"The Bone Queen"

New from Minotaur Books: The Bone Queen: A Novel by Will Shindler.

About the book, from the publisher:

A chilling horror-thriller debut where a mother's search for her missing daughter battles against the shadows of a historic, dangerous legend.

Single mother Jenna arrives on the tranquil shores of Athelsea fueled by the desperate hope to find Chloe, her teenage daughter who’s disappeared from their London home. She has no idea why–all she knows is that Chloe had changed in the previous two weeks, haunted by something, or someone, and the ferry ticket here is the only clue she has.

As she explores the village and interacts with the locals, Jenna soon realizes a macabre secret is being hidden in plain sight. A dark legend of a vengeful woman called the Bone Queen is spoken of in hushed tones amongst the villagers, some of whom are frantically trying to suppress the tale that has long terrorized their lives.

As Jenna starts to learn more about the Bone Queen and her previous victims, the village’s grip on reality begins to loosen and no one can say for sure who, or what, is responsible for the deaths and disappearances on Athelsea. Suffering from what she can no longer distinguish between paranoid hallucinations or real manifestations, Jenna must act quickly before Chloe is next…

The Bone Queen has left her mark, and one day she’ll collect.

Follow Will Shindler on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

--Marshal Zeringue

"Carthage: A New History"

New in the US from W.W. Norton: Carthage: A New History by Eve MacDonald.

About the book, from the publisher:

A landmark new history of ancient Rome’s most famous rival―home of Hannibal, jewel of North Africa, and foundational power of the western Mediterranean.

For six hundred years, the city of Carthage dominated the western Mediterranean. Founded in the ninth century BCE as a small colonial outpost, by the third, it had grown into the area’s largest, richest empire. When, inevitably, it clashed with Rome for supremacy over the region, the conflict spanned over one century, three wars, and forty-three years of active fighting. After Carthage fell at last, the city was razed, and the tale of its defeat became a mere foundation stone in Rome’s legend. But in this landmark new history―the first in over a decade―rising-star ancient historian Eve MacDonald restores the story of Carthage and its people to its rightful place in the history of the ancient world, reclaiming a lost culture long overshadowed by Roman mythmaking.

Drawing on brand-new archaeological analysis to uncover the history behind the legend, MacDonald takes readers on a journey from the Phoenician Levant of the early Iron Age to the Atlantic and all along the shores of Africa. She reveals ancient Carthage as a cosmopolitan city not only of extraordinary wealth and brave warriors, but also of staggering beauty and technological sophistication. Home to Hannibal and Dido, to war elephants and vast fleets, at its height Carthage commanded one of the ancient world’s greatest navies and controlled territory spanning the coast of northwestern Africa to modern-day Spain, Sardinia, Sicily, and beyond. In gripping narrative, MacDonald shows how and why the Romans came to so fear Carthage, as one of the few rivals ever to inflict multiple defeats upon them―and what the world lost when it was finally gone.

Reclaimed from the Romans, Carthage is a dramatic tale from the other side of history―revealing that, without Carthage, there would be no Rome, and no modern world as we know it.

Visit Eve MacDonald's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

"The Queen of Wishful Thinking"

New in the US from Harper Muse: The Queen of Wishful Thinking: A Novel by Milly Johnson.

About the book, from the publisher:

Her mother said if she could imagine doing something in her head, she could do it in real life. But as hard as she wishes for a new life, can Bonnie ever make it happen?

Bonnie Brookland grew up in the vibrant world of antiques, surrounded by the comforting chaos of market stalls, old treasures, and the loyal friends who became her second family. But lately, life has felt anything but colorful. So when she stumbles upon The Pot of Gold, a struggling antique shop in a quiet corner of her British town, something about it tugs at her. It feels like home.

The Pot of Gold is a dream come true for Lewis Harley, who left behind a high-pressure investment banking career after a health scare in his forties. Craving peace and purpose, he's poured everything into the shop. But things haven't gone to plan, and the business is struggling. That is, until Bonnie walks through the door.

However, both are navigating lives that aren't easy to leave behind. And when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, Bonnie and Lew must each decide how much they're willing to risk to rediscover themselves--and whether the life they've always hoped for might still be within reach.

A warm, uplifting novel about second chances, finding light after loss, and the quiet magic of building a life you love.

Visit Milly Johnson's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

"Sol Butler"

New from the University of Illinois Press: Sol Butler: An Olympian's Odyssey through Jim Crow America by Brian Hallstoos.

About the book, from the publisher:

A superstar in both football and track and field Sol Butler pioneered the parlaying of sports fame into business prosperity. Brian Hallstoos tells the story of a Black athlete’s canny use of mainstream middle-class values and relationships with white society to transcend the athletic, economic, and social barriers imposed by white supremacy. Butler built on his feats as a high school athlete to become a four-year starter for the football team at Dubuque German College (later the University of Dubuque), a record-setting sprinter and long jumper, and an Olympian at the 1920 Summer Games. Hallstoos follows Butler’s sporting accomplishments while charting how family and interracial communities influenced the ways Butler tested the limits of social and physical mobility and gave him an exceptional ability to discern where he might be most free. From there, Hallstoos turns to Butler’s use of fame to boost his entrepreneurial efforts and his multifaceted success capitalizing on his celebrity in the Black communities of Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. An engaging look at a forgotten trailblazer, Sol Butler illuminates the multifaceted life of a Black sports entrepreneur.

--Marshal Zeringue

"A Study in Secrets"

New from Severn House: A Study in Secrets by Jeffrey Siger.

About the novel, from the publisher:

A retired gentleman with a complicated past. A missing priceless treasure. A young woman in trouble. The first in the brand—new Redacted Man mystery series set in NYC introduces a Sherlock Holmes—worthy sleuth, and is a great choice for fans of Anthony Horowitz, Robert Galbraith, and Ann Cleeves.

Michael A— lives a quiet, comfortable life since his retirement from the intelligence services. Practically a recluse, he spends his days imagining the lives of the anonymous people he watches in the park beneath the window of his elegant New York townhouse—number 221—his every need tended to by his housekeeper, Mrs. Baker.

For weeks, a girl has sat in the park every morning at dawn. Always alone. Always watchful. And when the sun rises, she vanishes, as if she was never there.

But one day her routine changes—and Michael realizes that she faces terrible danger. He makes an uncharacteristic decision to abandon his solitude and help her. Soon, Michael finds himself plunged into the New York underworld, and he’ll have to use all the tricks of his former trade if he’s to keep not just himself, but his new friend, alive.

A Study in Secrets is the first in a new amateur sleuth mystery series from Jeffrey Siger, author of the critically acclaimed Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mysteries set in Greece.

Visit Jeffrey Siger's website.

The Page 69 Test: Murder in Mykonos.

The Page 69 Test: Prey on Patmos.

The Page 69 Test: Target Tinos.

The Page 69 Test: Mykonos After Midnight.

The Page 69 Test: A Deadly Twist.

Q&A with Jeffrey Siger.

The Page 69 Test: At Any Cost.

The Page 69 Test: Not Dead Yet.

--Marshal Zeringue

"Art Capital"

New from Stanford University Press: Art Capital: Museum Politics and the Making of the Louvre Abu Dhabi by Beth Derderian.

About the book, from the publisher:

Museums often served nationalist and imperialist interests in the past, but the primary force in the 21st century is the market. Museum franchising―exemplified by the Louvre Abu Dhabi―is one of the most visible cases of the increasing entanglement of art and museums with capital interests. Such projects are often touted as global enterprises diversifying the art world. Frequently, critics of these controversial projects question these claims and market influence.

The intersection of these two forces―increasing capitalization and moving toward inclusivity―creates a fundamental tension, and that is the subject of Beth Derderian's Art Capital. Focusing on the decade between the Louvre Abu Dhabi's announcement and its eventual opening, the book analyzes how major shifts away from the 19th- and 20th-century paradigm of culture-state representation play out in museums' and artists' everyday practices. Derderian traces the emergence of a new logic, wherein the ways that artists represent the state shift, as does the notion of what constitutes 'good art.' In addition, these intersecting forces spur preemptive erasures that neutralize and depoliticize difference for museum publics.

Drawing on ethnographic research with artists, curators, museum staff, gallerists, art teachers, and other arts professionals, this book analyzes the UAE art world as a microcosm of these massive, epistemic changes.

Visit Beth Derderian's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

"Book of Forbidden Words"

Coming February 17 from William Morrow Paperbacks: Book of Forbidden Words: A Novel by Louise Fein.

About the book, from the publisher:

From bestselling author Louise Fein comes a new historical novel set in a world of banned books and censorship, in which an encrypted manuscript unleashes a chain of consequences across 400 years, perfect for fans of Weyward and The Briar Club.

1552, PARIS: The print­ing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas.

1952, NEW YORK: Milly Bennett is a lonely housewife struggling to find her way in her new neighborhood amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. She finds her life taking an unexpected turn when a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, pulling her into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world.

From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them.

Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard.

Visit Louise Fein's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

"The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese"

New from Columbia University Press: The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese: From Ancient Rome to Modern America by Karima Moyer-Nocchi.

About the book, from the publisher:

Today, macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, a staple of weeknight dinners, family gatherings, and Soul Food restaurants. Humble though the dish may seem, its history is filled with surprising twists and turns. Renaissance cardinals and popes dined on elaborate pasta—and—cheese concoctions laced with costly spices. In the eighteenth century, wealthy young Englishmen made macaroni a symbol of continental sophistication. Black women, whose contribution has long been overshadowed, played a crucial role in establishing the dish as an American tradition from the nation’s founding through the Civil Rights Movement.

This book is a delectable history of macaroni and cheese, tracing an extraordinary journey of cultural exchange and social change. Karima Moyer—Nocchi reveals the religious, political, and industrial forces that shaped its evolution alongside stories of the unsung figures who crafted the dish as we know it today: enslaved cooks who preserved and adapted traditions, immigrant chefs who introduced new variations, and practical homemakers looking to nourish their families with an affordable meal. She emphasizes the adaptability of macaroni and cheese, which in different times has served as both an indulgence on the elite table and sustenance to those struggling to survive, crossing borders, social classes, and cultural divides. Deeply researched and rich with enticing details, this book uncovers the creativity and resilience that brought a beloved food to our tables. The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese also shares centuries of recipes—from ancient Roman authors to celebrity chefs, reworked for modern kitchens—that provide a hands—on way to experience the evolution of this iconic dish.

Visit Karima Moyer-Nocchi's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

"According to Plan"

New from Atheneum Books for Young Readers: According to Plan by Christen Randall.

About the book, from the publisher:

From USA TODAY bestselling author Christen Randall comes a cozy, “authentic, and affirming” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) queer romance about self-discovery, finding your person, and carving out a space for yourself in unexpected places—perfect for fans of Heartstopper, Felix Ever After, and Julie Murphy.

Mal Flowers expected senior year fall to be full of cozy sweaters, good coffee, and copyediting. As the new editor-in-chief of their school’s literary magazine, they just want to follow The Plan to graduate and get out of their small midwestern town—a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they’ve never really fit in. But when budget cuts result in the lit mag’s cancellation, Mal is suddenly left scrambling for something to replace it.

That is, until Emerson Pike—who also has ADHD but is loud, confident, and Mal’s complete opposite—suggests the staff go rogue and create a zine instead. Which would be cool, except that making and selling contraband isn’t exactly what Mal envisioned listing as the extracurricular activity on their college application. A zine would be unofficial, unapproved, and definitely not in The Plan.

But a zine is also a good way to spend more time with Emerson, whose playful banter and bad jokes Mal can’t seem to get enough of. And maybe, with a group of new friends, the back of the charming coffee shop where Emerson works could be somewhere Mal does belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson—and flirting with her over coffee—is fun.

Maybe The Plan isn’t the only way to find happiness, but can Mal let go of something they’ve depended on for so long?

Visit Christen Randall's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

"The Art of Status"

New from Oxford University Press: The Art of Status: Looted Treasures and the Global Politics of Restitution by Jelena Subotić.

About the book, from the publisher:

An illuminating exploration of the relationship between the restitution of looted art, global status, and the international construction of national cultural heritage.

Why is art restitution a matter of politics? How does the artwork displayed in national museums reflect the international status of the state that owns it? Why do some states agree to return looted art and others resist?

National art collections have long been a way for states to compete with each other for status, prestige, and cultural worth in international society. In many former imperial nations, however, these collections include art looted during imperial expansions and colonial occupations. While this was once a sign of high international standing, the markers of such status, particularly in the context of art, have since significantly changed. A new international legal and normative architecture governing art provenance developed after World War II and became institutionalized in the 1990s and 2000s. Since then, there have been national and global social movements demanding the return of looted art. This shift has established not only that looting is wrong but, more importantly, that restitution is morally right. As a result of this reframing of what it means to own art, an artifact's historical provenance has become a core element of its value and the search for provenance and demands for restitution a direct threat to state status. The same objects that granted states high international status now threaten to provoke status decline.

In The Art of Status, Jelena Subotic examines this relationship between the restitution of looted art and international status, with a focus on the Parthenon ('Elgin') Marbles, the Benin Bronzes, and a collection of paintings looted during the Holocaust that are now housed at the Serbian National Museum. Subotic tells the story of these artworks, how they were looted, how they ended up on display in national museums, and how the art restitution disputes have unfolded. While these cases are different in terms of their historical context of looting and ownership claims, the movements for their restitution, and resistance to it, illustrate the larger questions of how national cultural heritage is internationally constructed and how it serves states' desire for international status and prestige.

An in-depth and nuanced account of art restitution disputes, The Art of Status illuminates the shifting political significance of art on the international stage, from ownership to restitution.

Visit Jelena Subotić's website.

--Marshal Zeringue