“Is the only way for a person who finds himself in an overcrowded lifeboat to avoid a guilty verdict to decide that all must sink or survive together?  Is he permitted to make no move at all to save anyone, much less himself?  And doesn’t such passivity fly directly in the face of human nature and the instinct to survive?”

A mysterious explosion on the Empress Alexandra, en route from England to America in 1914, sinks the ocean liner and forces the passengers to scramble into lifeboats or face the cold waters of the Atlantic.  The lifeboats, originally designed to hold forty (though in a last minute, cost cutting decision they were downsized) are quickly filled beyond capacity.  On lifeboat #14, thirty-nine survivors — crew members, Italian immigrants, servants and members of high society — sit shocked and alone in the middle of the ocean.  The lifeboat sits dangerously low in the water, and it soon becomes clear that for any of them to survive, some will have to die.

In Charlotte Rogan’s debut novel, The Lifeboat: A Novel, Grace Winter is traveling from England back home to America with her new husband, Henry.  When the explosion happens, Henry negotiates a seat for Grace on lifeboat #14, but he stays behind and gets lost in the mayhem.  After the Empress Alexandra disappears below the waves and other lifeboats disperse beyond the horizon, Grace evaluates her situation.  Mr. Hardie, a sailor, takes charge and begins to bark orders.  Mrs. Grant, “a sturdy woman,” questions him.  Two factions are born, and a struggle for power begins.  As the thirty-nine survivors start to take turns bailing water out of their small craft, rearrange seats to keep balance, and wrestle for loyalties, they begin to play a game of chess.  When someone spots a squall in the distance, pawns must be sacrificed — there is no way this overcrowded boat can survive a storm.

The Lifeboat is told through Grace’s eyes, as she writes her recollections to enter into evidence.  She is being tried for murder in Boston after surviving at sea.  Grace tells her story deliberately, for she is anything but a passive victim.  Why was she married in England?  Why does she side with Mr. Hardie instead of Mrs. Grant?  What does she know about the small box that Mr. Hardie keeps hidden below his seat?  And how does she survive?  This bleak and claustrophobic tale is full of ethical dilemmas and complicated characters.  Readers who enjoy parables, tales of survival, and stories about maritime law will become completely immersed in this smart and character-centered book.

Ciro and Enza were raised on the same mountain in Northern Italy in the early 1900′s.  Ciro’s mother took him and his brother to live in a convent after the death of her husband.  Unable to provide for them, she knew that the nuns would take care of and educate them.  In exchange, she promised that her sons were hard workers and good boys.  Ciro was tall and strong and willing to help the nuns with all the heavy lifting that life in a convent required.  As the boys grew, they became indispensable to the sisters and made the convent their home. Eventually Ciro is forced to leave the convent and go to America, where he will become apprenticed to a shoemaker.

Enza grew up in Schilpario with her large family.  Her father drives a horse and carriage for those who want to make their way up the steep road to the village.  The family is very poor and Enza dreams of having a house that they can not be evicted from and some security for her brothers and sisters.  She convinces her father that they should go to America and earn enough in a few years to make this dream a reality.

Although Ciro and Enza live only a few miles from each other on the mountain, they meet only once in Italy and that meeting takes place during a time of great grief for Enza’s family.  Enza sees in Ciro a strong man, who is kind and gentle.   Ciro sees in Enza everything that is good about the mountain community he loves.

I will let you unravel the story of these two characters and their journeys, both literal and metaphorical.  The side stories of Ciro and Enza’s friends and families are every bit as riveting as that of the main characters.  The descriptions of Italy, New York and Minnesota at the turn of the century bring that time to life.  If you are interested in fashion, opera, or the immigrant experience, Trigiani somehow manages to mix all of these subjects into a lovely Italian stew.

If you are looking to escape with a sweeping story of love and life in an exciting time in American history, check out The Shoemaker’s Wife.

Enter Geiger’s newest client, Mr. Hall.  When the designated Jones (a man named David Matheson) gives Hall the slip, the client goes after the next best thing, and delivers Matheson’s 12-year-old son, Ezra, to Geiger for interrogation.  The boy’s unexpected presence serves as a catalyst, escalating an already volatile situation. Neither Hall, nor Boddicker can predict how Geiger will react.  As Boddicker has observed of his partner, “the man had more demons than a Hieronymous Bosch painting.”  You see, Geiger doesn’t remember what brought him to New York City as a young man, and can’t recall anything from his childhood.  Nightmares plague his sleep and trigger crippling migraines, so he has sought the help of a psychiatrist.  Now with Ezra’s presence, it appears that Geiger’s past may finally be ready to surface.

The Inquisitor, by Mark Allen Smith, is an intriguing thriller that introduces an enigmatic anti-hero to readers.  At the book’s outset, Geiger demonstrates that he is capable of committing some gruesome acts in the name of his chosen profession, with an almost super-human, clinical detachment.  But despite this, he remains a figure of fascination… and even pity.  Some of this may be caused by Geiger’s almost religious devotion to his hobbies, such as music and carpentry.  Some of this may be evoked by hints of childlike qualities that both his partner and his psychiatrist see in Geiger.  And some of this may be due to the lattice of thin scars that mysteriously lace Geiger’s arms and legs.  Though the IR specialist works hard to maintain control in his life, from his elaborately orchestrated interrogation sessions, to his almost fortress-like apartment, something is clearly knocking at the door of Geiger’s subconscious that fills him with dread.

Smith keeps readers turning pages as he reveals more about Geiger’s past, and details how Geiger’s self-discoveries shape what he’ll do next.  Though Geiger can be an inscrutable loner, he also champions the underdog.  Readers who enjoy character-driven thrillers full of psychological suspense — along with some brutal scenes that are definitely not for the squeamish — should try The Inquisitor.

In Londoners, Craig Taylor takes a page from Studs Terkel, examining  London through the eyes of people who have experienced that city, both positively and negatively.  The result is a look at a London that most people do not and cannot know.  From the newest immigrant, to the taxi driver who can name all of the streets in the city without a second thought, a picture of a city that is exciting, brutal, welcoming, difficult, and wonderful emerges.

“It’s like George Orwell said: War is peace, ignorance is strength.  In London, happiness is money.”  Rob de Groot, an antique clock restorer, is fed up with the city.  He worries for his sanity in a city that is money-grubbing and cruel.  But he admits that for him, it has been an addiction; he has suffered through 95% of his life to reap the 5% enjoyment.  Now he is ready to leave.

“There’s something gets you in London and you don’t want to let go.  It’s so quiet in the country, isn’t it?  Too quiet.”  Ethel Hardy, an old-age pensioner who has packed up to move out of the city three times, just cannot leave.  She loves the different kinds of people who live in the East End.  She depends on her neighbors to watch out for her.  The quiet of the country is not a pleasure for her.  Despite the encouragement of her children, she is not leaving.  London is her home.

From a funeral parlor worker, to the man who brokers vegetable sales in the New Spitalfields Market, to a Wiccan Priestess, Taylor pieces together a patchwork quilt of different opinions and ideas about what London is and what it means to be a Londoner.  If you are interested in the people that make up this great city, you will find Londoners difficult to put down.

“What a slut time is.  She screws everybody.”

Get out your handkerchiefs.  John Green‘s outstanding new young adult novel, The Fault in Our Stars, tells the story of two star-crossed teens who meet at a support group and fall in love.  Of course, the cosmic kick in the pants is that the Support Group is for teenagers with cancer.  16-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster has been diagnosed with a terminal form of thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs (she has to carry an oxygen tank with her at all times).  Though a wonder drug currently holds her tumor in remission, Hazel knows that this is only a temporary reprieve.  17-year-old Augustus Waters contracted osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and had to have one of his legs partially amputated.  His chances look much better now – since the operation he’s NEC (no evidence of cancer).
But wait.  Before you back away from this book as if it’s the grenade that Hazel fears herself to be in any potential relationship, stop for a moment and consider this: The Fault in Our Stars is a magical and transformative coming-of-age novel.  It’s as angry as it should be, considering the direction in which this story is headed, but it’s also honest and funny.  Green writes with a fierce eloquence that begs readers to reread certain passages aloud.  Hazel and Gus speak in a wry cancer shorthand: their Support Group leader begins each session telling them about his “cancertastic life,” and both teens enjoy “Cancer Perks,” otherwise known as benefits they wouldn’t normally enjoy, such as getting to drink champagne on a transatlantic flight.

Set in Indianapolis, this novel is narrated in the first person by Hazel, who believes that “I am pretty unextraordinary.”  It’s only when she meets Augustus that he tells her, ” ‘You are so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are.’ “  How wonderful that these two people have found each other — and how tragic.  This smart, character-driven story draws readers in to the “Secret City of Cancervania” with its intense attention to detail.  Green depicts both the teens and the adults with insight, humor and compassion; each has their own hamartia, or fatal flaw.  Green veers away from cliched and predictable paths in his book; when the Make-a-Wish “Cancer Genies” fund a pilgrimage for the pair to visit a favorite reclusive author, things take a decidedly unexpected turn.

Painfully raw emotion and gallows humor carry readers into the warped world where this singular romance and coming-of-age tale takes place.  Readers who appreciate unflinching, character-driven novels should check out The Fault in Our Stars. 

For two years, all goes according to plan.  The group does their research: they kidnap morally circumspect mid-level executives, then ask the wives to cough up $60,000-$100,000, tops, for the return of their husbands.  Basically, it’s a numbers game.  The group keeps a low profile, they never stay in one place for too long, they’re quick – they’re professionals.  Arthur Pender, the leader of this modest crime syndicate, calculates that they’ll have enough money to retire in two more years.  But then they target the wrong man, and everything snowballs into one VERY BIG mess.  Now both the law and the mob are after them, and things go from bad to worse.

The Professionals, by Owen Laukkanen, is a tightly plotted, “foot on the gas,” 21st century Bonnie and Clyde story.  Sharp writing and snappy dialogue elevate this crime novel into a delicious cat and mouse game, as the college grads — “the kids” – try to evade both the mob and the law.  One of the real pleasures of this character-driven thriller is how vividly Laukkanen depicts both the hunted and the hunters.  As the stakes rise, each of the group members: Arthur, the morally conflicted brains behind the operation; his girlfriend, Maria; Mouse, the computer whiz; and Sawyer, the brawn, react differently.  Yes, what they’re doing is really bad (despite their Robinhood rationalizations), but readers can’t help but root for them.  On the other side of the law is state investigator Kirk Stevens, and FBI agent Carla Windermere, who are equally intriguing (and fun) in their own ways.  Both feel the rush of an exciting case that breaks up the daily monotony of their workaday world, though they pay the price in their personal lives, as the cross-country search for the foursome takes them from Detroit, to Seattle and then Florida.  Even the mob heavy, D’Antonio, has a humanizing weakness.  And two Princeton coeds that come along for the ride offer surprises of their own.

Readers who enjoy smart, fast-paced crime novels should check out this debut novel by Canadian writer Owen Laukkanen.  At one point in the investigation, Stevens admits, “There’s a part of me that loves working this case so much I’d be happy if it never ended.”  Readers will be sorry to see this story come to a close, but they’ll be happy to know that Laukkanen is now working on his second Stevens and Windermere book.

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, is a simply and sensitively told story about one extraordinary boy enduring the highs and lows of middle school.  Both tender and funny, this novel follows Auggie as he navigates the complicated channels of Beecher Prep.  Palacio starts the book from Auggie’s point of view, then shifts perspectives to other people who are close to him, including his older sister, Via; her boyfriend, Justin; Summer and Jack, Auggie’s friends at Beecher Prep; and Miranda, Via’s best friend from middle school.  

Part of what makes this book so special is how well Palacio morphs into the voices of her characters, each of whom comes across as honest and true.  The mother of two boys herself, Palacio has a great ear for the way that pre-teens and teens think and talk.  This carries older readers back through a swift time capsule to fifth grade, where who you do — and don’t — sit next to at the lunch table means everything.  Palacio hits just the right note as she catalogs the small slights and much more vicious acts of cruelty kids can knowingly (and unknowingly) inflict upon each other.  As the story shifts from one vantage point to another, readers gain understanding for different character’s motivations and challenges, and can see how fallible each person is.  Sweet Auggie’s family has always rotated around the axis of his uniquely challenging situation, which can make him surprisingly self-centered at times.  Classmate Jack Will usually behaves with kindness to Auggie, but in a moment of weakness, he betrays his friend.

What it means to be kind is a theme that lies at the core of this big-hearted book.  As Auggie’s fifth grade English teacher quotes: “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind,” — Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.  Through Auggie’s story, Palacio explores this question with readers and examines what being a good person actually means.  As unfortunate as Auggie has gotten in the genetic lottery, he is blessed by a loving and supportive family.  Readers will root for Auggie as he struggles to gain acceptance from his classmates, and to gain confidence in himself.  Palacio’s compassionate book will move and inspire both younger and older readers, who appreciate well-told stories about ‘ordinary’ people coping in extraordinary circumstances.

Years go by, with drastic changes.  Divorce rates soar, cigarette sales plummet, but postmortals are “59% more likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver within the next ten years than their true organic counterparts.”  Apparently the longer people live, the more often they may need a stiff drink to cope with life.  “Cycle Marriages” develop, because the term “till death do us part” no longer applies; marriage becomes a 20-year-contract with the option to renew.  Women continue to have babies well into their supposed “golden years,” contributing to overpopulation.  One mother loves her baby so much that she injects her eight-month-old with the cure, providing her with an eternal infant to nurture.

The story begins with John Farrell, as he gets his cure shot at 29, and follows him for 60 years, while he witnesses his friends and loved ones navigate this new, postmortal world.  He has run-ins with rogue gangs, meets his true love, has a child, and travels the globe.  His journey finally takes him to a team of “end specialists,” a government-approved euthanasia program, putting people out of their eternal misery in sometimes surprisingly hilarious ways.

“The Postmortal” is a wild and frightening example of what could be, if science advances beyond Mother Nature’s built-in defenses. Funny at times, desperate and sad at others, this is a book that will keep you awake at night, wondering “what if…”

Julia Forrester is hidden away in a remote cottage in England,  recovering from the tragic death of her husband and son.  She has put her career as a concert pianist on hold, as she tries to get through each day.  She has turned away from friends and family and spends her time doing as little as possible.  In an attempt to get Julia out of the house,  her older sister, Alicia, takes her to an estate sale at Wharton Hall in search of a birthday present for their father.  The mansion is a place where Julia spent many happy summers with her grandparents, who lived in the gardener’s cottage and worked for the Crawford Family;  Alicia hopes that the visit will rekindle her interest in life.  While wandering around the estate, Julia stumbles upon the heir to Wharton Hals, Kit Crawford, who has decided to sell the mansion, but still retain the gardener’s cottage for his home.

In the course of renovating the cottage, Kit finds an old diary.  Believing that the diary belonged to Julia’s grandfather,  Kit visits Julia to deliver what rightfully belongs to her family.  As Julia learns about her grandfather’s role after the war, her life begins to come together.  She makes peace with her father, grows closer to her sister and has hope that she may find some happiness after her great loss.

This multi-layered story is dense and complex, taking place both in the present day and the years following the first World War,  in places as far-flung as France, Thailand and England.  The characters come to life as they face complications and unexpected roadblocks in their search for happiness.  If you are a fan of historical fiction and enjoy romance in exotic landscapes, this may be the book for you.

Fans of Scandinavian crime fiction will want to check out Swedish author Kristina Ohlsson’s chilling novel, Unwanted.  This page-turning police procedural features a perfectly imperfect trio of investigators, led by senior Inspector Alex Recht, with assistance from federal investigator, Peder Rydh, and investigative analyst, Fredrika Bergman.  Although Recht figures nominally as the lead investigator, he doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of his professional reputation, and his past experience causes him to make some fatal assumptions at the onset of this deceptively simple case.  The Inspector initially views the girl’s abduction as part of a custody battle, until someone leaves Lilian’s corpse outside a hospital with the words “Unwanted” written across her forehead.  Could Lilian’s elusive father be responsible for this horrifying crime?  And why does it seem as if her mother, Sara, may still be withholding critical information?

Leave it to civilian analyst Fredrika Bergman to play a key part in the investigation, despite her differences with her more traditionally schooled — and male –colleagues.  Impetuous Peder and the more introspective Fredrika often find themselves at odds with one another, though as the case progresses, they slowly develop a mutual understanding and begin to establish a more productive working relationship.  It’s clear to readers that Fredrika’s instincts are solid, though this doesn’t make the investigation any less compelling as the body count continues to rise.  Ohlsson’s characterizations of the all too fallible detectives are strong; while Peder is a go-getter at work, domestic difficulties plague him and cause him to exercise questionable judgment with a colleague.  Fredrika’s reserved manner often undercuts her superb case analysis and research, though in her well-guarded private life, she has reached an interesting juncture where she may be open to more risk-taking.

Readers who enjoy well-plotted and character-driven dective fiction or thrillers should try the Nordic crime novel, Unwanted, the first in a series featuring Fredrika Bergman.