Aqilah Rahman
Here are eight highlights among book releases for the month of March, including the story of a man who plans to escape from prison to save his son, a teenager who gets transported back in time to fix glitches in history, and an elderly woman who forms an unexpected friendship with a group of suspects after a murder at her tea shop.
THE LAST SAXON KING BY ANDREW VARGA
Dan Renfrew’s father gets attacked by a mysterious man, and Dan finds himself transported to England in the year 1066. As a descendant of a long line of time travellers, Dan has to fix glitches in the timeline so history doesn’t change and only then he can return home.
As the Norman army prepares to invade from the south, a Viking horde is wreaking havoc in the north while the English King attempts to protect his throne. Caught in the middle of war, Dan must ensure history stays its course.
ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME BY WILLIAM LANDAY
When 10-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home from school, her mother is nowhere to be found. Miranda’s mother is declared missing and her father who works as a criminal defence attorney becomes the prime suspect. But due to lack of evidence and witnesses, her father was never charged.
Two decades later, the case is brought to the surface again when the remains of Jane Larkin are found. Now adults, Miranda and her brothers are divided on their stance.
Eldest sibling Alex stands firmly by his father’s side while Jeff and Miranda are conflicted about whether their father is guilty or innocent.
VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS BY JESSE Q SUTANTO
In the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown is a quiet tea shop run by Vera Wong, a lonely elderly woman who lives the same routine every day until she finds a dead body on her business premise.
Dissatisfied with how the police are handling the case, Vera takes matters into her own hand and sets off to investigate the case herself.
As she gathers the possible suspects, Vera finds herself forming unexpected friendships despite the possibility of one of them being the murderer.
I WILL FIND YOU BY HARLAN COBEN
For five years, David Burroughs has been serving his sentence for the murder of his son – a crime he didn’t commit. When his sister-in-law Rachel on a visit, she shows him a photo of a boy with a familiar birthmark. Convinced that his son is still alive, David makes a plan to escape from prison, save his son and prove his innocence.
THE GREAT RECLAMATION BY RACHEL HENG
Born in a fishing village in Singapore, Ah Boon would rather spend his time with his friend Siok Mei instead of fishing. The story follows Ah Boon as he becomes an adult, navigating his way through changes in his life and the community following the aftermath of World War II and the pursuit of modernisation.
THE MAID’S DIARY BY LORETH ANNE WHITE
Kit Darling is a maid with a habit of snooping into her wealthy clients’ lives, a hobby that she considers harmless. Her new clients are a couple expecting their first child and Kit discovers a disturbing secret at their home.
When homicide officer Mallory Van Alst is called to a crime scene, the homeowners are gone and so is their maid. Despite the bloody scene, there’s no body and the only witness is the elderly woman next door who called 911 after hearing a scream.
THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER AND LOUISE BY COLLEEN OAKLEY
When 84-year-old Louise slips on a rug, her daughter demands that she has a full-time nanny to look after her although Louise doesn’t want one. Her new caretaker is 21-year-old Tanner Quimby who’s just there for the money and a place to live.
The two live together minding their own business until Tanner watches the news and notices the suspect of a jewellery heist from many years ago looks just like Louise. Things get stranger when Louise suddenly comes into her room in the middle of the night and tells her she will pay for driving her to California.
MAYBE NEXT TIME BY CESCA MAJOR
Literary agent Emma has her hands full juggling her work and spending quality time with her family. When she starts her usual Monday, Emma doesn’t notice the growing distance between her, her husband and her two children.
At night, she gets into an argument with her husband over dinner and he storms out of the house to walk their dog around the block.
Emma realises that she’s forgotten about their anniversary but before she can make it up to her husband, he gets into a fatal accident. When Emma wakes up the next morning, her husband is alive and well.
As she relives the same day over and over again, Emma gains insights her husband and children, and all the things she missed because of her endless work.
Emma tries to do things differently in each loop but no matter what she does, her day always ends the same way.
