John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A covert peek into the seamy world of American espionage in the years following World War II, A Cesspool of Spies by Linda Watkins is an authentic post-war tale of finding purpose in the murkiest of waters. Simon Biggs is a twenty-something veteran with a good head on his shoulders, but no money in his pocket, so when he lands a job with the CIA that will pay for graduate school, he leaps at the chance. After a whirlwind of training, he is sent to Istanbul, where he quickly realizes that surviving in the capital of international intrigue is anything […]

Two timid lovers find redemption and purpose in the search for one another in Swan Song by Katy Regnery, an unlikely romance with the heart of a Russian tragedy. Vaughn is a soft-spoken janitor at the Washington Ballet, while Sasha is a gifted and graceful ballerina who dazzles from the stage, but life-changing revelations for both of them are waiting in the wings. As their paths draw them further apart, this indomitable pair must choose between unraveling the painful past and pursuing a future together. Vivid descriptions, lyrical dialogue, and visceral emotion abound throughout the rich prose, while the relationship […]

Offering a compelling argument about the cons of parenthood, Why You Should Never EVER Have Children: The Easy Path to a Privileged Life by DJ Dean is an amusing and unapologetic rebuttal to the biological imperative. From the towering expenses of child-rearing and its relentless demands on your time to the negative impacts on one’s health, socialization, and career ambitions, this casual but serious manifesto is an off-the-cuff takedown of the pressure to procreate. For any prospective parents teetering on the edge of life’s biggest decision, Dean unleashes a methodical and persuasive argument that having a child could actually be […]

A captivating combination of art world intrigue, familial devotion, and the sinister price tag of fame, The Haunted Artist by Larry Witham is a gripping fourth installment of the Julian Peale Art-Crime Mystery series. When Colleen Mason’s brother dies under suspicious circumstances, mere months after his star rises as an enigmatic genius of the art world, she enlists the skills of Julian Peale to sniff out fake from fact. As the layers of deception and fraud are peeled away, Julian discovers the manipulative forces, alluring promises, and occult powers that led to the artist’s meteoric rise and tragic fall. A […]