Staff Picks Adult Fiction
March 2023
All That Is Mine I Carry With Me
by William Landay
Phil has writer’s block. He meets up with an old friend and decides to write about the disappearance forty years ago of the man’s mother, Jane. Jane disappeared one day without a trace. No body was found. The three siblings did not know if she was dead, possibly killed by their father, or had just run away. An investigation took place, but no evidence was discovered to solve the mysterious disappearance. The sister and two brothers had their lives totally affected by that one event as is told in chapters that reflect their point of view. Twenty years later her body is found. The discovery of the body brought the guilt or innocence of their father to a head. Still, who killed Jane remained a mystery until the final pages.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian
Posted in: Adult Fiction
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman
This novel was published in 2013 in English, and became quite popular with readers. It took me until 2022 to pick up the novel, mainly because I do not like to read books at the same time as everyone else is. I would rather wait until the excitement wears down to pick it up and enjoy it.
Ove is perceived as a curmudgeon who doesn’t care for any one he meets in his daily life. As the novel progresses, the reader learns that there is a profound sadness in Ove’s past that has impacted the way he interacts with others. One day, a young family moves into the neighborhood right next to Ove. As expected, the initial introduction does not go well, and Ove secretly hopes they leave him alone forever. However, Parvenah and her family persist in showing kindness to Ove every single day, until the man’s cold heart slowly starts to melt.
This story resonated with me in that we never know everyone’s story and how their past can greatly affect the way they view the world and the people who they encounter. My motto has always been “Be Kind!” You never know when your compassionate actions can make a difference in your “Ove’s” world.
This book is available in the library, on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook, and Hoopla as an e audiobook.
Recommended by: Mary G. Adamowski, Library Director
Posted in: Adult Fiction
June 2022
Project Hail Mary
The future of the Earth is on shaky ground as a newly discovered alien species is eating away at the sun. Junior High science teacher Ryland Grace is tapped to help create a solution due to a research paper he wrote long ago. Now he finds himself alone, on a spaceship far from Earth with no memories, including his own name. As his memory slowly starts to return, he realizes that he is the Earth’s only hope for survival. This science fiction adventure story is told through dual timelines where the reader only knows what Grace remembers. A must-read that will hook you immediately.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Adult Fiction
May 2022
The Diamond Eye
by Kate Quinn
Posted in: Adult Fiction
February 2022
The Love Hypothesis
by Ali Hazelwood
Olive is a third year PhD candidate dedicated to completing her studies. When she breaks up with her boyfriend and realizes her best friend wants to now date the guy but won’t in deference to Olive she knows she has to do something. But, what? In a rash moment she says she’s dating someone new. In another rash moment, Olive kisses the first guy she sees who turns out to be a faculty member. Surprisingly he agrees to fake date her in order to keep Olive’s ruse going. You may know what ultimately happens, but getting there is so much fun.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Adult Fiction
December 2021
The Nature of Fragile Things
by Susan Meissner
In this historical fiction book, Sophie Whalen becomes Mrs. Martin Hocking after answering his ad for a wife in the newspaper. Sophie, an Irish immigrant, is disillusioned with life in New York City and relishes the chance to start over in San Francisco. She’s especially excited to be stepmother to widower Martin’s young daughter. As the marriage progresses many things in Martin’s life don’t seem to make sense. Right when Sophie starts to piece everything together, the devastating earthquake of 1906 happens. Left homeless, Sophie and her stepdaughter continue to search for the truth.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive as an ebook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Adult Fiction
Malibu Rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
For close to 20 years, Mick Riva has been the biggest name in the music industry. But he isn’t the star of this story. Instead, Reid focuses on his four children: model Nina, surfer Jay, photographer Hud, and the youngest, Kit. Reid tells the tale of the Mick and the Riva children in alternated timelines, jumping from the introduction and marriage of Mick and June Riva to 1983 in Malibu. Prepare for a taste of the 80s as the Riva siblings prepare to host the biggest party of the year.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Brandi Smits, Youth Services Manager
Posted in: Adult Fiction
October 2021
The Lincoln Highway
by Amor Towles
An incredible read by the author of A Man in Moscow. In June, 1954, Emmett is released from a work farm ready to pick up his little brother, Billy, and head to California to restart his life. Unknown to him, Duchess and Woolly, a fast talker and a neurodivergent, have hidden themselves in the trunk. Soon, they find themselves heading to New York City instead for various spoken and unspoken reasons. The subplots are deftly woven together to make a story that covers a variety of human emotions, wants, and needs.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Adult Fiction
September 2021
The Wife Upstairs
by Rachel Hawkins
What do you get when you merge the classic Jane Eyre storyline with the dark, seedy underbelly of the newly rich, à la Big Little Lies? The answer is in this book, filled to the brim with secrets, deception and introspective battles. Jane is a dog walker in the gated community of Thornfield Estates when she meets the ever-so-charming widower, Eddie Rochester. Eddie has made a name for himself in town, though not for the reasons one might think—Eddie’s wife, Bea, and her best friend, Blanche, recently drowned in an unfortunate accident that left their bodies never to be discovered. Jane is drawn into the town’s posh gossip, the mystery behind the man that she believes can see her true soul, and is determined to uncover the keys of this high society while protecting her own secrets along the way. This book would be great for Brontë fans looking for a modern retelling of the classic and readers who love a mystery set against a glamorous backdrop.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an eBook.
Recommended by: Ola Gronski, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Adult Fiction
August 2021
White Ivy
by Susie Yang
Ivy Lin’s Chinese grandmother stole to survive, but Ivy did it for fun. After all, it was the only way she could get the nail polish, lipstick and hair clips her teenage-self thought would grab the attention of Gideon Speyer—a glamorous boy from one of Massachusetts’ wealthiest families. But stealth was not yet Ivy’s strong suit, and her parents later punished her by uprooting her entire life. Ivy never saw Gideon again…until one day, as an adult, Ivy runs into his sister. She takes this as a sign of a sure chance at the American dream, the pursuit of happiness. This time, she’s not letting anything get in the way of stealing Gideon’s heart and power. Don’t mistake this as a love story—it’s a suspenseful, dark and compelling examination of character, privilege and what success really means. The writing is lyrical and the plot steady as a drum, you really won’t want to put this down.
This book is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an eBook.
Recommended by: Ola Gronski, Youth Services Assistant
Posted in: Adult Fiction