The Summer Season
Ideas for reading, traveling, and watching this summer
Summer Reading Recommendation Bonanza:
Summer reading is getting a lot of attention these days and everyone has a list or a different idea of what makes summer reading stand out. Last week Middleburg Books owner Mary Beth Morell and I talked to a group of readers about books that will transport, inspire, and delight this summer. We limited ourselves to books 1) already published at the time of our conversation, and 2) those we have actually read and loved. It was so much fun to talk about and suggest some great new books for summer reading. If you are interested in seeing all the titles we recommended, click here! A few surprises for me (in the best sense) are: Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding, The Book Club for Troublesome Women, and Food Person. Mary Beth’s descriptions of Isabel Allende’s new novel My Name Is Emilia del Valle and The Listeners had me adding those to my summer TBR.
While I often lean into light, quick reads during the summer (this is what we emphaized at our gathering), I recently read some excellent mysteries including:
I love the new Laura Lippman novel, Murder Takes A Vacation. Lippman is a longtime favorite and usually writes mysteries set in Baltimore with Tess Monaghan. Here Tess’s assistant, Mrs. Blossom is heading on a riverboat cruise in Europe, but before she even boards the boat, a few mysterious incidents cause her to pause - including a new aquaintance who soon falls to his death from a hotel balcony. Was he pushed? Was it an accident? Mrs. Blossom is a smart seasoned protagonist and it is fun to see this mystery unfold along her vacation.
Another mystery I really enjoyed is A Death in Corfu. This has all the vibes of the beloved PBS show The Durrells, but here a widowed mother investigates the death of a neighbor’s young maid. This book has a great sense of place, likeable characters, and kept me guessing. I am hoping this is the start of a series.
A bit on the darker side, I just finished The Ghostwriter. I have struggled with anything but the lightest of mysteries lately and was glad to sink my teeth into this twisted story of a very dysfunctional family. Olivia, estranged from her famous and notorious father, is hired to ghostwrite his memoir. He has always been suspected, but never charged, with killing his siblings when he was a teen. Now suffering from a debilitating illness, he wants to tell his side of the story. While she would love to say no, she is deeply in debt and can’t turn down the assignment. As she digs into the past, more questions than answers appear. The scenes from the past are dark and creepy and the use of an unreliable narrator is well employed.
And finally, a dark mystery that I could not put down is We Live Here Now. Emily and her husband Freddy relocate to a large house in the country so Emily can recuperate from a terrible accident. But from the beginning, the house does not feel right to Emily and strange things begin to happen. Is this her imagination, a brain injury, or is something more sinister at work? I am not a huge “haunted house” fan but this creepy novel kept me guessing. I loved the dual perspectives between Emily and Freddy along with an observant raven and some strange neighbors. If you knew the number of “scary” books I start but don’t finish, then trust me, the fact that I sped through this one says a lot. If you are looking for something a bit scary but not over the top, this is it!
Bookish Links
Want to get creative this summer but need some inspiration? Uppercase publishes gorgeous books that inspire many artistic passions. I received Stitch at Christmas and love it!
Also, Emily Lex’s watercolor workbooks are FLYING out the door at the shop! So many great options for an easy hobby to take on vacation or use at home.
Need more inspiration this summer? How about going on a reading retreat? I am such a huge fan of reading retreats of all kinds and am seeing more and more available these days (or is it just the algorithm). I love this profile by Conde Nast Traveler.
Check out these literary festivals around the world. I am wondering if I can fit the Charleston Festival in this November
A few thoughtful articles I have read recently and want to share:
This article about the meaning behind so many of our kitchen gadgets is so relatable to me. I can’t wait to read the book that the article is adapted from, The Heart-Shaped Tin: Love, Loss and Kitchen Objects, to come out this fall.
Why Don’t the French Obsess Over Purpose? As someone who has spent a life not quite sure what “my thing” is, this quote is everything:
But what if your purpose is simply to build a good life? To raise kind children. To cook a little better each year. To read a few excellent books. To notice the seasons. To build meaningful relationships. To help others. To give time - and money if you can - to causes you care about.
Isn’t that what people will remember anyway?
Joel Miller can always be counted on to bring insight to the field of books and reading. His discussion regarding the use of AI in higher education is timely and thought provoking.
And finally, three new great book to TV adaptations I recommend:
Based on the first of the Department Q books series, The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, this 9 episode series is fantastic. They moved the setting from Denmark to Scotland, but it works! I hope they adapt more of these dark thrillers.
This beloved sci-fi novella series by Martha Wells is getting rave reviews. We have watched a couple episodes and concur.
I am a Jane Harper completist and love her dark and moody Australian mysteries. I just saw The Survivors is now on Netflix and cannot wait to start it. If you have not read Jane Harper, you can really start anywhere. Her debut novel The Dry was made into a film in 2020 and it is terrific.
Thank you for sticking with me to the end! Here is to soaking up the summer season and finding time for reading some great books.
Shayne, you always pack so much great (and fun!) literary info into each newsletter! I look forward to every edition!