Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Skeptical
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
by Carl Sagan
A critical look at superstition and pseudoscience, advocating for the power of science and reason.
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? ... (Goodreads)
Red Harvest
by Dashiell Hammett
A private detective infiltrates a corrupt town to clean up the crime and corruption.
The Continental Op is called to Personville (known as "Poisonville" to the locals) by the newspaper publisher Donald Willsson, who is murdered before the Op has a chance to meet with him. The Op ... (Wikipedia)
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
by Charles Duhigg
Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.
A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
by James W. Loewen
Exposing the inaccuracies in American history textbooks and exploring the forces that shaped them.
“Every teacher, every student of history, every citizen should read this book. It is both a refreshing antidote to what has passed for history in our educational system and a one-volume education in ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Lady in the Lake
by Raymond Chandler
Private investigator Phillip Marlowe investigates the disappearance of a young woman, uncovering a sinister plot.
Derace Kingsley, a wealthy businessman, hires Marlowe to find his estranged wife, Crystal. Kingsley had received a telegram from Crystal about two weeks before stating that she was divorcing him and ... (Wikipedia)
Oryx and Crake
by Margaret Atwood
An exploration of a post-apocalyptic world, and the power of human nature.
The novel focuses on a post-apocalyptic character called "Snowman", living near a group of primitive human-like creatures whom he calls Crakers . Flashbacks reveal that Snowman was once a boy named ... (Wikipedia)
The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason
by Sam Harris
An exploration of religion, its implications for our world and how it can be replaced with reason.
In The End of Faith , Sam Harris delivers a startling analysis of the clash between reason and religion in the modern world. He offers a vivid, historical tour of our willingness to suspend reason in ... (Goodreads)
Fatherland
by Robert Harris
A thriller set in an alternate history of Nazi Germany, where secrets of the past are uncovered.
The novel opens in Nazi Germany in April 1964 during the week leading up to Adolf Hitler 's ,[note 1], 75th birthday. Detective Xavier March is an investigator working for the Kriminalpolizei ( Kripo ... (Wikipedia)
The Partner
by John Grisham
A lawyer's daring escape from a powerful law firm and the pursuit of a hidden fortune.
It's been four years since Patrick Lanigan, a junior partner in a law firm in Biloxi, Mississippi , learned of the scheme, masterminded by his firm's client, shipbuilding magnate Benny Aricia, to ... (Wikipedia)
Dark Places
by Gillian Flynn
A woman revisits her traumatic childhood to unravel the dark secrets of her family's past.
Libby Day, the novel's narrator and protagonist , is the sole survivor of a massacre in Kinnakee, Kansas , a fictional rural town. On January 3, 1985, somewhere around 2 A.M., Libby overhears the ... (Wikipedia)
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
by Jon Ronson
Exploration of the psychiatric industry, examining the definition and diagnosis of psychopathy.
In this madcap journey, a bestselling journalist investigates psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and everyone else who studies them. The Psychopath Test is a fascinating journey ... (Goodreads)
The Invisible Man
by H.G. Wells
A scientist's journey to invisibility which leads to a descent into madness.
A mysterious man, Griffin, referred to as 'the stranger', arrives at the local inn owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of the English village of Iping , West Sussex, during a snowstorm. The stranger wears a ... (Wikipedia)
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
by Michael Lewis
Investigation into the economic crisis of 2008, revealing the people and institutions responsible.
The #1, New York Times, bestseller: "It is the work of our greatest financial journalist, at the top of his game. And it's essential reading."—Graydon Carter,, Vanity Fair, The real story of the ... (Goodreads)
Fermat's Enigma
by Simon Singh
Uncovering the centuries-old mathematical mystery of Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem.
xn + yn = zn, where n represents 3, 4, 5, ...no solution "I have discovered a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain." With these words, the ... (Goodreads)
Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife
by Mary Roach
Scientific investigations into the possibility of life after death.
"What happens when we die? Does the light just go out and that's that—the million-year nap? Or will some part of my personality, my me-ness persist? What will that feel like? What will I do all day? ... (Goodreads)
The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown
A thrilling mystery involving secret societies, hidden clues, and an ancient conspiracy.
Louvre curator and Priory of Sion grand master Jacques Saunière is fatally shot one night at the museum by an albino Catholic monk named Silas, who is working on behalf of someone he knows only as ... (Wikipedia)
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
by Barbara W. Tuchman
A captivating narrative of the 14th century and its tumultuous history.
The 14th century gives us back two contradictory images: a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry, and a dark time of ferocity and spiritual agony, a world plunged into a ... (Goodreads)
The Circle
by Dave Eggers
A cautionary tale of a powerful tech company that blurs the boundaries between privacy and surveillance.
Mae Holland, a recent college graduate, lands a job at The Circle, a powerful technology company run by the "Three Wise Men"—Tom Stenton, a ruthless businessman; Eamon Bailey, a likeable public ... (Wikipedia)
Ubik
by Philip K. Dick
A mind-bending sci-fi tale exploring the nature of reality and the power of the subconscious.
By the year 1992, humanity has colonized the Moon and psychic powers are common. The protagonist, Joe Chip, is a debt-ridden technician working for Runciter Associates, a "prudence organization" ... (Wikipedia)
The Short Drop
by Matthew FitzSimmons
A quest to discover the truth behind a political scandal, with life-and-death stakes.
A decade ago, fourteen-year-old Suzanne Lombard, the daughter of Benjamin Lombard—then a senator, now a powerful vice president running for the presidency—disappeared in the most sensational ... (Goodreads)
A Stranger in the House
by Shari Lapena
A woman discovers her husband's dark secrets, leading to a treacherous journey of suspense and terror.
In this neighborhood, danger lies close to home. A domestic thriller packed full of secrets, and a twisty story that never stops—from the bestselling author of The Couple Next Door He looks at her, ... (Goodreads)
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture
by Douglas Coupland
A satirical look at the lives of disaffected young adults in the early 1990s.
Andy, Dag and Claire have been handed a society priced beyond their means. Twentysomethings, brought up with divorce, Watergate and Three Mile Island, and scarred by the 80s fall-out of yuppies, ... (Goodreads)
The Club Dumas
by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Thriller uncovering hidden secrets and lost knowledge while searching for an elusive book.
Lucas Corso is a middle-aged book dealer with a reputation of doing anything—regardless of legality—for his privileged clientele. While in Madrid attempting to authenticate a previously unknown ... (Wikipedia)
The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas
by Machado de Assis
A satirical narrative of a man reflecting on his life after death.
A publicação de 'Memórias póstumas de Brás Cubas' não só inaugura o Realismo no Brasil, como inicia a etapa mais complexa da obra de Machado de Assis. Com ela, aprofunda-se a sua análise da realidade ... (Goodreads)
The Honourable Schoolboy
by John le Carré
A British agent's efforts to uncover a Soviet spy network in Southeast Asia.
In 1974 George Smiley , the chief of the British secret intelligence service referred to as The Circus, is repairing the damage done to their operations by double agent Bill Haydon and looking for ... (Wikipedia)
One Corpse Too Many
by Ellis Peters
A medieval monk sets out to reveal the truth behind a suspicious death in a remote Welsh village.
In August 1138, King Stephen is besieging rebels now loyal to Empress Matilda in Shrewsbury Castle. Brother Cadfael welcomes the assistance of young Godric, brought to the Abbey by his aunt. Cadfael ... (Wikipedia)
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
by Jon Krakauer
An exploration of the fundamentalist Mormon faith, its history, and the power of religious extremism.
A Story of Violent Faith A multilayered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, savage violence, polygamy, and unyielding faith. This is vintage Krakauer, an utterly compelling work of ... (Goodreads)
Candide
by Voltaire
A young man's satirical journey through life, encountering misfortune and eventual optimism.
Candide is the story of a gentle man who, though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate, clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a ... (Goodreads)
Call for the Dead
by John le Carré
A spy thriller about a British agent's investigation into a diplomat's mysterious death.
Following a wartime excursion undercover, first in Germany and then in Switzerland , George Smiley returns to England and marries Lady Ann Sercombe. Although a devout husband, Ann is serially ... (Wikipedia)
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A critical examination of the impact of randomness/chance in life and financial markets.
Fooled by Randomness, is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a ... (Goodreads)
Strong Poison
by Dorothy L. Sayers
A murder mystery novel combining romance and suspense as a woman is accused of poisoning her lover.
The novel opens with mystery author Harriet Vane on trial for the murder of her former lover, Phillip Boyes: a writer with strong views on atheism, anarchy, and free love . Publicly professing to ... (Wikipedia)
The Racketeer
by John Grisham
An imprisoned lawyer discovers a sinister plot, using his knowledge of the law to uncover the truth.
Malcolm Bannister is an African American attorney in a small-town Virginia law firm. A real estate transaction which he undertook in good faith turns out to have involved the purchase of a secluded ... (Wikipedia)
Smiley's People
by John le Carré
Retired spy Smiley is thrust back into the world of espionage to uncover a deadly conspiracy.
John le Carre's classic novels deftly navigate readers through the intricate shadow worlds of international espionage with unsurpassed skill and knowledge and have earned him – and his hero, British ... (Goodreads)
Long Lost
by Harlan Coben
A man goes on a quest to uncover the truth behind his missing sister's disappearance.
Myron Bolitar receives a phone call from an ex-lover, Terese, who asks him to come to Paris immediately. Upon arriving, Myron is informed by French police that Terese's ex-husband, Rick, has been ... (Wikipedia)
The Puppet Masters
by Robert A. Heinlein
Aliens have invaded Earth, and a small group of agents must stop them from taking control.
First came the news that a flying saucer had landed in Iowa. Then came the announcement that the whole thing was a hoax. End of story. Case closed. Except that two agents of the most secret ... (Goodreads)
State of Fear
by Michael Crichton
A thrilling tale of a scientific conspiracy and environmental terrorism.
Peter Evans is a lawyer for a millionaire philanthropist, George Morton. Evans' main duties are managing the legal affairs surrounding Morton's contributions to an environmentalist organization, the ... (Wikipedia)
The Crying of Lot 49
by Thomas Pynchon
A surreal journey of uncovering the truth of a mysterious organization.
In the mid-1960s, Oedipa Maas lives a fairly comfortable life in the (fictional) northern Californian village of Kinneret, despite her lackluster marriage with Mucho Maas, a rudderless radio jockey , ... (Wikipedia)
Before I Go to Sleep
by S.J. Watson
A woman suffering from memory loss wakes up each day without the knowledge of her past.
The novel is a psychological thriller about a woman suffering from anterograde amnesia . , She wakes up every day with no knowledge of who she is and the novel follows her as she tries to reconstruct ... (Wikipedia)
The Preacher
by Camilla Läckberg
A gripping crime novel about a young detective investigating a series of murders in a small Swedish town.
Almost every subplot focuses on a parent-child relationship: central we have three generations of misogynist father/son in which violations of young girls is almost enshrined; ramifications occur ... (Wikipedia)
The Hidden Child
by Camilla Läckberg
A psychological suspense novel, uncovering secrets and lies of a small rural town.
This is regarded as one of the more plot-driven novels in the series, with more emphasis on the story. , Erika wants to write a 'great book' so Patrik goes on paternity leave to look after their baby ... (Wikipedia)
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
by Neil Postman
Analysis of the effects of mass media on modern culture and how it changes communication.
Television has conditioned us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in spoonfuls of time, to the detriment of rational public discourse and reasoned public affairs. In this ... (Goodreads)
2666
by Roberto Bolaño
An epic saga of interconnected stories exploring the darkness of the human soul.
The novel is substantially concerned with violence and death. According to Levi Stahl, it "is another iteration of Bolaño's increasingly baroque, cryptic, and mystical personal vision of the world, ... (Wikipedia)
The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus
by Richard Preston
An exploration of the discovery and containment of one of world's deadliest viruses.
A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret ... (Goodreads)
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
An exploration of how disorder and chaos can lead to strength and resilience.
From the bestselling author of The Black Swan and one of the foremost philosophers of our time, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a book on how some systems actually benefit from disorder. In The Black Swan ... (Goodreads)
Defending Jacob
by William Landay
A father must defend his son who is accused of murder, unraveling the truth of a complex crime.
Andy Barber is an assistant district attorney in Newton , Massachusetts. He is investigating the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Ben Rifkin, who was a classmate of his son Jacob and was found stabbed to ... (Wikipedia)
A Legacy of Spies
by John le Carré
A former spy must confront the consequences of his past actions.
Peter Guillam, staunch colleague and disciple of George Smiley of the British Secret Service, otherwise known as the Circus, is living out his old age on the family farmstead on the south coast of ... (Goodreads)
The God Delusion
by Richard Dawkins
Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.
A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)
Pattern Recognition
by William Gibson
A story of a woman's search for truth and identity in a digital world.
Advertising consultant Cayce Pollard , who reacts to logos and advertising as if to an allergen , arrives in London in August 2002. She is working on a contract with the marketing firm Blue Ant to ... (Wikipedia)
The Amityville Horror
by Jay Anson
A family's terrifying ordeal in a haunted house, where the supernatural lurks in the shadows.
The book, purportedly based on a true story, describes the house at 112 Ocean Avenue as remaining empty for 13 months after the DeFeo murders . In December 1975, George and Kathleen Lutz bought the ... (Wikipedia)
The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature
by Steven Pinker
The exploration of the science of human nature, including the implications for society.
In The Blank Slate , Steven Pinker explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. He shows how many intellectuals have denied the existence of human nature by ... (Goodreads)
Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right
by Jane Mayer
Exposes the network of ultra-wealthy individuals who have funded the radical right-wing political agenda for the last four decades.
Why is America living in an age of profound economic inequality? Why, despite the desperate need to address climate change, have even modest environmental efforts been defeated again and again? Why ... (Goodreads)
The Millennium Trilogy
by Stieg Larsson
Thrilling crime novel exploring the dark side of human nature and the consequences of secrets.
Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy is now available in a complete hardcover set., The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, , Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families disappeared without ... (Goodreads)
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
by Richard Dawkins
An exploration of the evidence and science of evolution, highlighting its importance in understanding the history of life on Earth.
Charles Darwin’s masterpiece, On the Origin of Species , shook society to its core on publication in 1859. Darwin was only too aware of the storm his theory of evolution would provoke but he would ... (Goodreads)
Sad Cypress
by Agatha Christie
A twisting murder mystery that unravels secrets of a wealthy family.
Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Welman are engaged to be married when she receives an anonymous letter claiming that someone is "sucking up" to their wealthy aunt, Laura Welman, from whom Elinor and Roddy ... (Wikipedia)
The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design
by Richard Dawkins
A detailed exploration of the evidence for evolution, and its implications for our understanding of the world.
***30th Anniversary Edition*** Cover note: Each copy of the anniversary edition of, The Blind Watchmaker, features a unique biomorph. No two covers are exactly alike. Acclaimed as the most ... (Goodreads)
Identity Crisis
by Brad Meltzer
A murder mystery set in the DC Comics universe, uncovering the secrets of a mysterious organization.
While Elongated Man is on a stakeout , during which a minor villain called Bolt is shot and wounded by criminals, his wife Sue Dibny is murdered in their apartment, apparently dying of burns. The DC ... (Wikipedia)
The Testament
by John Grisham
A billionaire's will creates a legal battle between his descendants and the townspeople who have been displaced.
In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions, ... (Goodreads)
The Stepford Wives
by Ira Levin
An unsuspecting woman discovers a sinister conspiracy in her seemingly perfect suburban town.
The premise involves the married men of the fictional Fairfield County town of Stepford, Connecticut and their fawning, submissive, impossibly beautiful wives. The protagonist is Joanna Eberhart, a ... (Wikipedia)
The Angel of Darkness
by Caleb Carr
Detective Laszlo Kreizler investigates a series of horrific child murders in 19th century New York City.
The now-adult Stevie Taggert, a tobacconist , makes a bet with an elderly John Moore that he can write the story of one of their adventures together as well as Moore (a former newspaper reporter) ... (Wikipedia)
Bad Science
by Ben Goldacre
A critical look at the misuse of scientific fact and the implications of bad science.
Full of spleen, this is a hilarious, invigorating and informative journey through the world of Bad Science . When Dr Ben Goldacre saw someone on daytime TV dipping her feet in an 'Aqua Detox' ... (Goodreads)
His Bloody Project: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae
by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Historical fiction on a haunting trial of a young man accused of a triple murder.
Man Booker Prize Finalist., LA Times, Book Prize Finalist., New York Times, Editor’s Choice. American Booksellers Association National Indie Bestseller! Named on “Best Book” lists by, Newsweek,, ... (Barnes & Noble)
Death By Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Exploring the science of the universe, from the edge of a black hole to the big bang.
A vibrant collection of essays on the cosmos from the nation's best-known astrophysicist. "One of today's best popularizers of science." ,—Kirkus Reviews., Loyal readers of the monthly "Universe" ... (Goodreads)
Conclave
by Robert Harris
Political thriller about the election of a new Pope amid a power struggle in the Vatican.
The Pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy ... (Goodreads)
A Head Full of Ghosts
by Paul Tremblay
A family's descent into darkness when their teenage daughter is suspected to be possessed.
The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia. To her parents' despair, the doctors ... (Goodreads)
The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal
by David E. Hoffman
A gripping true story of espionage, betrayal, and the struggle against the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
From the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning history, The Dead Hand, comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the Soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the ... (Goodreads)
State of the Union
by Brad Thor
An ex-Navy Seal must save the United States from a dangerous foreign enemy.
From the national bestselling author of "The Lions of Lucerne" and "Path of the Assassin" comes another electrifying international thriller featuring all-American hero Scot Harvath, as he plunges ... (Goodreads)
Debt: The First 5,000 Years
by David Graeber
A history of money and debt, exploring the roots of our current financial system.
Before there was money, there was debt Every economics textbook says the same thing: Money was invented to replace onerous and complicated barter systems—to relieve ancient people from having to haul ... (Goodreads)
Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General
by Bill O'Reilly
Investigation into the mysterious death of General George S. Patton, and the implications of its cover-up.
Readers around the world have thrilled to, Killing Lincoln,, Killing Kennedy, and, Killing Jesus,—riveting works of nonfiction that journey into the heart of the most famous murders in history. Now ... (Goodreads)
The Truth
by Stephen Briggs
A man's quest to uncover secrets of his family's past, uncovering truths that will change his life.
William de Worde is the black sheep of an influential Ankh-Morpork family, scraping out a humble lifestyle as a common scribe and making extra pocket money by producing a gossipy newsletter for ... (Wikipedia)
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
by David Hume
Analysis of the nature of human understanding, challenging existing philosophical and religious beliefs.
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, is a book by the Scottish empiricist philosopher David Hume , published in English in 1748. , It was a revision of an earlier effort, Hume's A Treatise of ... (Wikipedia)
A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal
by Ben Macintyre
The true story of a legendary British spy, who betrayed his country and family.
Master storyteller Ben Macintyre’s most ambitious work to date brings to life the twentieth century’s greatest spy story. Kim Philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who ... (Goodreads)
The Heart Goes Last
by Margaret Atwood
A couple's struggle to survive in a dystopian world, where they must alternate between prison and freedom.
Living in their car, surviving on tips, Charmaine and Stan are in a desperate state. So, when they see an advertisement for Consilience, a ‘social experiment’ offering stable jobs and a home of their ... (Wikipedia)
More Than a Carpenter
by Josh McDowell
An examination of the evidence for the existence of Jesus, and its implications for faith.
With almost ten million copies in print, "More Than a Carpenter" continues to be the most powerful evangelism tool worldwide. Josh McDowell's timeless examination of the true nature of Christ and his ... (Goodreads)
Vicious Circle
by C.J. Box
An epic tale of survival and justice, as a Wyoming game warden must outwit a ruthless killer.
The plane circled in the dark. Joe Pickett could just make out down below a figure in the snow and timber, and then three other figures closing in. There was nothing he could do about it. And Joe ... (Goodreads)
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
by Edwin Lefèvre
A classic financial story, recounting the life and trading success of a Wall Street stock market master.
The book can be divided into three parts: , In his 2008 book,, The Age of Turbulence, , Alan Greenspan called the book "a font of investing wisdom" and noted that quotes from the book such as "bulls ... (Wikipedia)
Meditations on First Philosophy
by René Descartes
Reflection on the nature of reality and human knowledge.
Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy , the fundamental and originating work of the modern era in Western philosophy, is presented here in Donald Cress's completely revised edition of his ... (Goodreads)
False Memory
by Dean Koontz
A suspenseful tale of a man uncovering the truth about a mysterious past.
Martie Rhodes helps her friend Susan Jagger, who suffers from agoraphobia , attend visits to psychologist Dr. Ahriman. Martie's husband, Dusty Rhodes, tries to help his brother Skeet, by providing ... (Wikipedia)
Wayward
by Blake Crouch
A man's desperate mission to rescue his family from a parallel dimension.
Welcome to Wayward Pines, population 461. Nestled amidst picture-perfect mountains, the idyllic town is a modern-day Eden...except for the electrified fence and razor wire, snipers scoping everything ... (Goodreads)
Tell No One
by Harlan Coben
A man's quest to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of his wife, uncovering a deeper mystery.
For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night ... (Goodreads)
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
by Tim Weiner
A critical look at the history of the CIA, exploring its successes and failures.
For the last sixty years, the CIA has managed to maintain a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, burying its blunders in top-secret archives. Its mission was to know the world. When ... (Goodreads)
Blitzed: Drugs in Nazi Germany
by Norman Ohler
Examines the Nazi regime's widespread use of drugs to fuel its war machine.
In this highly original book, a bestseller in Germany, Norman Ohler investigates the murky, chaotic world of drug use in the Third Reich. There have been other books on Dr Morell's cocktail of ... (Goodreads)
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
A woman suffering from amnesia desperately trying to uncover the truth about her past.
NEW YORK TIMES, AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER “Boldly plotted, tightly knotted—a provocative true-or-false thriller that deepens and darkens to its ink-black finale. Marvelous.” —AJ Finn, author of, ... (Barnes & Noble)
You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself
by David McRaney
A humorous exploration of cognitive biases, irrational behavior and why humans deceive themselves.
An entertaining illumination of the stupid beliefs that make us feel wise. Whether you’re deciding which smart phone to purchase or which politician to believe, you think you are a rational being ... (Goodreads)
How to Lie with Statistics
by Darrell Huff
A humorous guide to mastering the art of manipulating data to support any argument.
Darrell Huff runs the gamut of every popularly used type of statistic, probes such things as the sample study, the tabulation method, the interview technique, or the way the results are derived from ... (Goodreads)
Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative?
by Mark Fisher
Critique of late capitalism, exploring the oppressive power of neoliberalism.
After 1989, capitalism has presented itself as the only realistic political-economic system. What effects has this “capitalist realism” had on work, culture, education and mental health? Is it ... (Goodreads)
The Crossing Places
by Elly Griffiths
An amateur archaeologist follows clues to uncover a dark secret in a remote coastal town.
Forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is in her late thirties and lives happily alone with her two cats in a bleak, remote area near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants—not ... (Goodreads)
Conspirata
by Robert Harris
Historical political thriller set in ancient Rome, featuring a Senator's struggle to protect the Republic.
Cicero returns to continue his struggle to grasp supreme power in the state of Rome. Amidst treachery, vengeance, violence, and treason, this brilliant lawyer, orator, and philosopher finally reaches ... (Goodreads)
The Leftovers
by Tom Perrotta
A family struggles to cope with the mysterious disappearance of loved ones in a post-apocalyptic world.
Several years after a rapture-like event in which millions of people worldwide suddenly vanish without explanation, the citizens of Mapleton, Ohio are still struggling to cope with the massive loss ... (Wikipedia)
Journey to Munich
by Jacqueline Winspear
A story of espionage, espionage and morality in the midst of WWII.
Working with the British Secret Service on an undercover mission, Maisie Dobbs is sent to Hitler’s Germany in this thrilling tale of danger and intrigue—the twelfth novel in Jacqueline Winspear’s New ... (Goodreads)
Waiting for the Barbarians
by J.M. Coetzee
A magistrate's moral crisis when faced with the abuse of power by the oppressive Empire.
The story is narrated in the first person by the unnamed magistrate of a settlement that exists on the territorial frontier of "The Empire". The Magistrate's rather peaceful existence comes to an end ... (Wikipedia)
Home
by Harlan Coben
An investigation into the disappearance of a teenage girl, uncovering a web of secrets.
After a year in hiding, Win contacts Myron to say he has located Patrick Moore, now 16, one of two boys kidnapped ten years ago from the home of Brooke Baldwin, Win's cousin. The other six-year old ... (Wikipedia)
Fatal Vision
by Joe McGinniss
True crime investigation of a U.S. Army doctor's double life of murder and deception.
Fatal Vision is the electrifying true story of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, the handsome, Princeton-educated physician convicted of savagely slaying his young pregnant wife and two small children, murders ... (Goodreads)
The Hypnotist
by Lars Kepler
A police detective investigates a mysterious and violent death, uncovering a dark and sinister past.
A man is discovered murdered in the bathroom of a locker room. Upon going to the man's residence, a policeman finds the man's wife and young daughter brutally murdered as well as his son, Josef Ek, ... (Wikipedia)
M is for Malice
by Sue Grafton
Kinsey Millhone is on the hunt for a killer as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of a woman.
In January 1986, Tasha Howard hires her cousin Kinsey Millhone to find an heir of the wealthy Malek family. When patriarch Bader Malek died, everyone assumed his $40 million estate would be split ... (Wikipedia)
The Fuller Memorandum
by Charles Stross
An eccentric spy unravels a supernatural conspiracy as he battles a mysterious enemy.
Computational demonologist Bob Howard catches up on filing in the Laundry archives when the top secret Fuller Memorandum vanishes - and his boss, suspected of stealing the file. Bob faces Russian ... (Goodreads)
The Whisperer
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An Italian detective's investigation into a series of mysterious disappearances.
A gripping literary thriller and smash bestseller that has taken Italy, France, Germany and the UK by storm. Six severed arms are discovered, arranged in a mysterious circle and buried in a clearing ... (Goodreads)
Silent Prey
by John Sandford
A crime thriller following an investigation by detective Lucas Davenport.
His guards slain, the brilliant yet insane pathologist of 'Eyes of Prey" flees to New York, there to continue his research into aspects of death. Carefully, Michael Bekker conducts his experiments, ... (Goodreads)
Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas
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A collection of essays on culture and the way we think about the world.
"Chuck Klosterman IV" Consists of Three Parts: THINGS THAT ARE TRUE Profiles And Trend Stories: Britney Spears, Radiohead, Billy Joel, Metallica, Val Kilmer, Bono, Wilco, The White Stripes, Steve ... (Goodreads)
When the Bough Breaks
by Jonathan Kellerman
A detective unravels the secrets of a mysterious murder in Los Angeles.
The first Alex Delaware novel. It's a good one! We meet Dr. Morton Handler who practiced a strange brand of psychiatry. Among his specialties were fraud, extortion, and sexual manipulation. Handler ... (Goodreads)
Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is
by Eric Barker
A comprehensive look at how and why traditional ideas of success are flawed, and how to find success in new ways.
Wall Street Journal Bestseller Much of the advice we’ve been told about achievement is logical, earnest…and downright wrong. In, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Eric Barker reveals the extraordinary ... (Barnes & Noble)
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