November 2022 Adult Top 10 Picks

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  1. A World of Curiosities
    by Louise Penny Canada
    Minotaur Books
    Nov 29, 2022
    FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Traditional
    Hardback
    A World of Curiosities
    by Louise Penny Canada
    Minotaur Books
    Nov 29, 2022
    FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Traditional
    Hardback

    INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
    Agatha Award Winner for Best Contemporary Novel

    Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns in the eighteenth book in #1 New York Times bestseller Louise Penny's beloved series.

    It’s spring and Three Pines is reemerging after the harsh winter. But not everything buried should come alive again. Not everything lying dormant should reemerge.

    But something has.

    As the villagers prepare for a special celebration, Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir find themselves increasingly worried. A young man and woman have reappeared in the Sûreté du Québec investigators’ lives after many years. The two were young children when their troubled mother was murdered, leaving them damaged, shattered. Now they’ve arrived in the village of Three Pines.

    But to what end?

    Gamache and Beauvoir’s memories of that tragic case, the one that first brought them together, come rushing back. Did their mother’s murder hurt them beyond repair? Have those terrible wounds, buried for decades, festered and are now about to erupt?

    As Chief Inspector Gamache works to uncover answers, his alarm grows when a letter written by a long dead stone mason is discovered. In it the man describes his terror when bricking up an attic room somewhere in the village. Every word of the 160-year-old letter is filled with dread. When the room is found, the villagers decide to open it up.

    As the bricks are removed, Gamache, Beauvoir and the villagers discover a world of curiosities. But the head of homicide soon realizes there’s more in that room than meets the eye. There are puzzles within puzzles, and hidden messages warning of mayhem and revenge.

    In unsealing that room, an old enemy is released into their world. Into their lives. And into the very heart of Armand Gamache’s home.

    View this title on BNC CataList
  2. All the Broken Places
    by John Boyne
    Bond Street Books
    Dec 06, 2022
    FICTION / Historical / 20th Century / World War II & Holocaust
    Hardback
    All the Broken Places
    by John Boyne
    Bond Street Books
    Dec 06, 2022
    FICTION / Historical / 20th Century / World War II & Holocaust
    Hardback
    From the New York Times bestselling author John Boyne, a devastating, beautiful story about a woman who must confront the sins of her own terrible past, and a present in which it is never too late for bravery.

    Ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby has lived in the same well-to-do mansion block in London for decades. She lives a quiet, comfortable life, despite her deeply disturbing, dark past. She doesn't talk about her escape from Nazi Germany at age twelve. She doesn't talk about the grim post-war years in France with her mother. Most of all, she doesn't talk about her father, who was the commandant of one of the Reich's most notorious extermination camps.

    Then, a new family moves into the apartment below her. In spite of herself, Gretel can't help but begin a friendship with the little boy, Henry, though his presence brings back memories she would rather forget. One night, she witnesses a disturbing, violent argument between Henry's beautiful mother and his arrogant father, one that threatens Gretel's hard-won, self-contained existence.

    All The Broken Places moves back and forth in time between Gretel's girlhood in Germany to present-day London as a woman whose life has been haunted by the past. Now, Gretel faces a similar crossroads to one she encountered long ago. Back then, she denied her own complicity, but now, faced with a chance to interrogate her guilt, grief and remorse, she can choose to save a young boy. If she does, she will be forced to reveal the secrets she has spent a lifetime protecting. This time, she can make a different choice than before--whatever the cost to herself . . .
    View this title on BNC CataList
  3. Mussolini's Daughter
    by Caroline Moorehead
    Random House Canada
    Nov 01, 2022
    HISTORY / Europe / Italy
    Paperback / softback
    Mussolini's Daughter
    by Caroline Moorehead
    Random House Canada
    Nov 01, 2022
    HISTORY / Europe / Italy
    Paperback / softback
    NATIONAL BESTSELLER

    The bestselling author of A Train in Winter returns with the definitive story of Mussolini’s daughter, Edda, one of the most influential women in 1930s Italy, whose life had more twists and turns than a spy novel.


    Edda Mussolini was Benito's favourite child: spoiled and venal, uneducated but clever, faithless but flamboyant, a brilliant diplomat, wild but brave, and ultimately strong and loyal. For much of the twenty-year period of Fascist rule, she was her father's closest confidante.

    In 1930, at the age of nineteen, Edda married Count Galeazzo Ciano, who would become the youngest Foreign Secretary in Italian history. Acting as envoy to both Germany and Britain, Edda played a part in steering Italy to join forces with Hitler. During this time, the Cianos became the most celebrated and glamorous couple in elegant, vulgar Roman fascist society.

    Their fortunes turned in 1943, when Ciano voted against Mussolini in a plot to bring him down, and his father-in-law did not forgive him. Edda's dramatic story includes hidden diaries, her father's downfall and her husband's execution, and an escape into Switzerland followed by a period in exile. Moorehead draws a portrait of a complicated, bold, and determined woman—one who emerges not just as a witness but as a key player in some of the twentieth century's defining moments. And we see Fascist Italy with all its glamour, decadence and political intrigue, and the turbulence before its violent end.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  4. The Queen
    by Andrew Morton
    Grand Central Publishing
    Nov 15, 2022
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Presidents & Heads of State
    Hardback
    The Queen
    by Andrew Morton
    Grand Central Publishing
    Nov 15, 2022
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Presidents & Heads of State
    Hardback
    #1 New York Times bestselling biographer Andrew Morton provides the definitive, most comprehensive account of Queen Elizabeth II's legendary reign.

    Painfully shy, Elizabeth Windsor’s personality was well suited to her youthful ambition of living quietly in the country, raising a family, and caring for her dogs and horses. But when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated, she became heir to the throne—embarking on a journey that would test her as a woman and queen.

    Ascending to the throne at only 25, this self-effacing monarch navigated endless setbacks, family conflict, and occasional triumphs throughout her 70 years as the Queen of England. As her mettle was tested, she endeavored to keep the monarchy relevant culturally, socially, and politically, often in the face of resistance from inside the institution itself. And yet the greatest challenges she faced were often inside her own family, forever under intense scrutiny; from rumors about her husband’s infidelity, her sister’s marital breakdown, Princess Diana’s tragic death, to the recent departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

    Now in The Queen, renowned biographer Andrew Morton takes an in-depth look at Britain’s longest reigning monarch, exploring the influence Queen Elizabeth had on both Britain and the rest of the world for much of the last century. From leading a nation struggling to restore itself after the devastation of the second World War to navigating the divisive political landscape of the present day, Queen Elizabeth was a reluctant but resolute queen. This is the story of a woman of unflagging self-discipline who will long be remembered as mother and grandmother to Great Britain, and one of the greatest sovereigns of the modern era.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  5. Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes
    by Rob Wilkins
    Doubleday UK
    Nov 22, 2022
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Literary Figures
    Paperback / softback
    Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes
    by Rob Wilkins
    Doubleday UK
    Nov 22, 2022
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Literary Figures
    Paperback / softback
    WINNER OF THE 2023 LOCUS AWARD FOR NON-FICTION
    WINNER OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION


    'Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry.' - Neil Gaiman

    'Sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life.' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Observer

    --------

    At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.

    The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture.

    Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the story of a boy who aged six was told by his teacher that he would never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For Terry lived a life full of astonishing achievements: becoming one of the UK's bestselling and most beloved writers, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood.

    Now, the book Terry sadly couldn't finish has been written by Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the Pratchett literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of the author's family, friends and colleagues, Rob unveils the full picture of Terry's life - from childhood to his astonishing writing career, and how he met and coped with what he called the 'Embuggerance' of Alzheimer's disease.

    A deeply moving and personal portrait of the extraordinary life of Sir Terry Pratchett, written with unparalleled insight and filled with funny anecdotes, this is the only official biography of one of our finest authors.

    --------

    'Spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did.' - Telegraph

    'As frank, funny and unsentimental as anything its subject might have produced himself.' - Mail on Sunday
    View this title on BNC CataList
  6. Even Though I Knew the End
    by C. L. Polk Canada
    Tordotcom
    Nov 08, 2022
    FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
    Hardback
    Even Though I Knew the End
    by C. L. Polk Canada
    Tordotcom
    Nov 08, 2022
    FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
    Hardback

    Winner of the Nebula Award!

    Finalist for the Hugo Award!

    Finalist for the World Fantasy Award!

    A New York Times Best Romance of 2022!

    C. L. Polk turns their considerable powers to a fantastical noir with Even Though I Knew the End.

    “Eerie, sharp and fiercely bittersweet.” —The New York Times

    A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago's divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above.

    An exiled augur who sold her soul to save her brother's life is offered one last job before serving an eternity in hell. When she turns it down, her client sweetens the pot by offering up the one payment she can't resist—the chance to have a future where she grows old with the woman she loves.

    To succeed, she is given three days to track down the White City Vampire, Chicago's most notorious serial killer. If she fails, only hell and heartbreak await.

    View this title on BNC CataList
  7. Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
    by Lisa Unger
    Park Row
    Nov 08, 2022
    FICTION / Thrillers / Psychological
    Hardback
    Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
    by Lisa Unger
    Park Row
    Nov 08, 2022
    FICTION / Thrillers / Psychological
    Hardback
    "A deliciously tense ride." —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of One By One

    INSTANT BESTSELLER

    Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller.


    What could be more restful than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s generous brother found the listing online. The reviews are stellar. It'll be three couples on this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R.

    But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare.

    A deadly storm is brewing. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep.

    How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?

    People Magazine Book of the Week
    PopSugar Best Thriller and Mystery
    CrimeReads Best Psychological Thrillers
    Goodreads Editor’s and Readers Most Anticipated Book
    BookPage Best Mysteries of November
    BookBub Best Mysteries and Thrillers
    Scary Mommy Best Fall Releases
    St. Paul Pioneer Press Top Reads
    The Saturday Evening Post Best Books to Cozy Up with this Fall


    Don't miss The New Couple in 5B, Lisa Unger's newest psychological thriller about a couple that inherits an apartment with a truly chilling past.

    Looking for more spine-tingling thrillers? Check out these other titles by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger:
    • Under My Skin
    • The Stranger Inside
    • Confessions on the 7:45
    • Last Girl Ghosted
    • The New Couple in 5B (coming March 2024!)

    View this title on BNC CataList
  8. Africa Risen
    by Sheree Renee Thomas
    Tordotcom
    Nov 15, 2022
    FICTION / Science Fiction / Collections & Anthologies
    Hardback
    Africa Risen
    by Sheree Renee Thomas
    Tordotcom
    Nov 15, 2022
    FICTION / Science Fiction / Collections & Anthologies
    Hardback

    Winner of the 2023 World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology
    Winner of the 2023 Locus Award for Best Anthology

    A 2023 NAACP Image Award Nominee
    A 2023 British Fantasy Award Nominee

    A NPR Best of the Year pick

    A Book Riot Best SFF of the Year pick

    "[A]
    magnificent and wide-ranging anthology . . . A must-read for all genre fans."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

    From award-winning editorial team Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight comes an anthology of thirty-two original stories showcasing the breadth of fantasy and science fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora.


    A group of cabinet ministers query a supercomputer containing the minds of the country’s ancestors. A child robot on a dying planet uncovers signs of fragile new life. A descendent of a rain goddess inherits her grandmother’s ability to change her appearance—and perhaps the world.

    Created in the legacy of the seminal, award-winning anthology series Dark Matter, Africa Risen celebrates the vibrancy, diversity, and reach of African and Afro-Diasporic SFF and reaffirms that Africa is not rising—it’s already here.

    View this title on BNC CataList
  9. The Mother of All Degrassi
    by Linda Schuyler Canada
    ECW Press
    Nov 15, 2022
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Entertainment & Performing Arts
    Hardback
    The Mother of All Degrassi
    by Linda Schuyler Canada
    ECW Press
    Nov 15, 2022
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Entertainment & Performing Arts
    Hardback

    When a young schoolteacher decides to teach her Grade 8 class about filmmaking and creates a documentary that ends up being broadcast internationally, she sets in motion a career of storytelling for an age group largely ignored by TV executives … and creates one of the most-loved television franchises of all time

    Includes fabulous behind-the-scenes photos and stories for Degrassi fans

    Linda Schuyler, co-creator and executive producer of the long-running Degrassi series, shares her personal stories about the grit and determination necessary to make it as a woman entrepreneur in the bourgeoning independent Canadian television industry of the early 1980s.

    After surviving a near-fatal car accident in 1968, Linda found her life continuing to veer in unexpected directions, ultimately leading her to use her innate abilities as an educator to become a successful storyteller and businesswoman.

    Linda’s deep fondness for teenagers has made her a champion for adolescents. In The Mother of All Degrassi, she shares her strong belief that television is all about the story, and a good story is all about making the political personal. Through anecdotes and introspection — and some great behind-the-scenes stories for Degrassi fans — Linda examines her philosophy to dream big, think small, meet life head-on, and always keep an open heart.

    View this title on BNC CataList
  10. Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble
    by Alexis Hall
    Forever
    Nov 01, 2022
    FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy
    Paperback / softback
    Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble
    by Alexis Hall
    Forever
    Nov 01, 2022
    FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy
    Paperback / softback
    From the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material comes a sweet and scrumptious romantic comedy about facing your insecurities, finding love, and baking it off, no matter what people say.

    Paris Daillencourt is a recipe for disaster. Despite his passion for baking, his cat, and his classics degree, constant self-doubt and second-guessing have left him a curdled, directionless mess. So when his roommate enters him in Bake Expectations, the nation’s favourite baking show, Paris is sure he’ll be the first one sent home.

    But not only does he win week one’s challenge—he meets fellow contestant Tariq Hassan. Sure, he’s the competition, but he’s also cute and kind, with more confidence than Paris could ever hope to have. Still, neither his growing romance with Tariq nor his own impressive bakes can keep Paris’s fear of failure from spoiling his happiness. And when the show’s vicious fanbase confirms his worst anxieties, Paris’s confidence is torn apart quicker than tear-and-share bread.

    But if Paris can find the strength to face his past, his future, and the chorus of hecklers that live in his brain, he’ll realize it’s the sweet things in life that he really deserves.
    View this title on BNC CataList

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