You Want a Propulsive Page Turner

Are looking for an escape or need some new recipes

Apr 19, 2021

Hi friends,

It feels like every few weeks, I start this newsletter by saying, “last week was rough.” And here I am again saying, “last week was rough.” We witnessed more mass shootings and police violence. Here, in the D.C. area, we’re grieving the deaths of James Johnson and Dominque Williams, who were shot by an off-duty Takoma Park officer.

If you, like me, process by reading, I’ll point you towards The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (I know I just suggested this last week, but it remains, sadly, extremely relevant) and Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste, for their discussions of police violence. If you’re looking for places to donate, Campaign Zero advocates for evidence-based policies shown to reduce police violence. A friend also suggested A Mother’s Reckoning by Susan Klebold, mother of one of the shooters at Columbine High School, for its sensitive, nuanced look at mass shootings.

Like everyone, I’m looking for joy where I can find it. I’m excited to see my friend Eman Quotah, author of Bride of the Sea, speak at the Ohioana Book Festival on April 24th, and am looking forward to Independent Bookstore Day, also on Saturday. In Thursday’s Q&A, I’ll have info about an Independent Bookstore Day audiobook giveaway and a raffle for What To Read If subscribers.

And, now, what to read if…

You’re Looking for a Page Turner

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

Last week, I asked on Twitter if anyone was seeking specific book recommendations, and the team at Italic Type asked about books that keep you up way too late. Catherine House, Elisabeth Thomas’ debut, fits that definition. It’s a creepy gothic suspense novel about a cult-like college, Catherine House. At the elite three-year school, students are completely cut off from the outside world, not even allowed to call their families. In exchange, they receive a world-class education for free.

The book follows Ines Murillo after she enrolls at Catherine House, fleeing a troubled childhood. Ines initially loves her new school, fitting in with a group of friends for the first time in her life. All that changes, though, when a student is found dead, and Ines begins to suspect there is something sinister about the school’s secret rituals and programs.

Catherine House is perfect for fans of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, filled with tense and eerie scenes. It definitely earned its spot on the “stayed up way too late reading” list.

You Want to Leave this World for a Few Hours

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a steampunk Agatha Christie, a locked room murder mystery set in 1950s London complete with whimsical gadgets and delightful characters. The titular Marion Lane is an inquirer-in-training at Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries, a secret detective agency located under the city that solves the mysteries no one else can. Then, Miss Brickett’s is the site of one of those unsolvable mysteries — the murder of one of its own staff members — and Marion’s mentor is implicated. Our heroine sets out to clear his name and find the real murderer.

I picked up the Marion Lane audiobook on a whim after seeing it was immediately available at my library and was almost instantly hooked. Willberg has built an immersive world, bringing to life the tunnels that make up Miss Brickett’s underground facilities and the fascinating gizmos the inspectors rely on.

I always wonder if it’s a bit odd that I turn to mysteries when I want a comfort read, but I think it’s because they offer narrative closure and the promise of justice. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murders provides both those, and the result is a reading experience that feels like curling up under a blanket with a cup of tea.

Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach

I realized recently that I’ve been eating the same five meals or so for months. Part of it is because of moving, part of it is because of the pandemic wall, and part of it is the usual “what’s for dinner” panic. Whenever I end up in one of these ruts, I turn to Jenny Rosenstrach’s Dinner: A Love Story, one of my favorite cookbooks. When I was apartment hunting earlier this year, I knew this place was the one when I walked in and could immediately visualize where I’d put this book in my new kitchen.

If you’ve ever been over to my house for dinner — and I didn’t order take-out — it’s highly likely that you’ve eaten one of Rosenstrach’s recipes. The pork ragu, appropriately named on the Dinner: A Love Story website an “Instant Dinner Party,” is my go-to for entertaining. I’ve made the fish tacos so many times I could probably do it in my sleep. And, when I was staying with my parents last summer, I impressed them (I think?) with the scallops and corn-bacon hash. (Jenny recently launched a Substack newsletter that I highly recommend)

The book’s recipes are simple, easy and delicious. They rely on ingredients I nearly always have around the house and are almost all the definition of weeknight meals. (Shout out to my friends and family who excel at those complicated seventeen-step meals. I love eating them. I am not capable of cooking them.) If you’re looking to add a few new recipes to your repertoire, you cannot go wrong with this book.

What do you think of this week’s picks? Let me know!

What To Read If