Now here's something we never expected to see: a sequel to Heat.
Michael Mann's Heat is the defacto champ when it comes to cinematic cops and robbers stories. In the twenty-seven or so years since the events of the film, folks have often wondered what happened to the crew that survived that last heist. Well, Mann and co-writer Meg Gardiner have finally written that story.
Heat 2 goes back and forth around that week in LA, showing us earlier heists pulled off by Shiherlis, McCauley, and the rest of the crew, as well as following Detective Vincent Hanna as he pursues Shiherlis across Los Angeles. This is big-screen explosive crime fiction shrunken down to fit the page. You know it's going to keep you up all night.
And speaking of propulsive reads, here is Lisa Jewell's The Family Remains, which is a "standalone sequel" to, uh—wait, what does that mean? If it stands alone, then how can it be a sequel? Does it mean it is exactly her last book but with different characters?
We're going to run with that. The Family Remains is just like The Family Upstairs, except all the names have been changed. And that thing that happens in Chapter 6 happens in Chapter 5 this time. And the house is in an upscale neighborhood this time. But, you know, other than that, it's like the first one but different. Plan accordingly.
"Standalone sequel." Whatever. Don't confuse us.
Meanwhile, Wesley Chu tries something a little different with The Art of Prophecy, the first book in a new fantasy series, where a wrong hero is anointed by a prophecy, and they must save a kingdom from a cruel immortal god-king with the help of a rag-tag band of . . . Oh, for crying out loud!
Let's try Jeff Zentner's In the Wild Light. This one is a coming-of-age novel about testing the bonds of friendship when two pals bail on their Appalachian hometown for something a little more upscale. Naturally, change changes people, and both Cash and Delany must grapple with their new friends and identities as they figure out who they really are. It's always the thing when you chart your own path, isn't it?
Here's a pair for you. First up is Mad About You, Mhairi McFarlane's new rom-com about a woman who bails from the "perfect" man to live with a total stranger. Naturally, "we're just roommates" lasts for about a chapter and a half. Hijinks and romantic tension ensues, leading to self-discovery, some snogging, and a happy ending.
And here's Jean Meltzer's Mr. Perfect on Paper, which is the story of a quirky matchmaker who can match everyone but herself. Naturally, her "perfect" match is a myth, and she's oblivious to the guy standing next to her for most of the novel. Hijinks, romantic tension, smooching, and all that follow.
Maia Toll's The Night School is out this week. Subtitled "Lessons in Moonlight, Magic, and the Mysteries of Being Human," The Night School is a nocturnal coursebook for unlocking the secrets of the nighttime. Each section is cleverly labeled ("Midnight Foundations" is Philosophy 101, while "Harnessing the Celestial Tides" is Energetic Engineering 101). Now, this is some continuing education that we can get behind.
Naturally, there is a companion deck and a journal. Well done, Maia Toll. Well done.
Is it too early for advent calendars? Yes? Maybe? Well, okay, maybe it is too early, but if you buy two, you can open one now and still have one for the holiday season. That's a fine plan!
Meanwhile, here is C. J. Carey's Widowland, which asks what would England look like after a Nazi victory in WWII. Our brave heroine is Rose Ransom, whose day job is to Orwell up classic works of literature to ensure they don't give young ladies any clever ideas. When seditious graffiti starts spreading across the walls of public buildings, Rose is sent into Widowland, that terribly grim place where childless women over fifty have been sent. Naturally, Rose discovers all is not well in merry new England. It's a little bit The Handmaid's Tale meets The Man in the High Castle, in case you haven't gotten enough of those dystopian flavors.
Oh, and in case you didn't get enough of fancy-named assassins doing fancy assassin things, Kotaro Isaka's new book is out this week. This one is called Three Assassins (as compared to the half-dozen or so in Bullet Train), and it follows an ordinary fellow who has a bad day (or six). He falls in with a quirky crowd in the criminal underworld of Tokyo and, well, nothing is as it seems. Naturally, hijinks ensue, along with some necking (do they still do that?), some baking—no wait, we're probably leading you astray there.
And speaking of crime novels, Colson Whitehead's Harlem Shuffle is out in paperback this week. It's the story of a family that tries to be honest with each other, while they're lying to the rest of the world and stealing all the valuables they can get their hands on. Naturally, things go off the rails, but as this is Whitehead, you know the resultant chaos is going to be beautifully written and will likely break your heart as it is thieving your socks. Plan accordingly.