Here are few of my favorite recent reads. Library staff would be happy to help you place requests on these or any other titles. If you’d like to place your own request, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog.

After meeting her in AA group, Natasha Mason finds herself recruited as the assistant to legendary movie star Julia Mann. Mann is blunt, impatient, and always right. She’s also the prime suspect in the murder of her ex-husband, a powerful studio head. Mann maintains her claim of innocence even though she was blackout drunk the night of the murder — a murder which took place at her mansion. Can Mason trust Mann long enough for them to prove her innocence? One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman is an entertaining mystery sure to keep you guessing with its large cast of characters.

Julie Chan is stuck working a dead-end job at a grocery store. It pays minimum wage, but at least she doesn’t have to live with her emotionally abusive aunt anymore. She got the short end of the stick — when their parents died, Julie went to live with her aunt. Her twin, Chloe, was adopted by a rich WASP couple and has since become a famous influencer. Julie hasn’t heard from Chloe for years, until strange circumstances cause her to discover her sister’s dead body. When Julie decides to assume Chloe’s luxurious life, she soon discovers that there is far more going on behind Chloe’s Instagram filters, and not all of it is picture perfect. The plot of Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang goes much further than I expected.

Anna Matheson wants vengeance. Six people destroyed her family and her life, and she has lured the guilty onto a non-stop train ride from Philadelphia to Chicago. Their lives will change forever once they reach their destination. But when one of the six dies under suspicious circumstances during the journey, Anna is forced to hunt the killer before they ruin her plans. With a Vengeance by Riley Sager is an entertaining suspense novel, although not as gripping as Sager’s other novels.

April is ready for something new and exciting in her life. She decides to write an anonymous note to the cute man who works at her favorite bookstore in hopes that this indirect method will create an aura of intrigue and help their correspondence develop into something more. But her initial note goes off course, landing in the hands of single mother Laura, who also feels that she might be ready for a new romance. Storybook Ending by Moira McDonald is a sweet story of how taking just one brave step can lead to connections with wonderful people. Perfect for anyone looking for a gentle read with warm characters.

Beth’s teenage love, Gabriel, returns to her village after many years away. His return starts a cascade of events that threatens everything and everyone Beth holds dear. This heartrending story is tenderly and beautifully written in simple but evocative language. Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall is the best book I’ve read in a long time.

If you’d like to request these or any other titles, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog, or call the library at 507-359-8331. New Ulm Public Library is located at 17 North Broadway and is open from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday-Saturday. The library will be closed on Monday, September 1, for Labor Day