Staff Picks: Mary Baker’s Favorites

Tana French is another one of my favorite authors. Her Dublin Murder Squad series are an absolute treat, but her newest standalone novel is a great entry way for those new to the Tanaverse. Cal Hooper’s had a rough year—he’s recently divorced and an ex-Chicago cop—so buying a fixer upper cottage in the middle of nowhere Ireland is his last grasp at happiness. Long nights at the local pub can’t distract him completely from the sinister undertones of this small town, and when a local boy enlists his help in finding his lost brother, Cal realizes that you can never completely escape the chase. This is a gripping page turner I personally guarantee you’ll stay up well past your bedtime to finish.

I love all things Bachelor-related. If you also can’t get enough of Chris Harrison and all those roses, One to Watch needs to be on your TBR list. It’s a (unfortunately, get with the times ABC) fictionalized take on what would happen if the next Bachelorette was a plus-sized fashion influencer, told through story, blog posts, text messages, message boards, tweets, and much more. It’s in turns romantic, infuriating, and heartwarming, and what happens in Bea’s fictional season is crazier than anything happening in Clare/Tayshia’s season. If that doesn’t convince you to give it a read, I don’t know what will.

In the first chapter of Donna Tartt’s novel, a group of Classics lovers murder one of their own near their small Vermont liberal arts college. The crime then unwinds from the start, and I promise the pages will fly as you piece together the who, what, and why. Drunk on words, college, and each other, the contact high from these seductive characters can’t help but affect the reader. It’s a perfect wintertime read if you like spooky, atmospheric, and gorgeously written prose, and if you happened to take Latin as a means to fulfill your language requirement in high school—ahem—you’ll have fun discovering the in jokes about language and mythology.

If you’ve met me, you know I love being from the Midwest and rarely shut up about it. The only thing better than hearing myself talk about much I love the Midwest is reading Amy Rose Thielen’s delicious memoir on loving, leaving, and eventually returning to her Minnesotan roots. Her approach to life includes a lot—and I do mean a lot—of butter, and her writing is so mouthwatering that you’ll find yourself unable to quit thinking about her delectably described dishes. Even more than food, this book is about growing where you’re planted and never forgetting where you came from. As we all continue to isolate and miss our families, Thielen’s time in the lonely woods of Minnesota will inspire you to connect with your loved ones through food.