This column was written by Evangeline Cessna, Technical Services Librarian at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library.

This week’s column features titles from our New Adult Fiction Collection.

The latest from David Baldacci is a historical novel titled Strangers in Time. Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters is up to no good, but for good reason. He has no friends, no family, and no ambition, so he steals what he needs and lives day-to-day. He’s waiting until he’s old enough to fight the Germans. He barely survived the Blitz and knows that his life could end at any moment. Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield is one of the millions of children evacuated to the countryside. After five years, she returns to an unrecognizable London and realizes her parents are not there. Both Charlie and Molly are without guardians and stability, but they find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, owner of The Book Keep bookshop. Ignatius is mourning the recent loss of his wife and forms a bond with both children. Unfortunately, Charlie’s shenanigans about town have not gone unnoticed, and someone has been following Molly since she returned to London. Ignatius is harboring his own secrets, which could have terrible consequences for them all.

Private investigator Jack Taylor once again hits the gritty streets of Galway in Galway’s Edge by Ken Bruen. Edge is a shadowy organization made up of powerful members of Galway society who exist to rid the city of criminals and abusers who have skirted the law. The Vatican has long been aware of the organization, but the newest rumors say that one of the Catholic church’s own priests has joined its ranks. The Archdiocese sends an envoy to Jack Taylor’s doorstep, asking him to speak to a priest named Kevin Whelan and talk him out of involvement with Edge. Jack accepts the mission, but the next day Father Whelan is found hanging in his backyard. Did the Edge kill one of their own? If not, who else would be gutsy or evil enough to take on such a powerful organization? When more Edge members turn up murdered, the Vatican grows worried that someone worse will take their place. Jack will need to put his personal tragedies aside to catch a killer hell bent on throwing his beloved Galway into chaos.

Artificial intelligence collides with murderous intent in The Murder Machine by Heather Graham. The next generation smart home has everything: a state-of-the-art entertainment system, a modern kitchen where every appliance is online, and a personal AI to control it all. FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is tasked with finding out if this futuristic home killed its owner. How in the world do you find a murderer that doesn’t leave fingerprints? Special Agent Victoria Tennant is an expert in cybercrimes, and she knows all too well that a machine can only do what it’s been programmed to do. As they gather clues to find the killer, the number of horrific “accidents” increases and these two agents know there is nowhere to hide from this technologically sophisticated psychopath. Not when the phones they carry give the killer access to their entire lives.

In Shadow of the Solstice by Anne Hillerman, Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito find themselves sorting out a save-the-planet meditation group tied to a mysterious death and a depraved con job that targets vulnerable indigenous people living with addiction. The Navajo Nation’s police department is on high alert when a U.S. Cabinet Secretary plans to visit the town of Shiprock, New Mexico. The visit comes on the heels of a plan to resume uranium mining along the Navajo Nation’s border. Tensions build around the official’s visit, and then a body is found in an area where the disposal of radioactive waste takes place. On top of this, the tribal police must contend with a violent cult that arrives outside of Shiprock the same week, ostensibly to celebrate the summer solstice. Officer Bernadette Manuelito is assigned to monitor the situation. She finds an at-risk young boy, abused women, and other revelations that send her and Lt. Jim Chee into a volatile and deadly direction.

Overkill is the latest novel featuring Ali Reynolds by author J. A. Jance. Ali’s husband, B. Simpson’s first marriage was ruined when his wife, Clarice, had an affair with his business partner, Chuck Brewster. When Chuck is found murdered, Clarice is standing near the body covered in blood. To the police, this is an open and shut case, but Clarice insists that she is innocent and begs Ali for help. Camille Lee is on the road for High Noon but finds herself a target. Ali finds herself racing the clock to find Chuck’s real killer and keep her employee safe.