THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS – by K. A. Merson

‘Seventeen-year-old Arizona’s favorite things include cryptography, geocaching, the writings of Jules Verne—and exploring the Sierra Nevadas on her Russian Ural motorcycle, with her dog Mojo riding shotgun in his sidecar.’

‘She’s not, in other words, your average teenager.’

‘So when she learns her mother’s been kidnapped and finds a cryptic test accompanying the ransom note, she’s not just horrified—but electrified. Solving puzzles and cracking codes are what she does best . . . .’

That. Was. Awesome!! If you like a heartfelt thriller wrapped in a mind-bending puzzle, I think you will LOVE this book!

Double bonus points for the familiar setting centered around my neck of words—Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books (Random House), for providing me with an eBook of THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS at the request of an honest review.

This is a great book for a YA reader that enjoys a bit of mystery and a smart MC. There is a great balance between allowing the reader to discover or figure out things on their own and the author explaining things out right.

This story was so well done and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading from this author and I'm looking forward to the next book. The plot was really well explored and I enjoyed the overall story. The characters were great and I was able to dive myself into this book. It was well done and I highly recommend. This book was so good.

Editor's note: This roundup is scheduled to publish in Georgia June 11 online and June 14 print in several newspapers. Will also publish in Mississippi and Alabama during the month in newspapers and magazines, timing up to local editors. Link below will be active June 11.

From new series starters (Michael Connelly’s “Nightshade”) to the tried-and-true (Kendra Elliot’s “Her First Mistake”) our beach bag is already overflowing, and what we offer here are just a few — OK, actually 25 — of the best beach reads published through the end of June. Later this season we’ll round out the list, but for now, find an old favorite, a debut thriller or just about anything in between — including a North Alabama favorite who you just might see dining at a Cullman restaurant.

“Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man” (Berkley) by Jesse Q. Sutanto: A lovable Chinese tea shop owner stumbles upon a distressed, young woman — and a murder, the investigation of which she decides to serve up herself. With lots of tea and nosy charm, Vera tackles the project unasked as a “favor” to her (hoped for) future daughter-in-law. Sutanto mixes cozy mystery with smart humor and heartfelt moments.

“When She Was Gone” (Blackstone Publishing) by Sara Foster: When a young nanny working for one of Perth’s wealthiest families disappears, a tense investigation unravels the secrets of a seemingly perfect family, forcing everyone to confront the lies they’ve told themselves and each other. Foster delivers a taut, emotionally resonant thriller that lingers. And as expected from Blackstone Publishing, the story itself is packaged beautifully with subtle and tactile cover art: Buy the hardcover of this one.

“Follow Me” (Thomas & Mercer) by Elizabeth Rose Quinn: An eerie digital breadcrumb trail leads a tech-savvy woman into a web of deception and danger. Quinn crafts a smart, suspenseful mystery that taps into our modern fears of surveillance and online identity. “Heathers” meets “The Stepford Wives” in this tale of twin sisters.

“The Book That Held Her Heart” (Ace) by Mark Lawrence: In this final chapter of The Library Trilogy, a mysterious book bridges love, loss and literary magic in a haunting story that defies time and tests the bond between Livira and Evar — one that has never been more taut. Lawrence blends fantasy and emotion in this lyrical, genre-bending tale.

“The Great Pyramids: Collected Stories” (Arcade Publishing) by Frederick Barthelme: This sharp, wry collection captures small-town oddities, human longing and ironic twists with Barthelme’s signature minimalist flair. A masterclass in short fiction that’s both grounded and subtly surreal.

“The Boomerang” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Bailey: Big Pharma is on trial as Eli James, chief of staff to the president, attempts to rescue his daughter from a cancer diagnosis while simultaneously stumbling upon a cover up that could affect millions of lives — and more importantly to the bad guys, billions of dollars. Bailey keeps the thrills high and the emotional stakes higher. He also lives with his family in Huntsville — and has been know to visit Cullman County now and then. Let him know what you think of his latest if you see him around town.

“A Thousand Natural Shocks” (Blackstone Publishing) by Omar Hussain: A reporter fleeing his past while investigating a serial killer becomes entangled in a cult that promises a pill to erase his memory. The story turns to a test of time as dark secrets about the cult and the serial killer surface in an attempt to reconcile everything he’s learned with his past — before his memories evaporate.

“My Friends” (Atria Books) by Fredrik Backman: Backman returns with a moving meditation on friendship, aging, the quiet heroism of everyday people and a famous painting picturing an isolated moment of time of three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier. Tender, funny and unmistakably human, this is Backman’s most eloquent and lyrical story to date about how lives intersect in unknowable and unpredictable ways. An engaging read from the author of “A Man Called Ove.”

“The Language of the Birds” (Ballantine) by K.A. Merson: Arizona is no average teenager and when she finds a cryptic ransom note, she sets out to solve the riddles — and save her mother. Unwittingly, she becomes entangled in a worldwide treasure hunt that involves a centuries-old secret her father took to his grave. A quirky, surprising story soars in an introspective mystery.

“The Eternal Warrior” (Blackstone Publishing) by Ari Marmell: An immortal fighter who defies even death — an Eternal Warrior — is caught in a conflict that spans centuries, grappling with his past sins and the future of humanity in an attempt to reclaim everything that has slipped from his personal history. Marmell delivers epic fantasy with grit, heart and unrelenting pace.

“Nightshade” (Little, Brown and Company) by Michael Connelly: Done with Bosch and Ballard, at least for now, Connelly’s new series starter centers on another one-name detective, Stilwell. Due to department politics, the Los Angeles County sheriff detective has been exiled to a low-level post on Catalina Island, where he promptly begins to ruffle local feathers as he unearths secrets the natives would rather keep to themselves. Hopefully Connelly’s flair for backstory and depth will surface in future offerings, but for now, our first meeting with Stilwell offers a familiar, fun summer read.

“Kaua’i Storm” (Thomas & Mercer) by Tori Eldridge: In the lush Hawaiian landscape, a repatriated national park ranger uncovers a mystery surrounding the disappearance of her two cousins. Unfortunately for her, it’s a mystery and investigation that neither the family, the locals nor the police truly want exposed. Eldridge blends action and cultural depth in a uniquely tropical thriller.

“Rockets’ Red Glare” (Blackstone Publishing) by William Webster and Dick Lochte: A high-octane political thriller unfolds against the backdrop of a potentially explosive Fourth of July. Lochte’s sharp storytelling and fast pacing make for a perfect July 4 holiday page-turner. The book is the first in a series with Tribal Police Deputy Sage Mendiluze. Reacher and Pickett fans will find common ground here.

“Written on the Dark” (Ace) by Guy Gavriel Kay: Kay returns with an evocative, elegant historical fantasy set in a world where poetry, memory and fate collide. Centering on a tavern poet who must cater to both rogues and courtiers, Thierry Villar must also navigate churning political waters in a game of assassins and armies. Richly imagined and beautifully told storytelling.

“A Dead Draw” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni: In book 11 of the Tracy Crosswhite series, a pair of cold cases stir ties to the murder of Tracy’s sister in the form of suspect Erik Schmidt. When Schmidt is freed due to an investigative error, the lives of her friends and family are under direct threat. Schmidt is a master of taunt and tease as he draws Tracy deeper into his dark world. Wonderful character building in this story and the sensitive drawing of Lydia, a young woman on the spectrum whose mannerisms echo those of Tracy’s murdered sister, is exceptionally done. One of Dugoni’s best works, the author brings in just enough backstory to both start the series here, and reward long-time readers with vintage Crosswhite.

“The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club” (Ballantine Books) by Martha Hall Kelly: In a story told through dual timelines, Kelly’s narrative is a personal ode to her mother’s heritage. Involving a contemporary mystery, set at Martha’s Vineyard, whose only answers will come from the past, the story taps a wartime romance set in 1942 — and a beach read written for today. Kelly is touring extensively for this book through the end of July. Meet up with her at marthahallkelly.com/events/.

“The Turn” (Blackstone Publishing) by Christopher Ransom: An heirloom, of sorts, following his father’s death sends Casey Sweet into his dad’s past — and a current country club where Casey might just have met the long-lost son he never knew he had. Written in the tradition of “Caddyshack,” Ransom’s new novel is an engaging summer break.

“The Afterlife Project” (Podium Publishing) by Tim Weed: Humanity is facing extinction. A group of scientists with the capability to send a test subject 10,000 years into the future. One of the last women on Earth capable of getting pregnant. All of this portends that the survival of humankind is at stake in a futuristic setting evoking the ills of today.

“It Takes a Psychic” (Berkley) by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle: A psychic investigator — actually, a para-archeologist — with a flair for romance and the paranormal dives into a case filled with danger and sizzling chemistry. Castle delivers her signature mix of mystery charm in a story centering on a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. “It Takes a Psychic” is No. 18 in Castle’s A Harmony Novel series.

“The Ghostwriter” (Sourcebooks Landmark) by Julie Clark: An author’s past returns to haunt her in the form of a ghostwriting project undertaken for her estranged father. When the project turns out to be just another one of dad’s lies, writer Olivia Dumont is forced to confront her relationship with her father … and a web of family secrets.

“Stop All the Clocks” (Arcade) by Noah Kumin: Kumin’s debut is a meditative, poetic novel about time, grief and the modern-life moments that define us … in ones and zeroes. The death of a colleague and the collapse of her AI company send Mona Veigh’s life in directions not determined by any algorithm.

“Plays Well with Others” (Blackstone Publishing) by Lauren Myracle: A bout of social media betrayal forces Jake Nolan from her job, house and husband and into a receptive bungalow on Sweetwater Lane. There, she befriends those just like herself — people itching to act on entrenched thoughts of retaliation.

“Her First Mistake” (Montlake) by Kendra Elliot: Elliot has written nearly two dozen thrillers set in her home state of Oregon and this latest offering features a minor character from the Columbia River novels: Here, Deschutes County sheriff’s detective Noelle Marshall gets her own origin story. A cold case murder mystery, this is the tale that explains what happened to Marshall to make her the detective she is today, or at least what she becomes in later storylines. A fulfilling storyline delivers much more than backstory in a captivating summer read.

“Jill Is Not Happy” (Scarlet) by Kaira Rouda: In this darkly comic tale, Jill and Jack live an enviable life in South California and, as recent empty-nesters, an unbearable marriage. A road trip “to reconnect” is really a cat-and-mouse game unknown to each other as they unwittingly match their cunning to pull one in … and push the other over, the more-than-metaphorical ledge.

“The Farm House” (Poisoned Pen Press) by Chelsea Conradt: Looking for a fresh start after her mother dies, Emily Hauk and her husband depart for a farm in rural Nebraska. Learning nothing from centuries of thrillers (“The Amityville Horror,” anyone?), they should have asked why the asking price was so low. Unknown to them, everyone who has ever lived on this farm has died. The lure of the soil is compelling, though, as Emily digs into the mystery enveloping her new home.

Reach book reviewer Tom Mayer at tmayer@rn-t.com or tmayer132435@gmail.com.

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While I recognize the quality and appeal of this book, I am not in the target audience for this book. Readers looking for a YA coming of age story with some puzzles throughout will likely enjoy this one. For me, while the premise was initially intriguing, it lost me quite early on with the puzzles.

I like mysteries. However, this book didn't captivate me in the least. Arizona, the heroine, was quite unlikable and after awhile, the puzzles were just too much.

Also, why is this an adult book? It seems like pure YA to me. I don't think most of my high schoolers would have the patience to read it, though.

A little bit too DaVinci code-esque for my taste. I liked Arizona, the teen-aged protagonist, but found her labored decoding completely unbelievable. Really? If she is as smart as she is purported to be, she would have Caesar codes unwound in a Python minute.

I skipped over much of the alchemist/star map/geo coordinate details. They didn't add anything to the story, and they were either tedious for the informed reader, or abstract for the uninformed.

This book didn't really work for me, but I hope it does for the right reader, since the author clearly put a ton of research and sweat into it's production.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

17-year-old Arizona is grieving the death of ther father, when her mother is kidnapped. The kidnappers want her to crack a code from an old text. Accompanied by her dog Mojo she embarks on a dangerous journey of solving puzzles, codes and riddles, and finding her mother. Along the way she makes interesting discoveries and finds friends.

This book is a mystery wrapped together with a coming-of-age story. Arizona is neurodivergent and clearly a genius. The puzzles in the story were really interesting, but I could not have cracked them myself. I left it all in Arizona's capaple hands. And this book is really heavy on puzzles. If that's your thing I'm sure you'll enjoy reading it. This has been compared to Da Vinci Code and I totally agree.

A fun story that makes no sense if you think about it too much. Like... why would people be willing to kidnap a mother and threaten a 17-year-old girl over a potential map/treasure/code/etc.? How is Arizona able to do all the things that she can SO easily (and no you can't say it's because she's neurodivergent and just memorizes how to do everything from code breaking to driving a motorcycle lol)

The characters were fine, but the plot didn't feel fleshed out enough for me to love this as much as I wanted to. I think this would make a good movie for younger kids, but overall it was just an average read to me.

I couldn’t put this down! A page turner from start to finish. Will definitely recommend to others. I hope others love it too!

I was so looking forward to this book about a teen whose mother goes missing and who has to use her brilliant puzzling skills to find her. I had even heard about it in a book preview from one of my trusted book podcasts. Unfortunately, though this had a lot of potential, the execution fell a little flat for me. I loved the neurodivergent representation, the puzzle and code idea, and the historical tie-ins. It felt like it could have been a New Adult version of The Da Vinci Code or National Treasure. However, the minutiae of the puzzles overwhelmed the story and plot, and left me feeling bogged down with little connection to the characters. The ending also felt rushed and incomplete given the drawn out journey to get there.

This felt very much like a debut novel but I would be curious to see how the author progresses in future books. The promising elements of this one didn't quite blend together to form a cohesive, impactful story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. The Language of the Birds released on May 13, 2025.

Seventeen-year-old Arizona is traveling with her mother with their Airstream trailer in tow. The two women are dealing with the recent death of Arizona’s father, who was killed in a motorcycle accident. While on their current road trip, Arizona’s mother goes missing. At first Arizona tries not to panic, but then finds the Airstream has been broken into and torn apart inside, like someone was desperately searching for something. There is also a note that has been left on the counter for her to find, making it very clear that her mother has been kidnapped. The kidnappers believe Arizona’s father took a secret to his grave and the only way Arizona can get her mother released is to figure out the secret and turn it over to the kidnappers. The only way to accomplish this feat is solve some complex puzzles. Luckily Arizona is very skilled with codes, puzzles and riddles - she has spent her life doing those with her father, as well as being a very avid reader of history and all other types of books. Arizona has a faithful sidekick, her dog Mojo. She has never really had friends and has been made fun of in school for being odd and different. The adventure of searching for the secret her father may have hidden forces Arizona to come in contact with others and finds she can enjoy someone else’s company and friendship. The book gets a little bogged down with all the ciphers and obscure references but it does fit with the plot of the book. I enjoyed the characters and the struggles someone considered different comes across and how to overcome them. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book is out now.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

K.A. Merson’s "The Language of the Birds" is a mesmerizing novel that blends folklore, mystery, and the enduring power of storytelling. Rooted in lush, evocative prose, the book invites readers into a world where language itself becomes a force of transformation—both for the characters who wield it and for those who become entangled in its mysteries.

This novel is about secrets—the kind passed down through generations, the kind buried deep within personal histories, and the kind encoded within the natural world. Merson constructs an intricate tapestry of myth and reality, crafting a story where symbols and hidden messages take on tangible weight. The narrative, much like the titular birds, flutters between voices, histories, and interpretations, demanding careful attention from the reader.

Merson’s writing pulses with an almost hypnotic rhythm, making the novel feel like both a dream and a puzzle. Every interaction, every revelation carries an undercurrent of magic—not the kind tied to fantasy, but the subtle magic of words and perceptions shifting before one’s eyes.

The novel’s characters are richly developed, each one shaped by the stories they tell and the truths they hide. Their relationships serve as the heartbeat of the book, offering moments of quiet tenderness alongside sharp, unsettling twists. The pacing is deliberate, allowing space for reflection while keeping tension simmering just beneath the surface.

"The Language of the Birds" is a literary enigma—unfolding in layers, revealing just enough to keep readers spellbound while leaving room for interpretation. Merson has crafted a novel that lingers, inviting readers to return to its pages, listen closely, and perhaps discover a new meaning hidden within the lines.

This novel focuses on Arizona, a seventeen-year-old whose father is dead and whose mother has been kidnapped. She pursues tracking down her mother and the kidnappers with her dog Mojo, and her love of puzzles, riddles and codes comes in handy because she learns that her mother was kidnapped because of a secret her father took to his grave. This was definitely a uniquely premised and enjoyable read for me, even though I felt that the puzzle-solving Arizona had to work through was way too complex and detailed. Nonetheless, I applaud the author’s creativity.

This was a clever mystery featuring a genius teen girl named Arizona. She is tasked with solving cyphers and puzzles to free her mom from captivity. She spends her time in or near her camper with her dog. I enjoyed reading the places she visited and luckily I had visited some of these places which helped with my imagination. While trying to solve the puzzles she loses some of her social anxiety and lets a few people help her. She went on quite the adventure!

I enjoyed the puzzles and literary reference though some went over my head. The story was creative and believable. I could see this becoming a type of series featuring Arizona. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this novel.

The Language of the Birds is a great read for code lovers and puzzle solvers. I am neither of those, but I still enjoyed the characters and the plot. I was slightly overwhelmed by some of the coding details, but Merson's writing style definitely held my interest. The main character, Arizona, is a brilliant and resourceful teenager. I enjoyed getting to know her.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I actually got a decent chunk into this but I never felt invested in the story and had to DNF

"The Language of the Birds" by K.A. Merson begins with an intriguing premise: a brilliant, puzzle-loving teenager named Arizona whose mother is kidnapped, leaving behind a demand for Arizona to uncover a "great secret" her supposedly dead father took to his grave. This setup, involving codes, riddles, and a mix of fact and fiction, promised a fascinating adventure.

Arizona herself is an interesting character – highly intelligent, more comfortable with books than people, and driven by a love for puzzles. Her journey across the Sierra Nevada mountains with her dog, following a trail of ciphers and ancient texts, definitely has moments of cleverness. The idea of uncovering mysteries hidden in U.S. history and the Western landscape is a compelling concept. While not explicitly marketed as a Young Adult (YA) novel, its protagonist and themes would certainly resonate well with that audience.

However, despite the strong concept, the execution felt somewhat underdeveloped for me. The intricate puzzles and historical details, while clever, sometimes overshadowed the emotional core of the story. I found that the urgency of finding her kidnapped mother occasionally took a back seat to the intellectual chase, which made it harder to fully invest in Arizona's journey. The plot, while ambitious in its blending of fact and fiction, sometimes felt a bit convoluted, and I struggled to connect with it as much as I'd hoped.

Ultimately, "The Language of the Birds" is a unique debut with a very smart protagonist and some fascinating ideas about hidden history and codes. But for me, it didn't quite deliver a consistently compelling narrative, feeling more like a series of interesting puzzles than a cohesive and emotionally impactful story.

★★☆☆☆

#TheLanguageOfTheBirds #KAMerson #Mystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #DebutNovel #PuzzlesAndCodes #YAAppropriate #HiddenSecrets #AdventureMystery #Cryptic

Enjoyed this courtesy copy from NetGalley. I think I'm a bit above the target audience age-wise, but a good mystery adventure nonetheless.

This book has many features that I tend to love when reading a suspense/thriller novel - puzzles, interesting characters, and danger.

Arizona and her mother are off to spread her father's ashes. However, her mother is kidnapped, and Arizona is tasked with deciphering clues to ensure her mother's release. For a seventeen-year-old, she is pretty smart and knows her way around search engines and the like to uncover the information she needs to solve the riddles. While it isn't stated, it is obvious she is neurodivergent, which helps when solving the riddles, but hinders her in trusting others or making friends. 

I did enjoy trying to solve the riddles, but I could tell I was no match for Arizona or the author. The ciphers were very cerebral and not meant for the average reader. I believe I read that a lot of this information was true, and if you had the desire to look it up on the internet that you would find the same information. Some poems lead Arizona to the next clue, once she has deciphered them. These poems are repeated, which is both a good and a bad thing. Good because I wouldn't remember it, but bad because I feel like it was filler. I also question whether a seventeen-year-old would be tasked with helping save her mother, no matter how brilliant she was in uncovering the clues. 

I did enjoy the book and how everything came together. Furthermore, I even appreciated the burgeoning friendship between Lily and Arizona. I think that is something Arizona was lacking, and this helped shape her future.

We give this book 4 paws up.