Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

Title:  Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: the lost legacy of Highclere Castle
Author:  Carnarvon, Fiona, Countess of
HPL Catalog:  ANF 942.271 CARNARVON (New Adult Non-fiction)

4 out of 5 stars with review by Sandra G

Synopsis, from the American publisher, Random House. Inc.

"Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration for the  PBS show Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon and the basis of the fictional character Lady Cora Crawley....Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home.  Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman."

Watching Downton Abbey repeatedly prompted the question,  "I wonder if that actually happened?"  This book, based on  materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, chronicles the events leading up to the Great War, the War years, and Lord Carnarvon's part in the discovery of King Tut's tomb. This book, which ends in 1924, provides a good starting place for exploring the fascinating, controversial Lady Almina's biography.

The Hugo Movie Companion

Title:  THE HUGO MOVIE COMPANION. New York : Scholastic Press, 2011.
Author:  Selznick, Brian.  
HPL Catalog:  JF 791.4372 SELZNICK (Children’s New Non-Fiction)

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Kaitlin N.: THE HUGO MOVIE COMPANION offered a delightful look into the many people who made the movie possible. As the back of the cover states, “The Hugo Movie Companion beautifully extends the experience of the book and the movie.”

For those that found the film Hugo utterly captivating, this book is well worth the read.

Summary:  A companion book-and much more-to Martin Scorsese's movie of the #1 bestseller and Caldecott Medal Winner. Brian Selznick takes readers on an intimate tour of the movie-making process as his Caldecott Award-winning book The Invention of Hugo Cabret is turned into a 3-D major motion picture by Academy Award-winning director, Martin Scorsese, written by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, John Logan. Lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs from the movie, and filled with fun, informative interviews of the cast and crew, comparisons of artwork from the book alongside people, props, costumes, and sets from the movie, plus fascinating information about automatons, filmmaking pioneer Georges Méliès, and an essay on the birth of movies written by Martin Scorsese, The Hugo Movie Companion beautifully extends the experience of the book and the movie, and is a must-have for fans of all ages.

Proof of Life

Title:  PROOF OF LIFE. Series: Love Inspired suspense (larger print) 2011.
Author:  Scott, Laura.
HPL Catalog:  Adult Paperbacks-Inspirational Scott
  
5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Andrew D.

Summary: CSI investigator Shanna Dawson has never forgiven herself for the long-ago disappearance of her little sister, Skylar. For fourteen years there have been no leads- or proof of life. Until now. Until Skylar's fingerprints implicate her in a murder at a fraternity house. Shanna is desperate to find the young woman. And so is handsome campus cop Quinn Murphy-the victim's half brother. But as their team investigation leads to an unexpected closeness and the revelation of family secrets, Shanna prays that her sister is innocent. And that the real killer is caught before Quinn is hurt, or Skylar is lost forever.

The Lake House

Title:  THE LAKE HOUSE. Boston : Little, Brown, c2003.
Author:  Patterson, James.
HPL Catalog:  F Patterson (Adult Fiction); LP Patterson (Large Print); ACD Patterson (audio CD)

1 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

The memorable story begun in When the Wind Blows continues in this thrilling novel, and it's one that really soars! Frannie O'Neil, a Colorado veterinarian, knows a terrible secret that will change the history of the world. Kit Harrison, an FBI agent under suspension has seen things that no one in his right mind would believe. A twelve-year-old girl named Max and five other incredible children have powers we can only dream of. These children can fly. And the only place they will be safe is the Lake House. Or so they believe.

A River to Die For

Title:  A RIVER TO DIE FOR. Wichita, KS : St Kitts Press, c2008.
Author:  Nehring, Radine Trees.
HPL Catalog:  F Nehring  (Adult Fiction)

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Lisa W.

Carrie’s husband Henry plans an anniversary surprise: the two of them will join Carries son Rob and Henrys half-sister Catherine for a camping trip at the Buffalo National River. When Rob and Catherine disappear, Carrie, her friend Shirley, and Henry help search for them. A River to Die For features strong women fighting against literal darkness underground as well as the dark forces of evil. It will take strength to read this book about the best and worst that nature and man can throw at a woman. It will take a caring heart to understand how Henry King and Rob McCrite feel as they struggle to reach the women they love. This is the fifth book in Nehrings Something to Die For mystery series.

Buried Truth

Title:  BURIED TRUTH. Series: Love inspired suspense (larger print), 2011.
Author:  Mentink, Dana.
HPL Catalog:   New Adult Paperback-Inspirational Mentink

5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Andrew D.

Summary: Coming for you." A note, impaled by a knife on Bill Cloudman's door, tells the former tribal agent a murderer has escaped. The vicious madman who murdered Bill's partner-and cost Bill the community's trust and his job-is on the loose in the South Dakota badlands again. Bill vows to put him behind bars once and for all. But when the woman he loved and lost returns to Eagle Rock reservation as a newspaper reporter determined to restore her own reputation with the story, Bill has to protect her...and his guarded heart.

Out of Time

Title:  OUT OF TIME.
Author:  McCoy, Shirlee.
HPL Catalog:  Not owned by HPL

4 Star Rating by Andrew D.

Summary: Someone plans to disrupt the 175th anniversary celebration of the Battle of the Alamo—and it's Alamo Ranger Susannah Jorgenson's job to stop the culprit. But that means partnering with Levi McDonall, who skipped town years ago with her heart. Levi's now a Texas Ranger, sworn to protect her at any cost, but Susannah knows she'll pay the price if she falls for him again. She has to stay focused on their goals—to eliminate the threat and solve the murder of Levi's captain. But an unknown killer is watching…ready to eliminate them.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Title:  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. New York, NY : HarperCollins Publishers, 1999 [40th Anniversary Edition].
Author:  Lee, Harper.
HPL Catalog:  F Lee (Adult Fiction, Adult Paperbacks)

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Audrey D.
3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary:  "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel--a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice--but the weight of history will only tolerate so much. One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many distinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. Most recent, librarians across the country gave the book the highest of honors by voting it the best novel of the century (Library Journal). HarperCollins is proud to celebrate the anniversary of the book's publication with this special hardcover edition.

A Murder of Quality

Title:  A MURDER OF QUALITY. Thorndike, Me. : Thorndike Press, 1989, c1962.
Author:  LeCarre, John.
HPL Catalog:   LP LeCarre (Large Print Fiction); ACD LeCarre (audio CD)

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Summary: George Smiley hunts the solution to the brutal murder of a harmless housewife in the seemingly peaceful setting of a prestigious British boys school, where a man's fate is decided over tea and a sentence of death can be passed out with biscuits and sherry.

Summary:  (From the audio CD edition) Ex-undercover agent George Smiley emerges from retirement to solve a baffling, bloody crime. This time it is not a Cold War spy that he is hunting but the solution to the brutal murder of a harmless housewife in the seemingly peaceful setting of a prestigious British boys' school. It is there, at Carne School, where he becomes entangled with a woman as dangerous as she is charming and with a tottering, brilliant man haunted by a perverse secret of his past. Smiley pursues the murderer amid the hollow pomp and ceremony of the school's establishment, where a man's fate is decided over tea and a sentence of death can be passed out with biscuits and sherry.

Yuma Gold

Title:  YUMA GOLD. Berkley 2011.
Author:  Law, Steven.
HPL Catalog:  Adult Fiction Paperback-Western Law; LP Law (large print)

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Summary: Ben Ruby is stepping out of prison after an eight-year lock up to embark on a journey into dangerous territory. He must not only outwit an vengeful foe, but also outrun a breach in a Colorado River dam that threatens to flood an entire valley.

Free Lunch

Title:  FREE LUNCH. New York : Portfolio, 2007.
Author:  Johnston, David Cay.
HPL Catalog:  ANF 338.973 Johnston  (Adult Non-Fiction)

5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Austin J.

Summary: The bestselling author of Perfectly Legal returns with a powerful new exposé How does a strong and growing economy lend itself to job uncertainty, debt, bankruptcy, and economic fear for a vast number of Americans? Free Lunch provides answers to this great economic mystery of our time, revealing how today's government policies and spending reach deep into the wallets of the many for the benefit of the wealthy few. Johnston cuts through the official version of events and shows how, under the guise of deregulation, a whole new set of regulations quietly went into effect? regulations that thwart competition, depress wages, and reward misconduct. From how George W. Bush got rich off a tax increase to a $100 million taxpayer gift to Warren Buffett, Johnston puts a face on all of the dirty little tricks that business and government pull. A lot of people appear to be getting free lunches'but of course there's no such thing as a free lunch, and someone (you, the taxpayer) is picking up the bill. Johnston's many revelations include: ? How we ended up with the most expensive yet inefficient health-care system in the world ? How homeowners? title insurance became a costly, deceitful, yet almost invisible oligopoly ? How our government gives hidden subsidies for posh golf courses ? How Paris Hilton's grandfather schemed to retake the family fortune from a charity for poor children ? How the Yankees and Mets owners will collect more than $1.3 billion in public funds In these instances and many more, Free Lunch shows how the lobbyists and lawyers representing the most powerful 0.1 percent of Americans manipulated our government at the expense of the other 99.9 percent. With his extraordinary reporting, vivid stories, and sharp analysis, Johnston reveals the forces that shape our everyday economic lives and shows us how we can finally make things better.

Left for Dead

Title:  LEFT FOR DEAD. New York : Touchstone, 2012.
Author:  Jance, J.A.
HPL Catalog:  F Jance  (New Adult Fiction); LP F Jance; ACD Jance (audio CD)

3 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Dwight H.:  Having been a fan of Jance and the character Ali Reynolds, I was a little disappointed in this book. A police officer is shot making a traffic stop and later drugs are found in his police car so people believe he is a criminal. A young girl is found near death in a river bed by a border patrol agent and later is believed to be a murderer and girl who had been missing for three years. Both are taken to the same hospital where Ali and her friend Sister Anselm meet on the separate cases, but soon begin to work together in the best interest of their respective victims. The plot also includes the beating death of a post man who takes care of his mentally ill wife and is having an affair.

The victims in each case are placed in their dire position by circumstances in their families. Ali also has a family situation at home which is complicating her thinking about the circumstances of these murders. How these three victims are tied together, yet have their own set of circumstances, is the basis of the mystery which must be solved while other murders are being committed.

The bad people seemed very obvious and the story could have been more deeply developed as they have been in other books about Ali solving crimes. I would recommend her earlier books in this series before reading this one.

Unnatural Causes

Title:  UNNATURAL CAUSES.  New York, NY : Warner Books, 1996, c1967.
Author:  James, P.D.
HPL Catalog:  F James  (Adult Fiction) 

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Summary: Inspector Dalgliesh and his extraordinary aunt set out to discover the shocking truth about the past of a famous mystery writer--whose ghastly murder left a circle of bizarre friends terrified that they are next on the killer's list.

Butterfly

Title:  BUTTERFLY. Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2010.
Author:  Hartnett, Sonya.
HPL Catalog:  YA F Hartnett  (Young Adult Fiction)  

1 Star Rating (out of 5) by Sonya H.

Summary: In masterful prose, the author of SURRENDER tells a quiet but powerful tale about the shifting bonds and psychological perils of adolescence. Plum Coyle is on the edge of adolescence. Her fourteenth birthday is approaching, when her old life and her old body will fall away, and she will become graceful, powerful, and at ease. The strength of the objects she stores in a briefcase under her bed --a crystal lamb, a yoyo, an antique watch, a coin --will make sure of it. Over the next couple of weeks, Plum's life will change. Her beautiful neighbor Maureen will begin to show Plum how she might fly. The older brothers she adores will court catastrophe in worlds that she barely knows exist. And her friends, her worst enemies, will tease and test, smelling weakness. They will try to lead her on and take her down. BUTTERFLY is a gripping, disquieting, beautifully observed coming-of-age novel by an acclaimed author at the top of her form.

The White Queen

Title:  THE WHITE QUEEN. Waterville, Me.: Thorndike Press, 2009.
Author:  Gregory, Philippa.
HPL Catalog: AF Gregory (Adult Fiction); LP Gregory (Large Print); ACD Gregory (audio CD)

5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Summary:  The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents the first book in a new series set amidst the tumult and intrigue of england's passionate family feud, The War of the Roses. Meet the Plantaganets. Like the Tudors, they live high and love passionately, but this family story is set against the backdrop of The War of the Roses, a long war, pitting brother against brother, for the throne of England. Now Philippa Gregory, master chronicler of British royal history, brings this family drama to life through the lives of its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the so-called missing princes in the Tower of London. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores the most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. Timed to publish in the English language simultaneously around the world--and heralded by a global online event followed by author appearances in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia--The White Queen ushers in the dawn of a great new era for Philippa Gregory. For the first time, one of our most beloved authors will have one exclusive English language publisher--Simon & Schuster--the perfect platform from which to launch what is sure to be another bestselling, classic series

The Red Queen

Title:  THE RED QUEEN. New York : Touchstone, 2010.
Author:  Gregory, Philippa.
HPL Catalog:  F Gregory (Adult Fiction); Adult Book on CD Gregory

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Gwendolyn W.: Really good, a fictionalized take on Margaret Beaufort’s struggle to put her son, Henry VII, on the throne. Even though I knew how it ended, I was scared and rooting for Henry in battle.

Summary:  Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.

Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York's daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife's train at her coronation. Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time - all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize. In a novel of conspiracy, passion, and coldhearted ambition, number one bestselling author Philippa Gregory has brought to life the story of a proud and determined woman who believes that she alone is destined, by her piety and lineage, to shape the course of history.

Love on the Line

Title:  LOVE ON THE LINE. Minneapolis, Minn. : Bethany House Publishers, 2011.
Author:  Gist, Deeanne.
HPL Catalog:  F Gist (Adult Fiction); LP Gist (Large Print)

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Karleen M.

Summary: In 1904 Texas Ranger Luke Palmer arrives in Brenham, Texas, with one goal--to capture the gang of outlaws led by Frank Comer. Undercover as a telephone repairman, he uses his days on the range to search, not realizing there's another pair of eyes watching him. Georgie Gail, switchboard operator and birder, heads out on a birding expedition, but instead of sighting a painted bunting, her opera glasses capture her telephone man, armed and far away from telephone lines. Palmer is forced to take this alluring troublemaker into his confidence and unwittingly puts her in harm's way. The closer he comes to the gang, the further she works her way into his heart--and into trouble. Soon it's more than just love that's on the line.

Krondor, the Betrayal

Title:  KRONDOR, THE BETRAYAL. New York : Avon Books, 1998.
Author:  Feist, Raymond.
HPL Catalog:  F Feist  (Adult Fiction) 

3 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Crystal M.: Good book, lots of action. Could use a touch more magic.

Summary: Set in the time between the author's popular RiftWar novels A Darkness at Sethanon and Prince of the Blood, "Krondor The Betrayal" brings back some of Feist's most memorable characters -- Squire James (a.k.a. master thief "Jimmy the Hand"), Prince Arutha, Pug the Magician, and others-and introduces readers to a slew of colorful, never-before-encountered heroes and villains. This is a sweeping and relentlessly exciting epic that tells the story of an invasion of Midkemia by a deadly army of trolls and renegade humans commanded by dark elves and an evil magical cabal -- and chronicles the courage of a traitor elf who rejects the brutal plans of his warlike kind to cast his lot with the targets of their aggression. Master fantasist Feist works his singular magic once again, as he thrills us with the breathtaking exploits of daring defenders who stand firm and strong against the horrifying devastation aimed at the beating heart of their kingdom.

After

Title:  AFTER. New York : Viking, 2009.
Author:  Efaw, Amy.
HPL Catalog:  Young Adult Fiction-Paperback Efaw

2 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary: In complete denial that she is pregnant, straight-A student and star athlete Devon Davenport leaves her baby in the trash to die, and after the baby is discovered, Devon is accused of attempted murder.

Efaw assigns herself a seemingly impossible task creating sympathy for a teen mother who tosses her newborn baby into a trash bin yet somehow pulls it off in this successful button pusher. Devon is a sophomore soccer star charged with the unsavory crime, and the story picks up with the police doing a routine search for clues and finding Devon covered with blood. But it's not from a really bloody period, as she claims, and soon she is plunged into a juvenile holding system while her lawyer, the take-charge Dominique, tries to draw out information in an attempt to avoid an attempted murder charge in adult court. Devon has blocked out most of the event, and her continued denial provides gradual elucidation into how she could have disavowed her entire pregnancy. Efaw's depiction of the actual birth comes in bits and pieces, and is rightfully disturbing. The pace mires somewhat in the drawn-out legal proceedings, but there's no doubt that Efaw humanizes Devon an effort that will repel or enlighten readers, depending on their individual predilections.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2009 Booklist

Threat of Exposure

Title:   THREAT OF EXPOSURE. Series: Love inspired suspense (larger print)  2011.
Author:  Eason, Lynette.
HPL Catalog:  Adult Paperback-Inspirational Eason

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Andrew D.

Summary: Pages full of indecipherable codes are all that stand between DEA agent Brock Martin and drugs crossing the border. But if he wants to crack the case, he'll have to work with Texas Ranger Gisella Hernandez. Brock feels the case is way too dangerous for a female agent-especially one who refuses to admit she needs protection. Yet as they work together under the most dangerous threat of exposure, Brock discovers Gisella is stronger than she seems. And that his cowboy heart isn't so tough, after all.

Black Lyon

Title:  BLACK LYON. Severn House, 1990.
Author:  Deveraux, Jude.
HPL Catalog:  F Deveraux  (Adult Fiction); LP Deveraux (Large Print)

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Summary:  Darkly handsome and rich beyond imagining the bold English conqueror was called Lyon, for his-lion like fierceness. He had no match among enemies, or women ... until he met Lyonene, the green-eyed beauty whose fiery spirit matched his own. Through a whirlwind romance and stormy marriage, she endured every peril to be by his side... until jealousy and vicious lies drove her across the Irish Sea and into grave danger. One man could save her -- only the fierce Black Lyon had the courage to destroy the ruthless plot that had driven them apart and threatened the bond of love they had vowed could never be broken.

The Sleeping Doll

Title:  THE SLEEPING DOLL. Thorndike, Me. : Center Point Pub., 2007.
Author:  Deaver, Jeffery.
HPL Catalog:  AF Deaver (Adult Fiction); LP Deaver (Large Print); ACD Deaver (CD Audio)
 
5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Special agent Kathryn Dance -- a brilliant interrogator and body language expert -- stars in The Sleeping Doll, where she and her partners at the California Bureau of Investigation hunt down escaped killer Daniel Pell, a self-styled Charles Manson. Pell is a master of control, who mesmerizes, seduces, and exploits people for his own murderous ends. To track down Pell before he destroys more lives, Kathryn Dance must enlist the help of people from the killer's past: the three women who lived under his sadistic sway in the cult he once headed, as well as the young girl known as The Sleeping Doll, the only survivor of her family's slaughter at Pell's hand.

Protecting Her Own

Title:  PROTECTING HER OWN. Series: Love inspired suspense (larger print)  2011.
Author:  Daley, Margaret.
HPL Catalog:   Adult Paperback-Inspirational Daley

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Andrew D.

Summary: Nothing short of her dad's stroke could bring professional bodyguard Cara Madison back to Virginia. But her homecoming turns explosive with a pipe-bomb package addressed to her father. Cara knows two things for sure. First, someone's after either her father or her...or both. And second, this job is too big to handle on her own. Unexpected help comes from agent Connor Fitzgerald. Years ago she'd walked away from him...and love. Now, despite their unresolved feelings, they must join forces-and settle their scarred past-to survive.

Lost City: A Novel from the NUMA Files

Title:  LOST CITY: A NOVEL FROM THE NUMA FILES. New York : Putnam, 2004.
Author:  Cussler, Clive with Paul Kemprecos.
HPL Catalog:   AF Cussler (Adult Fiction); LP F Cussler (Large Print)

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Sonia H.

Another good Cussler story: His bad people, as usual, are very bad-arms dealsers, a family of evil people who enjoy torturing others’ experimentation on people to extend their lives turns out monsters; a hybrid plant that grows quickly and takes over the oceans; a body in a glacier. All these keep Kurt Austin, Joe Zauala, and the married couple, the Trouts, busy figuring out who, what, and why.

Sharpe's Siege

Title:  SHARP’S SIEGE. New York, N.Y., U.S.A. : Viking, 1987.
Author:  Cornwell, Bernard.
HPL Catalog:  AF Cornwell (Adult Fiction)

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie W.

Summary: Sharpe's mission had seemed simple: capture a small unguarded French coastal fort, cripple Napoleon's supply lines, & retreat across the sea. But behind the lines, Sharpe's old enemy, Pierre Ducos, awaits Sharpe's arrival with a battalion of French soldiers & a vicious commanding general who keeps the scalps of his dead enemies as trophies. Outmaneuvered by Ducos's treachery & abandoned by his own navy, Sharpe has only two choices: To escape with the aid of the charming, unscrupulous American mercenary, Cornelius Killick, or die

Chosen: A House of Night Novel

Title:  CHOSEN, A HOUSE OF NIGHT NOVEL. New York : St. Martin's Griffin, 2008.
Author:  Cast, P.C. & Kristin Cast.
HPL Catalog:  AF Cast  (Adult Fiction);  YA Paperback Cast

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary: Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledging vampyre Zoey Redbird's adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this "highly addictive series" in which Zoey's mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn't have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little blood lust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn't get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey's horrid-step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth.

Betrayed

Title:  BETRAYED. New York : St. Martin's Griffin, 2007.
Author:  Cast, P.C. & Kristin Cast.
HPL Catalog:  AF Cast  (Adult Fiction)

5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary: After settling in at the House of Night and becoming more comfortable with her vast powers, fledgling vampire Zoey Redbird faces a horrible crisis as human teenagers are becoming victims of a wave of murders and the House of Night becomes the prime suspect.  Zoey has managed to settle in at the House of Night.  She's come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters.   Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs - like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend.

Thirteen Days to Midnight

Title:  THIRTEEN DAYS TO MIDNIGHT. New York : Little, Brown, 2010.
Author:  Carmen, Patrick.
HPL Catalog:  YA F Carmen  (Young Adult Fiction);  YA Books on CD Carmen

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary: You are indestructible . Three whispered words transfer an astonishing power to Jacob Fielding that changes everything. At first, Jacob is hesitant to use the power, unsure of its implications. But there's something addictive about testing the limits of fear. Then Ophelia James, the beautiful and daring new girl in town, suggests that they use the power to do good, to save others. But with every heroic act, the power grows into the specter of a curse. How to decide who lives and who dies? In this nail-biting novel of mystery and dark intrigue, Jacob must walk the razor thin line between right and wrong, good and evil, and life and death. And time is running out. Because the Grim Reaper doesn't disappear. . . . He catches up.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking

Title:  QUIET, THE POWER OF INTROVERTS IN A WORLD THAT CAN’T STOP TALKING. New York : Crown Publishers, 2012.
Author:  Cain, Susan.
HPL Catalog:  ANF 155.232 CAIN  (New Adult Non Fiction); Adult Books on CD155.232 CAIN

4 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Andrea N.: QUIET explores the ancient definitions for introverts and extroverts and brings the descriptions of these personality types up to date, complete with heavily researched results of studies in neuroscience and psychology.

She finds that the hesitant, thoughtful, sensitive introvert is vastly under-valued in today’s (American) society, which is geared toward the expansive, lively, decisive extrovert with a knack for public presentation. I found the book and its convincing analysis fascinating.

Summary:  Cain, whose work on introversion has appeared in newspapers and magazines, questions the modern American business culture that overlooks the positive characteristics of introverts such as persistence, reflection, and sensitivity to others' feelings. She explains the neurobiology and psychology of temperament in plain language and compares Western culture, where the individual is most important, to Eastern culture, where the group is valued more highly than the individual. She offers advice for introverts on small talk, networking, and communicating with extroverts, and even shows how to pretend to be an extrovert when necessary. She also tells how to help an introverted child. Cain teaches negotiation skills. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Furies of Calderon

Title:  FURIES OF CALDERON. New York : Ace Books, 2005.
Author:  Butcher, Jim.
HPL Catalog:  F Butcher (Adult Fiction)

4 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Crystal M.: Lots  of great magic delivered in a fantastic way. A wonderful story, a fascinating world with a little love thrown in.

Summary: In the realm of Alera, where people bond with the furies--elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal--15-year-old Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. As his homeland erupts in chaos--when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies--Tavi's simple courage will turn the tides of war.

Dead Beat: A Novel of the Dresden Files

Title:  DEAD BEAT: A NOVEL OF THE DRESDEN FILES.  New York : Roc, 2005.
Author:  Butcher, Jim.
HPL Catalog:  F Butcher  (Adult Fiction)

3 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Crystal M.: Wild and intense with sizzling magic and intrigue, don’t forget lots of sarcastic humor!

Booklist Review: Harry Dresden's first hardcover adventure finds Chicago's preeminent wizard coping with his new roommate--vampire half-brother Thomas. Harry soon has problems bigger than Thomas' clutter to deal with. Marva, one of Harry's vampire foes, summons him with a threat to his police-lieutenant friend, Karrin Murphy. Marva demands Harry get the Word of Kemmler for her, or she'll frame Murphy for murder. Harry doesn't even know what the Word is, but while he's trying to find out, and also what damage Marva will be able to do with it, several necromancers descend on Chicago. When Harry learns that the newcomers are students of Kemmler, an evil wizard who mastered ancient spirits in a way no one has since, he discovers that they are seeking the Word, too, in hopes of seizing the powerful knowledge within it and calling forth a powerful creature known as the Erlking. Butcher's latest maintains the momentum of previous Dresden outings and builds the suspense right up to a rousing conclusion. --Kristine Huntley Copyright 2005 Booklist

Blood Rites: A Novel of the Dresden Files

Title:  BLOOD RITES: A NOVEL OF THE DRESDEN FILES. Publisher, Date: New York : Roc, [2010], c2004.
Author:  Butcher, Jim.
HPL Catalog:  F Butcher  (Adult Fiction)

3 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Crystal M.: Fresh, suspenseful, and funny at the same time.

Summary: For Harry Dresden, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Still, there's something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film's producer believes he's the target of a sinister curse-but it's the women around him who are dying. Harry's even more frustrated because he only got involved with this bizarre mystery as a favor to Thomas-his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can't quite figure out. But Harry is about to discover that Thomas' family tree has been hiding a shocking revelation that will change his life forever...

Letter From a Stranger

Title:  LETTER FROM A STRANGER. New York : St. Martin's Press, 2012.
Author:  Bradford, Barbara Taylor.
HPL Catalog:  F Bradford (New Adult Fiction); LP F Bradford

5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Lisa W.

Summary: International best-seller Bradford's latest novel takes readers into the sights and sounds of contemporary Istanbul, where documentary filmmaker Justine Nolan unravels a family mystery that kept her and her twin, Richard, apart from their grandmother Gabrielle, whom they believe is dead, for a decade. When Justine learns from her grandmother's friend Anita not only that Gabrielle is alive but also that their mother drove her away, she immediately sets out to find her. Once reunited, her grandmother presents Justine with her childhood journal, which reveals the hidden fact that she is Jewish and survived the Holocaust. As she discovers how her grandmother's experiences shaped their fractured family and explores eclectic Istanbul with an eye to making a documentary, Justine falls in love with Anita's debonair grandson.

The Innocent

Title:  THE INNOCENT. New York : Grand Central Pub., 2012.
Author:  Baldacci, David.
HPL Catalog:  F Baldacci  (New Adult Fiction); LP Baldacci; Adult Books on CD Baldacci

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Austin J. 

Summary: America has enemies--ruthless people that the police, the FBI, even the military can't stop. That's when the U.S. government calls on Will Robie, a stone cold hitman who never questions orders and always nails his target. But Will Robie may have just made the first--and last--mistake of his career...

THE INNOCENT begins with a hit gone wrong.  Robie is dispatched to eliminate a target unusually close to home in Washington, D.C. But something about this mission doesn't seem right to Robie, and he does the unthinkable. He refuses to kill. Now, Robie becomes a target himself and must escape from his own people. Fleeing the scene, Robie crosses paths with a wayward teenage girl, a fourteen-year-old runaway from a foster home. But she isn't an ordinary runaway-her parents were murdered, and her own life is in danger. Against all of his professional habits, Robie rescues her and finds he can't walk away. He needs to help her. Even worse, the more Robie learns about the girl, the more he's convinced she is at the center of a vast cover-up, one that may explain her parents' deaths and stretch to unimaginable levels of power. Now, Robie may have to step out of the shadows in order to save this girl's life... and perhaps his own.

Blood Feud

Title:  BLOOD FEUD: THE HATFIELDS AND THE MCCOYS: THE EPIC STORY OF MURDER AND REVENGE. Guilford, Conn. : Lyons Press, 2012.
Author:  Alther, Lisa.
HPL Catalog:   Adult Non Fiction 303.62 ALTHER

4 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Dwight H.:  Didn’t know much about the Hatfield and McCoy feud but this book gives a great deal of information about the setting and people of this fight between families in West Virginia and Kentucky. How small initial incidents and the can lead to death both directly and indirectly is difficult to understand. Add to the mix the psychology of the two family leaders Ranel McCoy and Devil Anse Hatfield don’t like each other and do not care who gets hurt while they get the upper hand.

The author does a good job of telling the story of the feud and its people but also giving the reader a sense of the times which allowed it to fester. She also goes into the sociology of the area during the time and how today’s inhabitants were affected by their history.

One of the strengths of the book is that it also reviews several of the other feuds in the area to help the reader understand that this was a way of life for the area. It goes on to explain that even though several of the feuds had much more loss of life connected to them we seem to remember the Hatfields and the McCoys because of the circumstances and the characters involved. I enjoyed the history this book provided.

Wastelands: Tales of the Apocalypse

Title:  Wastelands: Tales of the Apocalypse
Author: John Joseph Adams (editor)
HPL Catalog:  HPL does not own

Summary:  (From the cover)  "Gathering together the best post-apocalyptic literature of the last two decades from many of today's most renowned authors of speculative fiction, including George R. R. Martin, Gene Wolfe, Orson Scott Card, Carol Emschwiller, Jonathon Lethem, Octavia E. Butler, and Stephen King, Wastelands explores the scientific, psychological, and philosophical questions of what it means to remain human in the wake of Armageddon."

4 stars (out of 5) Rating and Review by Gregg Wamsley:

This was the third book read for the library's Science Fiction Book discussion Group.  Sticking to the post-apocalyptic theme for our 2012 year, the stories in this collection fit the bill.  However, taken as a whole the forecast for the Apocalypse is mostly dark with a liberal spread of absolute bleakness.  There is very little hopefulness in most of the stories.  Cory Doctorow's "When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth" and John Langan's "Episode Seven: Last Stand Against the Pack in the Kingdom of Purple Flowers" are examples of the most hopeful story endings where at least some humanity has survived and seem to have a hope of some sort of recovery.  Most of the stories end more like Stephen King's "The End of the Whole Mess" or George R. R. Martin's "Dark, Dark Were the Tunnels" - humans and/or "humanity" have had it.  If the death-spiral hasn't already plowed us into the ground, the writing is on the wall.

All that said, I found a number of truly enjoyable stories in this collection and a couple of authors to follow who are new to me.  I don't speak for our entire group by any means, but personally I highly recommend this collection as a good introduction to post-apocalyptic fiction.  It includes a fantastic "for further reading" list at the back.  HPL will have a copy available as I am donating my copy for circulation.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Title:  One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2010.
Author:  Voskamp, Ann.
HPL Catalog:  ANF 248.4 VOSKAMP
 
5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Tawnya B.

Summary: Drawing heartbreaking beauty out of the simplest of details, Ann Voskamp invites you into her grace--bathed life of farming, parenting, and writing--and deeper still into your own life.  Forget the bucket lists that have us escaping our everyday lives for exotic experiences. How, Ann wondered, do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ-life really look like when your days are gritty, long and sometimes even dark? How is God even here?  Here you will discover a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of becoming present to God that brings you deep and lasting joy.

Amish Women: Lives and Stories

Title:  Amish Women:  Lives and Stories. Intercourse, PA : Good Books, c1994. 
Author:  Stoltzfus, Louise.
HPL Catalog:  ANF  305.4868 Stoltzfus

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Tawnya B.

Summary: Written by a woman who grew up in an Old Order Amish community and church, Amish Women: Lives and Stories offers a gentle, lyrical inside view of Amish womanhood. How are Amish women unique? How are they typical? How do they find expression in a place that values community togetherness above all else? This generous and heartwarming memoir explores these questions to discover what it means to be a woman and to be Amish. Meet Naomi whose favorite author is C.S. Lewis. Rebecca who is single and has a career. Susie who is an artist. And Esther who has lost two children and spends much of her time reaching out to other members of her community who have suffered loss. Louise Stoltzfus gathered her stories through a series of interviews and conversations with Amish women, many of whom she has known most of her life.

Living the Simple Life: A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More

Title:  Living the Simple Life:  A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More. New York : Hyperion, 1996.

Author:  St. James, Elaine.
HPL Catalog:  ANF 179.9 St. James

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Tawnya B.

Summary: Living the Simple Life is simply a huge success. Still in high demand in its extended life in hardcover, Living the Simple Life follows on the heels of Elaine St. James' first two bestsellers, Simplify Your Life, a revolutionary guide to removing clutter and complexity from our lives, and Inner Simplicity, inspirations for easily augmenting life with peace and spirituality. Now, in her monumental new work, Living the Simple Life, St. James fuses both sides of her liberating philosophy into a powerful synergy of simple, thought-provoking methods for leading a life of well-being and inner peace. From simplifying how we manage our household, work, lifestyle, health, and finances to powerful spiritual approaches toward living and dying, St. James' new book is rich with the elegant, life-enhancing inspirations her fans have come to expect. Written, like her other bestsellers, in a series of delightful and straightforward bite-sized discussions, Living the Simple Life is the perfect primer for the many now searching for a way to bring simplicity and balance into both their personal and spiritual lives.

One Foot in the Gravy: A Deadly Deli Mystery

Title:  One Foot in the Gravy: A Deadly Deli Mystery. Kensington Publishing Corporation 2011 .





Author:  Rosen, Delia.
HPL Catalog:  Adult Paperback Mystery

3 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Dwight H.:

This is the second in the Deadly Deli series. Gwen Katz inherited a deli from her uncle and father which she must find a way to make profitable. She decides to cater a mystery party at Lolo Baker’s home. Even before dinner is served Hoppy Hopewell, a not well respected man-about-town, is murdered. Then Lizzie an acquaintance of Hoppy’s is found dead and the pieces don’t fit at the beginning.

The best part of the book is Lolo’s mystery group, the Cozy Foxes, review the clues and begin to solve the crime. They find that Hoppy has been involved with many women, Lizzie provided many services for him, an unexplained $75,000 in the bank account of a person who barely made enough to cover her rent. They also find that the mother of Hoppy’s child had been a member of a revolutionary group in Canada-the Red Army Faction.

The clues begin to mount and as always the heroine eventually faces the killer with little chance of surviving; however the lawman boyfriend comes to the rescue. Fairly typical example of the cozy genre but written in a flowing fashion that moves the book along quickly and enjoyably for the reader.

Wings

Title:  WINGS. New York : HarperTeen, c2009.  
Author:  Pike, Aprillynne.
HPL Catalog:  YA Fiction Pike

5 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary: When a plant blooms out of fifteen-year-old Laurel's back, it leads her to discover the fact that she is a faerie and that she has a crucial role to play in keeping the world safe from the encroaching enemy trolls.

Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, Wings, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl named Laurel.  Laurel discovers she is a faerie, sent among humans to protect the gateway to Avalon. Thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to each world. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

The Same Stuff as Stars

Title:  The Same Stuff as Stars. New York : Clarion Books 2002.
Author:  Paterson, Katherine.
HPL Catalog:  JF Paterson; also, Children's Books on Tape Paterson

Summary: Angel Morgan needs help. Daddy is in jail, and Mama has abandoned her and her little brother, leaving them with their great-grandmother. Grandma is aged and poor, and doesn't make any attempt to care for the children-that's left up to Angel, even though she is not yet twelve. The only bright spot in Angel's existence is the Star Man, a mysterious stranger who appears on clear nights and teaches her all about the stars and planets and constellations. "We're made out of the same stuff as the stars," he tells her. Eventually, Grandma warms to the children and the three begin to cobble together a makeshift family. Then events in Angel's life take yet another downturn, and she must once again find a way to persevere. Katherine Paterson's keen sensitivity and penetrating sense of drama bring us a moving story of throwaway children, reminding us of the incredible resilience of childhood and the unquenchable spirit that, in spite of loss, struggles to new beginnings.

4 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Gail H.:  This book is Junior Fiction, but even as an adult I like to read Katherine Paterson’s books. They are thought-provoking, helping me understand people with less secure upbringings than I had.

The Herbal Palate Cookbook

Title:  The Herbal Palate Cookbook. Pownal, Vt. : Storey Communications, 1996. 
Author:  Oster, Maggie & Sal Gilbertie.
HPL Catalog:  ANF  641.657 Oster

Summary: Two of the best-known names in the herbal field teamed up to create this beautiful collection of 150 simple yet elegant recipes - everything from appetizers to entrees to desserts. Horticulturist Oster is the author of numerous books, including several other cookbooks; Gilbertie, who runs a wholesale herb business, is also the author of several titles on herbs. And they detail container gardening both indoors and out so that even city dwellers should find the horticultural material of as much interest as the recipes.

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Catherine G.

Simply a guide to growing and using herbs. Photographs throughout show herbs in container landscaping, pots of herbs filling an antique wheelbarrow. Beautiful fare photos too: a flower-shaped salad of peppers, mozzarella and basil. Many ways to use fresh herbs with garden fresh produce and in grilling.

Much Ado About Vampires

Title:  MUCH ADO ABOUT VAMPIRES: A DARK ONES NOVEL. Signet Book, 2011.
Author:  MacAlister, Katie.
HPL Catalog:  Adult Paperback Romance MacAlister

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Julie B.

Summary:  Corazon Ferreira is a jaded woman. Turns out she was a vampire's mate in a past life. And no matter how distractingly gorgeous he is, she just can't get the image of him killing someone out of her head. But when her life depends on him, Corazon's going to have to stop over thinking things-and start trusting her heart...

A Girl's Guide to Vampires

Title:  A GIRL’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRES. Avon Books, 2011.
Author:  MacAlister, Katie.
HPL Catalog:  Adult Paperback Romance MacAlister

Summary: Armed with only a bag of rune stones and her wicked sense of humor, an American woman untangles the threads connecting a serial killer, vampires, and the handsome man who may not be as he appears.  Joy Randall's Top 5 Tips for Vampire Hunters: 1. Location, location, location. Remember, if you wouldn't be there, neither would a bloodsucker. 2. Trust your eyes. You know the handsome, annoyingly arrogant, self-assured man in the shadows with long hair and a cleft in his chin? He's your vampire. 3. No matter how tempting it might be, do not "accidentally" acquire a paper cut and suggest YOUR VAMPIRE kiss your finger to make it better. 4. From here on out, play it cool. Don't offer to accompany your prince of the night on the talk show circuit and whatever you do, don't offer him your heart. 5. And most of all, remember - being a vampire is nothing to laugh about.

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Julie B.:  Great Book-funny-wicked sense of humor-also a little steamy!!

365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life

Title:  365 THANK YOUS: THE YEAR A SIMPLE ACT OF DAILY GRATITUDE CHANGED MY LIFE. New York : Hyperion, 2010.
Author:  Kralik, John.
HPL Catalog:  ANF 179.9 Kralik

Summary:  Just when his dearest life dreams seemed to have slipped beyond his reach, Kralik was struck by the belief that his life might become at least tolerable if, instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find some way to be grateful for what he had.  He set the goal of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.     

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Jean C.:   Great story that reminds us of all those in our own lives who we should be writing thank you notes to, and not just fleeting email thank yous, but personal handwritten notes.

Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free

Title:  Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free. New York, N.Y. : Full Cast Audio, p2004. 
Author:  Karr, Kathleen.
HPL Catalog:  Children's Book on CD Karr

3 Star Rating (out of 5) by Melissa L.

Summary:  During the early 1900s, a teenaged inmate's dreary life at Massachusetts' Sherborn Prison for Women changes for the better after she becomes a member of the prison choir and participates in the production of the operetta "The Pirates of Penzance."

Based on a true incident, this moving novel tells the story of a production of Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance"-as performed by the inmates of a women's prison in 1914.  Infused with music, beautifully researched and filled with fascinating characters, this is great teen listening.

lol - OMG!

Title:  lol -- OMG! : WHAT EVERY STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, AND CYBERBULLYING . Reno, NV : Serra Knight Pub., 2011. 
Author:  Ivester, Matt. 
HPL Catalog:  ANF 004.678 Ivester

5 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Jean C.



Great book to share with students about the impact their online identities can have on their lives! Lots of good info in Chapter 7 on Active Reputation Management. Thoughtful “tests” given in Chapter 10 to help one judge his/her actions to make good digital decisions.

Summary:  The ease with which digital content can be shared online, in addition to its many benefits, has created a host of problems for today's high school and college students. All too often, students are uploading, updating, posting and publishing without giving a second thought to who might see their content or how it might be perceived. lol...OMG! provides a cautionary look at the many ways that today's students are experiencing the unanticipated negative consequences of their digital decisions - from lost job opportunities and denied college and graduate school admissions to full-blown national scandals. It also examines how technology is allowing students to bully one another in new and disturbing ways, and why students are often crueler online than in person. By using real-life case studies and offering actionable strategies and best practices, this book empowers students to clean up and maintain a positive online presence, and to become responsible digital citizens.

"Matt Ivester's book, lol...OMG!, is a "must read" for every college student, every high school student and the parents of each. It is also a "should read" for everyone who might want a job in today's world." Joe Riley, Director of Human Resources, LinkedIn

Dare to Die

Title:  DARE TO DIE: A DEATH ON DEMAND MYSTERY. New York, N.Y. : HarperLuxe, 2009.
Author:  Hart, Carolyn.
HPL Catalog:  F Hart; LP Hart; Adult Books on CD Hart

4 Star Rating (out of 5) by Beth P.

Summary: She came in the rain. Alone. On a bicycle. Annie and Max Darling are completely unprepared when the arrival of a mysterious young woman shocks their sea island and stirs up more than just gossip. It turns out that Iris, the beautiful stranger, is a former resident of Broward's Rock. Her arrival throws the normally happy town into a downward spiral that pits neighbor against neighbor. Things take a turn for the worse when Annie befriends Iris and invites her to attend the Darlings' party at the pavilion where Death is the uninvited guest. Suddenly, Max and Annie find themselves in the middle of a fight they don't understand and at the mercy of an unknown assailant who's trying to kill them-and all they know is that it is one of their friends.

A Deadly Grind

Title:  A DEADLY GRIND: A VINTAGE KITCHEN MYSTERY. Berkley, 2012.
Author:  Hamilton, Victoria.
HPL Catalog:  A Paperback Mystery Hamilton

3 Star Rating (out of 5) & Review by Dwight H.

A DEADLY GRIND is the first in a series about Jaymie Leighton who along with her sister inherited a vintage home from her parents who are now in Florida. Jaymie attends an auction and purchases a 1920’s Hoosier Cabinet; outbidding others who wanted the cabinet for other reasons. She places the cabinet on her porch until she can clear an area for it in her kitchen, which is already overstuffed. The next morning she finds a man on her porch that has had his head bashed in with the grinder from the cabinet.

Jayme is concerned as to why the man was looking through her cabinet. What she discovers is that it is alleged that a letter from Button Gwinnett was hidden in the cabinet. Gwinnett was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. She also finds out that part of the reason for the attempted robbery was so that the document could be duplicated and sold several times for a great deal of money.

Jayme tries very hard to find the murderer as well as making sure that the seller of the cabinet gets the letter which is worth a great deal of money. As in most of these cozies the police are focused on the wrong person for the murder and just at the end they come to realize Jayme’s plight. It is a good, light read with a new character.