2022

"The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight – hers and the one by the empty chair opposite..." Lamb to the Slaughter (1953) is a short story by Roald Dahl. It was initially rejected, along with four other stories, by The New Yorker, but was ultimately published in Harper's Magazine in September 1953. It was adapted for an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and starred Barbara Bel Geddes. Originally broadcast on April 13, 1958, it was one of only 17 AHP episodes directed by Hitchcock himself. The story was subsequently adapted for Dahl's British TV series Tales of the Unexpected. Dahl also included it in his short story compilation Someone Like You. Lamb to the Slaughter demonstrates Dahl's fascination with horror (including elements of black comedy), a theme that would influence both his in adult fiction as well as his children stories.

A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth. We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

International bestselling author María Martínez pens an emotional new adult contemporary romance perfect for readers of Colleen Hoover, Elle Kennedy, and Alice Kellen. Until she can figure out what she wants for herself, love will always be a disaster. Twenty year-old Harper Weston always wanted to be a book editor. But when she inherits her grandmother's beloved bookstore, she has to decide between carrying her grandmother's legacy forward and the carefully planned life she had envisioned for herself. After all, her love for reading came from her grandmother, who always supported her dreams; but grief, sadness and resentment at the loss of both her grandmother and her dream job resurfaces every time she steps foot in the store. Amid her uncertainty, Harper struggles to welcome all her family who has come into town to celebrate her older sister Hayley's wedding, especially her opinionated father, who she doesn't get along with. But she did not expect the wedding to bring back Trey Holt, a close friend of her siblings who Harper has been in love with for years. Faced with many conflicting thoughts and decisions to make, Harper takes a little island trip to get away from it all and to think. Little did she know that the trip would change her life, and would send her right into the arms of the person she needs answers from the most.

Pip is not a detective anymore. With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh. The police won't do anything about it. And if they won't look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town's dark secrets along the way... and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it's too late?

".. Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published in "Graham's Magazine" in 1841. It has been recognized as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his tales of "ratiocination," his concept of analyzing a fictional crime to find the resolution. Brand new idea in its day. Poe's amateur detective, C. Auguste Dupin, takes an interest in the murder in Paris of two women. It was terribly brutal but difficult to categorize; there appeared to be no robbery or sexual assault, no obvious reason for the crimes. The newspapers carried sensational headlines. Dupin gets involved because the man arrested for the crimes, Monsieur Le Bon, had previously done him a favour. It becomes a challenge to Dupin. Get set for a step back in the history of detective fiction that leaves the impression that it was written just a short while ago. Librarian's note: this entry is for the story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." It is the first of three in the author's Dupin series. Collections of the series, including those under this title, and other stories by the author, are located elsewhere on Goodreads. Each of the Dupin stories can be found by searching Goodreads for "a C. Auguste Dupin Short Story."