Agatha Awards Nominees 2025

Since 1988, The Agatha Awards, named for Agatha Christie, have been awarded by Malice Domestic Ltd. in six categories: Best Novel; Best First Mystery; Best Historical Novel; Best Short Story; Best Non-Fiction; Best Children’s/Young Adult Mystery.

These are the literary awards for “cozy mysteries” also defined as mystery and crime books in the traditional mystery subgenre: “books typified by the works of Agatha Christie…loosely defined as mysteries that contain no explicit sex, excessive gore or gratuitous violence.” The 2025 Agatha Awards were announced on April 26.

For more information, check out the Agatha Awards’ website.

Best Contemporary Novel

VERY WOODSY MURDER by Ellen Byron (DB 124223)
MIDNIGHT PUZZLE by Gigi Pandian (DB 119883)
FONDUE OR DIE by Korina Moss (DB 128179 IN PROCESS)
DARK WIVES by Ann Cleeves (DB 123656)

Best Historical Novel

LAST HOPE by Susan Elia MacNeal (DB 121458)

Best First Novel

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID by K. T. Nguyen (DB 120643)

Best Non-Fiction

BOOKSHOP: A HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN BOOKSTORE by Evan Friss (DB 124566)

Best Children’s/YA Mystery

SHERLOCK SOCIETY by James Ponti (DB 126810)

TBP Book Club Title Announced for July 2025!

Join the Talking Book Program for a book club discussion on Thursday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m. (Central). We’ll be discussing the book ART THIEF: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE, CRIME, AND A DANGEROUS OBSESSION by Michael Finkel (DB 115367, LB 14518).

Our book club discussions are held via Zoom, but you can join using just a telephone!

Participating is easy:

  • Use your landline to dial in via phone.
  • Use the “one-tap” number on your smartphone.
  • Alternatively, join via computer using the Zoom invitation we’ll send a week prior to the event.

To ensure you receive the necessary details, please RSVP in advance.

To RSVP, you can fill out our online registration form: Register Here.

Or if you prefer, reply to this email or call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge, mail you a large print copy of the book, or if you prefer to download it from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

ART THIEF: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE, CRIME, AND A DANGEROUS OBSESSION by Michael Finkel (DB 115367, LB 14518)

NLS Annotation: For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than two hundred heists over nearly eight years—in museums and cathedrals all over Europe—Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than three hundred objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2023.

We look forward to having you join us on Thursday, July 25!

Hugo Award Finalists 2025

Since 1953, the Hugo Awards, science fiction’s most prestigious awards, were established by the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS). The Hugo Awards are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention (“Worldcon”), which is also responsible for administering them. The awards will be presented in Seattle on August 16, 2025.

For more information check the Awards’ Website.

Here are the finalists for 2025 that are in the TBP collection.

Best Novel

ALIEN CLAY by Adrian Tchaikovsky (DB 124970)
SERVICE MODEL by Adrian Tchaikovsky (DB 122092)
SORCERESS COMES TO CALL by T. Kingfisher (DB 123396, BR 26176 IN PROCESS)
TAINTED CUP by Robert Jackson Bennett (DB 118884, BR 25745 IN PROCESS)
MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley (DB 121556, BR 25559 IN PROCESS, en español DB 127955 en proceso)

Best Novella

PRACTICE, THE HORIZON, AND THE CHAIN by Sofia Samatar (DB 123094)

Lodestar Award for Best YA Book

MAID AND THE CROCODILE by Jordan Ifueko (DB 124172)

Texas Talking Book Program Author Talk: Georgina Kleege

Join the Talking Book Program for an author talk on Tuesday, July 15 at 6:00 p.m. (Central) with author and educator, Georgina Kleege. Note that this time is a bit earlier than our usual author talks.

Reader’s Advisory Librarian, Laura Jean, will discuss Georgina’s career and her latest book, MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: WHAT BLINDNESS BRINGS TO ART. Following the talk, there will be a Q&A session.

Our Author Talks are held via Zoom, but you can join using just a telephone!

Participating is easy:

  • Use your landline to dial in via phone.
  • Use the “one-tap” number on your smartphone.
  • Alternatively, join via computer using the Zoom invitation we’ll send a week prior to the event.

To ensure you receive the necessary details, please RSVP in advance.

We invite you to ask Georgina Kleege questions about her book. Please submit your questions by July 8. We will select questions based on the responses to this form, and they may be asked during the event! Fill out the form here: Author Questions

To RSVP, you can fill out our online registration form: Register Here

Or if you prefer, reply to this email, or call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge with her book or if you prefer to download it from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: WHAT BLINDNESS BRINGS TO ART (DB 93533, BR 22550) by Georgina Kleege.

NLS Annotation: Author of Sight Unseen (DB 48328, BR 12149) critically examines the ways institutions make art accessible to blind people and the connection of visual arts with language. Uses personal experiences, scientific studies, and historical literary analysis to support her arguments. 2018.

We look forward to having you join us on Tuesday, July 15!

Art for All: Texas Art Museums

Art is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program. This week focuses on information about Texas art museums. In fact, did you know that most art museums offer accessible tours? Well, they do. Look below to find information on accessible art tours near you!

Austin

Blanton Museum of Art

The Blanton is for everyone.

The Blanton recognizes the wide-ranging abilities and needs of visitors and offers services to ensure the Museum is accessible to all.

For questions, specific accommodation needs, and to share feedback, contact the Blanton’s Visitor Services team at accessibility@blantonmuseum.org or 512-471-5482 during Museum hours.

Visitors with Limited Mobility

  • Elevators are available on all floors of the Michener Gallery Building and the Smith Building. Austin by Ellsworth Kelly is wheelchair accessible.
  • Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available for use on the ground floor of the Michener Gallery Building and both the ground floor and second floor of the Smith Building.
  • Entrances have touch-free door access. Wave your hand to activate the sensors and automatically open the doors. Sensors are located on the left side of the exterior and after both sets of interior doors.
  • Wheelchairs are available for visitors to use on a first-come, first-served basis. Ask for assistance at check-in.

Visitors Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

  • Large-print texts of labels in some galleries are available upon request. Please email if you would like these prior to your visit.
  • Audio guides are available in English and Spanish for Austin by Ellsworth Kelly.

Visitors Hard of Hearing or Deaf

  • Assistive listening devices
  • Open Captioning
  • Sign language interpretation

MexiciArte Museum

All current programs and education lessons are readily available online in a digital format. Digital programs are accessible through mobile and additional internet connected devices. Because of their internet-based accessibility, any screen reader or accessibility browser extension already in use by a visually impaired person would be able to aid in bridging that gap. Additional accommodations are available upon request, including bilingual tours and associates. If you have any questions, please email info@mexic-artemuseum.org or call 512-480-9373.

Dallas

Dallas Museum of Art

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities to discover the power and beauty of art. To request an accessibility accommodation such as ASL interpretation, gallery chairs, or wheelchairs, please email access@dma.org or call general information at 214-922-1200.

 Specific programs and accessibility accommodations include:

Meadows Museum

Any person needing a disability-related accommodation in order to participate in a Museum program should contact the Education Coordinator (museumaccess@smu.edu) at least one week prior to the program to arrange for the accommodation. For more information email Meadows Museum’s general information at meadowsmuseuminfo@smu.edu or call 214-768-2516.

  • Mobility
  • ASL Interpretation
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Access for Visitors with Vision Impairments
  • Service Animals

Nasher Sculpture Center

The Nasher Sculpture Center strives to be a sensory-friendly environment where all visitors can learn and experience modern and contemporary sculpture. Specific accommodations are available for visitors with the following:

Visitors with Autism

  • Sensory Kits
  • Quiet Room
  • Sensory-Friendly Resources

Visitors with Vision and/or Hearing Impairments

  • Verbal Descriptions of Artworks

Visitors with Limited Mobility

  • The Nasher Sculpture Center offers a curbless ADA compliant main entrance with buttons located on the left side of the entryway to open the front doors when you arrive.
  • The entire Museum is wheelchair accessible.
  • Service animals are welcome at the Nasher.
  • Wheelchairs, seating in the galleries, and portable chairs are available for use upon request at the admissions desk. The garden is also designed to be accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Ramps are available on both sides of the sculpture garden so that guests may see every work on display.

Contact

If you are planning a visit and would like to reserve any of the Nasher’s assistive resources in advance or if you have other questions, please reach out to their Visitor Experiences staff at 214-242-5100 or their Manager of Visitor Experiences via email at ileerosson@nashersculpturecenter.org

El Paso

El Paso Museum of Art

The Museum is fully accessible and welcomes all service animals. For additional accommodations or requests, please contact the Museum at 915-212-0300.

Fort Worth

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

The following accommodations are available for visitors to the Carter:

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive listening devices are available upon request for use during all public events or tours.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is automatically provided for many events or may be requested up to 48 hours before for all other events. Email for additional information. This is provided in partnership with intern students and faculty support from the Tarrant County College (TCC) Sign Language Program.

Color-blind Glasses

Check out a pair of EnChroma color-blind glasses at the information desk. Sizes are available for both children and adults.

Visual Description and Touch Tours

These free tours can be arranged to cover the collection as a whole or concentrate on specific objects or themes. Fill out the form or email them at least two weeks ahead of your visit.

Large Print Labels

Booklets with large print labels are located in every gallery.

Audio Stops

Hear more about artworks from artists, Museum staff, community members, and others by dialing in or streaming on your smart device.

Tactile Tool Kits

Tactile tool kits feature 3D-printed copies and raised-line drawings of select artworks, visual descriptions in braille and large print, and additional sensory objects.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

The staff of the Modern is committed to making their building and programs available to all visitors. If a specific need is not addressed below, please call 817-738-9215 in advance of your visit.

  • Parking spaces for disabled visitors are reserved in the Museum parking lot by the main entrance.
  • Museum entrances are wheelchair accessible. The Museum offers wheelchairs free of charge to visitors at coat check on a first-come, first-served basis. Portable stools are also available upon request.
  • All public areas, including galleries, auditorium, restrooms, elevators, education studio, Café Modern, and the Modern Shop, are accessible to people who use mobility aids and wheelchairs.
  • The Museum welcomes service animals.
  • Assistive-listening devices are available upon request for auditorium programs on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a new option for assistive listening, the Listen Everywhere phone app that plays the film’s audio through your Bluetooth hearing aids or any phone headphones.

Houston

Blaffer Museum of Art

All galleries and facilities are accessible by elevator and by ramp. Gallery stools are available upon request. Certified service animals are welcome. Gallery wall texts are available in English and Spanish. If you have questions about accessibility resources and programs, email infoblaffer@uh.edu or call 713-743-9521.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is a place for all people. The Museum is committed to making the art collections, buildings, programs, and services accessible to all guests.

Welcoming Guests Who Have Limited Mobility

Guests with limited mobility are encouraged to use the porte cochere at the Beck Building (5601 Main Street) or the valet entrance at the Kinder Building (5500 Main Street). Most public areas of the Museum, including the galleries, parking garages, theaters, restaurants, shops, and outdoor spaces, are wheelchair accessible.

The MFAH has wheelchairs that you may check out free of charge with a valid photo ID. The wheelchairs are available at any Museum entrance on a first-come, first-served basis. When you arrive, ask for a wheelchair, and the security staff can assist you. The MFAH also welcomes your personal walkers and wheelchairs. Motorized wheelchairs are permitted.

The Museum is accessible to visitors with limited mobility via escalators, elevators, and ramps. Wheelchair and family-accessible restrooms and elevators are located throughout the main campus.

Welcoming Guests Who Are Hard of Hearing or Deaf

Assistive-listening devices are available during lectures, films, and other programs. To request an assistive-listening device, check with any staff member.

Welcoming Guests with Dementia and Alzheimer’s

On the second Monday of the month, the Museum offers “Looking Together,” a program designed for individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease or dementia to discover and discuss works of art together with their family members or care partners. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to preregister. Contact sniemeyer@mfah.org  to sign up and for more information.

Welcoming Guests Who Have Low Vision or Are Blind

On the second Saturday of the month, the Museum offers “Art Beyond Sight,” a gallery program for guests who are blind or have low vision. Trained gallery educators use verbal descriptions and hands-on materials to engage participants with the MFAH art collections and exhibitions. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to preregister. Contact sniemeyer@mfah.org  to sign up and for more information.

Welcoming Neurodiversity and Guests Who Are on the Autism Spectrum

Preparing for your Museum visit a few days in advance can help guests who are neurodiverse and those who accompany them to have the most enjoyable experience possible.

Contact Us

The Museum welcomes comments and suggestions about how to improve programs and services for visitors with disabilities. If you have questions about accessibility resources and programs, email accessibility@mfah.org or call 713-639-7300.

San Antonio

McNay Art Museum

Guests with special needs may call 210-824-5368 or email info@mcnayart.org  to make arrangements. Wheelchairs are available, and most galleries are wheelchair accessible. Some areas require additional assistance.

San Antonio Museum of Art

The San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to serving visitors of all ages and abilities.

Lightweight folding stools that also serve as canes are available by the stairway in the Great Hall, and wheelchairs may be requested from a security guard at the front desk at the time of your visit. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Service animals are welcome in the Museum.

For more information on the accessibility of the building, call 210-978-8100.

Kirkus’ Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far)

It’s 2025, and Kirkus has celebrated the occasion by compiling a list of the best books published in the last 25 years. In order to create this curated list, Kirkus Reviews first reviewed a large pool of books published in the US between 2000 and 2024. The books were then categorized into broad genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Teen and Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books. Kirkus Reviews editors then made the final selections, considering both the quality of the book and the potential for reader interest.

For more information, check out the Kirkus Reviews Website

Here are the books that are in the TBP collection.

Fiction

AMERICANAH by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (DB 77188, LB 08272, en español DBG 17313, en français DBG 18008, BRG 04956, BRG 04957)
LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson (DB 76417, LB 10827)
ORYX AND CRAKE by Margaret Atwood (DB 56234, BR 14805)
ARTHUR AND GEORGE by Julian Barnes (DB 61635, BRG 01754, LB 09687)
MANUAL FOR CLEANING WOMEN: SELECTED STORIES by Lucía Berlin (DB 83703, BR 23549, en español DB 83996)
2666 by Roberto Bolaño (DB 68418, en español DB 68961)
WITNESS: STORIES by Jamel Brinkley (DB 116828)

Nonfiction

OPEN: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Andre Agassi (DB 70076, en español DB 119726)
SECONDHAND TIME: THE LAST OF THE SOVIETS: AN ORAL HISTORY by Svetlana Aleksievich (DB 84738)
GULAG: A HISTORY by Anne Applebaum (DB 58287)
AMERICAN PROMETHEUS: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin (DB 61087)

Teens and Young Adult

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi (DB 90928, BR 22258)
SAINTS AND MISFITS by S. K. Ali (DB 90693, BRG 04091)
KIT’S WILDERNESS by David Almond (DB 51741)
FEED by M. T. Anderson (DB 55687, BRG 01588)
FEVER, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (DB 51967, BR 16484)
BLOOD YEARS by Elana K. Arnold (DB 117992, BR 25423)

Middle Grade

I LIVED ON BUTTERFLY HILL by Marjorie Agosín (DB 81239)
CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander (DB 79528, BR 24707, BT 13359, LB 11454, en español DB 111942)
ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate (DB 75687, BR 19679, LB 11289)
NIGHT GARDENER: A SCARY STORY by Jonathan Auxier (DB 79649, BRG 03549, LB 11288)
CHASING VERMEER by Blue Balliett (DB 83073, DBC 16811, BRG 00685)
GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Regan Barnhill (DB 85739, BR 21836, LB 09158)
IVY AND BEAN by Annie Barrows (DB 64440)
LUCKY BROKEN GIRL by Ruth Behar (DB 88385, en español DB 110128)

Picture Books

UNDEFEATED by Kwame Alexander (DB 118181, BR 22617, LB 14537)
TROMBONE SHORTY by Troy Andrews (DB 85566, BR 21098)
CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT by Derrick Barnes (DB 90685, BR 22031)
HELLO LIGHTHOUSE by Sophie Blackall (BR 22571, LB 14526)
RIGHT WORD: ROGET AND HIS THESAURUS by Jen Bryant (DB 80620)

Pulitzer Prize Finalists 2025

The Pulitzer Prizes, which are administered at Columbia University, were established by Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian American journalist and newspaper publisher who left money to the university upon his death. A portion of his bequest was used to establish the Pulitzer Prize as an incentive to excellence, and the first awards were given in 1917. Joseph Pulitzer specified solely four awards in journalism, four in books and drama, one for education, and five traveling scholarships. Since then, the Pulitzer Prize board has increased the number of awards to 23 and introduced poetry, music, photography, memoir, and audio journalism as subjects.

Below are the 2025 finalists and winners in the TBP collection under the category of Letters and Drama Prizes. The winners were announced on May 5.

For more information check the Awards’ Website.

Fiction

JAMES by Percival Everett (DB 120063, BR 25513 IN PROCESS, LB 0000436, en español DB 127871 en proceso)
HEADSHOT by Rita Bullwinkel (DB 124703)

History

NATIVE NATIONS: A MILLENNIUM IN NORTH AMERICA by Kathleen DuVal (DB 121149)

Biography

EVERY LIVING THING: THE GREAT AND DEADLY RACE TO KNOW ALL LIFE
by Jason Roberts (DB 120621)
JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE by David Greenberg (DB 125436, BR 25696 IN PROCESS,
LB 0003598)

Memoir or Autobiography

FI: A MEMOIR by Alexandra Fuller (DB 121448)

Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction Longlist 2025

The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction celebrates excellence, originality, and accessibility in nonfiction written by women. The Prize celebrates ambitious, inspiring, and thought-provoking novels written by women in English and is awarded for books published in the previous year. The winner will be announced on June 12, 2025.

For more information on the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction: https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/

Nonfiction

STORY OF A HEART by Rachel Clarke (DB 127008)
WHY FISH DON’T EXIST: A STORY OF LOSS, LOVE, AND THE HIDDEN ORDER OF LIFE by Lulu Miller (DB 102031)
RAISING HARE: A MEMOIR by Chloe Dalton (DB 128243 IN PROCESS)
PRIVATE REVOLUTIONS: FOUR WOMEN FACE CHINA’S NEW SOCIAL ORDER by Yuan Yang (DB 123818)
EMBERS OF THE HANDS: HIDDEN HISTORIES OF THE VIKING AGE by Eleanor Barraclough (DB 128103 IN PROCESS)
WHAT THE WILD SEA CAN BE: THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD’S OCEAN by Helen Scales (DB 123195)
AUTOCRACY, INC.: THE DICTATORS WHO WANT TO RUN THE WORLD by Anne Applebaum (DB 123412, LB 0000705, en español DB 126283)

Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist 2025

The Women’s Prize for Fiction celebrates excellence, originality, and accessibility in fiction written by women. The Prize celebrates ambitious, inspiring, and thought-provoking novels written by women in English and is awarded for books published in the previous year. The winner will be announced on June 12, 2025.

For more information on the Women’s Prize for Fiction: https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/

Fiction

DREAM COUNT by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (DB 127672 IN PROCESS, LB 0001494)
TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout (DB 124184)
DREAM HOTEL by Laila Lalami (DB 127950 IN PROCESS)
PERSIANS by Sanam Mahloudji (IN PROCESS)
MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley (DB 121556, BR 25559 IN PROCESS, en español DB 127955 en proceso)

2025 ITW Thriller Awards Finalists

The International Thriller Writers (ITW) is an honorary society of authors, both fiction and nonfiction, who write books broadly classified as “thrillers.” This would include (but isn’t limited to) such subjects as murder mystery, detective, suspense, horror, supernatural, action, espionage, true crime, war, adventure, and myriad similar subject areas. The winners will be announced at the annual ThrillerFest conference in New York City in June 2025.

For more information check out the ITW Thriller Awards website.

Here are some of the finalists for 2024 that are in the TBP collection.

Best Standalone Thriller

WORST CASE SCENARIO by T. J. Newman (DB 123285)
LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING by Jason Rekulak (DB 124569)
TRUTH ABOUT THE DEVLINS by Lisa Scottoline (DB 120098, LB 0000156)

Best Standalone Mystery Novel

NIGHT WE LOST HIM by Laura Dave (DB 124790)
WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA? by Dervla McTiernan (DB 122143)

Best Series Novel

TO DIE FOR: 6:20 MAN SERIES by David Baldacci (DB 125480, LB 0001131)
DARK WIVES: A VERA STANHOPE MYSTERY by Ann Cleeves (DB 123656)
FLASHBACK: A KENDRA MICHAELS MYSTERY by Iris Johansen (DB 122169, LB 0000601)

Best First Novel

DEADLY ANIMALS by Marie Tierney (DB 125474)

Best Audiobook

DARLING GIRLS by Sally Hepworth and narrated by Jessica Clarke (DB 120859)
NO ONE CAN KNOW by Kate Alice Marshall and narrated by Karissa Vacker (DB 118656)
LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera and narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron (DB 119654)

Best Young Adult Novel

GIRLS LIKE HER by Melanie Sumrow (DB 122609)