‘Kismet’ by Amina Akhtar

Those looking for a funny, quirky, warming and empowering novel will feel right at home in the world Amina Akhtar builds for us in “Kismet” (Thomas & Mercer). Should remaining true to her Pakistani culture mean being a doormat (or worse) for Ronnie Khan as she lives under the iron rule of her aunt? Moving in with an empowerment coach, Kahn makes mistake after mistake in trust before believing — for a third time — that she has found both true friendship and the true secret to a self-centered life. Recommended for those seeking a close-to-satirical take on how current culture can influence our lives.

‘Real Bad Things’ by Kelly J. Ford

A new suspense novel from a veteran writer, ‘Real Bad Things’ (Thomas & Mercer) resurrects a 25-year-old murder when the skeleton of Warren Ingram finally surfaces in the river. Lacking a body, Ingram’s step-daughter, Jane Mooney, was never convicted of the murder she confessed to. Now living in Boston — a place more accepting of Mooney’s sexuality than the small town of Maud, Ark. — she must face the unresolved crime. Until … her ex-girlfriend and stepbrother also confess to the crime. Surprise after surprise keep the pages turning, though after a bit, some readers might welcome more story stability. Recommended for anyone looking for a hard-boiled, edgy, shocker.

‘The Enigma Affair’ by Charlie Lovett

Author Charlie Lovett has yet to get the true recognition he deserves, but book lovers, those who love books about books and those who love books about stories of books eagerly wait for his next novel, which this year is the roisterous “The Enigma Affair” (Blackstone). A thriller in the vein of “Indiana Jones” and “National Treasure” — often both at once — Lovett’s newest is as intricately plotted as anything he has offered before (“Escaping Dreamland,” “The Bookman’s Tale”) and, as always, hints at the author’s antiquarian bookseller roots. Here, the story involves assassin attempts, a descendant of Heinrich Himmler, an Enigma machine, messages to be decoded, white supremacists, neo-Nazis and, well, you get the idea. Stuffed with story and history, the characters sometimes get second play, even as Lovett diligently builds up their backstories. Recommended for readers searching for a rollicking story, and those who want to read the book before it becomes a movie — because this one has big screen written all through it.

‘Fairy Tale’ by Stephen King

Oh, how good it is to have Stephen King return to the depths of fantastical horror. ‘Fairy Tale’ (Scribner, Simon & Schuster Audio) is vintage King, taking us into new world-building like no one else. Following this hero’s tale of Charlie Reade and his trusty sidekick, the aging German shepherd Radar, from a Chicago suburb to the kingdom of Empis is not only an adventure, it is the adventure of 2022. From the master who made us believe vampires sleep in the basements of small town America, “Fairy Tale” manages to merge every fanciful tale you’ve ever, or maybe never, read — those with their true Grimm roots — while simultaneously sprinkling baskets full of Easter eggs. Nary a reference, no matter how subtle, from every fantasy or science fiction tale of the past century is omitted along the journey, spicing the story in ways “Radio Play One” does for disciples of the ‘80s. Recommended for anyone older than the age of those able to consume the grisly outcomes of original fairy tales, it is really — really — recommended that you eschew the print version. For those who love to hear a story that will echo long after the last page, this is that book — the way, after all, many of us were first presented with the fairly tales we remember and love today. With the reading talents of Seth Numrich, assisted wonderfully by Stephen King, the narrator’s talents in presenting King’s vast and varied cast is both inspired and as awe-inspiring as the story. And, although most authors do readers a disservice by reading their own material, King has been perfectly cast here, adding flavors to a story over which he obviously labored and loved. If you want to read, or better, hear, this story before it becomes a movie, you’ll have to hurry. It’s little surprise that this cinematic tale is already in development.