Southeast Kansas Library System New Books

The SEKnFind Newsletter
August 2025

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Spectacular things : a novel
by Beck Dorey-Stein

In a small Maine town, sisters Mia and Cricket grow up under the weight of their mother’s hidden past, navigating ambition, loyalty, and fear of repeating generational wounds as they struggle to define their identities and futures.

Stillwater : a thriller
by Tanya Scott

After years of hiding from his violent past as a crime boss’s protégé, college student Luke Harris—formerly known as Jack Quinlan—is forced to reclaim old instincts when his former life resurfaces, threatening the love, identity, and future he’s struggled to build.

Too old for this
by Samantha Downing

Retired and hidden under a new identity, Lottie Jones faces exposure when a persistent journalist starts digging into her murderous past, forcing her to confront old crimes and attempt one more cover-up before age—and curiosity—catch up with her.

We don’t talk about Carol : a novel
by Kristen L. Berry

“A dedicated journalist unearths a generations-old family secret-and a connection to a string of missing girls that hits way too close to home-in this gripping debut novel”– Provided by publisher

Sunny side up : a novel
by Katie Sturino

After a painful divorce, thirty-five-year-old PR maven Sunny Greene embraces self-love and body confidence, navigating new romances, career opportunities, and unexpected run-ins with her ex while defining beauty, success, and happiness on her own unapologetic terms.

Love at first sighting
by Mallory Marlowe

One Saturday in London, Jessie and Cal’s chemistry is instant when a fire alarm in Whole Foods throws her into his arms, but she’s devastated when they’re separated before swapping numbers; weeks later he appears at her nannying job with roses—but they’re not for her.

13 months haunted : a novel
by Jimmy Juliano

Quiet library clerk Piper Lowery befriends a peculiar new eighth grader and her overprotective mother, soon discovering unsettling rumors that hint at a dark and dangerous secret blossoming within the young girl.

The society of unknowable objects : a novel
by Gareth Brown

A trio of seemingly everyday people are members of a secret society tasked with finding and protecting hidden magical objects—ordinary items with extraordinary properties. Maps.

The two lies of Faven Sythe
by Megan E. O’Keefe

“The Black Celeste is a ghost story. A once-legendary spaceship collecting dust in a cosmic graveyard known as the Clutch. Only famed pirate Bitter Amandine knows better, and she’ll do anything to never go near it again. No matter the cost. Faven Sythe is crystborn, a member of the near-human species tasked with charting starpaths from station to station. She’s trained to be a navigator her entire life. But when her mentor disappears, leaving behind a mysterious starpath terminating in the Clutch, she isdetermined to find the truth. And only Amandine has the answers. What they will find is a conspiracy bigger than either of them. Their quest for the truth will uncover secrets Amandine has long fought to keep buried–secrets about how she survived her last encounter in the Clutch, and what’s really hidden out there amongst the stars…”

The devil’s kitchen : a murder in Yellowstone
by Mark Thielman

“When a history professor is fatally shot at the base of Yellowstone Canyon, seasonal park ranger and former homicide detective Clarence Johnson finds himself roped into the murder investigation. Alongside Special Agent Alison Nance, he quickly realizes they are uncovering more than just a killer. As Johnson and Nance hunt for the killer, clues gleaned from the professor’s research hint at a historic conspiracy involving an ancient relic believed to have been secreted away by royalists during the French Revolution. Their hunt through the wilds of Yellowstone leads them to realize that the professor’s death and the missing artifact are intricately connected. But Johnson and Nance’s suspects are disappearing at an alarming rate, pitting them in a race against time before those determined to do anything to protect the secrets of the past strike again”

Daikon : a novel
by Samuel Jay Hawley

In war-ravaged 1945 Tokyo, physicist Keizo Kan is forced to study a mysterious American uranium bomb in exchange for his imprisoned wife’s freedom, facing harrowing moral choices as he’s drawn into a desperate race to alter the course of history. Maps.

The best of enemies
by William W. Johnstone

Civil War foes turned hard-fighting friends, Trace and Chaw roam the West as hired guns, but when a freighting job lands them between ruthless mine owners, they’re drawn into a brutal conflict that could rival the war that first brought them together. Original.

New Audiobooks

The Gilded Heiress
by Joanna Shupe

Leo Hardy isn’t afraid to use his charm for a fast buck. He has a mother and five siblings to support. When he sees a young woman named Josie Smith singing on the street, he notices a resemblance to the mother of an infamous missing baby, the same woman who took everything from his family. He seizes the opportunity to settle the score. All he needs to do is pull off his biggest swindle yet. As the two are catapulted into Knickerbocker High Society, they grow closer to their goal, as well as to each other. But secrets can only stay hidden for so long. Soon the truth unfolds, and both Josie and Leo must separate what’s real from what’s just gilding.

Edge of Honor
by Brad Thor

After six months abroad, elite spy Scot Harvath returns to a shifting political landscape in America, where a powerful secret cabal threatens to destabilize the nation in the latest addition to the long-time series following Shadow of Doubt.

Four Red Sweaters : Powerful True Stories of Women and the Holocaust
by Lucy Adlington

Clothes historian Lucy Adlington documents the stories of four Jewish girls who each faced the Holocaust in different ways, knitting together their experiences with a sweater that plays a part in their respective lives.

New Nonfiction

Children of the book : a memoir of reading together
by Ilana Kurshan

A reflective memoir exploring how shared reading—both sacred and secular—deepens family bonds, nurtures parenting and transforms literature from a solitary escape into a meaningful and lifelong connection between mother and children.

Are you mad at me? : how to stop focusing on what others think and start living for you
by Meg Josephson

A compassionate guide that reframes people-pleasing as a trauma response rather than a personality trait, offering relatable stories, practical exercises and tools to help readers set boundaries, embrace their true selves and build healthier, more authentic relationships. Illustrations.

Bad company : private equity and the death of the American dream
by Megan Greenwell

Through the stories of four workers, this exposé reveals how private equity’s growing control over essential industries and institutions has devastated communities and economic stability while enriching a powerful elite that wields immense influence over politics. 75,000 first printing.

Out of the woods : a girl, a killer, and a lifelong struggle to find the way home
by Gregg Olsen

In May 2005 in Idaho, serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan murdered the Groene family and kidnapped 8-year-old Shasta and 9-year-old Dylan; while Shasta was rescued, in the following years she struggled to outrun her trauma. Simultaneous.

Cloud warriors : deadly storms, climate chaos–and the pioneers creating a revolution in weather forecasting
by Thomas E. Weber

An inside look at the scientists and innovators using AI, satellites and drones to improve weather forecasting, providing life-saving warnings against extreme events like hurricanes and tornadoes while exploring how better predictions can help mitigate climate change. 40,000 first printing.

The Heart of the Homestead : Cultivating a Spirit of Simple Living Through Homemaking, Recipes, and Family
by Ruthann Zimmerman

Drawing from their Mennonite upbringings, RuthAnn Zimmerman and her husband, Elvin, chose early in their marriage to build a life focused on family, hard work, and serving others. Now RuthAnn invites you to slow down, focus quietly, and listen closely to the heartbeat of the homestead. She offers insights on working together as a family ; enjoying good food and fellowship ; growing and preserving food ; appreciating what you have ; finding contentment by doing more with less. Along the way, you’ll enjoy some tasty recipes and heartwarming glimpses into RuthAnn’s everyday life as a homesteading mother of seven children.

In for dinner : 101 delicious, affordable recipes to share
by Rosie Kellett

A supper club host and former Violet Bakery employee shares affordable and approachable recipes like Conchigliette with Porcini Mushroom Ragu and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake that are designed for sharing—be it with friends, family or yourself (leftovers!). Illustrations.

Fiber Craft Heritage : Easy-To-Learn Textile Techniques from the Stone Age to Today, With 52 Try-It Projects
by Doris Fischer

Discover the artistry and history behind 14 traditional textile techniques in this richly illustrated, deeply researched guide for fiber enthusiasts of all levels. Doris Fischer, an archaeological field supervisor specializing in the history and techniques of traditional fiber arts, unveils the processes our ancestors created for spinning, weaving, braiding, and more with natural fibers such as wool and flax. Celebrate the enduring cultural legacy of these crafts with 52 “Try It!” projects for makers eager to explore their historical roots.

Overlanding 101 : a field guide to vehicle-based adventure travel
by Scott Brady

“Overlanding 101 is the first and ultimate guide to vehicle-based adventure travel. Authored by renowned adventure traveler Scott Brady and the editors at Overland Journal, this book puts you in the driver’s seat, taking you through all aspects of overland travel. From vehicle selection and preparation to navigation and outdoor travel skills, and much more, beginner and intermediate travelers will find all instruction and motivation necessary to overland like a pro. Overlanding is about the journey, not the destination. It’s about exploring remote locations, off-roading, and camping, where the journey is the principal goal of the travel. This book equips you with everything you need to know to confidently embark on your overlanding adventures. It also features scenic full-color photography and offers inspiring stories, making it a must-have for getting off-road and off the grid”

The road that made America : a modern pilgrim’s journey on the Great Wagon Road
by James Dodson

Traces the history of the Great Wagon Road, a major 18th-century migration route from Philadelphia to Georgia, exploring its role in frontier settlement, war, industry, and democracy through field research, historical analysis, and the author’s personal connection to its enduring legacy. Maps.

Even more reading suggestions

NextReads Sneak Peek
Looking for something else to read? Try NextReads!
Newsletters are divided into genres and topics. Get recommendations tailored to your interests sent directly to your inbox.
If we don’t yet own a suggested title, make a purchase suggestion or ask your library about interlibrary loan. Here’s a sneak peek of titles from the latest issue:
Horror

More Newsletters…

If you would like to unsubscribe to this newsletter, use the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of this message.
Want even more book suggestions? Subscribe to this and other newsletters using the “Subscribe here!” button below:
See something we don’t have? Make a purchase suggestion.

Southeast Kansas Library System
218 E. Madison Ave.
Iola, Kansas 66749
620-365-5136sekls.org

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *