Up Next

"Up Next" Blog & Booklists for Interested Readers

We are excited to create a dedicated space on our website to connect our patrons (and staff) to the latest book releases that will soon be a part of our collection at Stark Library! Our new book review blog, “Up Next,” contains original reviews about new and soon-to-be-released book titles from an on-staff Collection Department expert and reading enthusiast, Audrey. Follow “Up Next” to gain an insider’s look at the world of print while exploring new themes and book trends!

What does the blog review?

Each month we will release a blog-style review of fresh new books with complementary booklists (right-hand column) so you can take your reading to the next level.

These monthly blogs will focus on adult fiction from several genres. Every custom booklist will have a theme to complement the blog - books from the same author, books from the same genre, etc.

You can utilize the links inside of each blog (book titles in BLUE) to access the reviewed books in our online collection. You will also be able to reserve a copy of each book on its corresponding collection page.

UP NEXT BLOG...

10/28/2026

CHAPTER THREE:

No Badge Required

Cracking a case is hard enough when it's your job. When you're an ordinary citizen with no badge, no official authority, and perhaps a little too much curiosity, things can get interesting. Fortunately, these amateur sleuths have sharp eyes, inquisitive minds, and a knack for seeing what others overlook. These upcoming mysteries bring fresh cases, intriguing clues, and plenty of reasons for these regular people to play detective.

NUMB WERE THE BEADSMAN'S FINGERS by Alan Bradley

Book Release Date - 11/03/2026

Seventeen years ago, readers were first introduced to precocious 11-year-old aspiring chemist Flavia de Luce in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Now, in the final book of the best-selling series—author Alan Bradley passed away in May 2026—the audience shares one last mystery with the amateur sleuth and the other memorable characters of Bishop’s Lacey. A nun’s death at Golgotha House takes a surprising turn when a secret about her past surfaces during the burial preparations. When Flavia and her trusted associate Dogger are called in to investigate, they uncover a decades-old crime, forcing the duo to navigate the watchful scrutiny of a formidable Mother Superior and follow clues across an ocean to discover the truth. As the pair dig into the dead nun’s past, they find that the most unsettling deceptions are much closer to home. A quieter, more introspective story than previous entries in the historical mystery series, Numb Were the Beadsman’s Fingers (November 3) is character-driven, with a wiser, more reflective Flavia at its core. Through thoughtful musings on life and human nature, Flavia reveals a maturity beyond her years, offering glimpses of the remarkable woman readers will likely never have the chance to meet. The book stands on its own, but reading the earlier installments adds to the enjoyment of the series’ quaint, quirky charm. It's a bittersweet ending to a beloved series. Fans of young sleuths like Enola Holmes, Charlotte Holmes, and Stevie Bell may find much to appreciate here.

THE HEIST BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Lucy Score

Book Release Date - 11/10/2026

In this fifth installment in the “Riley Thorn” series, the holidays bring more headaches than magic for Riley: a business in disarray, a private investigator’s license on the line, family tensions, and an upcoming wedding. On top of it all, Riley’s psychic skills can’t bring her future with Nick into focus. Meanwhile, her fiancé Nick goes undercover at the mall to stop a theft ring, trading his usual Christmas cheer for a truly dreadful security uniform and a decidedly unpleasant boss. Between catching a thief, saving the business, and surviving a family Christmas dinner, Riley and Nick have five days of holiday mayhem ahead—and a life together that remains stubbornly beyond her psychic reach. Like its predecessors, The Heist Before Christmas (November 10) blends humor, romance, and mystery, though the recurring comedic antics can feel overdone at times, overshadowing the story's more serious elements. Likewise, Riley and Nick's relationship takes center stage, occasionally pushing the mystery into the background. Still, readers looking for a playful, low-stakes mystery with plenty of romantic and comedic hijinks will find much to enjoy. Consider pairing this with Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series or Katie Siegel’s Not a Detective mysteries.

TO CROWN IT ALL by Rhys Bowen

Book Release Date - 11/17/2026

A coded plea for help from Lady Georgiana Rannoch’s mother draws Georgie and Darcy into a dangerous web of Nazi intrigue just as London prepares for the coronation of King George VI in To Crown It All (November 17), the 20th entry in the Her Royal Spyness series. With a suspicious German official keeping watch, a house full of distinguished guests, and a murder that threatens to derail the royal festivities, the pair must unmask a killer and thwart a looming catastrophe before the eyes of the world turn to Westminster Abbey. Between international conspiracies and a royal ceremony where one misstep could cause a scandal, Georgie has far more to worry about than what to wear. Bowen’s strength in character development and richly detailed historical world-building continues to shine, bringing depth and authenticity to the story. Light-hearted moments offer welcome levity amid the weight of history woven throughout the narrative. Though the mysteries take a back seat to the broader story rather than building to definitive resolutions, the result is an entertaining read that will appeal to fans of Bowen’s storytelling. If you appreciate mysteries that are rich with history, try Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series or Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell mysteries.

THE FIRST LADIES' GUIDE TO MURDER by Amanda Flower

Book Release Date - 11/24/2026

Behind the glittering doors of 1894 Washington, even the First Ladies have secrets to uncover. When a young maid is accused of stealing a priceless Tiffany brooch and turns up dead the next morning, First Lady Frances Cleveland enlists the help of her predecessor, Julia Dent Grant, and Julia’s daughter, Nellie, to investigate a death the authorities are all too quick to dismiss as suicide. But Kitty knew too much about the capital’s most powerful figures, and the three women must challenge the very social order they inhabit to uncover the truth and track down a killer. In The First Ladies’ Guide to Murder (November 24), Amanda Flower brings lesser-known figures from American history to life, drawing on biographical details to shape their personalities and motivations. Her meticulous attention to historical detail offers readers a glimpse into the White House and the private lives of the women who inhabited its world. For readers who might not gravitate toward a biography of First Lady Frances Cleveland, Flower offers an enticing alternative: a historical mystery in which these figures from the past become more fully realized and believable. Flower brings her characters and their world to life with historical accuracy, capturing the nuances of time and place and immersing the audience in the era. Readers who prefer their mysteries solved by historical figures may want to try Flower’s To Slip the Bonds of Earth, a Katharine Wright mystery, and S.J. Bennett’s Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series.

Until next month,

Audrey
Collection Development

9/30/2026

CHAPTER TWO:

Home Is Where the Haunt Is

Every house has a history, and every life lived within its walls leaves something behind—a lingering presence that remains long after its former inhabitants are gone. When that history begins to exert its own influence, the house can take on a life of its own, becoming a character in its own right, like Heorot in Beowulf or the infamous Dutch Colonial in The Amityville Horror. In these upcoming titles, the house is never simply where the story happens—it watches, remembers, haunts, and sometimes tells the story itself.

THE UNHAUNTING by Micaiah Johnson

Book Release Date - 9/29/2026

Micaiah Johnson’s The Unhaunting (September 29) inverts the haunted house story in a refreshingly original way. One hundred and seventy years ago in the aftermath of the Civil War, a woman made an innocent wish: to build a house where nothing bad could ever happen. Generations later, Shantell and her friends believe they’ve found that very sanctuary In Abernathy House—a place untouched by tragedy, where old wounds heal and life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. But the past has a way of finding its way home, and if this house has truly known no suffering, where did all its ghosts come from? Be careful what you wish for because sometimes a house doesn’t inherit its history—it creates one. Blending historical fiction, ghost story, and social commentary, Johnson weaves a tale that subverts our expectations, giving voice to the haunting itself and offering readers a chilling glimpse into its point of view. If you’re intrigued by houses like Abernathy, try Helen Oyeyemi’s White Is for Witching, in which a vengeful house takes on a voice of its own as one of several narrators.

SOLACE HOUSE by Will MacLean

Book Release Date - 10/13/2026

Tasked with cleaning out an abandoned asylum and its eccentric late owner’s rundown home, 19-year-old Alex Lane and a group of university students find more than they bargained for in Will MacLean’s disquieting, hallucinogenic novel, Solace House (October 13). What begins as a mundane job takes an unsettling turn when Alex and the others uncover journals describing a parallel realm—and instructions for how to reach it. As Solace House pulls Alex deeper into its secrets, his grip on reality begins to fracture. Every abandoned room seems to contract around him, and its suffocating clutter and small, inexplicable disturbances transform his loneliness into something almost tangible. As the house closes in around Alex, the line between a haunted place and a haunted mind begins to blur. With Gothic vibes and a mind-bending conclusion, fans of Shirley Jackson’s modern classic The Haunting of Hill House and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History may want to check this out.

THE WOMAN OF THE HOUSE by Kate Mooney

Book Release Date - 10/13/2026

Kate Mooney’s debut novel, The Woman of the House (October 13), is a domestic thriller where reality, memory, and paranoia become increasingly difficult to separate. Rose finally has everything she’s ever wanted: A new life. A loving husband. A dream house. The house, too, has been waiting for someone like Rose. It speaks to her in restless floors, strange reflections, and wounds that appear without explanation. When Rose begins digging into the disappearance of the woman who lived there before her, the activity in the house grows increasingly more insistent, and she begins to wonder whether she’s getting closer to the truth—or something much more dangerous. Something in the house is trying to communicate with her, and whatever it is may already know how Rose’s story ends. Mooney depicts Rose as a character we don’t fully trust but have some sympathy for, especially when she begins questioning her own sanity. Consider pairing this with another story that explores the space between the paranormal and the psychological: You Did Nothing Wrong by CG Drews.

SHELTER IS NECESSARY FOR EXISTENCE by Brenda Iijima

Book Release Date - 10/27/2026

In Brenda Iijima’s second book, Shelter is Necessary for Existence (October 27), Sue, her husband Luke, and their two children move into a highly coveted Brooklyn neighborhood, intent on renovating their home. From the outside, Sue’s new brownstone exemplifies everything she has ever wanted—a beautiful home, a successful family, and a place among the people she has long envied. Inside, everything is beginning to come apart: old voices and phantom noises stir in the silence, blood appears on the walls, and Sue’s children begin exhibiting disturbing changes. As she becomes consumed by the house and the secrets left behind by its former occupants, her perfect life starts to resemble something far more frightening. Perhaps the house isn’t haunted by what happened there. Perhaps it’s waiting for history to repeat itself. Part social commentary, part psychological thriller, the book’s cynical tone doesn’t diminish the mounting dread readers feel watching Sue’s descent into a domestic nightmare of her own making; it enhances it. Thematically reminiscent of The Shining, Iijima’s book is definitely worth a look.

Until next month,

Audrey
Collection Development

8/14/2026

CHAPTER ONE:

Fan-Favorite Authors Lead Fall’s Fiction Lineup

THE PIRATE QUEEN by Ariel Lawhon

Book Release Date - 9/8/2026

Ariel Lawhon, the critically acclaimed author of such historical fiction titles as The Frozen River and I Was Anastasia, recounts the story of legendary Irish folk hero Grace O’Malley in The Pirate Queen. She was told her duty was to marry, obey, and stay on shore; instead, she built a fleet, commanded warriors, and challenged the might of Elizabethan England. Based on the remarkable true story of a 16th century noblewoman-turned-pirate, this action-packed novel delivers everything readers could want: adventure on the high seas, dangerous enemies, political power plays, and a heroine who’s impossible to forget. As is the case with most of Lawhon’s books, the narrative structure isn’t linear and chronological, which might be jarring for those readers looking for a sequential story; however, the three-part looping structure based on the Celtic Trinity Knot serves as the story’s foundational shape.

HOLLOW BONES by Jodi Picoult

Book Release Date - 9/15/2026

Jodi Picoult is back with another moving novel, not-so-coincidentally timed to the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks. In Hollow Bones, Picoult introduces readers to Molly, a woman whose mother is presumed dead following a visit to the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11/2001. Molly knows how to weather any crisis and has spent her career planning for the unthinkable as the head of Rhode Island’s Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response. When a shocking revelation threatens her marriage to Jesse, who long-time Picoult fans may recognize from the beloved My Sister’s Keeper, and forces her to confront long-buried truths, she discovers that the most devastating emergencies don't come with a warning siren. Emotional, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down, this realistic fiction novel explores love, loss, family secrets, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive, garnering starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist.

THE FRENCH ILLUSION by John Grisham

Book Release Date - 9/29/2026

Prolific author John Grisham returns with his latest must-read, The French Illusion. What should have been the trip of a lifetime becomes a nightmare when newlyweds Paul and Chelsea Tanner are kidnapped during their honeymoon in France. As investigators uncover a chilling pattern of similar crimes across borders, the search for answers pulls the FBI, CIA, and French intelligence into a high-stakes race against time. Packed with twists, global intrigue, and covert operations, this pulse-pounding thriller proves that sometimes "happily ever after" is only the beginning. Long-time readers of Grisham who enjoy his legal thrillers like The Firm and A Time to Kill may be surprised by his shift to spy fiction, but they shouldn’t worry: the new book features a lawyer playing a significant role.

THRESHING DAY by Rebecca Yarros

Book Release Date - 9/29/2026

For fans of Rebecca Yarros’s bestselling “Empyrean” series, Threshing Day will finally arrive! While not the highly anticipated fourth book in the hugely popular romantasy series, this collection of thirteen stories featuring favorite characters and their bonded dragons should certainly satisfy readers until then. While details about the novella have been kept tightly under wraps, one detail has been confirmed: the standalone companion contains a story about powerful dragon rider and main love interest Xaden. Although reading Threshing Day isn't necessary to follow the series' main story, it greatly expands the world and its lore and may give readers a better understanding of characters’ motivations moving forward.

Until next month,

Audrey
Collection Development

Meet Audrey (Reading Enthusiast):

Audrey Sumser has been buying Adult Fiction and Young Adult materials for Stark Library since 2023 and will tell you that she has the best job in the world.

A librarian with twenty years of experience, when she’s not ordering books, she can be found reading them, reading about them, checking out books from other libraries, and going to bookstores.

Needless to say, she’s passionate about books and hopes her monthly blog posts encourage readers to seek out real people, not algorithms, for book recommendations.

Blog Booklist:

Looking to crack more cases? Check out this list of mysteries where amateur sleuths save the day.

From familiar favorites to exciting new discoveries, November’s releases offer something for every kind of reader. Perhaps one of them could be your Your Next Read!