Back to the beach with books in tote

Your early summer 2024 reading list

By Tom Mayer

You’ll need a bigger bag — that’s the first thing to know about our early summer 2024 reading list. Not only are there waves and waves of new titles coming at us during the next few months, but the sheer volume of some of these 500-1,000 page tsunamis are sure to strain all but the most reinforced beach tote (“Southern Man” by Greg Iles comes to us in late May at more than a pound and 976 pages, by example). That is, if you’re reading in print, which, as always, I highly recommend. Not that I don’t have my trusty e-reader (trust is beholden in the eye of the charger) with me at all times, but have you noticed … print publishers have really upped their game.
Many of today’s print books are not only beautifully designed and produced for a complete reading sensation, they’re bound for the long haul … as in decades from now your progeny will be able to still marvel at the breadth of your literary acumen. Unlike a second-generation reader I own that no longer supports updates, making it a useful bequeath to exactly no one save for those who find a wicked joy in commenting on my age.
But back to the beach. The hand-curated titles here range from the fantastic to the fantastical, and for a bonus I’ve added a brief list of additional titles similarly recommended — just in case you’re lucky enough to find a space on an uninhabited island with nothing but sunshine and time. Bon voyage.

“I am Rome” (Ballantine Books) by Santiago Posteguillo
While Santiago Posteguillo is a best-selling author of crime and historical fiction in Spain, “I am Rome: A Novel of Julius Caesar” comes to us as his English-language debut — and one filled with action and oratory in translation by Frances Riddle. Using flashbacks to document Caesar’s early life — his announced arranged marriage which comes at age 12; his expansive education from his uncle, Marius; his political aspirations and early successes — the year is now 77 BCE, and a 23-year-old Gaius Julius Caesar wins a plumb assignment over mentors and others with decades more experience: the prosecution of Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella, the governor of Macedonia who faces corruption charges. When prosecutorial witnesses begin to die, and a spy within Caesar’s own camp leaks testimonial secret to the opposition, the stage is set for a compelling narrative outlining the Roman general cum statesman’s rise to power.

“After Annie” (Random House) by Anna Quindlen
Anna Quindlen has made a career trading on secrets, but also on friendship, marriage, family and deep, deep loss. “After Annie” is a culmination of all of this in an achingly beautifully written story about how the lives of Bill Brown and his four young children are to continue after the death of Annie, his best friend, wife and mother of their children. For daughter Ali, it’s a coming-of-age story, though her father and younger brothers grow and learn about themselves and each other as they all navigate channels of adversity to come out stronger on the other side.

“Lilith” (Blackstone) by Eric Rickstad
You may not know that according not Jewish mythology, Lilith is the name of Adam’s supposed first wife — the woman before Eve who fled Eden after refusing to submit to male dominance — but you’ll know why Elisabeth Roth assumes the name in Eric Rickstad’s new novel. A challenging and rewarding work, “Lilith,” the person and the novel, seeks to answer two poignant questions: do the ends justify the means; and, do two wrongs make a right? For most of us, those questions seem elementary, but elementary is what kindergarten and single mom Elisabeth is … until her son, Lydan, suffers traumatic injuries in the wake of school violence. Posting video under her assumed name of a crime that she commits in answer to men in authority who she sees as too cowardly to stand up for her son and other victims, Elisabeth finds herself both vilified and venerated by millions. Working to elude capture, though, forces desperate measures, and those could ultimately result in the loss of her son. Rickstad earned a New York Times “Thriller of the Year” honor for “I Am Not Who You Think I Am,” and the form serves him well here.

“City in Ruins” (William Morrow) by Don Winslow
What an ending … and not only for the conclusion to a masterful trilogy about two New England organized crime families, but for the author himself, who has reported that “City in Ruins” will be the last novel of his career. The Danny Ryan trio of books takes us from Providence, R.I., and on a journey of redemption as this would be/wouldn’t be mob leader tries to leave his criminal life in the past. That past continuously catches up with him, reaching a crescendo with old enemies, the FBI, the IRS and even friends gunning for him. Written in Winslow’s signature style, you’ll enjoy the prose as much as a story that could be read as a standalone, but one you’ll appreciate more if you start at the beginning. Watch for an interview with Winslow late spring/early summer at cullmantimes.com.

“The House on Biscayne Bay” (Berkley) by Chanel Cleeton
Styled as a gothic mystery — a descriptor the novel wears well — Chanel Cleeton’s “The House on Biscayne Bay” is a haunting and atmospheric novel that brings past and present together as the lives of two women intersect under the roof of a dark and secret-infested mansion in Miami. The estate is gilded and golden, but there’s something rotten beneath its facade. Unless that sickness can be ferreted out, the result is likely to be a deadly history repeating itself.

“A Killing On the Hill” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni
In the past two and a half decades, the prolific Robert Dugoni has gifted us dozens of stories, including his popular Tracy Crosswhite, Charles Jenkins and David Sloane series, in addition a handful of standalone novels.
So, what’s a popular and gifted storyteller to do in 2024? In Dugoni’s case, tell a different kind of story. Forging a new path, Dugoni’s “A Killing On the Hill” is the author’s first historical novel — and one that sits solidly in his canon.
Inspired by a real-life shooting that took place in a nightclub in Seattle during Prohibition, the novel centers on deception and misdirection as the mobster George Miller claims he shot former prizefighter Frankie Ray only in self-defense.
Told through the young and inexperienced eyes of a almost-cub reporter working the crime beat for the Seattle Daily Star, the story takes us deep into a criminal trial that transfixes a reading public as two competing newspapers each strive to out-scoop the other. Dugoni takes us back to the very roots of storytelling with this master work.

“The Clock Struck Murder” (Poisoned Pen Press) by Betty Webb
Betty Webb’s “The Clock Struck Murder” isn’t the first novel to feature American expat Zoe Barlow — that was “Lost in Paris.” In that earlier tale, missing Hemingway writings lead Zoe into the investigations of two murders. Here, the plot device works just as well as Zoe, living in 1924 Paris, searches for a replacement for a broken but favorite porcelain clock. Finding a new one that suits her sensibilities, Zoe is surprised to find, upon returning home, that her purchase has been wrapped in a painting by Marc Chagall. Certain that her purchase had been sealed in error, she returns to the market to find that the vendor has been bludgeoned to death in a storage shed — and near a stack of other Chagalls. With the Olympics set to stage soon in Paris, local authorities have little interest or resources for an investigation, so Zoe decides to go it herself, ultimately uncovering more than one murder.

“The Book That Broke the World” (Ace) by Mark Lawrence
The second book in Mark Lawrence’s planned Library Trilogy, “The Book That Broke the World” follows 2023’s “The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.” A love letter to the place where books live and are loved, Lawrence’s trio is a love story of its own, telling the tale of a both a vast library and the small spaces that are filled with our own stories, including those that must be reclaimed — as is the case with Livira. Though her place is beside Evar, the two are far separated as Evar is forced to flee the library and journey into a vast world with which he’s utterly unfamiliar. The library, working to reassemble the threads of Livira’s history, brings their past to a new landscape as discovery, adventure and romance flavor this enthralling, enchanting series.

And because even our teens, tweens and their younger siblings find time to read in the summer:

“The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry” (Holiday House) by Anna Rose Johnson
Selena Lucy Landry is a spirited French-Ojibwe orphan — her sailor father died at sea — who is sent to foster with the Martin family at that awkward age when she can’t seem to get anything right. Flavoring this is that the Martins are a mysterious group of lighthouse-keepers who just might hold the key to the whereabouts of a legendary necklace her father spent his life looking for. A sweet story that crosses multiple boundaries — age, race, creed — Anna Rose Johnson’s “The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry” is promoted for those in grades 3-7, but really, the whole family will enjoy the tale.

“Hello, Alabama,” (Arcadia) by Martha Day Zschock
A fun board book that tags nearly every important Alabama bag, Martha Day Zschock’s “Hello, Alabama” is a colorful, fun and beautifully illustrated journey through the state. From the gulf shore to the USS Alabama, Magic City to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, you and your little ones are “off and away” on a fun educational trek across Alabama — and a trek that might just have mom and dad learning a thing or two, also.

(Sidebar or boxed content below)

(Hede) More for the beach bag
And so, you’ve exhausted our summer list and there’s still a bit sunshine left. Consider:

“Matterhorn” (Thomas & Mercer) by Christopher Reich
Mac Dekker’s been living under a false name and trying to stay off the grid … until he learns about the death of his son who, unknown to him, had followed his dad into the world of espionage.

“Bare Knuckle” (Blackstone Publishing) by Stayton Bonner
Former Rolling Stone editor Stayton Bonner traveled the world of bare-knuckle boxing with world champion Bobby Gunn (73-0) for years to produce this Rocky-esque tale of triumph, loss and a father’s love for his family. Highly inspirational, highly recommended.

“You Like It Darker” by Stephen King (Scribner)
It’s Stephen King. It’s a book of his short stories. It’s summer and now you have the time enjoy a collection of new fiction from the master of horror. Enough said.

“Camino Ghosts” (Doubleday) by John Grisham
We typically have to wait until October for a new John Grisham novel, but this third installment in the Florida Camino Island story is right on time for a breezy, summer read.

“Southern Man” (William Morrow) by Greg Iles
We’ll be visiting with Greg Iles in early summer for an interview about his newest lawyer Penn Cage book, but this one has been long in coming and it’s worth mentioning here. Well, that and that you’ll want to start the book in late May, as soon as it comes out, if you plan on finishing before Labor Day. Iles’s new novel is much anticipated, and it delivers an intricately crafted plot that’ll keep you engrossed through its nearly 1,000 pages. It’s 15 years after the events of the Natchez Burning trilogy, and Penn Cage, carrying a mortal secret that keeps him isolated, is alone. A true masterpiece with historical depth that could only come from Iles’ pen. Check back for the interview in an upcoming issue of Meridian Life magazine (meridianstar.com/magazines/) and several Southern newspapers, including The Cullman Times (cullmantimes.com).

Brutal as they may be, fighting sports have long been popular not only for spectators but also participants of all races, sizes and socioeconomic statuses. While boxing and mixed martial arts are the more well-known organized fighting sports, bare knuckle fighting has a life of its own. It is popular and lucrative – and underground as it is illegal in most places and is often tied with organized crime. One of the most successful bare knuckle fighters is Bobby Gunn, who never lost a match – at least by the unofficial records kept – and is a completely different person when not fighting. His story is told in this excellent book by Stayton Bonner.

Gunn came from a family of fighters, most notably his father, a successful professional wrestler, who trained him originally to be a boxer. While Bobby had some success in boxing, even winning a cruiserweight championship, his greatest success and fame came in the bare knuckle circuit. Bonner does a terrific job of not only giving the reader the story of Gunn, but also a up-close look at the underground world of bare knuckle fighting. These include the quick-cash bouts that can make a good fighter like Gunn become flush with money quickly, the training ground and fight sights that double as organized crime hangouts, and the sheer brutalness of the sport. The sections that describe some of the fights, especially those stories shared by Gunn, are not for the squeamish as there are many serious injuries suffered by fighters of all skills. It should also be noted that many of these fights are very short. A five-minute brawl between combatants would be considered a very long bout in this world.

As for Gunn himself, his story is as complex as his chosen athletic endeavor. He would hustle for construction jobs, mainly laying down asphalt for driveways and parking lots, in many locations. This is consistent with his upbringing as an Irish Traveler. The Traveler lifestyle, complete with the marginalization and fierce loyalty to their groups separated by ethnicity or religion, is a hard, nomadic one and Bonner brings this lifestyle to the reader just as well as he describes the bare knuckle fighting world. While Gunn eventually settles down (mostly) in New Jersey with his wife and two children for work, he maintains his presence in the fighting world for both underground bare knuckle and in boxing. For the latter, he not only tried an unsuccessful comeback in middle age but he also trained his son as well.

Gunn’s story about his family and personal life is touching. This is especially true when he talks about his daughter and what he will do for her, which was the main reason he kept fighting. Given the world where he earns that kind of money so he can take her to Disney World or to provide her with a good education, it also seems like a contradiction. But then, nothing ever came easy to any Gunn family member and this book is one that describes his life and his professional in a complete and wonderful manner. Even if a reader is not a fan of fighting or combat sports, it is one that most will enjoy for the family bonding. Even if that family is connected with a brutal, mostly illegal sport.

I wish to thank Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.