msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

Need a little something-something to melt away the madness? If you unwittingly made it through the 90s without reading Griffin & Sabine, as I did, you'll find it's just the thing: a delightful anachronistic correspondence via painted carte-postale tucked into actual envelopes, a slow getting-to-know-you, a return to the possibility and pleasure of mystery between two near-strangers. It's a puzzle, it's a love story, it's an artful multi-media mezcla. Griffin, a painter living in London, receives a postcard from Sabine, an artist who designs stamps for a living on a small island in the South Pacific. They have never met, but Sabine can see Griffin's brushstrokes in her mind as he works. Unable to resist the allure of the unknown, Griffin replies with a postcard of his own, and the two of them embark upon their nonnormative relationship with intrigue and aplomb. My only frustration is not having access to the rest of the collection until June! Merci, magnifi...

Former award-winning architect and MacArthur genius Bernadette has had it with Seattle: its volunteering helicopter moms clad in Birkenstocks, its timid drivers, and its endless rain are sending her over the edge. She loathes leaving the house so much that she hires a virtual assistant in India to manage her affairs. When her daughter Bee asks for a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for years of perfect grades and her Microsoft bigwig father agrees, the prospect of the trip causes Bernadette's slim grasp on the day-to-day reality of her life to slip. When she disappears, Bee gets right on the case, and, via a series of intercepted emails, letters, and, yes, FBI reports, figures out where her mother went. The perfect beach or rainy day read. Click here for a full review . Grade 10+

Another creepy gothic thriller set in a small German town from the author of The Vanishing of Katherina Linden . Seventeen year-old Lin Fox is uprooted from her comfortable life in the UK when her father, a renown scholar in medieval history, decides to move to a tiny village to study the legend of the Allerheiligen Glass, a series of medieval stained-glass windows that may or may not be inhabited by demons. The problem is, nobody actually knows where the windows are, and the locals aren't exactly helpful. In fact, it quickly becomes clear that Lin's family isn't welcome when bodies start turning up, surrounded by shards of broken glass. Ms. Grant is a master of building suspense; you'll find yourself turning on lights and checking that the doors are locked if you read this late at night. Give this to fans of Agatha Christie or anyone living in a small German village. Grade 8+

Chip Linton slowly loses his mind after he pilots a plane that crashes into a river after a pair of geese simultaneously destroy both engines, killing 39 of the 43 passengers aboard. Chip survives, but he is no longer able to fly, and he retreats to a small town in New England with his wife Emily, a lawyer, and their lovely twin daughters, Hallie and Garnet, to get away from horrific memories and the press. Unfortunately, their new Victorian mansion of a home has a tragic history of its own. Haunted distraught Chip starts spending lots of time in the basement. With dead people. A classic page-turner of a ghost story with a modern twist that will thrill fans of the genre who are willing to suspend their disbelief long enough to make it to the surprise ending. Don't miss Mr. Bohjalian's other books, especially Secrets of Eden . Grade 9+

Pia Kolvenbach is living a relatively peaceful existence with her German father and British mother in the tiny town of Bad Munstereifel when her beloved and beautiful Grandmother Kristal dies in a freak accident at Pia's home. Inevitably, her cruel classmates mock her as she quickly becomes the 'girl with the grandmother that exploded.' When children start disappearing from Bad Munstereifel, Pia thinks she has caught a break, but the latest scandal doesn't stop her classmates from continuing to taunt her. Pia, along with her only friend (fellow class reject Stink Stefan), decides to solve the mystery in order to regain her social status. What follows is a gripping, suspenseful, and incredibly insightful story of life in a small town. This is the perfect book for expats living in Germany or for anyone who likes mysteries. Pia's authentic and likeable voice will appeal to teens as well. Don't miss the extremely corny book trailer . Grade 8+