Originally published in 1984 in the UK and just as fast out of print, Some Girls, Some Hats, and Hitler was rediscovered by a British editor, who bought a used copy last year, read it, loved it, and decided to bring it out again. It’s a pretty remarkable story about a charismatic milliner in the late 30s, who designs for the creme de la creme of Vienna. She’s fun, has lovers, hangs out in cafes. Of course we all know what’s coming–Hitler and World War II. Trudi falls in love with Walter Ehrlich, a romantic businessman, but once the Germans arrive they find themselves desperate to escape.

It’s a fascinating true story from someone who witnessed much tragic history. I’m glad that it’s been found again.

Bookseller confession time–up until now, I have never read any of Zadie Smith’s novels. I really like her essays but just haven’t gotten to White Teeth or the rest. When an ARC of her forthcoming book NW showed up, I grabbed it.

The novel focuses on a housing estate in northwest London. It’s split into different sections with different narrators for each and different styles. It took me a while to get into the rhythm of the book but by the second section however, I was hooked. You’re following these characters and their messed up lives, trying to will them to not make these mistakes but they make them anyway because they feel trapped or broken or just don’t know what to do. This is a really strong novel, one that makes me think I’ve been missing out by not having read her other books, something I hope to remedy soon.

Note: There’s a long piece of the novel in the July 23rd issue of the New Yorker. Here’s an interview with Zadie Smith about it.

I remember when my Penguin sales rep handed me a galley of Tana French’s first book In the Woods back in early 2007. “Megan,” he said, “even if you think you don’t like thrillers or procedurals, you have to read this book. It’s very smart and the writing will knock your socks off.” The man was right–one of the biggest reasons to keep sales reps for publishers around. I read it, loved it, and have since read the follow-ups. What I like best is that each subsequent book focuses on a different character from the murder squad, so you don’t get tired of reading about the same character. It also allows French to explore more themes. She really loves to get into the protagonist’s head and presents a unique story line for each of them.

Her latest Broken Harbor, coming out later this month, features Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy, who appeared in a minor role in Tana French’s third book Faithful Place. Here he leads the investigation of the brutal murder of the Spain family in a half constructed housing development called Brianstown. When the wife survives, Kennedy realizes the case–which might make or break his career–is much more complicated. Best of all is French’s psychological portrait of Kennedy, who appears to have the most successful solve rate of all of the detectives but has his own dark past with Brianstown, formerly called Broken Harbor. His troubled sister shows up, dragging back dark childhood memories that threaten his iron tight grasp of right and wrong.

Often by the fourth book of a series, I grow bored or the writing has gone stale, but not so with Tana French. Her stories of the Dublin murder squad remain strong and I will continue to look forward to each new one.

Lawrence Norfolk wrote several historical novels, including Lempriere’s Dictionary and The Pope’s Rhinoceros. His first novel in a decade, John Saturnall’s Feast, is another richly-researched historical piece, set amid the religious and political turmoil of 17th-Century England. John Saturnall and his mother flee their village after she’s accused of witchcraft. While they hide in the woods, she teaches him what she knows of food and the earth’s bounty, but nonetheless starves to death over the winter. Saturnall survives, and eventually finds work as a kitchen boy, where his mother’s culinary gifts catch the notice of the head chef.

The many descriptions of the 17th century kitchen system make this novel alone worth reading. However the other story line about his feeling s for the daughter of the lord of the manor add another layer of both lushness and deprivation. It’s a great story, one that leaves your senses stunned and wanting more.

Jess Walter has long been getting great reviews from bookselling friends and reviews. His latest, Beautiful Ruins, is my first foray into his books, but certainly not my last!

The novel opens with a dying actress named Dee Mornay arriving in an isolated Italian fishing village to check into the Hotel Adequate View, run by a young man with futile aspirations of running a grand resort. 50 years later, the innkeeper comes to Hollywood, and meets cynical mega-producer Michael Deane and his not-yet-cynical assistant, Claire Silver. A genuinely cinematic love story unfolds as the narrative skips back and forth. Walter does a great job drawing parallels between the small town boy straining to reach across the ocean to reach Hollywood in its golden era, and a young woman in Hollywood today straining to reach across time to do the same thing.

To Walter’s credit, the love story feels completely true and lacking the corniness that some lesser writers might add without meaning to. I’m excited to have found an author whose writing makes me so eager to read all his prior novels.

Absolutely fun beach reads: A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night, by Deborah Harkness. The first is out in paperback now, and the sequel is coming soon.

Glen Duncan came to my notice with The Last Werewolf, which brought enormous doses of earthy humor to the standard vampires vs. werewolves vs. human occultists narrative. The phrase “Reader, I ate him” pretty much won my heart. Spoiler: The narrator of book 1 isn’t exactly the last werewolf. Enter the sequel, Tallula Rising, which continues the murderous fun. Don’t let anyone read this over your shoulder on the subway.