September Picks

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. Rowan gets a job as a nanny with the Elincourt family, who live in the remote English countryside. Their house throws the usual haunted house trope on its side as this is a renovated state of the art smart home rather than the creaky, cobwebby scary house that may come to mind. But this adds to the eeriness as Rowan works there: the high-tech functions are often malfunctioning or seem to have a mind of their own. The mother and the two young girls treat Rowan coldly and Mr. Elincourt definitely gives off creep vibes. We learn the Rowan has been put in prison for a crime that occurs while employed there, but I don't want to give any spoilers here. Good twists abound in this thriller!

The Dinner by Herman Koch. Two couples get together for dinner at a fancy restaurant in Amsterdam. Their sons have committed a terrible act while together. The fifteen-year-old boys are cousins-their fathers, Serge and Paul are brothers. The uncomfortable and tense dinner very slowly unfolds as the novel progresses, revealing the dynamics and discord between the brothers and their wives. Serge, a very prominent politician who is on the verge of becoming the next prime minister of the Netherlands has a plan on how to handle the crime their children have committed. His plan is passionately debated by the others at the table and as the evening unfolds more information about what the wives may know and how other family members are involved with what happened is divulged. This novel has been developed into several movies and even if you've seen them, I would highly recommend reading this engrossing book!

The Dilemma by B.A. Harris. Fraught with emotion, this book unfolds by building the tension with every page! It's Livia's fortieth birthday and she's throwing herself a big party with all of her family and friends. She and her husband Adam's daughter Marnie is studying abroad so won't be able to make it, but Livia is secretly glad because she knows something about Marnie that she is withholding from Adam until after the party so that it's not ruined. Meanwhile, Adam has arranged for Marnie to fly home to surprise Livia for the party. But Adam soon finds out some horrifying news: the flight Marnie was meant to be on has crashed. The party has already started, and he sees how happy his wife is. His dilemma is whether to tell Livia or let her have these last few hours of joy before he tells her and their lives are possibly changed forever. This is a powerful read that had me glued to its pages!

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney. Jane needs a new place to live. Wanting a "rebirth" after tragically losing her unborn child, she is drawn to the apartment at One Folgate Street, designed by Edward Monkford, an innovative architect. Emma is the woman who has lived there before, and the reader learns through this non-linear story that she had lived there with her boyfriend Simon who she kicked out after he heartlessly blamed her for being forced into a sexual act by the perpetrator of a break-in at the apartment. Emma then had entered into a relationship with Edward Monkford, who lost his wife and child in an accident shortly before he built the apartment. Jane has now herself entered into a relationship with Edward and after she learns that Emma has died begins to investigate who might've killed her. The reader learns more about the characters involved and the suspense builds. A really good thriller!