Ashton Lattimore’s Runner is a gripping, emotionally layered novel that blends family drama, mystery, and Prohibition-era danger with remarkable confidence. Lena Jameson steps into her late father’s rum-running business on Martha’s Vineyard, and from the first page, her determination is magnetic. Lattimore captures the rhythm of the sea, the thrill of risk, and the social tensions of the era with vivid precision. Lena’s journey from grief to self-possession gives the story its heartbeat, while excursions to Boston and Harlem widen the world beautifully. Smart, atmospheric, and deeply satisfying, Runner is historical fiction with real momentum.
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Julie Gerstenblatt delivers pure adventure in The Stargazer of Nantucket, a novel that feels tailor-made for summer reading. Winnie Starbuck’s decision to stow away on her parents’ merchant voyage launches a story full of peril, discovery, and courage. Gerstenblatt brings nineteenth-century seafaring life to vivid life, from bustling ports to storm-tossed waters, while never losing sight of Winnie’s emotional journey. Her heroine’s boldness is refreshing, and the family secrets threaded through the voyage add real depth. It’s a spirited, windswept tale of independence and self-discovery that will appeal to readers who love smart, determined young women.
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Kathryn Stockett returns with The Calamity Club, a warm, witty, and wonderfully entertaining story of women refusing to accept the lives handed to them. Set in 1933 Mississippi, the novel follows orphaned Meg, outspoken Birdie, and the resourceful Charlie as their paths collide in surprising ways. Stockett has a gift for balancing humor with heartbreak, and the friendships here feel fully alive. The Depression-era backdrop adds urgency, but the novel never loses its buoyant spirit. Readers who loved character-rich fiction with grit and heart will find much to admire in this triumphant, deeply human tale.
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The Last Human Bear by Greg Sarris, Heyday, $ 30.00, 384 pages
Lyrical, unusual, and hauntingly beautiful, The Last Human Bear marks a major return for Greg Sarris. Spanning decades, the novel follows Mary Hatcher, a Native Pomo woman navigating love, rumor, identity, and whispers of shapeshifting power. Sarris blends folklore and history with a deeply personal coming-of-age story, creating a book that feels both mythic and intimate. Mary is a fascinating heroine, elusive yet vividly real, and her search for belonging resonates long after the final page. Rich with atmosphere and emotional wisdom, this is a singular novel that rewards slow, thoughtful reading.
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The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung, Berkley, $ 30.00, 448 pages
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