Recommended Reads

April 2025

Watching You by Lisa Jewell

Watching You is a nail-biting psychological thriller set in Melville Heights, one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Bristol, England—home to doctors, lawyers, and other wealthy professionals—a seemingly perfect and peaceful place to live. But everyone in Melville Heights has secrets, and everyone is watching their neighbors. The story revolves around a cast of slightly eccentric characters, all harboring their own hidden vices and obsessions. At the center is Tom Fitzwilliam, a charismatic headmaster who becomes an object of obsession for his new neighbor, Joey Mullen. As Joey’s infatuation grows, Tom’s teenage son, Freddie (a prodigy who plans to work for MI-5 when he grows up), and one of Tom’s students, Jenna Tripp, begin to uncover some unsettling facts about Joey. Jewell cleverly weaves together multiple characters’ perspectives to increase the suspense, creating a complex and frightening narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores themes of voyeurism, obsession, and the hidden darkness within an outwardly perfect community, while the carefully crafted plot offers several shocking twists before the end. If you enjoy stories that explore the complexities of human behavior and the secrets people keep, this novel is worth a read.

Learning from Geniuses in the Arts and Sciences: Life Lessons from History’s Hall of Humanities by Gary Hauck

In Learning from Geniuses in the Arts and Sciences, MCC’s beloved Gary Hauck explores the lives and minds of history’s most brilliant figures, from Pablo Picasso to Hildegard of Bingen, to Nikola Tesla, Galileo, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Dante Alighieri, and many more! By examining the achievements and thought processes of geniuses across a variety of fields, from art to cinema to science, Gary offers readers valuable lessons on creativity, innovation, and intellectual growth. Each chapter focuses on a different genius, providing a detailed account of their contributions and the unique qualities that set them apart. He also highlights the common traits and habits that many of these extraordinary individuals shared, encouraging readers to adopt similar practices in their own lives. Perhaps the best part of the book is Gary’s inclusion of funny and enlightening tales from his own many adventures abroad, which gives this book a personal touch and makes the biographical information come alive. The pages are packed with Gary’s personal photos of artworks and historical sites from his travels. His conversational writing style makes this book just as much fun as attending one of his lectures or sharing a friendly chat on campus. Overall, it’s a fascinating read for anyone interested in learning about history and the humanities, not to mention gaining a better understanding of the factors that contribute to exceptional creativity and intelligence. If you’re looking to enhance your own intellectual and creative pursuits, this book will offer you practical advice and inspiration!

Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion, read by Lauren Fortgang (Audiobook on Libby!) 

Didion’s 1970 novel follows the life of Maria Wyeth, an actress and model who is struggling in all aspects of her life. After being committed to a psychiatric hospital, Maria’s life is told through a series of flashbacks and flash forwards. The reader watches Maria’s personal and professional life deteriorate, from her childhood in a tiny Nevadan town turned into a missile launch site, modeling in New York (and attracting the attention of some ill-intentioned folk), to spiraling out of control in Hollywood, keeping bad company, isolating, having constant nightmares about dead infants and rattlesnakes, and driving down California highways with no destination in mind. Didion does not hold back on the sensitive matters that Play It As It Lays touches upon, Maria’s traumas and torments revolving around (but not limited to) topics of mental health, abuse, extortion, suicide, and back-alley abortions. 

The Crash by Frieda McFadden, read by Leslie Howard (Audiobook on Libby!)

If you love psychological thrillers, then look no further than a new book we just added to the MCC collection, The Crash by Frieda McFadden. This selection, available in our print collection and as an audiobook on Libby (accessible via your Apps page, under Library Resources), explores a single narrative from two different perspectives. The narrative follows Tegan, a young woman in her twenties who is pregnant with her first child. Her situation isn’t the normal sort you would expect, which becomes especially obvious when she talks about the baby’s father and her present circumstances. After a meeting that doesn’t turn out the way she had hoped, Tegan decides to visit her brother for a long weekend to consider the direction of her life and the choices she has made. But her journey takes an unexpected turn when she gets caught in a snowstorm, her vehicle malfunctions, and she crashes into a tree. Fortunately, both Tegan and her unborn baby, whom she affectionately refers to as “Tuna,” are unharmed. A stranger named Hank rescues her and takes her to stay with him and his wife, a former nurse named Polly, attheir home. Polly seems eager to look after Tegan until the roads clear and it’s safe for her to leave. But are Hank and Polly’s intentions as altruistic as they appear? Will Tegan and Tuna make it out alive? The story explores the viewpoints of two different people with two very different perspectives and considers how perceptions can sometimes be more powerful than reality, leaving readers questioning what really happened. By the end, you might discover that the accident was not what it seemed to be at all. For those who enjoy fast-paced, thrilling mysteries, The Crash will not disappoint.

The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are by Dr. Kevin Leman

The Birth Order Book, available as an ebook on Libby, is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology or curious about how family dynamics and other circumstances shape us. The author explores how not only our family but also the order in which we are born within that family can significantly affect the future direction of our lives. Each birth order tends to have specific traits, which read true overall, even though other circumstances can alter the expected outcomes. The author claims he can often determine a person’s birth order just by observing them or asking a few questions. The book examines the characteristics of first-borns, middle children, last-borns, only children, and adopted children. It also considers other factors, such as the first-born of a specific gender and the age gaps between siblings, which can impact a child’s position in the family hierarchy. Additionally, it addresses the complexities of blended families and remarriages. According to the author, many aspects of our lives, like our careers and our way of interacting with the world, can be understood through the lens of birth order. The book also explores how birth order affects marriages, parenting, and more. It was a fascinating read that resonated with my own experiences and those of others around me. If you enjoy thought-provoking books that offer relatable insights, this one is a great choice!