Booklists · Beyond Bestsellers: Notable New Fiction Titles (August 2009)

A prequel to Alleyn’s two acclaimed historical mysteries, The Cavalier of the Apocalypse leads intellectual sleuth Aristide Ravel into a 1786 Parisian churchyard where a gruesome murder is discovered. A stolen corpse, haunting Masonic symbols left at the murder scene, and political conspiracy lead to Ravel’s discovery of a plot to assassinate Louis XVI. “Combines the best in history and mystery.” (The Historical Novels Review)

Evansville, Indiana bubbles with racial tension during the 1970s when Terrell, a black teenager, accidentally shoots and kills his older brother and, in a panic, blames a group of white boys. Publishers Weekly says this novel portrays, “wonderful characters whose complexity and self-determination demonstrate Bennett’s exciting if still developing talent.”

This wryly-humorous novel is a snapshot of three days in the lives of elderly couple Ruth and Alex Cohen as they attempt to manage an open house to sell their New York City townhouse. Join the charming, perseverant Cohens as they grapple with rites of passage and hysteria in the Big Apple. “By the end of the first chapter, the reader feels at home with Ruth, Alex, and their little dog.” (Library Journal)

A love triangle between a schoolteacher, a British soldier, and a German officer drives this novel of World War I. Fascinating details of British espionage, in addition to Ford’s richly detailed wartime setting, will appeal to historical, thriller, and romance novel fans.

Determined to slim down America, the Good Humor Men embark on a mission to destroy high calorie snacks. Unfortunately, their efforts work too well. Obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes decline, but the health insurance of the newly thin masses is cancelled. The survival of mankind hinges on ten pounds of Elvis’ preserved body fat in a jar, in this wacky, sensational novel that satirizes our nation’s health care system and obsession with weight and body image.

A rare illness causes Miranda Silver to consume non-edible things due to an anorexia-type disorder. When her caregiver dies, Miranda is forced to live in a spooky house in an unfriendly town. As Miranda battles bewildering supernatural illusions infiltrating her home, will she conquer her loneliness and her debilitating disorder? The New Statesman praises Oyeyemi’s third novel, which resonates with “memory and belonging, love and loss.”

Newport Beach, California sparkles with affluent people and wealth in this volume of thirteen interconnected short stories. Yet, Patterson shatters the pretenses of the community by deftly portraying the complicated relationships and heartbreaking trauma experienced by her female characters. “Patterson's unflinching account of the seedy side of a real-life Xanadu is frightening, immersive, and wonderfully realized.” (Publishers Weekly)

Tyrannical President Deklan Comstock rules a post-apocalyptic United States with the support of a powerful theocracy called the Domininion, having murdered his brother and sent his nephew, Julian, into hiding. But Julian harbors democratic sentiments antithetical to the Dominion, and he soon emerges as a war hero destined for a confrontation with his uncle's despotic regime. “This thoughtful tale combines complex characters, rousing military adventure and a beautifully realized, unnerving future.” .” (Publishers Weekly)