The Imperfects by Amy Meyerson
Destination: Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Vienna, Austria
Facing personal struggles and resentments all around, The Miller family reluctantly gathers after the death of their matriarch, Helen. When they uncover a truly priceless inheritance—the Florentine Diamond, a 137-carat yellow gemstone that went missing from the Austrian Empire a century ago—they also discover a past more tragic and powerful than they ever could have imagined. Each family member, their connections to each other, and their heritage will be transformed though the publicity of their discovery and investigation into whether they are the rightful heirs.
Barcelona Days by Daniel Riley
Destination: Barcelona, Spain
An engaged couple shares the details of their three romantic "free passes" on the last night of their romantic Barcelona vacation. Ready to return home and begin their life together, the couple is stranded indefinitely due to an erupting Icelandic volcano grounding all flights in and out of Europe. Over the course of three days the couple will meet two new friends, also vacationing Americans with problems they'd hoped to leave behind in Barcelona, further testing the boundaries or their relationship.
The Paris Hours by Alex George
Destination: Paris, France
Marcel Proust’s maid has a secret: when she was asked to burn her employer’s notebooks, she saved one for herself…and now it’s made its way into Ernest Hemingway’s hands. In 1927, Paris teems with artists, writers, and musicians, but among the creative class and famous citizens four regular people (a maid, a refugee, an artist, and a journalist) are each searching for something they’ve lost. Told over the course of a single day, this quartet of “ordinary” people show how we each possess our own extraordinary stories.
The Island by Ragnar Jónasson
Destination: Iceland
Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir of the Reykjavik Police department returns in the second book of Jónasson’s “Hidden Iceland” trilogy. Sent to investigate what happened at a remote hunting lodge on the isolated island of Elliðaey, Hermannsdottir must determine if the tragedy that befell this group of friends has connections with the murder of a young woman ten years ago out on the Westfjords. Full of atmospheric suspense, this Scandanavian noir novel will send chills down your spine on even the hottest summer day.
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Destinations: Spain and Chile
Civil war has broken out following General Franco’s overthrow of the Spanish government, forcing pregnant widow Roser, her brother-in-law Victor, and hundreds of thousands of others to make a treacherous journey over the mountains of Spain to the French border. Traveling to Chile to further distance themselves from the war, Roser and Victor start over as refugees on a new continent. Their new life is full of obstacles and trials, but one thing remains the same—their dedication and devotion to Spain.
The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
Destinations: Athens, Rome, and Barcelona
After submitting a steamy essay to a contest, seventy-year-old Charlotte Perkins wins a ten-day Mediterranean cruise aboard the over-the-top Splendido Marveloso. Dreaming of reuniting her estranged children during the trip, Charlotte has visions of a joyous adventure, but her dysfunctional family is holding a lot of grudges and secrets. Full of hilarious mishaps and heartfelt confrontations, you will cheer on the Perkins family as they try to reconnect and accept one another amid the gorgeous scenery of Southern Europe.
The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda
As a young girl, Arden Maynor was safely found days after sleepwalking away from home. The infamy of the story overshadows her life until she relocates and changes her name. Now, the twentieth anniversary of her rescue is approaching and she’s sleepwalking again. One night she awakens in her yard, with a body at her feet—the corpse of a man she knew in her previous life as Arden Maynor.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Twenty-five years after her family fled Baneberry Hall in the middle of the night, Maggie Holt inherits the sprawling estate. Skeptical and too young to remember her time in the house, Maggie is determined to simply restore and sell the home. As she pursues her project, she begins to believe her father’s stories—and what she uncovers is more terrifying than any haunting.
Alice Knott by Blake Butler
After several pieces of artwork are stolen from Alice Knott’s vault, a video emerges of one painting’s detailed destruction. As the video goes viral and copycat artwork destructions increase, all eyes are on the formerly reclusive heiress. Atlanta author, Blake Butler uses Alice’s introspective monologues to deliver a layered novel analyzing art’s meaning, legacy, and value.
The American Adrenaline Narrative by Kristin J. Jacobson
With the Summer Olympics postponed, you can get your adrenaline rush from this collection of narratives focused on the rise of heightened-risk, “extreme” sports within a natural setting. Focused on providing readers with a “better understanding of the American origins of our adventurous desires and our environmental future,” this cumulative collection and evolution of Jacobson’s academic studies and teachings provides insights into how extreme adventures and narratives simultaneously promote and hinder ecological sustainability. Perfect for lovers of Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air” or Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild”.
Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle
Atlanta author Kimberly Belle is back with a riveting new domestic thriller that will have you thinking twice about what lies beneath the surface of your favorite lake. When Charlotte married wealthy widower Paul there was local gossip, but now a body has washed up under their dock—in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned. What first seems like a horrific coincidence quickly becomes a matter of life and death when Charlotte discovers the woman in the lake is not a stranger.
The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell'Antonia
The century spanning feud between the Moores and the Pogociellos is about to be settled once and for all on the reality television restaurant competition, Food Wars. While the two teams each try to prove that they make the best fried chicken in the state, family secrets will be exposed and sibling bonds will be put to the test. Explore the power of good food while you try to figure out which restaurant (and family) will win: Chicken Mimi’s or Chicken Frannie’s?
