in the layoffs of hundreds of locals, and he can't seem to get it right with his captivating new assistant, Ellen. An excellent exploration of modern relationships, this novel is thick with hip British slang that lends authenticity but may challenge even the above-average Anglophile. Laird, who is married to literary darling Zadie Smith, pulls off his first novel with confidence and style. Highly recommended for all libraries.