In the too-quiet town of Oakwood, only the lucky die of boredom . . . and new homeowner Zack Walker isn’t feeling lucky. Whoever said the burbs were boring will think twice after reading Linwood Barclay’s hilarious debut mystery, in which Dad learns the hard way that he doesn’t always know best. Zack wouldn’t blame you for thinking he’s safety-obsessed. True, he masterminded a plot to trade his family’s exciting city lifestyle for one of suburban tranquillity. True, even after this strategic move, Zack still has issues with family members who forget their keys in the front door, leave their cars unlocked, or park their backpacks at the top of the stairs—where you could kill yourself tripping over them. Just ask his wife, Sarah, or his teenage kids, Paul and Angie, who endure their share of lectures. Zack knows that he needs to chill out and assume the best for once—but we know what happens to those who assume. When Zack realizes their two-faced developer sent a petty thief to fix their leaky shower, he starts fighting hard to ignore the fact that Oakwood isn’t the crime-free paradise he was hoping for. But his brief state of denial comes to an abrupt end when, during a walk by the creek, he stumbles across a dead body. Even more shocking, Zack actually knows who the victim is—and who might want him dead. With a killer roaming around their neighborhood and Zack’s overactive imagination in overdrive, he’s sure things can’t get any worse. But then another local is murdered—and Zack’s paranoid tendencies get him implicated in the crime. While his wife is trying to remember why she married him in the first place, and his kids are considering whether it’s time to have him committed, Zack decides there’s only one thing he can do. To protect his family—and avoid being busted for a crime he didn’t commit—he’s going to have to override his safety-first instincts, tap into his delusions of machismo, and track down the killer himself.

In the bustling heart of Mumbai, Bad Move unfolds a crime thriller that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. It's all about betrayal, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of justice. When chess grandmaster Rajan Krishnamurthy meets his demise, Detective Jimmy Sen and his trusty sidekick, Tej Kumar, jump headfirst into a whirlwind of revenge and deception. But this isn't your average chess match; it's a deadly game played in the shadows. Suspects? Oh, they're aplenty. From family and friends to fellow chess enthusiasts and a peculiar student, everyone's got a piece of this twisted puzzle. As Jimmy and Tej peel back the layers, they unearth a conspiracy that runs deeper than they ever imagined. This debut thriller hooks you with a suspenseful narrative that's got all the classic crime elements. It's got depth, it's got character, and it's got Mumbai as its vivid backdrop. Bad Move isn't just a story; it's an enthralling journey into human ambition and the dark secrets people will do anything to protect. With a plot as intricate as a chessboard, unforgettable characters, and the vibrant setting of Mumbai, this book is a must-read for crime fiction enthusiasts and chess buffs alike. As the pieces fall into place in this deadly game, one thing's crystal clear: in life, just like in chess, every move counts.

Recounts the events of a day when everything goes wrong for Alexander. Suggested level: junior, primary.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A modern classic of true crime, set in a most beguiling Southern city—now in a 30th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author “Elegant and wicked . . . might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime.”—The New York Times Book Review Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. In this sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative, John Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman’s Card Club; the turbulent young gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the “soul of pampered self-absorption”; the uproariously funny drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young people dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience.