This is a book about all manner of bad behavior. Not burping in public, or forgetting to thank someone for a gift . . . nope, this is the real deal. In a series of loosely connected chapters, Myriam enlightens the reader regarding some well-known creeps, tells her own personal stories of creeps who have had a deep impact on her life, and the plain old creepiness of culture. Her writing style is unique and took me a while to grasp, but her intellect is sharp as a stiletto. You definitely need another book to lull you to sleep, but this one is worth a read.

Who knew? This book tells the story of Dick Williams and Karl Behr, both passengers on the Titanic and survivors of the disaster. Both rising tennis stars, they met briefly on the ill-fated ship, again after they were rescued on the Carpathia, and much later as opponents on the court. I'm sure there's some literary license at play here, but the author did her research also and includes the angst of restlessness, guilt, and depression, all in a time prior to the realization that feelings are not flaws. The book moves right along and was quite heartwarming, along with the heartbreak, of course. Theirs seemed to be a friendly kind of rivalry, as they had played a game together with much higher stakes, after all. I loved it.

This one started out okay, then quickly devolved into an exercise in eye-rolling. I liked the protagonist until I really, really didn't. The premise of the book is that everyone she dates (swipes), ends up dead. Enter the loveable detective and the chase is afoot. The problem arises when our main girl cannot, to save her life, follow the simplest of directions or tell the dang truth. Furthermore, I guessed the killer (easily), and that was the icing on the soggy cake for me. It was definitely a quick read, but I won't be looking for more by this author.

I've read lots of the hard-hitting books on race, and they have all been good. Really good. Thought-provoking, life-changing, and shelf-worthy keepers, all of them. But at the end, I'm still left with a flailing, floating sense of "Okay, but why?" After reading Caste , that question has been answered for me. I think it's one of the best books I've ever read on the topic of race, and probably one of the best books I've ever read, period. While most of these most talked-about books are good, they are sometimes a bit hard to digest, not just because of the subject matter, but because they are such a deep dive. Somehow, Isabel is so dang smart and such a fantastic writer, that she made this horrific topic readable. I plowed right through that book, marking passages, pages, thoughts--and I never ever do that. I would read it again. There were so many times I actually stopped and gasped that people around me stopped reacting. This book should be required reading in every school and for every elected official in this country. I will keep it, have recommended it dozens of times already, and am immensely grateful for her efforts to educate the masses, despite the pain she was experiencing through the process of writing a book about such a laden topic. She is wise and brilliant. Read it.

Heidi is the interim sheriff in hardscrabble Bad Axe County, where locals know the way and ways of the terrain and folks. And tradition, as well as loyalties, run deep. A girl is missing, and as Heidi tries to solve that case, she finds overlapping references to her own trauma--the murder of her parents when she was a teenage "Dairy Queen", doing the rounds and representing. As both cases unravel, Heidi begins to uncover some secrets that seem impossible to face. I loved the heroines, and author John Galligan does a good job writing from a woman's perspective.

I love Dave Barry. He doesn't take himself, or his readers, too seriously, and the result is a fun ride. This book was no exception. I find in his books, good guys win, bad guys lose, and there's a lot of silliness along the way, with enough grit to keep things real-ish. In his latest, there's Jesse, a new mom, stuck in the Everglades with her hot but useless boyfriend and his leering friend. While they're trying to make it big with videos of her baby-daddy's body, she stumbles on something unexpected, and sets into action a dangerous chain of events. A great escape read.

This book opens with morgue scene, and a wife identifying the body of her husband. From that point on, the chapters are from the perspectives of the different characters in the story. Still, the protagonist is the woman, Sophie, who is the hub connecting the three men and various women in her life. From that first chapter, when I was sympathetic toward her, I gradually but completely came to abhor her. While I was interested to know the outcome of the mystery, I really didn't like Sophie at all. I'm probably not supposed to, but if I don't like the main character, it's hard for me to invest in the book.

Author Alec Wilkinson needed a temporary job, and got one with the Wellfleet Police Department on Cape Cod. Apparently in the 1970s one didn't need any kind of special training, a police academy certificate, gun knowledge, etc. to be issued a squad car and a gun. Frightening, really, but luckily Alec was a peace-lover and most of his encounters were more slapstick than hazardous. He does a good job with his remembrances, and you can feel the loneliness, boredom, and uniqueness of working that night shift in a small town.

Lauren charms again, with this newest, chatty book about, well, stuff. Her style is so infectious, and although one may argue that the book meanders at times, I think it takes a great writer to do that as if a conversation is happening, (which real conversations do, in fact, do) and still keep the reader engaged. I'll read anything she writes--she makes me want to be her neighbor!

When her mom dies, Jo Jones finds herself the new owner of an estate in England. Everything in her life is changing--newly single, jobless, orphaned, and an immigrant. Further complications arise when there is a murder on her property . . . is she in danger herself? Or is she a suspect? As a neurodivergent person, she doesn't always give the signals people expect. Twists and turns make this an interesting read, and Jo herself is very likeable.

Born in 1776 in Iceland, Thuridur Einarsdottir bucked traditional mores, expectations, and even clothing to pursue her dreams and follow her moral code, unfazed by enemies she might make along the way. She lived out a real-life adventure story, becoming a respected fishing boat captain, trekking across the Icelandic snowdrifts as a guide, and advocating for those less fortunate than most. She was a character, a hero and an inspiration. I was fascinated!

Wayne, the third boy of four, grew up in "the Goulds", a Newfoundland neighborhood many aspired to leave. With parents who were intelligent but flawed and perpetually short on funds, the family was always struggling to stay afloat. Factor in Wayne's mysterious ailment(s)--coughing uncontrollably, unable to keep food down, stunted growth, weakness--and life was even more challenging, especially for him. His quirky grandma, Lucy, was his primary companion, guide and all-around resource for much of his childhood. Funny at times but often frustrating, you keep having to remind yourself that he does, in fact, survive his parents' questionable choices and the childhood that gave him.