Staff Choices

Mysteries come in all forms these days, from darker, grittier mysteries, classic noir, and Japanese "iya-misu" (trans. "ew mysteries") to cozy, low-stakes puzzles. Recipes and food showcases also seem to be increasingly popular beyond the typical cooking show. So, why not do both? Welcome to The Kamogawa Food Detectives, the first book in a cozy mystery series in which a retired Kyoto detective, Nagare Kamogawa, and his daughter Koichi investigate and recreate lost dishes at their mysterious Kamogawa Diner. While the structure of the book is somewhat formulaic, the pattern is such that the reader could potentially read the chapters out of order (apart from the expository first chapter), depending on which featured dish one is in the mood for.

Quiet but compulsively readable, one can easily devour this book in one sitting and still have an appetite for seconds. Each chapter is chock-full of delicious meals, from light summer fare to hearty banquets. Each morsel is flavored with nostalgia, bringing to mind an appreciation for the small joys in life. Warning: Don't read this book while hungry--by the end, you'll be starving for all these homestyle foods to comfort you like a bowl of hot soup.

Readers who enjoy this book may also like: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura, Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen by Hiromi Sato and Kamome Shirahama, What Did You Eat Yesterday? by Fumi Yoshinaga, and She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Sakaomi Yuzaki.

Eddie Ndopu is an accomplished South African human rights activist, with prestigious and prolific accolades from all over the globe. He was also diagnosed as an infant with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a genetic condition that has rendered him disabled from childhood with an increasing lack of motor functions. Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw is Ndopu's memoir of his struggles and successes at Oxford University. It was also entirely written on his iPhone with his 'one good finger.'

When Ndopu applied for a Master's Degree program at Oxford, he was living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Although the university initially offered him a full ride scholarship, Ndopu still had to crowdfund to supplement his costs as an international disabled student, especially since his dedicated care aide, Lucky, was unable to accompany him. Ndopu's year at Oxford is a series of trials and achievements apart from his coursework: he is elected student body president, but his care aides are less than satisfactory. He has amazing friends, but also condescending professors. Serendipity strikes, but so does betrayal. (Stephen Hawking, another lauded disabled celebrity, makes a brief cameo, among others.) This memoir is a testament to the struggles of having a disability, but also the potential and ability of achievement.

Often described as an eloquent speaker, Ndopu's memoir is also a quick read, each page turning almost by itself. Scenes at Oxford are interspersed with flashbacks, providing relevant context to the impact of specific scenes. While the short chapters seem episodic, they are in fact part of a larger whole, spanning the entirety of Ndopu's Master's program. His experiences inform and influence his final Master's thesis, as he studies accommodation and public policy in order to advocate for other disabled people. While every experience with disability is different, Ndopu's book sheds light on the day to day experience of existing, from getting out of bed to going to the movie theater, and poignantly illustrates both the importance of inclusivity and how accommodations for some benefit society as a whole. Readers will come away from this book both entertained and enlightened, while also looking forward to more of Ndopu's work.

Readers who enjoy this book may also enjoy Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, and Travelling to Infinity by Jane Hawking, which was adapted into the hit film The Theory of Everything (2014). 

This book was such a delightful read. If you love the Great British Bake Off, Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford will not disappoint. Full of tender, wholesome characters, this is a feel-good story perfect for the summer. 

Jenny Quinn loves to bake and at the age of 77 fears she’s let the opportunity of a grand adventure pass her by. That’s not to say she’s unhappy with her life. She has a loving husband and her great niece and nephew to dote on. When the opportunity to compete in Britain Bakes arises, Jenny secretly throws her hat in the ring. For all her worry that she’s too old, not good enough and that she can’t leave her aging husband, Jenny becomes a breakout star on the show. 

But with each bake, old memories surface, forcing Jenny to relive her past and come face to face with a secret she’s kept hidden for decades. 

Erik Larson writes historical books, like some write fiction. Interesting, fast paced, and keeps the readers interested. If your interested in the Civil War and how a country can become very polarized this is an excellent source, and a good place to start. I've  never been to Sumter but after reading this book I would like to see it. I enjoyed the book but not as well as some of his other works.

I didn't realize how much I needed to be reunited with these characters and that I missed them so much. If you somehow haven’t read The Guncle by Steven Rowley yet, first off put it at the top of your TBR list pronto. Secondly, they need to be read in order to understand the characters' dynamics and backstory. Patrick does not disappoint in this sequel with his witty and sarcastic humor. Maisie and Grant are now five years older than they were in the first book and Patrick needs to teach them “the Guncle’s love language” since they are struggling to accept their father's impending nuptials. Patrick has a rivalry with the kid’s new Launt and it showcases Patrick at his petty best. The setting takes you on a journey through Europe as Patrick and the kids do their own jaunt before settling in Italy for Greg’s wedding. I was just as charmed with this one as I was with the first book, the characters are entertaining and endearing, the plot was heartfelt, and the entire thing was humorous but touching from start to finish. Full of humor, love and teenage angst, The Guncle Abroad is a must read for 2024. 

A charming fast paced story about a brother and sister as they navigate queerness, the ups and downs of searching for love, as well as their unique Maaori-Russian-Catalonian family. Valdin, still reeling from a break-up finds himself in South America confronting feelings he tried to ignore. Greta, missing her brother, is juggling work, unrequited love and all the family dramas, is struggling to finish a Masters thesis and find her way in the world. Each character, the siblings and the whole extended family are quirky, and endearing. You find yourself cheering for everyone to get what they want and need. 
This was such a delightful surprise book! It is one of my favorite books I've read all year.

Charlie Donlea never disappoints with his books. This mystery kept me guessing till the end. Well developed characters, plot, and editing. A baby and her parents are missing for 30 years. A doctor beginning a genealogy study discovers some discrepancies when she receives her DNA report. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica is a fast-paced thriller full of twists you won’t want to put down. The first chapter ropes you in, and true to form, Kubica continues to weave a master puzzle that will have you desperate to put together.  

Set in Chicago, our narrator Meghan works as a nurse in the ICU. Her most recent charge, Caitlyn, is brought in after an apparent suicide attempt. Battered, bruised, and in a coma, it’s anyone’s guess what really happened on that bridge that night. With a daughter of her own, Meghan feels great empathy for Caitlyn’s family. But as things start to come to light, Meghan begins to cross the line of professional care, digging deeper into Caitlyn and her family’s lives. 

Add in a slew of recent break in and assaults, an old high school acquaintance with an abusive husband desperate for help, her recent divorce, and a teenage daughter testing her limits, she's a little on edge.   

Kubica expertly tackles the trials of being a working mom and the dangers of being a woman living in a city. 

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this novel ever since stumbling across Nick Medina's debut novel, Sisters of the Lost Nation (review here). Medina, a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe and a Chicago local, draws upon his native folklore and history to craft mystery thrillers (with a dash of horror) that both incorporate Indigenous culture and raise awareness about contemporary Indigenous struggles. Sisters of the Lost Nation, for example, draws from various Native folktales about a rolling/disembodied head, but also seeks to encourage support and activism for #MMIWG (Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls). Indian Burial Ground, Medina's second book, is a prequel/follow-up to Sisters, but is most accurately a companion novel--readers don't need to read one to understand the other. If you do, there are some wonderful cameos of central and significant characters that readers will welcome like old friends. (Hi, Anna!) This book focuses more on the Takoda Tribe's origin story (starring alligators), with a dash of Coyote, and haunted by a mysterious malevolent entity. 

Indian Burial Ground follows Louie and Noemi (first appearing as supporting characters in Sisters) as they navigate life on the rez before and after the establishment of the casino featured in Book One. Louie's story is mostly told in the prequel chapters, and follows his coming-of-age story as he struggles with an alcoholic mother, his role as a teenage uncle (Noemi is his niece), and a tribe that has not yet found financial support. Future adult Noemi, on the other hand, must come to terms with the sudden death (possible suicide) of her boyfriend and the stigma regarding mental health on the rez.

Medina's storytelling masterfully weaves traditional tales with suspense, drawing the reader in while constantly wondering which accounts to believe. Mystery blends with supernatural, leaving the border between reality and imagination blurred: a technique he demonstrated skillfully in Sisters, and which returns in Indian Burial Ground. Medina is also adept at plot twists--even at the very end, the reader is kept on their toes. Will their guess be correct? What element(s) did they miss? While this novel does answer some questions left at the end of Sisters, more remain...but fear not--Medina has already announced plans for a third installment of the series!

Indian Burial Ground is perfect for fans of quick, short chapters; multi-POV narration; and alternating timelines. This is definitely a page-turner focused on humanizing social issues through the lens of individual perspectives. Fans of ambiguous supernatural elements and mythology will enjoy this book, though it is not for the faint of heart. If you enjoy Stephen Graham Jones, Oskar Hokeah, and Killers of the Flower Moon, this is a book for you! Also, for audiobook fans, the audiobook version is narrated by Indigenous/First Nations actors Gary Farmer (Reservoir Dogs) and Erin Tripp!

The Moorings of Mackerel Sky, a debut novel by MZ ( Emily Zack), is a lovely tale of a small seaside town, its history, its legends and the bonds between its residents. I wouldn’t classify this as straight fantasy, but I also hesitate to call it magical realism.  

Alternating between several residents of Mackerel Sky, this story is a testament to the power of local legend and how it can shape people and places. From a boy who seeks refuge with a neighbor to escape his alcoholic mother to two young men’s budding but secret relationship, there is a fair amount of turmoil and grief in their small town.  

This novel starts out slowly but gradually builds to a rather exciting end, so don’t give up!