The best thing about coming home from a trip is going through all the books that stacked up while I was gone. This time, I’ve got 4 great titles – I really need more time for reading!

First, from Harper Collins, Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. A mother in India gives her infant daughter away to save her life. An Indian woman in San Francisco finds out that she will never be able to have children. An adoption links them together and the story follows the two families. I’ve read very good things about this and I’m really looking forward to reading it.

A new thriller from the Greenleaf Book Group! Rainfall and Bullets by Herbert J. Cooke, Jr. is a story of crime syndicates and hit men, corrupt cops and a taxi driver who just wants to save his wife. I love the cover art and the story will be a good contrast to Secret Daughter

Henry Holt & Co. sent me The Civilized World by Susi Wyss. According to the cover it is “a novel in stories”; it appears to be organized as a book of short stories on a theme. That’s different, and different is usually good.

Last, from Synergy Books, White Sleeper by David R. Fett and Stephen Langford. Biowarfare waged by crazy white supremicists? Might be a little too close to the headlines, but we’ll see.

Anything new on your shelves this week? Which one should I read first?