Barbour

Avid readers will snap up this World War II homefront tale, which contains timely messages of overcoming prejudice. Musch (Song for the Hunter) weaves moral lessons with a gentle touch and strong background research. The unlikely friendships are reminiscent of classic stories like Bette Greene’s Summer of My German Soldier and Jack Cavanaugh’s Dear Enemy.

Y’Barbo (The Pirate Bride) deftly weaves modern theories into the latest installment of this Christian “True Colors” crime series. Alice is a bright, refreshing character, and fans of enterprising female detectives, such as Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs and Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody, will appreciate the period details and clean romance.