Stars for Connelly’s New Procedural, Heiny’s Debut, and Robertson’s Complex Historical | Fiction Reviews

Connelly, Michael. The Burning Room. Little, Brown. Nov. 2014. 400p. ISBN 9780316225939. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780316225922. F

Orlando Merced is finally dead from the bullet that struck him in the spine and paralyzed him a decade ago as he played with his band in Los Angeles’s Mariachi Plaza, and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit has caught the case. Such investigations are rarely straightforward, but soon detectives Harry Bosch and his new partner, “Lucky” Lucy Soto, discover that the victim had ties to a mayoral hopeful, putting a political spin on their probe. Bosch has never had patience for political machinations, interoffice or otherwise, and he must juggle this complication along with an inexperienced and untested partner. Bosch finds himself in shark-filled waters with a murder case that turns out to be about much more. His love for the job and for the City of Angels, warts and all, and his fierce sense of justice are among the many things that make this series great. VERDICT Connelly’s (The Gods of Guilt) exceptional gift for crafting an intricate and fascinating procedural hasn’t faded a bit. Our protagonist remains, after 19 books, one of the most intriguing creations in crime fiction, even as he faces his impending retirement. A humdinger of an ending will have readers anxiously awaiting the next book. [See Prepub Alert, 5/12/14.]—Kristin ­Centorcelli, Denton, TX

Heiny, Katherine. Single, Carefree, Mellow. Knopf. Feb. 2015. 240p. ISBN 9780385353632. $22.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385353649. F

In this funny and heartfelt debut story collection, few characters are single and even fewer are carefree—though most long to be. Instead, they are remorseful about their disloyalties, torn between spouses and secret lovers, and guilt-ridden over the betrayals they commit in the name of love. In the title story, we encounter Maya as she faces the death of her beloved dog, Bailey, contemplates leaving her boyfriend of five years (she is sadder about the dog), and confronts her feelings for her alluring veterinarian. Maya, who appears in several more stories in various stages of life and love, is one of many captivating characters expertly imagined by Heiny. For instance, in the “The Dive Bar,” a woman receives a phone call from her lover’s wife, asking her to meet for a drink, and in “How To Give a Wrong Impression,” the finest story in the collection, a young woman yearns for her roommate—a man oblivious of her feelings who comes to her for dating advice. VERDICT Essential reading for short story and fiction lovers, this is an exceptionally humorous collection by a talented new writer. [See Prepub Alert, 8/25/14.]—­Lisa Block, Atlanta

Robertson, Imogen. The Paris Winter. St. Martin’s. Nov. 2014. 368p. ISBN . $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466872318. F

In Paris, as the end of 1909 approaches, Miss Maud Heighton is a dedicated student at the Academie des Beaux Arts. Struggling to uphold the standards of her English upbringing on ever-dwindling funds, Maud accepts the offer of respectable employment as a lady’s companion to Monsieur Morel’s sister. But not all is as it appears and Morel family secrets threaten Maud’s safety more than poverty ever could. Robertson’s (“Westerman and Crowther Mysteries”) stand-alone historical is the complete package; her characters continue to grow and develop as they make decisions befitting past experiences; her vivid descriptions create a strong impression of a particular time and place; and her plot line is full of top-notch surprises. Various strata of Parisian society, from the elite to the criminal, are presented with the kind of details that make it easy to understand how characters shift their way into and out of trouble. The art world is equally on display, providing a colorful backdrop for all the action. VERDICT For readers of historical fiction looking for a complex story, this is a sure bet and most likely the next big hit of any book discussion group.—Stacey ­Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

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Burgess, Matt. Uncle Janice. Doubleday. Jan. 2015. 288p. ISBN 9780385536806. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385536813. F

Darnielle, John. Wolf in the White Van. Farrar. Oct. 2014. 224p. ISBN 9780374292089. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780374709662. F

Dutton, Elizabeth. Driftwood: A California Road Trip Novel. Skyhorse. Nov. 2014. 256p. ISBN 9781629144993. $24.95. F

Freud, Esther. Mr. Mac and Me. Bloomsbury USA. Jan. 2015. 304p. ISBN 9781620408834. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781620408841. F

Galt, Christopher. Biblical. Pegasus Crime. Oct. 2014. 448p. ISBN 9781605986579. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781605987088. F

Jacobson, Alan. Spectrum: A Karen Vail Novel. Open Road. Oct. 2014. 420p. ISBN 9781624672712. pap. $17.99; ebk. ISBN 9781497641938. F

Lerner, George. The Ambassadors. Pegasus. Oct. 2014. 352p. ISBN 9781605986203. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781605987071. F

McDonough, Yona Zeldis. You Were Meant for Me. NAL. Oct. 2014. 448p.

ISBN 9780451469830. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9780698156555. F

Moyes, Jojo. The Ship of Brides. Penguin Pr. Nov. 2014. 415p. ISBN 9780143126478. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780698156340. F

Naughtie, James. The Madness of July. Overlook. Oct. 2014. 400p. ISBN 9781468309614. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9781468310283 F

Neville, Stuart. The Final Silence. Soho Crime. Oct. 2014. 352p. ISBN 9781616955489. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616955496. F

Oakley, Colleen. Before I Go. Gallery: S. & S. Jan. 2015. 320p. ISBN 9781476761664. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781476761688. F

Princess Michael of Kent, HRH. The Queen of Four Kingdoms. Beaufort. Oct. 2014. 446p. ISBN 9780825307379. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9780825306709. F

Tademy, Lalita. Citizens Creek. Atria. Nov. 2014. 432p. ISBN 9781476753034. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781476753058. F

Watson, Sterling. Suitcase City. Akashic. Mar. 2015. 320p. ISBN 9781617753190. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781617753329. F

Short Stories

Addonizio, Kim. The Palace of Illusions. Soft Skull. 2014. 225p. ISBN 9781593765422. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781619024199. F

Gordon, David. White Tiger on Snow Mountain. New Harvest. Oct. 2014. 272p. ISBN 9780544343740. $25. F

Litt, Toby. Life-Like. Univ. of Chicago. Oct. 2014. 248p. ISBN 9780857422071. $27.50. F

Pelecanos, George. The Martini Shot. Little, Brown. Jan. 2015. 304p. ISBN 9780316284370. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780316284394. F

Petrushevskaya, Ludmilla. There Once Lived a Mother Who Loved Her Children, Until They Moved Back In: Three Novellas About Family. Penguin. Oct. 2014. 208p. tr. from Russian by Anna Summers. ISBN 9780143121664. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780698141827. F

Rich, Simon. Spoiled Brats. Little, Brown. Oct. 2014. 224p. ISBN 9780316368629. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780316368636. F

Last-Minute Christian Fiction

Bartels, Zachary. Playing Saint. Thomas Nelson. Oct. 2014. 352p. ISBN 9781401690557. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781401690571. CF

Bradley, Patricia. A Promise To Protect. Revell. (Logan Point, Bk. 2). Oct. 2014. 336p. ISBN 9780800722814. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9781441246592. CF

Last-Minute SF/Fantasy

Grinti, Mike & Rachel Grinti. Jala’s Mask. Pyr: Prometheus. Nov. 2014. 300p. ISBN 9781616149789. pap. $18; ebk. ISBN 9781616149796. FANTASY

Novak, Chase. Brood. Mulholland: Little, Brown. Oct. 2014. 320p. ISBN 9780316228008. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780316228015. HORROR