New on the shelves … books to enjoy with a glass of wine on the side!
A black tie party. An impressive mansion. An exclusive guest list. It’s a 16th birthday celebration … one that’s been planned as a party to remember. There’s the doting dad. A new wife with a history of postpartum psychosis. An ex-wife with a drinking problem. Ex-boyfriends and BFFs and toxic mean girls and a baby with her nanny, who talks to the spirits. And a whole host of social-status-conscious neighbours and friends. Oh. And a dead body. So one of them’s a murderer! Kelsey Cox’s Party of Liars races along at heart-pumping speed, with a twist you won’t see coming. Hodder and Stoughton
A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, Maggie has always lived life at the edge. And after a devastating series of personal tragedies, she’s thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy – as well as absolute discretion. When one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance, Maggie takes on the challenge and enters a world of unspeakable opulence. But when, under her care, he suddenly disappears, she has to become a fugitive herself – or she will be the next one who is Gone Before Goodbye. Brilliant, as you’d expect from Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon. Penguin Random House
Nina George’s One Night In Paris introduces Claire Cousteau – one of France’s most esteemed biologists, with a seemingly perfect family life. But she has become increasingly frustrated by her marriage and her husband’s affairs. As the Cousteau family prepare for a summer in Brittany, Claire’s son, Nico, asks if his new girlfriend, Julie, can join them? Julie has conundrums of her own – she is an ambitious woman, and unsure if Nico really is her match. But what the family doesn’t realise is that Julie and Claire have met before, in a Parisian hotel during a night that Claire thought was her secret. Michael Joseph
The Portrait is the latest novel from billion-copy bestselling author Danielle Steel. Devon Darcy is a highly sought-after portrait artist – but the world doesn’t know about the devastating losses she has endured. Entrepreneur Charles Mackenzie Taylor has given up on love, resigning himself to a loveless marriage to avoid the inconvenience of divorce. When Charlie meets Devon at a New York gallery event, he approaches her to paint his portrait. She is intrigued by him … the electricity between them is palpable. As they encounter each other over the course of a summer in the Hamptons, their connection deepens. But the ghosts of their pasts are not easily put to rest. Macmillan
Frankie Elkin usually prefers her cases cold. Until she finds herself in the broiling streets of Tucson, Arizona, where an Afghan refugee has been missing for weeks. The woman she is looking for, Sabera, is a young mother, haunted by war, scarred by the past. The police and Sabera’s husband seem indifferent to her disappearance. But Frankie knows trauma. She knows it can fuel or destroy you. And when she sees the distress in Sabera’s daughter’s eyes, she makes a decision she soon regrets … find Sabera. But in Lisa Gardner’s Kiss Her Goodbye, the missing woman may not be quite the victim Frankie thought she was. Century
Summer Island by Kristin Hannah is a poignant, warm and tender novel about a mother and daughter – the complex ties that bind them, the past that separates them, and the healing that comes with forgiveness. Macmillan
Annabel is in the thick of sandwich generation territory. A widow bringing up her two teenagers, she’s also facing the dilemma of what’s best for her aging mother. Add two strong-willed sisters, a few love interests, and a family secret that comes to light and her life certainly isn’t smooth sailing. Annabel and Her Sisters is Catherine Alliott’s lovely, light, pool-side read. Penguin Books
Since we’re taking our inspiration this month from the coast, we’ll be eating scrumptious seafood with fresh salads. And to drink … Spier Seaward Sauvignon Blanc 2023. The nose displays fresh green figs, blackcurrant, and ripe tropical fruit with hints of citrus, whilst a sea-salt twist lingers on the palate. R150 a bottle from spier.co.za
For these and more brilliant reads, visit exclusivebooks.co.za
