Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen

 

Paper Ghosts has just the right combination of magical realism and plausibility to draw the reader in and prompt them to ponder what reality is for the Wester women. Do they see ghosts, or do they have overly active imaginations?

It's 1976, and young Willamena Wester, a popular high school senior, has her future set. While her friends are considering marriage or college, Wills is determined to stay at her ancestral home with her grandmother and carry on the family tradition of being a know-all in a small North Carolina town. Some townspeople call the Wester women witches; others say they use information to their advantage. Either way, the women of Wester House are both revered and feared. All is going according to plan until Wills meets a charismatic musician who charms her and makes her see another possible future. Fate has a heavy hand on the Wester women, however, and Wills' future is unexpectedly sealed.

Fast forward to the present: Bailey Wester is returning to Wester House and to her grandmother, Willamena, under less than ideal circumstances. Bailey's troubled past is again coming to the forefront and threatening to overshadow Bailey and those around her. Trying to make peace with her grandmother while rectifying past wrongs consumes her.

I found the premise interesting and the characters intriguing. Wills and Bailey are at odds because of their similar natures, which makes the reader wish they would overcome their differences and be honest with each other. Wills withholds family secrets from Bailey that would help Bailey understand herself and erase some of the guilt she feels about her past. Theirs is a complicated relationship full of heartbreak and miscues. The writing is excellent and the story compelling.

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is September 1, 2026.

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The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can be counted on to write a moody, noir book that is both rich in characters and has an attention-grabbing plot. Her books Mexican Gothic and The Bewitching are two of my favorites. The Intrigue, while not containing that magical realism touch, looks into the heart of a grifter and makes one root for him to get his big payoff.

Ulises, an aging con artist, needs to make a quick exit from 1940s Mexico City. Usually preying on lonely women through letters, he decides to take the next step and meet Perla, his intended target. Moving into the boardinghouse she runs in Veracruz, Ulises goes to work charming her. Perla isn't a pushover, however, and her niece, Ines, sees through Ulises' scheme and demands to be let in on the scam. As things get more complicated, Ulises begins to question his decisions and wonders if involving himself in Perla's life was a good idea. Seeing no way out, Ulises is caught between Perla and Ines, with few options.

This is a beautifully written and imaginative story. The three main characters are, at times, both sympathetic and conniving. They are well matched in terms of what they want and their determination to get it. Their deceptions--to themselves and to others--make for a good tale. 

4/5 stars.

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Not a Word by Linwood Barclay

 I've just added Linwood Barclay to my list of must-read authors. Not a Word is a family drama at its best, with interesting characters put into unusual situations. 

When Reece discovers what looks like a murder-suicide at the family home, with his father as the perpetrator, his world comes apart. He knew his parents' marriage was rocky, but this seems a bit extreme. Trying to shield his son from the horror, Reece begins to question the circumstances of the crime. And he's not the only one; the police have their doubts as well. With both digging into the family's past, secrets are uncovered, and relationships are strained in pursuit of the truth.

This is an excellent psychological thriller. I expected plot twists, but unlike some thrillers, these twists are believable. Told from multiple points of view and different timelines, this well-plotted story unfolds at a breakneck pace. Its plot is compelling and, while I wasn't sympathetic to all of the characters, I felt they were genuine. 

4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 25, 2026.

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Crooks by Lou Berney

 I love the characters Lou Berney creates. They are always conflicted and put in challenging situations. The book Crooks is no different. This is a story about a crime family that spans four decades and very different life choices. 

Buddy and Lilian Mercurios are minor mob members who flee Las Vegas with their five children and hide out in Oklahoma City. Even when their disco club becomes a profitable business, Buddy and Lilian can't leave behind the con-artist ways that put them at odds with each other and their children.

Flash forward in time. The Mercurios children are adults and trying to make their own way. Some try to shed their crime family ways, while others embrace it. Each takes a different path, but is bound by blood and a shared past that shaped them. 

This is a generational story with richly drawn characters and focuses on how the five children cope with their past. All are influenced by their parents, even as they try to become individuals who strive for their own place in the world. It is interesting to see how each child turns out and in which direction they go. This is a family not soon forgotten. Beautifully written and fast-paced, the Mercurios family is memorable, and the book is hard to put down. 

5/5 stars.

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The Midnight Train by Matt Haig

 I enjoyed the other book in The Midnight World series, The Midnight Library, so I was looking forward to seeing what Matt Haig could do to top that book, and top it he did! I usually enjoy books where characters review their lives, and this book, although it reminded me of the Dickens book A Christmas Carol, is very good.

Eighty-one-year-old Wilbur Budd has led a long, eventful life. When he dies, he is transported to a train station with a ticket to board the Midnight Train. There he meets Agnes, a long-dead bookstore owner, who once helped a young Wilbur on his reading adventures. Now she is leading him on another adventure aboard the train--reviewing the important parts of his life. With few rules, the paramount one is not to interact with the memory; his goal is to reach eternity so he can be reunited with those he has loved. Sounds simple? Well, maybe not. Wilful Wilbur cannot leave well enough alone and attempts to change the events in his life.

This is a wonderful time-travel story about a stubborn Wilbur who hopes to change the past. Regrets? He has many. Forced to relive painful memories of events he hadn't come to terms with in life, Wilbur bucks Agnes and tries to focus on the magical time of his honeymoon in Venice. Venice is a pivotal point in his life where, if he could choose again, he would take another path. The Midnight Train is a reflective novel that encourages the reader to ponder their life choices. 

4.5/5 stars.

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That Night by Gillian McAllister

I've enjoyed Gillian McAllister's previous books, and this one sounded intriguing: a family thriller with murder and intrigue. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to her previous novels, and I found myself struggling to finish it.

Siblings Frannie, Joe, and Cathy are on vacation with their families at a villa they own in Italy when Frannie accidentally runs over a man, killing him. Panicked, she calls Joe and Cathy to help decide what to do. Fearing for Frannie's chances with the Italian police, the trio decides to bury the body and concoct a story to cover their tracks. They agree that the secret stays with them, and they unite in their bond to protect each other. However, when the police begin investigating, their implausible story begins to fall apart, as does their loyalty to each other.

Told from multiple points of view and different timelines, this is a study in family dynamics. It is fast-paced, but I found the characters unsympathetic and quickly began rooting for the police to arrest them all. I understood the tough position they were in, but the logic was hard to follow. There was no real suspense other than to find out which sibling would crack first. All in all, this book was a disappointment to me, given that this author is capable of so much more. 

2.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 18, 2026.

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Under the Falls by Richard Russo

I can always count on Richard Russo for a beautifully written, character-driven novel. He delivers, once again, with Under the Falls.

Tyler Sinclair fled the small town of Stone Mountain in upstate New York to make a career as a musician. He achieved success and now, eighteen years later, is returning to begin another tour with his small band. Not everyone is happy with his success or his return. His friend, Doc, who was paralyzed while playing with Tyler, secretly blames him for the accident. Tyler's other friend, Curt, now the chief of police, also harbors hard feelings over Tyler's disappearance all those years ago. When tragedy strikes after Tyler's concert, old feelings come to the surface, and Tyler is once again in the situation of trying to escape Stone Mountain.

Russo does an excellent job of portraying life in a small mountain town and the lives of those who stayed and adapted to the life. Tyler is a sympathetic character whose dreams of escape came true once, but can they come true again? Cast as an outsider, Tyler tries to renew his friendships while maintaining the distance he sought; he can't have it both ways, and his struggle to achieve a balance makes for an intriguing story. This is a novel peopled with flawed characters, dreamers, and lost souls that captivates the reader. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 11, 2026. 

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