“Secret of Secrets”
Dan Brown, the thriller writer who first captivated readers 23 years ago with his megahit, “The Da Vinci Code,” returns this fall with his highly anticipated and longest novel yet, “Secret of Secrets” (671 pages).
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is once again pressed into an urgent race against time after the sudden disappearance of his new lover, a neuroscientist whose groundbreaking manuscript on the chemistry of consciousness may hold world-shaking implications. His frantic chase takes him from the ancient sites of Prague to London and New York, where he encounters dangers from sinister forces, ranging from a mythical golem to a covert and ominous futuristic science project.
Brown’s trademark brisk chapters keep the story moving at a fast pace, even amid the at-times hyperbolic prose and dense detours into brain chemistry (think GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid and nanoelectric biofilament). Devoted fans may be entertained by the familiar mix of puzzle and pursuit, while others will wonder whether he could have done it in fewer pages.
“Buckeye”
There’s much to admire in “Buckeye,” the latest book by author Patrick Ryan. It’s an enthralling story of two families in a small town in Ohio, whose lives become inextricably linked by a fateful secret — one that shadows them across decades, from World War II to the Vietnam War.
The novel revolves around Cal Jenkins, a man whose disability keeps him from serving in the war, and Margaret Salt, a woman hiding from her past. Their marriages anchor them in complicated ways: Cal’s wife, a seer, helps others by channeling voices of the dead, while Margaret’s Navy husband bears a buried sorrow of his own. A chance encounter between Cal and Margaret alters the course of their lives, forcing them all to reckon with loyalty, betrayal, and the fragile bonds of their marriages.
Ryan’s characters are beautiful yet flawed — yearning for love and searching for belonging and forgiveness. With “Buckeye” he tells a rich and emotional story that captures both the broad nostalgia of mid-century America as well as the deeply intimate vulnerabilities of the heart.
“Atmosphere”
Taylor Jenkins Reid (“Daisy Jones & The Six” and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”) is known by her legions of fans for her feminist storytelling about fame, love, and family. She’s taken readers from Hollywood to the ’70s rock world, and with “Atmosphere,” ventures into outer space.
Set during the height of the 1980s NASA space shuttle program, the novel follows physics professor Joan Goodwin as she becomes one of the pioneering women to join the program with an opportunity to become one of the first female astronauts. The recruits compete with each other to prepare for a chance at flight. Amid the grueling training, Joan meets fellow trainee Vanessa Ford, and begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself.
Despite its far-reaching setting, the book was inspired by moments close to home: stargazing with her nine-year-old daughter, Lilah, as the author told People magazine. Writing “Atmosphere” also led Reid to a personal revelation — she came out as bisexual in a June interview with Rolling Stone.
Blending the tension of a space mission with a forbidden love story, “Atmosphere” challenges notions of ambition, identity, and sacrifice. Joan faces choices that could jeopardize her dreams. When a terrifying mission puts everything on the line, she confronts the question of what she is willing to risk for the life — and love — she truly wants.
“The Widow”
In his latest book, legal thriller author John Grisham tries his hand at his first mystery. “The Widow” is a creditable whodunnit, and a welcome rebound from his last novel, “The Exchange” (2023), the skippable sequel to his 1991 sensation “The Firm.”
The story follows Simon Latch, a rural Virginia lawyer fighting to keep his small-town practice afloat while troubled with a gambling habit and a marriage headed for divorce. He thinks his luck has turned when an elderly widow arrives to request a new will and she discloses that she’s sitting on a secret multimillion-dollar estate. For Simon, it looks like the payday he desperately needs. But when the widow is hospitalized and suddenly dies, he finds himself accused of her murder.
Grisham’s prolific writing and enduring popularity are undeniable — he has penned over 50 consecutive bestsellers. “The Widow” serves up colorful characters, red herrings, a classic courtroom drama, and an urgent hunt for a killer before it’s too late. The ending, reportedly rewritten at his wife’s and publisher’s urging, may strike some readers as disjointed, or even familiar, but the ride getting there is entertaining enough to enjoy.
