Red Leaves And The Living Token by Benjamin Burrell

Emret, thirteen, is terminally ill.  Confined to a wheelchair and in the hospital for what will be his final care, he is hardly the archetype of a superhero.  His father, Raj, is desperate for a cure and willing for the doctors to try their best.  Emret's nurse, Moslin, has been sent away.  Raj believes she is not good for Emret as she fills his head with visions of the old stories, of magic and visions and things far beyond the ken of men.

Then the impossible happens.  Raj arrives at the hospital room to find Emret gone along with Moslin.  She has taken him from the hospital in an attempt to find the miraculous cure they believe awaits them in the land of the Red Leaves.  Of course, the Red Leaves are just a fairy tale....or are they?

Raj immediately starts his journey to find them.  Although he doesn't believe in magic, he is having dreams that seem like prophecies.  The dreams seem tied to a strange stone figurine he found right before discovering Emret's disappearance.  He doesn't know what the purpose of this figurine is, but it becomes clear that three different tribes of creatures are determined to take it from him for their own purposes.  Can Raj find Emret and Moslin?  Can Emret's belief in magic find a cure for his illness?

Ben Burrell has written an engaging first book in a new fantasy series.  The path ahead is unclear at times but more and more of the storyline becomes clear as Raj and Emret are reunited in the land where the Token and the Red Leaves exist.  There are three books planned for this series.  This book is recommended for fantasy readers.

My First Murder by Leena Lehtolainen

Detective Maria Kallio is facing her first murder investigation.  Only twenty-three, she is not sure yet what she wants from a career.  She started as a police officer, got bored and went to study law, then was unsure about that path and has taken a six-month job as a substitute officer when another member of the force goes out on medical leave.  Being young and a woman in a male-dominated workplace is not easy; being brought in as a lead detective makes her even less popular.

She is worried when she is assigned to a murder case.  Her concerns deepen when she realises who the victim was. Tommi Peltonen was a golden boy.  Handsome and outgoing, he always was the leader in any group, and the group he was most often with was a formal chorus at his university.  Although he had already graduated, he remained in the group and they were thrilled to have him stay.  Maria had been on the fringes of this group in her university days; one of her roommates had been in the chorus and she socialized with the group.  She had known Tommi.  She tries to beg off, but there is no one else to take the case.

At first glance, it appears that Tommi's death may have been an accident.  The chorus had gone with him to his parent's summer house, where they could rehearse for an upcoming job.  Tommi is found floating in the water.  At first it appeared he may have drowned, but further investigation reveals that he was hit on the head with an axe before entering the water. 

All the suspects are right there, and all are known to Maria.  She must overcome her hesitation to figure who in this tight-knit group would have killed their leader.  As she investigates Tommi's life, surprising facts start to emerge that form motives for several of the group.  Can Maria bring the case to a successful conclusion?

This book is recommended for mystery readers.  This is the first in Leena Lehtolainen's Maria Kallio series; a series that has been adapted as a series on Finnish television.  American readers will be interested in reading how criminal investigation varies in other countries.  The whole ambiance of the culture and how crime is viewed is different from the American police culture and it is fascinating to see another way of working through a criminal investigation.

Galore by Michael Crummey

Life is difficult in the small fishing settlement of Paradise Deep in Newfoundland.  The people are tied to the sea, suffering if the catch isn't good and making it through the winter with the help of their families and friends.  When a whale is beached, it is a major event, and the entire town turns out to butcher it and save the meat to make it through the long cold days ahead.  The whale is miraculous enough but no one expects what is found in its stomach.  Hacked open, out rolls an albino man, somehow alive, although barely so. 

In the days that follow, he regains his health, but is a mute.  The townsfolk name him Judah, a variation on the Biblical tale of Jonah and the whale; life is so hard there that the only Bible is a partial one rescued from a wreck, leaving the people to create their own tales to fill in the blanks.

There are two main families in Paradise Deep.  The Sellers are the merchants of the town, rich and powerful; their patriarch named King-Me Sellers.  The Devines are the guardians of the town's folklore and superstition; some would say its magic.  The family is headed by Devine's Widow, often called a witch but also the person everyone turned to for cures and predictions of what would come next.  The two families are caught in a decades-old feud. 

Sellers wants to get rid of Judah.  Devine's Widow binds him to the settlement and her family.  His presence adds more fuel to the fire of the feud.  The reader is swept into the lives of these people for generations as they fight to survive.  We see the marriages, the separations, the religion that binds folks, the stirring of a union to fight the rich and powerful.  Judah remains an enigmatic figure in the lives of both families as they fight and love over the years.

This book is highly recommended for readers interested in history, in folklore, in how societies grow and survive.  The characters are finely drawn, each one in the myriad of folk given their own personalities that distinguish them.  There is an undercurrent of magical realism, but the miraculous things that occur arise out of the beliefs of the townspeople.  Galore won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book and was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction.  Readers who plunge into this novel will emerge stunned and glad for the experience.

In The Sea There Are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda

Fabio Geda is an Italian novelist who works with children in trouble.  In The Sea There Are Crocodiles is his book detailing the memoir of Enaiatollah Akbari, an Afhganistian young man who, after years of being on his own and facing obstacles many people never encounter, became an immigrant in Italy.

When Enaiatollah was about ten (he is not sure of his birthday or exact age), his mother took him on a trip to Pakistan.  After a few days he awoke one morning to find her gone.  She had gone back home, leaving him to make his way in a foreign land where he didn't speak the language or have anyone to look out for him.  He spent a year in Pakistan, working wherever he could find a job and sleeping anywhere he could. 

The next three years Enaiatollah spent in Iran.  There he worked construction.  The work was brutal and the hours long.  Periodically, the police raided the sites and sent all the illegal workers back to their countries.  The workers had to pay the costs of this repatriation, so it was difficult to save any money.  Enaiatillah made friends there among the other workers, but one lesson he learned early was not to get attached to anyone else.  After three years, he tired of the constant stress and work and decided to go with a group of friends to Turkey.

This was by far the most difficult journey he undertook.  What he was told was a three day walk turned into almost four weeks climbing into the mountains and fighting the cold and hunger.  At the end of that journey, was a three day trip stuffed into a false bottom in a truck. 

After time spent in Turkey, he and four acquaintances struck out for Greece.  They had to row a dinghy across the ocean between the two countries; five boys who had never seen the ocean, who had never rowed a bow or known how to swim.  Eventually, Enaiatollah left Greece in a ship container, bound for who knew where.  He ended up in Italy and was lucky enough to find people there who helped him and a government that granted him asylum. 

Readers will not be able to stop reading this mesmerizing tale of this young boy's struggles and travels.  Parents will be heartbroken to think of a life so barren that the best one can do for your child is to abandon him in a foreign country with no way to monitor his safety or even his survival.  All you can give him is a chance. Enaiatollah's courage is admirable, but there are repercussions.  The story is told in a very flat affect and it is obvious that he has walled off his emotions in order to survive the brutal life he was handed.  This book is recommended for all readers; a compelling and ultimately satisfying read.

Injustice For All by Robin Caroll

Remington has just survived a nightmare.  She was in the house, unknown, when assassins broke in and killed her godfather, a powerful federal judge.  Even worse, she can identify the killers and they are men she thought she could trust.  Now she realises that her only hope of survival is to run.  Luckily, her work as a forensic psychologist has prepared her to do this efficiently.

Three years later, Bella, as she is now known, has found some peace.  She has run hundreds of miles and reinvented herself.  She is living in a small rural town where she has found friends and contentment.  That is about to change.

Rafe is an FBI agent, newly transferred to another office.  As the new guy, he is given the task of trying to find some way forward on cold cases.  He hits on the judge's murder and as he reads through the case file, finds a clue that brings him to the little town where Bella now lives.  Even worse, his clue involves her best friend, the sheriff.  His interest in the case gets back to the killers who now know exactly where to go to finish the job of killing off the only witness to their crime.  Can Bella find a way to survive this new threat?

Robin Carroll has written an interesting mystery.  The pace is fast enough to keep the reader's interest, without being so breakneck that it is tiring to read.  The characters are portrayed realistically enough that a connection is made to them.  The resolution is satisfying while not feeling overly packaged.  Carroll has written eleven previous books and writes in the Christian fiction genre.  While this book is recommended for readers of that genre, any mystery reader will enjoy this one.

At The Queen's Command by Michael Stackpole

Put your literary boots on.  Michael Stackpole is ready to take readers on an amazing journey.  Imagine a retelling of the settling of the North American continent by the British, jerked slightly askew.  Yes, there are touchpoints that the reader will recognize from their history classes, but Stackpole's version is infinitely more entertaining.

Captain Owen Strake has come to the Mysterian colony to make his mark.  Shunned by Norillian society and his extended family due to a Mysterian birth father, he has little chance to rise in traditional ways.  A successful mission will secure enough of a future that he can retire with his wife to the countryside and move away from the artificial society he chafes under.  He has been charged with surveying the uncharted lands of the Queen's colony, Mystria, and giving a report of any possible enemies such as rival Tharyngians and the Twilight People who were the original inhabitants of the land. 

When he arrives, he realises that this land is nothing like anything he has seen.  There are new animals, and magick is not something that is feared and scorned as it is at home.  As an individual who has some magick ability, this is a new idea, that his abilities could be honored rather than feared.  The people are warmer and more welcoming to strangers, and as he becomes more acclimated, he realises that this land suits him much better; a land where a man is evaluated for his character rather than his wealth or position.

But all is not well.  There is an undercurrent of unrest, as the plans of the Tharyngians to attack Mysteria and gain control of all the land become clearer.  There are those who wish for Myteria to break free of the Queen's control.  As Owen works on the surveying, he discovers that a Tharyngian commander he had faced on the battlefields of Europe has taken command here.  He is determined to rule the entire land, by force if he must.  He has built a huge fort that is manned by creatures raised from the dead by sorcery, along with an overwhelming force of highly trained soldiers used to winning every battle. 

Owen, along with those who love Mysteria, are determined to defeat the Tharyngians for the Queen.  There is Nathaniel Woods, a huntsman and guide, highly skilled in the survival skills of this new land.  Kamiskwa is one of the Native people, and he and Nathaniel open this society to Owen.  There is Prince Vlad, the Queen's nephew.  Vlad is a scientist first and foremost, and he loves this new land that he has been given to rule.  Together these men create a ragtag army of colonists who will stop at nothing to win their freedom to live as they like.

This book is highly recommended.  The minute I finished the last page, I rushed online to buy the second volume.  There is humor, magic, strange rituals.  The book is a rousing history with battles and the story of a land forming a society, but then thrown in are items such as men raised from the dead, giant wurms (wingless dragons), who fight along with their owners, guns that are fired by men with their fingers serving as the firing power to send bullets on their way.  There is intrigue, strategy and military battles.  This is a rousing history that is both whimsical and rousing and is recommended for a wide genre of readers.  Those who love history will enjoy this twist on reality.  Those who like fantasy will also find it an excellent read. 

Excerpt from Heaven Should Fall by Rebecca Coleman

“What in the hell is that?” asked Elias.
 

“That’s Stan,” Cade explained. “The guy you’ve heard me

talk about a million times. This is his place. He’s dressed up

like Riff Raff from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
 

“That’s Stan?” He walked over and peered closely at the

photo. Then he looked over his shoulder at Cade, his upper lip curled in the first grin I’d seen out of him.

 

Interested?  Check out the blog tour for this exciting book at this location. 

 

Amazon writes:

Alone since her mother's death, Jill Wagner wants to eat, sleep and breathe Cade Olmstead when he bursts upon her life—golden, handsome and ambitious. Even putting college on hold feels like a minor sacrifice when she discovers she's pregnant with Cade's baby. But it won't be the last sacrifice she'll have to make.

Retreating to the Olmsteads' New England farm seems sensible, if not ideal—they'll regroup and welcome the baby, surrounded by Cade's family. But the remote, ramshackle place already feels crowded. Cade's mother tends to his ailing father, while Cade's pious sister, her bigoted husband and their rowdy sons overrun the house. Only Cade's brother, Elias, a combat veteran with a damaged spirit, gives Jill an ally amidst the chaos, along with a glimpse into his disturbing childhood. But his burden is heavy, and she alone cannot kindle his will to live.

The tragedy of Elias is like a killing frost, withering Cade in particular, transforming his idealism into bitterness and paranoia. Taking solace in caring for her newborn son, Jill looks up to find her golden boy is gone. In Cade's place is a desperate man willing to endanger them all in the name of vengeance…unless Jill can find a way out.

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Rebecca Coleman is the author of "The Kingdom of Childhood," an ABNA 2010 semifinalist. She received her B.A. in English literature from the University of Maryland at College Park and speaks to writers' groups on the subjects of creative writing and publishing. A native New Yorker, she now lives and works near Washington, D.C. Visit her at www.RebeccaColeman.net.

The Revised Fundamentals Of Caregiving by Jonathan Evison

Benjamin Benjamin is stuck.  He has drifted ever since his family life imploded, leaving him without anyone to share his life with.  Since he has spent years as a stay-at-home dad, his career prospects are dim.  Benjamin takes a class for caregivers, where he learns the technical aspects of home care along with the ability to be helpful without crossing the boundaries that separate a caregiver from his patient.

Then he meets Trav.  Trav is nineteen years old, a young man with MD, whose life expectancy is limited.  Each year the disease takes more and more from him, leaving him more dependant on his mother and his caregivers.  Against his will and knowledge, Ben finds himself becoming involved in Trav's life, pushing him to do and want more than what life has on offer.

As the book progresses, Ben and Trav take off on a cross-country trip.  Along the way, they encounter several lost souls and along with seeing the sights, take the time to create a space of helpfulness for the various people they encounter.  Will Ben learn to move on and take charge of his life, or will he remain a detached, uninvolved man barely making it through his days?

Jonathan Evison has written a compellingly readable book.  The reader quickly learns to care about Ben, and pulls for him to get past the tragedy of his life.  Ben is a man many of us know; someone whose life doesn't work out the way he plans, but who can still take the time to care for others as he learns what his purpose is.  This book is recommended for all readers interested in individuals evolving and building successful lives when faced with difficulties.

The New Republic by Lionel Shriver

Edgar Kellogg must have been insane.  He threw over a promising career as a corporate lawyer to try his luck at being a journalist.  Of course, people with actual journalistic experience are having difficulties finding work in the changing newspaper environment, but that doesn't deter Edgar.  He uses some old connections to wrest an interview and emerges from that experience with an assignment as a stringer in Barba, Portugal.  The paper needs a stringer as their assigned reporter to the area has gone missing.

Barba?  Haven't heard of it?  You're not alone, no one would have except for the terrorist actions going on there.  Barba is a remotely settled, backwards region that has one claim to fame; a rebel terrorist organziation that is willing to bomb regardless of loss of life in their quest to gain Barba's independance from Portugal.

Edgar arrives in town ready to take up where the missing reporter, Barrington Saddler, has left off.  He has keys to Saddler's house and car, his office and former work.  He finds Saddler's favorite bar and meets the other journalists covering the independance group.  He forms relationships with them and interviews those Barbaians willing to go on record.  In short, he is primed for the story of his life. 

But nothing is happening.  The terrorists seem to have gone into hibernation.  Is this just Edgar's bad luck, or is something more going on?  Edgar's determination to discover what happened to Saddler and why the bombings have stopped leads him to the story of his life; a story sure to make any journalist's career.

Lionel Shriver has written an entertaining, dark comedy about the entire topic of terrorism, and particularly how it is covered by journalists.  There is a symbiotic relationship between the two groups as neither can exist without the other.  Shriver is known for novels that touch on relevant topics and The New Republic is no different.  This book is recommended for readers interested in how news is reported and even shaped by the men and women who devote their lives to explaining the world to the rest of us. 

The Age Of Desire by Jennie Fields

The Age Of Desire opens in Paris.  Edith Wharton, who has just written The House Of Mirth, is attending a literary salon.  Her eyes are drawn to a newcomer, a man named Morton Fullerton.  He is charismatic, compelling, and draws the attention of men and women alike.  For some reason, he seems attracted to Edith, a position a married woman in her forties is not used to.  Especially one such as Edith, who has lived her life married to a man whom she has, at best, a friendship with, no love or passion. 

The book follows the unfolding of several related tales.  There is the lifelong friendship between Edith and her governess, Anna, who stayed on with her for life, serving as her secretary and first reader.  There is the thread of Teddy Wharton, who becomes mentally ill as the book progresses, leading to constant worry.  Then there is the love affair that blossoms between Wharton and Fullerton, where Edith learns to love and the joy of sexual bliss for the first time in her life.

Jennie Fields has written a compelling book about Wharton, who is a familiar figure in American literature, one of the first successful American women authors.  It is a portrait of the life of an upper class woman, who winters in Paris and spends the summer on a palatial American estate, who is friends with Henry James and other famous individuals of her time.  The book follows the facts of Wharton's life faithfully, and as Fullerton refused to destroy Edith's letters, even has the validity of including those private thoughts from her.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction, and those interested in life in the upper echelons of American society, the American Downton Abbey. 

The Ghost Of Greenwich Village by Lorna Graham

Eve Weldon is living her fantasy life. Growing up in the Midwest, her mother dying early, left Eve lonely and longing for more. She has worked in her father’s law office for several years but now she has decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her mother had a mysterious past that centered around the time she lived in Greenwich Village as a young woman before she married and had a family. Eve’s fondest memories of her mother center around the stories she told of her time there, and the wonderful writing community she was a part of.

Gathering her courage, Eve takes off for New York. She is lucky enough to find an apartment she can afford, and soon she worms her way into a writing job. The apartment, unfortunately, is haunted by the ghost of a Beat writer, but Eve tries to ignore the downside and takes pride in being the only one who can experience Donald’s existence. He is full of stories about the same group that Eve’s mother was a part of, and she delves into his life to discover more about her mother. The job is also an issue. Eve tries several things to shine, but each seems to backfire. Can she make a secure life in this new environment, or will it prove to be too much for her, leaving her to head back home to a more routine existence?

Lorna Graham has written a charming, inspiring tale that will delight the reader’s heart. Eve is a character it is hard not to love. Her ingenuity, resourcefulness, and determination to make her dreams a reality draw the reader into her world. Along the way, the Greenwich Village lifestyle of the 1960’s is lovingly portrayed. This book is recommended for readers ready to be entertained and left cheerful and inspired.

Flesh by Khanh Ha

Flesh starts with a memorable opening scene.  The novel's protagonist, Tai, a young man of sixteen, stands numbed as he watches his bandit father undergo his punishment.  He is decapitated by the uncle who raised him but who is the royal executioner.  Tai, his mother and little brother, are there to bear witness and to take his father's body away for burial.

Thus begins Tai's journey to bring honor back to his family.  Before the book ends, this journey takes him to new cities to live among strangers, to a love that will define his life, and to violence as he strives to protect those he loves.  Tai and his mother are desperate to find an honorable burial site for his father and little brother.  In order to do so, Tai indentures his service for two years.

His new master takes him away to a city.  There is much to be learned there, about opium dens, about service, about those whose lives are lived in both Vietnam and China.  He meets another indentured servant, Xiaoli, a beautiful girl who befriends him and who he will protect with his life.

Khanh Ha was born in Vietnam.  This is his debut novel.  Although the events are violent and disturbing, the writing itself is lyrical and haunting.  The events seem to unfold in a dream, slowly revealing the stories that make up the intertwined lives of the characters.  This book is recommended for readers interested in other cultures, and what family honor will drive men to do. 

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists. They live to create their performance pieces; nothing in their lives is more important. Their two children, Annie and Buster Fang, seem to be nothing more to them than pieces on a chessboard to be moved around and manipulated to create the most shocking effects. They even identify the children as nothing more than Child A and Child B. The Fang artistic touchstone is controlled chaos. They go into a setting such as a mall, create a chaotic situation, then record the reactions of the bystanders.

 

But children grow up. Buster and Annie are now grown and both feel damaged by their upbringing. Annie is an up-and-coming actress with a couple of movies to her credit. Buster has written two novels. But both are self-destructive in varying ways and can’t seem to put together a constructive life or relationships that are meaningful. The only lasting relationship they have is with each other, as they basically raised themselves and always felt that only their sibling was in their corner to rely on.

As the book opens, both Annie and Buster have moved back home. Buster has been injured while writing a freelance magazine article while Annie has fled several destructive relationships and bad choices. Home feels familiar, but soon Caleb and Camille start trying to draw them back into performing their latest ideas. Both children resist, fighting against the ties they can’t help but feel for their parents, but knowing that giving in will only damage their self-esteem more deeply.

Kevin Wilson has created a dark, offbeat family comedy that outlines the damage that parents can do to their children when they don’t place them as a priority. Early ties are almost impossible to overcome, and damage done early is long-lasting. The characters are well-drawn; the madness of the parents outlined and then fleshed out. The reader can’t help but cheer on Buster and Annie as they attempt to break free and find happiness in their own lives. This book is recommended for readers looking for a great read. The story is compelling and it is difficult to put down the story without determining what will happen to the characters. This is a debut novel and Kevin Wilson is a new literature superstar.

Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum

Bad Intentions starts with a death.  Three friends, Jon, Axel and Reilly, have gone on a weekend visit to a lake.  Jon has been hospitalized with depression, and his friends think a change of scenery might be helpful.  They take Jon out on a boat ride, but he takes the opportunity to step over the side and drown himself.  Worried about what the police will think, the two remaining friends hide what has happened and pretend that they woke up to find Jon missing.

As the story unfolds, the reader starts to piece together what lies behind Jon's actions.  Jon leaves enough clues behind that his mother, his doctor and his new girlfriend all inform the police that his depression came from a feeling that he had committed a heinous crime.  Inspector Sejer, assigned to the case, realises that without any forensic evidence of wrongdoing that it is unlikely he will be able to prove the men's collusion in what has happened to Jon.  Then the next body shows up....

Karin Fossum is one of Nordic noir's shining stars.  Bad Intentions is the seventh in her series of Inspector Sejer cases.  The action is more psychological than grisly or action-driven, and the clues mount up as the truth is slowly revealed.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.

The Bellwether Revivals by Benjamin Woods

Oscar is content with his life.  Born into a impoverished neighborhood where books were considered just a luxury, he has managed to escape and now lives in Oxford.  Oscar is incredibly bright, but of course, has no funds to attend school.  He works in a nursing home where he has befriended a former professor and is educating himself from the professor's library. 

One evening he is walking past a chapel when he hears the most beautiful music he has ever experienced.  Slipping into the chapel, he revels in the organ music and the mastery of the artist playing it.  Afterwards, he meets a girl, Iris, waiting outside.  She is the sister of the musician who just played, Eden. 

So it begins.  Before he knows it, Oscar is drawn into Iris and Eden's lives.  He is accepted into their circle of friends and spends weekends in luxury at their ancestral home.  He has never loved anyone as he does Iris.  Eden, who has an exalted opinion of himself, he can take or leave, but Eden is the focus of the circle's life; his high opinion echoed by the others.

As time progresses, Iris starts to share her concerns about her brother.  Eden is not just conceited; he truly believes that he is so special that he can work his will on anything.  He is insistent that he can cure physical ailments by music therapy, and at first his ideas seem to be borne out.  However, as time goes on, cracks in his facade of superiority and invincibleness start to emerge, and he spins further and further out of control.

Benjamin Woods has written an incredible debut novel.  He has recreated the brooding, haunting air of Gothic mysteries while updating the environment to that of modern day England.  His slow revealing of the mystery surrounding the Bellwether family and Eden's unraveling is masterful.  This book is recommended for readers who enjoy dark, suspenseful novels.

Wish You Were Here by Graham Swift

Jack Luxton is a farmer. He has grown up on a farm in England that has been in his family for generations. He looks and moves like a farmer; built large and solid and moving deliberately. He has the farmer ethical mindset; he is there to care for others and do his duty by all. It is even more surprising, then, to find that Jack moved from the farm over a decade ago. He is on his final trip back and reviewing his life.

Life was not easy growing up. His father is remote and withholding, setting high expectations for his sons. His mother is warm and supportive, but dies early. Jack and his brother Tom are raised in a bleak emotional landscape with only each other for support. Tom leaves the night of his eighteenth birthday and joins the Army, never contacting the family again. After that Jack stays on the farm until his father dies. Then he marries his longtime love, Ellie, from the neighboring farm. As things change in the farm environment, Jack and Ellie sell both their farms and move to the Isle of Wight where they become the managers of a seaside resort.

Now news has come that Tom has been killed in combat, and Jack must return to the old life to take Tom home and bury him. It brings all the past up and leaves Jack questioning all his life choices, unsure if he has done the right thing, the honorable thing, in all cases.

Graham Swift has written an intricate family drama that outlines the emotional battleground of one good man. Even a man with honor has regrets and questions about how he has chosen to live his life. It leads the reader to make the same sort of evaluation of their own life and choices. Readers will end up liking Jack Luxton and wishing him the best. This book is recommended for modern fiction readers who are interested in how we each must determine for ourselves if our life choices have been ones that had value, and what we owe to those around us.

Rip-Off by Mar Preston

The case looks simple to Detective Dave Mason.  A body is found at the scene of a robbery, and it looks like a case of burglars falling out and one shooting the other.  Newly promoted in the Santa Monica Police Department to being a supervisor, Mason can use an easy one to make him look good.

But the case gets more and more complicated the more it unravels.  This appears to be a highly structured burglary team who perhaps have inside knowledge.  There have been a string of break-ins at expensive residences, and someone has to be giving them ideas of where to rob next.  The latest victims seem to have more to hide than the burglars.  The lady of the house, a beautiful Eastern European named Irina, seems very unconcerned about her losses.  Her husband, the condo manager, seems edgy and preoccupied.  Then there are the Chechens.  Mason doesn't know much about this group, but they have been moving in lately and setting up a sophisticated criminal gang that is threatening to overtake the city.

Mason has enough problems without a complicated case.  He is still feeling his way as a supervisor, his former friends and colleagues now reporting to him in a new relationship.  His superiors are not exactly warm and supportive; they expect results and they expect them now.  His personal life is also unsettled; he is interested in Ginger but it's unclear where this romance is going and if she can adjust to life with a cop.

Mar Preston has written an interesting police procedural.  This is the second in the Dave Mason series, and readers will identify with his struggles. The plotting has an excellent feel for police work, the tedium and paperwork, the putting  together of minute clues to discern the true picture, and the sudden bursts of action that can take a life.   This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Dead Ringer by Lisa Scottoline

Bennie Rosato couldn't be better.   Although her law office is struggling a bit financially, she just landed a new client that could end her money worries for years.  She is making a respected name for herself in the Philadelphia courts.  She has great friends and a great life.

Then everything seems to go wrong at once.  Her new account, which had the potential to bring in millions in fees, seems in trouble.  Judges and lawyers who respected her are starting to avoid her.  Her house is broken into and her dog's life endangered.  Then her best client is murdered.

Who could be behind all of these misfortunes?  Could it be Alice, Bennie's twin sister who was given away at birth and who resents Bennie?  She has caused trouble before and Bennie knows the scandalous behavior that has her peers turning away from her has to be Alice pretending to be her.  Is it the most prominent lawyer in town, who is threatened by Bennie's professional success  and who has a reputation for playing hardball?  Or is it David, a gorgeous guy who turned up out of nowhere and worked his way into Bennie's life.

Scottoline has written an engaging mystery.  Readers not only get a puzzle to solve but a look into the internal workings of an independent business, and how lawsuits make their way through the courts from start to finish.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

Visiting Tom by Michael Perry

Visiting Tom, Michael Perry's latest memoir, gives readers another view into Perry's rural farm life in Wisconsin.  Perry was a bachelor into his forties, when he met and married Anneliese.  Anneliese had a daughter and they soon had another daughter together.  They have lived on a farm for the past five years surrounded by chickens and pigs, performing the familiar chores that have sustained farmers and their families for generations.  Perry was trained as a nurse, and still goes on EMT runs and works with the firefighters.  He is also often on the road, lecturing about his life and the glories of family and farm life.  But his life and his love is his family and the land they occupy and which sustains them.

This book is organized around two themes.  The main theme is Perry's neighbor, Tom, an octogenarian who farms, welds, keeps bees and in general is one of the handiest men Perry knows.  He and his wife spend a lot of time with Tom and his wife Arlene, soaking up their wisdom and the stories of their life. 

The second theme is Perry's ongoing argument with the local road commissioners, who after years have decided to make a road change.  While it makes an intersection safer according to regulations, it makes the trip up the hill to the Perry farm difficult and sometimes impossible in the winter.  Perry spends over a year protesting the decision and its effects.

Those readers who have encountered Perry below will sink into this book as into a warm comfortable, familiar bed; full of comfort and good cheer.  Those new to his work have a real treat in store as they read of a family that dares to slow down and value the way things used to be, when a family depended on each other and the neighbors that surrounded them.  It is a quintessential feel-good book and readers will enjoy their time visiting with the Perry family.

Skios by Michael Frayn

It's the annual event everyone's been waiting for on the private Greek island of Skios. Nikki, the manager of the prestigious Fred Toppler, has scored a major coup, one that should cement her position as the next Director of the foundation. For the guest lecturer, she has obtained the services of the renowned science management guru, Dr. Norman Wilfred. Rich and famous people are flying in from all over the world, eager to hear the latest nuggets of wisdom from Dr. Wilfred. This will be a major triumph. What could go wrong?

Unfortunately, almost everything. A mixup at the airport has a charming imposter, Oliver Fox, taking Dr. Wilfred's place. He knows nothing about the subject, but his good looks and ingraiting ways disguise that fact. The real Dr. Wilfred is stuck at the villa Fox was to stay at; no suitcase, no phone, no way to remedy his situation. Oh, and there is a naked woman sunning at the pool. Georgia is Nikki's best friend and as it turns out, Oliver's weekend fling. She has no idea what is going on, or where Fox has gone.

Michael Frayn has written a comedic tour-de-force. The plotting on a comedy is so difficult. It must be very tight, moving the reader forward on a froth of laughter before they can stop and apply the logic to the situation that makes it unbelievable. Frayn is a master, and the reader is thoroughly entertained, eagerly reading to see what happens next and how the entire situation is resolved. Skios is longlisted this year for the Mann Booker prize and it is easy to see why. This book is recommended for readers ready for an entertaining read that skewers the upper class and academia.

Broken Harbor by Tana French

This is a big case.  A huge case.  Patrick Spain and his two small children, Emma and Jack, are dead, butchered in their home.  Jenny Spain, the mother, is clinging to life in the hospital.  Who could have murdered this family who seemed to be the golden family who had it all?

The case is assigned to Mick 'Scorcher' Kennedy and his rookie partner, Rich Curran.  It's no surprise that Mick gets the case.  He is the top detective on the squad with the highest solve rate.  He is the consummate professional and Rich can't believe his luck in drawing him as his first partner.

As they investigate, it hardly seems possible.  The perfect family.  Childhood sweethearts who married and had two gorgeous children.  A brand-new house the couple had saved for.  The good life.  But as the surface is scratched, it soon becomes apparent that the good life was in jeopardy.  Pat had lost his job and didn't seem to be able to find another in this recession.  The housing development was dying on the vine, unable to sell the completed houses.  The family had withdrawn from their friends and family.  Pat was on the Internet posting on advice blogs.  Jenny had her defenses firmly in place; a smile that said everything was still perfect.

Even Kennedy is affected by this case.  Before the development, this was a coastside town.  It happened to be the town where his family went each summer for a happy vacation; that is, until the summer that his family's tragedy happened and there were no more happy times.  Can he push aside the past to find justice for the Spain family?

This is Tana French's fourth book in her Dublin Squad series.  Each book focuses not only on a crime but on one of the detectives who solve crime in this location.  The plotting is tight and the reader learns about police procedures.  The psychological characterization rings true, racketing up the suspense in a believable fashion and making this a page-turner.  This book is highly recommended for mystery readers.

The Attorney by Steve Martini

In this, the fifth book of Martini's Paul Madriani series, Paul has moved to San Diego to be near his new love, Susan McKay.  Susan is the head of the county's Child Protective Services agency, and they met at a conference about children's rights.  Now they are pitted together in a case that will strain their relationship.

One of Paul's old clients, Jonah Hale, comes to him for help.  Since the first time Paul helped him, Jonah has won a lottery and is now newly rich.  He and his wife continue to live modestly, however, their main focus raising their granddaughter, Amanda.  Amanda's mother has had trouble with drugs for years and the petty crime that surrounds that has landed her in prison so the grandparents have custody.

Now Jessica, the mother, is out of prison and demanding money or she will take her daughter away from the loving grandparents.  Jonah comes to Paul when Amanda is kidnapped.  They are sure Jessica has taken her away, aided by a fiery feminist who makes it her life work to help mothers in custody battles.  Her name is Zo Suade, and she is notorious for using any tactics imaginable to win.

Jonah hires Paul to find Amanda and bring her home.  The stakes are raised when Zo is found murdered, Jonah the top suspect.  The battle shifts to the courtroom where Jonah is charged with first degree murder.  Can Paul free Jonah?  Will the conflict between Jonah's case and Susan's career affect their relationship?

Readers of the Paul Madriani series will welcome this new one.  Those, like this reviewer, who come to the series cold will find that prior knowledge of the characters is not necessary.  This is a satisfying, courtroom and behind the scenes look at the legal profession.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

Murder Takes Time by Giacomo Giammatteo

Murder Takes Time is a story of love and betrayal, friendships and deadly enmities.  A group of boys grow up poor in an Italian neighborhood.  Tony is the smartest kid anyone knows.  Suit only has one shirt as his family is so poor and vows to never wear anything but the finest when he is grown.  Bugs gets his name for his ability to catch cockroaches in his tenement apartment; the only thing his father values about him.  Nicky 'The Rat' has a fierce loyalty to his friends.  He gets his nickname from the local mobsters when at the age of six he is taken in by the police for a childhood prank and despite hours of questioning refuses to give up so much as his name, much less his partners in crime.  Together they form a group determined to always be there for each other.

But children grow up.  Tony is a rising star in the Mob, with Suit his constant companion.  Bugs has become a cop, a homicide detective torn between his childhood loyalties and the law.  Nicky, who went to prison rather than give up his friends, has just been released, only to find his long time love married to someone else.  Unable to get work, he soon becomes an enforcer for the Mob.

Now, gruesome murders are happening, and Bugs suspects that Nicky may be behind them.  Can he solve the murders before more occur and find a way to balance his friendships and his work?

Gaimmatteo has written an authentic Italian mobster mystery.  The book is told in the voices of the various characters, allowing the reader to understand the motivations behind their actions.  The plotline is compelling, and the resolution is satisfying.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.

Win A Trip To Austin, Texas!

AUSTIN – Now in its 10th year of operation, with a growing pool of star literary talent and media personalities, PR by the Book has become a go-to firm in the book publishing industry for innovative publicity campaigns and top-tier media placement.

Founded in 2002 by Marika Flatt, PR by the Book has grown from a one-woman operation to a team of 10, representing everyone from The Berenstain Bears series to Rex Pickett, author of the beloved book-turned-movie, Sideways.

Now, PR by the Book has decided it’s time to share the love. And what better way to do that than to award a trip to the town where it all got started: Austin, Texas?
"Austin has burgeoned into a bustling literary community. When I started in book publicity here in 1997, I’d meet people who would be surprised I wasn’t from New York or Los Angeles,” says Flatt. “Now, when I travel for work and people ask where I’m from and I tell them Austin, the response is something similar to: I adore Austin and what a literary town that is!”

The contest is called "Escape to Austin" and will be a truly one-of-a-kind trip for the lucky winner. The prize package includes round-trip airfare for the winner and a guest, a two-night stay at The Hilton Garden Inn downtown Austin, dinner for two at TRIO in the Four Seasons, a $50 gift certificate to historic Hyde Park Bar & Grill and a couple of bookish perks.

Drawing the likes of Susan Orlean and Chuck Palahniuk, the Texas Book Festival is one of the premiere literary fests in the country. Last year, the festival featured 243 authors and attracted 40,000 attendees. The winner of the "Escape to Austin" contest will be granted two VIP passes to the weekend-long festival October 26-28, as well as a pass to one of TBF's invitation-only author parties.

"We are very excited to partner with PR by the Book for this contest package," says Lidia Agraz, TBF's Executive Director. "We're still early in the talent line-up process, but I can say that this year's festival will offer attendees a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commune with true literary icons."

To enter "Escape to Austin," contest hopefuls must simply "like" PR by the Book on Facebook and fill out the entry form at https://www.facebook.com/prbythebook/app_129982580378550. The contest runs August 1 – August 31, 2012, and a winner will be selected by September 7 (open to U.S. residents only.)

PR BY THE BOOK is a boutique publicity firm specializing in literary media relations campaigns, publishing consultation, small business publicity, and publicity tours for authors and experts. Our team of seasoned publicists has worked on books in nearly every genre, and with dozens of major publishing houses and small presses. Visit prbythebook.com to learn more.

Shalimar The Clown by Salman Rushdie

In Shalimar The Clown, Rushdie takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the countries of India, Pakistan, modern-day L.A., wartime France, England and Austria and the emotional countries of love, betrayal, passion, jealousy, revenge and retribution.  It is a compelling book that takes over the lives of its readers as they burrow further and further into the tale.

In the beautiful province of Kashmir, a couple falls in love.  Shalimar is the star of the local acrobatic troupe, a clown who can walk the tightrope as if he were walking on air.  His young love and then wife, Boonyi, was the most beautiful and talented dancer.  Although Shalimar was Muslim and Boonyi Hindu, they fell in love and were protected by the villagers, who refused to let religion separate friendships and love. 

Into this idyllic relationship, as always, trouble arrived.  In this case, it happened when Boonyi danced for the American Ambassador, a charming, charismatic man named Max Ophuls.  Their subsequent affair laid into place events that would play out over the next decades.

Salman Rushdie is one of the premier novelists of our time, and I have never been less than mesmerized with any of his books.  His characterizations are so detailed that one feels they know every character.  Each, no matter how small a part they play in the story, are given intricate backgrounds that explain their motivations.  Rushdie's ability to use these characters to explore the age-old themes such as love, jealousy, betrayal, political movements, the movement of nations from one state to another, is unparalleled.  This book is recommended for any reader interested in a great read that will keep them enthralled from start to finish.

Eyes Of Justice by Lis Wiehl

They called themselves the Triple Threat for their work in detecting and solving crimes.  There was Nicole, the steady, quiet FBI agent.  Cassidy, the vivacious, bouncy TV crime reporter.  Allison, the federal prosecutor.  Together, over six years, they had put away scores of criminals and the sky was the limit.  Together they had a great friendship and supported each other through life's issues.

But all that changed when Cassidy is murdered herself.  Nic and Allison are determined to find out who killed their friend, but the case is quickly solved when the police arrest Cassidy's former lover, an abusive policeman who held a grudge.  It was sad but believable, or was it?

Lis Widhl has written a heartstopping, action-drive mystery that grabs the reader by the throat and doesn't let them go.  Every clue seems to lead to a dead end and the criminal seems to be miles ahead of the women.  Can they solve the murder successfully?  This book is recommended for mystery lovers who want fast-paced action.

Serpent's Kiss by Melissa De La Cruz

Strange things are still happening in North Hampton, Long Island and the Beauchamp family is right in the middle of it.  Although the centuries-old restriction on practicing magic is gone, that doesn't mean everyone is comfortable with it or even believes in it.  The Beauchamp family, made of goddesses/witches, is determined to use their magic to help those around them but fate always seems to interrupt their plans.

The family matriarch is Joanna, who can give life back when needed and travel to Limbo.  Ingrid is the town librarian and cool and reserved.  Freya is the wild child, made for all things sensual and has found the perfect job as a bartender where she can throw in love potions.  All they want is a calm life, but fate intervenes.

First, Freddie, who is Freya's twin brother and is the sun god, has escaped from limbo where he has been languishing for five thousand years.  The guardians of limbo are searching for him to serve the rest of his punishment for destroying the bridge that separates Earth from the other worlds.  Freddie insists he is innocent, and worse, that Freya's lover, Killian, is the true culprit.  Who will she believe?

Ingrid has fallen in love for the first time with an unlikely man.  Matt Noble and Ingrid met when he was investigating her family as he is a detective on the police force.  Ingrid doesn't know anything about this love stuff, and can't seem to work it out. 

Joanna has her own issues.  Her long-long husband whom she hasn't seen in centuries, has reappeared and seems interested in reestablishing their marriage.  But, she has just started a relationship with an interesting local man.  Then there is the spirit from the other world that insists she has a message Joanna needs to hear, but can't quite make the connection.

Fans of De La Cruz's Witches of East End will be delighted to read this sequel and follow the further adventures of the Beauchamp family.  Those who missed the first book in the series can pick up here with no problem.  The characters are interesting and the problems intriguing.  This book is recommended for readers of paranormal romance.

Accidents of Providence by Stacia M. Brown

The year is 1649, the location London.  Oliver Cromwell has defeated the King, Charles I, and religion now is the ruler of England.  In this time and place, women are considered playthings of the Devil, and their wickedness must be controlled. 

One late night, Rachel Lockyer is observed by her employer burying something.  The employer goes back the next morning and discovers a dead newborn.  Rachel is arrested and the book follows her case.  If a woman has a child out of wedlock, she can be stripped and flogged.  If she names the father, he will join her in punishment.  If the child is dead, the assumption is that the mother has murdered her child to avoid punishment.  This is the assumption in Rachel's case, as she has steadfastly denied being pregnant, even when asked directly.  Her lover was a married man, and she is not willing to have him punished.

The book follows Rachel to Newgate Prison, a horrid place where prisoners must pay not to be attacked by guards and everyone is out for himself.  The main investigator puts down the facts but something about the case bothers him.  The trial is short and the outcome inevitable.  As Rachel waits for her execution date, the story shifts to follow the man who was the father of her child, the political parties that want to use the case to further their complaints against the government by making Rachel a martyr, and Rachel's friends who try to save her.

Stacia Brown has written a historical fiction novel that outlines the brutish lives of this time, and the brutish government that served to punish any perceived misconduct.  All blame went to the woman, and men could ruin them with little fear of punishment.  This book is recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction as it is a real opening through which the reader can experience life in this time and age.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

The Sisters, Charlie and Eli, are killers by trade. Make no mistake, when people in the Old West hear that they are talking with the Sisters brothers, they quake in terror. Currently, they have been hired by The Commodore, a shadowy powerful man, to kill Hermann Kermit Warm. Why? The Commodore says Warm stole from him. What he stole makes no difference to the brothers, nor if he stole at all. They have been hired to kill him, and kill him they will.

They set out to find him where he was last reported to be, California. This is California in the Gold Rush days, and the fever has every man desperate to hide what he’s found or to take another man’s stash. That means it is a shoot first, ask questions later environment, and that suits the Sisters brothers just fine. The book follows them on their journey to find their prey, telling of their adventures along the way.

Charlie is the leader. He has the confidence of the Commodore and is a stone cold killer. Eli will also kill in a second, but has more emotions. He longs to make a human connection and is capable of surprising kindnesses. The brothers fight among themselves but there is never any doubt that they are a cohesive team.

Once they get to California, they discover what it is that the Commodore believes was stolen from him. Warm is an engineer and has developed a method to make finding gold easier. His crime? He refused to cut the Commodore in on the formula or the profits. Will the brothers cut him down or will they hesitate when they discover Warm is not a thief?

Patrick DeWitt has written an unsentimental look at the gunslingers, card sharps, prostitutes and prospectors of the California Gold Rush. The reader is immediately transported back to that time, and begins to see how the brothers view the world, even having a sneaking sympathy for them.  Although the subject is a bit gruesome, DeWitt actually writes in a humorous fashion, making the horrific seem matter of fact.   It was longlisted in 2011 for the Mann Booker prize. This book is recommended for readers of modern fiction and those interested in a fascinating tale.

A Lighter Shade Of Gray by Devon Pearse

Devon is caught in the past.  A past before her mother slipped away into the gray mists of mental illness that has kept her hospitalized for over a decade.  A past where three little girls ran and laughed and played, before one of them was killed before her sixteenth birthday.  A past where Drew was always there waiting for her; the love she'd always imagined.

But the past's tendrils can't stand up to the forces of the present.  The present where Devon has lived for over a decade without Drew, who she sent away due to her fear of ending up like her mother.  Now things are breaking and changing and Devon must adjust.

For one thing, Drew is back in town.  Can Devon and Drew pick up where they left off, or is their love forever in the past?  Next, her mother shows signs of emerging from her illness, but is this because of the teenage girl who is now her roommate and who seems determined to take Devon's place in her mother's life?  Finally, the abusive boyfriend of her best friend's sister has been brutally murdered, and suspicion falls on Cass, Devon's best friend.  Can Cass untangle the mystery and save everyone's life?

Devon Pearse has written a haunting novel, although the fact that her main character is also named Devon Pearse may be confusing at first to the reader.  She has created characters that seem strong one minute, then shadowy the next, echoing the way mental illness recedes and then reconquers the sick mind.  The values of love, friendship and family are strong propellers of the action, and the reader will want to finish to find out what happens to the people met between the pages.  This book is recommended for readers of family relationship novels and those interested in characters who grow within the confines of a book.

The Soldier's Wife by Joanna Trollope

Alexa Riley is home, alone, waiting.  Today is the day Dan returns home from his military tour in Afghanistan; six months away from home, the marriage, the children, everyday life.  How will it go?  The books all say there will be a period of adjustment, but that doesn't apply to them and their storybook marriage.  Does it?

But once Dan is home, things are different.  Alexa has changed and so has Dan and there are many other factors to consider.  Alexa is offered a great job, but one she knows she cannot accept since Dan could get orders to move them any time.  Their oldest daughter is desperately miserable at boarding school.  Their parents are worried, as are their friends.  One of their oldest military friends' marriage seems to be totally falling apart.  Dan and Alexa are talking at each other, not to each other, and the strain and distance grows daily.  Can they find their way back to each other before all is lost?

Joanna Trollope has written a convincing book about the rigors of military life and how it affects not only the soldier but all of their family and friends as well.  She outlines the routines of military life, the commitment that can leave families feeling like a second choice, the demands it places on the soldier.  Some can handle it, some cannot, but all must carefully find their way through the debris of everyday life to a place where family is primary.  This book is recommended for readers interested in current family relationships and how they go awry and can be healed.

The NEW New Rules by Bill Maher

Feeling a lack of snarkiness in your life?  Have no fear, Bill Maher is here.  The NEW New Rules is a compilation of Maher's observations on politics, education, American culture, food, sex, sports, the economy, history--you name it, Bill's got an opinion on it and it will probably make you laugh.

The book is arranged alphabetically.  In each chapter, observations having to do with a subject starting with that letter are arrayed.  Photographs are used to illustrate various points.  Most of the material comes from various prior writings but some material is written new for this book and each new observation is marked as such.

Love him or hate him, Maher will make you laugh.  The material is R-rated so this book is not recommended for children, but adults will be hard-pressed not to find something to make them smile, if not outright chortle.  This book is recommended for adult readers ready for some fun.

My Big Bottom Blessing by Teasi Cannon

If one thing is sure, it is that most women dislike something about their body.  Some don't like their noses, others their hair.  But overwhelmingly, women are obsessed about their weight and peg their self-worth to the numbers on the scale.

Teasi Cannon was one of those women.  She has struggled with her weight all her life, and fought constantly with the negative, self-hating thoughts she had about her body.  How could anyone like her?  How could she possibly go have fun on the beach or in a hot tub?  Did her husband really love her, or was that just pity that made him stay with her?  Did her friends constantly talk about her behind her back?

My Big Bottom Blessing is not a diet and exercise book.  Rather it is a book about learning to accept that God loves each individual, no matter what their size or shape.  God doesn't judge on external appearances.  Once someone truly accepts that fact, size loses its focus.  Cannon discusses her life journey to get to that point, pointing out with humor and honesty her mistakes along the way. 

This book is recommended for readers of Christian literature, and for women struggling with body acceptance issues.  Each chapter outlines an issue, gives Cannon's experience with it, then talks about what the Bible says about it.  The chapter ends with discussion questions and motivating thoughts.  This book can be a help in changing self-images and thus worth the read, especially for those who are religious.

Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Cathy Bailey is a single professional woman living in London.  But she is far from a happy-go-lucky woman.  Instead, she is a former victim of domestic violence who is trying to put her life back together.  The victim of a horrendous attack that sent her to the hospital and then to the psychiatric ward as she tried to deal with what happened, she is now desperately trying to put her life back together.

Cathy's attacker was sent to jail, but for only three years.  That three years is now up and Cathy is sure that he is coming back to look for her.  Didn't he always say that she was his no matter what?  Didn't he say that he couldn't live without her and that no one else would have her if he couldn't? 

Cathy is trying to get stronger, but she is petrified by her fears.  She spends hours checking doors and windows, refusing to go out except to work. She trusts no one.  She has panic attacks that cripple her for hours.  She dresses in frumpy clothes that she hopes disguises her body and makes her unnoticable in a crowd.

Things start to change when the upstairs flat in her building is rented to a doctor, Stuart.  Stuart and Cathy become friends, and with his encouragement, Cathy starts to deal with her OCD and PTSD.  Then, it all starts again.  Little things are different in her apartment.  She thinks she sees her attacker several times.  Is he coming back for her or is she just imagining the danger?

Into The Darkest Corner is Elizabeth Haynes debut novel.  It was Amazon UK's Best Book Of The Year.  Haynes is a police intelligence analyst, and her work allows her to chart the progression of this terror with heart stopping details.   The book is compelling and almost impossible to put down; the reader needs to determine what will happen to Cathy.  This book is recommended for thriller readers.

The Mango Orchard by Robin Bayley

Robin Bayley grew up in England hearing stories from his grandmother.  Most of these stories centered around his heroic great-grandfather, her father.  Arthur Greenhalgh had journeyed to Mexico a hundred years ago to seek his fortune.  He established himself, sent for Robin's great-grandmother and married her.  They had one child but as the political climate became more dangerous, Arthur sent her back to England.  They lived apart for several years, and Robin's grandmother was born and was past her toddler years before she ever saw her father.  Arthur finally left Mexico for good as the bloody Mexican Revolution erupted.

Somehow Robin always felt there was more to the story, some unfinished business of his great-grandfathers that only he could resolve.  At loose ends in England, he decided to retrace Arthur's footsteps and see if he could recreate his life.  He went to America, then on to South America.  He stopped for a month to learn more Spanish, then continued his journey.  Along the way he met witches, drug dealers, military bureaucrats who tried to make travel difficult, and everywhere, warm loving people.  The people were poor, but what they had they were willing to share.  Robin was able to locate the village his great-grandfather lived in, and it and it's people made their way into his heart.  There were surprises everywhere, but at the end of his journey, he knew his family history and all that went on.

The Mango Orchard is a fascinating look at both the region, its people and Bayley's journey.  His discoveries and travels are compelling enough to make this book a page-turner, and his optimism and enthusiasm are catching.  This book is recommended for readers of travel writing and anyone interested in tracing their heritage.

The Circus Fire by Stewart O'Nan

On July 6, 1944, nine thousand people, mostly women and children, attended the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford, Connecticut.  It was the matinee show and started at around 2:00 p.m.  Moments later, the circus tent caught fire and in minutes was completely consumed.  Pandemonium reigned as petrified patrons fought and clawed to escape the inferno.  One hundred and sixty-seven people died that day.

Stewart O'Nan has painstakingly recreated this horrific event.  He covers the individual stories of various victims and survivors.  The history of the circus is covered, along with the war factory environment of Hartford in 1944.  Possible causes of the fire are considered.  Was it an act of arson?  Or was the fact that the tent was waterproofed with a mixture of gasoline and paraffin the main culprit?  The survivors are followed through their months of hospitalization and the various legal issues and court cases are covered.  The lives of various circus performers are told, as well as the stories of the men who investigated the fire and its causes for years.  The later lives of those involved are covered, especially the struggle to identify one little girl that stretched for decades.

Although a horrific event, the painstaking research O'Nan has performed makes this a fascinating subject.  The changes that took place due to the fire and the general change in the country as it moved to new entertainment venues such as television made the circus under the big tent a thing of the past.  O'Nan takes the reader inside the tent and shows them a world that no longer exists.  This book is recommended for readers of nonfiction and circus fans, as well as those who enjoy tales of heroism.

A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano

The local celebrity in Milledgeville, Georgia, is Flannery O’Connor. Raised in the town, Flannery moved to New York to pursue a writing career. She is making headway when she receives the same diagnosis of lupus that killed her father. Flannery’s disease moves quickly and at the age of twenty-five, she is back home in Milledgeville at the family farm, Andalusia. She spends her time writing and raising peacocks; the fierce, proud birds touching a chord in her. She is the local star, yet feared by many of the town for her ability to see through the artifice with which most of us surround our lives. As O’Connor was known to say: “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”
While Flannery is the most famous inhabitant, she is not necessarily the most influential. That would be the power couple of Cookie and Melvin Whiteson. Cookie grew up in town, the ‘it’ girl who was the most popular in high school and who won all the trophies and prizes. She went North after school and returned with Melvin, an extremely wealthy man who wants to marry her. Their wedding is the year’s most talked about event, and also the place where Melvin and Flannery meet. They strike up a friendship that Cookie is unaware of and would never approve of. Cookie spends her time organizing everything worth organizing in town and is recognized as the woman who makes things happen.

Lona Waters is as far in character from Cookie as it is possible to be. Lona has drifted through life, married to Bill Waters, an ambitious policeman. She has a drapery business and spends her time making window treatments for the wealthy of the town. Yet, Cookie, Flannery and Lona all are brought together in an afternoon of tragedy. Afterwards, none of the women or the men in their lives are the same.

Ann Napolitano has created a masterful portrayal of Southern life and more, the portrayal of how most of us move through life, living it but never really experiencing it to the fullest. The characters are compellingly drawn, while the tragedy that defines the book is foreshadowed in such a way that when it occurs, it seems inevitable. Yet, the characters and their lives also have hope, leaving the reader shaken and better for having read it. This book is highly recommended for all readers; a powerful novel that redefines how individuals can face life and its hardships.