DURING SLAVERY AND AFTER, a small, entwined Black community seen through the eyes of its mother and daughter “conjure women.” Lush, powerful prose and indelible characters. B PLUS

CONJURE WOMEN
Random House
2020

BACK FROM HELL and having a tough time reintegrating into the land of the living, Sandman Slim faces down some very bad creatures. Richard Kadrey’s latest shows that he’s still the king of grunge punk metaphysical fantasy. B PLUS

BALLISTIC KISS
Harper Voyager
2020

WITTY SHAKESPEAREAN ADVENTURE sets up the Bard’s creation Ancient Pistol as a spy for hire. Clever riff on a colorful character and a satisfying mystery plot. B PLUS

ALL WIND AND PISTOL (ANCIENT PISTOL SAGA BOOK 1)
Roger Butters
2020

A NINETEENTH-CENTURY NATURALIST’S life fascinates a science writer; inspired by his commitment to science, appalled by his endorsement of eugenics, she sees his work as a fight against overwhelming chaos. B PLUS

WHY FISH DON'T EXIST
Simon & Schuster
2020