The Fatal Scroll: A Herculaneum Mystery, Eric Siblin

It is a pleasure to celebrate an accomplished local author from Montreal! The elements of a good story are all here: mystery, ancient texts, modern cutting-edge science, the shady side of the antique trade, and a murder. Along the way you will acquaint yourself with a bit of ancient history. I love the mix of modern high tech such as Google and Siri with the ancient rivalry of the Epicureans and Stoic philosophers. Our main character, Marcus Sinclair, inherits a 2000-year-old papyrus from the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum. It was destroyed along with Pompeii in 79 AD. The problem is how to read it without destroying it. The scrolls look like lumps of coal when first discovered so no one realized they were books: an amazing library of books. Within them is perhaps a lost play by Sophocles or a work by Sappho. Marcus and his new acquaintance, Toronto journalist Kristi Grainger, delve into this complicated, messy adventure. And don’t forget this is a murder mystery as well.

Maddy recommends: The Wedding People: A Novel, Alison Espach

This novel showcases lovable, funny, and authentic characters as they navigate a wedding weekend set against the beautiful seaside city of Newport, Rhode Island. The book follows Phoebe, a recently divorced woman who feels she’s got nothing left to live for, who has a chance encounter with Lila, the 27-year-old soon-to-be bride whose wedding is at risk of becoming a complete disaster. Phoebe and Lila, the unlikeliest of friends thrown together during tumultuous times in their lives, might just be able to help each other figure out the things that really matter. Heartfelt and complex, this book will move you with its depth and honesty.

David recommends: The Portable Universe: Thought and Splendor of Indigenous Columbia

The Portable Universe/El Universo en tus Manos: Thought and Splendor of Indigenous Colombia, Julia Burtenshaw, Héctor Garcia Botero, Diana Magaloni, and Maria Alicia Uribe Villegas, editors

This would make an extraordinary gift, unless you want to keep it for yourself! This lavish coffee table book features some of the most extraordinary art from ancient Colombia. The scholarship is equally impressive. You will want to make a trip to the store just to see this book!