Fiction

The Last Letter from Your Loverby Jojo Moyes Several of you mentioned this book – it was on the bubble for top pick. “In 1960, Jennifer Stirling wakes in the hospital and remembers nothing—not the car accident that put her there, not her wealthy husband, not even her own name. Searching for clues, she finds an impassioned letter, signed simply ‘B,’ from a man for whom she seemed willing to risk everything. In 2003, journalist Ellie Haworth stumbles upon the letter and becomes obsessed with learning the unknown lovers’ fate.”   This novel is at times predictable, but the overall arc of the story is not what I expected.”

The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith. "This was the best novel I read in 2016.  It's a page turner that tells the story of a 1960s forgery by a young art historian in NYC and then transports you to 1600 Holland and the story of the artist whose painting was forged. Both are women and their lives parallel and connect in surprising ways."

Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead. Single mother and daughter from a moneyed family on the Upper East Side. Sibling rivalry, family trusts, and NYC in the 80s and 90s. A two-afternoon read.

Leaving Unknown by Kerry Reichs.  Another book by DC lawyer turned novelist, this one about a young woman on a cross-country trip, trying to put her life back together again.  Lots of humor, great characters (a cursing cockatiel!) and romance. Kerry is a local Washington author. Her first novel, The Best Day of Someone Else's Lifewas on the book list a couple of years ago. From the Booklist review: "Reichs’ newest novel follows 26-year-old Maeve Connelly as she journeys across America in a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner in an attempt to put her life back together. Accompanied by her bird, Oliver, Maeve works odd jobs in small towns ranging from Okay, Oklahoma, to Toad Suck, Arkansas, in order to keep her car in working condition. Misfortune strikes, however, when her car breaks down near Unknown, Arizona, where she is stranded for months on end. While there, Maeve becomes attached to assorted town denizens, befriending an attractive young doctor and obtaining a job at a bookstore run by a handsome children’s book author. She also begins to reexamine troubles from her past after a secret she has been keeping is revealed... Reichs’ witty and entertaining writing style makes Leaving Unknown a trip worth taking."

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. "Because of the plot - a 30-something mother suffers a traumatic brain injury in a car accident - I expected this to be sad but story moves along and, in a strange way is uplifting, because of the storytelling. For busy moms, it puts a lot in perspective about what's important."

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta. “Very interesting concept: how do the people that are left behind continue with their lives after suddenly one day, without explanation, a number of people disappear; the so-called ‘Sudden Departure.’”

The Legend of Brokenby Caleb Carr.  "In the kingdom of Broken, the priests and god-kings value physical perfection so banish anyone less than perfect. These people become the tribe of Bane, who exist in nearly perpetual war against Broken. Set in Germany in about 750 A.D., Carr laces the language with slightly Germanic phrases – just enough to make the reader think. And, the perfection of Broken echoes the rise of the Aryan nation of the Nazis. It’s written in a nearly archaic style which takes some getting used to, but once you do the story comes alive."

The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa. "Seems like a good summertime read. Mid-19th century Sicily, summer house, sunny and blue, and crumbling, with good food descriptions even, while from it the famous quote about in order to stay the same everything had to change."

Let the Great World Spin: A Novel by by Colum Mcann. "Follows the lives of a group of individuals immediately before and after Philippe Petit walked a tightrope between the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974. Although the book does not feature Petit as one of its central characters, the lives of all of the main characters intersect with Petit's walk in a key way, creating a neat puzzle around the event.”

Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name: A Novel (P.S.) by Vendela Vida. "Vida co-wrote the film ‘Away We Go’ (starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph), and I was curious to see what her literary footprint looked like. Let the Northern Lights was a fascinating read. Vida's imagery is astounding, and you will feel both the bone-chilling cold of the story's setting (Lapland) and of the main character's mother."