This summer I had a lot of reading time and I read SO MANY good books but I really do not have time to write about them all (alas, the day job calls). So I just want to shout out a few titles that I read and really enjoyed that are out now (or will be soon) that I was not part of a tour for:

The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Kate Westbury.

I had the book AND the audiobook. So much fun!

Set against the backdrop of post-WWII Oxford University, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies is the irresistible debut from Kate Westbury that seamlessly layers mystery, romance, and a dash of academia to introduce the Crown’s newest undercover operatives.

Oxford, England, 1951 – The Honorable Ginevra Bishop likes red lipstick, clever retorts, and earning top marks in her tutorials. She’s following her mother’s footsteps by studying at Oxford, eager to prove she’s more than a debutante.

Sidney Braithwaite likes brooding, Latin, and ignoring his nightmares. He’s determined to forge a new life for himself at Oxford, far from his childhood mining village and free from memories of the war.

Though Gin and Sidney have little in common, the British Security Service is keen to unite her charm with his espionage experience: there’s a Soviet spy at the university, and the agent tracking them down was poisoned. MI5 wants Gin and Sidney to pick up the trail and identify the informant before more sensitive information is compromised. As a team, the pair of undergraduates clash in personality, upbringing, and taste––but have a connection neither can deny. Gin and Sidney must unite their respective talents to follow the clues before they’re caught in the traitor’s crosshairs…if the sparks flying between them don’t blow up the operation first.

Lidie by Jane Smiley

I haven’t read anything by Smiley in a while and I just LOVE her writing.

From the bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist, a rousing novel that follows two young women fleeing a divided America: one running toward a dazzling future and the other running from a troubled past

Christmas, 1857. America’s future is precarious; civil war looms on the horizon. After her abolitionist husband is murdered in the lawless Kansas Territory, Lidie Newton returns, in mourning, to her hometown of Quincy, Illinois. But her sisters have little comfort to offer, and Lidie is haunted by the memories of her failures—until she takes an interest in her niece, Annie. Beautiful, self-assured, and mischievous, Annie sticks out in Quincy. She becomes an actress at the local theater, and when she is offered the opportunity to perform abroad, she decides to run away. But travel is dangerous for a young unmarried woman, so Lidie, armed with her pistol and her wit, goes with her.

The two women embark on a perilous journey across the Atlantic, rushing toward an unknown future in England. Once they arrive in Liverpool, they vanish into new roles in the household of Annie’s benefactor, Mr. Mallory Cunningham. Annie takes a stage name and finds her way to a career, while Lidie becomes her lady’s maid. But will either of them be content with her new lot in life?

Exuberant and riveting, a sly commentary on truth and beauty and fulfillment that resonates with our times, Lidie delivers a panoramic portrait of a volatile era and the headstrong women trying to live an honest life in it.

It Girl by Alison Pataki

Pataki never disappoints in her ability to make history come alive through engaging historical figures.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, New York’s streets teem with change: electricity, automobiles, the brash young President Teddy Roosevelt—and the It Girls. As artists’ muses and working models, these independent young women soar to stardom not because of their pedigrees or inherited wealth, but because of their talent, charisma, and irresistible beauty. Pop culture is born, and in a world alight with Mr. Edison’s new bulbs, no one shines brighter than America’s sweetheart, Evelyn Talbot.

But the journey to stardom is not simple or straight. While working as a shopgirl, the young Evelyn is recruited as a studio model and soon catches the eye of the preeminent artists of the age. When Broadway comes calling, Evelyn solidifies her status as the first self-made American female celebrity: the iconic Gibson Girl, the most sought-after figure and face of her time. Enter a parade of powerful and power-hungry men, from world-famous architect Stanley Pierce, the visionary behind Manhattan’s mansions and iconic landmarks, to Hal Thorne, the shockingly wealthy railroad heir and premier “playboy” of high society. Each man promises comfort, glamour, security—even love. But fame and fortune are cruel teachers, and Evelyn learns that the only person she can rely on is herself.

When Evelyn finds herself at the center of a murder of passion declared “the Crime of the Century,” she is blamed for the acts of the men in her life. In the media frenzy that spirals around her, Evelyn realizes that to survive, she will have to write her own ending. But can this artists’ muse turned showgirl pull off the greatest act of her life?

It Girl is a breathtaking ride inspired by a singular artist and icon who captured the collective imagination of American society. Allison Pataki has crafted yet another unforgettable leading lady, a heroine who must find the power to change not only the world around her but her own destiny.

NumbWere the Beadman’s Fingers by Alan Bradley

Thank goodness, Flavia is back! This is possibly my very favorite mystery series and I can’t get enough of the very unique voice of Flavia and all the humorous goings-on in her life.

A nun’s corpse leads beloved amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce to uncover decades-old secrets in this charming final novel in the New York Times bestselling series.

“I love the Flavia de Luce novels! Flavia is the best female detective I’ve ever read, full of realism, self-confidence, and emotion (in roughly equal parts), and her tales are hilarious, engaging, and occasionally heartbreaking.”—Diana Gabaldon

In the cloisters of Golgotha House, a mere binocular’s-squint away from Buckshaw, a nun lies dead. When her fellow sisters prepare her corpse for burial, they discover that their companion has been living a shocking lie for years. The truth about her past, and the dark reasons she harbored for escaping it, are impossible to fathom.

Charged with cracking this mystery is the firm of Arthur W. Dogger & Associates (Discreet investigations)—consisting, of course, of the inimitable young Flavia de Luce and her faithful partner-in-detection Dogger.

Working under the eye of a glowering Mother Superior, Flavia and Dogger must uncover a decades-old crime and a secret that lies an ocean away—along with a trail of deception that lies closer to home.

The Pools by e. lockhart

An interesting story in verse by the author of We Were Liars. I liked it. Appropriate for older teens, I’d say.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the We Were Liars series comes a love story full of simmering darkness and astonishing twists, following two teenagers whose lives are shattered by a shocking transformation.

This gorgeous hardcover edition of The Pools will feature unique printed endpapers, deckled edges (rough, uneven page edges), and an exclusive stamped case!

Once, in a small New England town known for its hot springs, something terrible happened. Something that should have been a warning to stay away from the pools, if the stories were to be believed.

But no one is afraid of the water anymore, even if they should be.

When new girl Lexie meets golden boy Chester, their chemistry is undeniable. She’s running from a glittering life she won’t speak about. He’s hiding secrets of his own. Their connection feels bigger than both of them, despite their damage.

One frigid winter morning in that small New England town, five people go for a swim in the pools. Five people, including Chester. What happens there sends shock waves through the town, changing life as Lexie knows it forever.

Magic Elizabeth by Norma Kassirer

I could NOT believe when this popped up on Net Galley. My very favorite book from when I was a little girl! I loved this story about a girl staying with her Aunt Sally and she is looking for a doll that was lost years ago. Part magical, part mystery and I was struck by how well-written this children’s book is!

A beloved middle-grade fantasy classic returns in a newly illustrated edition full of magic, mystery, and a doorway into the past.

When eight-year-old Sally is sent to spend the summer in a creaky old house with her elderly Aunt Sarah and a decidedly unfriendly cat, she expects weeks of boredom and loneliness. But everything changes when she discovers a mysterious painting of a little girl holding a doll—and learns that the doll, Elizabeth, vanished long ago.

Drawn by curiosity, Sally ventures into the attic, where an old mirror seems to open a doorway into another time. As she searches for the missing doll and the truth behind the painting, Sally discovers a story of friendship, empathy, and love that reaches across generations.

First published in 1966 and now back in print with brand-new full-color illustrations by Mark Richardson, Magic Elizabeth invites today’s readers into its timeless world of mystery, warmth, and wonder.

Here’s what makes Magic Elizabeth a classic fantasy for a new generation:

• A Beloved Children’s Classic Returns: A long-out-of-print favorite is available again for parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and new readers.

• A Magical Journey into the Past: A mysterious attic mirror, a lost doll named Elizabeth, and a long-ago friendship create a classic children’s fantasy for ages 8–12.

• Brand-New Full-Color Artwork: New illustrations by Mark Richardson bring fresh visual life to Norma Kassirer’s timeless story.

• Perfect for Independent Reading or Sharing Aloud: A nostalgic favorite for adults and a moving story of imagination, kindness, and love for young readers.

Magic Elizabeth is a classic middle-grade fantasy novel about a magic mirror, a missing doll named Elizabeth, and a mystery that reaches into the past. This beloved children’s classic remains a moving reminder that imagination, kindness, and love can travel across time.

The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen

Rhys NEVER disappoints. I love her stand alone novels (well, I love all her novels) and this one was no exception.

A ghostwriter plunges into danger as she unravels the dark secrets of a powerful Scottish family in a thrilling novel of romance and mystery by the bestselling author of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.

Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final historical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris Blackburn. It’s 1965, and Iris’s memory is fading. She’s certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to Scotland for research, she discovers the story is not fiction at all but rather a true crime, unsolved for more than fifty years.

It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.

But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian

Speaking of never disappointing, Chris Bohjalian has to be the most versatile author out there today. And he’s a genuinely nice guy as well as hugely talented. Somebody call Netflix and make the limited series – now!

1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the clubhouse and caddy shack. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, traveling 150 miles per hour, and slams, with sickening force, into the temple of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, rupturing an artery and unleashing a torrent of blood. Kenny brings his hand to the side of his head, then topples onto his side. He’s dead before the ambulance even arrives.

In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong places: In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man three decades her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when the investigators look more closely at the torn net, when a detective recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once-promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a county courtroom, The Amateur asks: What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?

The Grapevine by Alexandra Sokoloff and Craig Robertson

As a California girl, I love stories that take place in California and this was a very engaging mystery. Yes the grapevine is a highway pass in SoCal that weaves together – integral to the story – but grapevines themselves weave into intricate and thick branches, just like this story had several strands that wove together.

From bestselling authors Alexandra Sokoloff and Craig Robertson, The Grapevine is a thrilling mystery featuring a quirky and relentless female protagonist, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter.

How far would you go to find your missing child?

Lou Gomersall’s going as far as it takes. And there’s no turning back.

When her nineteen-year-old daughter Abby disappears, Lou embarks on a reckless road trip in the family RV, scouring the highways and back roads of California. Through desert and mountains, into the woods, and to the ocean’s edge.

A year later, the police don’t believe Lou’s theory that four other missing young women have been taken by the same elusive predator. So, when another college sophomore vanishes, Lou jumps on the fresh trail, enlisting millennial #vanlifers, Gen Z entrepreneurs, boomer RVers, homeless sages, truck stop prostitutes, and everyone in between in her do-or-die mission to rescue Abby …

Or kill the man who took her.

Last Mission to Paris by Susan Elia MacNeal

Susan is an incredible writer (LOVE her Maggie Hope series) and this one was another amazingly researched and engaging WWII story.

Decades after serving as secret agents during World War II, three women reunite to uncover the truth behind the murder of their fellow agent in Paris.

In the rugged Scottish Highlands, four young women training as secret agents became inseparable: Flip, a fearless Southern Belle; Zaina, a dreamy Indian princess; Bella, the infamous star of stage and screen; and Gabrielle, a witty London shopgirl. They parachuted by moonlight into Nazi-occupied Paris, where they trusted each other with their lives… until the betrayal that shattered everything.

They were captured. Gabrielle was killed. And the truth about what really happened in Paris was buried.
Twenty years later, in the vibrant London of the Swinging Sixties, the surviving agents are honored with a statue on the Thames. However, the well-deserved public recognition is eclipsed by the sudden death of a renowned war historian—and an anonymous letter suggesting that Gabrielle’s demise was far more suspicious than it appeared.

Chloe, Gabrielle’s daughter and a budding historian, grew up in the long shadow of a heroic mother she barely knew. Determined to uncover the truth, Chloe seeks out the three surviving agents, her mother’s friends. As past and present collide, Chloe draws the women back into a world of secrets, alliances, and duplicity.

As they follow clues from London to Paris and then to Berlin, the women discover their last mission didn’t just fail—it was deliberately sabotaged.

Because some missions didn’t end—and some betrayals go further than anyone can imagine.

Coming soon…What I’ve Been Listening to this Summer (even without the 2-hour commute each day!)