From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Sunburn: A Novel by Laura Lippman (Morrow, $26.99, 9780062389923). "Sunburn pays homage to the novels of James M. Cain, offering up crooked cops, handsome drifters, and, of course, a femme fatale. Watch the secrets unravel as a runaway wife with an ugly past takes up in a small town. Lovers of noir will delight in the familiar tropes. We know she's bad, but how bad is she? Will an affair between two untrustworthy people turn into true love? Sunburn is the perfect book to take on that spring break to a sunny locale. Pour the lemonade and lay out your beach towel." --Sarah Sorensen, Bookbug, Kalamazoo, Mich.
The Last Equation of Isaac Severy: A Novel in Clues by Nova Jacobs (Touchstone, $25, 9781501175121). "Isaac Severy has died and taken the secret of his last mathematical equation with him. Except that he has also hidden clues to a hiding place for this final work and shares these clues with his adopted granddaughter, Hazel, who he has charged with finding his hidden treasure and getting it into the hands of a trusted colleague. But she's not the only one looking for his equation, and some of the other searchers are dangerous indeed. This inviting mystery allows us to follow along as Hazel makes her way toward the answer, so be prepared to put on your thinking cap and get out your best clue-solving approach--you'll need all the help you can get. I absolutely loved this debut!" --Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, Wash.
Paperback
Edgar and Lucy: A Novel by Victor Lodato (Picador, $18, 9781250096999). "Edgar and Lucy is about a terribly broken family that faces crisis after crisis yet never gives up trying to be a family. The main narrator is eight-year-old Edgar, a child brilliant beyond his years but who has a problem relating to almost everyone except his grandmother, Florence. Edgar's mother, Lucy, loves him in her own way but thanks to Florence, Lucy really doesn't need to make much of an effort. When Florence dies, everything changes. A stunning novel, dark at times, raw and bold, written with an uncanny feel for life and death, Edgar and Lucy kept me spellbound waiting for its conclusion but unwilling for the story to end." --Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction, Greenville, S.C.
For Ages 4 to 8
Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima (Simon & Schuster, $17.99, 9781481469111). "This book, about an adorable little girl who gets too carried away planning a birthday party with her dads, is just what we need right now. Her mission is to find the perfect party hats, but she ends up getting caught up with penguins and must find her way home in time for the party! I highly recommend this author." --Kate Larson, Liberty Bay Books, Poulsbo, Wash.
For Ages 9 to 12
Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August (Roaring Brook Press, $16.99, 9781626728141). "Lumberjanes meets Stranger Things in the contemporary Colorado mountains. Arlo and his family have lived a transient life since his hacker father fled for China. As a last resort, they move in with weird Uncle Wade in Mom's hometown where the supernatural is very much a part of everyday life. Invited to join the Rangers, Arlo soon discovers his own surprising connection to Pine Mountain and its mysterious, magical woods. Page-turning, funny, fantastical, and engaging, this one is sure to fly off the shelves." --Summer Laurie, Books Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
For Teen Readers
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (Simon Pulse, $17.99, 9781481497343). "Centuries ago, the Swan sisters were drowned for witchcraft. Now, for a few weeks each year, they claim the bodies of three girls and use them to draw men into the harbor to drown. For those weeks, tourists flood the town and the locals dare each other to go near the water. They call it The Swan Season. The Wicked Deep is haunting, sad, and satisfying. The sisters' anger is so thoroughly understandable, it is easy to see how they would want to lure men into the harbor. This is the perfect book for Practical Magic fans or anyone looking for a crisp, immersive read." --Amy Brabenec, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, Mass.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
