compiled by Sally Brewster
Football by Chuck Klosterman
Cultural theorists talk about hyperobjects — phenomena that bulk so large their true dimensions are hidden in plain sight. In 2023, 93 of the 100 most-watched programs on U.S. television were NFL football games. Football is not merely the country’s most popular sport; it is ingrained in almost everything that explains what America is, even for those who barely pay attention. Klosterman — New York Times bestselling critic, journalist and, yes, football fanatic — gets to the bottom of all of it. He takes us to a metaphorical projection of Texas, where the religion of six-man football merges with America’s Team and makes an inexplicable impact on a boy in North Dakota. He dissects the question of natural greatness, the paradox of gambling and war, and the timeless caricature of the uncompromising head coach.
Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey
When Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a charming stranger in her late sister’s dating app, she makes an impulsive choice: She’ll meet him, just once, on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday. It’s exactly the kind of wild adventure her vivacious sister would have pushed her toward. When Jake meets the intriguing woman who calls herself Dandelion, their connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else. As their relationship deepens, Poppy finds herself trapped in a double life she never meant to create. Every moment with Jake feels genuine, electric and totally right — despite the fact they’re tangled in deceit. As the lines between grief and love blur, Poppy faces a choice: keep her sister’s memory alive through her lies, or risk everything for a chance at her own happiness.
Neptune’s Fortune by Julian Sancton
Roger Dooley wasn’t looking for the San José. But an accidental discovery in the dusty stacks of a Spanish archive led him to the story of a lifetime, the tale of a great 18th-century treasure ship loaded with riches from the New World and destined for Spain. The ship was drawn into a pitched battle with British ships of war off the coast of Cartagena, and when the smoke cleared, the San José and its bounty had disappeared into the ocean. Though a diver at heart, Dooley had little in the way of serious credentials, yet his tenacity and single-minded devotion to finding and excavating the ship powered him across four decades. As Dooley jousted with famous treasure hunters and well-funded competitors, he slowly homed in on a patch of sea that might contain a 300-year-old shipwreck — or nothing at all.
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage
Lexi Villiers is in the second year of her medical residency, lives on a beautiful farm in Australia with her two best friends, Finn and Jack, and is about to finally become more-than-friendly with Jack — when she learns that her father and older brother have been killed in a skiing accident. Lexi’s grandmother is the Queen of England, and Lexi must now accept the reality that she is suddenly next in line for the throne — a role she has publicly disavowed. Returning to London as the heir apparent, Lexi is greeted by a skeptical public not ready to forgive her defection, a grieving sister-in-law harboring an explosive secret, and a scheming uncle determined to claim the throne himself. When her grandmother grants her one year to decide, Lexi must choose her own destiny: Will it be determined by an accident of birth, or by love?
Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
Everyone at Chantilly’s Bar noticed out-of-towner Camille Bayliss: red lips, designer heels, sipping a negroni. She flirted a little with a local but returned alone to her B&B before midnight in her sleek car. But that woman wasn’t Camille Bayliss. It was Aubrey Price. Aubrey has been haunted by the terrible night that changed her life a decade ago, and she’s convinced Benjamin Bayliss knows something about it. Camille appears to have the picture-perfect life, born to a wealthy family and married to hot-shot lawyer Ben. Only Camille believes Ben has been hiding dirty secrets for years, but she can’t find proof because he tracks her every move. Aubrey and Camille hatch a plan: For 12 hours, Aubrey will take Camille’s place, Camille will spy on Ben, and the two women will get the answers they desperately seek. Except the next morning, Ben is found murdered. Both women need an airtight alibi, but only one of them has it. SP
Sally Brewster is the proprietor of Park Road Books, 4139 Park Rd.
