Books: New and noteworthy

Paste BN’s Jocelyn McClurg scopes out the hottest books on sale each week.

1. Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz (Bantam, fiction, on sale Dec. 8)

What it’s about: A young writer named Bibi Blair who escapes death is persuaded that she survived in order to save a girl named Ashley Bell – if she can find her.

The buzz: “Gripping stuff… hits the canny nexus of horror, mystery, and fantasy,” says Booklist.

2. A Dream of Ice by Gillian Anderson and Jeff Rovin (Simon451, fiction, on sale Dec. 8)

What it’s about: Second novel in paranormal “Earthend Saga” finds child psychiatrist Caitlin O’Hara pulled deeper into the mysteries of the ancient civilization of Galderkhaan.

The buzz: Arrives in advance of Anderson’s return as Agent Scully (with David Duchovny) for a six-episode reboot of The X-Files on Fox, starting Jan. 24.

3. The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley (Simon & Schuster, fiction, on sale Dec. 8)

What it’s about: Comic tale set in 1517, as a relic hunter named Dismas and his pal, artist Albrecht Durer, get in hot water when they forge the Shroud of Turin.

The buzz:  “A boisterous tale …that should have broad appeal,” says Library Journal.

4. Curtain Up: Agatha Christie: A Life in the Theatre by Julius Green (Harper, non-fiction, on sale now)

What it’s about: Examines the playwriting career (including the long-running The Mousetrap) of the mystery writer who gave us Miss Marple and Poirot.

The buzz: “A treat …for die-hard fans,” says Britain's Independent.

5. Paradise City by Elizabeth Day (Bloomsbury, fiction, on sale Dec. 8)

What it’s about: The lives of four characters intersect in London, including those of a businessman and a maid at a hotel where he stays, who has escaped persecution in Uganda.

The buzz: It’s an Indie Next pick of independent booksellers. “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much,” says Lauren Peugh of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Az.