"All That I Am" (Harper) by Anna Funder blazes across pre-World War II Europe, illuminating the period when Hitler eliminated all national opposition in his prelude to the rest of the world.

Funder imaginatively melds historical figures, painstaking research and creative fire to chronicle the desperate resistance against Nazi Germany's encroaching domination. Riveting, centered by powerfully enigmatic women, this novel enthralls with a truth stronger than mere fiction; its dark light will linger.

A dose from dual Furies, both bitingly fierce: "Gone Girl" (Crown), Gillian Flynn's murder mystery/psychological thriller, emerges as a study of modern societal constructs. From media monsters to the poison of "Cool Girl" relationships, the pages singed my soul. Flynn ultimately kindles a contemporary gorgon and archly condemns society's contribution to her rise.