The Family Upstairs
By Lisa Jewell
“The Family Upstairs” is a thrilling mystery about a young woman named Libby Jones, who was adopted as an infant. On her 25th birthday, she discovers that she has inherited a large home in the high-end Chelsea neighborhood of London that has sat vacant since her birth parents mysterious deaths nearly 24 years ago. What Libby discovers is that not only did she inherit a house, but her parents and a third man killed themselves in the home, and that she has two older siblings who have been missing all these years. At the same time, we meet Lucy Smith, a single mother in France, struggling to provide for her two young children and protect them from her abusive ex-husband. Lucy is out on the street when her phone gives her the ominous notification, “The baby is 25.” The two women must face demons past and present to discover just what happened all those years ago.
Reporting Always:
Writings from The New Yorker
By Lillian Ross
Lillian Ross wrote for “The New Yorker” for more than 60 years, beginning her career there in 1945. She established working relationships with some of the greats in entertainment, especially Ernest Hemingway and John Huston, both of whom she wrote about extensively during her career. Her articles run the gamut from interviews with actors such as Robin Williams and Al Pacino, to tagging along on a senior class’s field trip to New York City. Some of the best articles capture snippets of life in NYC during the 1950s, which can feel very far away to us in 2020. My favorites include a surprising and introspective piece about Hemingway titled, “How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen?” and a piece about an American bull-fighter titled, “El Único Matador.” Truly a book with something for everyone, and the collection is great for those who don’t have the time to devote to an entire book.
Waiting for Tom Hanks
By Kerry Winfrey
“Waiting for Tom Hanks” is a light, contemporary romance novel about young, freelance writer Annie Cassidy. Annie went to school for film studies and is obsessed with romantic comedies, especially Nora Ephron’s. Annie has been working on her own screenplay and dreams of one day making a movie of her own. When a movie is going to be filmed in her Columbus-area neighborhood, she jumps at the chance to work on a movie set. Unfortunately, she manages to spill coffee all over the leading man, the notoriously cocky actor Drew Danforth. Drew is anything but Tom Hanks-material, but Annie can’t help but feel drawn to Drew, even if he is leaving town in a matter of weeks. Annie and Drew’s story is a light, fast paced romance and, overall, a really fun read. I recommend this for anyone that enjoys a cute romance with plenty of pop-culture references.
