Contemporary fiction

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick “I’m drawn to books with quirky, cryptic titles, so I knew I had to give this one a read,” says Alyssa Rosenthal, FIRST associate editor. One year after his wife Miriam’s passing, 69-year-old Arthur Pepper is going through some of her things, when he finds an unfamiliar gold charm bracelet. Inspired to learn more about Miriam’s life before they married 40 years earlier, Arthur embarks on a quest to discover the stories behind each of the charms. Says Alyssa, “Seeing Arthur come to terms with his present as he learned about Miriam’s past truly warmed my heart.” (Mira, 2017; Paperback $16, Kindle $9, Nook $9)