This column, featuring some of OPL staff's favorite books under or around 200 pages appeared in the August 2, 2026, edition of the Omaha World-Herald. It is also available at Omaha.com (opens in a new tab).
Omaha Public Library wants to help readers find new books — or at least books new to them. Our employees recommend reading based on different writing genres, themes or styles. Looking for a shorter read that you can finish in one to two sittings? All of these recommended reads are around or under 200 pages. Find these books and more at your local branch or omahalibrary.org.
“All Systems Red” by Martha Wells. “A murderous security android discovers itself amidst a routine science survey gone wrong. It must solve unexplained disappearances, keep its crew alive, and somehow find time to catch up on its favorite tv show. This short but gripping sci-fi thriller is written with a dash of biting humor.” — Samuel Ernst, library specialist at the Millard Branch
An Elderly Lady Is up to No Good
“An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good” by Helene Tursten. “Maud is an 88-year-old woman in Gothenburg, Sweden who has managed to live very well for the last 40 years. Her spacious apartment is rent-free, she's traveled the world, and she is rarely lonely. However, Maud's methods are such that she is not someone you want to get too close to. Irreverent and funny, this small volume will keep you entertained for an afternoon.” — Theresa Jehlik, strategy & business intelligence manager
“Ballast” by Quenten Baker. “Quenton Baker's ‘Ballast’ is a striking response to an enduring historical problem; how do we account for unwritten, unrecorded voices? Baker channels imagined perspectives from the only American-born enslaved people to stage a large-scale, successful revolt, and escape to freedom, using a blackout poetry style approach on historical documents to powerful effect.” — Elly Roberts, outreach librarian
“The Buddha in the Attic” by Julia Otsuka. “In spare, almost lyrical prose, Otsuka shares the history of Japanese "picture brides" from the early 20th century through the early years of World War II. Written in 8 sections, the author shares the immigrant experience from arrival to assimilation to internment after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This short novel will haunt you long after you finish reading it.” — Jehlik
“Even Though I Knew the End” by C. L. Polk. “‘Even Though I Knew the End’ is a perfect quick read for historical romantasy fans who are burnt out on long series, shoot-for-the-skies worldbuilding, or high spice reads. C.L. Polk's approach takes a lighter hand on most of those genre points, focusing instead on straightforward and well-crafted storytelling about a supernatural investigator's final chance to escape a Faustian bargain, accompanied by the woman she loves.” — Roberts
"The Hellbound Heart" by Clive Barker. “‘The Hellbound Heart’ is the splatterpunk novella that introduced the world to Pinhead and was adapted into the classic horror movie ‘Hellraiser.’ It's a gruesome and disturbing tale of jealousy, the blurring of pain and pleasure, and where humanity is more capable of monstrosity than extradimensional sado masochist demons. We have such sights to show you!” — David Dick, assistant branch manager at the Downtown Branch
“The Hole” by Hiroko Oyamada. “It's too hot to stay sane in Hiroko Oyamada's ‘The Hole.’ This read is a captivating, strange take on the bored housewife trope that will delight fans of Twin Peaks-style surreal melodramas.” — Roberts
“How to Pronounce Knife” by Souvankham Thammavongsa. “This slim volume of short stories focuses on the lives of Laotian immigrants and refugees in Canada. Whether the voice is that of a 70-year-old woman or an elementary school girl, Thammavongsa never pulls any punches when portraying their often difficult and harsh experiences. The most poignant story was told from the viewpoint of an immigrant woman who launched her daughter into a better life, but the daughter no longer has a relationship with her mother.” — Jehlik
“Morality Play” by Berry Unsworth. “It’s 206 pages long but is a very fun historical mystery from an author I've never heard before! It is about a traveling theater group who stays in a small town and realizes a recent murder of a young boy is not all as it seems.” — Ally Tuttle, associate library specialist at the Millard Branch
“On Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder. “The title didn't SOUND like it would improve mental health, but... this audiobook, read by the author, explains in few words what years of history classes failed to do and suggests meaningful steps to take in the present. The part of my brain that was stuck cycling between ‘how? why?’ was finally able to fade into the background, and even the anxious ‘what to do now?’ was a bit soothed by having a plan.” — J Booth, library specialist at the Millard Branch
“The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” by Muriel Spark. "Muriel Spark's ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ is self-reflective, flirtatious, & rebellious all at once. Humorous beginnings gradually morph into something darker & more tragic." — Colby Jenkins, library specialist at the Milton R. Abrahams Branch
“That Time of Year” by Marie NDiaye. “Fans of the movie 'Backrooms' may find themselves similarly unsettled with Marie NDiaye's ‘That Time of Year.’ The intensifying panic of this social thriller will be familiar to anyone who has had to navigate slow-moving bureaucracy during a crisis. — Roberts
These books are perfect to help you feel productive and get out of a reading slump. Pick up a book (or two — you might burn through them quickly) from your local Omaha Public Library branch today!
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