Read these books before meeting the authors at the Tucson book fest

The 2022 Tucson Festival books is two weeks away and — once again — it will feature a remarkable array of bestselling books and authors from throughout the United States.

The marquee will feature such literary stars as Billy Collins, Annette Gordon-Reed, Philip Rucker, William Kent Krueger and Craig Johnson. The cast will include Bob Odenkirk, Noah Hawley, Adam Schiff and Alexander Vindman.

Hundreds of volunteers are now putting the finishing touches on plans for the upcoming festival, and here are some of the authors they hope to meet March 12-13:

“Lightning Strike” by William Kent Krueger. When a 12-year-old Cork O’Conner finds a body in the forest near his home, all evidence points to suicide. Cork’s not buying it and begins searching for clues on his own. A complication, of course, is that Cork’s father is the Sheriff.

— Bill Viner

“Under Lock & Skeleton Key” by Gigi Pandian. After an accident forces Tempest Raj to return home, she is drawn back into the family business: secret staircase construction. The company specializes in magical staircases, secret rooms and sliding bookcases. Tempest soon fears she is the one who might disappear.

— Tricia Clapp

“Electric Idol” by Katee Robert. The gods are the most powerful members of society in this contemporary retelling of Greek myths set in a world of intrigue, corruption, and darkness. It introduces us to Eros and Psyche, socialites from opposing families whose marriage of convenience turns into something more dangerous.

— Jessica Pryde

“Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs,” by Pam Munoz Ryan. “Sollmar” is a middle-grade fantasy adventure about a Mexican girl who must save her kingdom and the monarch butterflies from invading forces. It is a story of courage and determination that weaves in cultural elements of Mexico … and a sprinkling of magic.

— Kathy Short

“Black Food” by Bryant Terry. A James Beard Award-winning chef and renowned cookbook author, Terry is currently the chef-in-residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. His newest cookbook is more than a cookbook. It is a stunning collection of essays, artwork and delicious recipes, all of which pay tribute to Black culinary ingenuity.

— Jennifer Slothower

“Hell of a Book” by Jason Mott. If the book title doesn’t get your attention the text certainly will. It won the 2021 National Book Award for fiction. The story is framed by a Black author’s cross-country publicity tour to promote his new book, but becomes an ode to family, love, art and money. What does it really mean to be Black in America?

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— Bill Finley

“Olga Dies Dreaming” by Xochitl Gonzalez: As a wedding planner’s star continues to rise, her complicated personal life and family dynamics lead her to reexamine her plans for the future. This book has it all — sibling drama, political corruption, revolution and love in many forms.

— Jessica Braithwaite

“The Left-Handed Twin” by Thomas Perry. An author who has attended every Tucson book festival ever held, Perry will return with a tale featuring Jane Whitefield — who helps people disappear. Her clients are folks fleeing dangerous, life-threatening situations. In this story, Jane and her client both need to vanish — and soon!

— Bill Viner

“Giannis” by Mirin Fader. Giannis Antetokounmpo has a name we can’t remember and a game we can’t forget. He is the best basketball player in the world, but Fader’s profile focuses on the journey as much as the destination. Giannis’s parents were Nigerians who immigrated to Greece. He himself was a penniless Greek who immigrated to the U.S. to play basketball. In his case, the American Dream comes in a size XXXL.

— Jack Siry

“The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune. A case manager for a fantasy agency working with “kids,” Linus Baker is sent to the Marsyas Island Orphanage to check on six young residents: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a werewolf-Pomeranian, a mysterious green blob and the antichrist. Their caretaker has issues, too. What could possibly go wrong?

— Tricia Clapp

“The Deeper the Roots” by Michael Tubbs. Promising change, Michael Tubbs was elected Mayor of Stockton, California, at age 26. Four years later, “change” was again on the ballot … and voters elected to change mayors. But we should keep an eye on Tubbs, who will introduce himself to Tucson at the book festival. The son of an incarcerated father, he was raised by three “moms” before graduating from Stanford and exploding onto the political scene in Northern California. His book explores the benefits and the price of change.

— Maria Parham

“Wildcat” by John Boessenecker. A former police officer and now a trial lawyer in San Francisco, Boessenecker is considered one of the leading authorities on crime and law enforcement in the Old West. He comes to Tucson with a true tale from Arizona story: “Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Hart, the Wild West’s Most Notorious Woman Bandit.” One of the 2021 Southwest Books of Year, “Wildcat” is an eye-popping feat of historical sleuthing. Boessenecker drills through hardened layers of myth and legend to tell the even more fascinating story of Arizona’s “bandit queen.”

— Bruce Dinges