Books: 809

“Tata”
Valerie Perrin
Europa
$30

Agnes is informed of Aunt Colette’s death. But Colette has been buried for three years — who’s been resting under that stone? This mesmerizing novel travels through time, space and persona to reveal the meaning of “family,” how the power of love and sacrifice balance against the longevity of hatred and revenge. Agnes, a famed film director, spent childhood summers with her plain, taciturn aunt in rural Gueugnon. The aunt, we (and Agnes) learn, enabled her genius brother to become a famous pianist married to a gifted violinist: Agnes’s parents. This is a single thread in the tapestry of their lives. There’s the circus child, the serial killer, Agnes’s childhood friends back in Gueugnon, the buried one. Not a book to synopsize but read, savoring it word by word.

“Gay Mormon Dad”
Chad Anderson, art by Remy Burke
Graphic Mundi
$21.99

Anderson’s graphic memoir pulls no punches. As a Mormon (as in many churches), he was told what he was supposed to be, while knowing he could not honestly ever be that person. His mom’s second husband was physically abusive to her, and verbally shamed young Chad for being “sissy.” Their bishop blessed his mother with words that made the violence somehow her fault. Although Anderson was beaten for being gay, he was later as unsupportive of his gay sister as others had been to him. Anderson eventually married — he’d always wanted to have kids — but realistically, it couldn’t last if there were to be honesty between them. They discussed, finally arranging so that both are involved in their children’s lives, while Anderson reconciled with his sister.

“Who Killed Nessie? The Mystery of the Loch Ness Monster”
Paul Cornell & Rachel Smith
Avery Hill
$19.99

Young Lyndsay Grockle is amazed to be left solely in charge of a convention in the vast Lakeside Hotel, Turoga, Wisc., but understands the owners’ absence as participants begin to trickle, shuffle, sidle and slither in — all creatures from myth and legend, not cosplayers. She’s told to keep to her room for the duration. Worldwide attendees: many-armed, tiny fliers, that horned one … so large … that other, multiple sharp-toothed mouths. Oh well. But when Nessie — of Loch Ness fame — is murdered, Lyndsay must step up to sort through the monsters now involved in their convention panels (e.g., “Who Gets to Come Back and Who Doesn’t”) and apprehend the killer. A unique read and an excellent gift for a quirky friend.

“They Want Us Dead”
CL Montblanc
Wednesday Books
$22

A group of eight young true crime content creators receives invitations from Helen@ToTC (“Teens of True Crime”) purporting to initiate an annual retreat and fellowship program for other crime investigators. Narrator and recipient Sam Tomb, nerdy, 17, whose broadcasts focus on crimes against LGBTQ+ teens, is thrilled at this opportunity for exposure and joins. He is horrified to find one of the other invitees to the eerie, isolated mansion (accessible only by a bridge) is a competitor, Dylan (AdventuresWithDyl). Worse is the (first) murder of one of the participants, and worst, the bridge to back home has been destroyed. A witty handling of teen angst and desire, a crush, tangled with a long-ago tragedy in a suspect fatal fire that wiped out the family of this mansion’s owner.