Aqilah Rahman
For April, here are eight book releases, including the story of a scientist investigating a mountain’s mysterious appearance in the Pacific Ocean, a dystopian future where everyone has gone blind, and a tale of a shipwreck with conflicting stories from its survivors:
The Wager
By David Grann
Set in the 1740s, a British vessel leaves England during a war to capture a Spanish ship filled with treasure. A few years later, a group of survivors wash up on the coast of Brazil with heroic tales of their journey. But six months later, another group of survivors including the captain land on the coast of Chile with stories that are very much different than what has been told by the first group.
Amid the accusations of treachery and murder, a court martial is convened to bring the truth to light. Whoever is found guilty could hang.
Ascension
By Nicholas Binge
Scientist Harold Tunmore has been missing for 30 years while investigating the mysterious appearance of an enormous mountain in the Pacific Ocean. His brother finds him in a psychiatric hospital, together with letters that were never sent.
The story is told through Harold’s letters which describe his extraordinary journey to the summit where time seemed to move differently, in addition to strange phenomenons among the crew.
Symphony of Secrets
By Brendan Slocumb
Music professor Bern Hendricks is an expert in his field, and no one could top his knowledge about the much beloved early 20th Century composer Frederick Delaney. Bern receives the call of his lifetime when he is presented the opportunity to transcribe a newly discovered piece that could be Frederick’s very last composition.
Together with his tech-savvy acquaintance Eboni, Bern begins to look into Frederick’s history, back to when he was a struggling musician in a jazz club who crossed paths with prodigy Josephine.
The book alternates between the past and present time as the pair discovers the truth behind Frederick’s rise to fame.
Homecoming
By Kate Morton
Having lost her job and struggling to make ends meet, Jess returns home to Sydney to see her grandmother Nora who was rushed to hospital after suffering a fall. The housekeeper tells Jess that her grandmother had been acting strangely before the accident happened and she fell on the steps to the attic – the one place Jess was forbidden from playing in when she was small.
At her grandmother’s home, Jess finds a true crime book which details an unsolved case from 1959 where a family was murdered during the holidays, and it seems to be connected to Jess’s family.
Blind Spots
By Thomas Mullen
In a world where everyone has gone blind, people are forced to adapt by using a device known as a ‘vidder’. Used to approximate vision, vidders consist of a small disc implanted on the right temple which then downloads visual data that is sent directly to the brain.
People are split between those who use a vidder to restore their sight and those who refuse in fear of unknown consequences.
When a scientist is murdered, the sole witness claims she couldn’t see the killer. What she saw was a black blur. Detective Mark Owens is skeptical until he witnesses a murder where all he sees is a black blur. He suspects the vidders have been hacked.
Hestia Strikes a Match
By Christine Grillo
In Hestia Strikes a Match, the year is 2023 and a second American civil war has split the nation into Unionists and Confederates. Now in her 40s, Hestia Harris finds solace in her coworkers at a retirement village and the 80-year-old resident Mildred. Her parents have moved to the south, home of the Confederates. Amid the chaos, Hestia tries to find a meaningful relationship in a city where normalcy now includes regularly checking the public safety app for dangers in the area.
Small Mercies
By Dennis Lehane
Set in Boston, 1974, the court has ordered public school integration starting with two high schools, receiving major backlash from the residents. Mary Pat’s teenage daughter Jules goes missing the same night a young man is found dead, struck by a subway train under mysterious circumstances. As Mary digs around, she discovers there’s more to the incident and her daughter might be connected.
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club
By J Ryan Stradal
For decades, the Lakeside Supper Club has been operating as a family business by the Pragers. When Mariel’s mother refuses to inherit the business, Mariel steps up as the new restaurant owner. Her decision creates a rift in their relationship, and Mariel struggles to keep the business afloat.
Unlike Mariel, her husband Ned’s family business is thriving. Ned’s father owns a chain of diners, and Ned sees a better future in his family business whereas Mariel is deeply attached to the restaurant she inherited despite being in the red.
