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An old-fashioned story with a compelling cast of characters, Nellie by Amy Walsh is a classic work of historical romance. Set in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1931, Nellie takes up a job as a cook for a well-to-do family, despite her obvious inability in the kitchen, due to a case of mistaken identity and some good intentions. An exploration of moral dilemmas, the novel traces Nellie’s growing affection for the patronizing, but well-intentioned Mr. Mason Peale, whose high moral standards are a challenge for Nellie, as she desires to catch his romantic attention. While set in a different time, some of […]

Dreaming Under an Electric Moon by Kris Powers is an imaginative and ingenious piece of science fiction that merges future technology with the pulsing energy of a mystery. Rose is a mind hacker who is a prisoner in the Southern States of America, accused of having murdered a child by pushing him off a balcony. Two FBI agents sent by the Western States of America sense that something is amiss with this story, and maybe her mind really has been hacked to do someone else’s bidding. Both adventurous and reflective, with an innovative take on the future that feels strangely […]

Two nebulous characters meet at an undescribed location and converse in Talk To Me, Love by Mikael Aroni, a collection of three dialogic pieces. No introduction or staging notes are given, but the protagonists reveal all that is required as their conversation develops, with the characters’ interrogation of each other revealing their particular quirks and motivations. Leaving the protagonists unnamed can make it difficult to figure out which character is speaking, but the uninterrupted dialogue creates an intensity that builds tension throughout. Modernist, absurdist, and complex in its discussion of love and connection, the book may seem to be a […]

Ben Hackett is an affable man-about-town reporter in Hackett at Large: Tales from a Reporter’s Life in Paris 1961–68 by Jack Fitzgerald. In this collection of stories and anecdotes, Hackett interviews top-line celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, and JFK, which aren’t necessarily historically accurate, but give us a chance to witness Hackett in action, with all his wit and charm. The story veers to feeling like fantasy fulfillment, with the celebrities seemingly star-struck by Hackett himself, but it’s a fun fantasy nonetheless, spurred on by the colorful characterization of the endearingly old-school, cigar-chomping reporter. The story doesn’t entirely […]

Tapping into a classic noir vibe with a good dose of contemporary flair, Involuntary Flashback by Dave Garrett is a fast-talking, razor-sharp Big Apple mystery. When a young ingenue named Lilly seeks sanctuary with Rod Weyhengrubber and his partner, Ida, it becomes a race to crack the case before her wannabe kidnappers find out where she’s been tucked away, and Rod soon discovers that the conspiracy is much larger than he first thought, with extortion, espionage, and geopolitical consequences hanging in the balance. Garrett is wickedly sharp with a turn of phrase, and readers will find themselves smirking and nodding […]