This week, we feature an espionage-themed thriller complete with artificial-intelligence intrigue and an inspiring collection of interviews with moms of large families.
Thriller
‘The Chaos Agent’
By Mark Greaney
Court Gentry reprises his role as The Gray Man, though in this 13th installment of the series, he and his girlfriend, Zoya, are on the run from intelligence agencies, specifically American and Russian. When a dozen of the world’s artificial intelligence experts are assassinated, The Gray Man is dragged back into the world of counterintelligence to stop a deadly global plot powered by AI. Mark Greaney nails the spy novel again with a complex plot, memorable characters, and explosive action.
Berkley, 2024, 560 pages
Military History
‘The Killing Ground’
By Myke Cole and Michael Livingston
The pass of Thermopylae is best known for the doomed stand of King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans. Less known is that this was just one of its many battles. Over 2,500 years, at least 27 military actions were fought over this patch of ground. This book recounts the known actions there, from the sixth century B.C. to World War II. It examines the terrain over which these battles were fought and what is known of each action. A magnificent account of the military history of a storied piece of ground.
Osprey Publishing, 2024, 304 pages
Mystery
‘Murder on the Golden Arrow’
By Magda Alexander
It is 1923. Kitty Worthington, having completed a year in a Swiss finishing school, is returning to England for her debut year as she turns 21. She is accompanied by her stuffy older brother Edward, but she discovers he is less stuffy than she believed. He had a paramour. While all three travel on the Golden Arrow from Dover to London, his lover is poisoned while she sits across from Kitty and Ned. Whodunit? Kitty must find out. A delightful first novel in a new series that’s intended as a light and fun read.
Hearts Afire Publishing, 2021, 276 pages
Nonfiction
‘Hannah’s Children’
By Catherine Ruth Pakaluk
A university professor and mother of eight, Ms. Pakaluk is the perfect writer for this book, which is subtitled “The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth.” She interviewed moms across the United States who had five or more children to learn their reasons for making this counter-cultural decision. She surrounds these interviews with data on demographics and the dire consequences of our rapidly declining birth rate. An informative and inspiring read, especially for parents of large families.
Regnery Gateway, 2024, 256 pages
Classics
‘The Devil and Daniel Webster’
By Stephen Vincent Benet
Besides Benet’s famous tale about the Devil and Daniel Webster arguing in court over a farmer’s soul, this slim volume contains six more stories, all of them also touching on some aspect of American history or folklore. “A Tooth for Paul Revere,” for instance, describes a strange meeting on the eve of the Revolution, and “Johnny Pye and the Fool-Killer” brings glimpses of life following the Civil War. Benet was a poet and storyteller whose work celebrated the country he loved: America.
Hythloday Press, 2014, 146 pages
For Kids
‘The Story of Ferdinand’
By Munro Leaf
Ferdinand is not your average bull. While most of his kind prefer running and butting heads, the peace loving Ferdinand enjoys smelling flowers while sitting under his favorite tree. When he’s chosen for a fight in Madrid, he stays true to his nature, giving the audience a unique take on bullfighting. A humorous tale about being true to oneself.
Viking Books for Young Readers, 1936, 72 pages
