The House of Barbary by Isabelle Schuler (Raven Books). Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro. “Wilhelm sees his son’s proximity to the Barbarys mostly as grist for the gossip mill, but Johann finds himself quite taken with Jakob and his daughter. His opinion, however, undergoes a profound change on the night he discovers a body in the cellar of the Barbary home. At first, he is unsettled, but as he begins to learn more about Jakob and his political associates, distress becomes disgust. Johann is soon forced to make a decision that will affect the rest of his life — and Jakob’s.”

The Boundless Deep: Young Tennyson, Science and the Crisis of Belief by Richard Holmes (Pantheon). Reviewed by Raima Larter. “As the author demonstrates, these were difficult years indeed. Tennyson’s father, Dr. George Tennyson, grew depressed and violent, descending into alcoholism before eventually dying. Alfred, a student at Trinity by then, had to leave school and try to make his way. There were many problems to contend with, including the mental illness of his younger brothers, the loss of the family home when a new rector was installed at Somersby, the death of Alfred’s best friend, and on and on. Through it all, he wrote.”

Kin: A Novel by Tayari Jones (Knopf). Reviewed by Tara Campbell. “Yes, this is history, but real flesh-and-blood girls are experiencing it. They live through and debate things like the Civil Rights Movement, colorism and passing, sexuality and the controversy of queerness, and marriage and pregnancy in a personal, practical manner rather than some grand, distant, sepia-toned perspective.”

The Neighborhood: Space, State, and Daily Life in a Manchurian City by Nianshen Song (University of Chicago Press). Reviewed by Eileen Miller. “The Neighborhood begins with the convergence of religion, politics, and ethnicity. In 1644, to enhance their connection to the Mongol-majority Inner Asia territories, the Qing emperor strategically chose to patronize Tibetan Buddhism, the dominant religion of the Mongols. From this alliance, Xita got its name, a reference to the West Stupa, a mound-like tower built on the site of a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of what is today Shenyang. From here, Song delves into the priest-patron relationship between the Qing state and the Tibetan Buddhist lamas and how this unique relationship influenced the lamas’ daily lives.”

The Water Lies by Amy Meyerson (Thomas & Mercer). Reviewed by Chris Rutledge. “The story unfolds with a question: Was Regina Geller murdered? She drowned in the canals, and her death is initially ruled a drunken accident. But this conclusion raises the suspicions of her mother, Barb, who knew her daughter to be steadfastly sober and a fairly competent swimmer. It also piques Tessa, a neighbor who, while not knowing Regina personally, recently crossed paths with her in a way that triggered her own protective instincts. Soon, Barb and Tessa join forces to find justice for one family and protect another from a looming threat.”

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