
I’ve scoured ALL THE LISTS of Spring books, as I always do. Maybe it‘s that the world feels so unpredictable and chaotic, CRUSHes, but the three I knee-jerk pre-ordered without hesitation are from authors I know well. And probably you do, too. Its own form of comfort food for sure.

London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
Non-fiction from the author of Say Nothing
I’d read anything by the author of Say Nothing, but also, give me a great nonfiction writer exploring the juxtaposition of glitzy London with its corrupt underworld, all through the lens of a mysterious murder, and you’ve hit most of my sweet spots. (Out April 14th, preorder here.)

Go Gentle by Maria Semple
Fiction from the author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette
A recent divorcee’s calm life on Manhattan’s Upper West Side is suddenly upended by the appearance of a mysterious stranger with, of course, secrets. This midlife transformation story is from the author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, so I’m expecting the chaos to sprint along with both depth and humor, meaning this is the perfect book to roll me into summer reading. (Out April 14th, preorder here.)
I’ll also share this. I follow Joanna Rakoff, a former literary agent and novelist/memoirist who gets ALL the books to read pre-release and out of those, chose the six upcoming books she liked the best. Go Gentle was one. She wrote:
“Hilarious and deeply moving, wise and truly wacky, utterly unputdownable … And also, I need to say, important.”

The Keeper by Tana French
Mystery from the author of The Searcher, The Hunter (& Others!)
This is the final book in French’s trilogy about Cal Hooper, a Chicago detective who moves to a remote Irish village looking for peace and quiet, but instead finds murder and mayhem, Irish-rural style. Reports are that you need not have read either of the previous Cal Hooper books to enjoy this one. French, a master of blending suspense with a deep understanding of human drive (and depravity), says this murder-mystery is really about “what it means to belong somewhere, what demands that makes of us and what it offers in exchange.” (Out now, order here.)
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