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Whether you’re headed to a family beach vacation, the neighborhood pool or a lounge in your backyard, you’ll definitely find escape with this year’s summer reading list.

Mysteries and fiction
First up are “Dead Days of Summer,” “Death on Demand” and “Set Sail for Murder” by Carolyn Hart and “Someone to Watch Over Me” by Judith McNaught. Though not new books, these are some of Anne Andrews’ favorite authors. “These are all great mysteries,” said Andrews, who lives in High Point. She also recommends “Now you Know” by Susan Kelly of Greensboro and “Point Blank” by Catherine Coulter.

Like Andrews, Brenda Haworth of High Point turns to mysteries for fun reads.

“I love mysteries for escape reading. Not gory, sneaking-up-on-people-type mysteries but murder-happens-and-we-try-to-figure-it-out- (books),” Haworth explains.

Haworth recommends books by Diane Mott Davidson that feature caterer Goldy Schultz. Schultz solves mysteries and serves up recipes for delicious sounding food. You’ll spot Mott’s books easily — her titles are always food/murder puns: “The Cereal Murders,” “The Last Suppers,” “The Main Corpse,” “Sweet Revenge” and “Fatally Flaky,” to name a few.

One more author on Haworth’s reading-for-relaxation list is M.C. Beaton. Beaton’s books include a series about Scottish lawmaker Hamish MacBeth and another series about retired English advertising executive-turned-amateur-sleuth Agatha Raisin. Both are endearing and entertaining characters.

The Hamish MacBeth series (which numbers more than 20 books) includes: “Death of a Poison Pen,” “Death of a Bore,” “Death of a Dreamer,” “Death of a Maid,” “Death of a Gentle Lady” and “Death of a Witch.” You get the picture.
“Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death” begins the Agatha Raisin series, which also includes more than 20 books. If you can, start both series at the beginning and follow along as Beaton develops the main and secondary characters in the series.

Scott Shattuck of Liberty is a die-hard fan of Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington series, which includes 17 books and is ongoing. The Stone Barrington books are most definitely a man’s read and begin with “New York Dead.” More recent releases include “Hot Mahogany,” “Loitering With Intent” and “Kisser.” This is another series you may want to read in chronological order.

And lastly in the mystery series, Rick Hardware suggests the Mobile Library Mysteries. Written by Ian Sansom, they are about a Jewish vegetarian lured to Ireland by the promise of an exciting new career. But the job is to operate the mobile library. Books in this series include “The Case of the Missing Books,” “Mr. Dixon Disappears,” “The Delegates’ Choice” and “The Bad Book Affair.”

Lynn Crawford of High Point directs us to “The Sweet By and By” by Todd Johnson. “A first novel by him and a great beach read, it reminds me a bit of ‘Steel Magnolias,’” Crawford reports.

Anne Bills of High Point is in the middle of “American Wife,” by Curtis Sittenfeld, a book recently recommended to her. And it’s not disappointing her a bit. “American Wife” portrays the life of shy, studious Alice Lindgren and the journey that leads her to the White House as first lady. She and her husband, Charlie Blackwell, bear a resemblance to our most recent first couple.

Christian fiction
Jan Williams of High Point directs us to a different genre: Christian fiction.

“‘Heavens to Betsy’ and ‘Earth to Betsy’ by Beth Patillo are Christian fiction and are hilarious.” Williams writes. “The main character is a female pastor who is dealing with a congregation that is very set in its ways, and she is also falling in love with her longtime male friend, who is also a pastor. The first book tells of them getting together, and the second book is about the wedding. The main character is very human and sometimes has to ask for the readers’ forgiveness for her not-so-pastoral thoughts about her job and various members of the congregation.”

Williams also recommends anything by Christian authors Cathy Marie Hake and Deeanne Gist for fun, light summer reading.

Personally, I’m a fan of Christian and inspirational fiction writer Debbie Macomber. Actually, I’m more like an addict. I recommend her “Cedar Cove” series as well as her “Blossom Street” books. It’s like “chain” reading — I can’t just have one book on hand, I need the next book in the series nearby so I can grab it as soon as I put down the one I’m reading. Definitely read these books in chronological order.

Food and nonfiction
Kathy Grigg of High Point takes us in a totally different, yet equally delightful direction. “For a foodie like me, my recommendation is a book titled, ‘Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as a Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany’ by New Yorker writer Bill Bulford.

“The author decides to take a leave from his job as an editor with The New Yorker … and goes on a quest to try to understand what goes on in a professional restaurant kitchen and offers to work gratis for Mario Batali’s restaurant Babbo,” Grigg writes. “It’s a fast-paced frenzy of a book; funny, entertaining and sometimes raucous while keeping you engaged until you turn the last page. I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever eaten in a restaurant.”

Thanks so much for these great recommendations! Please keep sending those titles my way so I can pass them on.

Contact Cathy Weaver at CWeaverNR@gmail.com.