7 books we're loving now

The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton "After a rough few months worrying over an ailing parent, I really needed a distraction," says Carey Ostergard, FIRST Executive Editor

Cozy mystery

 "And this delightful, cozy mystery set in Edinburgh, Scotland, was the perfect solution to my stress!" Looking for adventure, Delaney Nichols moves from Kansas to Edinburgh and starts a job at the Cracked Spine bookstore. But before she can settle in to her new life, a precious artifact-a previously undiscovered first folio of Shakespeare's plays-goes missing, and her boss' sister is murdered, seemingly in connection to the missing folio. Delaney decides to do some sleuthing to find out the truth behind the priceless folio and how it's connected to the tragic death. Raves Carey, "With quirky characters and fun twists, it was a true escape." (Minotaur, 2016)

Suspense

The Whispers
by Ashley Audrain "I don't enjoy flying, so before long trips I look for a great book," says Patty Bontekoe, FIRST Executive Editor. "Thrillers distract me from my own anxiety, thanks to their eerily suspenseful plots-and Ashley Audrain's new book did just that!" The residents of an upscale neighborhood are enjoying an extravagant BBQ hosted by Whitney Loverlyuntil they all overhear her screaming with rage at her 10-year-old son, Xavier. Nine months later, Xavier is in the hospital, in a coma after falling out of his bedroom window in the middle of the night, and everyone is suspicious. "I was hooked from page one," says Patty. "And I liked reading the story from the point of view of several women in the neighborhood as the mystery unfolded. But I never expected the ending. I gasped out loud at the last sentence-it made me forget I was on a flight!" (Pamela Dorman, 2023)