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WORK TITLE: All These Beautiful Strangers
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.elizabethklehfoth.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2015163567
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2015163567
HEADING: Klehfoth, Elizabeth
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670 __ |a Klehfoth, Elizabeth. Some bodies, 2014: |b ProQuest resource description page (Elizabeth Klehfoth; M.F.A., Department: English, Indiana University, 2014) |u http://search.proquest.com/docview/1553443920?accountid=11620
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Chapman University, B.F.A.; Indiana University, M.F.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, novelist, and educator. Indiana University, Bloomington, instructor in fiction writing and composition.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Novelist Elizabeth Klehfoth grew up in Elkhart, Indiana. She has been an instructor in fiction writing and composition at Indiana University. She attended Chapman University, where she earned a B.F.A. in creative writing, and Indiana University, where she graduated with an M.F.A., also in creative writing.
Klehfoth’s debut is All These Beautiful Strangers: A Novel, which School Library Journal writer Kelly Jo Lasher called “excellently plotted” and “gripping.” The novel focuses on the disappearance of Grace Fairchild and its effects on her daughter, Charlie, the book’s main protagonist. Grace disappeared when Charlie was only seven years old, and since then, the now seventeen-year-old has not believed her mother would leave her behind. Adding even more mystery to Grace’s situation is the fact that she was living a privileged life as the wife of Alistair, a New York real-estate billionaire. Charlie also refuses to believe that something terrible might have happened to her mother, including the rumors that her father killed her. She continues looking for answers that will lead to their eventual reunion.
Now a junior at Knollwood Augustus Prep, an elite private boarding school in New Hampshire, the clever and intelligent Charlie has been invited to become a member of the A’s, the school’s highly exclusive secret society. The society is made up of the school’s most popular students, and the opportunity to join is an honor that Charlie does not want to pass up. However, the initiation soon turns unpleasant, even harrowing, comprising an ongoing series of challenges that test her in ways she is not accustomed to. She persists with the tests, in large part because of her attraction to Dalton, one of the club members. The tests of membership continue to get more difficult and dangerous. “Suddenly, everything Charlie thought she knew about herself, her dreams, and her future will be called into question as she fights to be considered worthy of membership in a group she suddenly isn’t sure she really wants to join after all,” commented reviewer Shannon Dyer, writing on the website All about Romance.
An interviewer on the website Red Carpet Crash called All These Beautiful Strangers a “highly charged, addictive psychological thriller.” A Kirkus Reviews writer commented favorably on the “candid and genuine relationships among the young characters” and called Charlie “an appealing protagonist.” In Publishers Weekly, a reviewer observed, “Klehfoth’s ability to draw in the reader shows that she’s an author to watch.” A Library Journal commentator concluded that the novel is a “worthy, page-turning debut that will keep readers guessing until the end.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2018, review of All These Beautiful Strangers: A Novel.
Library Journal, June, 2018, review of All These Beautiful Strangers, p. 59.
Publishers Weekly, May 28, 2018, review of All These Beautiful Strangers, p. 71.
School Library Journal, May, 2018, Kelly Jo Lasher, review of All These Beautiful Strangers.
ONLINE
All about Romance, https://www.allaboutromance.com/ (July 11, 2018), Shannon Dyer, review of All These Beautiful Strangers.
Elizabeth Klehfoth website, http://www.elizabethklehfoth.com (October 24, 2018).
Red Carpet Crash, http://www.redcarpretcrash.com/ (July 9, 2018), “Interview: Author Elizabeth Klehforth Talks Her Great Debut Novel All These Beautiful Strangers.“
United by Pop, http://www.unitedbypop.com/ (July 29, 2018), Verity Harris, “All These Beautiful Strangers Has Boarding Schools, Secret Societies, and Lots of Glitz and Glamour,” interview with Elizabeth Klehfoth.
Elizabeth Klehfoth grew up in Elkhart, Indiana. She received her BFA in creative writing from Chapman University and her MFA in creative writing from Indiana University, where she taught fiction writing and composition. She currently lives in Los Angeles. All These Beautiful Strangers is her first novel.
HomeInterviewsGet to know Elizabeth Klehfoth, the author behind the page-turning thriller All These Beautiful Strangers
All These Beautiful Strangers
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Get To Know Elizabeth Klehfoth, The Author Behind The Page-Turning Thriller All These Beautiful Strangers
All These Beautiful Strangers has boarding schools, secret societies and lots of glitz and glamour.
By Verity Harris Last updated Jul 29, 2018
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Elizabeth Klehfoth’s ‘All These Beautiful Strangers’ is a young adult murder mystery told from multiple points of view and several timelines. Warning: If you’re looking for a book that won’t take over your life – we advise you to steer clear of this one.
Find out what happened when we sat down for a chat with Elizabeth below.
For those who haven’t yet picked up a copy of ‘All These Beautiful Strangers’ how would you entice them to pick one up?
If you love twisty, page-turning thrillers that involve dark family secrets, boarding schools, secret societies and lots of glitz and glamour, you’ll like ‘All These Beautiful Strangers’.
We love Charlie’s character in the book, she’s a strong female protagonist who speaks her mind and doesn’t require saving – is she based on anyone?
Charlie isn’t based on anyone in particular, but I have a lot of strong female role models in my life, from my mother (who always taught me to think for myself and stand up for what I believe in) to my sister and friends (who are all strong independent women forging their own paths in life).
There are three main POVs from different time periods within the book – was that difficult to plan out and write?
It was a bit tricky, yes, because I wanted certain revelations to occur for the reader at very particular points in the book, and I had to keep track of not only what the reader knows but also what each character knows and when they know it. I created a very detailed 20-page outline of the chapters and events in the novel before I started writing, and I wrote the book in the order that things appear for the reader, rather than writing things chronologically with the past narrative first and then the present.
That helped a lot in terms of getting the reveals right for the reader. Revisions were tricky because some events got switched around and I rewrote some chapters from other character’s points of view (for example, some of the chapters that are now in Grace’s POV were originally written from Alistair’s, and vice versa). So, I had to go back and reread things from the beginning to make sure things still made sense and the reveals still landed where I wanted them.
Knollwood Prep features a secret society called the A’s – which three celebrities would you like to have by your side if you had to undertake initiations?
Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson and Taylor Swift—three smart, independent women who would be great allies.
Taylor Swift All These Beautiful Strangers
Image source: Giphy
The book also deals with grief and suicide, why do you think there’s still a taboo around this within YA and was it difficult to write about?
Anytime you’re dealing with a heavy and complicated issue like suicide, you feel a certain responsibility to get it right, to render it in a way that feels true, rather than watering it down or sugar-coating it, or slapping on a one-note message. In the book, there’s a character who’s very affected by a friend’s suicide and trying to capture her grief felt very personal. I’ve never lost anyone I was extremely close with to suicide, but I have lost a few distant friends to suicide and I’ve experienced other deaths of loved ones and other heartbreaks, and I tried to draw upon all of that when writing about this character’s grief. Revisiting those things isn’t easy, but in some ways, it does feel cathartic to transfer those feelings to a character and put them down on paper. Grieving a loss can often feel very lonely, and writing about it is a way to share and connect, which can be very healing.
Overall, though, as a genre, I think YA does a good job of tackling tough issues, and I don’t think there are too many topics anymore that are taboo or untouchable.
Can you tell us what a typical writing day looks like for you?
During the week, I write in the late afternoon and early evenings. I get a lot of my writing done on the weekends. One of my favorite things to do is go to a café, order brunch and a coffee, and sit and write by myself for a few hours.
Coffee All These Beautiful Strangers
Image source: Giphy
What’s one book you could read over and over again and never get bored?
I love Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and I reread it every couple of years. I love the familial relationships in that book and the intricacies of the characters. And of course, it’s a great love story.
What’s one character you wished you created?
Elizabeth Bennet
Lastly, what advice would you give to people looking to start writing their own novel?
My biggest piece of advice is to just get something down on the page and not be too judgmental of it. Hitting the mute button on your own inner critic is one of the biggest hurdles to writing. A lot of times, what you first put down on the page may not be very good, and that’s okay. You need that bad first draft to get to the better second draft and then the good third draft. One thing I do that really helps me is I set a goal of a certain word count I want to reach every time I sit down, and I just write towards that, not letting myself worry so much about the quality of the writing. That’s very freeing and I find the less critical I’m allowing myself to be, the more I get done, and the better the writing actually is.
‘All These Beautiful Strangers’ is available to buy in the UK and US now.
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Home > Books > Interviews > Interview: Author ‘Elizabeth Klehfoth’ Talks Her Great Debut Novel All These Beautiful Strangers
Interview: Author ‘Elizabeth Klehfoth’ Talks Her Great Debut Novel All These Beautiful Strangers
RedCarpetCrash July 9, 2018
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Elizabeth Klehfoth grew up in Elkhart, Indiana. She received her BFA in creative writing from Chapman University and her MFA in creative writing from Indiana University, where she taught fiction writing and composition. She currently lives in Los Angeles. All These Beautiful Strangers is her first novel.
Check out her website here, Facebook and Twitter. The book is in stores on Tuesday, July 10. You can listen to the interview below.
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A young woman haunted by a family tragedy is caught up in a dangerous web of lies and deception involving a secret society in this highly charged, addictive psychological thriller that combines the dishy gamesmanship of Gossip Girl with the murky atmosphere of The Secret History. One summer day, Grace Fairchild, the beautiful young wife of real estate mogul Alistair Calloway, vanished from the family’s lake house without a trace, leaving behind her seven-year old daughter, Charlie, and a slew of unanswered questions.
Years later, seventeen-year-old Charlie still struggles with the dark legacy of her family name and the mystery surrounding her mother. Determined to finally let go of the past, she throws herself into life at Knollwood, the prestigious New England school she attends. Charlie quickly becomes friends with Knollwood’s “it” crowd.
Charlie has also been tapped by the A’s—the school’s elite secret society well known for terrorizing the faculty, administration, and their enemies. To become a member of the A’s, Charlie must play The Game, a semester-long, diabolical high-stakes scavenger hunt that will jeopardize her friendships, her reputation, even her place at Knollwood. As the dark events of past and present converge, Charlie begins to fear that she may not survive the terrible truth about her family, her school, and her own life.
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Print Marked Items
Klehfoth, Elizabeth: ALL THESE
BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Klehfoth, Elizabeth ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS Morrow/HarperCollins (Adult Fiction)
$26.99 7, 10 ISBN: 978-0-06-279670-7
A young girl strives to learn from the dead and find the truth about her family's darkest secrets.
This compelling mystery switches among three perspectives--those of Charlie Calloway, a young woman
who attends an elite New England boarding school; Charlie's mother, Grace, who disappeared from their
lake house when Charlie was 7; and Charlie's father, Alistair, a billionaire real estate mogul who many
people believe killed Grace--and two time periods, 1996-'97 and 2017. Charlie has never known what
happened to her mother, but she is determined to find out. When, at age 17, she's selected for the most
exclusive secret club on her school's campus--the A's--and, as an initiate, must perform a series of
challenging and dangerous tasks, Charlie realizes that the club has something to do with her mother's
disappearance. As the layers are unpeeled, revealing the truth, so, too, are the protective layers Charlie had
erected as a defense against love. Through most of the story, the thrill is true; but the ending swings from
hackneyed--"Had he jumped of his own volition, or was he forced to his watery grave below?"--to
unnecessarily melodramatic. The book is saved, however, by the candid and genuine relationships among
the young characters. Charlie, an appealing protagonist, has a smart and gamine spirit; her exchanges with
her cousin and fellow student, Leo, and with her friend and detective partner, Greyson, are especially
jocular and sweet.
The story of a long-game revenge played out between generations.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Klehfoth, Elizabeth: ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2018. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540723411/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0334299d. Accessed 25 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540723411
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All These Beautiful Strangers
Publishers Weekly.
265.22 (May 28, 2018): p71.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
All These Beautiful Strangers
Elizabeth Klehfoth. Morrow, $26.99 (448p) ISBN 978-0-06-279670-7
Did Grace Fairchild simply walk away from her Cinderella life as the wife of a blueblood New York real
estate billionaire--as suggested by bank surveillance footage showing her cleaning out the couple's safe
deposit boxes days before she disappeared--or did something more sinister happen? A decade later, the
question haunts Grace's 17-year-old daughter, Charlie, the appealingly acerbic narrator of Klehfoth's
engrossing if flawed debut. Now a junior at Knollwood Augustus Prep, the New Hampshire boarding
school her father attended, whip-smart Charlie is beginning the pledging process for an ultra-exclusive
secret society, the A's. As the high-stakes initiation game tests Charlie's loyalties and values, she discovers
some explosive family history--challenging almost everything she has grown up believing about her
parents. Unfortunately, the author's plotting fails to measure up to her ingenious amateur sleuth, relying
throughout on colossal coincidences and ending with a denouement that's surprising primarily for its
implausibility. Still, Klehfoth's ability to draw in the reader shows that she's an author to watch. Agent:
Suzanne Gluck, WME. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"All These Beautiful Strangers." Publishers Weekly, 28 May 2018, p. 71. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A541638783/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8da1b5de.
Accessed 25 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A541638783
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mystery & suspense
Library Journal.
143.10 (June 2018): p59+.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Barclay, Linwood. A Noise Downstairs. HarperCollins. Jul. 2018. 368p. ISBN 9780062678256. $26.99;
ebk. ISBN 9780062678270. THRILLER
Two murders, one witness, a brutal assault, and a possessed vintage typewriter. Barclay (No Time for
Goodbye) expertly weaves these details into a tantalizing psychological thriller. College professor Paul
Davis is trying to help a friend when he stumbles onto the scene of a double murder. Eight months later, still
recovering from the injuries inflicted on that fearful night, he wonders if he's gone insane. After all, he
doesn't even remember conversations with his wife, Charlotte, who's been much more loving since the
accident. When Paul decides to confront his fears by researching the man who brutally attacked him,
Charlotte buys him a vintage typewriter to write about his feelings. His therapist Anna White isn't sure
Paul's plan is a good idea but supports him anyway. As days pass, Paul's anxiety goes into overdrive. He
now hears noises in the night and is convinced the murdered women are trying to contact him. Charlotte is
as certain that he's either delusional or blacking out, while Anna doesn't know what to believe. At what
point does a person know for sure they've lost their mind? VERDICT Prepared to be blindsided by an
ending you didn't see coming. Barclay's nerve-wracking tale will have readers scared to close their eyes at
night. [See Prepub Alert, 1/22/18.]--K.L. Romo, Duncanville, TX
Black, Cara. Murder on the Left Bank. Soho Crime. (Aimee Leduc, Bk. 18). Jun. 2018. 288p. ISBN
9781616959272. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616959289. M
Next in Black's always entertaining 'Aimee Leduc" series (after Murder in Saint-Germain), this well-crafted
mystery is set on Paris's Left Bank, though not the chic environs of the fifth through seventh
arrondissements; one of Black's strengths is showing us the grittier, everyday Paris. When 13tharrondissement
lawyer Eric Besson receives a notebook from elderly accountant Leo Solomon detailing
how he laundered dirty money for dirty cops, Besson quickly sends it to the authorities via his
assistant/nephew Marcus. But Marcus has been murdered, the notebook has vanished, and for help Besson
turns to Aimee, best friend of his second cousin. Though she's doing computer security work for the
Bibliotheque Francois-Mitter and is warned by an especially huffy partner Rene to stay away from criminal
cases, Aimee must investigate; Eric says that her father, a victim of police corruption, is mentioned in the
book. Aimee leapfrogs from Paris's Cambodian neighborhood, where Marcus's girlfriend lives, to La
Manufacture des Gobelins, where Leo worked and tapestries are still made in the medieval fashion. Her
efforts put daughter Chloe in danger, upping the tension, and the surprise ending is especially satisfying.
VERDICT Another great Aimee Leduc work; for all mystery fans. [See Prepub Alert, 12/8/17.]--
Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
Bolton, Sharon. The Craftsman. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Oct. 2018. 432p. ISBN 9781250300034. $27.99;
ebk. ISBN 9781250300041. THRILLER
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Many of Bolton's (Dead Woman Walking) previous books have alluded to the dark folklore of the author's
native northern England, but it's front and center in this latest stand-alone novel, which was inspired by the
1612 trials of the Pendle witches, among the most famous in English history. In 1999, Florence Lovelady is
attending the burial of notorious child murderer Larry Glassbrook--solving those crimes made her career
three decades earlier--when she finds a clay effigy like the ones discovered with Glassbrook's victims, and
it's definitely not 30 years old. The main story line, set in 1969, follows the original investigation as
Lovelady copes with misogyny on the job and enlists the help of a local coven of witches to find the
murderer, despite being suspicious of their power. There are rumors of another, secret coven though, one
with much darker intent. Back in 1999, Lovelady is grappling with the implications of the new effigy when
her own son goes missing and the stakes increase dramatically. VERDICT Recommend to fans of the
author's previous work or other British female sleuths. Readers who were delighted by the big twist at the
end of Sarah Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes will similarly enjoy the final few pages here. [See Prepub
Alert, 4/23/18.]--Stephanie Klose, Library Journal
* Bowen, Rhys. Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding. Berkley. (Royal Spyness, Bk. 12). Aug. 2018. 304p.
ISBN 9780425283523. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780698410268. M
Whether channeling her great-grandmother Queen Victoria or exclaiming "golly" when faced with a
quandary, Lady Georgiana Rannough rises above her circumstances like a meringue. In her 12th adventure
(after On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service), the still penniless aristocrat is planning her wedding to
the dashing but equally impoverished Darcy O'Mara. Fortunately, friends and family are helping out with
the preparations. Georgina is offered a staffed country estate to make her new home by her globe-trotting
former stepfather only to find the faithful retainers of her youth have been replaced by unlikely and
uncooperative servants--one of whom even turned on the gas tap in her bedroom. Was this an accident or an
attempt on her life? Georgina senses trouble is afoot and investigates. VERDICT Those who cannot get
enough of royal weddings will be charmed, as will Anglophiles, and anyone who loves a solid mystery.
Fans of the genre will savor this gentle, humorous read. [See Prepub Alert, 2/11/18.]-Cheryl Bryan, Orleans,
MA
Brown, Eric. Murder Takes a Turn. Severn House. (Langham & Dupre, Bk. 5). Jul. 2018. 208p. ISBN
9780727887818. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9781780109596. M
When Charles Elder receives an invitation from his childhood friend, now best-selling author Denbigh
Connaught, asking him to come to his house in Cornwall so he can apologize for the past, Charles is
devastated. He confides in his business partner, literary agent Maria Dupre, who agrees to accompany him
with her husband, Donald Langham, an author and part-time private detective. The reclusive Denbigh,
dislikable as ever, shuts himself up in his study, and to no one's surprise is found murdered. Of the guests
invited to Connaught House, only Maria and Donald lack a motive, so Donald urges an old friend from
Scotland Yard to take the case. VERDICT Despite a few cliches, this latest series outing, set in the 1950s
(after Murder Take Three), offers an entertaining locked-room mystery with an ingenious murder device
that will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and other Golden Age crime fiction.--Lesa
Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
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Carter, Ali. A Brush with Death. Point Blank. (Susie Mahl, Bk. 1). Jul. 2018. 320p. ISBN 9781786072764.
pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9781786072771. M
DEBUT Susie Mahl's popularity as a pet portraitist means she's welcome at the homes of rich British
landowners. She's staying in the village of Spire, when wealthy Alexander, Earl of Greengrass, is found
dead in the church's graveyard. Alexander's widow, Diana, asks Susie to stay with her while they await the
cause of death, and shockingly the police announce that the 75-year-old man was murdered. Susie's
convinced she'll solve the case with the combination of her obsessive observation skills and her "nosy
parker instincts." VERDICT As a contemporary homage to British Golden Age mysteries, this slow-paced
debut mystery has an old-fashioned air; its rich details on the British leisure class may interest fans of
Downton Abbey and G.M. Malliet's "Max Tudor" mysteries, but the egocentric amateur sleuth's fixation on
her French lingerie seems out of place.-Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Davis, Lindsey. Pandora's Boy. Minotaur: St. Martin's. (Flavia Albia, Bk. 6). Jul. 2018. 400p. ISBN
9781250152688. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250152695. M
In the sixth installment (after The Third Nero) of Davis's "Flavia Albia" series, set in first-century CE
Rome, a 15-year-old girl has died mysteriously in her bed. Was she poisoned by a love potion? Suspects
include a group of entitled, vacuous young adults and their parents, and a local witch named Pandora, who
has ties to one of the most dangerous gangs in the city. Albia seeks to determine how the child died while
not attracting the wrath of the gang; at the same time, she is also searching for her husband, who has
disappeared for reasons unknown. The always reliable Davis has written another compelling mystery
conveying a vividly detailed ancient Rome, with characters who possess unique personalities and come
from all walks of life. VERDICT A treat for fans of historical fiction or detective mysteries, who will want
to read all the titles published by Davis. [See Prepub Alert, 1/8/18.]-Matt Schirano, Univ. of Bridgeport
Lib., CT
* Dyer, Ashley. Splinter in the Blood. Morrow. Jun. 2018. 400p. ISBN 9780062797674. $26.99; ebk. ISBN
9780062797711. THRILLER
The Thorn Killer is a serial murderer who, before killing five victims, methodically tattooed them with
ancient symbols of plants and eyes. Forensic analysis reveals that the tattoos were created by using a variety
of thorns, especially the deadly Pyracantha, with inks containing botanical poisons that seep into the
victims' blood. Obvious links among the dead are tenuous. Senior detective Greg Carver has slipped into
obsession over the case, exacerbated by heavy drinking. When yet another body turns up, it is unclear
whether she was a victim of the Thorn Killer or Carver. So why, when Carver's sergeant, Ruth Lake, finds
her boss at home, shot and dying, does she clean up the crime scene and remove vital evidence? In this
debut by Dyer (the new writing partnership of CWA Dagger Award--winning writer Margaret Murphy and
Helen Pepper, a senior lecturer in policing), nothing is as it seems, and the landscape is littered with secrets.
VERDICT Superbly written characters, imaginative dialog, and a convincing plot will captivate suspense
fans, especially aficionados of Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves, leaving readers hoping to meet Carver and
Lake again in the future. [See Prepub Alert, 12/11/17.]-Penelope J.M. Klein, Fayetteville, NY
Gould, Howard Michael. Last Looks. Dutton. Aug. 2018. 304p. ISBN 9781524742492. $26; ebk. ISBN
9781524742515. M
DEBUT Consumed by guilt at a wrongful conviction in one of his cases, LAPD detective Charlie Waldo
resigns and retreats to isolation in a tiny cabin in the woods. He becomes an ultraconservationist, limiting
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possessions to "100 things." Yet, when ex-girlfriend Lorena appeals for his help in saving Alistair Pinch, a
famous movie actor accused of murdering his third wife, Charlie is lured back into society--specifically
Hollywood. He is warned off by hoodlums, by Don Q., a drug lord, and by his former police colleagues.
Lorena apparently is killed in a hit-and-run accident and Don Q. relentlessly and viciously seeks a memory
device Charlie doesn't have. Torn between his cop training and instincts vs. his moral ecological position, he
ultimately finds himself in a shoot-out on a Hollywood set. VERDICT Gould's experience as a film and TV
writer and producer is evident in this well-written first novel that manages to focus on environmental
concerns while spoofing Hollywood cliches with a nod toward classic American detective fiction. Charlie
Waldo would do well on the big screen--he does very well here. [See Prepub Alert, 2/11/18.]-Roland
Person, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
* Harrison, Cora. Death of a Novice. Severn House. (Reverend Mother, Bk. 5). Jul. 2018. 240p. ISBN
9780727887832. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9781780109619. M
In the 1920s, the city of Cork is still torn between the Irish rebels and those who have accepted the AngloIrish
Treaty that divided the island between British-ruled Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. Eileen
MacSweeney, who has moved on, can still be coerced into helping Sinn Fein. However, the death of a
novice at St. Mary's of the Isle Convent brings Eileen to Reverend Mother. Eileen knows two other young
novices who served as messengers for Sinn Fein. She and Reverend Mother wonder if Sister Gertrude was
killed for political reasons. Or were the small jealousies and secrets at the convent enough to lead to
murder? With a strong sense of place, this intricately plotted novel leads to an unexpected but logical
denouement. VERDICT Harrison's fifth engrossing historical mystery (following A Gruesome Discovery)
brings to life the turbulence and politics of 1920s Ireland. Reverend Mother will appeal to admirers of Ellis
Peters's "Brother Cadfael" mysteries, while Conor Brady's fans will appreciate the Irish history.--Lesa
Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Hetherton, J.G. Last Girl Gone. Crooked Lane. (Laura Chambers, Bk. 1). Jun. 2018. 320p. ISBN
9781683316176. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781683316183. M
DEBUT Fired from her job as an investigative reporter at a Boston newspaper, Laura Chambers reluctantly
takes a position at the local paper in her hometown of Hillsborough, NC. The story of a missing ten-yearold
local girl found dead could be her ticket out, but Laura's competing with the mayor's son for newspaper
space, sleeping with a source in the sheriff's department, and living with her verbally abusive mother. Then
an FBI agent pushes her to look into a 30-year-old cold case involving other missing ten-year-old girls.
Agent Timiniski refers to Laura as tenacious but naive. Those traits drive her to find a killer, making her a
target for ridicule--and attracting the attention of a murderer. Her investigative efforts intensify in a
shocking finale. VERDICT The socially awkward but tenacious Laura, determined to succeed and
overcome her past failures, is a memorable protagonist in this compelling debut mystery. Fans of James
Ziskin's Ellie Stone will welcome this ambitious investigative reporter.-Lesa Holstine, Evansville
Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Hirsch, Paddy. The Devil's Half Mile. Forge. Jun. 2018. 304p. ISBN 9780765399137. $24.99; ebk. ISBN
9780765399151. M
DEBUT Speculation and sex on Wall Street may sound like a current headline, but Hirsch's first novel
places those chancy activities back in 1799. Justice Flanagan, armed with a law degree and other skills
picked up during his time in Ireland and Paris, has returned to Manhattan to find out why his father's death
was declared a suicide when the evidence suggests murder. His uncle, the boss of the docks, may be
involved, but somehow the trail always leads back to the traders at the Tontine Coffee House, precursor of
today's New York Stock Exchange. The bodies of "bobtails" (prostitutes) and associates of his father litter
Justy's progression through the city as he seeks answers and retribution. One potential villain intimates that
personages such as Alexander Hamilton and John Adams could be caught up in some grand financial
scheme, in which the elder Flanagan was just a pawn. In the end, Justy has to decide between justice and
causing the next American financial panic. VERDICT Loads of period atmosphere and slang (a glossary is
included) propel this series-potential story through alleys and plenty of twists, making it a solid choice for
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historical fiction buffs and lovers of political plots. [Previewed in Lisa Levy's "Crime Fiction's 'Girl
Power,'" LJ 4/15/18.]--W. Keith McCoy, Somerset Cty. Lib. Syst., Bridgewater, NJ
Hogsett, Annie. Murder to the Metal. Poisoned Pen. (Somebody's Bound To Wind Up Dead, Bk. 2). Jun.
2018. 318p. ISBN 9781464209994. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781464210006. M
Ten months after their adventures in Too Lucky To Live, Allie Harper and boyfriend Thomas Bennington
III, a blind professor who won the lottery, have formed the T&A Detective Agency to solve "mysteries of
the heart." Their first case involves the disappearance of Lloyd Bunker, whose car is found stalled at a
traffic light. Clues lead to crimes of stealing scrapping from abandoned houses, multiple murders, and
hackers who seem to be able to penetrate any security. VERDICT Hogsett's sophomore effort isn't as
outrageously funny as the first book. The bittersweet mystery, with the open-ended threat of a villainous
mastermind, is reminiscent of P.J. Tracy's early "Monkeewrench" novels.-Lesa Holstine, Evansville
Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Immergut, Debra Jo. The Captives. Ecco: HarperCollins. Jun. 2018. 288p. ISBN 9780062747549. $26.99;
ebk. ISBN 9780062747563. THRILLER
DEBUT When this novel opens, thirtyish psychologist Frank Lundquist is still reeling from having been
fired from his private practice job in tony Manhattan and divorced by his wife. Miranda was a young teen
when she lost her older sister in a tragic accident. Never fully recuperating from this shock, she continued
through life with a "so what" attitude, leading her to make poor decisions and regrettable actions, jolting her
transformation from the high-society daughter of a politician to a murderer sentenced to 50 years. Working
as a psychologist at a woman's prison, Frank never expects to know personally any of the inmates, but as
soon as Miranda walks into his office, he recognizes her as the popular girl he had a crush on in high
school. When Miranda doesn't recall him, Frank decides not to unveil their shared past, even though he
knows it's unethical, and continues to treat her, then falls for her all over again. VERDICT Obsession and
control are the main themes driving the characters toward the surprising but satisfying conclusion of this
compelling debut thriller from Immergut (Private Property: Stories). It's a slow burn but definitely worth the
wait.-Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park H.S., MD
Kamal, Sheena. It All Falls Down. HarperCollins. Jul. 2018. 336p. ISBN 9780062565778. $26.99; ebk.
ISBN 9780062565785. M
Having found the daughter she gave up for adoption in The Lost Ones, Nora Watts now turns to the
question of her father, who killed himself when she was a child. Her investigation takes her from
Vancouver, BC, to Detroit, where he grew up as one of numerous Canadian native children adopted by
American families. There she uncovers not only the mystery of her father's death but also questions about
her mother, whom she never knew. Back in Vancouver, investigator Jon Brazuca agrees to look into the
overdose of a billionaire's pregnant mistress. It's no surprise that the two cases share a connection--nor is it a
shock that Watts and Brazuca continue to deny their feelings for each other. Touching on many weighty
subjects, such as the opioid crisis, the adoption of Canadian indigenous children, and Detroit's deterioration,
the story moves briskly. While enough background is given to help new readers, this title appears to be the
middle installment of a possible trilogy, leaving those who haven't read the first book missing out on its full
impact. VERDICT Mystery fans who enjoy their crime fiction headed by strong, cynical heroines will
appreciate this, but they should start first with The Lost Ones. [See Prepub Alert, 1/22/18.]-Julie Elliott,
Indiana Univ. Lib., South Bend
Klehfoth, Elizabeth. All These Beautiful Strangers. HarperCollins. Jul. 2018. 448p. ISBN 9780062796707.
$26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062796721. SUSPENSE
DEBUT Charlie Calloway comes from a well-to-do family with a mysterious past. Her mother vanished
when Charlie was seven, and while the details are unclear, everyone--including Charlie's father--assumes
Grace simply picked up and left, though Charlie has trouble believing her mother would abandon her. Ten
years later, 17-year-old Charlie receives an invitation to join the A's, an exclusive and secretive club made
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up of popular students from her New England private school. To join this club, however, she must pass a
series of questionable tests that challenge her moral compass, though Charlie's budding interest in Dalton, a
club member with an unsavory reputation, keeps her motivated to succeed. Along the way, Charlie
continues to hunt for answers surrounding her mother's disappearance, and while she starts to discover more
about herself in the process, she stumbles upon dark secrets that hit close to home. VERDICT A worthy,
page-turning debut that will keep readers guessing until the end. Readers of Liane Moriarty and
psychological thrillers will not want to put this down.--David Miller, Farmville P.L., NC
Lunney, Tessa. April in Paris, 1921. Pegasus Crime. (Kiki Button, Bk. 1). Jul. 2018. 304p. ISBN
9781681777757. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681778334. M
DEBUT After working as a nurse during the Great War, Kiki Button, the daughter of a wealthy Australian
landowner, is back in Europe. She's a gossip columnist, drinking, partying, and sleeping her way around
postwar Paris. Then, two men call in favors. Picasso, for whom Kiki had modeled, asks her to find a stolen
portrait of his wife. And Dr. Fox, the British surgeon who recruited Kiki as a spy during the war, gives her
an assignment. There's a mole involved with the Germans, someone who threatens British interests. Kiki's
on a timetable to expose the mole, or her childhood friend will be accused of treason. The true mystery
about this debut is why it's called a mystery at all. It's an atmospheric, verbose historical novel that
foreshadows the next war while reveling in the debauched bohemianism of Paris between the wars.
Although Kiki plays detective and spy, the emphasis here is on her party-girl lifestyle; spying is just part of
the excitement. VERDICT Mystery fans may prefer Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher or Kelli Stanley's
Miranda Corbie as a detective. [Previewed in Lisa Levy's "Crime Fiction's 'Girl Power,'" LJ 4/15/18.]-Lesa
Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
* McTiernan, Dervla. The Ruin. Penguin. Jul. 2018. 400p. ISBN 9780143133124. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN
9780525504894. M
DEBUT Maude and Jack Blake's mother died of a heroin overdose in 1993. Twenty years later, the
detective who investigated the death, Cormac Reilly, is reintroduced to the siblings' case because of Jack's
suicide and Maude's suspicious behavior. Aisling Conroy, a medical resident and Jack's partner, does not
believe Jack killed himself; she takes it upon herself, with urging from Maude, to find out what really
happened. As secrets from Jack's past are uncovered, Cormac learns that his original case is connected to a
tangled web of other crimes as well. Rich characterization is revealed through the alternating points of view
from Cormac, Aisling, and eventually Maude; there is also a strong sense of place as the characters weave
through the often rainy Irish landscape. VERDICT With police drama reminiscent of Tana French's "Dublin
Murder Squad" series and parallels to the close-to-home, quieter suspense of Ruth Ware's The Tying Game,
McTiernan pens an intricate story of impossible decisions, family bonds, and police politics. Avid mystery
readers will be enthralled with this intricate, mysterious, and edgy debut.-Natalie Browning, Longwood
Univ. Lib., Farmville, VA
Slaughter, Karin. Pieces of Her. HarperCollins. Aug. 2018. 480p. ISBN 9780062430274. $27.99; ebk. ISBN
9780062430298. THRILLER
The latest stand-alone thriller from Edgar Award nominee Slaughter (Cop Town; The Good Daughter)
introduces Andrea Cooper, a college grad living in New York City, working three part-time jobs and sitting
on a mound of college debt. When her mother, Laura, is diagnosed with breast cancer, Andrea returns to the
beach town of Belle Isle to care for her. While visiting a local mall, Andrea and Laura get caught up in a
fatal shooting, revealing a side to Laura that Andrea has never before witnessed. Twenty-four hours later,
Laura is in the hospital, wounded by an intruder who has spent 30 years trying to track her down. As secrets
are uncovered and exposed, Andrea starts to wonder if everything she thought she knew about her life has
been a fabrication. VERDICT With an intrigue- and suspense-filled plot, Slaughter's well-crafted, tense, and
exhilarating story will keep readers on the edge of their seats. [See Prepub Alert, 1/22/18.]--Joni Gheen,
Lady J's Bookish Nook, McConnelsville, OH
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Ziskin, James W. A Stone's Throw. Seventh St: Prometheus. (Ellie Stone, Bk. 6). Jun. 2018. 288p. ISBN
9781633884199. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781633884205. M
Newspaper reporter Ellie Stone watches when the barn at Tempesta, the abandoned horse stud farm, burns
to the ground. Afterward, she's allowed to check out the remains of the building, only to encounter two dead
bodies. While the original guess is they were a woman and an adolescent, Ellie questions whether the
smaller one may have been a jockey, connecting the murder with the nearby Saratoga race track. Ellie's
investigation leads her to the world of horse racing, gambling, and WASP high society. It's a news story that
will stir up rumors from the past while revealing truths in Ellie's own heartbreaking life. The award-winning
author of Heart of Stone combines the atmospheric environment of small-town newspaper journalism with
the horse racing world of 1962. The lonely, well-developed Ellie is the conscience of this cinematic story
that has a strong sense of place but in which the characters shine most. Aware of her weakness for men and
drink, the complex and courageous Ellie skillfully uses others' shortcomings and strengths to her advantage
as a reporter. VERDICT Richly detailed, with strong appeal for Ziskin's fans as well as admirers of Dick
and Felix Francis.-Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
COZY CORNER
Carlisle, Kate. Buried in Books. Berkley Prime Crime. (Bibliophile Mystery, Bk. 12). Jun. 2018. 288p.
ISBN 9780451477743. $25; ebk. ISBN 9780698411128. M
The 12th entry in Carlisle's bookish cozy series (Once Upon a Spine) finds book restorer Brooklyn
Wainwright days away from her wedding to hunky Derek Stone. She has everything under control until her
mother surprises her with a bridal shower. The surprises keep coming when Brooklyn discovers her mother
invited her two best friends from college. For 12 years, Heather and Sara have been estranged, ever since
Sara stole Heather's boyfriend. After a rocky start, Brooklyn manages to avert a crisis when the two appear
reconciled. But when Brooklyn discovers Sara's body crushed beneath crates of books, Heather zooms to
the top of the suspect list. Also, it turns out that Sara's wedding gift, a rare copy of The Three Musketeers, is
actually a forgery. Now to ensure their wedding day ends in happy-ever-after, Brooklyn and Derek must
follow the clues they hope will lead them to a killer. VERDICT Carlisle does a great job of evoking life in
San Francisco through a delightful cast of quirky characters. Her usual blend of humor and mystery will
draw in both new and longtime readers. Recommended for admirers of Jenn McKinlay, Lorna Barrett, and
Joan Hess.-Julie Ciccarelli, Tacoma P.L., WA
Connolly, Sheila. Murder at the Mansion. Minotaur: St. Martin's. (Victorian Village, Bk. 1). Jun. 2018.
304p. ISBN 9781250135865. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250135872. M
Timing is everything. Katherine Hamilton lost her job at a Baltimore boutique hotel after it was acquired by
a conglomerate. Now, Lisbeth, her best friend from high school, wants her to help her hometown of
Asheford, MD, which bought a Victorian mansion in a desperate attempt to attract tourists to the cashstarved
community. The town council would like Kate's advice on how to manage the property, but offering
an alternate plan is Kate's old high school nemesis, Cordelia Walker. When she pays a visit to the Barton
house, she stumbles upon Cordelia's body on the stoop. Kate loses a job, consults on a historic property, and
finds a body, all in one week. It's a heck of a week. VERDICT Connolly's (Cruel Winter) accomplished
series launch avoids the tired tropes found in many cozy debuts, incorporating humor, a realistic setting, and
well-developed, appealing characters. Fans of the author's "Museum Mysteries" will welcome the guest
appearance of series protagonist Nell Pratt.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Kidd, Cornelia. Death and a Pot of Chowder. Crooked Lane. (Maine Murder, Bk. 1). Jun. 2018. 336p. ISBN
9781683315834. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781683315841. M
Anna Winslow thinks there are no secrets on Quarry Island, ME, but she's in for a few surprises. Like
discovering a younger half sister from her father's second marriage. On the day she drives to Portland to
meet Izzie for the first time, her brother-in-law Carl disappears from his lobster boat. Anna's husband, Burt,
asks her to come home,
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and later that evening, Carl's body is found. But he didn't drown. Carl was shot and Burt had been heard
arguing with his brother. Anna needs her newly found sister more than ever as they team up to find a killer
on the island. Maine author Lea Wait (Thread the Halls), writing as Cornelia Kidd, introduces a small island
community with hidden dynamics. VERDICT Although the ending won't surprise avid mystery readers, this
is an excellent character-driven homespun story. For Wait's fans as well as enthusiasts of Sarah Graves's
Maine-set books and other island-themed mysteries.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
DEBUT OF THE MONTH
* Clark, Tracy. Broken Places, Kensington. (Chicago Mystery, Bk. 1). Jun. 2018. 352p. ISBN
9781496714879. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781496714893. M
DEBUT Cass Raines was a Chicago cop until Farraday, her incompetent colleague, interfered in a
confrontation with an armed suspect that left Cass shot and responsible for killing the young man. Two
years later, she's left the force and now makes her living as a private investigator. Cass appears to be tough
and independent, but she's built a close network of friends. Among them is Father Ray Heaton, a kind of
parental figure to Cass, whose own dad deserted her when she was 12. Now "Pop" needs her help; his
church and rectory have been vandalized. When Pop and a young gangbanger are found dead in the church
and Farraday is assigned the case, an angry Cass starts her own investigation. This one is personal.
VERDICT Clark's compelling, suspenseful, and action-packed debut introduces a dogged, tough African
American woman investigator who is complex and courageous and surrounded by a family of fascinating
misfits. Fans of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone or Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski will welcome Cass
Raines to their ranks. [Previewed in Lisa Levy's "Crime Fiction's 'Girl Power,'" LJ 4/15/18.]--Lesa Holstine,
Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"mystery & suspense." Library Journal, June 2018, p. 59+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540851125/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a52689f1.
Accessed 25 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540851125
Desert Isle Keeper
All These Beautiful Strangers
Elizabeth Klehforth
Buy This Book
Few things appeal to me more than a book centering around a boarding school, so Elizabeth Klehfoth’s All These Beautiful Strangers appealed to me from the moment I read its synopsis. It’s a YA thriller about a young woman struggling to come to terms with the dark secrets of her past while simultaneously sorting out where she fits in the complicated world she inhabits. This is a book I absolutely hated to put down, and if real life hadn’t interfered, I’m confident I would have blown through it in a single sitting. It really is that good.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Calloway is tired of living in the past. It’s been ten years since the summer night when her beautiful mother disappeared, never to be heard from again, and Charlie knows she has to find a way to move on. So she decides to completely throw herself into her junior year at Knollwood, the prestigious New England boarding school she attends. She might never be able to forget her mom, but she can at least focus on the present rather than the past, and Charlie figures that can’t be a bad thing at all.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that Charlie has been asked to join the A’s, Knollwood’s legendary secret society. The A’s are rumored to be made up of the most powerful kids at school, those whose futures look to shine the brightest. Charlie has heard stories of the great things the A’s have accomplished. In fact, it seems that all of Knollwood, students and faculty alike, live in fear of incurring the wrath of this elite group of students. Charlie knows her life will never be the same once she proves herself worthy of being one of them, and she’s determined to do whatever she has to in order to secure her spot in the group.
But Charlie doesn’t know that, in order to become a full-fledged member of the A’s, she and the other initiates must play The Game, a semester-long scavenger hunt that will put her in unspeakable danger. Suddenly, everything Charlie thought she knew about herself, her dreams, and her future will be called into question as she fights to be considered worthy of membership in a group she suddenly isn’t sure she really wants to join after all.
As if all of this isn’t enough for one person to handle, Charlie received a note from an uncle she hasn’t heard from since right after her mother disappeared, telling her he has learned something new about the night she vanished, and he’d like Charlie to share anything she can remember about the last day she spent with her. At first, Charlie plans to ignore it. She has had very little to do with her mother’s family over the past decade, and there’s a part of her that thinks this is for the best – but an even bigger part of her is desperate to finally learn the truth about what happened to her mother, even if that truth turns out to be uglier than she ever imagined it could be. Soon, Charlie finds herself struggling to untangle truth from lies as she does her best to reconstruct the last summer she and her mother spent together. What she uncovers will change her in unimaginable ways.
I loved pretty much everything about this book. Charlie is an incredibly relatable heroine who, while she lives a super privileged life that bears absolutely no resemblance to my own, is surprisingly aware of how fortunate she is. Of course, since she’s a teenager, she doesn’t always make the best decisions, and I found myself a little irritated with her seeming inability to use common sense at times, but I suppose that’s par for the course when reading about a teenaged heroine.
Most of the story is told from Charlie’s point of view, but we get to know her parents a little as well. Charlie’s chapters take place in the present, while Grace and Allister Calloway take turns narrating the chapters set in the past. I know not everyone enjoys stories told in this way, but they tend to work well for me, and this one was no exception.
Some thrillers can be pretty violent, but this one is relatively tame. Bad things do happen, but the violence is hinted at rather than shown in explicit detail. The story does contain some references to domestic violence, but they’re not overly graphic.
If you ever wished you could spend time at a fancy boarding school, you absolutely must read All These Beautiful Strangers. Ms. Klehfoth manages to bring the boarding school experience to life in a way that felt completely authentic, and the secret society angle added an extra layer of yumminess to an already delicious plot. I’m not sure I’d ever want to actually spend time in a place like Knollwood, but it was a lot of fun to read about.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Buy All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehforth:
Buy from Amazon.com Get it on iBooks Nook Kobo
Book Details
Reviewer: Shannon Dyer
Review Date: July 11, 2018
Publication Date: 07/2018
Grade: A
Sensuality Kisses
Book Type: Young Adult
Review Tags:
All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth | SLJ Review
by SLJ
Jun 01, 2018 | Filed in Reviews+
redstarKLEHFOTH, Elizabeth. All These Beautiful Strangers. 448p. HarperCollins/Morrow. Jul. 2018. Tr $26.99. ISBN 9780062796707. For 10 years, Charlotte “Charlie” Calloway has questioned what happened to her mother, Grace. Some say she was killed by Charlie’s father, Alistair, while evidence pointed to Grace leaving him. But Charlie never really believed her mother would leave her and her younger sister, Seraphina, behind. As Charlie enters her junior year at a New England boarding school, she is invited to join the mysterious, elite group at school called the A’s. She and her cousin, Leo, among others, are asked to complete morally questionable or dangerous tasks to prove their loyalty. All the while, flashbacks narrated by Alistair and Grace reveal their love story and the flaws in their marriage. Charlie’s voice shines as she uncovers more and more about her own family history, with the support of family friend Greyson. The suspense is well executed. As Charlie draws closer to the truth of what happened to her mother, the reader is compelled to see how the events of the past will affect Charlie’s truth today. The writing is descriptive without turning flowery or overly literary. Most of the major characters are well-rounded; only some supporting ones (like Seraphina) seem a bit flat. VERDICT Fans of thrillers will have difficulty putting down this excellently plotted, gripping novel.–Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ This review was published in the School Library Journal May 2018 issue.