Publisher catalogues, Goodreads.com, blog blogs…there are so many great options for finding reading inspiration. Like most people, however, I find the best source is other readers. The following are some books that were suggested to me by others. While I was initially reluctant to read them, I was glad I did. Click any of the titles below to place a hold in our catalogue. 

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier is one of the buzzier psychological thriller releases of spring 2020. I’ve begun to tire of the genre, so I wasn’t sure what surprises this novel could offer me. Well, I’m happy to report that the outcome was definitely not what I was expecting. This intricately plotted, suspenseful novel follows a women named Marin whose son has been abducted. Months go by and she secretly hires a PI to investigate his disappearance after the police move on to other cases. To Marin’s surprise, the PI uncovers that her husband is having an affair with a much younger woman. This revelation will not only drive Marin to a breaking point, it also has shocking implications for her son’s investigation.

Buy Yourself the Lilies by Tara Schuster is an interesting blend of memoir and self-help that mostly focuses on the author’s attempts to “re-parent” herself after a messed up childhood. Using humour to get her points across, Schuster shares a variety of different methods for tackling anxiety and negative self-talk. Some of them are a tad frivolous (buy lilies, i.e. spend on indulgences), while others could genuinely be useful for someone who is struggling (how to make exercise a habit). Basically, it is an engaging book about self-care in all of its forms.

The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman is a “Staff Pick” of Julie, our Readers’ Services Coordinator. I’m not usually a big fan of horror novels because I usually find them more tedious than scary, however, this one at least had heaps of nostalgia going for it. The plot is unique but a bit convoluted: a witch is burned at the stake by her neighbours in the 1930s; a campy horror movie is made about the tragedy in the 1970s; a remake of the first movie is made in the 1990s; and finally a true crime podcast reintroduces the case to a new audience. Naturally, curses abound every step of the way. Horror movie fans will get a kick out of this one.

Hideaway by Canadian writer Nicole Lundrigan follows a dysfunctional family living under a narcissistic matriarch. To no avail, the two children, Rowan and Maisy, try desperately to level their mother’s moods after their father moves out. When Rowan gets kicked out of the house, he meets a kind but very troubled drifter who takes him in. While word begins to spread about his “abduction”, Maisy must hold her family’s secrets closely or risk her mother’s wrath. This is certainly not an upbeat story, but it was suggested to me right at a time when I was looking for a change of pace. “Suburban noir” would be a good way to describe it.

Foe by Iain Reid, another Canadian writer, was definitely not something I would have picked up without others having raved about it. This strange little book follows Henrietta and Junior, a married couple who live on their remote farm sometime in the future. One day, a stranger appears at the door and informs them that Junior has been randomly selected to travel far away for an unknown period of time. He doesn't have a choice in the matter, and in an effort to address Henrietta's loneliness, they are going to leave her with some unusual company.

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher is being been touted as warped and disorienting (in a good way!) and I have found this to be true. Thursday, the unreliable narrator of this gripping psychological thriller, tries to be the perfect wife for Seth. The only problem is that she shares Seth with two other wives who live in another city. When Thursday finds out by chance the name of one wife, she gives in to the impulse to find out more. She soon discovers that Seth may be hiding some dark secrets.

All of these titles are available to reserve from County of Lennox & Addington’s digital library. If you do not already have a library card, residents can obtain one for free here.

This article was originally published in The Napanee Beaver.