Books for March

Dear March – Come in – How glad I am – I hoped for you before – Put down your Hat – You must have walked – How out of Breath you are – ~Emily Dickinson

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I know February is short, but something about last month was at warp speed. I’m still trying to catch up on finishing and reviewing a number of late February titles and make way for those coming out in March.

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I’ll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara

from the publisher: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark—the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death—offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. 

This one is no surprise to true crime readers but this book is so much more than just a cold case report. McNamara was a brilliant writer. She makes these settings — places I have never been — seem like they are just around the corner. I can hear the rustling in the night, smell the old grease of a train line. It’s an amazing work.

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Harper (February 27, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062319787
ISBN-13: 978-0062319784
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches

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The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg

from the publisher: From Mallory Ortberg comes a collection of darkly mischievous stories based on classic fairy tales. Adapted from her beloved “Children’s Stories Made Horrific” series, The Merry Spinster takes up the trademark wit that endeared Ortberg to readers of both The Toast and her best-selling debut Texts From Jane Eyre. Unfalteringly faithful to its beloved source material, The Merry Spinster also illuminates the unsuspected, and frequently, alarming emotional complexities at play in the stories we tell ourselves, and each other, as we tuck ourselves in for the night.

First of all, look at that amazing cover. Also, I loved Texts from Jane Eyre.  So far, Ortberg has managed to avoid being cute when she imagines these mash-ups. I’m looking forward to this one.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks (March 13, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250113423
ISBN-13: 978-1250113429
Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches

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The Last Watchman of Old Cairo by Michael David Lukas

from the publisher: Joseph, a literature student at Berkeley, is the son of a Jewish mother and a Muslim father. One day, a mysterious package arrives on his doorstep, pulling him into a mesmerizing adventure to uncover the tangled history that binds the two sides of his family.

I read the first few pages and was immediately struck by the rich language — as I was by Oracle of Stamboul. Storywise, I have haven’t been sucked in yet, but I will try again soon.

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (March 13, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399181164
ISBN-13: 978-0399181160
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches

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The Last Equation of Issac Severy by Nova Jacob

from the publisher: Just days after mathematician and family patriarch Isaac Severy dies of an apparent suicide, his adopted granddaughter Hazel, owner of a struggling Seattle bookstore, receives a letter from him by mail. In it, Isaac alludes to a secretive organization that is after his final bombshell equation, and he charges Hazel with safely delivering it to a trusted colleague. But first, she must find where the equation is hidden.

I was only just given e-access to this one so I haven’t started it yet. The description sounded fascinating, as long as it doesn’t become too proud of itself along the way. If you are going to have clues, you have to let the reader know too, otherwise it’s not fair.

By Nova Jacobs
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Touchstone (March 6, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1501175122
ISBN-13: 978-1501175121
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches

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PLUS: Watch this space later in March for a giveaway of THE BROKEN GIRLS by Simone St. James.

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What are you reading this month?