What I'm Reading: Booklist E-Reviews

Today I have 2 e-reviews on Booklist Online. Why are the e-only? Well the reason matters to you, so I will share.

There are always going to be more books that deserve a review than can possibly be reviewed. There is not enough time or space in the trade magazines for every book. However, when I comes to Horror, I take my place as the library world's expert very seriously and work hard with my editors at both Booklist and Library Journal to get as many small press books into their review queues as possible. 

Some of those titles I am able to take on to review for myself, but as it is I am averaging more than 1 review a week for the year, so...

Add to this issue the fact that many small presses do not have review copies ready, even in PDF, with enough lead time for us to get them into the print magazines.

I know that for many libraries, if there is no professional review of a book they cannot even consider it to be added to their collections. So I do everything I can to get reviews for titles I believe in.

Today you can see that in action as I have two books that I think are MUST BUYS for all public libraries. These are titles you need to ge on your shelves and get into the hands of reads right now. I did a quick turn around on these reviews, but they still could not make the print deadlines to be published before they released. They are, however, on Booklist Online as e reviews here, here, and below. This means, you have the documentation to support an order.

The first is an anthology that sells itself and includes MAJOR authors whose titles you own and whose books you pardons request, while the second will appeal greatly to fans of Clay McLeod Chapman's What Kind of Mother which is out in a few weeks. It's a great "While You Wait" option. I have even helped a NJ library book the two of them for a joint, in person event this fall. 

Enough preamble. Here are my draft reviews with bonus appeal info.

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse: Tales from the Beginning of the End

Edited by Brandon Applegate

July 2023. 300p. Hungry Shadow, $28.99  (9798986920252); Hungry Shadow, paper, $14.999798986920245). First published August 31, 2023 (Booklist Online).

As Editor Applegate notes in the Forward to this terrifying anthology, the world is always ending, in big and small ways, and Horror provides a way to process that fact and the accompanying intense emotions at a safe distance. He leaves readers with that unsettling thought as they dive into 28 stories that each take widely different looks at those first moments of the end of the world. The stories are short, as the title hints at, but also, each is extremely immersive, as the dread, embedded in the title follows the reader from story to story. Do readers know what is causing the apocalypse in each tale? Sometimes. Do readers know what happens to the characters they are following once those first five minutes are over? Not really. Well known authors like V Castro and Gwendolyn Kiste present a violent Werewolf uprising or a macabre end of the world party. Lesser known voices like Carson Winter present a quieter, more private moment between a couple as they mourn the death of everyone they know and wait for their turn to die while Nick Bouchard’s blog post framed story, “Ten Totally Free Places to Watch the End of the World,” adds a note of hilarious dark humor. From nuclear war to unknowable supernatural forces, the breadth of ideas on how the world will end is as vast as the way the authors recount it. Not only will this book sell itself to readers by the title alone, but it will also introduce them to a wealth of strong voices in Horror.

Further Appeal: You don't actually need any. Just tell people the tile and they will either be super intrigued or completely repulsed. If they are intrigued, they will like it, I promise you.

Three Words That Describe This Book: dread, varied, intriguing

Readalikes: Books by Gwendolyn Kiste and V. Castro will be requested and you should own them. This World Belongs to Us: An Anthology of Horror Stories About Bugs, which I recently reviewed will also make a good fit.

And don't forget about the pre-apocalypse trilogy by Ben H. Winters, The Last Policeman. This would be a great time to promote that backlist gem.

Lacuna’s Point

By Tim Meyer

Aug. 2023. 371p. DarkLit, paper, $20 (9781998851096). 
First published August 31, 2023 (Booklist Online).

Ellie and Mitch are connected by tragedy. 3 years ago their beloved daughters disappeared without a trace somewhere in Virginia. When Ellie receives a cryptic message appearing to be from her daughter’s canceled phone, however, the pair drop everything and head to the seaside, ghost town of Lacuna’s Point. Very shortly after arriving, they realize there is a sinister darkness not only controlling everything and everyone, but also, one that refuses to let anyone go. Meyer relays the original and intriguing plot through multiple points, allowing the pacing to stay fast, without sacrificing the necessary and nuanced development of each character and, especially, the place itself, a place that makes Twin Peaks look boring and safe, a place that is the most important character of all. While the unease is palabale on every page, there is also an existential dread that overlays it all, one anchored by the terror of being a someone who is driven by the need to create art at all costs. Utterly immersive and unapologetically visceral, this small press title will appeal to readers who embraced the weird, cosmic feel of This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno and both the parental and crab nightmares of What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman.

Further Appeal: Many points of view– allows the pacing to stay fast even though there is a lot of world building that needs to happen. It is never too many switches because they are necessary for the reader to understand the complexities of the situation and where each character is coming from. And each is built uniquely and with nuance.

Gives a whole new meaning to “ghost town” Like Twin Peaks– but way more deadly. 

The entire novel is also a metaphor for how terrifying being a creative can be. The need and desire to write, paint, play music, etc… the overwhelming need to make art at all costs is at the heart of this entire book and the anchor for the terror. 

A fast paced, immersive, and visceral pulp Horror tale that will leave you unsettled about your own choices long after you turn the final page.

Three Words That Describe This Book: multiple points of view, Weird, immersive

Readalikes:  The two above and Twin Peaks plus I definitely thought about Chuck Wendig's Wanderers and Brian Keene's The Complex while reading this novel. The feel of both yes, but also how the stories  are told with multiple points of view that allow for robust, nuanced, and emotionally satisfying character development.

What I’m Reading: Nights of the Living Dead and Killing is My Business

In the latest issue of Booklist, I have two reviews. I gave the first one a star.

Nights of the Living Dead.

Maberry, Jonathan (editor) and George A. Romero (editor). 

July 2017. 400p. St. Martin’s/Griffin, paperback, $17.99  (9781250112248); e-book (9781250112255). First published June 1, 2017 (Booklist).

George A. Romero made a small film in 1968 that changed pop culture forever. As editor and bestselling author, Jonathan Maberry explains in the introduction to this stellar collection, “No one who saw Night of the Living Dead without prior warning was ready. Not in 1968. No sir. Anyone who came to zombie flicks later….they just don’t know how it felt.” Romero never called his shambling hordes of the undead, wreaking havoc and eating everyone in their path, zombies. Why would he? Up until that point zombies were a specific supernatural creature from the Voodoo culture, but not any more. An entire generation of authors took the newly reimagine zombie of Romero’s film and began to write. Now, almost 50 years later, Romero and Maberry asked the best and most successful writers of 21st Century zombie literature to write a brand new story, set within the world of Romero’s film series. Authors like Brian Keene, Mira Grant, Mike Carey, Carrie Ryan, and David Wellington, to name only a few, jumped at this chance. While all of the stories are good, of particular note is Maberry’s own entry, “Lone Gunman,” which Romero asked Maberry to write as a way to officially connect his existing books to the movies. Taken as a whole this is a breathtaking book showcasing the breadth of zombie literature from the weird, disturbing and gross out to the touching, thought provoking, and even funny. This is a collection by masters, at the top of their games but it is also a tribute by fans to the man who inspired them to become writers who chased their own nightmares. Order this volume immediately, if only to protect yourself from the hordes of readers who will be shambling in to request it.

Further Appeal: These stories are excellent. All of them. These are the top people in the world of zombie lit. Their affection for the source material shines through, but so too does their own skill at writing great stories. Each story is unique and different. Each is also a great example of the author’s other works- whether that work has zombies in it or not.

But they are also good stories even if you don’t like zombies because they are just good stories. This is a good time to encourage you to move outside the genre box with your suggestions to patrons. These stories will be enjoyed by more than just horror fans. Think about it, people who aren’t horror fans love the movie source material, right? So, treat these stories the same way. There will be people who don’t think of themselves as horror fans who will eat these stories up [pun intended].

I also want to elaborate a bit on the part in the review about the Maberry story. I actually had this ARC with me when I was at StokerCon and I talked to Maberry about the collection. His story in this collection is a great bridge between all his other work and the Romero universe. I know he is working to connect everything he has written-- yes even Joe Ledger characters show up in the Rot and Ruin world. But specifically, if you like “Lone Gunman,” go out and read Dead of Night [link to my review]- this is advice from Maberry himself. It all fits nicely together and now also links back to Romero’s world.

Every public library needs to buy this book. I know for a fact that there are a handful of readers in every town in America who would want to read this. How do I know? I am the library world’s horror expert-- I have my ways. [cue evil laugh]

Three Words That Describe This Book: stories, zombies, fandom

Readalikes: This one is easy: if someone likes this book they should seek out the numerous works by everyone in the collection. That should keep them busy for awhile.

But also, as I alluded to in my “three words” above, this is also a great book for people who enjoy fandoms- especially those centered on the world of a movie. Another new book that does this in the horror genre is Aliens: Bug Hunt [also edited by Maberry].

Killing Is My Business.

Christopher, Adam (author).

 July 2017. 288p. Tor, hardcover, $25.99 (9780765379207); e-book, $12.99 (9781466867161).  First published June 1, 2017 (Booklist).

All the genre blending, wit, and fun of an alternative 1960s LA is back with Christopher’s second Raymond Electromatic, robot PI, hardboiled mystery. To catch you up, Ray is still the last robot in the world, but he is also a licensed PI who has been reprogrammed to be a contract killer [it pays better]. Not to worry if you missed the first book, however, because so did Ray; his memory tape is only 24 hours long, so while this is technically the second book in the series, it can be easily read as a standalone since Ray has to be reminded each morning of everything that has happened before. The plot has a little of everything for fans of classic science fiction and mysteries- corrupt city officials, shady real-estate moguls, the mafia, foreign-born evil scientists, and of course ROBOTS! But while the fast-paced story will grab readers’ attention, what they will stay for is Ray, whose unique perspective and personality shine as bright as his metal exterior. While this is an easy title to hand sell to fans of the “golden age” when science fiction and hardboiled PIs overlapped, it will also appeal to readers of contemporary, thoughtful genre mashups with compelling and unique narrators like Ben Winter’s The Last Policeman trilogy or Jonathan Lethem’s Motherless Brooklyn.

Further Appeal: I reviewed the first book in this series, Made to Kill, in 2015 here. I gave that one a star because it was so original and fun that I was giddy. This one is just as good, but this time, I was not as surprised that it was so good; hence, no star.

The best thing about this series, as I mention in the review, is that it doesn’t have to be read in order. So it’s a companion novel, not a sequel. This is very helpful as we work with readers. Like Tana French, we can give this series out in any order and don’t need book 1 to be on the shelf in order to suggest it.

And Ray. Oh Ray. He is so endearing. I worried about him at times. People and his boss [a computer] are always taking advantage of him, but always he manages to overcome and save the day. He is happy go lucky, yet he also carries an underlying sadness with him, sadness about his origins and the way his world used to be, yet he cannot quite remember enough of it to be full on depressed about it.

This book is best enjoyed by readers who are fans of hardboiled PI novels OR classic, pulp SF. The pure affection and deep knowledge Christopher has for both genres is what makes this book work. He is not trying too hard to be cute-- I know it may sound like he is, but I promise you, he is not. The story’s period setting, characters and plot all feel right for the pulp style. This is a fun and thought provoking read for genre fans by a genre fan.

Three Words That Describe This Book: genre blend, alternative history, fun

Readalikes: Besides the two I mention in the review above, there are more suggestions in my review of Made to Kill.

Also, what about some classic, robot, pulp SF. Here is the entry on “robots”from the Science Fiction Encyclopedia which lists many reading options and puts them in context. Here is a link to images of classic covers of “pulp robot science fiction.” They are awesome. I want to read them all now.

Finally, the Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series by Kevin J Anderson which begins with Death Warmed Over [link to my review], is very similar to this series- the humor, the genre mashup, the wink-wink, but still loving stabs at the genre conventions- it’s all here except instead of robots we have zombies [and other supernatural creatures].

And with that I bring it all back around to zombies. Well, that is what zombies do best-- they come back.

Enough bad humor. Both books reviewed here come out next month. You still have time to get your orders in. Have a nice weekend.

ARRT Book Club Study: The Yiddish Policeman’s Union is 5/3/17

There is still time to join us for the next ARRT Book Club Study. Since it is an older title, you may have already read it. If not, you still have 2 weeks.

Please remember that this is not only your chance to be a participant [and not the leader for once] in a book discussion, but also, we have plenty of time for everyone to discuss the problems and issues they are currently having with their groups. For example, last time we had a therapeutic and useful discussion of the problems patrons create in regards to the serving [or not serving] of food at book club.

Speaking of last time, if you cannot make it, or are not a member and just like to use us for our notes [don’t worry, we don’t mind, in fact, we encourage this behavior], we have the notes for past discussions here [most immediately past] and here [archived]. We separate them out by the notes on the discussion of the books vs the notes about our designated leadership topic. This means you can more easily target the information that is most useful to you.

From the email we sent to members with links and details:

On 05.03.17, the ARRT Book Club Study will be gathering to discuss The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon.  You can find details about the book, location, and discussion on the website here. 

We'll be having a unique location this time around:

National University of Health Sciences Library in Lombard05.03.17, Wednesday2-4pm 

A tour of the library, our first academic discussion site, will be available after the discussion. 

The leadership topic, lead by Bill Stephens, will be about how to recruit new members while retain current members.  However, bring any other questions or topics you'd like to discuss about leading book groups! 

Please RSVP to Debbie Walsh at dwalsh@nuhs.edu.   

All current members are welcome to attend!  If you need to renew your membership, you can find information here.   

Also, please remember that the notes for previous discussions can also be found on the website!  We'll announce when the notes for this discussion are available as well. 

What I’m Reading: I am Providence, Bite, and Natural History of Hell

I have three reviews in the July 2016 issue of Booklist. I like all of these titles for a wide audience, but the first two listed here are EXCELLENT and should be read by more than just genre fans. As per usual, I have reposted my draft reviews with links to the magazine’s page. All three received a STAR review in the magazine. You may need to log in to read the reviews. They also appear on NoveList. I also give extra comments and readalikes here on the blog. Enjoy.

I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas

Aug. 2016. 256p. Night Shade, paperback, $15.99  (9781597808354). 
First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

The Summer Tentacular is the biggest annual convention for fans of legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft and Colleen is a newly published Lovecraftian who is not sure what to expect during her first trip to Providence. When her roommate, the maligned author of the horror mash-up Catcher in R’lyeh, Panossian, is brutally murdered and the skin of his face removed, Colleen goes into Nancy Drew mode, spiraling deeper into the bizarre world of geeks, self important writers, manuscripts bound in skin, occult rituals, and Cthulhu to try to catch the killer. With the viewpoint alternating between Colleen, as she spirals deeper into her own personal Lovecraftian nightmare, and Panossian himself, dead in a drawer in the town morgue, this is both a compelling, satisfying mystery and a dark, macabre tale. Is Panossian there to help us solve his murder or is he simply the narrator of a Lovecraftian tale, his final story, with Colleen as his protagonist? This is a smart, wry, and fun novel, filled with biting, hilarious satire. Mamatas uses his story to take an honest look at Lovecraft, his troubling legacy of racism and sexism, how it comes into play during this current revival in his popularity, but you can also feel Mamatas’ true affection for the author and the larger community of misfit horror authors shining through in tribute. A great choice for readers who enjoyed Matt Ruff’s thoughtful exploration of the author and his legacy in Lovecraft Country, those who liked the dark humor, mystery, and speculative elements in Ben H. Winters’ The Last Policeman trilogy, and anyone who has ever been part of a fandom.

Further Comments: It’s a mystery but it’s at a horror convention and one of the narrators is dead-- he’s the murder victim, but is not a zombie. He’s dead in morgue but sentient enough to speak to us-- the reader. Also the entire book reads like a Lovecraft tale with the other protagonist caught up in the nightmare.  Such a smart and fun book.  But what is its genre? Ultimately I think I would put it in horror because it ends up open on Colleen’s fate (but the mystery is solved for readers) and it is very chilling, but the mystery is solid and would be enjoyed by those readers too.

This is a book that you need to add to your collections and hand-sell A TON!!! It will be a crowd pleaser.

Three Words That Describe This Book: wry, fandom, genre mashup

Readalikes: Beyond what I mentioned in the review itself, people may be interested in more Lovecraft and or Lovecraft inspired tales. I did a book talk on these titles recently and will post that recording when it becomes available. But for now, here are a few titles you can start suggesting:

• I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft by S.T. Joshi. In two volumes, this is considered the definitive biography of the author
• Broken Hours by Jacqueline Baker
• The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
• The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft edited by Aaron French

Bite by K.S. Merbeth

Aug. 2016. 304p. Orbit, paperback, $9.99 (9780316308700). 
REVIEW.  First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

Merbeth’s action driven debut introduces us to Kid a, skinny, teenage girl who has known no world other than this post-nuclear apocalyptic one. Barely surviving alone after the death of her father, knowing she should not trust strangers offering a ride, but too tired and hungry to care, Kid gets in the car with two ominous figures-- the large, dreadlocked Wolf and the bright blue haired Dolly. And so begins a fast paced ride through a barren world where food and water are scarce, “Raiders” and “Sharks” rule the trade routes, and cannibalism is a real survival option. Kid’s first person narration grabs the reader immediately and we hang on her every word as she falls in with Wolf and his gang. The first battle scene comes immediately and is closely followed by another, and then another, strung together and constantly escalating. But in between the fighting there is equally as compelling character development. Wolf’s crew, villains all, but lovable and principled ones, come to be known and loved by Kid- and us. She watches and learns from each, and as a result, comes through the story stronger, both because she now has a “family” and has finally taken control of her own survival. Filled with dark humor, wit, and a realistic post-nuclear setting, Bite plays off the idea of who are the “good guys” in such a harsh world. Think Carl Hiaasen thriller set in a Mad Max world and you have an idea of what to expect.

YA: Yes this story contains some violence (and cannibalism), but Kid’s transformation from young victim of the post nuclear bomb apocalypse to active player in her own survival will greatly appeal to older teens.

Further Comments: When I first got this book for review in the mail, I looked it over, read the publicity material, and thought, “this is going to be dumb.” BOY WAS I WRONG. This book was great. It had tons of action, but also was extremely thought provoking. Give this immediately to everyone who loved Mad Max last year and is looking for something to recapture that magic.

Here are a few other notes I made while reading Bite which I could not fit into the review:

• Loved the constant jokes about her being mistaken for a boy. It added some comic relief
• The setting is perfectly described.  
• Narration and characters- WONDERFUL
• These characters grow as people, but still not good guys. You can’t be a good guy and survive in this world. Just bad enough to survive. But they protect each other to the death.

Three Words That DescribeThis Book: action! [not a typo, it needs the !], great characters, thought provoking

Readlaikes: Because this book is so unique, I had many readalikes in mind, but I chose to keep in succinct in the magazine to make it easier for you to booktalk it. Here are more:

• This is clearly going to be a series. The book read like Mira Grant’s phenomenal zombie thriller Newsflesh series. No zombies here, but they are similar in every other way.
• Last year I reviewed Builders by Daniel Polansky. I was reminded of it while reading Bite. Click through and I think you will see why.
• The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. These books are similar in many ways-- female protagonists, the need for water. But also different in others. Bite is more like an action movie with a caper sensibility, while The Water Knife is more of a post-apocalyptic thriller.

A Natural History of Hell: Stories by Jeffrey Ford

July 2016. 279p. Small Beer, paperback, $16  (9781618731180); e-book (9781618731197). 
REVIEW.  First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

In this collection of 13 stories, most previously published, Ford showcases his award-winning talent for crafting creepy tales that bend the world as we know it in an unexpected way. While the stories here are not linked, they all do share a common theme of the wickedness lurking just beneath the surface of everyday life. And, while each uses different degrees of the supernatural influence to get there, all employ a dark and uneasy atmosphere, quirky, loner characters, and thought provoking endings, some even coming rather abruptly, but all forcing you to fit what you just read into your own worldview, with delightfully unsettling results. For example, in “Blameless,” we join the newly fashionable trend of staging a public exorcism party for your teen. This macabre and satirical story succinctly skewers both adult over- reactions to teenage behavior and lavish coming of age parties. Stories like “Terror,” which imagines the “true” ghost story behind an Emily Dickinson poem and “Rocketship to Hell,” which plays homage to the Science Fiction masterpieces of the pulp era, honor their historical source material while still having something to say about our present.  But it is in “Blood Drive,” where every senior in high school is required to carry a gun to school and far right, politicians are in control, where the chills hit very close to home. This collection is a good choice for fans of short stories by Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, or Kevin Brockmeier.

Further Comments: "Blood Drive” is, for better or worse, a timely choice to give to people right now. Overall, this collection will surprise many people who think they do not like short stories. They are like little novels.

Three Words That Describe This Book: wickedness, unsettling, timely

Readalikes: Like the authors I mentioned in the review, any authors who writes dark fantasy novels and short stories would be a great readalike option. Ones I did not mention but who also fit are Stephen Millhauser, Keith Donohue, Elizabeth McCracken, and Karen Russell.

I also think people who like Adam Johnson should also give this collection a try.

Phew, that’s a lot of reviews. Plenty of books to enjoy.

Genre Crossover Suggestions and Resources from the Expert

Megan McArdle, author of the new Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends, and force behind the very fun and infinitely useful Gentrify Blender [which I featured perviously here], just had a feature article on genre blending and collection development for Library Journal.  Click here to read the article, but since I think it is so important and don’t trust you to click through on your own, I have also reposted it below.

Before I leave it to Megan’s article though, please understand that genre blending is the biggest trend in all adult fiction. Understanding this and learning how to incorporate this new reality into both your collection development and your work with leisure readers is one of the most important issues in popular materials service today. I cannot stress this enough.

Enough of me though. Here is Megan’s article.

**************************************************************

Perfect Pairings | Collection Development: Genre Crossovers

BY MEGAN M. MCARDLE

LIBRARIANS LOVE TO categorize things. Mentally (and physically) we adore putting things into neat boxes, so that when we need to find them again they are labeled, tagged, and ready to hand over to a patron. But how do we handle books that don’t fit into those neat little boxes? There seems to be an increasing number of books described in reviews as “genre-bending” or “genre-defying.” Sometimes these titles travel so far outside our usual understanding of genre that we have to stop talking about what category to put them in and let them be their own unique reading experience.

Another boom in publishing today is that books fall not simply into one genre but two, three, or more. From popular literary titles that resist genre categorization, such as the works of Haruki Murakami and Nick Harkaway, to quirky experimental mixes that may only attract a niche audience, the blending trend is growing. One reason these books are gaining in popularity is that publishing seems less obsessed by how a book can be marketed to bookstores. In the past, if it wouldn’t be obvious where to shelve and how to promote a book, publishers were less likely to take a chance on it. With online discovery, the problem of where to shelve a genre-blended book is suddenly less of an ­issue. Books can have multiple niches as part of the metadata, providing alternate paths to discovery. Virtually, a book is shelved nowhere and everywhere, a huge boon for the blended.

COLLECTING & PROMOTING BLENDS

When collecting books that merge or cross genre boundaries, think beyond the small annoyances of where your library will shelve the book or what label will go on the cover. Think about the various audiences that this work might bring together. Every genre has certain appeal characteristics that are associated with it: thrillers are fast-paced, romances are emotional stories with an emphasis on character, historical fiction is all about the setting, etc. When you merge genres, you can gain from those multiple appeal points, combining them in one book and potentially gaining new readers who normally wouldn’t pick up that title. If a book features multiple genres and integrates them in a skillful way, you can promote it to a number of potential audiences. If a title is not moving well in one genre, consider displaying it with another, giving it a second chance to move before weeding it from your collections.

In my recent book The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends (ALA Editions; see below, Resources), I walk through the possible combinations and the reasons why they appeal. In this article, I focus on just a few of the most popular blends in publishing right now. No stars () are noted because there is so much to choose from that I’ve selected just a few of the very best books, new and classic, of each blend, plus a few examples of how blends are used in other formats.

Megan M. McArdle has worked in collection development in public libraries for more than ten years and is currently a collection specialist at the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Her book The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends was published by ALA Editions in October 2014. She operates a companion website devoted to genre and genre blends at www.genrify.com

MYSTERY & HISTORICAL FICTION

From almost the beginning of mystery as a genre, there were those authors who thought solving crimes must have been more interesting in the past, and historical mysteries remain hugely popular.

Franklin, Ariana & Samantha Norman. Winter Siege. Bantam. 2014. 359p. ISBN 9780593070611. $25.99; pap. ISBN 9780593070628. $19.99.

The author of the marvelous medieval mysteries about Adelia Aguilar died a few years ago, but here is one final gift from her, a novel completed by her daughter. Although this stand-alone gives readers a detailed look at the political world of the 12th century, the mystery thread of young girl who witnessed the actions of a depraved monk keeps the pages turning.

Harris, C.S. What Angels Fear. Signet. 2006. 432p. ISBN 9780451219718. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9781101210789.

In Regency England, a young woman is killed on the steps of a church and evidence points to the Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr. The young nobleman will need to draw on skills he learned in the Napoleonic Wars to clear his name and find the real killer. This series will be adored by those who love the Regency period, but the mysteries are always tightly plotted, and there is a romance layer as well. ( LJ 7/05)

FANTASY & MYSTERY

One perennially popular combination is the plot and structure of a mystery with the magical landscape of a fantasy. The crimes here can happen on real-world streets or in epic fantasy landscapes.

Bennett, Robert Jackson. City of Stairs. Crown. 2014. 464p. ISBN 9780804137171. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9780804137188.

In the city of Bulikov, the gods are dead and the conquered populace forbidden from talking or writing about their past. Saypuri master spy Shara Thivani comes to Bulikov to investigate the death of a historian and discovers the city’s god might not be as dead as everyone thinks. Complex politics and characters—as well a great puzzler of a mystery—make this an amazing series opener. ( LJ 8/14)

Butcher, Jim. Skin Game. Roc. (Dresden Files, Bk. 15). 2014. 464p. ISBN 9780451464392. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9780698157897.

The latest in this long-running series gets back to its crime fiction roots when series hero Harry Dresden is trapped into helping with a heist. Butcher finds a way for readers to root for Harry and the crew of criminals he is working with to get away with their caper, as that success seems to be the only way forward for Harry, who has been struggling to adapt to the many recent changes in his life. ( LJ 4/15/14)

ROMANCE & HISTORICAL FICTION

You can find these in your fiction aisles and on your romance spinners. Adding the complication of a historical setting to a romance gives you lots of good reasons that the hero and heroine can’t be together.

Gabaldon, Diana. Outlander. Random. (Outlander, Bk. 1). 1991. 640p. ISBN 9780385302302. $35; pap. ISBN 9780440212560. $9.99; ebk. ISBN 9780440335160.

Claire Randall is vacationing in the Scottish Highlands with her husband when she somehow travels through time to the 17th century. Rescued from British troops by a clan of Highlanders, Claire is forced to create a life in the past—a task made easier by attractive Scotsman Jamie Fraser. Brilliantly rendered details of the time and place for historical fiction fans plus swoon-worthy chemistry are two reasons this has also made an excellent TV adaptation is in its first season on STARZ. ( LJ 8/96)

MacLean, Sarah. Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover. Avon. (Rule of Scoundrels, Bk. 4). 2014. 384p. ISBN 9780062068514. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062065414.

Georgiana has always exploited society’s secrets and kept her own, but when she decides she must wed to give her illegitimate daughter a chance at a different life, she turns to newspaperman Duncan West for help. Although there are rewards for longtime readers of MacLean’s historical romance series, this could easily be enjoyed by anyone who loves watching a woman succeed despite the restrictions of her gender. ( LJ 12/14)

HORROR & THRILLER

Horror is alive and well but often lurks in other categories, sneaking in monsters and unearthly forces by pairing them with page-turning action and suspense and calling these books supernatural thrillers.

Beukes, Lauren. Broken Monsters. Little, Brown. 2014. 448p. ISBN 9780316216821. $26; pap. ISBN 9780316216814. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780316216838.

Against the decaying backdrop of present-day Detroit, a series of horrific crimes appear to be the work of a twisted serial killer. But layered onto the story is a cynical look at the future of journalism and a big dollop of the supernatural. Beukes is a hugely inventive author, never afraid to borrow from whatever genre gets the job done. ( LJ 7/14)

Wellington, David. Positive. Harper Voyager. Apr. 2015. 448p. ISBN 9780062315373. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062315380.

In a world set years after an epidemic wiped out the population and turned millions into zombies, 19-year-old Finn is suspected of carrying the virus. Exiled from his community, he is tattooed as a “Positive” and must make his way in a hostile landscape. His fellow humans are far more dangerous than the zombies in this dark tale that shows there are still interesting stories to tell in the zombie genre.

HISTORICAL FICTION & SF

Future-loving sf and past-worshipping historical fiction seem unlikely to combine, but where they intersect most often is alternative history, a genre that asks the sf question, “What if?” while basking in the landscape of the past. Steampunk is an especially robust segment of this genre blend.

Bear, Elizabeth. Karen Memory. Tor. Feb. 2015. 352p. ISBN 9780765375247. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466846340.

Life in Madame Damnable’s isn’t bad for a working girl in a frontier town, or it wasn’t until Karen got on the wrong side of Peter Bantle—pimp, politician, and possibly murderer. Bear has created a vivid Old West landscape that teems with vice and violence, with marvelous steampunk touches. ( LJ 12/14)

Tregillis, Ian. The Mechanical. Orbit. Mar. 2015. 480p. ISBN 9780316248006. pap. $17; ebk. ISBN 9780316247993.

How might the world have been different if Dutch alchemists had discovered the secret to creating mechanical servants bound to do the bidding of humanity? Berenice is a French spy who believes she can overthrow the Dutch if she can find and control a rogue Clakker. But the mechanical man won’t give up his newly won freedom easily in this fascinating alt-history. ( LJ 12/14)

SF & MYSTERY

Both sf and mysteries appeal to the intellect, asking questions about what the future might bring and why people commit crimes. But no matter how technology or the future changes things, the one constant seems to be murder.

Scalzi, John. Lock In. Tor. 2014. 336p. ISBN 9780765375865. $24.99; pap. ISBN 9780765381323. $8.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466849358.

After a pandemic sweeps the globe, there are millions of survivors left “locked in” to their bodies—fully aware but unable to control their physical selves. Technologies have been developed to help those sufferers, but it looks like someone used that technology to commit murder. As fascinating for its look at how a near-future society might deal with disability as for its twisty crime investigation. ( LJ 7/14)

Winters, Ben H. The Last Policeman. Quirk. 2013. 336p. ISBN 9781594746741. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781594745775.

If an asteroid were hurtling toward Earth, guaranteed to destroy everyone on the planet in a few months, what would happen to the concept of law and order? Det. Hank Palace is determined to keep doing his job in a world counting down the days. ( LJ 7/12)

SF & THRILLER

The future can be a scary place and technology almost always has a dark side. That makes the combination of sf and adrenaline genres like thrillers and suspense a natural fit.

Bacigalupi, Paolo. The Water Knife. Knopf. May 2015. 384p. ISBN 9780385352871. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385352895.

Drought and climate change mean that water knives like Angel keep busy protecting the interests of those who want to control the water supply. Angel winds up in parched and dying Phoenix, where his path intersects with that of a journalist and a refugee as they all search for documents that could change the balance of power for the region. ( LJ 2/15/15)

Barry, Max. Lexicon. Penguin. 2013. 400p. ISBN 9781594205385. $26.95; pap. ISBN 9780143125426. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781101604908.

Words have power, and in this pulse-pounding thriller special people called Poets have trained to be able to use words to control others. As the book opens, Wil Parke is kidnapped by two Poets who believe he is the only one who can stop a cataclysmic disaster. ( LJ 5/1/13)

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Layman, John (text) & Rob Guillory (illus.). Chew. Vol. 1: Taster’s Choice. Image. 2009. 128p. ISBN 9781607061595. pap. $9.99.

In this ongoing comics series, Tony Chu is a detective who can get psychic impressions from what he eats (including people). Set in a future where poultry is illegal after a pandemic of bird flu, the series opens with Tony becoming an investigating agent for the FDA. The truly bizarre premise is executed brilliantly; hilarious and gross in equal measure. ( LJ 3/15/10)

Vaughan, Brian K. (text) & Fiona Staples (illus.). Saga. Vol. 1. Image. 2012. 160p. ISBN 9781607066019. pap. $9.99.

Alana and Marko are two soldiers from opposite sides of a galactic war who fall in love and go on the run in this first volume of an ongoing series. While the book works as a poignant love story and an indictment of prejudice, trippy visuals and clever dialog make this Romeo and Juliet space opera a lot of fun as well.

RESOURCES

McArdle, Megan M. Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends. ALA Editions. 2014. 232p. ISBN 9780838912560. pap. $55; ebk. ISBN 9780838912560.

This recent entry in the ALA Editions “Readers’ Advisory Guide” series focuses on books that blend genres. The book discusses the nature of blended books and the challenges they pose for libraries, includes chapters on all the major genres with examples of blends, and focuses on RA tips for blended books. A companion website with an interactive database of genre blends can be found at blender.genrify.com. (Professional Media, LJ 1/15)

Novelist; www.ebscohost.com/novelist

EBSCO’s invaluable database can help answer readers’ advisory questions. For the reader interested in books that blend genres, the advanced search function can be a wonderful tool, as it includes a genre search field (GN). Simultaneously searching multiple genres can help yield more unusual mixes, and some of the more common (such as historical mystery) get their own designation.