THE CUCKOO'S CALLING * TIES THAT BIND TIES THAT BREAK

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - This is the who done it mystery written by J. K. Rowling under a male pseudonym.  It's long, but readable. The main characters are a private detective named Cormoran Strike and his trusty assistant, Robin.  Their stories are as much a part of the plot as the mystery of how a beautiful model really died.  Cormoran and Robin battle against the prevailing wisdom of Scotland Yard to find not only the truth, but to prove the truth completely. This is so much better than the vacant The Casual Vacancy.  There is action, and the characters, locations and events are so much more interesting.  I'd read another Cormoran Strike mystery! 

Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka - Thanks to my niece, Lucy, for this recommendation!  I devoured it in two readings.  It's the story of a plucky Chinese girl in the 1920s, a third daughter with very few options growing up in the closed world of her family's compound.  Ailin is willful, but her father is indulgent, so she grows up with a strength of character not very often observed in young women of her era and circumstances.  Although her choices are limited, each one furthers her in a new way, and her life opens up to new possibilities that she never dreamed could occur.