Thriller

February may be the shortest month of the year, but here in New England, where the wind howls and chills you to the bone and the snow piles higher almost daily, February seems like the longest month of the winter season. There’s nothing to be done about the weather, so the best thing to do when you’re stuck in during a snow day is to relax with a good book and a cup of tea and lat the white stuff fly. Here are a few titles that will make this shortest-longest month go by a little faster:

The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd: This one is an exciting thriller about a former FBI agent who is helping out on a case that can’t be solved by following the rules. It’s fun and exciting, and hard to put down. The characters are believable and easy to fall in love with and the plot is full of twists that keep the story moving and the reader guessing. A must-read for thriller fans everywhere.
Agent X by Noah Boyd: I can’t recommend The Bricklayer without putting Agent X beside it. Boyd’s newly released hardcover is another exciting thriller. This time, his former FBI agent with unconventional methods and James Bond confidence is chasing Russian double agents in America’s own agency. It has bigger twists and bangs than The Bricklayer that are bound to heat things up.
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming: No one does spy novels like Ian Fleming, and the first book in his famous James Bond series is an excellent read. If you’ve seen the Daniel Craig movie, you know the basic story: James Bond, with the help of the CIA’s Felix Leiter and the beautiful Vesper Lynde, is facing Le Chiffre across the bunco tables, trying to prevent the Soviet treasurer from winning back the money he owes to SMERSH–an organization whose purpose if to kill non-Russian spies. If Le Chiffre wins, he can repay the money he owes and save is own life. If Bond bests him, Le Chiffre will be humiliated and SMERSH will come to collect. As one might expect, this Bond novel is full of excitement, intrigue and romance. An excellent book that will make you forget about all that snow.
Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming: Keeping with my theme of thriller/spy novels, I’m rounding this month’s recommendations off with the second book in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. The Roger Moore film doesn’t follow the book as closely, but I’ll leave the differences for you to discover as you read. Set in Jamaica and co-starring the beautiful Solitaire, this one will really melt that winter chill!

That concludes February’s book recommendation list! Check back next month for titles to welcome the spring!

Looking for some good books to get you in the Halloween mood this October? Or maybe you’re just in search of some good book recommendations for fall reading. Here are a few of my favorites for this haunting autumn month.

I call October “Ray Bradbury Month” because no writer can get a reader into a Halloween mind-set like Bradbury. His novels and short stories are enjoyably spooky, wonderfully addictive, and somehow crisp like autumn New England afternoons. As a bookseller, I get excited when customers come in for a Bradbury title, and am thrilled to recommend them to readers who enjoy all genres of fiction. As a reader, I look forward to opening that first Bradbury book on the first of October, and often cheat and read them in November, December, January… So, this month’s book recs are dedicated entirely to that master of fiction, my favorite author and, often, my inspiration: Ray Bradbury

Something Wicked This Way Comes: This has to be one of my favorite Bradbury titles. It is a novel about two boys: Best friends who were born one day apart, the first on October 30th and the second on October 31st. It is set in mid October, when an out-of-season carnival comes to town. The boys, being typical almost 14-year-old boys, decide to check out this new source of entertainment and wonder and discover that there is more to its odd performers than meets the eye.
Death is a Lonely Business: This is the first Ray Bradbury title I ever read, and I am thankful to the high school Lit teacher that refused to let me use one of my typical choices for a paper but approved this book. It is a mystery about a struggling writer living in Venice, CA during the final days of the old amusement pier. One rainy night, the unnamed narrator discovers a body floating in a lion cage that has been discarded off that crumbling pier into the ocean. From that point forward, he aids Detective Elmo Crumley in solving the series of murders that follow.
The Halloween Tree: Though this is considered a young adult book, readers of any age will enjoy this mystery adventure about a group of young boys who go off in search of their missing friend. During their adventures, they travel through time and learn about the history of Halloween. It’s great if you’re looking for an easy, fun Halloween story!
October Country: This is a collection of short stories that are a great way to round out your month of Ray Bradbury reading. The shorts range from silly to spooky and are all outstanding works of short fiction. I recommend that NaNoWriMo writers save this one for last, because you won’t have to worry about it cutting into your writing time if you don’t finish it cover-to-cover before November 1st (Though, last year I continued to read it into November when I needed a short writing break. The longest short took maybe 15 minutes to read).

That’s it for this month’s book recs! Check in on the first Wednesday of each month for new monthly recommendations! If you’re looking for more Bradbury titles, check out his website!