Man in the Queue is by Josephine Tey. The first in the historical fiction Inspector Grant mystery series. Inspector Grant is called in when a man is stabbed in a queue of people waiting to get into a theater. Everyone saw everything and yet saw nothing. When Grant finally discovers a suspect to whom all the evidence points, he is still afraid he has the wrong man, does he? Can he find the truth in time? A wonderful series for fans of Golden Age Mystery fiction.
Ratings: 9th grade - 8 out of 10.
The Saturday Night Ghost Club is by Craig Davidson. An interesting realistic fiction coming of age novel. The summer Jake turned 12, he spent his time with his two friends and his rather odd Uncle Calvin. But are they really looking for ghosts, or is there something else happening that Jake doesn't understand? A story young adults will enjoy.
Ratings: 7th grade - 6 out of 10 - AC (some mature thematic content).
Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame is by Olivia Ford. A charming realistic fiction novel. After 59 years of marriage to a man she loves deeply, Jenny Quinn decides she wants to do something for herself. Her husband's health is declining and they have no children, but Jenny wants to do something with her love of baking. She secretly applies to be on Britain Bakes - a popular reality show. When she is accepted, she is forced to tell Bernard her secret only to find him extremely proud and supportive. But this is not the only secret Jenny has kept from her husband, and as the show progresses and she makes it to the finals, the secret that could destroy their marriage comes out. A charming story about true love and it's up's and down's.
Ratings: 11th grade - 8 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content).
The Franchise Affair is by Josephine Tey. The third in the historical fiction Inspector Grant mystery series. Robert Blair is a solicitor in a small English village. He receives a call from Marian Sharpe, a woman who lives with her mother in a run down home. These reclusive women want him to come over right away as they have been accused of kidnapping and abusing a young woman named Betty Kane. They swear they have never seen the girl before, but she describes the ladies and their home so perfectly the police believe her. Inspector Grant is on the case, but plays almost no role in this installment. This is a wonderful mystery with so many twists and turns. This book is a Reader's Corner Highly Recommended read, even if you haven't read anything else in the series - this stand alone is a gem.
Ratings: 9th grade - 10 out of 10.
The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family is by Ron and Clint Howard. A wonderful and charming autobiographical memoir of two of the most famous child actors, and adult actors and directors, in Hollywood. The Howard's describe the closeness of their family and how that helped them navigate the pitfalls of being a child actor in Hollywood, as well as prepare them both for the careers that lay ahead. This book is honest, but does not "dish dirt" which makes it even more enjoyable to read.
Ratings: 11th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (some mature thematic content).
Close to Death is by Anthony Horowitz. The fifth book in the Hawthorne and Horowitz realistic fiction mystery series. Anthony's publisher wants another Hawthorne book, but there has not been a murder recently and Anthony has no idea how to come up with a story. Then he decides to write about a case Hawthorne has already solved; Hawthorne reluctantly agrees and offers up a murder in an exclusive residential neighborhood called Riverside Close. Mr. Kentworthy is found dead, and the police call in Hawthorne because all of the other neighbors are suspects. As Anthony begins to sift through the details Hawthorne has provided to write the novel, he stirs up a mystery from Hawthorne's past that might be better left alone.
Ratings: 11th grade - 7 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content) - V (violence).
The Hunter is by Tana French. The second in the Cal Hooper realistic fiction crime series. In the middle of a blazing hot summer, Trey's father decides to return home. He has invented a confidence scheme to defraud not only a supposed English millionaire but the whole town as well. When his plan ends in murder, Cal and Lena must find a way to keep Trey out of the mess her father has involved her in, but does Trey want to be kept out of the scheme? Fans of The Searcher will enjoy spending more time with Cal, Trey, and Lena in this small Irish village.
Ratings: Adult - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content) - V (violence).
Mystery in the Channel is by Freeman Wills Croft. The sixth installment in the Inspector French historical fiction mystery series. This classic of Golden Age fiction finds Inspector French on the case when two men are found murdered on a yacht in the middle of the English Channel. The men are officers of a powerful bank, which is on the verge of insolvency. Fans of Golden Age mystery and Crofts wonderful plotting will enjoy this book.
Ratings: 9th grade - 8 out of 10.
