A continuing series that highlights books recently acquired by publishing houses for future release. Each post features a book we’re looking forward to, and a book we’re . . . not.

The Cherry:

J. North Conway’s The Third Degree: Thomas Byrnes and the Birth of the Modern American Detective, a story of murder, mayhem, and intrigue — the celebrated career of a 19th century New York detective who tackled the city’s most notorious murders and robberies and perfected and popularized “the third degree.”

The Pit:

Michael Sullivan’s Necessary Heartbreak, an inspirational time-travel novel about a single dad who has lost his faith and is struggling to raise his 14-year-old daughter when they discover a portal leading back to first-century Jerusalem during the tumultuous last week of Christ’s life.