Here are a few of our latest recommendations in fiction, some with links to information on the author or about the book. Be sure to visit our Mysteries & Thrillers page and see our Best Mysteries of 2005. Or if fiction is not your preference, see our Non-Fiction Suggestions page.

The Suspicions Of Mr. Whicher By Kate Summerscale

The author of The Queen Of Whale Cay takes us on an examination of the Victorian mindset and their fascination with and repulsion by the figure of "the detective". The real -life 1860 case of The Road House murder, which inspired the work of such literary luminaries as Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, was also the downfall of the man who was one of the first eight men appointed to the rank of detective in London. Summerscale's in-depth look brings the case, the characters, and all its historical ramifications to life for the modern reader in this gripping non-fiction tale that reads like the English country house mysteries it inspired.

Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance By Giles Brandreth

Anne Perry says, "I always wanted to meet Oscar Wilde and now I feel that I have done, and shared a terrific, bizarre and frightening adventure with him. I recommend the experience."

A young artist's model has been murdered, and legendary wit Oscar Wilde enlists his friends Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Sherard to help him investigate. But when they arrive at the scene of the crime they find no sign of the gruesome killing -- save one small spatter of blood, high on the wall. Set in London, Paris, Oxford, and Edinburgh at the height of Queen Victoria's reign, here is a gripping eyewitness account of Wilde's secret involvement in the curious case of Billy Wood, a young man whose brutal murder served as the inspiration for The Picture of Dorian Gray. Told by Wilde's contemporary -- poet Robert Sherard -- this novel provides a fascinating and evocative portrait of the great playwright and his own "consulting detective," Sherlock Holmes creator, Arthur Conan Doyle. (Jacket description)

Bone Rattler By Eliot Pattison

The author of the Inspector Shan mysteries takes a page out of James Fenimore Cooper's The Last Of The Mohicans with a new series set in pre-revolutionary America. A young medical student in servitude on a prison ship is thrust into a series of strange and deadly events which are even more bizarre than the New World in which he finds himself. Going from prisoner to the tutor of a rich gentleman's children turns out not to be as much of a promotion in his fortunes as expected. (BH)

Out Stealing Horses By Per Petterson

Retiring to a rustic cabin in northern Norway brings back memories of a life changing summer from Trond's youth. Set during present day and the second World War, Trond reflects on how his father's covert dealings during the war and the tragic actions of his best friend put in motion events that dramatically changed their lives.

This is about as good as it gets. The book was lovely, slow, and contemplative, and talks about the feelings of Norwegians during the occupation.(KW)

The Engineer Reconditioned By Neal Asher

From the author of the incredible Brass Man, this is an enthralling short story collection by one of the most innovative talents in contemporary science fiction. (PLB)

Unfeeling By Ian Holding

"Holding builds up his nightmarish picture with intense detail. His descriptions of the land are haunting, his own love of it poignantly vivid...his work sings" -Glasgow Herald. This novel explores the tragedy of Zimbabwe's nationalization of White owned farms from the viewpoint of the farmers, many of whom had been there for generations, and thought of themselves as African even as they were dispossessed and in cases, murdered. (PLB)