2008

June

FICTION/ALLEN
Allen, Sarah AddisonThe Sugar Queen2008, 276 p.
Josey Cirrini is taken aback when she finds Della Lee Baker sitting in her closet.  Josey uses the secret space behind her closet to hide her romance books, magazines, and her extensive collection of comfort food.  Della Lee refuses to leave Josey’s closet until she’s good and ready, so Josey continues her routine of caring for her invalid, widowed mother.  However, Josey is ready for something more from life, so with Della Lee’s help, she finds new friends and a romance, and asserts her independence, making a new life for herself.  Touches of magic enliven this charming story.   Sue O’Brien

FICTION.BAILEY
Bailey, TomThe Grace That Keeps This World2005, 276 p.
Living a simple life off the land among the dense wooded forests of upstate New York’s Adirondack country is the way Gary Hazen’s family have lived for generations and how he and his wife Susan have raised their grown sons (Gary David and Kevin). Both young men start to question their father’s strict code of discipline, while at the same time they crave their father’s trust and non-judgmental love.  On the opening day of buck hunting season Gary David and Kevin must decide whether they join their father in the hunt or stand up to him for the first time in their lives. Susan tries to act as a buffer between her husband and sons and waits nervously for their safe return.  Marianne Trautvetter    

FICTION/COBEN
Coben, HarlanHold Tight2008, 416 p.
In this compelling and suspenseful thriller with multiple plot lines, Coben asks the question where to draw the line when trying to protect ones’ children.  Mike and Tina Baye’s idyllic family starts to fall apart when their son’s best friend Adam commits suicide. They soon notice a difference in Adam’s behavior, he quits the hockey team he loved, and his grades drop in school.  Worried about what they don’t know about Adam they install software on their son’s computer to monitor his activities.  This eventually backfires when Adam runs away but for different reasons than they assume.  Added to this complex plot is a serial killer who is brutally murdering women in the community. Coben deftly ties these seemingly unrelated events into a frightening conclusion the reader will not soon forget. S.Guenzer

MYSTERY/HARRIS
Harris, CharlaineFrom Dead to Worse2007, 359 p.
In the latest Southern Vampire mystery, the supernatural communities of Louisiana are devastated from the combination of the explosive vampire summit a month earlier and the continuing fallout from Hurricane Katrina.  Sookie Stackhouse, the telepathic barmaid with tangled ties to those same communities, is also devastated that she has not heard from her boyfriend Quinn since the horrific explosion.  Ever hopeful that things will settle down and return to “normal,” Sookie finds herself in the center of everything. Yet again she is drawn into the conflicts of not only the vampires, but the Weres, her roommate, and her own family as well.  Nicole S.

FICTION/LAMB
Lamb, CathyJulia’s Chocolates2007, 390 p.
Just after leaving her abusive fiancé at the altar and her wedding dress hanging from a tree on a country road, Julia Bennett heads to the 100-year-old Colorado farmhouse of her beloved and thoroughly eccentric Aunt Lydia, to mend her broken heart and take stock of her life.  Aunt Lydia introduces Julia to a small group of quirky, kindred souls who gather weekly at the farmhouse for “Psychic Nights” (copious amounts of wine and general gab) who promptly take her into their fold.  Gifted in the art of chocolate making, Julia is surprised to discover that her talents have the power to heal old wounds and cement new friendships, as well as empower her with the strength she needs to confront her past.   Debbie Deady

FICTION/LOGSDON
Logsdon, GeneThe Last of the Husbandmen2008, 333 p.
Transformation of farming life between the First World War and the late twentieth century is the focus of this issue-driven, literary novel set in northeastern Gowler, Ohio.  Ben Bump and Emmet Gowler, close friends since boyhood, have remained at odds well into adulthood over farming.  As the largest and richest landholders in the area, Emmet’s family wealth stands between the men as distinctly as their differing views on how best to keep farming profitable.  Embracing the mechanized approach to farming which emerges between world wars, the Gowler’s steadily increase their land holdings.  By farming the old way – or the amish Bump way, minus any religion – Ben Bump discovers he can make farming pay as opposed to requiring the government subsidies necessitated by the big agriculture of Gowler Enterprises to generate profitability.  This family-centered story overflows with details of the farming life and should resonate with readers seeking a greener approach to daily living wherever they may reside. Suzy Miller   

FICTION/PROULX
Proulx, JoanneAnthem of a Reluctant Prophet2008, 356 p.
While killing time in his buddy’s basement, Luke creeps out his stoned friends by forecasting the death of one of the guys: while skateboarding, Stan will be hit by a van the very next morning.  Luke even knows the license plate number.  And then it happens.  Luke is sickened and further overwhelmed when more visions of death strike him.  Stan’s girlfriend, Faith, tries to convince Luke that he is not responsible as Luke’s premonitions become stranger and focused on a much-publicized missing girl. A surreal run-in with a drug-pushing doctor and a single-minded evangelical preacher drive Luke to the edge as he struggles to make sense of his “gift” and find meaning in the tragedy that surrounds him on a personal and global scale.  This edgy post-9/11 coming-of-age story will hit the mark with fans of cult favorites like Donnie Darko and Chuck Palahniuk.  Heather Booth

FICTION/ RUSSELL
Russell, Mary DoriaDreamers of the Day2008, 253 p.
Events of the first quarter of the 20th century, the Great War, the Influenza Epidemic, the first stock market crash and the partition of the Middle East, are recalled by Agnes Shanklin, as she recounts her experiences during those tumultuous days. In the course of just a few short years, Agnes Shanklin, a spinster nearing forty, found herself the sole surviving member of her family, with the means to fulfill her life-long dream to travel to Egypt. On her arrival, a simple twist of fate placed her in the position to witness an unusually powerful circle of ex-pats, including Lady Gertrude Bell, the Churchills, and her deceased sister’s dear friend, Col. T.E. Lawrence, (aka; Lawrence of Arabia), only days before the 1921 Cairo Peace Conference, where this group would finalize the map and the future of the Middle East. This is an eloquent novel which offers an interesting glimpse of the people and events that laid the foundation for many of the issues that have dominated the 20th and 21st centuries. Terri W.


May

FICTION/HARRIS
Harris, JoanneThe  Girl with No Shadow2008, 444 p.
This sequel to the delightful Chocolat features Vianne who now has changed her name to Yanne and moved to Paris to start a new life with her daughters Anouk and Rosette.  Seeking a quiet life, she keeps her secrets hidden but, as all too often, secrets are revealed when we least expect.  When newcomer Zozie de l’Alba offers to help Yanne with the chocolate shop she now has, she is guarded but hopeful this arrangement will work out.  Soon however, it becomes apparent to Yanne that Zozie is not who she thinks she is and she becomes worried about her influence on her teenage daughter.  Again, as in Chocolat, this beautifully written novel captures the reader till the very last page. Sheila Guenzer

FICTION/HILL
Hill, JoeHeart-Shaped Box2007, 376 p.
Judas Coyne, a middle-aged rock star, collects morbidly peculiar items and is particularly interested in an internet auction of a suit which includes the dead owner’s ghost.  When the suit arrives, Judas discovers that he has been set-up since the suit belonged to Craddock McDermott, the stepfather of his previous girlfriend who committed suicide.  McDermott’s ghost is out to avenge her death and threatens to kill Judas and anyone who tries to help him. This book is a compelling tale of horror and in the end the characters find redemption. Marianne Trautvetter

FICTION/MEDWED
Medwed, MameveHow Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life2006, 255 p.
Antiques dealer Abby Randolph makes a living selling antiques at a booth at a Cambridge antiques mart.  One day a colleague suggests she take a chamber pot she received after dividing the possessions of her recently deceased mother and her partner on the television show, Antiques Roadshow.  To her great surprise, the chamber pot belonged to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and it is worth a small fortune.  Her former best friend Lavinia also lays claim to the chamber pot, as her mother was living with Abby’s mother, starting a legal battle.  Complicating matters, Abby was in love with Lavinia’s brother Ned until he wrote a novel detailing her hopes and fears, causing her to break up with him.  Mild-mannered Abby must deal with Lavinia’s selfishness and the necessity of seeing Ned again as she fights to claim what is hers and to discover how she wants to change her life. Sue O’Brien

FICTION/MILLET
Millet, LydiaHow the Dead Dream2007, 244 p.
The only child of emotionally inaccessible parents, the oddly likeable T. is a loner – mildly obsessed with several of the American founding fathers, and curiously adept at various entrepreneurial schemes.  As a real estate developer, his sharp intellect and unusually keen insight serve him well on his latest project: a retirement community in the California desert.  Despite his successes, T. remains dissatisfied and spiritually adrift – dealing inadequately with the arrival of his mentally unstable mother, and the untimely death of the only girl he ever loved.  He responds by finding solace in the company of animals rather than in people, who he generally regards as insensitive ecological pariahs.  Overall, this is a poignant and sensitive literary novel, artfully blending social satire and personal melancholy, reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut. Debbie Deady

SF/F ROTHFUSS
Rothfuss, PatrickThe Name of the Wind: Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One2007, 662 p.
This first installment in a new fantasy series is traditional fantasy storytelling at its best. When the legendary Kvothe, discovered in a backwater village, is persuaded to tell his life story over three days to a “chronicler,” the Kvothe of legend, quickly becomes merely flesh and blood. A gifted child orphaned by the murderous Chandrain, Kvothe survived the wilderness, the streets and the University using his wits and unique talents, while carefully constructing the foundation of his mythic status. A roadhouse, a scribe, a flawed hero, a bit of magic, lots of adventure, a sidekick, and trouble afoot. A sure bet for traditional fantasy readers everywhere! Terri W.

YA/FICTION/VALENTINE
Valentine, JennyMe, the Missing, and the Dead2008, 208 p.
Lucas is surrounded by missing people: his older sister is never around, his mother is absorbed in a midlife crisis, his grandfather has dementia, and his journalist father went missing under fishy circumstances years ago. With so many ghostlike family members, it’s not surprising that Lucas finds a connection with the dead.  Lucas finds an abandoned funeral urn and immediately feels a connection to the woman inside.  After embarking on an investigation into her life, a spine-tingling discovery allows Lucas to finally close the book on his father’s disappearance.  Readers, especially teens, looking for a coming-of age story with a little supernatural mystery won’t want to miss this debut novel.

FICTION/WOLITZER
Wolitzer, MegThe Ten-Year Nap2008, 351 p.
This novel of post-9/11 literary fiction illuminates the day-to-day minutiae of a loosely knit group of mothers whose friendship originates from their children attending the same private day school in Manhattan. These women, former career-professionals, have elected to devote their energies to full-time mothering for as-yet indeterminate season of their lives.  Breakfasting at the Golden Horn Diner, the women articulate their mutual challenges as well as the unique struggles confronted by each woman in her own little corner of the world.  Vivid, well-drawn characters propel the story from multiple points of view, in a candid, often hilarious, snapshot of contemporary culture. Suzy Miller


April

FICTION/ANDREWS
Andrews, Mary KayDeep Dish2008, 384 p.
After Gina Foxton, of the PBS cooking show Fresh Start, loses her job when her producer sleeps with the sponsor’s wife, she finds herself in competition with Tate Moody of Vittles, the outdoor cooking/lifestyle show, for her own show on The Cooking Channel.  The “Food Fight” will take place on Eutaw Island, and the two contestants will have to prepare their food using only a few staples, plus items they find on the island.  Sparks fly between the two, leading to more than just good cooking. Verbal sparring, humor, cooking details, and quirky characters make for a satisfying story. Sue O’Brien

FICTION/BREEN
Breen, SusanThe Fiction Class2008, 296 p.
Thirty-eight-year-old Arabella Hicks supports herself copyediting annual reports and teaching an adult education fiction class as she struggles to finish her own novel.  Each Wednesday after class, Arabella visits with her mother who has Parkinson’s disease. Now in a nursing home, Vera Hick’s greatest joy is this weekly visit and fast food from Wendy’s Arabella inevitably brings. Arabella’s lesson plans and writing assignments provide the structure for this contemporary literary novel. Buttressed by the humor and good will of her latest group of students, Arabella learns to rest in the underlying love she has for her mother. Readers with aging loved ones will appreciate this tender portrayal of mother-daughter dynamics, as Arabella endeavors to settle up with her dying mother. Suzy Miller

MYSTERY/ FRANKLIN
Franklin, ArianaMistress of the Art of Death2007, 384 p.
Rich in historical detail, this medieval mystery (1171 A.D.) is the first in a new series featuring Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, a young woman from Salerno, Italy trained in the medical arts, as well as the mysterious and forbidden art of  “reading the dead” (forensic anatomy). In constant need of funds, Henry II finds his treasury suffering when the Jews of Cambridge, an important source of the crown’s income, are accused by villagers of the murder of local children. To clear the Jews and restore his coffers, Henry summons help from the King of Sicily who promptly sends three investigators to England: Simon, a Jewish fixer (spy), Mansur, a Saracen eunuch, and Adelia, Mistress of the Art of Death. Given the circumstances the trio struggles to maintain a fictitious cover as they settle into the backwater village while investigating the atrocious murders. This award-winning mystery is a good bet for readers who enjoy historical fiction and investigative details. Terri W.

FICTION/JORDAN
Jordan, HillaryMudbound: A Novel2008, 328 p.
Jordan won the 2006 Bellwether Prize (literature showing social responsibility) for this novel set in 1946 in the Mississippi Delta.  Henry McAllan is living his dream of owning and working his own cotton farm. His wife Laura, city bred and college educated, finds it difficult to share her home with her mean-spirited, racist father-in-law while doing without electricity, running water or proper medical attention for her two young children. Laura comes to rely on the companionship of midwife Florence Jackson, the wife of their African American sharecropper. Racism in the South is evident when war heroes Jamie McAllan and Ronsel Jackson return from the war and only one is given the recognition for his efforts while the other is discriminated against. This compelling novel will leave you thinking long after you close the book.  Marianne Trautvetter

FICTION/KINSELLA
Kinsella, SophieRemember Me?2008, 389 p.
Lexi Smart, affectionately known as Snaggletooth, is stuck working a dead end job and has a boyfriend nicknamed “Loser” Dave.  When she wakes up in a London hospital after a night out with her friends, she is stunned to discover that she is three years older, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are divorced, and she is married to a seemingly perfect and gorgeous man, who is also obscenely wealthy.  How did Lexi’s life change so dramatically and why can’t she remember? This standalone title is for chick lit fans that are craving a breezy read, and for Kinsella addicts that cannot wait for the movie version of Confessions of a Shopaholic.  Nicole S.

FICTION/LUTZ
Lutz, LisaThe Curse of the Spellmans2008, 409 p.
Izzy Spellman and her quirky family of San Francisco private investigators are back. When John Brown (a.k.a. Subject) moves in next door, Izzy is intrigued by his potential as future ex-boyfriend number 11, and also by the multiple bags of shredded paper that leave his house every day, and the mysteriously locked room within his apartment. A bruised rib, a banishment from both her sublet and the family home, and two arrests later (or four if you’re really counting), Izzy enlists her teenage sister Rae to help her finish the investigation. Alternately aided and restrained by Rae’s odd-couple best friend, police detective Henry Stone, Izzy’s second outing is a fun, quick, quirky read for fans of Stephanie Plum as well as those who enjoy the exploits of eccentric families.  Heather Booth

YA FICTION/PRESSLER
Pressler, MirjamLet Sleeping Dogs Lie2007, 207 p.
Eighteen-year-old Johanna has an almost too-good-to-be-true boyfriend and all-around comfortable life in Germany, thanks in large part to her family’s successful clothing store. During a school trip to Israel however, she meets Meta Levin, a Jewish woman who claims that Johanna’s grandfather, a former Nazi, literally stole the store from her family during World War II.  This startling accusation turns Johanna’s life upside-down as she attempts to learn the truth about her grandfather’s life, his recent suicide, and the reasons behind her family’s defense of his innocence. A great read for mature teens already familiar with this dark chapter in German history, who also enjoy contemporary young adult fiction.   Debbie Deady


March

YA/FICTION/ASHER
Asher, JayThirteen Reasons Why2008, 288 p.
Clay Jensen comes home from high school one day to discover a package of audiocassettes, narrated by his former crush Hannah Baker, waiting for him.  Hannah committed suicide two weeks earlier and Clay is still reeling from the loss.  In the cassettes Hannah relates thirteen reasons, many involving mutual classmates, which contributed to her decision to commit suicide.  A riveting read that demonstrates how one’s actions can affect other people, which many teens will find hard to put down.  Nicole S.

MYSTER/BLACK
Black, BenjaminChristine Falls2007, 338 p.
This taut complex tale featuring pathologist Quirke Griffin is set in Dublin and Boston in the 1950s.  After a party one night, Quirke returns to the morgue and finds his brother Malachy, also a doctor, altering the records of a young woman just brought in.  Malachy’s explanations for what he is doing don’t satisfy Quirke and he begins his own investigation.  As he presses for answers to find out who Christine Falls was, and how she died,  Quirke opens up a much more widespread investigation into the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and their illegal adoptions. This well-written and atmospheric novel is the first in a series. Sheila Guenzer

FICTION/DELINSKY
Delinsky, BarbaraThe Secret Between Us2008, 343 p.
This thought-provoking novel delves into the domino effect of lying and a family’s dynamics when Deborah takes responsibility for a car accident, protecting her daughter Grace. Grace is driving home on a rainy night with Deborah, when their car hits something.  Deborah, a family doctor, examines the victim (Grace’s high school history teacher); determines his injuries to be minor and sends Grace home before the police arrive.  When the victim dies unexpectedly Grace is wracked with guilt and withdraws from her friends and family.  Deborah finds that the lie she tells about the accident only causes her to face some uncomfortable truths about her past and the way her life is progressing.  Book discussion questions are included at the end of the novel for the convenience of reading groups.  Marianne Trautvetter  

YA/FICTION/FERGUSON
Ferguson, AlaneThe Christopher Killer2006, 274 p.
Her first day on the job as a small-town Colorado coroner’s assistant begins much as Cameryn expected.  But when called to a fresh crime scene, the reality of her chosen profession lands a heavy blow: the deceased is a friend of Cameryn’s.  More committed than ever, Cameryn vows to find Rachel’s murderer, a serial killer who leaves St. Christopher’s medals on each victim.  Drawn to by the publicity, celebrity psychic Dr. Jewel claims to commune with Rachel and he soon casts aspersions on locals.  Cameryn refuses to believe the hype until one too many of Dr. Jewel’s signs appears true.  Could he really be speaking with Rachel?  The first in a highly suspenseful mystery series for teens, Cameryn’s exploits are not to be missed by young CSI fans.  A cliffhanger ending will have readers clamoring for the follow up, The Angel of Death.  Heather Booth

FICTION/HARDY
Hardy, EdwardKeeper and Kid2008, 294 p.
Thirty-six-year-old Jimmy Keeper is thriving in both his job and personal life.  He manages to circumvent marriage when he and his architect-girlfriend Leah, buy their first place together.   Love and Dead, the combination antique store and architectural salvage yard he operates with Tim, his oldest childhood friend, has recently expanded into another location. Then, an urgent message and subsequent hospital visit with his ex-wife Cynthia results in an unexpected surprise which soon challenges Jimmy’s present domestic arrangement.  Rich humor and a strong sense of place punctuates this detailed look into reconciling a previous relationship with new life-choices, making this contemporary novel one which will resonate soundly with many in our culture.  Suzy Miller

FICTION/KAUFMAN
Kaufman, Jennifer and Karen MackA Version of the Truth2008, 322 p.
When her husband dies in a car accident, Cassie Shaw must find a job to support herself.  Because of her dyslexia, she had a terrible time in school and dropped out of high school before graduation; so she is finding it difficult to find a job until she lies on an application, saying she graduated from college.  She is hired for an entry-level position by the behavioral sciences department of the local university.  Cassie loves her new job, and finds working for the two professors stimulates her love of learning, so she begins taking classes and reading the classics, expanding her life and mind, discovering she isn’t so dumb after all.  A chance remark by a friend brings her new life tumbling down, but the resilient Cassie moves forward in this satisfying first-person account of a woman redefining her vision of herself. Sue O’Brien

FICTION/LAVENDER
Lavender, WillObedience2008, 289 p.
Winchester University college students enrolled in Professor Williams’ class, Logic and Reasoning 204, were understandably intrigued when told on the first day that their semester’s assignment was to prevent the “hypothetical” murder of a high school student. Polly, the intended victim, had already been kidnapped they were told, and had precisely six weeks to live – coincidentally the length of their term.  The mystery soon takes over the lives of three students, however, as they sift through a series of disturbing and often very personal clues, and begin to sense that the missing girl’s life indeed depends on their willingness to risk their own.  A gripping, psychological page-turner.  Debbie Deady

MYSTERY/NESBO
Nesbø, JoThe Redbreast2006, 521 p.
Laid out in parallel narratives, this complex police procedural weaves together some of Norway’s hidden skeletons, past and present. Detective Harry Hole has earned a special type of  promotion, the kind you get only after screwing up an assignment so royally, that the only way for the department to save face is to promote the offender into a “special investigative” area… thus Hole’s new title, Inspector Hole of the Norwegian National Security Service. Despite his meteoric rise in pay and cataclysmic descent in responsibility, Hole reluctantly finds himself drawn to an investigation that suggests ties not only to Norway’s Neo-Nazi subculture, but to Norway’s, all but buried, participation with the German army during WWII. This multi-layered story is a good bet for readers who enjoy a traditional police procedural, a Scandinavian setting or the complexity of a John LeCarré novel. Terri W.


February

FICTION/BECKETT
Beckett, SimonWritten in Bone2007, 326 p.
Not for the squeamish, this second novel by Beckett, featuring forensic anthropologist Dr. David Hunter, takes place on a small remote island in Scotland, where a burned body has been found.  The fact that one foot and one hand remain intact,  causes Hunter to eventually determine that this was no accident, but murder.  When gale force winds and rain prevent any additional help from coming, Hunter is left to his own instincts to solve this crime.  However, additional bodies and more fires occur and with the help of retired policeman John Brody, Hunter is determined to solve these murders before more victims succumb to these gruesome deaths.  This fast-paced forensic police procedural is full of complex characters and an ending no reader will ever predict.  Sheila Guenzer

FICTION/BROOKS
Brooks, GeraldinePeople of the Book2008, 372 p.
This historical novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks, was inspired by the true story of an ancient Hebrew text known as the Sarajevo Haggadah, and its unlikely discovery in Bosnia in 1996.  The manuscript’s amazing 500-year journey across Europe is chronicled by Australian book conservator Hannah Heath, hired by the UN to ready the Haggadah for a museum exhibition.  Clues found within the pages and binding reveal much about the text’s history – from its 1480 origin in Seville, to its narrow escape from German-occupied Yugoslavia in 1940, and the countless people who risked their lives to save this inspirational text from destruction.  A good read-alike choice for The Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland.  Debbie Deady

FICTION/LIPPMAN
Lippman, LauraWhat the Dead Know2007, 373 p.
A nameless woman is involved in a hit-and run accident in present day Baltimore. Now she is claiming to be one of two young sisters who disappeared from a shopping mall thirty years ago.  Intertwining past and present stories give clues to the readers which allow us to try and solve the mystery.  Is she or isn’t she who she claims to be?  Each clue seems to lead to a dead end for the detectives handling the case until all the clues add up in the end to a logical conclusion.  Well-rounded characterizations and a good plot make this a satisfying read for mystery lovers. Susan Hanson

FICTION/O’NAN
O’Nan, StewartLast Night at the Lobster2007, 146 p.
It is the last day the Red Lobster restaurant in the parking lot of the Willow Brook Mall in Connecticut will be open.  Manager Manny DeLeon is hoping that he can make it through this last shift with minimal problems.  It soon turns into a stressful day when most of the staff doesn’t show up for work and a sudden blizzard descends upon the area.  With just four days left until Christmas, Manny’s feelings are torn between his pregnant girlfriend and Jacquie, a waitress at the restaurant. He also finds himself becoming wistful about the last night at his restaurant.  In this slim novel, O’Nan delivers a poignant slice of life.  Nicole S. 

FICTION/RICHMAN
Richman, JanaThe Last Cowgirl2008, 292 p.
In this contemporary novel, newspaper reporter Dickie Sinfield is summoned home to Clayton, Utah to attend her brother’s funeral after a vaguely explained industrial accident occurs on his job at the local army base.  Like the Oquirrh Mountains which divide Ganoa County from Salt Lake City, the book is structured into distinct parts: Dickie’s adult life in Salt Lake as a columnist at the Beehive Banner and her childhood on the family’s cattle ranch in Ganoa County during the turbulent 1960s.  Once home, Dickie is uncomfortably reunited with family and friends she hasn’t seen in years.  Discovering her brother’s house and land now belong to her, Dickie is compelled to reexamine the events which precipitated her leaving home decades earlier and to reassess those life-choices.  Readers who appreciate the environmental diatribe of writers such as Barbara Kingsolver, Annie Proulx, and Ruth Ozeki will appreciate the well drawn observations posed by this author!  Suzy Miller  

MYSTERY/SOULE
Soule, MarisThe Crows2007, 262 p.
During a walk in the woods with her dog, P.J. Benson hears gunshots too close for comfort, so she rushes back to her house and finds a dying man in her dining room.  Although she doesn’t know the man, the police consider her a suspect.  When P.J. claims her house has been broken into several times, but nothing is ever taken, and knowing P.J.’s mother is a schizophrenic, the police are skeptical of her claims and even P.J. begins to question whether she is descending into schizophrenia herself when she can’t prove that the strange things that are beginning to happen to her really happened.  Luckily, homicide detective Wade Kingsley begins to believe her, and together they solve the crime.  Rural Michigan, a mystery, psychological suspense, and a romantic subplot add to the suspenseful story. Sue O’Brien

FICTION/TSUKIYAMA
Tsukiyama, GailThe Street of a Thousand Blossoms2007, 422 p.
Hiroshi and Kenji are two orphaned brothers living with their grandparents in Tokyo in 1939.  The older brother, Hiroshi has an interest in sumo wrestling and has shown to have some talent with his training in the sport.  Kenji is the total opposite of his beloved  brother and is interested in the art of making the hand-carved masks used by the actors in the Noh theater. World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor put a halt to the brothers’ pursuit of their dreams when everyone in Japan must learn to adjust to war time.  The novel spans thirty years and tells a compelling story about the effect of war on a Japanese family and their community. People reading Dream When You are Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg (Big Read 2008) may be interested in the similarity between the sacrifices made by families in both America and Japan during the war.  Marianne Trautvetter


January

Text YA/FICTION/ALEXIE
Alexie, ShermanThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian2007, 230 p.
In his first novel aimed at young adults, Alexie explores familiar themes of life on a reservation.  Junior Spirit, a fourteen-year old Native American, had the misfortune of being born with a variety of health problems.  This fact doesn’t prevent him from being the most picked on kid on the Spokane “rez.”  There are a few bright spots in his life: his imperfect family, his talent for drawing, and his best friend Rowdy, the only kid who is tough enough to stick up for him.  When a teacher urges Junior to want more than the life he has been given, Junior stuns everyone by switching to a mostly white school off the rez, where the only other Indian is the school mascot.  Appealing characters and clever drawings make this a must-read for adults as well as teens.  Nicole S.

MYSTERY/ARRUDA
Arruda, SuzanneMark of the Lion2006, 340 p.
World War I ambulance driver Jade del Cameron travels to Africa after the war to fulfill the dying wish of her good friend David – to find his brother.  Jade has little to go on – a map and a pair of rings – but she perseveres with the help of old and new friends.  Complicating matters, a local witch, or laibon, is on a killing spree; and due to her investigation, Jade is also soon in danger.  Jade is a fearless woman, who knows how to handle a gun, and she is determined to keep the promise she made to David, despite the low odds of success.  Post World War I Africa is vividly brought to life in this first in a series featuring the intrepid Jade. Sue O’Brien

NONFICTION/KIDD
Kidd, Sue MonkThe Dance of the Dissident Daughter2002, 253 p.
The best-selling author of The Secret Life of Bees addresses spiritual matters in this intimate, introspective book   She begins by recalling an unsettling incident involving her fourteen-year-old daughter who she observes being sexually harassed by two adult males while at work.  She writes, “I left the drugstore that day so internally jolted… that everything in me began to shift.”  She begins to explore, in the coming months and years, what she refers to as a search for the “Divine Feminine;” a notion which dramatically conflicts with her religious upbringing (her father is a Southern Baptist minister).  Ironically, a retreat at a Catholic monastery – an annual ritual she feels benefits her work as a novelist – serves as the catalyst for a life-altering spiritual conversion. Debbie Deady 

MYSTERY/SLAUGHTER
Slaughter, KarinBlindsighted2001, 311 p.
Sara Linton is both a pediatrician and the county coroner in the small town of Heartsdale, Georgia. While having lunch, Sara walks into the ladies’ room and finds Sibyl Adams, the victim of a brutal rape and knife attack.  When Sara is unable to save Sibyl, police chief, Jeffrey Tolliver (Sara’s ex-husband), is brought into the investigation.  A second victim, coed Julia Mathews is raped and left crucified on the hood of Sara’s car.   Something from Sara’s past seems to tie the murders together and the race is on to find the answers before another victim is attacked.  This thriller will be satisfying for fans of Patricia Cornwall who can stomach the violence of the plot.  Marianne Trautvetter

MYSTERY/SUSSMAN
Sussman, PaulThe Last Secret of the Temple2005, 555 p.
An intriguing novel of conspiracy and conflict rooted in Jerusalem’s ancient past. When the investigation of a suspicious death at an archeological site in Egypt compels Detective Yusuf Khalifa to revisit the murder of an Israeli national 15 years earlier, he is forced to contact the police department in Jerusalem for information into the victim’s background. When Arieh Ben-Roi, a detective in the Old City division of the Jerusalem police department, grudgingly agrees to a very rudimentary look into the Egyptian’s case, he is forced to admit that something just isn’t right. Thus, two professionals with deeply rooted prejudices find themselves reluctantly investigating a case together, one with urgent international implications. If you are looking for a fast paced adventure/conspiracy like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code or a suspenseful novel framed by contemporary issues and religious mysteries with well drawn characters and an insightful setting, this is a good bet for you! (This book follows The Lost Army of Cambyses.) Terri W.

FICTION/SCHWEGEL
Schwegel, TheresaPerson of Interest2007, 372 p.
This edgy, contemporary police procedural is as much about the drama playing out in the McHugh family as it is about husband Craig’s current assignment as a Chicago police detective.  Unbeknownst to long-time wife Leslie, forty-something Craig McHugh is in deep undercover striving to gain credibility with the Fuxi Spider gang while searching out the source of “China white” heroin, the most recent killing anathema on city streets.  Instead, a lonely and often-alone Leslie mistakenly concludes Craig is having an affair.  Daughter Ivy, a surly, angst-ridden teenager, has just dumped her older boyfriend, Niko, in her pursuit of a new, way-cool guy. Leslie is vulnerable to the ministrations of another man, and Craig assumes the worse.  These domestic problems threaten to overwhelm Craig’s focus undercover with tragic consequences in this engrossing, well drawn novel, rich in Chicago detail and family dynamics.     Suzy Miller