Fiction Adventure Anansi Boys BR 16644 by Neil Gaiman 3 volumes Fat Charlie considers his father’s behavior so embarrassing that even the way he dies in a karaoke bar seems undignified. Then the arrival of a previously unknown brother named Spider, who is so much like their father, turns Charlie’s life upside down. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. Car Trouble BR 17322 by Jeanne DuPrau 2 volumes Seventeen-year-old computer nerd Duffy Pringle is heading for work in California when his car breaks down. Finding another job ferrying a vintage Chevy, Duff is accompanied by hitchhiking Stu. Teenage Bonnie joins them in St. Louis, and they embark unaware that thieves are in pursuit. For senior high readers. 2005. Finding Lubchenko BR 16399 by Michael Simmons 2 volumes When his father is framed for murder and bioterrorism, sixteen-year-old Evan uses clues from a laptop he stole to find the real culprit. Joined by his friends Erika and Ruben, Evan travels from Seattle to Paris with his father’s credit card to learn the truth. For senior high readers. 2005. In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber; a Bloody Jack Adventure BR 17126 by L.A. Meyer 4 volumes Boston, 1805. Jacky Faber and her classmates are kidnapped while on a school outing to the harbor. Transported in the hold of the Bloodhound bound for the slave markets of North Africa, Jacky plots escape. Sequel to Under the Jolly Roger (BR 16476). For junior and senior high readers. 2006. The King of Attolia BR 16604 by Megan Whalen Turner 3 volumes Eugenides, still known as the Thief (BR 11285) of Eddis, faces palace intrigue and assassins while striving to prove himself to the people of Attolia and their queen, his new bride. Sequel to The Queen of Attolia (BR 13222). For junior and senior high readers. 2006. Red Sea BR 16752 by Diane Tullson 1 volume Fourteen-year-old Libby’s yearlong sailing adventure with her mother and stepfather becomes a nightmare when modern-day pirates attack their boat in the Red Sea. Libby needs courage and skill to survive and to save her mother. A high-interest, low- vocabulary book. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. So Yesterday BR 16438 by Scott Westerfeld 2 volumes Hunter, a New York City teenager paid by corporations to spot what is “cool,” combines his analytical skills with his girlfriend Jen’s creative talents to find his missing boss Mandy. They thwart a plot to subvert a consumer system based on trends and profit. For senior high readers. 2004. Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes BR 17357 by Maureen Johnson 2 volumes Timid seventeen-year-old Ginny receives a packet of mysterious envelopes from her recently deceased favorite aunt that sends Ginny from New Jersey on a scavenger hunt across Europe. Along the way Ginny meets new people, finds love, and has adventures that transform her life. For senior high readers. 2005. Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber; a Bloody Jack Adventure BR 16476 by L.A. Meyer 4 volumes Fifteen-year-old Jacky escapes finishing school in Boston and heads for London to find her beau Jaimy. Through a series of misadventures, Jacky gains control of a British warship and becomes a privateer. Sequel to Curse of the Blue Tattoo (BR 15699). Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. Blindness and Physical Handicaps Accidents of Nature BR 16924 by Harriet McBryde Johnson 2 volumes North Carolina, 1970. Seventeen-year-old Jean, who has cerebral palsy, attends Camp Courage, where for the first time she meets other teens with disabilities. Her radical new friend Sara directs an anti-telethon skit and changes Jean’s perceptions of the normal world. Some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2006. We Are All Welcome Here BR 16741 by Elizabeth Berg 2 volumes Tupelo, Mississippi; 1964. Thirteen-year-old Diana, raised by her quadriplegic mother and their African American caretaker Peacie, yearns for freedom. Life changes for all three that summer when a social worker investigates and Peacie’s boyfriend becomes involved in civil rights. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2006. Family Are We There Yet? BR 16397 by David Levithan 2 volumes Tricked by their parents into taking a trip to Italy together, high school student Elijah Silver and his twenty-three-year-old workaholic brother Danny have plenty of time to get to know each other again. But then they both fall for the beautiful Julia. For senior high readers. 2005. Bro BR 16766 by Robert Newton Peck 1 volume Florida, 1933. Witnessing his grandfather’s brutality six years ago left Tug Dockery unable to speak. Now, after his parents’ deaths, the nine-year-old must go live on the grandfather’s cattle ranch. Tug’s beloved brother Broda escapes imprisonment to try to rescue Tug. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2004. Bungalow Two BR 17349 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes California housewife and freelance writer Tanya Harris receives her big break—the chance to write a major Hollywood screenplay. Leaving her family, Tanya heads to the Beverly Hills Hotel and mingles with stars until another surprise opportunity comes along. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Coming Out BR 16747 by Danielle Steel 1 volume Olympia Rubinstein’s careful world turns upside down when her twin daughters Virginia and Veronica are invited to a debutante ball. Virginia and her father are enthusiastic, Veronica and her stepfather refuse to attend, and Olympia’s son Charlie has a crisis. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2006. The Darkest Child BR 16388 by Delores Phillips 4 volumes Thirteen-year-old African American Tangy Mae Quinn and her siblings suffer the cruel madness of their mother Rozelle amid poverty and racial inequalities of rural Georgia. Tangy fights for the strength to survive, finish school, and one day escape Rozelle’s abuse. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. Digging to America BR 16583 by Anne Tyler 2 volumes Two families—the American Donaldsons and the Iranian American Yazdans—meet at the airport when their adopted daughters arrive from Korea. Yazdan matriarch Maryam, who emigrated from Iran, feels increasingly alienated as she observes the younger generations’ interactions during their annual arrival-day anniversaries. 2006. The Divide BR 16253 by Nicholas Evans 3 volumes Abbie Cooper, FBI wanted eco-terrorist, is found frozen in Montana. Her parents examine whether their unexpected divorce played a role in Abbie’s attraction to the radical Rolf, in her death, and in their son Josh’s drug addiction. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. Family Tree BR 16907 by Barbara Delinsky 3 volumes After interior designer Dana Clarke and her husband Hugh, a lawyer from a prominent New England dynasty, have a baby girl with African American features, Dana searches for the father she never knew. The white couple uncovers long-held family secrets and prejudice. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. The Floor of the Sky BR 17158 by Pamela Carter Joern 2 volumes Pregnant sixteen-year-old Lila comes to stay at her grandmother Toby’s Nebraska ranch, where she contemplates her options while investigating long-buried secrets and past tragedy. What she uncovers forces Toby to reexamine her own relationships to her sister Gertie, hired hand George, and adopted daughter Nola Jean. Alex Award. 2006. Full of Grace BR 16789 by Dorothea Benton Frank 3 volumes Grace Russo moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to be near her parents living on Hilton Head. They are staunch Italian Catholics and do not approve of Michael, Grace’s live-in Irish, possibly atheist, boyfriend. But with Grace anything is possible, even miracles. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2006. Harley’s Ninth BR 17312 by Cat Bauer 2 volumes For sixteen-year-old Harley Columba, October 9th is a momentous day, featuring her opening in a New York City gallery, a fight and reconciliation with her newly found father, and the arrival of her period five days late. Sequel to Harley, Like a Person (BR 13382). Some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2007. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? BR 16560 by Melissa Kantor 2 volumes Sophomore Lucy copes with an unloving stepmother and two bratty stepsisters after her father remarries and moves them to Long Island. Lucy is suddenly popular when a senior basketball hero falls for her, but she finds a fellow art student more interesting. Some strong language. For senior high readers. 2005. If Morning Ever Comes BR 17076 by Anne Tyler 2 volumes Columbia law student Ben Joe Hawkes rushes home to Sandhill, North Carolina, when he learns that one of his six sisters has left her husband. Restless, Ben Joe renews his acquaintance with the townspeople and spontaneously asks his high school girlfriend to marry him. 1964. The Land of Mango Sunsets BR 17385 by Dorothea Benton Frank 3 volumes New York socialite Miriam Swanson, estranged from her grown sons, has become a miserable social pariah since her divorce. But, after visiting her aging hippie mother in Sullivans Island, South Carolina, Miriam changes her attitude. With the help of her tenants she begins to enjoy life. 2007. Leaving Home BR 16410 by Anita Brookner 2 volumes Shy London graduate student Emma Roberts sets off to study in Paris, leaving her lonely widowed mother behind. She befriends Françoise, a happy-go-lucky librarian with a demanding parent of her own. When Emma is orphaned, she must reassess her needs as well as her friendships. 2005. Let the Lion Eat Straw BR 16471 by Ebele Oseye 1 volume Young African American Abeba Williams moves from rural North Carolina to Brooklyn to be with her mother, who dreams of a better life. Abeba begins to develop a promising musical talent but soon becomes distracted by marriage and children. Despite economic and social hardships, Abeba perseveres with dignity. 1979. Links BR 16276 by Nuruddin Farah 3 volumes New York professor Jeebleh returns to his native Somalia after two decades to settle his late mother’s accounts and pacify her spirit. He discovers a war-torn Mogadishu run by warlords. To help a friend free his captured niece, Jeebleh struggles with corruption and his own conscience. 2003. Looking for Peyton Place BR 16621 by Barbara Delinsky 3 volumes Thirty-three-year old novelist Annie Barnes returns to her hometown in New Hampshire after her mother mysteriously dies. The locals fear that Annie will denigrate their town, which was the basis for Peyton Place (BR 12566). Instead Annie discovers environmental pollution and falls in love. 2005. Maggie’s Miracle: A Red Gloves Novel BR 16498 by Karen Kingsbury 1 volume Widow Megan Wright enlists the aid of the Healing Hearts organization to pair her eight- year-old son Jordan with a father figure. Casey Cummins, who lost his wife at childbirth, becomes close to the boy—and also to his mother. But Megan has vowed never to love again. 2003. Margaux with an X BR 16564 by Ron Koertge 1 volume Smart but troubled high school student Margaux cannot escape a mother addicted to the home-shopping channel, a gambler father, or a secret from her past. An unlikely friendship with kindhearted Danny, also struggling with the emotional impact of family abuse, helps Margaux confront her feelings. For senior high readers. 2004. Miss Julia Stands Her Ground BR 16656 by Ann B. Ross 3 volumes Miss Julia is happily residing with her new spouse Sam, her late husband’s son Little Lloyd, and his mother Hazel Marie. When Hazel Marie’s busybody uncle Brother Vernon Puckett doubts Little Lloyd’s paternity, Miss Julia sets about gathering DNA evidence to prove it. 2006. One More Step BR 16696 by Sheree Fitch 1 volume At first, fourteen-year-old Julian resents his mother’s happiness with her new boyfriend Jean-Paul. But after Julian meets Jean-Paul’s large family in Quebec and loses his own grandfather, he realizes that he also needs close relationships. Uncontracted braille. For senior high readers. 2002. The Road BR 17072 by Cormac McCarthy 2 volumes A father and his young son journey south after the destruction of the civilized world. Their survival kit consists of a few blankets, a pistol, a cart of scavenged food, and their love for each other. Their values are tested by occasional encounters with other desperate survivors. Bestseller. 2006. Second Honeymoon BR 16887 by Joanna Trollope 3 volumes Londoner Russell Boyd, hoping to reconnect with his wife, is ecstatic when the last of his three children leaves home. Meanwhile, wife Edie suffers from empty-nest syndrome but resurrects her acting career. When Matt, Rosa, and Ben experience setbacks and return home, the parents rethink their situation. 2006. Sisters BR 16876 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes Four siblings pull together during a family crisis. After their mother is tragically killed and sister Annie, an artist, is blinded, supermodel Candy, television producer Tammy, and lawyer Sabrina move into a New York townhouse to grieve and cope. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Sparrow BR 16888 by Sherri L. Smith 2 volumes After her beloved grandmother dies, high-school student Kendall Washington travels to New Orleans in search of her only living relative, her aunt Janet. Instead, she finds Janet’s neighbors—sixteen-year-old Evie, who has muscular dystrophy and a beautiful singing voice, and Evie’s overburdened mother, Clare Morreal. For senior high readers. 2006. Thanksgiving Night BR 17129 by Richard Bausch 4 volumes Eccentric old ladies Holly and Fiona connect relatives and friends in small town Point Royal, Virginia. As Thanksgiving approaches, various unresolved issues surface for Holly’s son and daughter-in-law, for local priest Father John, and for widowed handyman Oliver. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2006. An Unexpected Family: Ladies of Covington BR 17495 by Joan Medlicott 2 volumes North Carolina. Photographer Amelia Declose is shocked when a British woman, Miriam Declose-Smith, shows up on her doorstep claiming that Amelia’s late husband Thomas was her father. Miriam is fleeing an abusive husband, and the Ladies of Covington rally around to help—unaware of the danger. 2007. An Unfinished Season BR 16396 by Ward Just 3 volumes Suburban Chicago, early 1950s. During the summer before college, nineteen-year-old Wils Ravan works for a newspaper and attends debutante parties. He falls in love with Aurora Brule, daughter of psychiatrist and WWII veteran Jack Brule. But tragedy changes everything. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. Wives Behaving Badly BR 17080 by Elizabeth Buchan 3 volumes In this sequel to Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (BR 15289) Minty, Nathan Lloyd’s second wife and the mother of twins, finds marriage disappointing and resents Nathan’s older children and his first wife Rose, her former boss. But when tragedy strikes the two women reconnect. 2006. Fantasy The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent BR 17208 by Gordon R. Dickson 4 volumes In a magical, fourteenth-century medieval realm, goblins unleash a deadly plague to exact revenge on humanity. Meanwhile, Sir Jim Eckert, a twentieth-century scholar and apprentice magician, endures an invasion of Plantagenets including Prince Edward and Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent. Sequel to Dragon in Lyonesse (BR 17197). 2000. The Dragon and the George BR 16717 by Gordon R. Dickson 3 volumes Scholar Jim Eckert is transported to a magical, medieval realm after following his fiancée Angie through an astral-projection machine. Jim awakens in the body of a dragon named Gorbash, but Angie has remained a human (a “george” in dragon-speak). When another dragon abducts Angie, Jim attempts to save her. 1976. The Dragon and the Gnarly King BR 16716 by Gordon R. Dickson 4 volumes Robert, the adopted infant son of twentieth-century academics Jim and Angie Eckert, is kidnapped and held captive by the Gnarly King. Jim, who is baron of Malencontri, assumes dragon form to save Robert and uncovers a plot with royal connections. Sequel to The Dragon and the Djinn (BR 10692). 1997. The Dragon in Lyonesse BR 17197 by Gordon R. Dickson 4 volumes Dark powers threaten the magical, medieval land of Lyonesse, home to King Arthur’s legendary Round Table knights. Sir Jim Eckert, a transplanted twentieth-century scholar, and his friends offer assistance, but the knights are reluctant to accept help. Sequel to The Dragon and the Gnarly King (BR 16716). 1998. The Dragon Quintet BR 16642 edited by Marvin Kaye 2 volumes Stories by Orson Scott Card, Elizabeth Moon, Tanith Lee, Mercedes Lackey, and Michael Swanwick. In Lee’s “Love in a Time of Dragons” a tavern girl prefers the company of dragons to that of lustful men. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 2003. Ethan of Athos BR 17164 by Lois McMaster Bujold 2 volumes Doctor Ethan Urquhart is chief of reproductive biology on Athos, a planet where women are forbidden. Athos’s male population is spawned in artificial wombs using ovarian cultures brought by the founding fathers. But a genetic crisis forces Ethan to face women for the first time. 1986. The Greenstone Grail: The Sangreal Trilogy, Book 1 BR 16308 by Amanda Hemingway 3 volumes In the small English village of Thornyhill, gifted twelve-year-old Nathan Ward realizes he is special when pieces of his dreams become reality, including a legendary greenish stone chalice. When the grail is stolen, Nathan sets out to uncover how it came into his world—and why. 2004. The Hallowed Hunt BR 17219 by Lois McMaster Bujold 4 volumes Ingrey escorts Ijada into custody after she murders Prince Boleso in self-defense. But with the aging, hallowed king’s throne unsecured, Ingrey must save the kingdom as well as Ijada, whom he has grown to love. Sequel to Paladin of Souls (BR 16837). Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2005. Harrowing the Dragon BR 16615 by Patricia A. McKillip 2 volumes Fifteen short stories written between 1982 and 1999 by the World Fantasy Award winner. In the novella A Matter of Music a young bard awakens to his master’s artistry, while in the tale “Voyage into the Heart” the virgin’s innocence intensifies the betrayal of the unicorn. 2005. Keturah and Lord Death BR 16898 by Martine Leavitt 2 volumes When sixteen-year-old Keturah follows a hart into Lord Temsland’s forest she becomes lost. Eventually Lord Death comes to claim her, but because she is able to charm him with her story, he gives her a twenty-four-hour reprieve to find her true love. For senior high readers. 2006. The Necessary Beggar BR 16810 by Susan Palwick 3 volumes Darroti’s entire family is exiled to the planet Earth after he is accused of killing a high- born woman. The clan is interned in a Nevada refugee camp where Darroti commits suicide. Surviving family members escape with the help of an American. For senior high and older readers. Alex Award. 2005. Od Magic BR 17230 by Patricia A. McKillip 2 volumes Brenden Vetch has a special connection with plants and herbs that is recognized by the wizard Od. She invites Vetch to become the gardener at her wizard-training school in Kelior, where the rulers control all magic. His talent makes the king suspicious and triggers a rebellion at the school. 2005. Paladin of Souls BR 16837 by Lois McMaster Bujold 4 volumes Free of the madness that imprisoned her in The Curse of Chalion (BR 13712), dowager Royina Ista undertakes a pilgrimage of atonement. With her followers, Ista contends with gods, demons, and soldier-bandits until she is rescued by the hero of her visions. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2003. The Penelopiad BR 16454 by Margaret Atwood 1 volume Penelope is in Hades recalling the events of her life in this contemporary retelling of the ancient Greek tale of the faithful wife of Odysseus and her twelve hanged maids. 2005. Shards of Honor: A Vorkosigan Adventure BR 17287 by Lois McMaster Bujold 2 volumes While attacking an outpost planet, Barrayaran lord Aral Vorkosigan captures Betan astrocartographer Cordelia Naismith and holds her prisoner. They rely on each other to survive a trek across dangerous terrain, sparking a relationship that shares the struggles of culture and politics between their two worlds. 1986. Soldier of Sidon BR 17111 by Gene Wolfe 2 volumes Latro, an amnesiac Roman centurion, records each day’s events in his journal as he tries to rediscover his identity. Latro finds himself in Egypt, where Prince Achaemenes sends him on a mission down the Nile to the legendary land of Nubia. Sequel to Soldier of Arete (BR 8672). 2006. Solstice Wood BR 16713 by Patricia A. McKillip 2 volumes Part-fay bookstore owner Sylvia returns to her ancestral home of Lynn Hall for her grandfather’s funeral and joins her grandmother’s sewing circle—really a coven of witches stitching magical barriers to keep the “Others” at bay. But as their spells unravel, the realms threaten to collide. Some strong language. 2006. Somewhere in Time BR 16535 by Richard Matheson 3 volumes California, 1971. Richard Collier, a young writer with a brain tumor, becomes obsessed with nineteenth-century actress Elise McKenna and travels back in time to woo her. Originally published as Bid Time Return. Basis for the film starring Christopher Reeve. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1980. The Tale of the Children of Húrin: Narn i Chîn Húrin BR 17216 by J.R.R. Tolkien 2 volumes A tale of the Elder Days of Middle-earth, variations of which appeared in Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth (BR 5039) and The Silmarillion (BR 11510). Describes the fates of Húrin—cursed lord of Dorlómin—and his children Túrin and Niënor. Restored, edited, and introduced by the author’s son, Christopher Tolkien. Bestseller. 2007. The Warrior’s Apprentice: A Vorkosigan Adventure BR 17281 by Lois McMaster Bujold 3 volumes Born of royal lineage on Barrayar, Miles Vorkosigan tries to join the military, but he is rejected because of his stunted growth and brittle bones. Then a visit to his grandmother on Beta Colony changes everything. Some violence. 1986. General The Accidental Tourist BR 17090 by Anne Tyler 3 volumes After his son is murdered and his wife of twenty years leaves him, travel writer Macon Leary returns to his family’s home. He settles in with his sister, two brothers, and Welsh corgi until dog trainer Muriel Pritchett disrupts his routine and changes his outlook. Some descriptions of sex. 1985. After Dark BR 17318 by Haruki Murakami 2 volumes Tokyo. At a late-night Denny’s, trombonist Tetsuya reintroduces himself to student Mari, the sister of fashion model Eri. Later, the manager of a “love hotel” approaches Mari to translate for a Chinese prostitute who was brutalized by a businessman. Secrets and needs draw these strangers together. Some strong language. 2004. American Pastoral BR 16733 by Philip Roth 4 volumes After serving in World War II, “Swede” Levov weds Miss New Jersey, takes over the family business, and moves to the suburbs. His dream life unravels in the late 1960s, when daughter Meredith joins an antiwar terrorist group bent on undermining all that Swede values. Strong language. Pulitzer Prize. 1997. Circle of Quilters: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel BR 16488 by Jennifer Chiaverini 3 volumes The Pennsylvania Elm Creek Quilters need to hire new teachers for their camp. Candidates include Karen, a young mother; Maggie, a published quilter; Russ, a widower; Anna, a chef; and Gretchen, a shop owner. Sarah McClure and the other sewers debate the qualifications and drawbacks of each. 2006. The Double Bind BR 16838 by Chris Bohjalian 3 volumes Twenty-six-year-old Laurel Estabrook has worked in a Burlington, Vermont, homeless shelter since surviving a brutal attack six years ago. When resident Bobbie Crocker dies, Laurel finds his photographs of musical jazz greats and investigates Bobbie’s past. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Next BR 16884 by Michael Crichton 3 volumes Cancer survivor Frank Burnet and his daughter and grandson are targets of an unscrupulous drug company that wants to profit from their unique disease-fighting genes. Meanwhile other genetic-engineering experiments involving a boy/chimpanzee hybrid and a talking parrot have gone awry. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2006. Old Filth BR 17240 by Jane Gardam 2 volumes 1990s. Widower and former judge Edward Feathers, known as Old FILTH (Failed In London Try Hong Kong), nearly eighty and living alone, recalls his past. Muses on his childhood in Malaya, military service and law career, relationships with women, and reasons for retiring to England. Some descriptions of sex. 2004. The Quilter’s Homecoming: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel BR 17288 by Jennifer Chiaverini 3 volumes 1920s. Newlyweds Elizabeth and Henry Nelson leave Pennsylvania for Southern California, where Henry has supposedly purchased a ranch with their savings. But the couple has been swindled. Homeless and penniless, they work as hands on the farm they thought they owned and learn the sordid history of local residents. 2007. Rosie Dunne BR 16122 by Cecelia Ahern 4 volumes Irish childhood friends Rosie and Alex keep in touch through the years. Both plan for college in the United States, but Rosie gets pregnant and remains in Ireland while Alex attends Harvard. Over time the two miss opportunities to declare their love for each other. Some strong language. 2005. Timothy; or, Notes of an Abject Reptile BR 16762 by Verlyn Klinkenborg 2 volumes Selborne, England; late 1700s. Timothy, a tortoise living in naturalist Gilbert White’s garden, reports his observations of humans and the natural world from his unique, on-the- ground perspective. He explains, for instance, the advantages of hibernating for the winter over being awake and toiling, as people do. 2006. Two Days after the Wedding: Ladies of Covington BR 16727 by Joan Medlicott 2 volumes The women of Covington have doubts about their relationships. Grace’s friend Bob moves next door, while Max presses Hannah to set a wedding date. Meanwhile, Amelia takes her photographs to New York for an exhibit. The ladies finally learn to trust their emotions and enjoy life. 2006. Whitethorn Woods BR 16882 by Maeve Binchy 3 volumes When residents of Rossmore learn that a new highway will bypass their Irish town and cut through the woods, they argue about the possible effects. Father Flynn wants to preserve the mystical St. Ann’s Well located at the edge of the forest but listens to all opinions. Bestseller. 2006. Gothic Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales BR 16518 edited by Deborah Noyes 2 volumes Horror stories for young adults by authors Vivian Vande Velde, Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, and others. In Janni Lee Simner’s “Stone Tower” a sorcerer’s teenaged daughter fights to regain her will and free her boyfriend from an evil spell. For senior high readers. 2004. Second Sight: An Arcane Society Novel BR 16676 by Amanda Quick 3 volumes Victorian England. Venetia Milton visits Gabriel Jones’s estate to photograph relics of the Arcane Society, a secret organization founded by Gabriel’s alchemist ancestor. Gabriel is reported dead but surfaces later to protect Venetia and catch a murderous thief who is after his family’s secrets. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. Growing Up Best Foot Forward BR 16240 by Joan Bauer 1 volume In this sequel to Rules of the Road (BR 11821), Jenna has returned to school and to her job with Mrs. Gladstone at the shoe store. Jenna copes with many changes there, including Tanner Cobb, a new employee with a police record. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. Born to Rock BR 16927 by Gordon Korman 2 volumes Young Republican Leo Caraway loses his Harvard scholarship on a technicality and learns that his biological dad is a legend—former punk rocker “King Maggot.” Hoping for college money, Leo joins King’s comeback tour as a roadie and grows up along the way. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. Boy Girl Boy BR 16589 by Ron Koertge 1 volume Childhood friends Elliot, Teresa, and Larry plan to run away to California after graduation and leave behind their small Illinois town and family problems. But as senior year progresses and each struggles for individuality, they begin to doubt the feasibility of the plan. For senior high readers. 2005. Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood BR 17231 by Ann Brashares 2 volumes Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby, from Girls in Pants (BR 15872), share the magic blue jeans during the summer after their freshman year in college. The four relish their long friendship while experiencing grown-up dilemmas and romance. Some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2007. Full Service BR 16477 by Will Weaver 2 volumes In the summer of 1965, teenager Paul Sutton, a northern Minnesota farm boy, takes a job at a gas station in town. His strict religious upbringing is challenged by the people and situations he encounters during his employment. For senior high readers. 2005. Gangsta Rap BR 16321 by Benjamin Zephaniah 2 volumes Rebellious fifteen-year-old Londoner Ray, alienated from his West Indian father, gets sent to an alternative school. His hip-hop band hits the big time but has trouble with rival rappers until an act of violence convinces Ray to seek peace. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high readers. 2004. Nothing but the Truth (and a Few White Lies) BR 16742 by Justina Chen Headley 2 volumes Washington state. Fifteen-year-old Patty Ho, half Taiwanese and half white, feels like she never fits in. However, when her strict mother sends her to summer math camp at Stanford, Patty begins to accept her biracial heritage and has her first brush with romance. For senior high readers. 2006. Twisted BR 17488 by Laurie Halse Anderson 2 volumes Bullied Tyler Miller becomes infamous after vandalizing the school and being sentenced to community service. Returning for senior year, Tyler is accused of posting a classmate’s nude pictures on the Internet. Life spirals downward until Tyler takes charge—at home and at school. Some strong language. For senior high readers. 2007. Historical Fiction Angel of Harlem BR 17140 by Kuwana Haulsey 3 volumes Fictionalized account of Dr. May Edward Chinn, New York City’s first African American female physician. Portrays Chinn’s life from the early 1900s through the 1930s as she struggles to pursue her career in spite of racism and personal anguish. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2004. Believing the Dream: Return to Red River, Book 2 BR 16736 by Lauraine Snelling 3 volumes 1890s. Thorliff Bjorklund, an aspiring journalist at college in Minnesota, confronts his failing relationship with his childhood sweetheart Anji, whom he left behind in North Dakota. Meanwhile, Thorliff’s friend Elizabeth Rogers inadvertently causes heartbreak in pursuit of her medical career. For senior high and older readers. 2002. Brothers BR 17074 by Da Chen 4 volumes China, 1960s Cultural Revolution. Tan is heir of a general, but his illegitimate half brother Shento is abandoned. After Chairman Mao’s death, Tan flees and builds a business, while Shento prospers in the army. Their lives converge at Tiananmen Square. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2006. Burning Bright BR 17342 by Tracy Chevalier 3 volumes Georgian London, 1790s. At the behest of circus impresario Philip Astley, the Kellaway family moves from the country and becomes neighbors to artist, poet, and free-thinker William Blake. Young Jem Kellaway falls in love with feisty city girl Maggie Butterfield, and both succumb to Blake’s spell. 2007. The Clan of the Cave Bear: Earth’s Children, Book 1 BR 16674 by Jean M. Auel 5 volumes After her people perish in an earthquake during the Ice Age, Cro-Magnon girl Ayla is adopted by a beetle-browed Neanderthal clan. Punished repeatedly for flouting taboos, teenaged Ayla eventually realizes she must leave the group and find her own kind. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1980. Color of the Sea BR 17153 by John Hamamura 3 volumes Hawaiian Isamu “Sam” Hamada, a descendant of a samurai, falls in love with Keiko after moving to California to help his remaining family in Hiroshima. Both are caught between cultures when World War II breaks out. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. Alex Award. 2006. Copper Sun BR 17067 by Sharon M. Draper 2 volumes Amari is taken from her African village when she is fifteen and sold to a southern plantation owner in America. Amari and Polly, a white indentured servant, risk everything to escape. Descriptions of sex and violence. For senior high and older readers. Coretta Scott King Award. 2006. Dark Angels BR 17089 by Karleen Koen 5 volumes England, 1670. Alice Verney, a maid of honor to Queen Catherine, suspects that her majesty will be poisoned. She allies herself with Lieutenant Richard Saylor, plots for power, and plans marriage. Prequel to Through a Glass Darkly (BR 13661). Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2006. A Dream to Follow: Return to Red River, Book 1 BR 16737 by Lauraine Snelling 3 volumes North Dakota, 1893. In this continuation of the Red River saga, seventeen-year-old aspiring journalist Thorliff Bjorklund applies to college. But once accepted Thorliff faces a dilemma—follow his dreams or stay and help his family on the farm. He turns to God for help. For senior high and older readers. 2001. A Factory of Cunning BR 16200 by Philippa Stockley 3 volumes 1784. A French noblewoman-turned-madam arrives in London planning to find a husband and resume her craft. Calling herself Mrs. Fox, she infiltrates society and becomes the instrument of revenge against notorious aristocrat Earl Much, art collector and debaucher of young women. Some strong language. 2005. The Green Lantern: A Romance of Stalinist Russia BR 16311 by Jerome Charyn 2 volumes Moscow, 1930s. Apprentice Ivan Azerbaijan is cast as Shakespeare’s King Lear opposite his beloved, actress Valentina Michaelson, who plays Cordelia. He enters a web of paranoia, brutality, and shifting alliances when his performances draw Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s attention. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. Grimm’s Last Fairytale BR 16473 by Haydn Middleton 2 volumes Journeying through his homeland, the elderly professor Jacob Grimm recalls his childhood, when he and his brother Wilhelm listened to the stories of their mother. His memories are interwoven with a retelling of The Sleeping Beauty and the tales of his two companions, his niece and a servant. 1999. Harlem Summer BR 17320 by Walter Dean Myers 1 volume Harlem, 1925. Sixteen-year-old saxophone-playing Mark Purvis works for an African American magazine one summer. But when he does a shady delivery job for his idol, musical genius Fats Waller, something goes wrong and gangster Dutch Schultz comes after Mark for money. For senior high readers. 2007. Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome, Book 1 BR 16871 by Robert Harris 3 volumes Rome, 79 B.C. The elderly Tiro, once secretary and slave to the statesman Cicero, records his late master’s early years as an upstart lawyer with humble beginnings. Traces Cicero’s entrance into Roman politics with his case against Sicily’s corrupt governor, Gaius Verres, and Cicero’s election to consul years later. 2006. In the Shadow of the Peacock BR 16296 by Grace Edwards-Yearwood 3 volumes Frieda’s husband dies during the 1943 Harlem riots while trying to save a trapped woman. Afterwards Frieda protects her daughter Celia from the dangers and temptations of the world. But Celia grows up and falls in love. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1988. Incantation BR 17233 by Alice Hoffman 1 volume Spain, 1500. Sixteen-year-old Estrella, raised as a Catholic, learns of her family’s secret Jewish identity. When Estrella is betrayed by her best friend, who is jealous over a boy, the authorities arrest members of Estrella’s family. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. The Lambs of London BR 16933 by Peter Ackroyd 2 volumes Historical novel focusing on siblings Charles and Mary Lamb and their shared love of Shakespeare. Recreates nineteenth-century London homelife, the scandal surrounding a forged Shakespearean play, and Mary’s insanity plea after murdering her mother. 2006. A Land to Call Home: Red River of the North, Book 3 BR 16786 by Lauraine Snelling 3 volumes Dakota Territory, 1880s. Ingeborg and Haakan Bjorklund and their extended Norwegian family face hardships at their Red River Valley homestead. Fire erupts, an infant is born deaf, and another relative gets hurt in a train accident. But they persevere with faith and love. For senior high and older readers. 1997. Last Dance on Holladay Street BR 16495 by Elisa Carbone 2 volumes After thirteen-year-old biracial Eva’s adoptive parents die in 1878, Eva heads to Denver to find her birth mother. She’s shocked to discover that her mother and half sister live in a house of ill repute and hatches a plan to improve their lot. For senior high readers. 2005. The Lost Diary of Don Juan: An Account of the True Arts of Passion and the Perilous Adventure of Love BR 17313 by Douglas Carlton Abrams 3 volumes Abandoned Juan Tenorio, raised by nuns in Spain, loves and worships all women and has an affair with one of the sisters. He keeps a diary of his activities, including spying for the Marquis de la Mota, fleeing from the Inquisition, and falling in love. Some descriptions of sex. 2007. Malinche BR 16779 by Laura Esquivel 2 volumes Tale of Hernán Cortés arriving in Mexico and acquiring young Mexican maiden named Malinalli as his interpreter. She attempts to mediate between her people and the Spaniards, but he ravishes her and plunders and destroys the native civilization. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2006. The Mammoth Hunters: Earth’s Children, Book 3 BR 16855 by Jean M. Auel 7 volumes Ice Age Europe. Eighteen-year-old Ayla, ostracized by the “flathead” clan that reared her, allies with the mammoth-hunting Mamutoi. Attended by her lover Jondalar, Ayla gradually wins acceptance through her powers as a healer. Sequel to The Valley of Horses (BR 16780). Explicit descriptions of sex. 1985. The Mask of Apollo BR 16662 by Mary Renault 3 volumes Greece, fourth century B.C. As actor Nikeratos rises to fame, he meets and is enchanted by Dion, a distinguished politician of Syracuse and pupil of Plato. When King Dionysios dies, Nikeratos watches as political turmoil erupts into violence and Dion vies for the throne. 1966. Megiddo’s Shadow BR 16794 by Arthur Slade 2 volumes After the death of his beloved older brother in World War I, sixteen-year-old Edward leaves the Canadian family farm to enlist. Edward is assigned to the cavalry, with his own horse, before being sent to Palestine, where he learns the horror of war. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial BR 16704 by Ronald Kidd 2 volumes Tennessee, 1925. Frances is fifteen when her father hatches a publicity stunt by arresting a young bachelor high school teacher, John Thomas Scopes, for teaching evolution. As the trial progresses, Frances reevaluates her religious beliefs, concepts of truth, and feelings about her father. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. More than a Dream: Return to Red River, Book 3 BR 16745 by Lauraine Snelling 3 volumes 1890s. Thorliff Bjorklund, an aspiring journalist attending college in Minnesota, begins thinking of future doctor Elizabeth Rogers as more than a friend. But when tragedy strikes his family in North Dakota, Thorliff returns home to help. Meanwhile, Elizabeth works in a Chicago hospital. For senior high and older readers. 2003. A New Day Rising: Red River of the North, Book 2 BR 16730 by Lauraine Snelling 3 volumes Dakota Territory, 1884. Ingeborg Bjorklund struggles to run her Red River Valley farm after losing her husband Roald. Roald’s distant cousin Haakan comes to help and brings a new chance at love. Roald’s newly arrived younger brother from Norway also faces romantic dilemmas. For senior high and older readers. 1996. The Plains of Passage: Earth’s Children, Book 4 BR 17119 by Jean M. Auel 8 volumes Ayla and Jondalar journey back to his people—the Zelandonii—with two horses Ayla has trained and a wolf she has reared. During their travels they encounter friends and enemies and enlighten each other with their histories and survival skills. Sequel to The Mammoth Hunters (BR 16855). Explicit descriptions of sex. 1990. ThePox Party: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1; Taken from Accounts by His Own Hand and Other Sundry Sources—Collected by Mr. M.T. Anderson of Boston BR 17254 by M.T. Anderson 2 volumes Eighteenth-century Boston. Sixteen-year-old slave Octavian, the son of an African princess, is educated as part of a scientific experiment researching the intelligence of African Americans. When the experiments change, Octavian escapes and joins the fight against the British. Some violence. For senior high and older readers. National Book Award. 2006. Queen of Swords: Wilderness Series, Book 5 BR 17260 by Sara Donati 5 volumes 1814. Following Fire along the Sky (BR 15587), Jennet Scott is rescued from captivity in the French Antilles by husband Luke and Luke’s Mohawk half sister Hannah, a physician. They travel to New Orleans to search for Jennet’s infant son, but war and prejudice rage. Some violence and some strong language. 2006. Samurai Shortstop BR 17085 by Alan Gratz 2 volumes Tokyo, 1890s. After his uncle commits ritual suicide, Toyo enters an elite Western boarding school. But to understand his family’s samurai tradition, Toyo undergoes training in the old ways, which profoundly affects his baseball game and his relationship with his father. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. The Shelters of Stone: Earth’s Children, Book 5 BR 17151 by Jean M. Auel 9 volumes Continues the saga of prehistoric society from The Plains of Passage (BR 17119). Ayla and Jondalar, with their two horses and a wolf, arrive at the caves of the Zelandonii— Jondalar’s people—and receive a mixed welcome. Ayla, an outsider with strange customs, strives to win acceptance. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2002. Shogun: A Novel of Japan BR 16719 by James Clavell 11 volumes Seventeenth-century Japan. Saga of the struggle between Japanese warlords vying for the military title of shogun. John Blackthorne, a shipwrecked British sea pilot, and Mariko, a Japanese noblewoman, figure prominently in the intrigues and confrontations. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1975. Thirteen Moons BR 16793 by Charles Frazier 4 volumes Will Cooper reminisces about his long adventurous life. At the age of twelve, Will traveled to North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains to run a trading post. He befriended a Cherokee tribe, fell in love, witnessed the Trail of Tears, and joined the Confederacy. Violence and strong language. 2006. The Time of the Uprooted BR 16567 by Elie Wiesel 2 volumes As a boy, Jewish Gamaliel Friedman survived World War II in the care of Hungarian cabaret singer Ilonka. Now settled in New York among fellow exiles, Gamaliel visits a hospital patient who could be Ilonka. The meetings trigger emotional memories of life, love, and loss. Some descriptions of sex. 2003. Two Moons BR 16374 by Thomas Mallon 3 volumes Washington, D.C.; 1877. When mathematically gifted Cynthia May, a thirty-five-year- old widow, applies for the human “computer” position at the Naval Observatory, she is only looking for a better job. But her life changes forever as she encounters a young astronomer, an astrologer, and a powerful, corrupt senator. 2000. An Untamed Land: Red River of the North, Book 1 BR 16728 by Lauraine Snelling 3 volumes 1880. Roald Bjorklund, his wife Ingeborg, and their five-year-old son Thorliff leave Norway in search of a better life in America. They journey to the Dakota Territory where they build a homestead in the Red River Valley with faith, love, and hard work. For senior high and older readers. Angel Award. 1996. The Valley of Horses: Earth’s Children, Book 2 BR 16780 by Jean M. Auel 6 volumes Ice Age heroine Ayla leaves her adoptive family, from The Clan of the Cave Bear (BR 16674), and sets out alone. She reaches the Valley of Horses, where she rescues a young man and struggles with her growing attraction to him. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1982. White Ghost Girls BR 17130 by Alice Greenway 2 volumes Hong Kong, 1967. American teens Kate and Frankie escape from their Chinese amah to explore the city while their father photographs the war in Vietnam and their mother paints. Frankie delves into adventures and Kate keeps her secrets, until tragedy intervenes. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2006. The Widow’s War BR 16684 by Sally Gunning 2 volumes Cape Cod, 1761. After her husband is lost at sea, Lyddie Berry finds herself a dependent of her miserly son-in-law Nathan Clarke. Inspired by the words of attorney and woman’s suffrage supporter James Otis, Lyddie challenges the terms of the will—and society— and attempts to live on her own. 2006. Holidays Blue Christmas: A Savannah Novel BR 17124 by Mary Kay Andrews 2 volumes Weezie Foley wants to win the downtown Savannah Christmas window-decorating contest, but her shop’s Williamsburg theme is so-o-o boring. An Elvis song gives her an idea—a “Blue Christmas” display. The window attracts a mysterious nighttime visitor, and the competition triggers quirky happenings that guarantee Christmas is anything but boring. 2006. A Christmas Guest BR 16464 by Anne Perry 1 volume Cantankerous Grandmama, from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, solves a mystery of her own after a visiting relative is murdered during the holidays. The family’s indifference to the death raises Grandmama’s suspicions. Along the way she uncovers secrets and discovers the meaning of Christmas. 2005. Christmas Letters BR 17218 by Debbie Macomber 2 volumes Seattle medical transcriptionist and ghostwriter Katherine “K.O.” O’Connor meets prominent child psychologist Wynn Jeffries, whose parenting principles her sister has adopted. K.O. disagrees with Wynn’s theories, which she claims have turned her twin nieces into little monsters, but falls in love with the attractive doctor nonetheless. 2006. The Christmas Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel BR 16428 by Jennifer Chiaverini 2 volumes Sarah discovers an unfinished Christmas quilt, along with antique ornaments and heirlooms, in the attic of her elderly friend Sylvia. Although Sylvia prefers a quiet holiday reminiscing about her family’s traditions and hardships endured, Sarah infuses the season with joy. 2005. A Christmas Secret BR 16908 by Anne Perry 1 volume December, 1890. London vicar Dominic Corde and his wife Clarice spend Christmas in an isolated village where Dominic substitutes for the Reverend Wynter, who has taken a last-minute holiday. But Wynter isn’t on vacation at all. Dominic and Clarice investigate but soon find themselves in danger. 2006. A Covington Christmas: Ladies of Covington BR 16489 by Joan Medlicott 2 volumes The new pastor in Covington, North Carolina, discovers that his predecessor was never ordained—leaving five older couples’ marriages in limbo. With the church building in need of repair, friends Grace, Hannah, and Amelia take charge and organize a joint wedding in time for the holidays. Includes recipes and discussion questions. 2005. Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea BR 17061 by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark 2 volumes Millionaire Randolph Weed organizes a holiday charity cruise. Invited guests include a writers group, lottery winners Alvirah and Willy Meehan, and private detective Regan Reilly and her husband Jack. Weed’s nephew Eric also smuggles aboard two wanted felons who plan to escape once they reach the Caribbean. Bestseller. 2006. There’s Something about Christmas BR 16483 by Debbie Macomber 2 volumes Small town reporter Emma Collins’s first major assignment for the Puyallup, Washington, newspaper is to interview finalists in a fruitcake competition. Local pilot Oliver Hamilton flies Emma around the state to visit the three very wise women bakers, and he and Emma end up falling in love. Includes recipes. 2005. Human Relationships Amazing Grace BR 17347 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes An earthquake in California changes the lives of three women. Socialite Sarah Sloane’s husband’s illegal hedge-fund scheme is exposed during a power outage. Singer Melanie Free volunteers at a quake-refugee camp despite the wishes of her mother and boyfriend. Sister Maggie, a nun, falls in love. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Becoming Strangers BR 16680 by Louise Dean 2 volumes Middle-aged Belgian Annemieke De Groot and her terminally ill husband Jan vacation at a Caribbean resort where they meet elderly Britons George and Dorothy Davis. Over two weeks friendships form, affairs spark, and revelations surface that change the couples’ relationships forever. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. Beloved BR 16707 by Toni Morrison 3 volumes Nobel Prize laureate’s novel of slavery’s aftermath. In post-Civil War Ohio, ex-slave Sethe hides a terrible secret about her past that alienates her children and community and threatens her burgeoning romance with another former slave, Paul D. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. Pulitzer Prize. 1987. Black and White BR 16593 by Paul Volponi 1 volume Long Island. Black Marcus Brown and white Eddie Russo, best friends and high school basketball stars, stick up people for easy money. When a holdup leads to an accidental shooting, the two find unequal justice in a biased system. Strong language and some violence. For senior high readers. 2005. Breathing Lessons BR 17125 by Anne Tyler 3 volumes As Maggie and Ira Moran drive from Baltimore, Maryland, to Deer Lick, Pennsylvania, for the funeral of Maggie’s best friend’s husband, they reflect upon their own twenty- eight-year marriage, the lives of their children, and their hopes for the future. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1988. The Enemy of God BR 16668 by Robert Daley 3 volumes Bronx high school friends continue their close relationships into adulthood. Gabe becomes a police commander, Andy a reporter, Frank a priest, and Earl an assistant district attorney. After Frank commits suicide, Gabe and Andy investigate his past to discover a motive. Some violence and some strong language. 2005. Gonna Lay Down My Burdens BR 16218 by Mary Monroe 3 volumes Belle Helene, Alabama. Thirty-year-old African American Carmen has experienced many tragedies in her life. She is about to marry an old boyfriend she doesn’t love when her best friend Desiree involves her in a crime—and the two women flee town. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2002. Inexcusable BR 16460 by Chris Lynch 1 volume High school senior and football star Keir believes he’s a “good guy” who can do no wrong. When his behavior spins out of control, escalating into date rape on graduation night, Keir is forced to assess his morals. Some strong language. For senior high readers. National Book Award finalist. 2005. The Killer’s Tears BR 17259 by Anne-Laure Bondoux 1 volume When on-the-run criminal Angel Allegria arrives at the Poloverdo farm in southernmost Chile, he murders the parents but spares their child Paolo. Angel’s paternal bond with Paolo is challenged by Luis Secunda, a well-educated man who moves in nearby. Some violence. For senior high and older readers. Batchelder Honor. 2003. Knots BR 17377 by Nuruddin Farah 4 volumes Mogadishu, Somalia. Cambara returns to her native land from Toronto after the accidental death of her son. She reclaims her parents’ house from a local warlord, organizes a play with the help of women activists, and falls in love. Companion to Links (BR 16276). 2007. The Maytrees BR 17269 by Annie Dillard 2 volumes Provincetown, Cape Cod. Poet Toby Maytree returns after World War II and marries Lou Bigelow. Together they have a son, Petie. Their bohemian and seashore lifestyles fit well together—until Toby runs off with Deary Hightoe. Decades later, when Deary becomes ill, Toby and Deary return to Lou’s house. Bestseller. 2007. On Chesil Beach BR 17227 by Ian McEwan 1 volume England, 1960s. Twenty-two-year-old budding historian Edward Mayhew and his bride, violinist Florence Ponting, both sexually innocent, honeymoon on the Dorset coast. Private, unvoiced anxieties and a momentary misunderstanding on their wedding night could prove disastrous to their union. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2007. Rabbit at Rest BR 16872 by John Updike 5 volumes Fifty-five-year-old retiree Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom is winding down just as his wife Janice finds new strength and purpose. Midlife sex and death issues are complicated by their son Nelson’s expensive cocaine habit. Sequel to Rabbit Is Rich (BR 16731). Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Pulitzer Prize. 1990. Rabbit Is Rich BR 16731 by John Updike 4 volumes 1979. Forty-six-year-old car dealer Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom lives in comfortable affluence with his wife and mother-in-law in Brewer, Pennsylvania. But his son’s return and unresolved issues about sex and death threaten Rabbit’s contentment. Sequel to Rabbit Redux (BR 10982). Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Pulitzer Prize. 1981. Returning to Earth BR 17481 by Jim Harrison 2 volumes Upper Peninsula, Michigan. Donald, a forty-five-year-old Finnish Chippewa man dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease, dictates his family history to his wife Cynthia to preserve for their children Clare and Herald. After Donald’s death all the family members mourn him in their own way. Some strong language. 2007. A Slipping-Down Life BR 17180 by Anne Tyler 2 volumes North Carolina, 1960s. Shy, pudgy seventeen-year-old Evie Decker becomes infatuated with nineteen-year-old local rock singer Drumstrings Casey. One night at the Unicorn, where Drum is performing, Evie makes a bizarre gesture to get his attention. 1969. The Space between Us BR 17123 by Thrity Umrigar 3 volumes Bombay. Parallel life experiences cause wealthy widow Sera and her impoverished, dutiful servant Bhima to form a bond, despite class differences. But when Sera tries to help Bhima solve a family problem, Sera’s son-in-law undermines the women’s trust in each other. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2005. A Spot of Bother BR 16874 by Mark Haddon 3 volumes Retiree George Hall, believing he has cancer, survives his family’s dysfunction by ignoring his wife’s affair, their gay son’s disapproval of his sister Katie’s choice of a second husband, and Katie’s questionable motives for marrying again. Meanwhile George deteriorates. Some strong language. 2006. The Translator BR 17191 by Leila Aboulela 2 volumes Four years ago Sammar, a widow and devout Muslim, left her son with an aunt and traveled from Sudan to Scotland to work as a translator for divorced Middle Eastern historian Rae Isles. Sammar and Rae develop a deep friendship, but Rae’s lack of faith complicates their romance. 1999. Tyrell BR 17163 by Coe Booth 3 volumes Fifteen-year-old Tyrell lives in a Bronx homeless shelter with his “moms” and his younger brother. Tyrell is in love with two girls and tries to make good choices to avoid ending up in jail like his father. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2006. The Woman Who Waited BR 16648 by Andreï Makine 1 volume A twenty-six-year-old Russian researcher visits a remote village and meets Vera, a schoolteacher who for thirty years has awaited the return of her soldier lover, reported killed in 1945. The visitor strives to understand Vera’s stoic vigil and falls in love. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. Yellow Line BR 16654 by Sylvia Olsen 1 volume Vince’s rural Canadian high school— like the rest of his village—is divided by race. Tension arises when Vince’s friend Sherry starts dating Native American Steve and Vince becomes interested in Steve’s cousin Raedawn. Events lead Steve to stand up for equality. Uncontracted braille. For senior high readers. 2005. Humor Girl, Going on 17, Pants on Fire BR 16919 by Sue Limb 2 volumes Following a fabulous summer in Girl, (Nearly) 16, Absolute Torture (BR 16444), Fred dumps Jess the day before school starts. Jess renews her friendship with football player Ben and is harassed by a new teacher and embarrassed by her mother dating a younger man. For senior high readers. 2006. Girl, (Nearly) 16, Absolute Torture BR 16444 by Sue Limb 2 volumes Jess is in the midst of first love when her mum ruins the summer by insisting that they travel to the English seaside to scatter her grandfather’s ashes and visit Jess’s dad. Sequel to Girl, 15, Charming but Insane (BR 16173). For senior high readers. 2005. How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life BR 16688 by Mameve Medwed 2 volumes Mourning her mother’s death and her own romantic breakup, Abigail Randolph drops out of Harvard to run an antiques stall. When, on Antiques Roadshow, Abigail discovers that her inherited chamber pot belonged to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, former friends and lovers return with demands. Some strong language. 2006. How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship, and Musical Theater BR 16414 by Marc Acito 3 volumes New Jersey, 1983. Edward Zanni dreams of attending Juilliard, but his father Al won’t pay. As Ed and his friends conspire to steal money from Al and his trophy wife, Ed finds himself attracted to both his girlfriend and a football player. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. How to Be Popular BR 16904 by Meg Cabot 2 volumes Indiana teen Steph finds an old book on how to be popular. She decides to improve her social status by following the advice, much to the bafflement of her friends Jason and Becca. But Steph’s success leads her to question her values. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. Kissing Vanessa BR 16634 by Simon Cheshire 1 volume Fifteen-year-old Kevin falls in love at first sight with Vanessa, the new girl at his British school. Kevin tries out the pointers his best friend Jack gives him to win her but only looks more nerdy when the ideas backfire. For senior high readers. 2003. Pontoon: A Lake Wobegon Novel BR 17350 by Garrison Keillor 2 volumes When the elderly Evelyn dies, she leaves behind instructions to have her ashes put in a bowling ball—given to her by a mysterious boyfriend—and then dropped into the lake. These arrangements conflict with another Lake Wobegon woman’s unusual wedding plans. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Startled by His Furry Shorts: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson BR 16847 by Louise Rennison 2 volumes British teenager Georgia continues her quest for a boyfriend. In her journal she records her feelings for sexy Italian Masimo, her old mate Dave, and her ex-crush Robbie. Meanwhile, she prepares for a school play and a Viking wedding and copes with her quirky family. For senior high readers. 2006. Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers: More Mad, Marvy Confessions of Georgia Nicolson BR 16480 by Louise Rennison 2 volumes British teenager Georgia Nicolson continues to list all her madcap adventures in her journal. When the family goes to Memphis, Hamburger-a-go-go land (U.S.A.), Georgia and her best friend try to track down Georgia’s current crush Masimo, who’s visiting relatives in New York. For senior high readers. 2005. The Uncommon Reader BR 17649 by Alan Bennett 1 volume England. When the royal dogs stray into a mobile library parked near the palace, the Queen feels obligated to borrow a book. She soon develops an obsession with reading that changes her worldviews, distracts her from official duties, and prompts her to write her own masterpiece—with surprising consequences. Bestseller. 2007. A Version of the Truth BR 17476 by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack 2 volumes Topanga Canyon, California. Widowed, dyslexic, high school dropout Cassie lies on her resumé to obtain a local university job assisting animal behavior professor Conner. Cassie, already a wildlife expert, discovers a different world of education, refinement, and love. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2008. Legal Themes Beach Road BR 16506 by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge 2 volumes Attorney Tom Dunleavy defends African American high school basketball player Dante Halleyville against murder charges in the wealthy beach community of East Hampton. Tom recruits help from his ex-lover, lawyer Kate Costello, while dogged Detective Raiborne uncovers startling revelations. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2006. Limitations BR 17358 by Scott Turow 2 volumes Appellate court judge George Mason, from Personal Injuries (BR 12406), deliberates the case of four men charged with raping an African American teenager. As George considers the statute of limitations, he confronts memories of his own sexual indiscretion. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2006. Rumpole and the Reign of Terror: A Rumpole Mystery BR 17098 by John Mortimer 2 volumes British barrister Horace Rumpole takes on the government when he accepts the case of a Pakistani doctor accused of aiding Al Qaeda. He also alienates his colleagues, his wife Hilda, and other clients, while he battles his own doubts. Meanwhile Hilda writes her memoirs. 2006. Literature Bonjour Tristesse BR 16764 by Françoise Sagan 1 volume Cécile begins her seventeenth summer happily in a villa on the Mediterranean, flirting with her handsome neighbor Cyril. The complications occur when her father, who already has his young mistress with them, invites Anne, a friend of his deceased wife, to visit. 1955. Dearly Beloved BR 16596 by Anne Morrow Lindbergh 2 volumes A series of meditations on love and marriage, unfolding over the course of a wedding ceremony. Among the friends and family gathered for the nuptials are the bride’s married psychiatrist uncle, who is skeptical about monogamy; a spinster aunt; and the groom’s mother, who contemplates her own unfulfilling union. 1962. The Moon and Sixpence BR 16531 by W. Somerset Maugham 2 volumes Middle-aged London stockbroker Charles Strickland forsakes business and family to pursue a painter’s life. Charles travels to Paris before eventually settling in Tahiti, where he takes a mistress and devotes himself to art despite poverty and a prolonged terminal illness. Inspired by the life of French impressionist Paul Gauguin. 1919. Of Human Bondage BR 16190 by W. Somerset Maugham 6 volumes Semiautobiographical novel of obsessive love. Philip Carey, a sensitive, talented orphan with a club foot, comes to live with his vicar uncle. Philip studies art in Paris, returns to London to take up medicine, and begins a life-altering affair with Mildred, a waitress. 1999 introduction by Gore Vidal. 1915. Pale Horse, Pale Rider: Three Short Novels BR 17498 by Katherine Anne Porter 2 volumes In Old Mortality girls Maria and Miranda learn about the young woman pictured in an old framed photograph at their grandmother’s house. Noon Wine is about Olaf Helton, who hires on at a Texas dairy farm. The title piece recounts a grown-up Miranda’s tragic love affair with a soldier. 1939. The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners BR 15964 by John Bunyan 4 volumes Two classic works by English Puritan John Bunyan (1628–1688). In the allegorical tale Pilgrim’s Progress, the protagonist, burdened by sin, leaves the City of Destruction to find Zion, the city of God. His journey embodies Christian teachings. In Grace Abounding, Bunyan recounts his conversion and spiritual growth. 2004. The Razor’s Edge BR 16302 by W. Somerset Maugham 3 volumes Twenty-year-old WWI aviator Larry Darrell leaves Chicago and heads to Paris seeking truth and meaning. In Larry’s prolonged absence, his fiancée Isabel marries wealthy broker Gray Maturin. Ruined by the depression years later, Isabel and her family relocate to Paris, where she and Larry reassess life and love. 1943. Requiem for a Nun BR 16714 by William Faulkner 2 volumes Eight years after the events in Sanctuary (BR 12478), African American nursemaid Nancy is sentenced to death for the murder of Temple Drake’s youngest child. In an attempt to gain a pardon for Nancy, Temple implicates herself in the crime. Strong language. 1950. Slaughterhouse-Five; or, The Children’s Crusade—a Duty-Dance with Death BR 17373 by Kurt Vonnegut 2 volumes Billy Pilgrim, adrift in time, randomly revisits past and present manifestations: senile widower stalked by an assassin, hopeful young newlywed, giraffe on the planet Tralfamadore—where time is an illusion—and, most crucially, American POW during the firebombing of Dresden in World War II. Strong language. 1969. The Sun Also Rises BR 16853 by Ernest Hemingway 2 volumes A group of wealthy English and American expatriates in post-World War I Europe travel from the cafés of Paris to the bullfights of Spain—eating and drinking, aimlessly socializing, and quarreling among themselves. The disillusioned characters reflect the war-weary lost generation of the 1920s. Some strong language. 1926. To Have and Have Not BR 17381 by Ernest Hemingway 2 volumes Key West, Florida. Swindled by an American who chartered his boat for deep-sea fishing, Harry Morgan turns to smuggling goods from Cuba to provide for his family. Changing his moral compass, Harry progresses from running rum to transporting riskier human contraband. Some strong language. 1937. Mystery and Detective The A.B.C. Murders BR 16788 by Agatha Christie 2 volumes England, 1935. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot receives letters signed “A.B.C.” that announce the date and location of future crimes. When the killer strikes Mrs. Ascher in Andover and then Miss Barnard in Bexhill, Poirot knows it’s no coincidence and hurries to find the culprit before he completes the alphabet. 1935. At Some Disputed Barricade: A World War I Novel BR 17174 by Anne Perry 3 volumes The Western Front, 1917. British intelligence officer Matthew Reavley tracks a traitor called Peacemaker. Meanwhile, his brother Joseph, a chaplain, and sister Judith, an ambulance driver, experience ambivalence when twelve British soldiers face execution for killing an incompetent officer. Sequel to Angels in the Gloom (BR 16291). Some violence. 2007. Bad Kitty BR 16432 by Michele Jaffe 2 volumes While vacationing with her family in Las Vegas, seventeen-year-old Irish Jamaican Jasmine Callihan comes upon a murder. With the help of her friends from California, aspiring police detective Jasmine investigates—and also falls in love. For senior high readers. 2006. The Bishop in the Old Neighborhood: A Blackie Ryan Mystery BR 16465 by Andrew M. Greeley 2 volumes Chicago. Bishop Blackie Ryan investigates three murders in St. Lucy’s parish, which is headed by Father Mikal Wolodyjowski. Blackie discovers a connection among the current crimes, the 1944 deaths of six college students, and Father Mikal. Some strong language. 2005. Blind Spot BR 17309 by Terri Persons 3 volumes FBI agent Bernadette Saint Clare’s unusual gift enables her to see crime scenes through the killers’ eyes. On Bernadette’s latest assignment in St. Paul, Minnesota, colleague Tony Garcia questions her skills while her neighbor offers a clue to a murder. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2007. Blood Ties: A Father Dowling Mystery BR 16401 by Ralph McInerny 2 volumes Twenty-two-year-old Martha Lynch seeks to find the identity of her birth mother while her biological father, Nathaniel Fleck, simultaneously tries to learn the fate of his child. Both Father Dowling and attorney Amos Cadbury know the truth but have doubts about sharing it. Then someone murders Fleck. 2005. Blue Screen: A Sunny Randall Mystery BR 17093 by Robert B. Parker 2 volumes It is Sunny Randall’s job to protect starlet Erin Flint, the lover of sleazy movie producer Buddy Bollen. After Erin’s sister Misty is murdered in Buddy’s mansion, Sunny helps Jesse Stone, chief of police in Paradise, Massachusetts, expose a killer. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2006. The Book of the Dead: A Pendergast Mystery BR 16652 by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child 4 volumes FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, from Dance of Death (BR 16231), languishes in prison for murders committed by his psychotic brother Diogenes. Meanwhile, New York’s natural history museum unseals an Egyptian tomb, precipitating more killings. Aloysius escapes to confront his brother in a deadly showdown. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2006. Brimstone: A Pendergast Mystery BR 16123 by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child 5 volumes FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, last seen in Still Life with Crows (BR 14950), investigates serial murders that appear to be the work of the devil, complete with cloven hoofprints and odors of brimstone. Pendergast follows the killings to Italy. Violence and strong language. 2004. Burned: A Regan Reilly Mystery BR 16118 by Carol Higgins Clark 2 volumes Los Angeles private investigator Regan Reilly, about to be married, joins her girlfriend Kit Callan in Hawaii for a last fling. When the body of the resort’s social director Dorinda Dawes washes ashore, the hotel manager persuades Regan to investigate. Suspects include assorted guests and a local millionaire. 2005. The Castlemaine Murders: A Phryne Fisher Mystery BR 16116 by Kerry Greenwood 2 volumes Australia. When Phryne Fisher, her two daughters, her younger sister, and her Chinese lover visit an amusement park, their day of fun is cut short: Phryne discovers a mummified corpse, complete with a bullet hole. As Phryne investigates, she and her family receive death threats. 2002. Cat Breaking Free: A Joe Grey Mystery BR 16579 by Shirley Rousseau Murphy 3 volumes Feline Joe Grey and his friends Dulcie and Kit discover that a motorcycle gang is hiding in tranquil Molena Point, California. The bad guys are breaking into local establishments and caging feral cats. Joe also suspects that his human’s new girlfriend may be one of the outlaws. Some violence. 2005. Cat Pay the Devil: A Joe Grey Mystery BR 17173 by Shirley Rousseau Murphy 2 volumes California. Escaped convict Cage Jones targets former federal agent Wilma Getz. When Wilma goes missing, feline sleuths Dulcie and Kit set out to infiltrate Cage’s hideout. Meanwhile, tomcat Joe Grey, who is preoccupied with local murders, and his human companion Clyde retrace Wilma’s last known whereabouts. Some strong language. 2007. The Cat Who Had Sixty Whiskers BR 16828 by Lilian Jackson Braun 1 volume Journalist Jim Qwilleran covers the changing times in Moose County. A senior center is planned and a mansion is being converted into a charitable museum. When a young woman mysteriously dies from a bee sting, Siamese cat Koko uses his extra whiskers to sniff out a murderer. Bestseller. 2007. A Christmas Secret BR 16908 by Anne Perry 1 volume December, 1890. London vicar Dominic Corde and his wife Clarice spend Christmas in an isolated village where Dominic substitutes for the Reverend Wynter, who has taken a last-minute holiday. But Wynter isn’t on vacation at all. Dominic and Clarice investigate but soon find themselves in danger. 2006. The Colorado Kid BR 16384 by Stephen King 1 volume Vince Teague and Dave Bowie, elderly editors of a small Maine island’s newspaper, relate a twenty-five-year-old murder case to their young intern Stephanie McCann. It is 1980; a man discovered dead on the local beach remains unknown until the men track his identity back to Colorado. Some strong language. 2005. Come to Grief: A Sid Halley Mystery BR 16864 by Dick Francis 3 volumes British jockey-turned-private-investigator Sid Halley implicates his friend Ellis Quint in a series of disturbing horse mutilations. The suicide of Ellis’s mother, an attack by his father, and a vicious smear campaign compound Ellis’s problems and increase Sid’s guilt over the accusations. Some violence and some strong language. 1995. The Crimes of Jordan Wise BR 17106 by Bill Pronzini 2 volumes 1977. Gold-digger Annalise Bonner tempts mild-mannered San Francisco accountant Jordan Wise into embezzling funds from his company and fleeing to the Virgin Islands. Annalise’s constant demands drive Jordan to commit two additional crimes. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2006. Dance of Death: A Pendergast Mystery BR 16231 by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child 4 volumes FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, of Brimstone (BR 16123), convinces police lieutenant Vincent D’Agosta to help him find his brother Diogenes, a serial killer intent on murdering those closest to them both. But Aloysius is framed for the crimes—and is on the run. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2005. Dead Water: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16906 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes When a week of death threats at a controversial faith-healing resort ends with a ghastly murder, Inspector Roderick Alleyn is faced with a puzzling and painful case. One of the two main suspects is an old friend of Alleyn’s and the other is the victim herself. 1963. Death in the Middle Watch: A Carolus Deene Mystery BR 16767 by Leo Bruce 1 volume Amateur sleuth Carolus Deene is hired to sail on a cruise after the ship’s proprietor receives threatening letters. The widow of a man who died on board the previous year is murdered, and someone goes overboard. Deene investigates as the vessel docks in foreign ports. 1974. Death of an Addict: A Hamish Macbeth Mystery BR 17502 by M.C. Beaton 2 volumes Scottish Highlands. Recovering heroin user Tommy Jarret dies from an apparent overdose. Constable Hamish Macbeth goes undercover as a drug lord to investigate possible links to a religious cult and the illicit drug trade. Beautiful Glasgow detective Olivia Chater joins Hamish’s search, posing as his wife. 1999. Desert Crossing BR 16784 by Elise Broach 2 volumes Along with his fourteen-year-old sister Lucy and friend Kit, eighteen-year-old Jamie Martinez is driving to Phoenix to visit his father during spring break. In the New Mexico desert, they collide with a young woman’s corpse and encounter a murder mystery. For senior high readers. 2006. Dumb Witness: A Hercule Poirot Mystery BR 17146 by Agatha Christie 2 volumes Belgian detective Hercule Poirot receives a two-month-old letter from wealthy spinster Emily Arundell requesting his investigative assistance. Upon arriving at the estate, Poirot discovers Miss Arundell has died. Convinced of foul play, Poirot compiles a list of suspects, including Miss Arundell’s spendthrift brother and her meek companion. 1937. Dust: A Richard Jury Mystery BR 17065 by Martha Grimes 3 volumes Scotland Yard detective Richard Jury investigates the murder of wealthy bachelor Billy Maples, who had been caring for Henry James’s former house in Rye. Jury discovers that the victim’s grandfather was a World War II code breaker, and enlists Melrose Plant’s assistance. Meanwhile, Jury juggles two affairs. Strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Faithless: A Sara Linton Mystery BR 16326 by Karin Slaughter 4 volumes Georgia medical examiner Sara Linton and her ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, investigate the death of a girl who was buried alive. They suspect a religious cult at the victim’s farming collective after yet another grave is discovered. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. A False Mirror: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery BR 17096 by Charles Todd 3 volumes England, 1920. Stephen Mallory holds his ex-lover Felicity hostage after he becomes the prime suspect in her husband Matthew’s near-fatal beating. Stephen demands to see Scotland Yard inspector and fellow war veteran Ian Rutledge, who investigates while coping with memories of his own lost love. Then Matthew disappears. 2007. False Scent: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16835 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes When the beloved “queen of the British theater” is murdered in a cloud of perfume, the case literally reeks with likely suspects. It is up to Superintendent Roderick Alleyn to sniff out the motives and bring the killer to justice. 1960. The Fatal Fashione: An Elizabeth I Mystery BR 16544 by Karen Harper 2 volumes London, 1566. Someone has murdered the royal household’s starcher. Elizabeth Tudor goes undercover with the help of her herb mistress Meg Milligrew to expose the culprit desperate enough to kill for a monopoly in the new starch industry. 2006. Fiddlers: A Novel of the 87th Precinct BR 16235 by Ed McBain 2 volumes Detectives Carella, Meyer, and Weeks seek the serial killer who’s targeting older men and women in the city. The police trace back through the victims’ lives to their youth to find a common element and to crack the case of the Glock murders. Violence and strong language. 2005. The 5th Horseman: A Women’s Murder Club Mystery BR 16377 by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 2 volumes Homicide detective Lindsay Boxer and her colleagues in the Women’s Murder Club investigate suspicious deaths at the San Francisco Municipal Hospital, where patients in recovery are suddenly dying at an alarming rate. Clues include buttons on the corpses’ eyes. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2006. Final Curtain: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16787 by Ngaio Marsh 3 volumes Troy Alleyn, wife of Inspector Roderick Alleyn, paints a portrait of Shakespearean actor Sir Henry Ancred, a patriarch preparing to marry a young chorus girl. After a tense birthday dinner, Henry is found dead. Troy, finally reunited with Roderick after a prolonged separation, suspects poisoning and enlists Roderick’s aid. 1947. The Golden Ball and Other Stories BR 16799 by Agatha Christie 2 volumes Fifteen short mysteries of bizarre romantic entanglements, supernatural visitations, and classic murder, written in the 1920s and 1930s. Includes “The Girl in the Train,” “The Rajah’s Emerald,” “Swan Song,” “The Hound of Death,” “The Gipsy,” “The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael,” “The Call of Wings,” and others. 1924. The Gutter and the Grave BR 16415 by Ed McBain 2 volumes Bowery bum Matt Cordell was once a successful private investigator but turned to alcohol after discovering his wife’s infidelity. When former neighbor Johnny Bridges asks him to investigate thefts from his business, Cordell uncovers murder and a femme fatale in the form of singer Laraine Marsh. Some strong language. 1958. The Hard Way: A Rachel Alexander Mystery BR 17289 by Carol Lea Benjamin 2 volumes When a wealthy retired New York City businessman is pushed from a subway platform and killed by an on-coming train, his daughter hires dog-trainer-turned-PI Rachel Alexander to find the suspect—a homeless man. Rachel goes undercover with an Iraq War veteran who lives on the streets. Strong language. 2006. The Hooded Hawke: An Elizabeth I Mystery BR 17325 by Karen Harper 2 volumes England, 1569. Queen Elizabeth Tudor and her court, which includes Francis Drake, are traveling in the countryside to escape the London summer when archers attack them and kill the queen’s falconer. Elizabeth and her herbalist Meg Milligrew investigate the crime—suspecting political rivals, Spanish enemies, and even the queen’s relatives. 2007. I Heard That Song Before BR 16840 by Mary Higgins Clark 2 volumes Twenty-eight-year-old Englewood, New Jersey, librarian Kay Lansing and wealthy businessman Peter Carrington fall in love and marry after Kay approaches him about a fundraiser. Later Peter is arrested for the murder of a teenaged neighbor that took place twenty-two years ago. Kay believes Peter is innocent and investigates. Bestseller. 2007. In Dublin’s Fair City: A Molly Murphy Mystery BR 17278 by Rhys Bowen 2 volumes New York City theater impresario Tommy Burke hires detective Molly Murphy to find his long-lost sister in Ireland—Molly’s homeland. On the voyage, Molly encounters actress Oona Sheehan, who, craving anonymity, proposes they trade identities. Soon after, Oona goes missing and her maid turns up dead. 2007. The Janissary Tree BR 17160 by Jason Goodwin 3 volumes Istanbul, 1836. Court eunuch Yashim Togalu has orders from Sultan Mahmut II to find out who is killing military cadets. He scours the city, suspicious that the outcast Janissary corps soldiers are planning an insurrection. Violence and strong language. Edgar Allan Poe Award. 2006. Killer Dolphin: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 17113 by Ngaio Marsh 3 volumes The Dolphin, a newly restored dockside London theater, opens with The Glove, a play inspired by the discovery of a genuine Shakespearean mitt. Inspector Roderick Alleyn supervises security precautions for the relic but is soon tracking a criminal when someone kills a caretaker and steals the glove. 1966. Learning to Kill: Stories BR 16821 by Ed McBain 3 volumes For this anthology the author selected twenty-five of his early stories published in pulp magazines under the bylines of Evan Hunter, Richard Marsten, and Hunt Collins. Written in the 1950s, the tales are filled with damsels in distress, PIs, and cops. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. Light Thickens: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 17257 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes A London acting troupe putting on Shakespeare’s Macbeth suspects the play is cursed after several pranks disrupt rehearsals. Their apprehension turns to horror when an actor is murdered onstage during a performance. Scotland Yard Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn, who happens to be in the audience, investigates. 1982. A Long Shadow: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery BR 16305 by Charles Todd 3 volumes Village of Dudlington, England; 1920. Shell-shocked inspector Ian Rutledge arrives in Northampton to investigate an attack on a constable. He suspects there is a connection between this crime and the previous disappearance of a young woman. Meanwhile, someone from the war stalks Rutledge. 2006. Lost BR 16407 by Michael Robotham 3 volumes Detective Vincent Ruiz, from Suspect (BR 15893), has amnesia when police find him wounded in the Thames River. He enlists psychologist Joe O’Loughlin’s help to regain his memory and learn why he’s been investigating the case of a girl kidnapped three years ago. Violence and strong language. 2006. A Man Lay Dead: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16940 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes Sir Hubert Handesley hosts a weekend house party at his country estate, during which assorted guests engage in a game of “murder.” When a real death interrupts their parlor game, Inspector Alleyn from Scotland Yard arrives to investigate. 1934. Mourners: A “Nameless Detective” Mystery BR 17083 by Bill Pronzini 2 volumes The Nameless Detective is hired by James Troxell’s wife to discover why her husband has taken to attending the funerals of murdered women he doesn’t know. “Nameless” is also having marital problems; and his partners, Tamara and Jake, have their own issues with mourning. Violence and strong language. 2006. Murder at the Opera: A Capital Crimes Novel BR 17253 by Margaret Truman 3 volumes Washington, D.C. A promising young Canadian singer is found murdered backstage at the Kennedy Center. Law professor Mac Smith—an extra in the Washington National Opera’s upcoming production of Puccini’s Tosca—and his wife Annabel investigate. Aided by PI Ray Pawkins the pair uncovers a far-reaching international conspiracy. 2006. Murder at the Washington Tribune: A Capital Crimes Mystery BR 16315 by Margaret Truman 3 volumes Washington Tribune crime reporter Joe Wilcox is pressured to compete with TV and tabloid news counterparts, including his daughter Roberta, a broadcast journalist. After a reporter is murdered in the newsroom, Joe investigates and Roberta hunts for a suspect. Meanwhile Joe’s ex-con brother returns to town. Some strong language. 2005. Murder on the Ballarat Train: A Phryne Fisher Mystery BR 17188 by Kerry Greenwood 2 volumes Australia, 1928. Private detective Phryne Fisher saves all but one of her fellow first-class train passengers from death by chloroform poisoning. Elderly Mrs. Henderson has been murdered and a teenage female is discovered suffering from amnesia. Phryne is hired to investigate. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1991. Oh Danny Boy: A Molly Murphy Mystery BR 16602 by Rhys Bowen 3 volumes New York, 1902. Private detective Molly Murphy works to exonerate police captain Daniel Sullivan of bribery charges. Molly is convinced he is innocent, and as her inquiry progresses she suspects Daniel’s troubles are related to his investigation of the East Side Ripper, a serial killer targeting prostitutes. 2006. The Old Wine Shades: A Richard Jury Mystery BR 17071 by Martha Grimes 3 volumes On leave since The Winds of Change (BR 16911), detective Richard Jury is intrigued by a tale physicist Harry Johnson tells at a pub: the family of Johnson’s friend disappeared and only the dog returned. Jury is investigating when a body is found. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2006. Our Lady of Pain: An Edwardian Murder Mystery BR 17121 by Marion Chesney 2 volumes When private detective Captain Harry Cathcart is seen squiring courtesan Dolores Duval around London, his fiancée, debutante Lady Rose Summer, becomes jealous and her parents cancel the engagement. Rose threatens Dolores, discovers the courtesan’s body the next day, and becomes the prime suspect in her murder. Some strong language. 2006. The Palace Tiger: A Detective Joe Sandilands Mystery BR 16249 by Barbara Cleverly 3 volumes India, 1922. Detective Joe Sandilands is in Simla when he is asked to hunt down a man- eating tiger in Ranipur. Sandilands and hunter Edgar Troop join the search and uncover a conspiracy over the succession to the ailing maharaja. Some violence and some strong language. 2004. The Paperwhite Narcissus: A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery BR 16613 by Cynthia Riggs 2 volumes After ninety-two-year-old Victoria Trumbull is fired from the Island Enquirer, she goes to work for the competition without pay. When a developer is murdered, Victoria scoops her old paper with the story and begins sleuthing. The victim’s wife and mistress are suspects until more murders occur. Some strong language. 2005. Pardonable Lies: A Maisie Dobbs Mystery BR 16512 by Jacqueline Winspear 3 volumes London, 1930. Psychologist/investigator Maisie Dobbs is hired by Sir Cecil Lawton to discover the fate of his son Ralph, who was supposedly killed in France during the Great War. Maisie, a former battlefield nurse, faces her own demons from the past when she returns to the continent. 2005. Photo Finish: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16857 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes Montague Reece invites Scotland Yard’s Roderick Alleyn and artist wife Troy to his New Zealand estate and commissions Troy to paint his mistress, opera star Sommita. As Roderick tries to protect the singer from a nuisance photographer, rumors of drug involvement surface and Sommita is found murdered. 1980. Predator: A Dr. Kay Scarpetta Mystery BR 16227 by Patricia Cornwell 3 volumes Dr. Kay Scarpetta, last seen in Trace (BR 15588), now freelances for Florida’s National Forensic Academy. In this case she enlists the help of Pete Marino, Benton Wesley, and Lucy Farinelli to track a killer up and down the East Coast. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2005. Prisoner of Memory: An Eve Diamond Novel BR 16657 by Denise Hamilton 3 volumes Los Angeles Times reporter Eve Diamond investigates the murder of seventeen-year-old Denny Lukin. She questions Denny’s Russian émigré parents and uncovers Mafia and FBI connections. Meanwhile, a man from Moscow claiming to be Eve’s cousin wants to help with the case. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2006. Quid pro Quo BR 16383 by Vicki Grant 1 volume When fourteen-year-old Cyril MacIntyre’s mother disappears, Cyril uses every skill at his disposal to find her. Since Mom is a recent law school graduate who forced Cyril to attend many classes with her, Cyril has more wits than most. A high-interest, low- vocabulary book. For senior high readers. 2005. The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories Featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Mr. Parker Pyne BR 17317 by Agatha Christie 2 volumes Eight short detective tales and one of semisupernatural drama. In the title story Mr. Parker Pyne seeks a thief when a diamond goes missing from a yachting party. In “Yellow Iris” Hercule Poirot solves one crime and thwarts another at a dinner party. Miss Marple shares a mystery tale. 1934. Ricochet BR 16760 by Sandra Brown 3 volumes Detectives Duncan Hatcher and DeeDee Bowen are determined to bring crime lord Robert Savich to justice, even though judge Cato Laird lets him go. They become suspicious of the judge after being called to Laird’s home when his wife shoots an intruder. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2006. Riding Gain: A Talk Radio Mystery BR 16577 by Joyce Krieg 2 volumes Sacramento radio talk-show host Shauna Bogart struggles with work problems when her boss forces her to give air time to a psychic. Then someone kills Shauna’s former intern during a drug deal, and the grandmother of the accused killer asks Shauna to prove the grandson’s innocence. 2005. S Is for Silence: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery BR 16508 by Sue Grafton 3 volumes California PI Kinsey Millhone is hired by Daisy Sullivan to investigate her mother’s disappearance. Violet Sullivan never returned from a Fourth of July fireworks display thirty-four years ago when Daisy was six. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea BR 17061 by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark 2 volumes Millionaire Randolph Weed organizes a holiday charity cruise. Invited guests include a writers group, lottery winners Alvirah and Willy Meehan, and private detective Regan Reilly and her husband Jack. Weed’s nephew Eric also smuggles aboard two wanted felons who plan to escape once they reach the Caribbean. Bestseller. 2006. Scales of Justice: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 17078 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes Inspector Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard tracks a killer in the seemingly peaceful English village of Swevenings after a body is found in a thicket by the trout stream. He discovers that violent death is just as gruesome among the gentry as among the working class. 1955. The Serpent on the Crown: An Amelia Peabody Mystery, Book 17 BR 16210 by Elizabeth Peters 3 volumes Egypt, 1922. Archaeologist Amelia Peabody Emerson and her family are at their house on the Nile when author Magda Petherick arrives with an ancient statue she believes is cursed. When Magda is murdered, Amelia and her husband and son investigate the crime as well as the relic’s history. 2005. The Shape Shifter: A Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Mystery BR 16879 by Tony Hillerman 2 volumes A valuable antique native rug, thought to have been destroyed in a fire that took the life of a notorious killer, is discovered in the mansion of Flagstaff millionaire Jason Delos. Retired Navajo tribal policeman Joe Leaphorn investigates and finds himself facing an evil skinwalker. Some violence. Bestseller. 2006. The 6th Target: A Women’s Murder Club Mystery BR 17215 by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 2 volumes San Francisco. When a mass shooting on a ferry wounds Women’s Murder Club member Claire Washburn, Sergeant Lindsay Boxer investigates and attorney Yuki Castellano prosecutes. Lindsay also delves into a child kidnapping case involving a dead nanny. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2007. Size Fourteen Is Not Fat Either: A Heather Wells Mystery BR 17176 by Meg Cabot 3 volumes New York City. Dorm advisor Heather Wells, a former pop singer, has her hands full when a resident is murdered, her ex-fiancé insists she attend his wedding, and her father is released from prison. Heather uncovers fraternity secrets while lusting for her landlord, Cooper—her ex’s brother. Some strong language. 2006. Size Twelve Is Not Fat: A Heather Wells Mystery BR 16949 by Meg Cabot 3 volumes To keep her Greenwich Village flat, former pop idol Heather Wells balances two jobs: working for her PI housemate Cooper Cartwright (her secret crush) and serving as an assistant college dorm director. When a female freshman dies suspiciously, Heather undertakes another vocation—spunky girl detective. Some strong language. 2006. Spinsters in Jeopardy: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 17157 by Ngaio Marsh 3 volumes En route to a family vacation, Inspector Roderick Alleyn finds himself in an alpine chateau that serves as the headquarters for a sinister cult of dope peddlers who practice bizarre religious rites. Roderick exposes a conspiracy to kidnap his son, corrupt a young girl, and murder a wealthy spinster. 1953. Step on a Crack: A Michael Bennett Mystery BR 17068 by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge 2 volumes NYPD hostage negotiator Michael Bennett lives with ten adopted children and a dying wife when terrorists disrupt the funeral of a former first lady at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. With celebrities held hostage, Bennett negotiates with henchmen led by the group’s mastermind, the Neat Man. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Stillwatch BR 16806 by Mary Higgins Clark 3 volumes Washington, D.C., journalist Pat Traymore is doing research for her upcoming television program on vice-presidential hopeful Senator Abigail Jennings. Aided by her old flame, Congressman Sam Kingsley, Pat uncovers startling links between Abigail’s past and her own tragic childhood—and secrets that could destroy both their lives. 1984. T Is for Trespass: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery BR 17389 by Sue Grafton 3 volumes Santa Teresa, California. After PI Kinsey Millhone’s elderly neighbor Gus Vronsky falls, his great-niece hires nurse Solana Rojas to care for him. Kinsey investigates Solana’s background, but doesn’t learn until much later that Solana is a sociopath who is abusing and robbing Gus. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2007. Tied Up in Tinsel: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16886 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes Artist Troy Alleyn visits Hilary Bill-Tasman’s estate to paint Hilary’s portrait. As Hilary prepares for a Christmas pageant, one of his eccentric guests disappears. Troy’s husband Superintendent Roderick Alleyn arrives from London to help unravel the mystery and to interrogate Hilary’s staff members—all of whom are convicted murderers. 1972. Tomb of the Golden Bird: An Amelia Peabody Mystery, Book 18 BR 16562 by Elizabeth Peters 4 volumes Egypt, 1922. As archaeologist Amelia Emerson watches her rivals dig for King Tutankhamen’s tomb, villains lure her husband Radcliffe and son Ramses into a trap. The attack coincides with the arrival of Radcliffe’s half brother Sethos, a former antiquities thief, now a British intelligence agent, who conceals a document that may endanger everyone. 2006. Under Orders: A Sid Halley Mystery BR 16807 by Dick Francis 3 volumes One-armed jockey-turned-private-detective Sid Halley investigates Internet gambling and possible race fixing for various clients. After jockey Huw Walker is murdered during a race on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day, Sid suspects the homicide is connected to his case— especially after Sid’s girlfriend is threatened. Bestseller. 2006. We Shall Not Sleep: A World War I Novel BR 17161 by Anne Perry 3 volumes Siblings Matthew, Joseph, and Judith Reavley wind up in Flanders at the close of the war. A German officer agrees to go to England and expose the Peacemaker, a spy who had the Reavleys’ parents murdered. Sequel to At Some Disputed Barricade (BR 17174). Some violence. 2007. Weep No More, My Lady BR 17133 by Mary Higgins Clark 3 volumes Elizabeth Lange checks into a glitzy Pebble Beach, California, spa to unwind before she must testify at the murder trial of multimillionaire Ted Winters, the man accused of killing her sister—his fiancée—actress Leila LaSalle. Shocked to find Ted there, Elizabeth sets out to uncover the truth of Leila’s death. 1987. What Came before He Shot Her BR 16802 by Elizabeth George 5 volumes Londoner Glory Campbell abandons her three grandchildren and returns to Jamaica. Eleven-year-old Joel, recruited by a drug dealer, ends up a year later, armed, at the doorstep of inspector Thomas Lynley. Sequel to With No One as Witness (BR 15959). Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2006. When in Rome: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 16865 by Ngaio Marsh 2 volumes Under cover on an international drug smuggling investigation, Scotland Yard inspector Roderick Alleyn accompanies a motley group of sightseers on a tour of Italian ruins. When their unscrupulous guide disappears and a postcard vendor is murdered, Alleyn advises the travelers not to leave town before the killer is apprehended. 1971. Where There’s a Will BR 16670 by Margie Walker, Bridget Anderson, Shirley Hailstock, and Shelby Lewis 3 volumes In four different stories the daughters of deceased African American PI Henry Chambers of Liberty, Georgia, begin to close his cases. As Maxine, Samantha, Morgan, and Taylor investigate and uncover town and family secrets, their lives become threatened. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. The Winds of Change: A Richard Jury Mystery BR 16911 by Martha Grimes 3 volumes London, England. After being hospitalized in The Grave Maurice (BR 14363), superintendent Richard Jury investigates a five-year-old girl’s murder. Evidence of sexual abuse leads him to a ring of pedophiles and to the body of a woman on a wealthy businessman’s estate. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2004. Withering Heights: An Ellie Haskell Mystery BR 17345 by Dorothy Cannell 2 volumes Housewife Ellie Haskell, her husband Ben, and maid Mrs. Malloy are called to Yorkshire, England, to find the missing buyer of a haunted Victorian mansion. Ben’s cousin Tom won the lottery, bought the manor, and then disappeared—causing his wife and daughter to suspect former owner Lady Fiona. 2007. A Wreath for Rivera: An Inspector Roderick Alleyn Mystery BR 17109 by Ngaio Marsh 3 volumes George Settinger, Lord Pastern, joins Breezy Bellairs’s band much to the chagrin of his wife Cécile, who also disapproves of the relationship between the band’s piano- accordionist Carlos Rivera and her daughter Félicité. When Carlos is murdered during a performance attended by Inspector Roderick Alleyn, Roderick investigates. 1949. Occult and Horror Beating Heart: A Ghost Story BR 16587 by A.M. Jenkins 1 volume After his parents’ divorce, seventeen-year-old Evan moves with his mother and young sister into an old house that is haunted by the spirit of a nineteenth-century teenage girl named Cora. Evan soon has intimate dreams of Cora that threaten his real-life romance. For senior high readers. 2006. Cycle of the Werewolf BR 16545 by Stephen King 1 volume Someone—or something—is attacking residents of rural Tarker’s Mills, Maine, during the full moon. Only Marty Coslaw, a ten-year-old who uses a wheelchair, knows the identity of the monster, but no one will believe him. Basis for the 1985 movie Stephen King’s Silver Bullet. Strong language and some violence. 1983. Duma Key BR 17475 by Stephen King 5 volumes An accident left self-made construction millionaire Edgar Freemantle brain damaged and missing an arm. When Edgar’s rage results in divorce, his therapist suggests he spend a year painting in Florida. With his phantom arm’s help, Edgar soon produces incredible, but dangerous, artwork. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2008. Gil’s All Fright Diner BR 16559 by A. Lee Martinez 2 volumes Duke and Earl planned to drive right through Rockwood, but a stop at a diner leads to a job ridding the place of zombies. This would-be cakewalk for werewolf Duke and vampire Earl is complicated by a teenage sorceress. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. Alex Award. 2005. Heart-Shaped Box BR 17064 by Joe Hill 3 volumes Middle-aged rock star Judas Coyne collects morbid curios. He buys a haunted suit online and discovers that it belonged to Craddock McDermott, the deceased stepfather of one of Coyne’s groupies. Over time, both Coyne’s own motives and those of McDermott’s ghost are revealed. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Lisey’s Story BR 17062 by Stephen King 5 volumes Maine. Lisey, the widow of prizewinning author Scott Landon, hears her husband’s voice while organizing his papers, caring for her catatonic sister, and avoiding a stalker. Lisey enters Scott’s imaginary world of Boo’ya Moon and fights his demons as well as her own. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2006. Political Themes Beasts of No Nation BR 16528 by Uzodinma Iweala 1 volume Schoolboy Agu is forced to join guerrilla fighters when civil war erupts in his West African nation. In the company of other child soldiers, he becomes disassociated from his comfortable family home and abruptly accustomed to brutality and killing as he seeks to please his commandant. Violence. 2005. The Camel Club BR 16229 by David Baldacci 4 volumes Wealthy businessmen and politicians gather at the Camel Club, unaware that their conversations are being monitored. After homeless Oliver Stone witnesses a murder, Secret Service agent Alex Ford interviews him. Ford’s subsequent investigation yields information on a potential political assassination. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. The Mission Song BR 17060 by John Le Carré 3 volumes Irish Congolese Bruno “Salvo” Salvador works in London translating Swahili and tribal languages of the Congo for various clients including British Intelligence. At a secret peace conference between Central African warlords he uncovers a corporate conspiracy and tries to thwart a coup. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2006. Psychological Themes The Bell Jar BR 16452 by Sylvia Plath 2 volumes Poet Plath’s (1932–1963) semiautobiographical novel of nineteen-year-old Esther Greenwood, a talented Massachusetts college student who questions her abilities and post-academia prospects as she struggles with aspects of love, sex, and self. Follows Esther through a mental breakdown, suicide attempts, and psychiatric therapy. Includes 1996 introduction by Frances McCullough. 1963. Divisadero BR 17351 by Michael Ondaatje 2 volumes Northern California, 1970s. Sisters Anna and Claire, along with a hired hand named Coop, help their father on his ranch until a terrible event sends Anna away. But after twenty years Anna can no longer hide from her past. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2007. Everyman BR 16617 by Philip Roth 1 volume An aging advertising man confronts the loneliness of growing old, regrets his philandering and other faults, and ponders his failing sexual and physical self. He reviews his life chronologically and feels sorry for hurting those he loved, including his estranged sons and three ex-wives. Strong language. Bestseller. 2006. Falling Man BR 17211 by Don DeLillo 2 volumes On September 11, 2001, businessman Keith emerges from the World Trade Center rubble and makes his way to the apartment of his estranged wife Lianne. She tries to understand their apparent reconciliation, while Keith reaches out to fellow survivor Florence. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. A Far Country BR 16932 by Daniel Mason 2 volumes Fourteen-year-old Isabel moves from her third-world village to the city. But Isabel, who has heightened senses of hearing and sight, arrives at her cousin’s shantytown only to discover that her older brother Isaias is gone. Isabel encounters contemptuous wealthy people and bureaucrats in her search. 2007. The Interpretation of Murder BR 16926 by Jed Rubenfeld 3 volumes New York City, 1909. A serial killer is targeting the city’s wealthiest heiresses. Dr. Stratham Younger enlists the help of his idol Sigmund Freud after Nora Acton survives an attack but develops hysteria. The two analysts try to unlock her memories while they investigate the crimes. Some violence. 2006. Invisible BR 16503 by Pete Hautman 1 volume Seventeen-year-old Dougie is a loner obsessed with building a bridge out of match sticks for his model railroad. His only friend and confidant is Andy, a popular football player, who lives next door. Gradually Dougie reveals their secret bond—the fires they set together. Some violence. For senior high readers. 2005. The Ladies of Garrison Gardens BR 16687 by Louise Shaffer 3 volumes The Three Miss Margarets (BR 14840) are down to two with the death of Peggy Garrison. And Laurel Selene McCready, who was like the daughter Peggy never had, has inherited everything. When Laurel begins going through Peggy’s things, she uncovers some long-hidden secrets. Some strong language. 2005. The Light of Evening BR 17137 by Edna O’Brien 2 volumes On her deathbed in a Dublin hospital, Dilly recalls her brief immigration to America in the 1920s and the accompanying love affair, her return to Ireland, her marriage, and motherhood. Meanwhile her daughter Eleanora, a divorced writer living in England, regrets her own missed happiness. 2006. Out of Season BR 16306 by Robert Bausch 3 volumes Sheriff David Caldwell arrives at the aging resort town of Columbia Beach to establish a satellite office. He’s also meeting his twenty-year-old son, who was released after serving time for killing his little brother. Meanwhile a young woman and the town bully provide complications. Strong language and some violence. 2005. The Reluctant Fundamentalist BR 17252 by Mohsin Hamid 1 volume Lahore, Pakistan. Changez reminisces to an American about his time in the United States. Although a Princeton graduate with an impressive job and a wealthy girlfriend, Changez sympathized with the Islamic extremists behind the 9/11 terrorists attacks and returned home. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. The Sea BR 16232 by John Banville 2 volumes Middle-aged Irish widower Max Morden retreats to the seaside where he spent his boyhood summers to mourn the loss of his wife Anna. While his grown daughter tries to console him, he confronts the past and his relationship with the wealthy Grace family. Strong language. Man Booker Prize. Bestseller. 2005. Surrender BR 16944 by Sonya Hartnett 2 volumes As twenty-year-old Gabriel lies in bed dying, he recalls events shared with his two companions, his dog Surrender and the volatile Finnigan. Gabriel reflects on the death of his mentally challenged brother Vernon and the arson attacks in his hometown. Some violence. For senior high and older readers. Printz Honor. 2005. Terrorist BR 16697 by John Updike 3 volumes Fatherless eighteen-year-old Ahmad—half Irish, half Egyptian—has been under the influence of imam Shaikh Rashid since he was eleven. Ahmad’s Jewish guidance counselor in his inner-city New Jersey high school offers help, but Ahmad agrees to commit violence for his religious beliefs. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2006. When Madeline Was Young BR 17236 by Jane Hamilton 3 volumes Aaron Maciver’s wife Madeline suffers brain damage in an accident. Aaron remarries and the couple cares for Madeline along with their children Mac and Louise. Mac recalls growing up in the 1960s and becoming a conscientious objector, while his cousin Buddy enlisted. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2006. The Year of Pleasures BR 16391 by Elizabeth Berg 2 volumes Middle-aged Boston widow Betta Nolan follows the retirement dreams she shared with her late husband and moves to a small town in Illinois to start over. Renewing her friendships with women from college, Betta also opens a retail shop and makes friends with the townspeople. Some strong language. 2005. Religious Themes Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment BR 17229 by Deepak Chopra 2 volumes A retelling of the Buddha’s search for truth. The prince Siddhartha leaves behind his comfortable palace, becomes a wandering monk who faces many trials and much suffering, and transcends physical pain to achieve enlightenment as the Buddha. Includes a concise practical guide to Buddhism. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2007. Halfway to Forever: Forever Faithful, Book 3 BR 16441 by Karen Kingsbury 3 volumes Hannah and Matt Bronzan move beyond tragedy and try to adopt a daughter, a younger sister for Jenny. Meanwhile, Jade and Tanner Eastman are expecting, but the pregnancy puts Jade’s life in jeopardy. Love and faith help the couples persevere. 2002. Kingdom Come: The Final Victory BR 17251 by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 3 volumes In this concluding volume of the Left Behind series, the Tribulation has ended. Jesus prevails over Satan and establishes a kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Sequel to Glorious Appearing: The End of Days (BR 15335). Bestseller. 2007. Light from Heaven: The Mitford Years, Book 6 BR 16375 by Jan Karon 4 volumes Father Tim and Cynthia are house-sitting on a farm outside of Mitford when the bishop calls with instructions to jumpstart the revival of Holy Trinity, a mountain church closed forty years ago. Unusual adventures await Father Tim. Sequel to A New Song (BR 12273). Bestseller. 2005. The Rapture: In the Twinkling of an Eye—Countdown to the Earth’s Last Days; Countdown to the Rapture, Book 3 BR 16698 by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 2 volumes With his wife consumed by newfound faith, pilot and CIA consultant Rayford Steele grows close to a stewardess. Politician Nicolae Carpathia continues his climb to power. Meanwhile, people from all over the globe disappear, called into the presence of God. Sequel to The Regime (BR 16651). Bestseller. 2006. The Regime: Evil Advances before They Were Left Behind; Countdown to the Rapture, Book 2 BR 16651 by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 3 volumes Business tycoon Nicolae Carpathia expands his political and economic influence. Meanwhile, pilot Rayford Steele worries about his wife’s growing religious fervor and helps the CIA and Defense Department combat trade in black-market shoulder-fired missiles capable of bringing down aircraft. Sequel to The Rising (BR 16069). Bestseller. 2005. Sarah’s Song: A Red Gloves Novel BR 16412 by Karen Kingsbury 1 volume South Carolina. On each of the twelve days of Christmas, Sarah Lindeman hangs an ornament on her tree at the retirement home and sings about her late husband. This year she hopes that the ritual will help caregiver Beth Baldwin, a young mother who is contemplating divorce. 2004. The Victory Club BR 16242 by Robin Lee Hatcher 2 volumes Boise, Idaho; 1943. Four friends—Penelope, Lucy, Margo, and her daughter Dottie—face hardships while working at an airfield to help the war effort. Lucy prays for her pilot husband and Margo prays for her son. Meanwhile Dottie discovers that she’s expecting an illegitimate child and hopes for God’s forgiveness. 2005. Waiting for Morning: Forever Faithful, Book 1 BR 16346 by Karen Kingsbury 3 volumes A drunk driver kills Hannah Ryan’s husband and daughter on their way home from a camping trip. Consumed by grief, Hannah vows revenge and turns her back on her surviving child Jenny and God. District attorney Matt Bronzan tries to help Hannah find faith and forgiveness. 1999. Romance Baby Love: The Coulter Family, Book 1 BR 17204 by Catherine Anderson 4 volumes Maggie Stanley, repeatedly abused by her stepfather, escapes her Idaho home with her baby and hides in a boxcar. Desperately ill and fearing for her son’s life, she allows herself to be rescued by Rafe Kendrick, a wealthy rancher running away from his past. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1999. Back on Blossom Street: A Blossom Street Book BR 17360 by Debbie Macomber 3 volumes Colette, a young widow who left her job after an affair with her boss; Alix, a jittery bride- to-be; and flower-store owner Susannah join A Good Yarn’s newest knitting class. Under instructor Lydia’s tutelage, they learn to make prayer shawls—and to cope with their problems. Some descriptions of sex. 2007. Calder Storm: The Calder Saga, Volume 10 BR 16732 by Janet Dailey 3 volumes Fifth-generation Montana rancher Trey Calder’s whirlwind romance with photographer Sloan Davis soon leads to marriage and pregnancy. But Trey makes a discovery about Sloan’s past that threatens his family and raises doubts about Sloan’s motives. Meanwhile a grieving father plots revenge against the Calders. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. The Choice BR 17348 by Nicholas Sparks 2 volumes North Carolina. After just one whirlwind weekend, Gabby Holland falls hard for her new neighbor Travis Parker and must choose between him and her longtime boyfriend. Years later, a tougher choice could end the relationship between Gabby and Travis forever. Bestseller. 2007. Christmas Letters BR 17218 by Debbie Macomber 2 volumes Seattle medical transcriptionist and ghostwriter Katherine “K.O.” O’Connor meets prominent child psychologist Wynn Jeffries, whose parenting principles her sister has adopted. K.O. disagrees with Wynn’s theories, which she claims have turned her twin nieces into little monsters, but falls in love with the attractive doctor nonetheless. 2006. The Colonel’s Daughter BR 16601 by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles 2 volumes In 1954 soldier George West falls for colonel’s daughter Josella Grace, unaware of her tragic past. Jo leaves George and for a decade wanders Great Britain, taking various jobs and lovers. Only when George helps Jo confront her heartache do they realize their love. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. Comfort and Joy BR 16603 by Kristin Hannah 2 volumes School librarian Joy Candellaro takes an impromptu vacation during the holidays when she learns that her ex-husband and her sister are having a baby. After surviving a crash landing in a remote forest, Joy encounters reclusive Daniel and his eight-year-old son Bobby—or did she imagine them? 2005. Crazy in Love BR 16547 by Luanne Rice 3 volumes Georgie Symonds leads an idyllic life with her Wall Street lawyer husband Nick in seaside Connecticut. But as Nick spends more time with his sexy colleague, Georgie becomes plagued by suspicions and immerses herself in her own work, through which she meets a tempting stranger. Some descriptions of sex. 1988. Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues BR 17480 by LuAnn McLane 2 volumes Kentucky waitress Abby Harper enters a television ballroom dance contest to win prize money for her family. Dance studio owner Rio Martin is embarrassed to be on the show but needs the publicity. Soon sparks fly between them. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2007. Dear John BR 16791 by Nicholas Sparks 2 volumes North Carolina. After years of drifting, John Tyree, who was raised by a father with Asperger’s syndrome, joins the army. While on leave he meets Savannah Curtis, a special-education major. The two fall in love, but their relationship changes when John reenlists after 9/11. Bestseller. 2006. The Edge of Winter BR 17187 by Luanne Rice 3 volumes Neve Halloran and her teenaged daughter Mickey move to the windswept Rhode Island coast after leaving Mickey’s unstable father. Neve falls in love with a man who has devoted his life to caring for a wildlife sanctuary, while Mickey meets a lonely boy. 2007. Enthusiasm BR 16689 by Polly Shulman 2 volumes Julie and Ashleigh are high school sophomores, best friends, and Jane Austen fans. Looking for their own Mr. Darcy, both girls fall for the same boy and hide their feelings while rehearsing for a school play. Despite comic errors, everyone experiences a happy ending. For senior high readers. 2006. Every Boy’s Got One BR 16120 by Meg Cabot 3 volumes In an adventure that unfolds through travel diaries and e-mails, reporter Cal Langdon and cartoonist Jane Harris clash at first as they travel to Italy to witness their best friends’ elopement. But when wedding plans hit a snag, they cooperate to obtain a necessary document and fall in love. 2005. Fashionably Late BR 16740 by Beth Kendrick 2 volumes Becca Davis breaks up with her fiancé and moves in with her sister in Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion design. While waiting for her big break, Becca works as a hostess and falls for sexy restaurant owner Connor Sullivan. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2005. First Impressions BR 16803 by Nora Roberts 2 volumes Sharpsburg, Maryland. Wealthy Vance Banning retreats to the countryside for peace and quiet and anonymity, while neighbor Shane Abbot transforms her grandmother’s house into an antiques store. Vance resists his physical attraction to Shane and her cheerful optimism as long as he can. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 1984. A Higher Geometry BR 16809 by Sharelle Byars Moranville 1 volume Midwest, 1959. Fifteen-year-old farm girl Anna, a math genius, yearns to go to college, but her skeptical parents—and society—expect her to become a housewife. Anna dates artistic basketball star Mike, and both long to fulfill their dreams. For senior high readers. 2006. Honor Thyself BR 17696 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes Fifty-year-old actress Carole Barber travels to Paris to do research for a book she is writing. After a terrorist attack, Carole suffers from amnesia. While her friends, grown children, and ex-husband try to help her remember, a former lover stirs memories and opens doors to the future. Bestseller. 2008. The House BR 16461 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes San Francisco. A client has left workaholic lawyer Sarah Anderson an unexpected inheritance with the caveat to have fun with the money. Sarah decides to renovate a mansion and becomes absorbed in its history. Soon she finds herself falling in love with architect Jeff Parker. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2006. H.R.H. BR 16875 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes After her college graduation Princess Christianna’s royal father allows her to volunteer anonymously at an international relief camp in Africa. Christianna falls in love with Parker Williams, a physician working with Doctors without Borders, but violence invades their haven. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2006. ImPossible BR 16221 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes Widowed gallery owner Sasha Boardman offers a contract to bad-boy artist Liam Allison. Soon conservative Sasha and staunch-nonconformist Liam begin an affair— though he is married and nearly a decade younger. Differences, complications, and personality clashes threaten their dramatic romance. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2005. Jude’s Law BR 16623 by Lori Foster 3 volumes Gallery owner May Price turns to actor Jude Jamison, an ex-prizefighter, when a loan shark gives her brother Tim an ultimatum: repay his fifty-thousand-dollar debt, kill Jude, or die. May hides at Jude’s estate while Jude investigates the threat. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2006. Keegan’s Lady BR 16705 by Catherine Anderson 4 volumes Colorado, 1885. Ace Keegan returns to avenge his stepfather’s murder and his mother’s rape. The killer, Conor O’Shannessy, is dead but O’Shannessy’s daughter Caitlin has inherited the ranch. Ace compromises Caitlin’s reputation but proposes a marriage of convenience as compensation. Descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1996. Kiss Me Again BR 15984 by Lisa Jackson, Suzanne Forster, and Debbie Macomber 3 volumes Four short stories about women who find love in different ways. In “The Marrying Kind” by Debbie Macomber, Jason Ingram meets his first true love a few days before his wedding. In “The Brass Ring” by Lisa Jackson, Dr. Shawna McGuire’s fiancé has amnesia. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. A Little Fate BR 17101 by Nora Roberts 3 volumes Three tales of love and magic. In “The Witching Hour” a young woman following her heart saves her kingdom. In “Winter Rose” a queen receives something unexpected for healing a warrior. In “A World Apart” a demon slayer finds herself transported to New York. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. Lone Calder Star: Calder Saga, Volume 9 BR 16219 by Janet Dailey 3 volumes Chase Calder of Montana sends his grandson Quint Echohawk to the family’s ranch in Texas to prevent a takeover by millionaire Max Rutledge. Quint, a former ATF agent, encounters trouble but gets help from Empty Garner and his beautiful granddaughter Dallas. Some violence. 2005. Love, Stargirl BR 17489 by Jerry Spinelli 2 volumes Stargirl and her parents have moved away, but the homeschooled free spirit still misses her Arizona boyfriend Leo, who dumped her. She begins writing him “the world’s longest letter,” describing her new neighbors and her feelings. Sequel to Stargirl (BR 12801). For junior and senior high readers. 2007. Love Story BR 17095 by Erich Segal 1 volume Wealthy Harvard senior Oliver Barrett IV falls in love with wisecracking Radcliffe music student Jenny Cavilleri. Oliver marries Jenny despite his father’s threat to disown him. They seek a life together without assistance from Oliver’s family in what proves to be a bittersweet love story. Strong language. 1970. The Man from Stone Creek BR 17193 by Linda Lael Miller 3 volumes 1903. Ranger Sam O’Ballivan has come to Haven, Arizona, to catch a band of rustlers. Posing as the new schoolteacher, he will have a bunch of unruly kids to put in order, including the brother of the charming postmistress Maddie Chancelor. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2006. Million-Dollar Dilemma BR 16345 by Judy Baer 3 volumes Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twenty-eight-year-old preacher’s daughter Cassia Carr inadvertently participates in an office lottery pool and wins twenty million dollars. When Cassia decides to donate her ill-gotten wealth, her neighbor Adam Cavanaugh, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and lapsed Christian, tries to convince her to contribute the money to impoverished Africans. 2005. Murphy’s Law BR 16916 by Lori Foster 3 volumes May Price’s best friend Ashley Miles, from Jude’s Law (BR 16623), needs advice after falling in love with Quinton Murphy. The killer Elton Pascal stalks the two women as May prepares for her wedding to Jude. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2006. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist BR 16896 by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan 2 volumes Strangers Nick and Norah meet at a punk-rock club and experience a night of adventure. Nick, a musician, has just had a painful breakup with his girlfriend, and brokenhearted Norah also needs reassurance. The two romp through Manhattan and fall in love. Strong language. For senior high readers. 2006. No Safe Place BR 17112 by JoAnn Ross 3 volumes Chicago homicide detective Kate Delaney begins her own investigation into the death of her estranged twin in New Orleans after the local cops fail to pursue the truth. She enlists the help of a private investigator, ex-cop Nick Broussard. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2007. Passport Diaries BR 16314 by Tamara T. Gregory 2 volumes After being suspended from work for clashing with her boss more than once, African American attorney Kia Carson from L.A. takes a European vacation alone. In Greece she bumps into colleague Drew Crokos, who’s visiting relatives, and they fall in love. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. Play Dirty BR 17340 by Sandra Brown 4 volumes Former quarterback Griff Burkett, just released from jail after serving time for throwing a game for the mob, is hired by Texas paraplegic millionaire Foster Speakman to impregnate his wife Laura. Griff takes the money while being stalked by crooked Dallas cop Stanley Rodarte. Explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2007. Played BR 16474 by Dana Davidson 2 volumes In order to join a fraternity at his Detroit high school Ian must make Kylie want him. Ian is surprised when he is the one who falls in love, while Kylie tries to suppress her suspicions and enjoy their relationship. Some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2005. Restoring Grace BR 17184 by Katie Fforde 3 volumes Divorcée Grace takes in artist and single mother-to-be Ellie as a boarder at the old English mansion Grace inherited from her aunt. The women become friends and begin renovations with some distractions from wine-shop owner Flynn Cormack and from the discovery of potentially valuable paintings. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. Rosebuds BR 16667 by Margaret Mayhew 2 volumes Post-World War II England. Flora Middleton and Tally Ashby become friends at boarding school despite different backgrounds: Flora is poor while Tally is aristocratic. Their bond strengthens through young adulthood and first love, but while Tally has her choice of suitors, Flora pines hopelessly for Tally’s stepbrother Nicholas. 2004. Savannah Breeze: A Savannah Novel BR 16679 by Mary Kay Andrews 4 volumes Homeless and broke after dating con man Reddy Millbanks, BeBe Loudermilk moves into her aging oceanfront motel, the Breeze Inn. When Reddy resurfaces BeBe plots to recover her fortune and exact revenge with help from inn manager Harry Sorrentino and Weezie Foley, from Savannah Blues (BR 14405). Strong language. 2006. Saved in the City BR 16574 by Jacquelin Thomas 3 volumes New York City. Three beautiful women try to succeed as black models: Macy, who flunked out of college; Patterson, who escaped rural Georgia; and widowed L.A. social worker LaRue. As the three become friends and face inevitable challenges, they trust in God’s plan for their happiness and fulfillment. 2005. Scrambled Eggs at Midnight BR 16921 by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler 2 volumes Calliope travels around the country with her nomadic, jewelry-making mother, while Eliot lives at a North Carolina Christian fat farm run by his born-again father. The two fifteen-year-olds meet and fall in love as they struggle to grow up. For senior high readers. 2006. The Séance BR 17341 by Heather Graham 3 volumes A series of murders in Orlando was originally pinned on a cop who was shot and killed. When the murders begin again, the cop’s ghost asks reluctant Christina Hardy to help prove his innocence posthumously and catch the real killer. Violene, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2007. Simply Love: Miss Martin’s School for Girls, Book 2 BR 16903 by Mary Balogh 3 volumes Regency England. Anne Jewell, an unwed mother and instructor at Miss Martin’s School for Girls, meets disfigured war veteran Sydnam Butler on an estate in Wales. As Anne fights her growing attraction to Sydnam, a wealthy estate manager, he falls in love with her. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. Simply Magic: Miss Martin’s School for Girls, Book 3 BR 17115 by Mary Balogh 3 volumes Regency England. Susanna Osbourne, a teacher at a girls’ school in Bath, meets Peter Edgeworth, viscount Whitleaf, at a friend’s estate during summer recess. The two fall in love, even though Susanna secretly holds Peter’s family responsible for her father’s suicide years ago. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2007. Single in Suburbia BR 16805 by Wendy Wax 3 volumes Soon-to-be-divorced mother of two Amanda Sheridan befriends trophy wife Brooke Mackenzie and three-time divorcée Candy Sugarman. The trio decides to earn money and self-respect by disguising themselves as French maids and cleaning houses, including that of former pro baseball player Hunter James. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2006. Summer Breeze BR 16686 by Catherine Anderson 3 volumes Colorado, 1880s. Rachel Hollister isolates herself after her parents and siblings are murdered during a picnic. Five years later terror returns when her foreman Darby is shot near the same area. Neighbor Joseph Paxton offers his help and falls in love with Rachel. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. Sun Kissed: The Coulter Family, Book 7 BR 17132 by Catherine Anderson 3 volumes Rancher Samantha Harrigan and veterinarian Tucker Coulter meet while protecting a horse from its drunken owner. When her own horses are poisoned, Samantha suspects her ex-husband, but authorities think that Samantha—the insurance beneficiary—is involved. Tucker helps prove her innocence. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Sweet Nothings: The Coulter Family, Book 3 BR 16208 by Catherine Anderson 4 volumes Molly Wells steals a valuable but abused racehorse from her ex-husband. She takes the animal to the Oregon ranch of “horse whisperer” Jake Coulter for help. There Molly remains in hiding. Explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2002. There’s Something about Christmas BR 16483 by Debbie Macomber 2 volumes Small town reporter Emma Collins’s first major assignment for the Puyallup, Washington, newspaper is to interview finalists in a fruitcake competition. Local pilot Oliver Hamilton flies Emma around the state to visit the three very wise women bakers, and he and Emma end up falling in love. Includes recipes. 2005. Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater Dude and Other Commandments I Have Broken BR 16553 by Rosemary Graham 2 volumes California high school sophomore Kelsey Wilcox endures vicious rumors spread on the Internet by her superstar, skateboarding boyfriend after she breaks up with him. Kelsey competes for a place on the school newspaper as she tries to salvage her reputation. Some strong language. For senior high readers. 2005. Toxic Bachelors BR 16425 by Danielle Steel 3 volumes Three bachelor friends spend summers cruising the Mediterranean. Philanthropist Charlie, celebrity attorney Adam, and artist Gray unexpectedly find true love. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. Upstate BR 16691 by Kalisha Buckhanon 2 volumes Teenaged Antonio, jailed for his father’s murder, corresponds with his girlfriend Natasha in Harlem. Over the years Natasha attends college, Antonio adjusts to prison life, their feelings inevitably change—and the truth about the killing comes out. Strong language and some violence. For senior high and older readers. Alex Award. 2005. A Wanted Man: A Stone Creek Novel BR 17497 by Linda Lael Miller 3 volumes Arizona territory, 1905. Ranger Sam O’Ballivan, from The Man from Stone Creek (BR 17193), hires Rowdy Rhodes to catch train robbers—even Rowdy’s own father. Meanwhile, schoolmarm Lark Morgan is hiding from an abusive husband when she falls in love with Rowdy. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2007. Words of Silk BR 17134 by Sandra Brown 2 volumes Kindergarten teacher Laney McLeod is visiting friends in New York when a blackout traps her on an elevator with handsome attorney Deke Sargent. They share a night of passion after which Laney flees. Months later Deke finds Laney—now pregnant—and vows to win her love. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1984. You Don’t Love Me Yet BR 17145 by Jonathan Lethem 2 volumes Denise, Matthew, Bedwin, and Lucinda belong to a struggling Los Angeles alternative rock band. When Lucinda cribs some lines from Carl, her lover and a professional phrase writer, he insists on joining the group as compensation. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2007. You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School BR 16861 by Rachel Vail 2 volumes Fifteen-year-old sophomore Josie is strong and independent until popular jock Carson charms her and she falls in love. But shortly after they’ve begun dating, Carson dumps Josie for his former girlfriend—leaving Josie brokenhearted. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. Science Fiction Banner of Souls BR 16744 by Liz Williams 3 volumes Martian Matriarchy elders send warrior Dreams-of-War to Earth to protect Lunae, a genetically engineered girl who can manipulate time. Perceiving the child as a threat, rival clan leader Elaki orders her niece Yskatarina to kill Lunae and destroy the Matriarchy’s power. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2004. The Bar Code Tattoo BR 16578 by Suzanne Weyn 2 volumes In the year 2025 the government tattoos a bar code on everyone at age seventeen. When sixteen-year-old Kayla’s father commits suicide after receiving a belated bar code, Kayla joins a protest group led by classmate Mfumbe. Soon they are on the run. Some violence. For senior high readers. 2004. Blindsight BR 17166 by Peter Watts 3 volumes It is 2082. Thousands of luminous alien probes surrounding Earth intercept a radio signal from an unknown source. Aboard the spaceship Theseus a misfit crew of explorers—a bionic biologist, a linguist with multiple personalities, a pacifist warrior, and their vampire leader—prepares for first contact. Strong language and some violence. 2006. Effendi: The Second Arabesk BR 16867 by Jon Courtenay Grimwood 3 volumes Ashraf Bey, chief of detectives in El Iskandryia, Ottoman North Africa, investigates a series of brutal murders seemingly linked to wealthy industrialist Hamzah Effendi—the father of Zara, the girl he should have married. Sequel to Pashazade (BR 16404). Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2002. Firestorm: The Caretaker Trilogy, Book 1 BR 17258 by David Klass 3 volumes Eighteen-year-old high school senior Jack Danielson learns that he’s been sent from the future to prevent ecological disaster on Earth. Jack’s only allies are Gisco, a dog who communicates telepathically, and Eko, a shape-shifting ninja girl who teaches him to avoid the Dark Army. For senior high readers. 2006. Genetopia BR 16706 by Keith Brooke 3 volumes Flint, a truebred human, becomes separated from his sister Amber at a market festival where genetically impure “mutts” are auctioned. Flint believes their abusive father sold Amber to the mutt trade and ventures into the wildlands to find her. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2006. The Goodness Gene BR 16420 by Sonia Levitin 2 volumes 2305. The Supreme Compassionate Director, a benign dictator, grooms his sixteen-year- old twins Will and Berk to become leaders. When Will tours a colony he learns the truth about his father’s kingdom—and about the historical figure the brothers are clones of. For senior high readers. 2005. Haven BR 16319 by Don D’Ammassa 3 volumes Recuperating from a nervous disorder on the planet Meadow, Wes Avery discovers a corpse that subsequently disappears. When local authorities seem intent on concealing the truth, Wes and artificial-intelligence programmer Dona Tharmody attempt to identify the body. They discover possible ties between the murder and a secretive politician. 2004. The House of the Scorpion BR 17298 by Nancy Farmer 3 volumes In a future where humans despise clones, Matt has special privileges as the young clone of El Patrón—the 140-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire. When Matt gets a glimpse of his fate, he rebels. Some violence and some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. Newbery Honor; National Book Award. 2002. Howard Who? Stories BR 17370 by Howard Waldrop 2 volumes Twelve short stories. In “Heirs of the Perisphere” a robot dog, duck, and rodent spontaneously animated in a long-abandoned cartoon automaton factory find a world much different from their own. Also includes the Nebula and World Fantasy Award- winning “The Ugly Chickens” and “Horror, We Got.” 1986. The Island of Doctor Moreau BR 17169 by H.G. Wells 2 volumes Late Victorian fantasy classic in which scientific arrogance leads to horrifying consequences. In 1887 Edward Prendick is shipwrecked, rescued, and later abandoned on a mysterious island inhabited by grotesque creatures under the control of Dr. Moreau. Includes 2005 introduction by Margaret Atwood. Some violence. 1896. Pashazade: The First Arabesk BR 16404 by Jon Courtenay Grimwood 3 volumes After escaping from prison, ZeeZee flies to Ottoman North Africa and assumes the identity of Pashazade Ashraf al-Mansur. Suspected of murdering a woman claiming to be his aunt, Ashraf searches for the real killer and his own true heritage. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2001. Rash BR 16729 by Pete Hautman 2 volumes United Safer States of America, 2070s. Sixteen-year-old Bo Marsten is locked up for unsociable behavior like fighting. At an Arctic work camp, he’s recruited to play the illegal game of football until the disgruntled warden releases him into a wilderness full of polar bears. For senior high readers. National Book Award. 2006. Slaughterhouse-Five; or, The Children’s Crusade—a Duty-Dance with Death BR 17373 by Kurt Vonnegut 2 volumes Billy Pilgrim, adrift in time, randomly revisits past and present manifestations: senile widower stalked by an assassin, hopeful young newlywed, giraffe on the planet Tralfamadore—where time is an illusion—and, most crucially, American POW during the firebombing of Dresden in World War II. Strong language. 1969. Star Wars: Outbound Flight BR 16463 by Timothy Zahn 3 volumes Jedi Master Jorus C’baoth heads an ambitious intergalactic expedition to the Unknown Regions. Fearing C’baoth’s hidden agenda and the involvement of the Sith, the Jedi Council orders Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan learner Anakin Skywalker to join the ill-fated mission. Companion to Survivor’s Quest (BR 15500). Bestseller. 2006. Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 BR 16743 by Andrea White 2 volumes By 2083 a deteriorating American civilization is dominated by “reality” television programs. Five fourteen-year-olds reenact Scott’s 1910 failed expedition to the South Pole as contestants on the Historical Survivor series. They overcome obstacles with the covert help of a Department of Entertainment employee. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. White Apples BR 16458 by Jonathan Carroll 3 volumes Surreal journey of philanderer Vincent Ettrich, who dies and is resurrected by his pregnant girlfriend. Ettrich struggles to comprehend the mystery of his new life and to protect the unborn child who, he discovers, is crucial to the salvation of the universe. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2002. Short Stories Black Juice BR 16627 by Margo Lanagan 2 volumes Ten fantasy tales explore human frailty through significant moments in people’s lives. In “Wooden Bride” Matty Weir, like the other brides, has made the required outward preparations but becomes lost on her way to the ceremony. For senior high readers. Printz Honor Book. 2004. The Dragon Quintet BR 16642 edited by Marvin Kaye 2 volumes Stories by Orson Scott Card, Elizabeth Moon, Tanith Lee, Mercedes Lackey, and Michael Swanwick. In Lee’s “Love in a Time of Dragons” a tavern girl prefers the company of dragons to that of lustful men. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 2003. Every Man for Himself: Ten Short Stories about Being a Guy BR 16324 edited by Nancy E. Mercado 1 volume Ten diverse short stories by well-known authors illustrate events that can shape a boy into a man. In Walter Dean Myers’s “The Prom Prize” Fly raffles himself off for a date. In “Shockers” Steve finds a mentor in his girlfriend’s father. For senior high readers. 2005. The Golden Ball and Other Stories BR 16799 by Agatha Christie 2 volumes Fifteen short mysteries of bizarre romantic entanglements, supernatural visitations, and classic murder, written in the 1920s and 1930s. Includes “The Girl in the Train,” “The Rajah’s Emerald,” “Swan Song,” “The Hound of Death,” “The Gipsy,” “The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael,” “The Call of Wings,” and others. 1924. Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales BR 16518 edited by Deborah Noyes 2 volumes Horror stories for young adults by authors Vivian Vande Velde, Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, and others. In Janni Lee Simner’s “Stone Tower” a sorcerer’s teenaged daughter fights to regain her will and free her boyfriend from an evil spell. For senior high readers. 2004. The Hanging in the Foaling Barn: Stories BR 16758 by Susan Starr Richards 2 volumes Nine stories set mostly in Kentucky concerning horse lore and human nature. In the title piece forty-one-year-old former jockey Maurice calls his friend Luther at 3:30 a.m. to announce his intention to commit suicide in a most inappropriate place, the barn where mares are giving birth. 2006. Harrowing the Dragon BR 16615 by Patricia A. McKillip 2 volumes Fifteen short stories written between 1982 and 1999 by the World Fantasy Award winner. In the novella A Matter of Music a young bard awakens to his master’s artistry, while in the tale “Voyage into the Heart” the virgin’s innocence intensifies the betrayal of the unicorn. 2005. Howard Who? Stories BR 17370 by Howard Waldrop 2 volumes Twelve short stories. In “Heirs of the Perisphere” a robot dog, duck, and rodent spontaneously animated in a long-abandoned cartoon automaton factory find a world much different from their own. Also includes the Nebula and World Fantasy Award- winning “The Ugly Chickens” and “Horror, We Got.” 1986. Kiss Me Again BR 15984 by Lisa Jackson, Suzanne Forster, and Debbie Macomber 3 volumes Four short stories about women who find love in different ways. In “The Marrying Kind” by Debbie Macomber, Jason Ingram meets his first true love a few days before his wedding. In “The Brass Ring” by Lisa Jackson, Dr. Shawna McGuire’s fiancé has amnesia. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. Last Night BR 16669 by James Salter 1 volume Ten short stories that explore intimate relationships. In the title piece an assisted suicide doesn’t go as planned. In “Give” a wife’s birthday wish is for her husband to give up his male lover. Strong language. PEN/Faulkner Award. 2005. Learning to Kill: Stories BR 16821 by Ed McBain 3 volumes For this anthology the author selected twenty-five of his early stories published in pulp magazines under the bylines of Evan Hunter, Richard Marsten, and Hunt Collins. Written in the 1950s, the tales are filled with damsels in distress, PIs, and cops.Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. The Lottery and Other Stories BR 17368 by Shirley Jackson 2 volumes Twenty-five short stories ranging from adventure to horror. In the title piece, a village puts a terrifying twist on the luck of the draw. In “The Witch” a stranger on a train regales a young boy with a chilling tale of murder. Some violence. 1948. Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports BR 16815 byAlden R. Carter 2 volumes Interconnected short stories centering around a Wisconsin high school’s football team and their friends. In “Elvis” a football player collects money so a foster girl can go to homecoming. In “Kicker Wanted” a punter’s female rugby-playing English cousin becomes the new field-goal kicker. For senior high readers. 2006. Moral Disorder: Stories BR 16900 by Margaret Atwood 2 volumes Short stories chronicle the lives of a Canadian woman and those around her, from childhood to old age. In rural and urban locales, the protagonist deals with sibling rivalry, teachers, friends and enemies, lovers, husbands, and aging parents. Some strong language. 2006. My Dad’s a Punk: Twelve Stories about Boys and Their Fathers BR 16783 edited by Tony Bradman 2 volumes Short stories by teen authors from America, Great Britain, and Australia explore the connections between fathers and sons. Includes all sorts of dads, including one from the future. In the title story by Sean Taylor, competitive swimmer Martyn’s father is a rock musician. For junior and senior high readers. 2006. A Perfect Stranger: And Other Stories BR 16400 by Roxana Robinson 2 volumes Thirteen short stories exploring family relationships. In “Blind Man” a father copes with his daughter’s fatal drug overdose. In “At the Beach” an incident involving a lost child ends a couple’s indecision about having a baby. In the title piece a feuding husband and wife host an opera scholar. 2005. The Rawhide Knot and Other Stories BR 17308 by Conrad Richter 2 volumes Pulitzer Prize-winning author presents eight tales of pioneers who are ambushed by love and the challenge of frontier life. In the title story, a group of men bent on devilment attempt to “hatch up a marriage” between an old maid and a young lawyer from back East. 1935. The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories Featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Mr. Parker Pyne BR 17317 by Agatha Christie 2 volumes Eight short detective tales and one of semisupernatural drama. In the title story Mr. Parker Pyne seeks a thief when a diamond goes missing from a yachting party. In “Yellow Iris” Hercule Poirot solves one crime and thwarts another at a dinner party. Miss Marple shares a mystery tale. 1934. The Royal Ghosts: Stories BR 17239 by Samrat Upadhyay 2 volumes Nine tales set in twenty-first-century Nepal during the political turmoil caused by Maobadi rebels. In “A Refugee” a middle-class man offers a bereft young widow and her five-year-old daughter shelter in his family’s apartment. His gesture of kindness ricochets to his own detriment. 2006. The Sixth Man and Other Stories BR 17171 by Bill James 2 volumes One poem and fourteen short stories dating back to the 1990s, several of which feature Detective Chief Superintendent Colin Harpur and Assistant Chief Constable Desmond Iles. In the title piece the English detectives investigate the demise of a born-again factory worker. Strong language and some violence. 2006. The Stories of Hans Christian Andersen BR 16541 translated by Diana Crone Frank and Jeffrey Frank 3 volumes Modern English translation of twenty-two familiar and unfamiliar tales by Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875). “The Little Mermaid” is told with its original dark ending. Contains notes on the stories and an essay introducing Andersen and his times. 2003. The Tent BR 16616 by Margaret Atwood 1 volume Short stories by the prizewinning Canadian author of The Handmaid’s Tale (BR 11911). The title piece is a prose poem about a compulsive writer who tries to protect her loved ones by scribbling observations on a paper tent as wild monsters howl outside. 2006. Tooth and Claw BR 16323 by T. Coraghessan Boyle 3 volumes Fourteen short stories explore natural instincts and the tension between civilization and wildness. In the title piece a guy wins an African wildcat in a barroom bet, making both cat and man miserable in his confining, crummy apartment. Strong language. 2005. Westerns of the 40’s: Classics from the Great Pulps BR 17307 edited by Damon Knight 3 volumes Compilation of sixteen short western stories from magazines of the 1940s. Includes works by John D. MacDonald, Tom Roan, Roy M. O’Mara, James Shaffer, Cliff Farrell, and others. Contains tales of revenge, range wars, roving saddle bums, and ladies of the night. Some violence. 1977. Where There’s a Will BR 16670 by Margie Walker, Bridget Anderson, Shirley Hailstock, and Shelby Lewis 3 volumes In four different stories the daughters of deceased African American PI Henry Chambers of Liberty, Georgia, begin to close his cases. As Maxine, Samantha, Morgan, and Taylor investigate and uncover town and family secrets, their lives become threatened. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. Spies and Espionage The Book of Spies: An Anthology of Literary Espionage BR 16457 edited by Alan Furst 4 volumes Excerpts from great spy novels. Authors include Eric Ambler, Anthony Burgess, Joseph Conrad, Maxim Gorky, Graham Greene, Baroness Orczy, and Rebecca West, among others. 2003. The Collectors BR 16877 by David Baldacci 3 volumes When someone murders the head of the rare book room of the Library of Congress, eccentric colleague Caleb Shaw rounds up his buddies from The Camel Club (BR 16229) to investigate. Soon con artist Annabelle Conroy crosses their path. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2006. Goldfinger: A James Bond Novel BR 16769 by Ian Fleming 2 volumes British secret service agent James Bond is pitted against Auric Goldfinger—one of the world’s richest men—who is obsessed with gold. Bond infiltrates Goldfinger’s organization and foils a plan to rob Fort Knox. Some violence and some strong language. 1959. The Key to Rebecca BR 16848 by Ken Follett 3 volumes German spy Alex Wolff steals the British army’s secret plans and sends them to Rommel using a code whose key lies in the pages of Daphne du Maurier’s novel Rebecca. British major William Vandam sets out to destroy Wolff. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1980. Up in Honey’s Room BR 17362 by Elmore Leonard 2 volumes Federal marshal Carl Webster, from Hot Kid (BR 16125), travels to Detroit in 1944 to search for escaped German POWs. Webster interviews beautiful Honey Deal, the divorced wife of Nazi meatcutter Walter Schoen, and investigates Ukrainian spy Vera Mezwa. Strong language and some violence. 2007. Sports Blue Moon BR 16485 by Marilyn Halvorson 1 volume Seventeen-year-old Bobbie Jo buys a blue roan mare and tries to train her to be a champion barrel racer. Neighbor and classmate Cole McCall helps coach the horse, but he proves to be a big distraction. A high-interest, low-vocabulary book. For senior high readers. 2004. Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports BR 16815 by Alden R. Carter 2 volumes Interconnected short stories centering around a Wisconsin high school’s football team and their friends. In “Elvis” a football player collects money so a foster girl can go to homecoming. In “Kicker Wanted” a punter’s female rugby-playing English cousin becomes the new field-goal kicker. For senior high readers. 2006. Pinned BR 16217 by Alfred C. Martino 2 volumes Seniors Ivan and Bobby compete on rival New Jersey high school wrestling teams. While vying for a state championship that would lead to college scholarships, each boy keeps a demanding training schedule and copes with family problems. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high readers. 2005. Playing for Pizza BR 17339 by John Grisham 2 volumes Third-string quarterback Rick Dockery of the Cleveland Browns disgraces himself in a championship game and is fired. Dockery insists that his agent Arnie find him another job. When Arnie comes through, Dockery heads to Parma, Italy, where he faces culture shock. Bestseller. 2007. Under the Baseball Moon BR 16711 by John H. Ritter 2 volumes Fifteen-year-old California trumpeter Andy Ramos and softball pitcher Glory Martinez pursue their dreams together. When he plays at Glory’s games, she excels and Andy gets publicity. Their success is threatened after Andy makes a deal with a mysterious stranger promising fame and fortune—for a price. For senior high readers. 2006. Suspense The Alibi Man BR 16909 by Tami Hoag 3 volumes Horse trainer Elena Estes, a former narcotics detective, discovers the body of her coworker Irina Markova in a canal. Elena’s investigation leads to her previous Palm Beach, Florida, circles, where she finds ties to the Russian mob and society elite, including Bennett Walker—her ex-fiancé. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Citizen Vince BR 16842 by Jess Walter 3 volumes Spokane, Washington; 1980. Vince Camden is working as a baker in the Witness Protection Program and debating whether to vote for Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan. When another gangster recognizes him, Vince heads to New York to make amends with the mob. Violence and strong language. Edgar Award. 2005. Dark of the Moon BR 17391 by John Sandford 3 volumes The night that Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Virgil Flowers arrives in a small town to investigate the murder of an elderly couple, an old man is burned to death. Flowers must find the link before more bodies pile up. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2007. The Darkest Evening of the Year BR 17392 by Dean Koontz 3 volumes Southern California. Amy Redwing’s personal mission is to rescue abused and abandoned golden retrievers, including the rambunctious Nickie. Widower Brian McCarthy suspects that Amy is hiding something. Things turn uncanny when someone begins stalking Amy and her charges. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2007. Drive BR 16632 by James Sallis 1 volume A Hollywood stunt man named “Driver” moonlights at night driving getaway cars for random criminals. When a heist goes bad, a contract is put on Driver’s head, but he protects himself and exacts his revenge in the Arizona desert. Violence and strong language. 2005. False Impression BR 16507 by Jeffrey Archer 3 volumes Art dealer Dr. Anna Petrescu works for fraudulent financier Bryce Fenston, who collects Impressionist paintings. After the 2001 World Trade Center attack, Anna takes the opportunity to disappear and look into Bryce’s latest Van Gogh purchase. FBI agent Jack Delaney also investigates. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2006. The Good Guy BR 17338 by Dean Koontz 3 volumes Timothy Carrier is having a beer at a local bar when a stranger hands him an envelope full of cash to kill a woman in a photograph. Minutes later the actual hit man approaches Tim, placing him in a moral dilemma. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2007. Hannibal Rising BR 17063 by Thomas Harris 2 volumes Children Hannibal Lecter and his sister Mischa experience unbearable horrors in Lithuania during World War II. Finding refuge in France, the teenaged Hannibal is tormented by memories and begins to develop his own grim, monstrous nature. Prequel to Silence of the Lambs (BR 13149). Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2006. Hard Truth BR 16347 by Mariah Stewart 2 volumes Lorna Stiles revisits her family’s farm, where a girlhood friend, Melinda, disappeared at age nine. Melinda’s brother Jason was suspected of killing Melinda, but he vanished, too. Now Jason’s remains materialize, and police arrest his mother. Lorna enlists ex-FBI agent T.J. Dawson to investigate. Strong language and some violence. 2005. Hollywood Station BR 16878 by Joseph Wambaugh 3 volumes While trying to avoid allegations of racial profiling, a seasoned LAPD sergeant known as the Oracle dispatches veteran cops with rookies to deal with the addicts, crazies, and gangbangers that inhabit Hollywood. After a jewelry-store robbery, the investigation leads to the Russian Mafia. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2006. Ordinary Heroes BR 16387 by Scott Turow 4 volumes After his father’s death, Stewart Dubinsky discovers a packet of letters written during World War II that reveal a secret past. Further investigation uncovers details of the desperate battlefield decisions his father made that led to a court-martial and imprisonment. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 2005. Refuge Cove BR 16665 by Lesley Choyce 1 volume Greg and his mother move to Newfoundland, where he learns to sail in the ocean. Alone on a sailing trip, he finds a lifeboat full of illegal refugees and brings them home. They later flee into a storm when the police arrive. Uncontracted braille. For senior high readers. 2002. Rules of Prey BR 16800 by John Sandford 3 volumes Maddog, a serial rapist and murderer, is terrorizing Minneapolis. At each crime scene he leaves one of his rules of killing. Detective Lucas Davenport exploits the media to try to catch the culprit but becomes a target in the deadly game. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1989. Shadow Prey BR 17075 by John Sandford 3 volumes As a rookie cop, FBI director Lawrence Clay raped a young Native American woman. Years later, an assassin seeking vengeance lures him to Minneapolis, where homicide detective Lucas Davenport and New York policewoman Lily Rothenburg investigate a series of ritual killings. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1990. Sharp Objects BR 16931 by Gillian Flynn 2 volumes Chicago reporter Camille Preaker, recently treated for psychological problems, arrives in her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to investigate the murders of two preteen girls. Camille sees her mother and thirteen-year-old half sister for the first time in years. But events from the past overwhelm her. Some violence and some strong language. 2006. A Student of Living Things BR 17105 by Susan Richards Shreve 2 volumes A future Washington, D.C., during civil unrest. Siblings Claire and Steven Frayn, both graduate students living at home, are leaving the university library when politically active Steven is assassinated. Claire and Victor—who claims to have been Steven’s friend— seek the reason Steven was targeted. The truth implicates the Frayn family. 2006. Talk Talk BR 16775 by T. Coraghessan Boyle 3 volumes When thirty-three-year-old Dana Halter runs a stop sign, she’s arrested for crimes committed by a man using her name. Dana’s plight is complicated by her deafness. Then Dana and her boyfriend Bridger begin a cross-country manhunt for the identity thief. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2006. The Testament BR 17086 by Eric Van Lustbader 5 volumes Medieval scholar Braverman “Bravo” Shaw discovers that his deceased father Dexter was a high-ranking member of the Order of Gnostic Observatines and that he had appointed Bravo to guard a hidden documents cache. Others, however, covet the treasure. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2006. Two Little Girls in Blue BR 16462 by Mary Higgins Clark 2 volumes A kidnapper takes three-year-old identical twins Kelly and Kathy Frawley from their Connecticut home. After a ransom payment, only one child returns, with a note claiming the other is dead. But Kelly telepathically hears her sister calling her and gives their parents hope that Kathy is still alive. Bestseller. 2006. The Two-Minute Rule BR 16364 by Robert Crais 3 volumes After serving ten years in prison, forty-six-year-old bank robber Max Holman is released on parole only to discover his estranged son—an LAPD policeman—has been murdered. Max contacts ex-FBI agent Katherine Pollard—the very agent who arrested him—to help him find his son’s killers. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2006. The Viaduct: A Harlem Thriller BR 16536 by Grace F. Edwards 2 volumes Harlem, 1972. Vietnam veteran Marin Taylor defends himself against two robbers, killing one. The survivor vows revenge and kidnaps Marin’s newborn daughter. Marin enlists the help of his army buddy Chance to find his baby. Violence and strong language. 2004. Wild Fire: A John Corey Novel BR 17070 by Nelson DeMille 4 volumes New York, 2002. John Corey and his FBI wife Kate Mayfield discover a plot by right- wing extremists, led by Bain Madox, to destroy two American cities with suitcase bombs. Their goal is to incite nuclear war with the Middle East. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2006. The Witness BR 16653 by Dee Henderson 3 volumes For years Amanda Griffin has been on the run from her dead bookie boyfriend’s former client, Richard Wise. When Amanda’s sisters Marie and Tracey—who think Amanda is dead—unexpectedly become millionaires, police chief Luke Granger fears for all three women’s lives and races to find Amanda before Richard does. 2006. You’ve Been Warned BR 17493 by James Patterson and Howard Roughan 2 volumes Kristin is a nanny and an aspiring photographer. She loves her charges, hates their stepmother, and is having an affair with their father. Kristin begins to have a recurring nightmare about dead people—which might be a premonition. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2007. Westerns The Daybreakers: The Sacketts BR 16481 by Louis L’Amour 2 volumes 1860s. Young brothers Orrin and Tyrel Sackett leave Tennessee bound for the frontier town of Santa Fe, New Mexico. But before Orrin and Tyrel can settle down, they must bring law and order to the Wild West. Orrin becomes a marshal while Tyrel rules without a badge. 1960. Jubal Sackett: The Sacketts BR 16494 by Louis L’Amour 3 volumes Seventeenth century. Wily Jubal Sackett sets out to explore the vast, untamed North American West. Jubal befriends Keokotah, a proud Kickapoo brave, and together they help shield a beautiful Natchez princess from a vengeful Indian warrior and an unscrupulous Spanish soldier. 1985. Palo Duro Shootout BR 16750 by Kent Conwell 1 volume Texas. Disguised as a rebel soldier, Union lieutenant Zeke Tanner is leading a mission to hijack Confederate gold when he encounters his ex-boss J.S. Tipton and former friends Josh and Leeboy. After Zeke kills J.S. to keep his cover, Josh and Leeboy trek through Comanche territory to confront Zeke. 2005. The Rawhide Knot and Other Stories BR 17308 by Conrad Richter 2 volumes Pulitzer Prize-winning author presents eight tales of pioneers who are ambushed by love and the challenge of frontier life. In the title story, a group of men bent on devilment attempt to “hatch up a marriage” between an old maid and a young lawyer from back East. 1935. Ride the River: The Sacketts BR 16486 by Louis L’Amour 2 volumes 1840s. Sixteen-year-old Echo, youngest of the Sackett line, travels from Tennessee to Philadelphia to claim her inheritance. When lawyer James White tries to swindle her, Echo flees town with the money. James’s thugs and Dorian Chantry, a man sent to protect Echo, pursue her. 1983. Sackett: The Sacketts BR 16712 by Louis L’Amour 1 volume Just south of the Tetons, eldest Sackett brother William Tell finds a fortune in gold and an even greater treasure—beautiful Ange Kerry. Tell will do anything to protect his claim and his sweetheart from outlaws, but his violent methods could drive Ange away. Some violence. 1961. Treasure Mountain: The Sacketts BR 16720 by Louis L’Amour 2 volumes New Orleans, 1870s. Brothers Orrin and Tell Sackett investigate the decades-old disappearance of their father, who was last seen guiding an expedition for hidden gold. But they are tracked by a dangerous group who will do anything to keep the father’s fate and the treasure’s location secret. Some violence. 1972. The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains BR 16196 by Owen Wister 4 volumes Centennial edition of the classic western tale told by an easterner who, while visiting a Wyoming ranch, is impressed by a slow-talking, quick-witted cowboy known only as the Virginian. The Virginian falls for schoolteacher Molly Wood, but a feud with a ranch hand threatens their courtship. Some violence. 1902. The Warrior’s Path: The Sacketts BR 16307 by Louis L’Amour 2 volumes 1630. When Yance Sackett’s sister-in-law and another young woman are kidnapped by Indians, Yance and his brother Kin traverse the Warrior’s Path from the Carolinas to Massachusetts Bay colony. Once the captives are rescued, Kin sails to Jamaica to find the culprits among pirates, cutthroats, and ruthless “businessmen.” 1980. The Way West BR 16478 by A.B. Guthrie Jr. 3 volumes 1840s. Dick Summers has been to Oregon before, but now that his wife has died he decides to return. He will guide a group of men and women from Missouri on the difficult journey along the Oregon Trail. Sequel to The Big Sky (BR 14920). Pulitzer Prize. 1949. Westerns of the 40’s: Classics from the Great Pulps BR 17307 edited by Damon Knight 3 volumes Compilation of sixteen short western stories from magazines of the 1940s. Includes works by John D. MacDonald, Tom Roan, Roy M. O’Mara, James Shaffer, Cliff Farrell, and others. Contains tales of revenge, range wars, roving saddle bums, and ladies of the night. Some violence. 1977.