Are you an avid reader? One of the best things about summer vacation is relaxing with a good book and losing yourself in the pages. Looking to add some Maryland authors to your summer reading list? Here are a few summer reads to check out.

Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

Born in Minneapolis, Anne Tyler is now a resident of Baltimore, MD and an author of more than twenty novels. She’s received accolades for her observations and empathy for her characters.  Redhead by the Side of the Road is a perfect example of those accolades. The main character, Micah, is a creature of habit, introverted, cautious, and though incredibly intelligent, just a bit out of touch with the world around him. His life suddenly throws him a curve ball when he’s forced to deal with the eviction of his friend, as well as a teenager at his door claiming to be his son.  Redhead by the Side of the Road walks you through the heartfelt and mindful reaction of a man whose life is normally organized and without conflict as his life takes a turn, forcing him to face new experiences and emotions.

Lady In the Lake by Laura Lippmann

While working full time as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, Laura Lippmann tried her hand at writing novels and was met with unanimous praise. She has been awarded multiple awards including the Edgar, the Anthony, and the Agatha, as well as being the first ever recipient of the Mayor’s Prize for Literary Excellence and was also recognized as Author of the Year by the Maryland Library Association. This New York Times Bestselling author has done it again with Lady in the Lake, a novel about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman. Set in 1960s Baltimore, Maddie has made the transformation from a Stepford pampered housewife to a woman who left her marriage of twenty years in order to live a meaningful and passionate life. The vigor for needing to make a difference leads her into an unsolved case of a missing woman whose body was found in a fountain in a city park. Working as a reporter, she works alongside detectives to uncover the mystery.

Bad Intent by Cheril Thomas

A former Town Manager of St. Michaels, MD, Cheril Thomas is now the author of the Eastern Shore Mysteries series which take place on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Bad Intent is book three of the Eastern Shore Mysteries. Grace is an attorney with a lot of decisions to make –  whether or not to marry her current beau, or if she should move her life to a new location to start anew. These decisions are put on hold when she takes on some new clients that need her help. The Overton clan consists of one husband, three somewhat-sister-wives, and eleven children between them who are all set to film a TV show about their lives when the patriarch of the family mysteriously disappears. A hunt begins to find Heath Overton while the murders begin to pile up. Between the murders and the fast paced changes in her life, Grace tries to solve the mystery before she becomes a victim herself.

Guest: A Changeling Tale by Mary Downing Hahn

A former children’s librarian, Mary Downing Hahn has focused her career as an author on works about the supernatural and is now an award-winning author of many popular ghost stories.  From her home in Colombia, MD, Hahn creates spooky stories filled with folklore and magic.  Guest: A Changeling Tale draws from Irish folklore and tells a haunting tale of a girl growing up in a village full of superstition. Mollie realizes that certain folklore tales may be real when her brother disappears and is replaced by a goblin-like changeling, whom she names Guest. Mollie begins a quest to find the Kinde Folke in hopes that she can exchange Guest for the return of her brother, and along the magical journey a relationship begins to form – one that began with disdain becomes a relationship of compassion and protection.

 

Maryland is home to many great things and many talented people, including its authors. Enjoy your summer reading and let us know what you’re reading currently.