The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Mystery& Detective

To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai

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To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai
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To Have and to Heist is a wild-ride from start to finish. Think Oceans 11 with serious screwball romantic comedy energy. The plot is complex, but Desai is no novice. A seasoned romance author whose previous works have charmed us for the last few years (The Single’s Game, The Wedding Planner & The Dating Project), Desai is known for loveable, awkward leads caught in the cross hairs of cultural expectations and hijinks. Simi, her floundering heroine with zero filter, is instantly loveable. Jack is Simi’s perfect foil; secretive and gruff but also floundering in his own way. Their chemistry is instant. While Simi and Jack’s relationship takes the lead, sizzling with sexual tension, their heist crew provides the perfect goof-ball comedic relief. Would I trust an Uber driver, a hit-man, a nerdy man-child, and an animal loving HIMBO to have my back in a heist? In these circumstances… you bet. Sara Desai brings us the experiences of many young, second generation Indian Americans- pressure to live up to familial expectations, be successful, and, of course, get married. Expertly weaving these experiences into laugh out loud romances. To Have and To Heist is the fun, heart-racing, summer romance adventure that we all deserve.

To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai, (List Price: $17, Berkley, 9780593548509, July 2023)

Reviewed by Katie Garaby, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

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Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen
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From the sales pitch of “Queer Knives Out” I expected this to be a fun mystery sprinkled with social commentary- I wasn’t expecting to be hit so hard with emotions. The mystery itself is fairly straightforward, but Andy’s journey to self-acceptance, helped along by being able to see the Lamontaine family as exactly that- a family- is what makes this book shine. Through well crafted prose Rosen depicts the both the homophobia of the 50’s and San Francisco’s thriving queer communities and their hopes for a better future in ways that are still relatable to modern readers.

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen, (List Price: $26.99, Forge Books, 9781250834225, January 2023)

Reviewed by Lauren Kohnle, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

Spotlight on: Decent People by De’Shawn Charles Winslow

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De'Shawn Charles Winslow, photo credit Julie R. Keresztes

“So many of the characters in Decent People are on a quest for respectability–– their own and/or that of their children. I wanted to show what lengths people would go to just to conceal truths: a child’s queerness, an addiction, hypocrisy. I don’t know that I was going for nuance, exactly. I think I was just portraying people the way I’ve often encountered them. ” ―De’Shawn Charles Winslow, interview, PEN America

Decent People by De'Shawn Charles Winslow

What booksellers are saying about Decent People

  • A complex, engaging story of a small Southern town grappling with racial justice, human rights, religion and murder in the mid 1970’s. Family ties and long-buried secrets are tested as a woman fights to clear the name of her beloved. An absolute page-turner filled with colorful characters in a rich setting.
      ―Jamie Fiocco from Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC | Buy from Bookmarks

  • Decent People is a compelling mystery that also deftly contends with racism, homophobia, classism and corruption. Charles De’Shawn Winslow’s fluid writing and pacing combine with wonderfully drawn characters–including the glorious busybody Josephine Wright–to make a truly marvelous novel.
      ―Stephanie Jones-Byrne from Malaprop’s in Asheville, NC | Buy from Malaprops

  • The shooting deaths of two sisters and their brother, prominent members of the African-American community, set tongues wagging in West Mills, NC. Except for those holding their voice over secrets. Told from alternating perspectives, the mystery unfolds amid lives threatened by the racism and homophobia of the 1960s and 1970s. This is a great read on so many levels, can’t wait to hand sell this one.
      ―Jessica Nock from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC | Buy from Main Street Books

About De’Shawn Charles Winslow

De’Shawn Charles Winslow is the author of In West Mills, a Center for Fiction First Novel Prize winner and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Lambda Literary Award, and Publishing Triangle Awards finalist. He was born and raised in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, graduated from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and now lives in New York.

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Every Man a King by Walter Mosley

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Every Man a King by Walter Mosley
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Joe "King" Oliver gets himself into not one but TWO complicated plots in this new detective thriller from the legendary Walter Mosely. What I love about Mosley’s writing is the cadence of the dialogue and the musical language his characters use. It gives his books a "classic" touch or feel harkening back to the old great noir mysteries. King is a fantastic character whose moral core is something we should all aspire to. He gets himself into so many more problems because of it, but I love that Mosley’s detectives have this strong center that drives them to seek justice.

Every Man a King by Walter Mosley, (List Price: 28, Mulholland Books, 9780316460217, February 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head

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Time's Undoing by Anne Wynter
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Inspired by true events from the author’s family, TIME’S UNDOING is the story of a Black journalist in 2019 investigating the unsolved mystery of her great-grandfather’s death in 1929 Birmingham. Told in alternating timelines, the novel explores racially-motivated crime, the lengths people will go to cover up the truth, and the powerful bonds of community, family, and love. This is a gripping story full of history, emotion, and suspense that I guarantee will be on my Best of 2023 list!

Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head, (List Price: $28, Dutton, 9780593471821, February 2023)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Exiles by Jane Harper

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Exiles by Jane Harper
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As usual Jane Harper’s new novel, Exiles, is a slow burn of a read as she so beautifully describes yet another region of Australia, south Australia’s wine region. And, once again gives us a cast of characters so well-developed that you feel like you really know them. The book is about a small town with two unsolved events which have haunted the close-knit inhabitants. One the hit-and-run death of a well-liked accountant and the other the disappearance of a new mother who supposedly left her six-week-old child unattended at the annual wine and food festival and jumped to her death at the nearby reservoir – coincidentally the same weekend and same place as the hit and run. While this is Harper’s third book featuring Aaron Falk it easily reads as a standalone and will make you want to go back and read more about Aaron.

Exiles by Jane Harper, (List Price: $27.99, Flatiron Books, 9781250235350, January 2023)

Reviewed by Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong

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Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong
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A beautifully odd and weird story, full of imagination, obsession, and layers upon layers of intrigue. Katrina Kim is living on the edges of life, barely able to afford her shared apartment, struggling with her temp job, and lowkey stalking her coworker Kurt. There’s something about him and his strangeness that compels her to watch him. Then one night she sees Kurt jump off a bridge, drawing Katrina into the mystery that was his life. I can’t recommend this strange book enough!

Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong (List Price: $28, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538723562, January 2023)

RReviewed by Kate Towery, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Hemlock Hollow by Culley Holderfield

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Hemlock Hollow by Culley Holderfield
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Culley Holderfield writes poetically about the magical mountain hollow where we meet Caroline Mc Alister as she mourns her father and her marriage. A college professor, Caroline has just discovered that her deceased father has bequeathed her the family cabin—the cabin which has always haunted her. While restoring the old cabin she finds a century-old journal written by Carson Quinn and the mystery it reveals about the death of his brother haunts her too. This novel has so many facets: Leprechauns and Emerson and Darwin and Socrates and religion and love and death are all found in its pages. The main character is an archaeoastronomy professor and is studying the Grand Octal! This is the most fascinating novel I have read all year and is perfect for a bookclub discussion. I can’t recommend it highly enough as a page-turner that will stay with and haunt the reader.

Hemlock Hollow by Culley Holderfield (List Price: $18.95, Regal House Publishing, 9781646032860, December 2022)

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco

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Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco
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Enola Holmes is BACK! The high-spirited independent sister of the World Famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, is back for more adventure and mystery. Enola Holmes has been able to avoid her brothers Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes so far. At the same time she has solved mysteries, and saved lives. Now she is back for more adventures! Can she continue to evade her brothers, or will she finally have to turn to them for help? Where is her mother? Can she actually be found and reunited with her daughter, or has she truly abandoned her family? The beautiful artwork will draw you in, and the storyline will keep you reading. As with all Enola Holmes stories, at the end of each story are fascinating historical notes, such as the language of fans, cyphers, or how to create invisible ink. The Enola Holmes graphic novels are a perfect read for your younger mystery lovers or your young readers who love graphic novels.

Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco (List Price: $14.99, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 9781524871352, November 2022)

Reviewed by Gretchen Shuler, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn

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Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn
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Bernie and Chet stories can seem deceptively simple. Chet’s narration from a dog’s point of view provides humor but insights on how narrow human perspectives can be. Bernie’s ethical code and generosity are lessons in how to be a better human. All this comes into play as the duo seek to help a high school classmate fallen on hard times. Running underneath the mystery is a happy love interest for Bernie and the complications of Trixie for Chet.

Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn, (List Price: $26.99, Forge Books, 9781250843272, August 2022)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor

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Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor
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I became a fan of Mark Pryor after reading The Bookseller (and subsequent books) and meeting his protagonist, Hugo Marston. So, what a surprise to be introduced to a new protagonist, Inspector Henri Lefort. Occupied Paris in 1940 was a Nazi nightmare, but even worse, the murder of an SS officer could not be tolerated by "the enemy." The storyline bends and twists while the Inspector has been given 5 days to solve the murder…"or else." The Inspector, with his dry sense of humor, along with the characters (including Pablo Picasso) introduced as the story unfolds, help to create an intriguing mystery. Truly enjoyed the book!

Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor, (List Price: 27.99, Minotaur Books, 9781250824820, August 2022)

Reviewed by Karen Solar, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger

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Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger
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This fast-paced story is told through alternating perspectives of the hunters and the hunted as mercenaries seek a woman for reasons unknown to her, Cork and his wife. At the center of the story a wise and elderly healer helps the hunted survive in the Boundary Waters wilderness. Another great addition to the Cork O’Conner mystery series.

Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger, (List Price: $28, Atria Books, 9781982128715, August 2022)

Reviewed by Lia Lent, Wordsworth Books in Little Rock, Arkansas

Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett

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Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett
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Like a Sister is as much a story about today’s social media culture and societal issues especially those of race and class as it is a masterfully written twisty mystery. The story is narrated by the very relatable Lena Scott, half- sister of realty star Desiree Pierce who is found dead of a presumed overdose. Lena uses sarcasm and wit to hide her emotions because as a young Black woman in today’s world Lena believes what her mother has always told her – that she must always show her super-woman side to the world. While Desiree was a known alcoholic and coke user, one of the main reasons the sisters had not spoken in two years, Lena is convinced that Desiree didn’t die from an accidental overdose of heroin. She wouldn’t have been surprised if it were coke but never heroin, as Desiree hated needles and was too vain to ever leave track marks. Lena believes the last favor she can do for her sister is find out the truth behind her death even, as it turns out, at the risk to her own life.

Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett, (List Price: $28, Mulholland Books, 9780316256704,  March 2022)

Reviewed by Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

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The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
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What would you do if you lost something you loved so much, it felt like an inextricable part of your being? This is the predicament Ray Mcmillian finds himself in after his beloved violin inexplicably disappears from his hotel room in New York. The mystery of the missing fiddle creates an international frenzy as everyone wants to know: who stole the violin, and where is it now? For Ray, though, this is about more than just a stolen instrument. This is about his livelihood, and the adversity he had to face to become one of the most renowned violinists in the country. While the theft is the backbone of the novel, moving the story forward, this is truly a story about what a young black man was forced to endure to be allowed to harness his gift. I have never read another book that could so expertly bring attention to the beauty of a subject while also showing the dark underbelly of the racism that runs rampant underneath. Whether it be a violin solo, an unjustified police search, or just a brunch with a loved one, I found Ray’s life to be richly detailed and an important window into the realities of black musicians in the classical music sector today. If you want a contemporary fiction read with themes of social justice, mystery, and unforgettably the power of music, pick up this debut.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, (List Price: $28, Anchor, 9780593315415,  February 2022)

Reviewed by Emma June Wood, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

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The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
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There are so many captivating things about this novel…the insight the reader gets as to what it takes to be a classical musician, the background on the history of violins (and one violin in particular) and how they’re made, the main character’s determination in the face of struggle, family dynamics and expectations, racial issues that rear their ugly heads, and a mysterious theft of a priceless instrument…I could go on and on. Put all this together, and you get a beautiful story about a boy who loved his grandmother more than anyone in the world…one who persevered to become a classical violinist and prove to everyone that he could do it. Brendan Slocumb effortlessly keeps his story flowing, leaving the reader rooting for Ray McMillian while trying to put the pieces of the theft together. Such a great read!

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, (List Price: $28.00, Anchor, 9780593315415, February 2022)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson from The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia


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