The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban
The Tragedy Paper evokes all the strong emotions that are expected when you think of two teenagers trespassing upon the strict social boundaries imposed at an elite prep school. Newcomer Laban’s beautifully constructed narrative is by turns enchanting and melancholy as readers are carried hopelessly along to its heartbreaking conclusion.
The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
Historical fiction page-turner meets true-crime grit in Lawhon’s vivid dramatization of the disappearance of real-life Justice Joseph Crater. The dark tale in The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress is recounted by the women who knew Crater best and includes a colorful, though brutal, rendering of 1930s New York, replete with gangsters, showgirls, and corrupt politicians.
Duplex by Kathryn Davis ( Graywolf Press) Excitingly weird and delicious, Davis’s novel goes off the beaten path to explore a town on the cusp of the real and the magical. Disappearing teachers, sketchy sorcerers, and a family of robots are just a few of the striking cast of characters you’ll meet alongside the novel’s centerpiece, star-crossed lovers Mary and Eddie.—Nicole Bonia
Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen
Gaughen’s second entry in the Scarlet series, which explores and updates the Robin Hood legend, expands old story lines and dangles intriguing bits of new ones as she blends historical detail with fast paced, exciting adventure.
