Whether you’re reading inside to hide from April showers (or just the pollen count), on the metro to a Nats game, or outside enjoying the nice weather, April has some great books to lose yourself in this month! (No fooling!)
The following information is provided courtesy of the Arlington Public Library.
Fiction
The Audacity
By Ryan Chapman
Seventy-two hours before an exposé will reveal her seven-million-dollar start-up as a fraud, Victoria Stevens fakes her own death. Afraid he’ll be left holding the bag, her failed composer husband absconds with the private jet and her invitation to the Quorum, a Davos-like conference on a private island in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, Victoria meditates in Joshua Tree intent on making a triumphant come-back. Loosely based on Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Chapman writes a jaunty and acidic satire of the ultrarich. // Available April 2. Library catalog link here.
An Inconvenient Wife
By Karen Olson
Kate Parker has just married billionaire Hank Tudor. Kate’s his sixth wife, so she’s prepared for the inevitable divorce, but she’s not prepared to find a headless corpse on their honeymoon. Unfortunately, it’s not the first time a headless body has been found on Hank’s land. Suddenly Kate’s looking at his previous wives (at least, the ones she can find) and his kids, trying to make sure she doesn’t meet a similar fate in this very fun and twisty murder mystery that’s Six meets Succession. // Available April 2. Library catalog link here.
Someone You Can Build a Nest In
By John Wiswell
Shesheshen is a hungry, sentient blob who has been poisoned by monster hunters. Injured, she disguises herself as a human and comes across Homily, a kindly human woman who takes care of her. As their relationship deepens, Homily doesn’t know Shesheshen is thinking of laying eggs in her, and Sheshshen doesn’t know that Homily’s family members are the monster hunters that poisoned her. Both gory body horror and tender love story, Wiswell examines otherness, abuse, and trauma as Homily and Shesheshen grapple with who the real monsters are. // Available Available April 2. Library catalog link here.
Henry Henry
By Allen Bratton
In 2014, Hal’s life is going nowhere. The oldest of six children, he will one day be the Duke of Lancaster. Until then, he spends his days drinking and taking drugs. His relationship with his father is further strained as his father plans to remarry and Hal starts dating Harry Percy, whose family runs in the same social circles. More than retelling Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Bratton uses the story to examine abuse, religion, and generational trauma, giving Hal true depth. // Available April 16. Library catalog link here.
Nonfiction
A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks
By David Gibbins
From the Bronze Age to WWII, Gibbins looks at twelve shipwrecks and what they tell us about the world they sailed, and sank, in. This fascinating account of the wrecks is full of adventure and discovery (he has personally dived several of the ones he discusses) while discussing the context of what these ships tells us about trade, migration, war, and the very human stories that lie at the heart of history. // Available April 2. Library catalog link here.
The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief
By Rena Pederson
On quiet Dallas nights in the 1960s, someone was breaking into the homes of the Texas elite and stealing their jewels, often while they were still home, sometimes in the room. Despite the high profile of the victims and their desire for the culprit to be caught, they never were. Reporter Pederson learned of the series of thefts a decade later and couldn’t forget it. In the twenty-first century, she set out to solve the case herself. Not only does she name a credible suspect, but it’s also a suspenseful and thrilling read about a most unusual thief. // Available April 9. Library catalog link here.
American Flygirl
By Susan Tate Ankeny
Hazel Ying Lee was one of the first Asian-American women to earn a pilot license in 1932. When China called for volunteers to help fight the Japanese, she answered, survived the bombing of Guangzhou and worked with refugees in Hong Kong before returning to the United States and becoming the first Asian-American to join the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots). In this engaging biography, Ankeny brings to life a woman who had to continually fight sexism and racism to serve her country. // Available April 23. Library catalog link here.
Founded in 1969, The Dance Theatre of Harlem was the first permanent Black ballet company in the United States. Valby highlights five ballerinas from the company’s early days. Professional ballet is known to be brutal, and these five dancers struggle not just with comments about their bodies and harassment, but also racism and the backlash against the Civil Rights movement. A vibrant and captivating look at five trailblazing women. Available April 30. // Available March 26. Library catalog link here.
Middle Grade
Trouble at the Tangerine
By Gillian McDunn
Simon’s parents run a successful travel blog, and as a result, he’s lived in 27 different places at age 11. He’s determined to make their latest stop his last. When a thief takes advantage of a fire alarm at Simon’s new apartment building, he teams up with another kid in the building, Amaya, to solve the case (with guidance from a former-detective neighbor). While working on the case, Simon also tries to fit in and create roots in his new town, but what will happen when his parents decide to move again? At turns a tender quest for home and a suspenseful mystery, the result is a satisfying read. // Library catalog link here.
Teen
The Misdirection of Fault Lines
By Anna Gracia
The Bastille Invitational tennis tournament can determine the future of three Asian American teen competitors: Alice, grieving her father’s death and navigating family secrets; Violetta, a social media influencer grappling with parental expectations and addiction; and Leylah, determined to prove herself in the face of betrayal and personal demons. Gracia skillfully weaves together their stories, exploring trauma, addiction, friendship, and what it takes to be an elite athlete. Through alternating perspectives, she delivers a compelling narrative that delves into the complexities of adolescence and the pursuit of dreams amidst external pressures. An insightful and resonant tale of family, friendship, and sports. // Available April 2. Library catalog link here.
Jennie Rothschild is a collection engagement librarian for Arlington Public Library.