Chapter 40 - The Mystery Guest

The fall is a perfect time of year for new books. So many authors have books coming out in time for the holidays and I'm all about gift giving books. It seems too that there are a lot of mysteries that come out this time of year. I don't know if that is based on the earlier darkness, the spooky Halloween holiday, or the autumn winds wheezing through the trees as they scatter leaves, but this is always a good time of year for murder and mayhem.

This year is no exception. There are books coming out in November from well known and loved authors as well as some debut novels which have caught my eye. I am not a person for pumpkin spice latte or room freshener but sign me up for a good autumn mystery! Here are the books on my list for November reading.

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Stevens - There is a painting called The Berry Pickers and Dave and I always laugh about it as it seems to appear at every thrift or second hand shop we visit. This book, a debut novel, is nothing to laugh about however. It is a story of an indigenous Canadian family who come to Maine to work as blueberry harvesters. In July 1962, a Mi'kmaq family's four year old daughter, Ruthie, disappears and her brother Joe is the last one to see her. This shatters the family and the mystery begins. This was published on October 31.

People To Follow by Olivia Worley - A group of teen influencers are invited to participate in a reality show on a remote island. They will all need to unplug for three weeks. Of course when they get there all does not go well. One of them dies, the production crew doesn't show up, and soon they realize they've been lured into a game that maybe the end of them all. This is another debut novel released, fittingly, on Halloween.

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen - Tess Gerritsen has written a lot of thrillers including the Rizzoli and Iles series. In The Spy Coast, former CIA agent, Maggie Bird has retired to Purity, Maine to pursue a quiet life. A dead body on her doorstep scratches that idea. Maggie knows it is a message from people she'd rather forget. Connecting with other retired operatives, she works on what she believes is her last mission. Right now just one more book is planned but we can always hope! Publication date on this was November 1.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose - Nita Prose wrote The Maid, a story of Molly, a young woman who may be on the autism spectrum. She figures out her life as she works as a hotel maid. In the second book of the series Molly Gray has been promoted to Head Maid and all seems to be going fine until a well-known author drops dead in the hotel's tea room. The death is determined a homicide and Molly thinks she might have the answer to who committed the murder and why. This novel will be published November 28 right in time for Christmas.

Again and Again by Jonathan Evison - Eugene "Geno" Miles is living out his final curmudgeonly years in a nursing home. His new nursing assistant, Angel, is understandably skeptical about what he has told her about his 1,000 year existence. As Geno's story unfolds, it becomes very clear that love conquers all. This novel releases on November 7.

Any new books coming down the pike which interest you? Do tell!