Elizabeth Strout's novel Oh William! is out in paperback and our book club is deep in discussion over this character-rich exploration of a marriage and the mysterious nature of life.

This week's Editor's Choice review covers another book currently open for discussion, David R. Gillham's Shadows of Berlin, a work of historical fiction that unfolds slowly to reveal a Jewish woman's experiences during World War II.

We also have new and notable books publishing in June, mystery and thriller recommendations for your book club, and the latest goings-on in the book world.

With best wishes,

Davina Morgan-Witts

BookBrowse Publisher

Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout explores the mysteries of marriage and the secrets we keep, as a former couple reckons with where they've come from - and what they've left behind.

At the heart of this story is the indomitable voice of Lucy Barton, who offers a profound, lasting reflection on the very nature of existence. "This is the way of life," Lucy says: "the many things we do not know until it is too late."

"I really enjoyed the book. I found myself examining events, circumstances, decisions, and conversations that I have had over the years, as Lucy did. I think it must be natural to do this about your own life and your spouse’s or significant other’s. It seems to be a way of trying to understand ourselves and make sense of our lives." - Patricia Ann

"Loved the book, the first-person narrative made me feel like I was in the room watching everything happen. I have not read the other Lucy Barton books - did not bother me - there was enough Lucy background provided to give the story context and explain Lucy's feelings and reactions to life events." - angelaw

"Elizabeth Strout's writing style is beautifully casual and reveals a lot about Lucy through her experiences, thoughts and memories. The story line was so interesting to me. I have only read one of her books before, Amy and Isabelle, so I have a lot of her other books on my reading list now! Oh William! is a wonderful story." - lorik

David R. Gillham's latest novel, Shadows of Berlin, opens in New York City in 1955. Rachel, a young Jewish woman from Berlin, has managed to avoid the horrors of Hitler's concentration camps but remains scarred by her experiences during World War II. She has married Aaron, a native New Yorker, and has tried to adopt the role of American housewife, but is unable to move beyond the guilt she feels for her actions a decade ago in Germany. The reappearance of a painting thought destroyed, a masterpiece painted by her mother, sends Rachel reeling, ultimately forcing her to come to terms with her past.

The book's premise is quite absorbing, as the author skillfully reveals Rachel's past slowly over the course of the novel. Readers learn early on, for example, that she is seeing a psychiatrist because of something referred to as the Episode, but we don't know what the Episode was for several chapters, and even then we don't understand why it happened the way it did until very late in the book. We also know that she was never subjected to the Nazis' death camps, but that her mother was, and didn't survive. Gillham expertly unfolds this tale in increments, keeping his audience spellbound until Rachel's full history is laid bare... continued

Visit BookBrowse for more, including the full review, excerpt and ongoing online discussion (may contain spoilers).

In David R. Gillham's Shadows of Berlin, the protagonist's mother was a modern artist whose work was banned by the Hitler Regime.

Adolf Hitler didn't originally intend to have a career in politics, planning instead to be a professional artist. In 1907 at the age of 18, he applied to Vienna's Academy of Fine Arts, but was rejected - twice. Still, he was able to make a reliable living selling his paintings to tourists before leaving for Munich in 1913, where he worked on commission for several wealthy patrons. The dismissal of his work by Austria's artistic elite struck a nerve, though, and their refusal to take his paintings seriously had consequences the art world never could have foreseen.

Over the ensuing decades, Hitler came to power as the leader of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (aka the Nazis), becoming Chancellor of Germany in 1933. His attacks on modern art began almost immediately thereafter, with orders issued to confiscate any art he deemed "degenerate."... continued

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We've carefully selected approximately 65 of the most noteworthy books publishing in June - check them out!

Members and patrons of subscribing libraries can see, sort and download the full list for all months. Non-subscribers can view all books up to the current month, as well as a limited number of previews for the current and future months.

Book tastes may differ wildly, but good mysteries appeal widely. And you can count on them to add momentum to your book club discussions any day. Mysteries and puzzle-driven thrillers give your group a chance to talk about both the twists and turns of the reading experience and any issues and concepts addressed by the book, providing the opportunity for layered, captivating conversation. So in this blog post, we bring you a list of some of the very best mystery books for book clubs that have been published in recent years... continued