4 Sequels That Are Finally Here
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as being knee-deep in a great series. It is that much easier to immerse yourself in your favorite characters, their world, and their exploits when you’re accompanying them through several books. Granted, a series is not without its downsides, such as the despondent feeling you get when you finally finish it; or when you realize, as you close the latest installment, that the release of the next book is months—possibly years—away. But we are here to celebrate, not lament, for this has been a glorious summer full of long-awaited next books in several beloved series! All hail the arrival of the following 4 novels, and may they help us forget, in our joy, those periods of waiting.
The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness
Fans of Harkness’s bestselling All Souls trilogy have been waiting two long years for its final volume—but fortunately for them, The Book of Life has proven to be well worth the wait. The concluding novel continues the riveting love story of a sexy vampire scientist and an all-powerful witch, who return to the present from a fraught trip to the 16th century to deepen their search for a magical manuscript that must be kept out of evil hands. The cast of compelling characters that readers grew to love in A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night returns (along with plenty of new friends and enemies) in an action-packed finale that will thrill longtime fans and inspire new readers finally to tune in.
The Silkworm, by J.K. Rowling
We may have finished the Harry Potter series with a heavy heart, but luckily for us, J.K. Rowling is hard at work on her captivating mysteries. The second novel in Rowling’s Cormoran Strike series featuring the hard-bitten detective finds him infiltrating the literary world in search of author Owen Quine. Quine’s latest unpublished work is so venomous towards so many people that when he goes missing, his long-suffering wife, Leonora, suspects foul play. When her husband does in fact turn up dead, the victim of a decidedly ghastly murder, it is up to Strike to track down the killer in order to protect Leonora (whom he believes innocent) from the growing suspicions of the police. The relationship between the surly Strike and his capable assistant Robin Ellacott, who chose to continue working with him at the end of The Cuckoo’s Calling, grows more complex along with the convoluted mystery.
Top Secret Twenty-One, by Janet Evanovich
As fans of Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series know, these books just keep on getting better. Top Secret Twenty-One finds Stephanie on the hunt for used-car dealer Jimmy Poletti, and protecting former frenemy Randy Briggs, who has gotten himself tied up in Poletti’s dirty dealings, in the process. Although it’s never business-as-usual where Miss Plum is is concerned, things go even more topsy-turvy when the inimitable Ranger finds himself the target of an assassination attempt. Will this be what finally makes Ranger open up to Stephanie about his mysterious existence? Probably not, but a girl can dream. A pack of feral Chihuahuas round out this wonderfully weird installment in a long-running series that will never fail to appear in a lineup of top romantic-mystery-thrillers.
Endless, by Kate Brian
The third novel in Brian’s eerie Shadowlands series, Endless continues the unsettling story of Rory Miller and her sister, Darcy. Rory, once the target of a determined and terrifying serial killer, managed to hide away on Juniper Landing, a picturesque island with a dark secret. The truth behind Rory’s new adopted home—and her relationship with the handsome, enigmatic Tristan Parrish—finally begins to be revealed in Endless, but it may be more than Rory and her family can handle. Readers who enjoy smart, layered YA mysteries should definitely pick up this series, starting with the sinister Shadowlands.
What long-awaited series are you diving into this week?