The days are getting longer, the weather’s getting warmer, and flowers are starting to appear. From baseball’s opening day to the peak bloom of the cherry blossoms, signs of spring abound this month. No matter where this spring takes you, be sure to bring along one of March’s great books.
Fiction
The Dream HotelÂ
By Laila Lalami
In this chilling near-future dystopia, dreams are surveilled by the Risk Assessment Administration, using biometric data to predict crimes before they happen. When Moroccan American archivist Sara Hussein is detained at LAX after her Dreamsaver implant flags her as a future threat to her husband, she’s sent to a for-profit detention center where inmates labor to reduce their risk scores, but bureaucracy keeps extending Sara’s sentence. Combining speculative fiction with deep social critique, Lalami’s novel takes familiar tropes and makes something chillingly original as it examines surveillance, systemic injustice, and the cost of safety over freedom. Available March 4 // Library catalog link here.
Kills Well With OthersÂ
By Deanna Raybourn
This sequel to Killers of a Certain Age reunites readers with their favorite quartet of senior assassins. When a former colleague is murdered, they’re drawn back into action, uncovering a revenge plot tied to a decades-old mission and possibly stretching back to WWII. As they traverse Europe and beyond, the foursome battle art smugglers, vengeful crime families, and a potential traitor within their own ranks. With sharp humor, globe-trotting action, and poignant reflections on aging and morality, Raybourn delivers another exhilarating and darkly funny thriller. Available March 4. // Library catalog link here.
All the Other Mothers Hate MeÂ
By Sarah Harman
When the son of a frozen food empire goes missing, his classmate Dylan is the chief suspect. Florence Grimes, former girl-band singer and current broke single mom, is desperate to clear her son’s name, but finds herself in way over her head. With dark humor and genuine suspense, Florence uncovers secrets about the posh London school’s elite families, corrupt administrators, and her own child. Available March 11. // Library catalog link here.
The Buffalo Hunter HunterÂ
By Stephen Graham Jones
When professor Etsy Beaucarne uncovers a 1912 journal written by her ancestor Arthur, a Lutheran pastor, she finds the confessions of Good Stab—a Blackfeet vampire seeking vengeance for the atrocities committed against his people. Through layered narratives spanning over a century, Jones weaves a chilling tale of colonial violence, grief, and supernatural revenge. Combining historical events like the Marias Massacre with unsettling horror, the novel critiques America’s brutal past while exploring themes of identity, guilt, and survival. Available March 18. // Library catalog link here.
Nonfiction
Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS
By Lisa Rogak
Betty MacDonald, Zuzka Lauwers, Jane Smith-Hutton, and famous actress and singer Marlene Dietrich all worked for the OSS during World War II, crafting propaganda to demoralize Axis troops. From forgeries and fake newspapers to clandestine radio broadcasts, these women operated across Europe, China, and Washington, D.C., often behind enemy lines and at great personal risk. This gripping group biography explores their remarkable contributions, the sexism they faced, and the post-war struggles of returning to ordinary life after playing pivotal roles in the information war. Available March 4. // Library catalog link here.
Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of AmericaÂ
By Will Bardenwerper
In 2020, Major League Baseball eliminated 42 minor league teams, including the Batavia Muckdogs. The small town in Western New York fought against the loss of its team, reviving it as a summer league team with college players. Journalist Bardenwerper bought season tickets and saw firsthand how the Muckdogs became a symbol of pride, resilience, and community spirit in a town battered by deindustrialization. Combining social commentary with heartfelt storytelling, he captures eccentric fans, passionate locals, and the bittersweet clash between corporate greed and grassroots love for the game. Both baseball fans and general readers will find this a poignant portrait of small-town America. Available March 11. // Library catalog link here.
Potomac Fever: Reflections on the Nation’s RiverÂ
By Charlotte Taylor Fryar
A historian and herbalist, Charlotte Taylor Fryar blends personal narrative, history, and environmental observation as she traces the Potomac River’s path through Washington, D.C. Using the river as a lens, she examines America’s racial and colonial past, highlighting the impacts of gentrification, environmental degradation, and systemic inequality on the nation’s capital. Both a love letter to the Potomac and a sharp critique of American myths, Potomac Fever is a lyrical and thought-provoking debut. Available March 11. // Library catalog link here.
Rot: An Imperial History of the Irish FamineÂ
By Padraic X Scanlan
The 1845 potato blight is famous for its effects on Ireland, even though it hit several European countries. In this new history, Scanlan explores how, even though the blight was biological, Ireland’s devastation stemmed from imperial policies that left its population vulnerable to starvation. Irish subsistence farmers relied on potatoes while exporting grain and livestock under British economic pressure. Scanlan highlights the empire’s refusal to provide meaningful aid, instead clinging to free-market ideologies that blamed Irish poverty on backwardness. With clear prose and rich historical analysis, Rot is a powerful, essential account that places Ireland’s suffering within the broader context of colonialism and global capitalism. Available March 11. // Library catalog link here.
Middle Grade
Whale Eyes:Â A Memoir About Seeing and Being SeenÂ
By James Robinson, illustrated by Brian Rea
This creative and candid memoir explores Robinson’s life with strabismus, a condition that affects eye alignment and perception. With interactive visuals and imaginative design, the book immerses readers in Robinson’s unique visual experience – fonts change and the book frequently needs to be turned sideways or upside down. With humor, honesty, and innovation, Robinson describes his struggles in school, unsuccessful surgeries, and being constantly stared at, inviting readers to reconsider how they perceive disability and difference. Available March 18. // Library catalog link here.
Teen
In the Company of KillersÂ
By Elora Cook
After her father and sister are murdered, seventeen-year-old Tasha Nicastro discovers her family’s wealth comes from their role as leaders of the most powerful mob in New York, and she’s just inherited the family empire. To uncover the killer, she teams up with Leo Danesi, her former best friend and heir to a rival mafia family. Full of unpredictable twists, this action-packed enemies-to-lovers romance travels from glamorous parties to the seedy underbelly underpinning Tasha’s world in a complicated game of mafia power. Available March 18. // Library catalog link here.
Jennie Rothschild is a collection engagement librarian for Arlington Public Library.