Three Books I'm Reading Now, 2/2/26 Edition

The Books I'm Reading Now

I'm listening to Tasha Suri's rich story-within-a-story fantasy novel The Isle in the Silver Sea; I'm reading Thrity Umrigar's recently published mystery about a missing woman, our political climate, the power of love, and the strength of assumptions, Missing Sam; and I'm continuing my recent mystery mania by listening to the trusty, twisty Lisa Jewell's intriguing interconnected-story Don't Let Him In.

What are you reading, bookworms?

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01 The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri

In an alternate England, an island lives on stories. Those who play key roles die and are repeatedly reborn into various versions of the characters they must play, and they are fated to reenact their own battles, love stories, and ends so that the isle and those on it may survive.

Simran is a strong female knight sworn to the queen, and Vina is a witch of the woods. They each know they have been called to be in a story, but when they meet, they feel an instant link--and it goes well beyond their roles in the story scripted for them. If they have any hope of rewriting their tale--and of saving the island--they must identify and stop the assassin who is destroying new stories and keeping those like Simran and Vina trapped in a loop of tragedy.

I'm listening to The Isle in the Silver Sea as a library audiobook on Libby.

Tasha Suri is also the author of The Burning Kingdoms trilogy, The Books of Ambha duology, and other books.

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02 Missing Sam by Thrity Umrigar

After married couple Sam and Ali have a silly jealousy-spawned fight after a party, Sam wakes up for a solo morning run. But one unlucky circumstance leads to another, and when Ali wakes up, her wife Sam is missing.

As Sam's disappearance stretches on, Ali, as a gay culturally Muslim woman, is excoriated in the press, and while she reels emotionally, her clients drop her, and she desperately reconnects with her estranged father for support.

Meanwhile, Sam is in her own personal hell, with dwindling hopes of ever being reunited with her love.

Thrity Umrigar is also the author of Honor. I received an electronic edition of this title courtesy of Algonquin Books and NetGalley.

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03 Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

I've been continuing my cold-weather mystery-reading habits, and Lisa Jewell is always a good bet for an intriguing story.

After Nina Swann's husband is killed, she receives a condolence card from one of his former colleagues, the charming Nick Radcliffe, who follows up with in-person charm and comfort. Nina's young-adult daughter Ash thinks Nick might be too smooth, and the timing of his entrance into their lives seems strange to her.

Martha is running a small-town florist shop, sometimes with the help of her husband Alistair. But lately he's been acting oddly, leaving town suddenly and then remaining unreachable for long stretches.

As the female characters in Don't Let Him In begin to ask questions, they head on a crash course straight toward each other--and the truth.

I'm listening to Don't Let Him In as a library audiobook on Libby.

Lisa Jewell is also the author of The Family Upstairs, None of This Is True, and other books.