April 2015
THRONE OF DARKNESS. Douglas Nicholas. Atria.
Cover courtesy of Atria.
Throne of Darkness proves Nicholas a master at writing historical fantasy. In his story, we are thrust back in time to 1215 – the eve of the signing of the Magna Carta. Ireland’s Queen Maeve is there, geared for battle. King John is also present – come to the foreign sorcerer, seeking the services of the buried world that gurgles beneath these medieval swamps. The writing in Throne of Darkness glistens – Nicholas infusing the narrative with a certain taut lyricism that moves this cadre of characters along perfectly, giving depth and body to a plot that straddles the plane between conscious and unconscious realms. And there you sit: hovering at the edge of the chair, wondering “what possibly next?”
AUNT DIMITY AND THE SUMMER KING. Nancy Atherton. Viking.
Cover courtesy of Viking.
Set for release on April 14, Aunt Dimity & The Summer King illuminates the layered writing room of Nancy Atherton’s mind as she takes us through the 20th installment of her acclaimed cozy mystery series. Here, Lori Shepherd happily encounters an inventor named Arthur Hargreaves. But as the newness of the moment wears off and the story flows forward, Shepherd comes to see things in Hargreaves that could jeopardize life in Finch. The cozy mystery series has forever captivated readers because Atherton’s stories always have that moment that you were just not expecting. And The Summer King is no exception. In fact, the subtle nuances that define each of these characters give rise to many such moments, putting the best of Nancy Atherton on full display.
ONE NIGHT. Eric Jerome Dickey. Dutton.
Cover courtesy of Dutton.
This novel prepares a veritable feast for the senses, encompassing elements of lust, rage, risk, regret and jealousy with effortless flair. In One Night, Eric Jerome Dickey creates a fantasy that most adults secretly long to experience. In the novel, Jackie meets “The Man From Orange County” in a hotel. Just that fast, a chance conversation bristles with dark attraction. And just that fast, they act on it (even though both instantly know that they are crossing over into a realm that they will not be able to control). What ensues is a romp of a story in which the author dissects two invisible lives over the span of 12 short hours as a means to compel us to question our own hollow reflections: Will this kiss reinvent my identity? And might it alter the course of time and fate? Dickey’s writing is brilliant throughout One Night, recalling both the haunting eroticism of James Jones’ Go To the Widow-Maker and the wistful longing of Jack Kerouac’s The Subterraneans. I predict that when all is said and done for 2015, this one will be in the top 20 for the year in fiction. On Sale April 21.
Electric Review 