Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell have returned to England and a mystery that cuts deep into Holmes’ past and heart. In THE LANGUAGE OF BEES, thrilling adventure and more logical deduction ensues! Pick up this one now in paperback to prepare for its immediate sequel — GOD OF THE HIVE — just released this spring. It picks up where Language leaves off and introduces one of the most interesting characters yet encountered in this great series–a mysterious Green Man of the forest. In addition, King sketches in the fascinating character of Mycroft Holmes–Sherlock’s older brother–whose shadow activities on behalf of the British government become the catalyst for political wrangling, religious zealotry and murder.

Two new and engaging installments in the Holmes/Russell series that begins with THE BEEKEEPER’S APPRENTICE. (Paperback, $15.00) Recommended by Sarah.

Philip Pullman’s (author of His Dark Materials - The Golden Compass) latest book was written in response to criticism that he never mentioned Jesus or God in his previous young adult novel. Thus the title, THE GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST, and contents. This book is definitely mind turning, a retelling of the Gospels using two figures, Jesus and Christ as twin brothers, to identify ways in which the Gospels were used to advance the position of the Church.

This is definitely adult reading, and if you want to share it with your young adult, please read ahead of time. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but an interesting idea. It may make some traditional religious groups upset! Be prepared. (Hardcover, $24.00) Recommended by Julie.

THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE SKY by Michael Malone is the perfect summer read! This warm Southern novel is great fun: it has a clever caper, endearing characters, great dialogue, wonderful humor and a fast-moving plot. Annie Peregrine Goode is raised by her aunt after her father, a charming but irresponsible con man, drops her off at the family home (when she’s seven), along with a full-size airplane. Annie becomes a Navy test pilot, builds a life, and then her father enters the picture again to enlist her aid in his biggest con. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. Michael Malone is one of my favorite authors and his novel Handling Sin is one of my favorite books. (Paperback, $15.99) Recommended by Rochelle.

Another fine entry in the Maisie Dobbs series. This novel is a thoughtful exploration of the hopes and dreams of the WWI generation, whose lives and futures were forever changed. THE MAPPING OF LOVE AND DEATH is a good mystery story with such fabulous characters! Winspear is particularly adept at evoking the time and place of late 1920s and early 1930s England. She pays careful attention to important details such as food and clothing without becoming didactic. Her details sketch in the world of Maisie Dobbs–a world fast fading out of recent memory. Don’t miss this one! Recommended by Sarah (Hardcover, $25.99).

If you haven’t made the acquaintance of Olivia Manning and her fabulous BALKAN TRIOLOGY and LEVANT TRIOLOGY written abut an English couple caught in Romania and Greece and then Egypt during WWII, I highly recommend them. They were recently reprinted in a single volume.

Another of Manning’s books, SCHOOL FOR LOVE has been recently reprinted by New York Review Books. It is a delight and is the best book I read all of last year. Set in Palestine right after the end of WWII, it is the story of a few forlorn British refugees who have washed up in Jerusalem by the hazards of the war. Living in pensions, rooming houses and hotels of Jerusalem, they can’t get transport back to England yet, they have very little money, and there are no jobs. In particular, this is the story of a 16 year old British boy, an orphan with no family, no income and thus at the mercy of the “generosity” of a distant relative, a penny pinching, manipulative, sanctimonious middle aged female. He is mourning for his mother recently dead from typhus, he finds a stray cat for a friend, and he gets almost nothing to eat from his landlady/cousin, but his quiet, stoic, stubborn, curious spirit is somehow glowing amidst the dusty streets and gardens of the city. Manning observed the details of everyday life perfectly. (Paperback, $14.00) Recommended by Pat.

THIS BODY OF DEATH by Elizabeth George finds Thomas Lynley (still grieving after his wife’s murder) back at Scotland Yard, investigating the murder of a young woman. His old team is having a hard time dealing with the new department chief, a woman, who may or may not get Lynley’s old job. A seemingly unrelated crime runs through the narrative, which adds to the mystery. George always has well-developed characters and complex plotting, and this story is fascinating. Recommended by Rochelle (Hardcover, $28.99)

On this 40th anniversary year of Earth Day, I can’t think of anything better to read than a biography of Rachel Carson, arguably the founder of the modern environmental movement. Though not necessarily new, Linda Lear’s biography RACHEL CARSON: A WITNESS FOR NATURE is well worth reading. It delves deeply into Carson’s life, loves and motivations, which offers remarkable insights into her career. It’s a scholarly but hardly dry read. I highly recommend this. (Paperback, $17.95) Recommended by Kelly.

Fever Crumb is a great character in a tough spot. In the London of the future, she’s one of the last remaining members of a sub-species of people the rest of the population had hoped they’d exterminated. An orphan with a mysterious scar on the back of her head, Fever has been raised in secret among the member of the Order of Engineers. Under their tutelage, she has learned only to think not to feel. This is a handicap that, as her once calm life begins unravel, she will need to overcome. This is a multi-layered and satisfying science fiction book for teens and adults alike. (Hardcover, $17.99) Recommended by Kelly.

This graphic novel recounts an eerie and sometimes funny work-visit to North Korea. The author is a Belgian animator visiting an outsourced animation studio. The food is terrible, the electricity is inconsistent, and the streets are deserted… unless an important diplomat is visiting. Delisle’s 30-story hotel is empty except for his floor, and he’s almost never allowed out without being accompanied by a “guide” attempting to control what he sees — in short, all of the typical North Korean illusions are in play. A well-drawn and compelling read. Scary, too.

THE TIME TRAVELLER’S GUIDE TO MEDIEVAL ENGLAND: A HANDBOOK FOR VISITORS TO THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY, is a fabulous romp through times unimaginable. Don’t let the first chapter’s rather graphic depiction of overcrowding and the plague put you off. Historian Ian Mortimer is an excellent writer simply preoccupied by how people managed in another time. Truly a travelogue for those who might wax nostalgic about simpler times, readers will learn everything from what to wear (weasel if you’re royalty, homespun if you’re not), where to stay (inns, monasteries, or castles), and what to eat (bacon if you’re royalty, rats if you’re not). Only occasionally nauseating, it’s a fascinating read. (Hardcover, $26.00) Recommended by Kelly.