AN ARTIST RETURNS to Galveston, Texas, and searches the island’s history and her family’s secrets. Overwrought.

THE CREATION OF BANGLADESH as seen from a child’s perspective. Deftly handled tale with flashes of sweet humor.

FASCINATING TWIST ON the Frankenstein story—a retelling from the “monster’s” point of view.  Masterful!

INSPIRING TRUE STORY of a young prodigy and her chess coach, both from one of Uganda’s most impoverished slums.

A CHILD’S SUDDEN DEATH fractures a family, reveals its secrets. Upper-middle-class melodrama, a bit formulaic.

OFFBEAT TRAGICOMEDY OF manners about a hapless young man with plenty of money and too many literary ambitions.

SPARE, INTENSELY COMPELLING novel of a hard-luck young man growing up in 1970s Oslo.  Not a word wasted!

CRACKLING STEAMPUNK THRILLER mashes up literary references, alchemy, clockwork robots, and lots of other fun.

WITH INSIGHTS FROM new research and recently opened archives, a fresh biography of Rasputin reveals much.

AN ENGLISH LADY SLEUTH investigates an early 20th century murder in Venice, unravels a 15th century mystery.