In this newsletter, I’ve selected novels that are varied and diverse in stories and style, all of which are worthy of consideration for your next read as the fall season approaches.
Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara The novel centers on the Ito family of California, interred with other Japanese-Americans during the Second World War. The family of the mother, father, and two daughters are repatriated to Chicago once released. This is a heartfelt family drama as well as a mystery as the younger daughter, Aki, is determined to find out how and why her older sister Rose was killed by an oncoming subway train. Hirahara, an Edgar Award winner, skillfully relates how the parents, born in Japan, experience their new life in 1940s Chicago in marked contrast to their U.S.-born daughters. The book gets its title from two streets in Chicago near where the Ito family lives.
Bobby March Will Live Forever by Alan Parks Winner of the 2022 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for best paperback original, the story is set in 1970’s Glasgow and is one of five novels in the Harry McCoy thriller series. The protagonist, Harry McCoy, is a police detective. In 1973 while McCoy investigates the drug overdose of a washed-up rock star, he also searches for his boss’s missing thirteen-year-old niece. Parks, who worked in the music industry, weaves a complex plot and captures the gritty music scene of Glasgow during the seventies.
With Prejudice by Robin Peguero Peguero’s legal thriller, his debut novel, relates what happens in both the courtroom and the jury room during a murder trial. Using multiple viewpoints, Peguero takes us into the minds of all the participants, including attorneys, judge, and jurors. With this approach, he is able to reveal the complexities and biases inherent in the criminal justice system. Peguero is a lawyer and graduate of Harvard Law School.
Must Read Classic Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse series, based in Oxford, England, is comprised of thirteen novels written between 1975 and 1999. The books are the basis for the PBS long-running series starring John Thaw. Morse, whose first name is not revealed until the end of the series, is intelligent, sharp-edged and a disappointed romantic. And he loves solving puzzles, especially complex murders. When he isn’t investigating, he completes the notoriously difficult Times crossword in minutes and listens to opera recordings. Highly recommended are two novels, Service of All the Dead and The Dead of Jericho, each received a Silver Dagger Award from the Crime Writers’ Association. In 1997 Dexter was honored by the same association with a Diamond Dagger, awarded for outstanding service to crime literature. The final installment in the series is The Remorseful Day. Spoiler alert: I recommend keeping this book for last.
Patronize Independent Book Stores Whenever you buy books, please consider purchasing from independent booksellers who remain passionate about books, love to share their knowledge, and provide a vital link between readers and authors. You can reach out to me via my email, chrisquarembo@gmail.com, and share your comments about the newsletter, books you’re reading, and books you’d like to recommend to readers of this newsletter. Watch for my next newsletter in November.
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