This week, we feature a thrilling historical account of the race to develop the atomic bomb and a classic compilation of children’s poems and songs.
Mystery
‘The Final Problem’
By Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and of Basil Rathbone, who played Holmes in films during the 20th century, will be delighted by this book. This locked-room mystery is not only an homage to Holmes, Rathbone, and the history of detective fiction, but it is a wonderfully crafted story with memorable characters and a fun payoff. A major storm on the Ionian Sea has isolated nine hotel guests on a tiny Greek island. While they wait for the storm to pass, they must rely on an actor to solve a string of murders.
Little, Brown & Company, 2026, 320 pages
History
‘The Greatest Scientific Gamble: A Story of Impossible Odds, Rival Scientists, and the Atomic Bomb’
By Michael Joseloff
Before World War II, the international physics community was a small, clubby group of friends. When the war began, those friendships severed as they took different sides in the race to develop the atomic bomb. This book describes what happened as it examines both the U.S. and German efforts. It shows how much of the U.S. effort was motivated by the fear Nazi Germany would develop a nuclear bomb first. Reading like a real-life thriller, it shows the ups and downs of both sides’ efforts to create the bomb.
Michigan State University Press, 2026, 284 pages
Novel
‘A Hole in Texas’
By Herman Wouk
When the Chinese announce the discovery of the Higgs boson, Guy Carpenter is catapulted out of his position on a NASA satellite project. Ten years prior, he was a Superconducting Super Collider project manager. Summoned to Washington to provide expertise, he soon finds himself in a web involving a jealous wife, a sexy congresswoman, and China’s lead scientist, Wen Mei Li, who was Carpenter’s college sweetheart. A fascinating tale of the intersection of big science, big media, and big politics.
Little Brown Paperbacks, 2005, 289 pages
Fiction
‘The Accident Report: A Ronald Truluck Novel’
By Ralph Ellis
It’s 1974, the press has played a key role in Watergate, and envious rookie reporter Ronald Truluck is stuck covering the police beat in a Carolina mill town. Then, drunken city councilman Lamont Moody drives into a yard and smashes a birdbath, the police cover up the incident, and Truluck has his big story, “Lamontgate.” Truluck’s pursuit of truth, justice, and fame whisks readers into the back alleyways of city government while providing suspense, laughter, and some lessons in journalism.
Black Rose Writing, 2025, 223 pages
Classics
‘How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading’
By Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
Originally published in 1940, this book became an immediate bestseller, to the author’s surprise. Updated with assistance from Van Doren and republished in 1972, its topics range from speed reading to delving deep into a text. It offers advice on reading different genres like poetry, plays, philosophy, history, and even mathematics. An anomaly in its popularity and its long life in print, this how-to book remains one of the best manuals on getting the most out of the books we read.
Touchstone, 1972, 426 pages
For Kids
‘The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Rhymes and Jingles’
By Maud Petersham and Miska Petersham
This beloved Caldecott Medal-winning picture book gathers together traditional American nursery rhymes, finger plays, skipping-rope songs, counting-out rhymes, and playful jingles from across the country. Charming, colorful illustrations accompany classics like “Little Miss Muffet,” “Star Light, Star Bright,” and more, delighting generations of readers.
Simon & Schuster, 1969, 64 pages
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