With all of the rather unpleasant weather March brought us, I've had a few extra opportunities to cozy up with a good book. And, because I am who I am, I've been reading a little bit of everything! Non-fiction, thrillers, historical fiction, contemporary fiction in several flavors... Curious? Read on!
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures, by Aaron Mahnke. I've been a fan of Mahnke's incredibly addictive podcast, Lore, for quite some time and as he's branching out into books and television (season one of Lore, the show, is available through Amazon Prime), I've been following right along. Monstrous Creatures, the first of two collections of essays based on his podcast (the second, Wicked Mortals, is due out in May), is hugely entertaining, provided you're into the historical events surrounding bizarre myths and legends. From the Jersey Devil to gremlins and many stories in between, Mahnke recounts documented accounts and popular stories in an entertaining narrative that makes one wonder about how the stories we tell reflect on us as humans. Excellent stuff. Trumbull patrons can download this title for free via Overdrive.
Look for Me, by Lisa Gardner. Eleventh in Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren series, following 2016's Find Her, also featuring recurring character Flora Dane, also seen in Find Her. Warren is called on a fresh homicide case, a family murdered, the eldest daughter missing. Is the missing girl the murderer? Or is she the next target? Abduction survivor turned avenger Flora Dane turns up in short order, having spoken with the now-missing girl in the last few weeks. Dane turns official confidential informant as she and D.D race against the clock to find a girl who doesn't want to be found. Fast-paced suspense and an excellent plotline made this a two-night read. Gardner is consistently a favorite. Also available in Large Print and audio.
All Wound Up, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Sometimes, as a knitter, I seek some inspiration for getting back into creating. When I feel the need, reading about other knitters, what they make and why they knit, is incredibly inspiring and gives me that spark of ambition back. This collection of essays by blogger Pearl-McPhee (you can read her blog here) , and the following one by Rachael Herron, were both just what I needed to get me back into motion. I downloaded this title, and the next, from Overdrive.
A Life in Stitches, by Rachael Herron. Herron is a novelist by day, an emergency dispatcher by night, and a knitter always. She's also founder of the hugely popular blog Yarnagogo, where she talks about all things writerly and crafterly in her life. This collection of essays was vastly entertaining to me as a reader, a librarian, a knitter and a person who just likes to learn new things.
Mrs. Fletcher, by Tom Perrotta. From the bestselling author of The Leftovers, this new novel is a study, both thoughtful and hilarious, of sex, love and identity in the technological age in which we live. Eve Fletcher is on the cusp of something new. Divorced, her only child leaving for his freshman year at college, Eve works full time as a senior center coordinator and wants more to fill her long evenings alone. She takes a course in gender studies at the local community college, and what she learns there begins to spill into her life and her relationships as she explores possibilities she'd never imagined. At the same time, her son Brendan, jock and aspiring frat-boy, discovers that college isn't the 24/7 party he'd been anticipating. As a matter of fact, he's in the minority, finding himself quickly outcast for his shallow and chauvinistic behavior. Both Eve and Brendan find themselves in morally sticky situations neither is adequately prepared to maneuver. Surprising and deeply entertaining, just not for the faint-of-heart. Also available in Large Print and audio.
City of Endless Night, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Latest in this writing duo's Special Agent Pendergast series. I'm finally caught up with this series! And it just keeps getting better. Here, following the grim events that closed The Obsidian Chamber, Pendergast is assigned to a developing NYPD homicide case being headed by none other than his long-time friend Lieutenant D'Agosta. The case is, initially, that of the wild daughter of a tech mogul, found murdered and beheaded three days after she was reported missing. What is thought as an isolated event quickly becomes the first in a series of grisly murders, but who is the fiend behind this string of murders? And how is he choosing his victims? An excellent, twisted entry in this series, which is a favorite of mine. Also available in Large Print and audio.
The Summer Before the War, by Helen Simonson. My book club's pick for our April meeting, by the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. In East Sussex, 1914, it is the summer before the beginning of World War I. But the people of East Sussex don't know this. What they know is that Beatrice Nash has been appointed to take over for the local school's Latin master, and this causes more than a small stir. For Agatha, her carefully built reputation is on the line after championing Miss Nash for the position. For Beatrice, she has never been so alone, forced to be practical and self-reliant after the death of her beloved father left her penniless. Can she find peace and purpose in the little town of Rye, even as the nation trembles on the edge of war? Gorgeous and riveting, the novel should provoke some excellent discussion. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Four Friends, by Robyn Carr. Gerri, Andy and Sonja have been friends and neighbors for years, helping one another through hard times and enjoying the good times together. Newcomer BJ is a bit of an outsider, standoffish and aloof, until one of the women is in crisis and BJ comes to the rescue. What begins is a broader, deeper friendship among the four as they support one another through some of the most challenging times of their lives. Robyn Carr writes great, likeable characters pulled together in enviable communities with relatable stories. Excellent easy reading. Also available in Large Print.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Meg's Picks: April 2018
Fiction comes in so many flavors, it's impossible to pick just one! Here are a few that are on the menu next month!
The Female Persuasion, by Meg Wolitzer. This much anticipated new novel from the best-selling author of titles like The Uncoupling and The Interestings (a personal favorite) is a story of power, ambition, friendship and the ideals we follow deep into adulthood. Greer is a shy college freshman when she meets charismatic Faith Frank, older, wiser, a pillar of the women's movement for decades. Greer, while madly in love with her boyfriend, is filled with an unfocused ambition that makes her restless, and it finds its purpose when she hears Faith speak for the first time. Faith invites Greer to make something of her purpose, leading her down a road much different than where Greer might have been headed otherwise. For readers who enjoy their fiction charming, witty and wise, Wolitzer is always a good choice.
Varina, by Charles Frazier. New historical fiction from the best-selling author of Cold Mountain. Returning to the time and place of Cold Mountain, Frazier follows the story of Varina Howell who, as a teenager with limited marriage prospects, agrees to marry the much older Jefferson Davis. While she enters the union expecting a comfortable life as the wife of a Mississippi landowner, instead Davis pursues a career in politics, ultimately appointed president of the Confederacy. Varina finds herself in the very center of one of the darkest times in American history, managing to escape Richmond with her children as the Confederacy falls, a bounty on their heads by association. If you like your fiction historical, epic, and riveting, add this to your reading list.
What You Don't Know About Charlie Outlaw, by Leah Stewart. Latest from the author of The Myth of You and Me and The History of Us, What You Don't Know About Charlie Outlaw is a thoughtful novel about the price of fame. Struggling with his newfound stardom, actor Charlie flees to a remote island in search of anonymity and a chance to reevaluate his collapsing relationship to actress Josie Lamar. Soon after his arrival, however, a solitary hike into the jungle takes him from anonymity to real danger. At the same time, Josie struggles with the fading of her own stardom. In the twenty years since her starring role in a cult TV show, Josie has never found another role to match the one that made her a household name. In anticipation of a full cast reunion at a huge convention, Josie thinks she will be fine if she can get a new part and a new boyfriend. What may make her famous, however, is everything she thinks she can replace, including Charlie. If you love fiction with untraditional love stories and a damsel who saves herself, and the day, this is one for you.
The Female Persuasion, by Meg Wolitzer. This much anticipated new novel from the best-selling author of titles like The Uncoupling and The Interestings (a personal favorite) is a story of power, ambition, friendship and the ideals we follow deep into adulthood. Greer is a shy college freshman when she meets charismatic Faith Frank, older, wiser, a pillar of the women's movement for decades. Greer, while madly in love with her boyfriend, is filled with an unfocused ambition that makes her restless, and it finds its purpose when she hears Faith speak for the first time. Faith invites Greer to make something of her purpose, leading her down a road much different than where Greer might have been headed otherwise. For readers who enjoy their fiction charming, witty and wise, Wolitzer is always a good choice.
Varina, by Charles Frazier. New historical fiction from the best-selling author of Cold Mountain. Returning to the time and place of Cold Mountain, Frazier follows the story of Varina Howell who, as a teenager with limited marriage prospects, agrees to marry the much older Jefferson Davis. While she enters the union expecting a comfortable life as the wife of a Mississippi landowner, instead Davis pursues a career in politics, ultimately appointed president of the Confederacy. Varina finds herself in the very center of one of the darkest times in American history, managing to escape Richmond with her children as the Confederacy falls, a bounty on their heads by association. If you like your fiction historical, epic, and riveting, add this to your reading list.
What You Don't Know About Charlie Outlaw, by Leah Stewart. Latest from the author of The Myth of You and Me and The History of Us, What You Don't Know About Charlie Outlaw is a thoughtful novel about the price of fame. Struggling with his newfound stardom, actor Charlie flees to a remote island in search of anonymity and a chance to reevaluate his collapsing relationship to actress Josie Lamar. Soon after his arrival, however, a solitary hike into the jungle takes him from anonymity to real danger. At the same time, Josie struggles with the fading of her own stardom. In the twenty years since her starring role in a cult TV show, Josie has never found another role to match the one that made her a household name. In anticipation of a full cast reunion at a huge convention, Josie thinks she will be fine if she can get a new part and a new boyfriend. What may make her famous, however, is everything she thinks she can replace, including Charlie. If you love fiction with untraditional love stories and a damsel who saves herself, and the day, this is one for you.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Reading Ahead: April 2018, part 5
Easy reading comes in a variety of flavors. Interested in trying something new? Consider one of the following, due out next month.
A Nantucket Wedding, by Nancy Thayer. Thayer is a summer reads favorite and she's giving fans an early start on their beach reading this year. Alison lost her beloved husband several years ago. Now, she's doing something she'd never dreamed of: getting married again. As she and her fiance plan for their big day, they bring together their adult children and their families to get to know each other, hoping for one big happy blended family. What comes next is a summer of revelations, intrigue, resentments, and other surprises.
Twenty-One Days, by Anne Perry. This new mystery from long-time fan favorite Perry is the first in a new series featuring Charlotte and Thomas Pitt's son, Daniel, as its sleuth. It's 1910 and Daniel Pitt is a junior barrister in London, eager to prove himself. The new case before him may be his make-or-break moment. His client is found guilty of murdering his wife, and Daniel has exactly twenty-one days to find the woman's real killer, or his client will go to the gallows. When his investigation leads him far too close to his own family for comfort, Daniel finds himself torn between his need to uphold the law and his fierce protectiveness of his family.
A Nantucket Wedding, by Nancy Thayer. Thayer is a summer reads favorite and she's giving fans an early start on their beach reading this year. Alison lost her beloved husband several years ago. Now, she's doing something she'd never dreamed of: getting married again. As she and her fiance plan for their big day, they bring together their adult children and their families to get to know each other, hoping for one big happy blended family. What comes next is a summer of revelations, intrigue, resentments, and other surprises.
Twenty-One Days, by Anne Perry. This new mystery from long-time fan favorite Perry is the first in a new series featuring Charlotte and Thomas Pitt's son, Daniel, as its sleuth. It's 1910 and Daniel Pitt is a junior barrister in London, eager to prove himself. The new case before him may be his make-or-break moment. His client is found guilty of murdering his wife, and Daniel has exactly twenty-one days to find the woman's real killer, or his client will go to the gallows. When his investigation leads him far too close to his own family for comfort, Daniel finds himself torn between his need to uphold the law and his fierce protectiveness of his family.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Reading Ahead: April 2018, part 4
Small towns. Home to reunions, close-knit communities gone mad, and murder in this trio of new fiction coming out next month.
The Family Gathering, by Robyn Carr. Third in Carr's newest series, Sullivan's Crossing (following What We Find and Any Day Now), The Family Gathering finds Dakota Jones at a crossroads in his life after leaving the military. As his elder brother and youngest sister have both found happiness and settled down in Sullivan's Crossing, he joins them there to clear his head before deciding where to head next. What seems like a simple, uncomplicated town seems to get complicated for Dakota in a hurry. For one, he's on everyone's radar as a newcomer. And after years apart, getting to know his siblings as adults is an eye-opening experience. As the four siblings gather for a wedding, the first time they've all been together in years, they redefine their family ties...and what home means to each of them. Carr has a way of writing about communities that makes the reader long to join them.
Hold Back the Dark, by Kay Hooper. Latest in Hooper's ongoing Bishop/SCU series, Hold Back the Dark finds a Special Crimes Unit team called upon to aid a small mountain community where madness has taken hold, causing residents to turn on one another with murderous results. If you're a fan of supernatural thrillers and haven't read Hooper's work, what are you waiting for?
Shattered Mirror, by Iris Johansen. This is Johansen's 24th novel to feature forensic sculptor Eve Duncan, following 2017's Mind Game. A deadly game of intrigue is afoot when Eve receives an anonymous package containing a skull and a two-sided mirror. She's determined to reconstruct the face of the skull and uncover the person's identity, but as she works, the face of a beautiful woman emerges. Who was she? And how did she come to be delivered to Eve?
The Family Gathering, by Robyn Carr. Third in Carr's newest series, Sullivan's Crossing (following What We Find and Any Day Now), The Family Gathering finds Dakota Jones at a crossroads in his life after leaving the military. As his elder brother and youngest sister have both found happiness and settled down in Sullivan's Crossing, he joins them there to clear his head before deciding where to head next. What seems like a simple, uncomplicated town seems to get complicated for Dakota in a hurry. For one, he's on everyone's radar as a newcomer. And after years apart, getting to know his siblings as adults is an eye-opening experience. As the four siblings gather for a wedding, the first time they've all been together in years, they redefine their family ties...and what home means to each of them. Carr has a way of writing about communities that makes the reader long to join them.
Hold Back the Dark, by Kay Hooper. Latest in Hooper's ongoing Bishop/SCU series, Hold Back the Dark finds a Special Crimes Unit team called upon to aid a small mountain community where madness has taken hold, causing residents to turn on one another with murderous results. If you're a fan of supernatural thrillers and haven't read Hooper's work, what are you waiting for?
Shattered Mirror, by Iris Johansen. This is Johansen's 24th novel to feature forensic sculptor Eve Duncan, following 2017's Mind Game. A deadly game of intrigue is afoot when Eve receives an anonymous package containing a skull and a two-sided mirror. She's determined to reconstruct the face of the skull and uncover the person's identity, but as she works, the face of a beautiful woman emerges. Who was she? And how did she come to be delivered to Eve?
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Reading Ahead: April 2018, part 3
New titles by old favorites? You bet!
I've Got My Eyes On You, by Mary Higgins Clark. After a party when her parents are away, eighteen-year-old Kerry Dowling is found fully dressed at the bottom of the family pool. The immediate suspect is her boyfriend, with whom she'd argued hotly at the party. There's also a young neighbor who'd been angry not to be invited. Is there someone else not on the investigation radar? Could it be someone who will kill again to keep from being revealed?
After Anna, by Lisa Scottoline. Dr. Noah Alderman, widower and single father, finds happiness with Maggie. When they marry, he hopes it's a new beginning for him and his young son, who adores Maggie. But Maggie has entanglements from her past, and when her daughter Anna, who Maggie hasn't seen in many years, comes into their lives, stress levels begin to rise. Anna is seventeen, unwilling to live by the house rules, and Maggie is blind to all but the joy of reconnecting. When Anna is murdered, Noah is the prime suspect, forcing Maggie to reevaluate all of her ties to the people she loves. Also available in Large Print.
Shoot First, by Stuart Woods. Woods's 45th Stone Barrington novel (following Unbound, 2018) finds Stone in Key West, trying to keep his latest paramour's technology from being stolen, and trying to keep them both alive after assassins are hired to take them out. Woods is moving further and further in James Bond territory, fans just can't get enough.
I've Got My Eyes On You, by Mary Higgins Clark. After a party when her parents are away, eighteen-year-old Kerry Dowling is found fully dressed at the bottom of the family pool. The immediate suspect is her boyfriend, with whom she'd argued hotly at the party. There's also a young neighbor who'd been angry not to be invited. Is there someone else not on the investigation radar? Could it be someone who will kill again to keep from being revealed?
After Anna, by Lisa Scottoline. Dr. Noah Alderman, widower and single father, finds happiness with Maggie. When they marry, he hopes it's a new beginning for him and his young son, who adores Maggie. But Maggie has entanglements from her past, and when her daughter Anna, who Maggie hasn't seen in many years, comes into their lives, stress levels begin to rise. Anna is seventeen, unwilling to live by the house rules, and Maggie is blind to all but the joy of reconnecting. When Anna is murdered, Noah is the prime suspect, forcing Maggie to reevaluate all of her ties to the people she loves. Also available in Large Print.
Shoot First, by Stuart Woods. Woods's 45th Stone Barrington novel (following Unbound, 2018) finds Stone in Key West, trying to keep his latest paramour's technology from being stolen, and trying to keep them both alive after assassins are hired to take them out. Woods is moving further and further in James Bond territory, fans just can't get enough.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Reading Ahead: April 2018, part 2
If you're a sucker for series, read on--there are several new entries to some long-time reader favorites!
Twisted Prey, by John Sandford. Lucas Davenport has encountered rich psychopath Taryn Grant before, and he's still convinced she's responsible for at least three murders, even if he can't prove it...yet. Now she's a U.S. Senator and back on Davenport's radar, as he knew she would be. She's involved in some rather shady side deals, and he is one U.S. Marshall who is about to make sure she won't hurt anyone again, one way or another. Also available in Large Print.
The Sixth Day, by Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison. This new entry into the writing duo's Brit in the FBI series (following 2017's Devil's Triangle) finds Special Agents Drummond and Caine pitted against a ruthless mastermind. After several major political figures die under mysterious circumstances, officials ultimately rule the deaths to be of natural causes. Then a German Vice-Chancellor dies, and a drone is spotted hovering at the scene. These are not natural at all, but rather highly sophisticated assassinations, and the Covert Eyes team is called in to investigate. This is being billed as the best in the series so far, so if you're interested, I'd absolutely recommend you start at the beginning of the series, The Final Cut. Also available in Large Print.
The 17th Suspect, by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro. A series of shootings in San Francisco are the dark deeds of a methodical, yet unpredictable, killer. A reluctant woman puts her trust in Sergeant Lindsay Boxer, coming in as a confidential informant with a tip about the shooter. The tip, however, leads to something bigger and more disturbing, a suspicion that something has gone deeply wrong inside the police department itself. Now Lindsay becomes a target herself, and everything that's dearest to her may be taken from her if she cannot stop the killer...before he stops her. Also available in Large Print.
Twisted Prey, by John Sandford. Lucas Davenport has encountered rich psychopath Taryn Grant before, and he's still convinced she's responsible for at least three murders, even if he can't prove it...yet. Now she's a U.S. Senator and back on Davenport's radar, as he knew she would be. She's involved in some rather shady side deals, and he is one U.S. Marshall who is about to make sure she won't hurt anyone again, one way or another. Also available in Large Print.
The Sixth Day, by Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison. This new entry into the writing duo's Brit in the FBI series (following 2017's Devil's Triangle) finds Special Agents Drummond and Caine pitted against a ruthless mastermind. After several major political figures die under mysterious circumstances, officials ultimately rule the deaths to be of natural causes. Then a German Vice-Chancellor dies, and a drone is spotted hovering at the scene. These are not natural at all, but rather highly sophisticated assassinations, and the Covert Eyes team is called in to investigate. This is being billed as the best in the series so far, so if you're interested, I'd absolutely recommend you start at the beginning of the series, The Final Cut. Also available in Large Print.
The 17th Suspect, by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro. A series of shootings in San Francisco are the dark deeds of a methodical, yet unpredictable, killer. A reluctant woman puts her trust in Sergeant Lindsay Boxer, coming in as a confidential informant with a tip about the shooter. The tip, however, leads to something bigger and more disturbing, a suspicion that something has gone deeply wrong inside the police department itself. Now Lindsay becomes a target herself, and everything that's dearest to her may be taken from her if she cannot stop the killer...before he stops her. Also available in Large Print.
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Reading Ahead: April 2018, part 1
Spring is upon us, and that means the leading edge of "summer reads" are also here! Thrillers are a favorite regardless of the season, and we have some new titles by perennial favorites to offer!
The Fallen, by David Baldacci. This most recent entry in Baldacci's Amos Decker/Memory Man series (following 2017's The Fix) finds Decker, the man who cannot forget the smallest detail, in the small rust-belt town of Baronville, where a series of bizarre murders has police stumped. When yet another murder hits very close to home for Decker, he realizes that the scope of this spree may extend well beyond Baronville, and that he, with his unique talent, may be the only one who can put an end to them. Also available in Large Print.
The Cutting Edge, by Jeffery Deaver. For Deaver fans who have been pining for a new Lincoln Rhyme novel, pine no longer! Lincoln and Amelia have returned to New York, quickly taking a case of a brutal triple murder in Manhattan's Diamond District. The murder scene is a jewelry store on 47th Street, but the killer left behind more than a half-million dollars worth of gems. As more crimes follow, it appears that the killer's target is not gems, but engaged couples themselves, determined to turn a moment of pure joy into one of horror. His one mistake, leaving a witness alive, may be what cracks the case, but it may spell disaster before he can be stopped. Also available in Large Print.
The First Family, by Michael Palmer & Daniel Palmer. In a novel that returns to the setting of Palmer's The First Patient (2008), the president and his family are relentlessly scrutinized, by the public, the media, and security staff. When his sixteen-year-old chess champion son begins experiencing fatigue, moodiness and uncharacteristic outbursts, it is passed off as stress and teen angst. But a secret service agent, tasked with the family's well-being, calls in her ex-husband, a physician, for a second opinion. The boy's symptoms are baffling, his health deteriorating, and stranger still, he shares the same symptoms as another teen, this one a musical prodigy. Time is of the essence as they struggle to diagnose the mysterious illness, only to find betrayals that breach the highest levels of national security.
The Fallen, by David Baldacci. This most recent entry in Baldacci's Amos Decker/Memory Man series (following 2017's The Fix) finds Decker, the man who cannot forget the smallest detail, in the small rust-belt town of Baronville, where a series of bizarre murders has police stumped. When yet another murder hits very close to home for Decker, he realizes that the scope of this spree may extend well beyond Baronville, and that he, with his unique talent, may be the only one who can put an end to them. Also available in Large Print.
The Cutting Edge, by Jeffery Deaver. For Deaver fans who have been pining for a new Lincoln Rhyme novel, pine no longer! Lincoln and Amelia have returned to New York, quickly taking a case of a brutal triple murder in Manhattan's Diamond District. The murder scene is a jewelry store on 47th Street, but the killer left behind more than a half-million dollars worth of gems. As more crimes follow, it appears that the killer's target is not gems, but engaged couples themselves, determined to turn a moment of pure joy into one of horror. His one mistake, leaving a witness alive, may be what cracks the case, but it may spell disaster before he can be stopped. Also available in Large Print.
The First Family, by Michael Palmer & Daniel Palmer. In a novel that returns to the setting of Palmer's The First Patient (2008), the president and his family are relentlessly scrutinized, by the public, the media, and security staff. When his sixteen-year-old chess champion son begins experiencing fatigue, moodiness and uncharacteristic outbursts, it is passed off as stress and teen angst. But a secret service agent, tasked with the family's well-being, calls in her ex-husband, a physician, for a second opinion. The boy's symptoms are baffling, his health deteriorating, and stranger still, he shares the same symptoms as another teen, this one a musical prodigy. Time is of the essence as they struggle to diagnose the mysterious illness, only to find betrayals that breach the highest levels of national security.
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