7 Thrillers & Mysteries to Read in September

Say hello to September! It may mean back to school for many of you, but for readers, it means OMG, all the books! That's right, September is always a huge month for fantastic book releases, and this year you can expect many great reads coming your way. Here are 7 recommendations for crime fiction lovers.

• The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti (Atria, September 26): When a well-respected high-school baseball coach is accused of having an affair with a troubled student, all hell breaks loose in the small town. But when the girl later disappears, scandal turns to possible murder. Does Coach have a secret life? Set in the Poconos, this mystery has earned much critical praise.
• The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld (Harper, September 5): A desperate family turns to a private investigator known to be successful at locating missing children. But after three years, would their daughter (who'd be eight now) still be alive after she was lost in an Oregon national forest? The investigator has personal battles to fight while she's on the hunt for the girl. This suspenseful novel is an Indie Next pick this month.
• Gangster Nation by Tod Goldberg (Counterpoint, September 12): Feeling restless, a Chicago hit man who has reinvented himself as a Las Vegas rabbi wants a new life in a new country. He's got all his ducks in a row, ready to run, until a vengeful FBI agent and 9/11 topple his plans and put him and his family on the run. This follow-up to Gangsterland is noir crime fiction with a darkly humorous bent. Reviewers assure us that this book can be read as a standalone.

• Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land (Flatiron, September 5): After a teenager turns in her mother for abuse and multiple murders, she's given a new identity and a new life with a wealthy foster family. Will she be good or will she be bad when she learns that a teacher may know her secret past and after her new sister turns out to be a bully? Reviewers love this psychological thriller.
• Lightning men by Thomas Mullen (37Ink, September 2): In the 1950s Atlanta is facing unrest and violence as all-white neighborhoods become racially integrated. Black and white police officers try to calm the waters and contain Nazi sympathizers, the KKK, bootleggers, and drug dealers. This sharply plotted police procedural gives us a frank look at issues that continue to plague America.

• The Visitors by Catherine Burns (Gallery, September 26): A seemingly timid woman of a certain age has spent most of her life under the control of her domineering brother, ignoring whatever it is he keeps hidden in the basement. After his heart attack puts her in charge, she descends the stairs to discover his secrets and, perhaps, her own dark soul. This debut thriller promises to be creepy and disturbing.
• Whispers of Warning by Jessica Estevao (Berkley, September 19): When a strong-willed suffragette visits a coastal Maine vacation town at the turn of the last century, trouble is sure to follow. When the newcomer is found murdered, the local psychic is on the case. This delightful cozy mystery is well crafted, providing readers with a satisfactory escape into murder and mayhem in a beautiful setting.

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Wordless Wednesday 461

Dahlia, 2017

Click image to enlarge. For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Reading at the End of Summer

Topmost in my mind right now is not books. My thoughts and concerns are with Texas and the other areas of the Gulf Coast that are being pounded by rain and facing rising water.

Please stay safe, help your neighbors, and remember that you and your family are more important than your things. Know that those of us in the north are thinking of you and are finding ways to help.

If you want to find a legitimate way to aid the hurricane victims, be sure to check out a reliable source. It's horrible, but scammers come out during crises. I know CNN is vetting organizations, as is USA Today, Huffington Post, and the Weather Channel. Visit their websites for information on ways to get involved.

What I Read Last Week

The Ice-Cream Makers by Earnest van der Kwast (37Ink, Aug. 1): I couldn't resist this novel about a family of ice cream makers who spends the winter in their native Italy and the summer in the Netherlands. Four generations of men give their lives over to the ice cream machine, all that is except Giovanni, who instead hears the call of poetry. When his father begins to slip into dementia and his brother asks for a huge favor, Giovanni must choose the path of his future. I generally love family sagas and novels that have a strong food element, but The Ice-Cream Makers was only okay for me. The writing was fine, but I didn't connect strongly to the story, which had more of a melancholy or bittersweet feel to it than the promised charm and quirkiness. You might like it better than I did. The unabridged audiobook (Simon & Schuster audio; 9 hr, 1 min) was read by Jacques Roy, who handled the variety of needed accents believably and ably distinguished among the characters. His fine performance kept me listening (I would have likely abandoned the print), but he didn't turn the book into a winner.

Just Dance by Patricia MacLachlan (Margaret K. McElderry Books, Sept. 12): Sylvia loves to write poetry and is thrilled when she's given the chance to write a kind of "out and about" column for her local newspaper over the summer before she starts fifth grade. Because she lives on a Wyoming farm outside of a very small town, Sylvia is sure she won't have much to report and won't find any surprises. But before the summer is over, she has made a new friend, learned how to appreciate the world around her, and even sees her mother--once a famous opera singer--in a new light. This is a sweet middle grade story that will delight readers of all ages. I loved the themes of the importance of family and how easy it is to bring joy to others. I also liked the reminder that there is always something new discover, even in a familiar place. If you enjoy middle grade stories or have an elementary school reader in your life, don't hesitate to give Just Dance a chance. It comes out next month.

Park Bench by Christophe Chabouté (Gallery Books, Sept. 19): I was surprised by how taken in I was by this black and white graphic novel (comic) with no dialogue. I loved this look at life from the perspective of a park bench. The story takes place over several years, during which we see snapshots of a group of individuals: some hurry by, some stop at the bench to rest or read, one homeless man likes to sleep on the bench. Through the expressive, simple drawings, we see some of the people grow and change: a pregnancy, a death, a retirement. The ending even has a little surprise. This is a comic I know I'm going to "read" again. The first time through I was interested in the overall story line, but now I want to follow specific characters more closely to see how each relates to the bench. Did I really catch every panel featuring a man who seems to be thwarted in love? What about those older women who sometimes stop to chat? Look for Park Bench next month.

In Other Reading News

• I'm stalled in Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolit for no particular reason than I put it down and never seemed to pick it back up. I may return to it again, but the first several chapters didn't advance me into the story, so maybe I'll just let it go.
• I'm currently listening to The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin, the third book in her Broken Earth series. I love the characters and the universe and Robin Miles does a brilliant job with the narration.
• I finished the audiobook of Sourdough by Robin Sloan, which was read by Therese Plummer. It's a light story that takes place in the Bay Area and involves a non-cooking robot programmer who is given a special sourdough starter, which changes her life forever. Plummer's performance is a good match to the novel and characters. I'll be reviewing this for AudioFile magazine soon.

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Weekend Cooking: Preserving Those Summer Tomatoes

Although the days are getting shorter, there are still at least 8 more weeks of outdoor farmers' market shopping in my area. Now's the time when I feel the urge to horde all the summer bounty. I no longer can food, but I do put my freezers to good use.

I've made several pints of peach chutney and nectarine chutney and am now waiting for the Stanley plums to show up at the market so I can make my very favorite flavor. I shared my small-batch chutney recipe last year, so won't repeat it again.

I have new obsession this year, which is a variation on tomato jam. My version is not very sweet, and I've been using it on everything: grilled chicken, french fries, eggs, hamburgers, cheese sandwiches, and more. It's so, so good and very easy to make.

I started with a sweet tomato jam recipe from Mark Bittman on the New York Times website. I spent some time reading the comments from readers on that post and then did some of my own digging around the Internet and in my cookbooks to come up with my more savory version by cutting down on the sugar and adding onion, oregano, and black pepper.

I used 2 pounds of meaty slicing tomatoes for my first batch and 6 pounds of Romas for the second  batch. I did not peel my tomatoes, just chunked them up and cooked them down. I froze the jam in half-pint or smaller containers, so it would thaw quickly.

I used a large Hungarian wax pepper in the first batch and 3 jalapeno peppers in the second batch. Use whatever you have and whatever heat level you like. I had very large sweet onions in the house and used about a third for the small batch, which I'm guessing is about equal to 1 small onion. Again, use your judgment.

Savory Tomato Jam
Adapted from several recipes by Beth Fish Reads
Makes about 1½ pints

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 hot chili pepper, chopped very fine
• 1 small sweet onion, chopped very fine
• 1/3 cup sugar
• juice of 2 limes (about 2 tablespoons) plus grated zest of 1 lime
• scant tablespoon of grated fresh ginger (plus the juices)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Put all the ingredients in a 4- to 6-quart saucepan, stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook, stirring every so often, until the mixture reduces and thickens, 70 to 90 minutes. Spoon into jars or other container and let cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

Recipe Notes: The jam should keep a week or two in the refrigerator and about a year in the freezer. The consistency should be thick, kind of like ketchup. Some recipes suggested using a little low-sugar pectin (I use Pomona brand) to help the jam thicken up; I didn't need it.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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10 Audiobooks for Late August

Summer isn't officially over for a few more weeks, even if county fairs and the return to school are saying otherwise. Get outside and enjoy the last days of warm weather, and be sure to take an audiobook along on your adventures. Here are 10 suggested listens, all of which will be published next week.

• Louise Penny's Glass Houses (Macmillan Audio; 13 hr, 32 min) is the thirteenth book in her much-loved Three Pines series and the third one read by Robert Bathurst, who replaced the late Ralph Cosham. This installment starts at Halloween and ends in the summer and involves a murder, folk lore, and a trial. The novel has won several starred reviews, and Bathurst's performances have won over Penny's fans. (mystery)
• Claire Messud's The Burning Girl (Recorded Books; 6 hr, 38 min) is performed by Morgan Hallett, who is known for good pacing and consistent characterizations. The story focuses on two childhood girlfriends who drift apart when they reach adolescence. Hallett is a good pick for this thoughtful look at the choices we make when we're young and full of dreams and light on experience. (coming-of-age)
• Gabriel Tallent's My Absolute Darling (Penguin Audio; 15 hr, 47 min), performed by Alex McKenna, masterfully examines the tough, disturbing issue of child abuse. McKenna, who has experience portraying teens, is said to have hit the emotional heart of this audiobook (see AudioFile magazine). The novel is an Indie Next pick for August. (general fiction)
• Kathryn Miles's Quakeland: On the Road to America's Next Devastating Earthquake (Penguin Audio; 12 hr, 10 min) is read by veteran narrator Bernadette Dunne. Dunne's voice should be well suited to this piece of investigative journalism that takes listeners on a tour of the U.S. infrastructure and examines the projected aftermath of a large earthquake on levees, mines, nuclear plants, and major economic hubs. (nonfiction)

• Ashley Shelby's South Pole Station (Dreamscape Media; 12 hr, 42 min), performed by Rebecca Gibel, should be on everyone's listening list. Do you have what it takes to live and work in the isolated small community of scientists who conduct research in Antarctica? Gibel, who is widely liked by listeners, takes on this sometimes funny story of a woman's experiences after receiving an artists and writers grant to spend a year at the South Pole. Perfect for those who like quirky characters. (general fiction)
• Jennifer Ryan's Montana Heat: Escape to You (Harper Audio; 9 hr, 30 min), performed by Coleen Marlo, is the first full novel in a new series featuring male DEA agents and the women they get to know and love. Based on Marlo's narration of a Montana Men novella, romance fans are in for a treat. This story involves an actress who escapes a kidnapping and receives protection from a handsome agent. (romance)
• Erin Carlson's I'll Have What She's Having: How Nora Ephron's Three Iconic Films Save the Romantic Comedy (Hachette Audio; 10 hr, 41 min) is performed by Amy Tallmadge. Tallmadge is an expressive narrator who is easy on the ears and should be a good match for this behind-the-scenes look at three hit movies. Written by a journalist, this audiobook contains interesting trivia but also explores the more serious issue of Hollywood's poor treatment of women. (nonfiction)
• Cutis Craddock's An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors (Macmillan Audio; 18 hr, 21 min), narrated by Erin Bennett, is the first in a fresh new fantasy series set in a world of airborne continents. Bennett's vocal skills will likely shine in this debut story of magic, court politics, adventure, and musketeer protectors. The novel has been earning starred reviews and critical praise. (fantasy)

• Cherise Wola's The Resurrection of Joan Ashby (Macmillan Audio; 19 hr, 20 min) has two narrators: Gabra Zackman and Michael Dickes. The story centers on the question of what happens when a brilliant young writer has an unplanned pregnancy and is talked into becoming a mother. This appears to be Dickes's first outing as an audiobook performer, so I can't comment on his skills, but Zackman's deep experience and strength as a narrator promise to make this an enjoyable listening experience. (general fiction)
• Kelly Simmons's The Fifth of July (Blackstone Audio; 7 hr, 16 min), read by a full cast, focuses on the fate of a well-off family in the aftermath of a tragedy. Told from six viewpoints, each with a different narrator, this story reminds us that money can't always bury our secrets. Listeners will quickly be caught up in this Nantucket drama. (women's fiction)

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