Ann Cleeves, author of the Vera and Shetland series (both of which are hit TV shows), presents The Rising Tide, the stunning tenth Vera Stanhope novel.

"The ending will take your breath away. My knuckles were white, nails dug into my palms as I read, then just when I thought it was all over…BAM. A totally unexpected ending. It’s what puts Cleeves in a league of her own among crime writers."

–Patricia Uttaro, library director

Ann will be in conversation with Paula Munier, literary agent and author of the Mercy Carr mysteries.

Linda Katherine Cutting joins us for a meet-and-greet in front of the store from 2–3pm. Her new picture book, A is for Always, is a beautiful A-Z list of affirmations for adoptive children. With gentle rhymes and lovely illustrations, A Is for Always celebrates the joy and love of adoption from A to Z. No registration required for this event, so don't hesitate to come any time between 2 and 3 to say hi!

Brigid Kemmerer joins us on release day to discuss Defend the Dawn, her eagerly anticipated sequel to Defy The Night. The latest in this electrifying YA series contains more royal intrigue, more sizzling romance, and shocking twists that will leave readers breathless.

We're thrilled to say that Brigid will be in conversation with YA all-stars Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, authors of All of Our Demise (All of Us Villains Book 2).

Julie Murphy (Dumplin’) and Sierra Simone (Priest) join us to discuss their feisty and festive new rom-com, A Merry Little Meet Cute.

Our event theme is Pumpkin Spice: Naughty & Nice to celebrate this spicy holiday-but-released-in-the-fall book that will definitely get you on Santa’s naughty list. Dress in your favorite #basicfall outfit and join us for author conversation, free and tasty autumn-themed drinks and treats, and a signing line!

"Sexy, progressive, hilarious, and full of good cheer."

–Helen Hoang, author

Rita Zoey Chin, author of the memoir Let the Tornado Come, joins us to discuss The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern, a luminous novel about a fiercely lonely young woman's quest to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance. Rita will be in conversation with E.B. Bartles, author of Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter.

Matthew E. Henry (aka MEH) joins us to discuss his debut collection of poetry, the Colored page.

"In a debut where no one is left unaddressed, Matthew E. Henry poetically investigates issues of the modern world including conversations with Marxists, ‘well actually’ guys, the odd questions from coworkers, and racism of all forms. This is a collection of advocacy where educators are seen and the thoughtless are forced to reflect. In the Colored page, MEH manages to capture all of our collective rage and grievances at a time where the world is ablaze." –Chris L. Butler, author of Sacrilegious: Poems & Prose

Anthony Horowitz presents The Twist of a Knife, his fourth literary whodunit following The Word is Murder, The Sentence Is Death, and A Line to Kill. This time around, Horowitz becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation—and only one man can prove his innocence: his newly estranged partner in solving crime, Detective Hawthorne.

Anthony will be in conversation with Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door and Not a Happy Family.

If you have not yet discovered the wonder and magic of a Sarah Addison Allen novel, I advise you to read Other Birds. Each resident of the Dellawisp Condos on Mallow Island comes with a history and a ghost from the past. The story begins when the newest tenant, a young woman moving in for the summer before she starts college, arrives and attempts to bring them all together through her sheer force of good will and determined friendliness. All this plus a cozy island setting, a reclusive author and a flock of extremely curious birds; I flew through it.

Cassie says: If Timothy Olyphant is your favorite character actor, this one is for you. Hart & Mercy is somehow a mishmash of You've Got Mail, but it's a Western, and there's zombies, but mostly it's a Romance and I'm obsessed because it gets at the heart of Miscommunication Trope in a very satisfying way. If you like your Ao3 tags to read "enemies to lovers," "the grumpy one falls for the soft one," and "identity porn" you have got to read this. The characters are refreshing and enraging and I probably could have spent a hundred more pages with them. What is usually the obvious conflict--the zombies, called drudges--mostly falls secondary to the internal and external conflicts of Hart & Mercy's lives. This is my favorite kind of world building, where the author gives you just enough hints of how magic operates, without overloading you with pages and pages of explanation.

Ashleigh says: This felt like a warped, alternative, demi-god and zombie-filled Western and I LOVED it. Please give me so much more of rugged, grumpy, cinnamon-roll Hart; fierce, passionate, brilliant Mercy; the endearing, smart-ass supporting cast; and this strange, misty world. I laughed, I wept, I reeled. Perfect for fans of Vivian Shaw, V E Schwab, Hannah Whitten, and Casey McQuiston.

Current and former waitstaff will find themselves nodding knowingly and/or rolling their eyes throughout this beauty of a book, which takes place largely in a family-owned Chicago restaurant. The story is told through multiple family members' perspectives in the months following the 2016 presidential election, the Cubs winning the World Series, and the patriarch of the family suddenly dying. Each character is honest, funny, and grappling with his or her own version of mid-life malaise and uncertainty. While my own family circumstances are vastly different than the Sullivans, I recognized so many family dynamics in this heartfelt story.

An eerie, sun-soaked summer horror! When Mars' twin sister dies under mysterious circumstances, he returns to the summer camp he believes caused her death. There, he meets The Honeys, the beautiful and dangerous friends his sister left behind. I couldn't put this down! For fans of Jennifer's Body and Midsommar, this is for you!

Middle-Grade Monthly is our subscription service for kids ages 8-12! Each month our children's book buyer Lauren and school liaison Cassie select a newly-released chapter book. Get your hands on the newest and soon-to-be coveted books of the year. We offer monthly and yearly subscriptions, and you can pick up your book at the store or have it mailed to you. Click on the link below for FAQs about the program.

The August 2022 pick is Tumble by Celia C. Pérez. To find out more about our subscription service, click here.

A Child's Library is our subscription service for children ages 0-5! Lauren and Cassie select one newly-released picture book each month to be sent or picked-up from the store. The goal of A Child's Library is to help foster a love for books within the child's home. It makes a great baby shower gift!

The August 2022 pick is The More You Give by Marcy Campbell & Francesca Sanna. To find out more about our subscription service, click here.