The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

 aired the week of June 29, 2026

 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is a novel in letters.  Meet 73-year-old Sybil Van Antwerp a retired law clerk.  She has an exacting personality and a fraught relationship with her family members.  Sybil's thoughts and personality are revealed through her correspondence with family, former coworkers, customer service representatives, neighbors and favorite authors.  Sybil's eyesight is failing but she is determined to stay independent for as long as possible.  Recommended for fans of epistolary novels like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, Love and Saffron by Kim Fay and 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.

American Girl by Wendy Walker

 aired the week of June 22, 2026

American Girl by Wendy Walker introduces 17-year-old Charlie Hudson.  Charlie works at the Triple S Sandwich Shop.  Her one goal is to earn enough money to leave her hometown of Sawyer, Pennsylvania and go to college.  But one night she witnesses something in the sandwich shop that leave the shop's owner dead.  What did Charlie see and who is she protecting?  A fast paced thriller recommended for fans of Megan Miranda, Ashley Flowers, Sheri Lapena and Charles Donlea.

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun

aired the week of June 15, 2026

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun is a first novel by a Korean author.  The Smiley Laundromat in the Yeonnam-Dong district of Seoul, South Korea. It is a place where people go when they need a little peace.  The notebook on the table in the middle of the laundromat has become a message board of sorts.  Old Jang reads the note that no one has responded to, "I don't want to live anymore.  Why is life so hard?"  He tries to figure out how to help give this individual some hope.  Read the five interconnected stories that all revolve around the Smiley Laundromat.  Recommended for those who enjoy novels about connection and community like How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley or We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Ishida Syou

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

*aired the week of June 8, 2026

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen is a captivating, unique romantic fantasy. It follows Freya, who secretly has a drop of blood from the goddess Hlin, potentially making her the focus of a prophecy. When her identity is revealed, she must face a world where everyone wants to tell her what to do, and her own identity is threatened to be wiped away. If you like fantasy, political intrigue, or Norse mythology, this is the book you'd want to pick up. Suggested for those who enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas or The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon.

Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

 *aired the week of June 1, 2026

Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit starts out as a nice, easy, story about a community garden. Maggie and her friend Violet are hosting a new community garden, but suddenly Violet goes missing and a body shows up in one of the garden plots. Maggie turns into an amateur sleuth to solve the murder and clear her friend's name, despite the fact that someone clearly wishes she would keep her nose out of it. Gardener's Plot is perfect for those who like easy mysteries that are fast paced and not graphic.  

American Predator by Maureen Callahan

*aired the week of May 25, 2026

American Predator by Maureen Callahan tells the chilling true story of serial killer Isreal Keys. What starts as a missing person's case in Alaska turns into the capture of one of the most notorious, and unknown serial killers in American history, by complete accident. Callahan includes some never-before-heard interviews in her account of the event, showing just how lucky the police were to catch Keys in the first place. This is the perfect book for true crime fans, or anyone who has read Footsteps in the Snow by Charles Lachman. 

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

 aired the week of May 18, 2026

The Awakening by Kate Chopin was written in 1899 and is considered a landmark work of early feminism. Edna Pontellier a wife and mother is vacationing on the Gulf of Mexico with her family when she falls for Robert Lebrun.  Robert's mother owns the resort where the Pontelliers are staying and Robert tries to resist his interest in Edna by leaving on a business venture in Mexico. Edna returns home to New Orleans dissatisfied with her life and vows to live on her own terms not those of society.  She cannot return to life as it was before her personal awakening.  

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

 aired the week of May 11, 2026

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is set in a small Georgia town. Theo has just moved there and while he is visiting the downtown coffee shop he notices the pencil sketch portraits that line the walls.  He is taken with them deciding to purchase one and gift it to the subject.  As Theo takes on this venture he meets many of Golden's residents and learns their stories while he himself remains an enigmatic older gentleman.  A beautiful gentle read recommended for fans of Phaedra Patrick, Sarah |Addison Allen and Fredrik Backman.

The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger

 *aired the week of May 4, 2026

 The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger is a fascinating look into the world of plant consciousness, social interactions, and intelligence. In this exploration of cutting-edge botany, Schlanger explores new research that indicates that plants may be so much more than the non-sentient backdrop of our lives. Research indicates some plants can communicate through airborne chemicals, roots may be able to hear, and some plants adapt best when grown next to their family members. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but Schlanger's research shows that plants may have their own, plant-ish intelligence that we are just starting to understand. 

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman

 aired the week of April 27, 2026

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman is a stand alone novel featuring a minor character in several of Lippman's Tess Monaghan series. Muriel Blossom is in her seventies.  Her dear husband Harold has passed away and her daughter and grandchildren are moving to Tokyo.  Muriel plans a trip to Paris before she returns to her home city of Baltimore.  But on the trip she meets many interesting people and becomes embroiled in a mystery.  It is a good thing Muriel Blossom doesn't scare easily and that she has experience working for a private eye.  A fun mystery with a memorable main character.  Recommended for fans of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series and Catherine Mack's Vacation Mysteries.

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens

 aired the week of April 20, 2026

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens is the 2026 All Iowa Reads selection.  Hana Babic works at a library.  She has been very successful at keeping a low profile until her best friend Amina Junuzovic is brutally killed.  Hana knows that the killer has ties to their life before, their life in Yugoslavia during the Bosnian War in the 1990s.  Hana has worked to hard to stay hidden to let a stranger ruin her life.  It is up to her to track down Amina's killer and eliminate the threat.  Recommended for those who enjoyed Geraldine' Brooks' People of the Book.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

 aired the week of April 13, 2026

News of the World by Paulette Jiles is a novella written in 2016 set in Texas after the end of the Civil War.  Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels around to towns in Texas to read the news.  In one town he is entrusted with a young girl who was a captive of the Kiowa Indians for four years.  It is his job to return her to her relatives south near San Antonio.  Only Johanna doesn't want to be returned to white people she doesn't know she wants to go back to her real family in Oklahoma.  Join Johanna and the Captain as they make the long and dangerous journey south.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

 aired the week of April 6, 2026

Animal Farm by George Orwell was published in 1946 and a has become a staple of high school English curriculum.  Manor Farm is taken over by the animals led by the pigs.  They rename it Animal Farm and establish their own rules, the Seven Commandments of Animalism.  But over time the leader Napoleon changes the rules to make his own life easier and the work harder for the other animals.  The book was written as political allegory reflecting what was happening in the Soviet Union at the time.  It is still relevant today and referenced in many currently popular books.

This Beautiful Day: Daily Wisdom from Mr. Rogers by Fred Rogers

 *aired the week of March 30, 2026

This Beautiful Day: Daily Wisdom from Mr. Rogers by Fred Rogers is a book of 365 bits of wisdom from "America's Favorite neighbor. Some of the entries are quotes that those who remember the show may recognize, but other entries are anecdotes by Mr. Rogers about his life and mentors. This is a lovely little book full of reminders to be more generous, compassionate, and the best neighbor you can be.   

The Cabin by Patrick Hutchison

 aired the week of March 23, 2026

Cabin by Patrick Hutchison tells the story of the author's quest to find meaning in his life by purchasing a tiny off grid cabin in Washington State's Cascade Mountains.   Patrick and his friends learn many life lessons as they practice their carpentry skills on the little cabin and slowly turn it into a retreat.  Join Patrick as he regales the reader with stories from his adventures as a first time homeowner. 

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

aired the week of March 16, 2026

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley is a humorous story filled with quirky characters who all come together to save their local community center.  When the members of the Senior Citizens Social Club and the community daycare band together to show the council how important their shared space is, all kinds of crazy things happen.  Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Berg, Freya Sampson and Colleen Oakley.

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

 aired the week of March 9, 2026

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer does talk about the Serviceberry tree but most of the slim volume is a lesson in economics and how we can use the Serviceberry as a model for reciprocity and the gift economy.  Kimmerer encourages us to use the principles learned from the tree in our own lives and community.  Recommended for those who enjoyed Margaret Renkl's book The Comfort of Crows: a backyard year.

Daughters of Olympus by Hannah Lynn

 aired the week of March 2, 2026

Daughters of Olympus by Hannah Lynn is a retelling of the myths of Demeter and her daughter Persephone, otherwise known as Core. It is a story told in three parts, beginning with Demeter's point of view and explaining her fear of losing her daughter Core. Then, it tells the story again from Core's point of view, showing her need for freedom and eventual kidnap by Hades. Finally, the story concludes in the third part entitled Persephone. Overall, it is a beautiful book about grief, love, family, and the connection between a mother and daughter. 

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

 aired the week of February 23, 2026

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon starts when high powered real estate broker Lana Rubicon has to move in with her daughter and granddaughter after she finds out she has lung cancer.  On a sleepless night she sees a man hauling something heavy in a wheelbarrow across the slough from their house.  Two days later her granddaughter is accused of murder when someone on her kayak tour finds a body floating in the water. There is no way Lana will let that happen to her family.  The Rubicon women start to investigate on their own.  Recommended for fans of the Finlay Donovan series, Vera Wong series and the Mrs. Plansky series.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

 aired the week of February 16, 2026

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson opens with siblings Byron and Benny returning to their southern California home after the death of their mother.  As they sit and listen to what she recorded for them everything they thought they knew about their parents and family is completely blown apart.  How will these adults reconcile what they have just learned with the life they thought they knew.  Recommended for fans of sweeping family sagas like Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

 aired the week of February 9, 2026

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is a romance novel featuring a script writer for the Romance Chanel.  After her divorce Nora feels like romance has died for her.  Her latest is the story of the demise of their marriage which has been turned into a feature movie.  Now the production company is parked on her lawn and the leading man is making himself at home in her house, life, family and heart.  What will happen when he returns to Hollywood?  Recommended for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez and Christian Lauren