Melinda Leigh’s suspenseful novels keep readers awake long after everyone else in the house has gone to bed. Whether she’s writing about the crimes investigated by Sheriff Bree Taggert or about defense attorney Morgan Dane’s pursuit of justice, Leigh grabs your full attention and won’t let go. We asked Leigh what books she recommended, and she offered four books that can “provide a mini vacation without leaving home.” In other words, you’ll be swept up in these stories so fast, you’ll forget that the dog is hungry, the car has a weird smell in it, and you’ve lost your ear buds again. (Or mayb ..read more

Sizzling or sweet, these new romances releasing between June 1 and August 31 have racked up impressive preorders or are high on the Amazon Books Editors’ must-read lists. Freed by E L James With Grey, James brought Fifty Shades of Grey readers back to the romance they thought they were familiar with but showed it from Christian Grey’s point of view—and delivered additional insights into the wealthy but emotionally lost millionaire. With Freed, James concludes the trilogy told by Christian, delivering a finale that readers can’t wait to get their hands on—again. (June 1) ^^ASIN##B08Y3T89XY^^HE ..read more

For someone whose career as a crime writer only began when she had to abandon the food service industry because she set her hair on fire one too many times, Lisa Gardner has done all right for herself. She's taken what she terms her "interest in police procedure and criminal minds" and spun it into a highly successful writing career. Her books have been published in 30 countries, have won many awards, and four of them have been turned into TV movies. Her latest, Before She Disappeared, is a standalone, and hopefully the beginning of a new series, because we could not stop reading about the fa ..read more

I usually look at what the editors are reading over the weekend and think I want to read that.... I want to read that.... I want to read that.... This week I want to read every book on the list. And the ones that I've already read, I want to read again. Vannessa is continuing a mystery series that she started way back in 2003. Seira is reading a book that was recommended to her by a famous author. Al is reading a big book that's publishing in March. Sarah is reading a past novel by an author who really blew up last year. Erin is reading a feel good novel that will soon be a feel good movie st ..read more

Falling in love is always precarious—that’s why “falling†is used to describe it—but it’s even more precarious for the characters in Bridgerton, the new hit Netflix series set in Regency England. The show spotlights marriage-minded mamas, titled men needing money and heirs, and the young ladies stuck between them who are valued for their looks and their needlepoint but never for their minds. In Bridgerton, Daphne Bridgerton—one of eight siblings who were named alphabetically, starting with Anthony and ending with Hyacinth—enters her first season in high society, only to find he ..read more

Murder in a subterranean detective agency in London, the largest manhunt in England's history—hunting for a legendary mystery writer, a Southern Gothic re-telling of Jane Eyre, a 50-year-old cold case in a New Mexico ghost town, a missing girl in Mattapan, and more. These were the January thrillers that kept us up past our bedtime. Learn about these and all of our picks for the Best Books of the Month. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder reads like Harry Potter for adults—set in 1950s London—with dashes of The Kingsmen and even a sprink ..read more

Here's the thing: sometimes you just need a laugh. Whether you’re looking for relief from the mundane (or the insane), a fun pick-me-up, or just a much-needed belly-laugh, we've got the book for you. Here are some of our favorite novels that are sure to bring a smile and a cackle of laughter to your day. Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour This is a wildly funny and exuberant page-turner, a mash-up between the humor of the everyday and the insanity of start-up culture. The novel follows Darren Vender, a Starbucks employee who joins a new tech company and quickly transforms into “Buck,” the com ..read more

Of all the audiobooks I've listened to, many of my favorites are mysteries. To me, these were the gateway books for my audio obsession; if you've ever read a really great thriller that you can't put down, it's the same thing for the audio version when you've got a good narrator to carry the story. Below are some of what I consider the best mysteries on audio. These stories compelled me to stay in the car after I'd already parked or to keep cleaning that closet a little longer, just so I could listen to what happened next. If you read mysteries, and you've thought about trying an audiobook, he ..read more

Besides making various resolutions for the new year, I always check my horoscope on January 1st to see what's in store for the next 12 months. I don't recall seeing "dumpster fire" in my 2020 horoscope, but no matter, because that crazy year did nothing to dissuade me from checking on 2021 (looks good, fellow Virgos) or to slow the trend of interest in astrology (both eastern and western), tarot, chakra work, and other books on the mystic arts and spiritualism.  For those of you looking for answers in the stars, wondering what the Year of the Ox has in store, or wanting to balance your e ..read more

This week's releases include a novel for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, nonfiction that takes a deep dive into another tenuous time, a memoir by famed actor Gabriel Byrne (who proves his storytelling chops on the page), and more. Learn about these and all of the Amazon Editors' picks for the Best Books of the Month. Waiting for the Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton This debut novel, which tackles issues as broad as climate change and racism, will rightly be compared to Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing. Waiting for the Night Song has the lyricism of a poem and the pacing of a thrill ..read more