The Boy Next Door by Meggin Cabot
This novel has a unique format for the boy-meets-girl formula.  Melissa, a journalist, uses email to tell about her relationship with the man who moves in across the hall.  Funny, romantic story.

Firewall: a Kurt Wallander Mystery by Henning Mankell
Ystad, Sweden, is the setting for this intricately crafted mystery. Even today, the brutal murder of a taxi driver by two young girls is a shocking crime. However, when one teenager manages to escape custody and later winds up dead at a regional power plant, police indeed find themselves baffled. Mankell holds a mirror up to contemporary life at the same time delivering a satisfying gripping thriller.

A Piece of Heaven by Barbara Samuel
Luna McGraw returned to Taos, New Mexico when she lost everything due to her alcoholism ? her marriage, custody of her daughter. Now that she?s regained custody of her daughter, she doesn?t want anything to threaten that fragile relationship, including her new interest in Thomas Coyote, who entered her life when she saved his grandmother from a house fire.

Dark Passage by Junius Podrug
Take three unlikely candidates for heroes, send them back in time to 33 A.D. to pursue terrorists who have the intention of changing the entire course of history, and you have a riveting novel with a powerful ending.

The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein
Fairstein?s strongest mystery yet to feature Alexandra Cooper, Assistant D.A. in the Sex Crimes Unit in Manhattan. She and her team of cops sort through the back rooms of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History to find a killer who placed an intern?s body in a sarcophagus headed for Cairo.

Surface Tension by Christine Kling
This first novel features Seychelle Sullivan, owner of a salvage boat in Fort Lauderdale.  When she answers a May Day call from her ex-lover?s boat, she finds him missing a dead woman on board, and herself in hot water.

The Future Homemakers of America by Laurie Graham
In 1952, five American Air Force wives stationed in England meet a scrappy Englishwoman.  As times change, and the women change with the times, they still reach out to each for friendship.

Susannah Morrow by Megan Chance
This intriguing story of the Salem witch trials is told from the perspective of a victim, her accuser, and the accuser?s father.  Chance gives the reader a real sense of time and place, using actual historical figures as supporting characters.  The novel gives readers an interesting look at this period of history.

For Whom the Minivan Rolls by Jeffrey Cohen
Aaron Tucker, aspiring screenwriter, freelance writer, and stay at home dad, is anything but your typical private investigator.  When he?s reluctantly forced to investigate the disappearance of the wealthiest woman in town, his resources include his sense of humor, his knowledge of mystery stories, and his buddy, a car mechanic.  A fun introduction to a new series.

Crooked Heart by Cristina Sumners
The clergy have often advised police before in mystery series, such as the Rabbi Small series by Harry Kemelman.  In this new series, Tom Holder, police chief in Harton, New Jersey, enlists the help of Kathryn Koerney, an Episcopalian priest to interview a small child who witnessed a neighbor?s disappearance.  When a second woman disappears, Holder and Koerney feel a sense of urgency to find the truth.

The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
The best selling author of When Elephants Weep investigates the secret lives of cats, using his five cats as the basis of the book.  Insightful material for all cat lovers.

The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo
If you enjoy detective fiction and haven?t as yet met Superintendent Beck of the Stockholm Homicide Squad, you have a real treat in store for you. The husband and wife team of Sjowall and Wahloo created believable characters and finely tuned plots. This griping story begins on a cold rainy Stockholm night with nine bus riders gunned down by an unknown assassin. While the press proclaims the crime the work of a madman, Martin Beck suspects otherwise.

Deadly Grace by Taylor Smith
Jillian Meade is visiting her mother, Grace, a former World War II secret agent, when Grace is murdered. FBI Agent Alex Cruz is already looking for Jillian to question about the deaths of two women in England, who se recently visited. As Cruz tries to uncover Jillian?s secrets, they are revealed to the reader in her journal entries. Smith, an intelligence analyst and former international diplomat, has written a first rate thriller.

The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman
Jane Hudson returns to the private girls school from which she graduated years earlier to teach Latin. Much has changed, but not the legends about the lake on which the school is located. Three large rocks are said to lure young girls into the water to commit suicide. Events from Jane?s years as a student begin to come back to haunt her and threaten her life. This debut novel is a compelling read, one you won?t want to put down.

Flight Lessons by Patricia Gaffney
Anna?s bitterness toward her Aunt Rose for an incident 16 years earlier could threaten her happiness when she returns to help her aunt in the family restaurant business. Her fears might prevent her from seeing the love in her life.

Learning to Fly by April Henry
Free Meeker is 19, pregnant, and fed up with her cheating boyfriend and hippie parents. She takes to the road, and picks up a hitchhiker, Lydia. They are involved in a terrible multicar accident which leaves Lydia dead, and Free in possession of a bag containing $740,000 in cash. Reports of the accident list Free as dead. And she uses the money to begin a new life ... as Lydia. Unfortunately, two very dangerous men are after her. Henry has written a compulsive novel that you won?t want to put down.

Dreaming Water by Gail Tsukiyama
Cate?s daughter, Hana, suffers from a rare genetic disease, which at age 38 has her as frail as an 80-year-old. They live quietly in California, until Hana?s best friend from school arrives with her two daughters, and the girls make a special connection with Hana. Tsukiyama?s novel is beautifully written, filled with both sadness and hope.

Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
This carefully crafted and penetrating story of men in battle and a besieged civilian population takes place in the hills of Tuscany during World War II. Four African-Americans of the famed Buffalo Soldiers of the 92nd Division are trapped behind enemy lines. In the telling, McBride who wrote the critically-acclaimed best-selling memoir "The Color of Water," shares a spiritual and moral vision with his reader.

Black Water by T. Jefferson Parker
Parker, who just won the Edgar award for "Silent Joe," brings back Detective Merci Rayborn for another case that splits the police department apart. It looks like a young cop killed his beautiful wife and tried to kill himself. Despite the fact that he?s on the run with a bullet in his brain, Rayborn thinks there?s more to the story than a jealous husband with money problems.

Step-Ball-Change by Jeanne Ray
The author of "Julie and Romeo" returns with another delightful story featuring mature characters. Caroline and Tom have been married for 42 years, put four children through college and law school, and are dreaming of retirement. They didn?t plan for the foundation of their house to collapse, their daughter to plan a wedding for 900, or Caroline?s sister to move in when her divorce is pending.

Open Season by C.J. Box
Box?s debut mystery is set in Wyoming and introduces game warden Joe Pickett, whose integrity and honesty are beyond question. Joe becomes involved in a desperate battle to save an endangered species, which also puts his pregnant wife and two young children at risk. This is an excellent mystery which will leave the reader anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

The Buffalo Solder by Chris Bohjalian
Two years after their twin 9-year-old daughters are swept away in a flood, Laura and Terry Sheldon take in a foster child, Alfred, a 10-year-old African-American boy. Alfred has lived in several foster and group homes, and is cautious about forming bonds with the Sheldons. An older neighbor takes Alfred under his wing and introduces him to the buffalo solders, African-American cavalry solders who served on the Western frontier after the Civil War. Bohjalian explores the ties that bind families together and the strains that tear them apart in this compelling tale that will keep you turning the pages.

The Songcatcher by Sharon McCrumb
The "songcatcher" is Lark McCourry, a contemporary country-western singer who is searching for a ballad she heard as a child. Along with Lark?s story, McCrumb intertwines the story of Malcolm McCourry, one of Lark?s ancestors who was kidnapped from a Scottish island in 1759. Malcolm learned the song aboard the English ship on which he was held. McCrumb gives the reader strong characters, insight into the folkways of Appalachia, and early folk music in the delightful novel.

You?ve Got Murder by Donna Andrews
The award-winning mystery writer introduces Turing Hopper, an Artificial Intelligence Personality (AIP) - a computer with feelings. Turing?s programmer, Zack, downloaded his entire mystery library into her memory. When Zack disappears from work, following the death of his best friend, Turing senses something?s wrong. She enlists the help of two human friends to track down the problem in a delightful mystery with a unique heroine.

The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King
Debut novel by a journalist for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. Max Freeman was a Philadelphia cop until he killed a child. When he fled to the Everglades, his nightmares followed him. Now, when children are being kidnapped and murdered in the Miami area, he finds the spotlight focused on him. Freeman?s only hope is to find the killer who is framing him.

Warning Signs by Stephen White
When can a psychologist go to the police and not violate doctor/patient confidentiality? Dr. Alan Gregory, of Boulder, Colorado, faces this dilemma in White?s tenth novel. Gregory becomes involved in the investigation into the murder of the Boulder County District Attorney, his wife?s boss. At the same time, a new patient confides her concern that her son and his friend are plotting a serious crime. This latest by White is an exciting read, and will not disappoint fans of the series.

Killer Stuff by Sharon Fiffer
Jane Wheel is an antiques "picker" who digs for treasures at estate sales, auctions, and garage sales. When she loses her job, and separates from her husband, her addiction becomes her job. She loves to stumble across treasures, but regrets stumbling across the body of her neighbor, who not only loaned her a Suburban, but offered to loan her husband. Jane is a primary suspect, but her treasure-hunting instincts help her as she teams up with police detective Bruce Oh and her best friend, Tim. First in a series introducing a delightful cast of characters.

Angel of Death by Rochelle Majer Krich
When a Jewish lawyer defends a neo-Nazi group, he is an easy target for threats. LAPD detective Jessie Drake is angry when she?s put on the case, but soon finds herself fascinated by her education in Judaism and the Holocaust. As events escalate, Jessie becomes emotionally involved in the case, and the secrets uncovered in her own family.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
What would happen if Jane Eyre suddenly disappeared from the novel by Charlotte Bronte? Fforde takes the reader to an England populated by lovers of literature. Thursday Next is a Special Operative in literary detection, normally looking for forgeries and authenticating original works. But she?s drawn into a case when literary characters are murdered, and Jane Eyre is kidnapped. A wonderful mystery and romance with alternative history and witty literary allusions and wordplay.

Ordinary Life by Elizabeth Berg
Elizabeth Berg, best-selling author of Open House, has written a superb collection of short stories. In the title story, 79-year-old Mavis holes up in the bathroom for a week to have some time to think about her marriage, her children, and the recent death of her sister. In "Martin?s Letter to Nan", Berg continues the scrutiny of a marriage begun in The Pull of the Moon. Berg?s many fans won?t want to miss any of these compelling stories.

The Analyst by John Katzenbach
On his birthday, New York City psychoanalyst Frederick Starks receives a letter saying that Starks has ruined the writer?s life, and that he has 15 days to discover the writer?s identity. If Starks fails, he must kill himself, or someone in his family will die. The Analyst is impossible to put down, and one you won?t soon forget.

Darker Justice by Sallie Bissell
Bissell introduced Mary Crow, an assistant district attorney in Atlanta, in her debut novel In the Forest of Harm. In this sequel, Mary is asked to help protect her friend and mentor, Judge Irene Hannah. Someone is killing off federal judges and authorities fear Hannah is next. When Judge Hannah disappears, Mary follows her trail and finds herself in jeopardy as well. Don?t miss this compelling psychological thriller.

Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell by Pat Murphy
Susan Galina is a librarian who needs a change after her divorce. Her voyage on the cruise ship Odyssey sounds even more interesting when a favorite author, Max Merriwell is aboard. Is is the trip through the Bermuda Triangle that brings Merriwell?s pseudonyms to life? Threatening notes, wolves howling in the night, and romantic entanglements. The novel has a something to attract everyone.

The Stone Flower Garden by Deborah Smith
Darl Union was the heir to a fortune built on a marble quarry. Eli Wade was the son of a stonecutter. From the moment they met as children, they were drawn to each other. But as adults, Darl harbors a secret from twenty-five years earlier when she witnessed a murder. Now Darl is torn between the only family she ever knew, and the only man she ever loved.

Good Counsel by Tim Junkin
Good Counsel is more than the run of the mill lawyer story. After years of legal victories, Jack Stanton is on the run, for lying to a grand jury. He takes refuge in a secluded house on the Chesapeake Bay, where he encounters a young woman who is as idealistic as he once was. The story examines the moral legal dilemmas lawyers face, and is a great read as well.

A Girl Named Zippy: Growing up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel
This humorous and heart-warming memoir is about a girl growing up in Mooreland, Indiana. Kimmel describes her childhood in this small town (population 300) in middle America. "The distance between Mooreland in 1965 and a city like San Francisco in 1965 is roughly equivalent to the distance starlight must travel before we look up casually from a cornfield and see it." Called "Zippy" by her father after a little chimpanzee he saw roller skating on television, Kimmel was nearly three before she spoke a word. Highly recommended for anyone interested in reading a finely written and very funny book.

Dancing with the Virgins by Stephen Booth
This crime novel takes the reader to northern England?s Peak District where a ring of prehistoric stones, the Nine Virgins, has become the scene of a woman?s murder. Booth carefully crafts a riveting story. He portrays complex and convincing characters, describes Derbyshire?s moorlands and lightly touches upon current British social issues. Central to the tale are detectives Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, whose approaches to police work and life in general are diametrically opposed. An absorbing tale of mystery and deceit.

Dangerous Road by Kris NelscottIn 1968, it was unusual for a white woman to look for a black detective in Memphis. But Laura Hathaway wants to know why her mother left money to the detective, Smokey Dalton. Nelscott?s first mystery is a powerful story of racial turmoil in the south.

Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks
When Wynter Morrison?s husband kicks her out, she realizes she has no marketable skills. She did study breadmaking in France, though. Her love of bread leads her to a small bakery in Seattle, and a whole new group of friends.

Cold Hunter?s Moon by K.C. Greenlief
A chilly mystery by a newcomer. Big Oak, Wisconsin is cold and snowy in November when Ann Ransom?s dogs bring home a woman?s foot. When they uncover another body, Ann and the local sheriff, Lark Swenson, become targets for a gunman.

A Fine and Private Place by Freda Davies
Just before D-Day, a young American GI disappeared from Tolland, England. Fifty years later, when his body is unearthed, and then another body turns up, the repercussions of the murder investigations reverberate throughout the village.

Rebecca?s Tale by Sally Beauman
Daphne du Maurier?s Rebecca, published over 60 years ago, still entrances readers because of the questions it leaves unanswered. Did Maxim de Winter murder his first wife, Rebecca? Why did he remarry so quickly? Beauman was chosen by the du Maurier estate to write this sequel, which takes place 20 years after Rebecca?s death. A haunting read that will make you want to read Rebecca once again.

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
With today?s headlines shouting about the use of nuclear weapons, Pat Frank?s Alas, Babylon is as timely today as when it was first published to critical praise and acclaim in 1959. Meet the small central Florida community of Fort Repose and the residents that share their struggle to survive after a nuclear war. Small town isolation protects them from the catastrophic fate met by larger cities, but condemn the citizens to basic survival. Modern conveniences we take for granted become luxuries - water, food, medicine, electricity, gasoline, and communication with the rest of the world. The anguish of Fort Repose is a compelling education in survival of the fittest for 21^st century readers.

Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende
Portrait in Sepia will delight those who read and enjoyed House of Spirits and Daughter of Fortune. Allende offers an exciting saga of life in late nineteenth century Chile, seen through the eyes of Aurora del Valle, granddaughter of Eliza Summers, as she struggles to come to terms with her mysterious past.

The Jasmine Trade by Denise Hamilton
Eve Diamond is a Los Angeles Times reporter, covering the story of "parachute kids", wealthy Asian teens whose parents bring them to the U.S. to get good educations, and then leave them in the care of an elderly housekeeper. When one of those "parachute kids" is killed outside a shopping center, a simple carjacking case becomes murder, and leads to more vulnerable teens, gang activities, and brothels. The Jasmine Trade is an enthralling suspense novel about a little known subculture.

Killing the Shadows by Val McDermid
A serial killer is murdering famous crime writers by reenacting the gruesome deaths in their best-selling books. Dr. Fiona Cameron, noted psychological profiler, takes a very personal interest. Her lover, Kit Martin, writes crime novels and may be next on the list. McDermid has penned a suspenseful page-turner. Don?t miss it!

All the Dead Were Strangers by Ethan Black
Conrad Voort, NYPD sex crimes detective, faces death on a personal level in Black?s latest thriller. His cousin is fighting cancer. An old friend, Meechum Keefe, asks him to "check out" a list of six names. Meechum dies in a hotel fire the same night. Voort finds that some of the people on the list are dead, all of apparent accidents, and had ties to terrorists. This exciting, fast-paced novel is already slated to become a major motion picture. This third Voort novel ranks as the best thus far.

The Deadhouse by Linda Fairstein
Blackwells Island, off Manhattan, once housed a prison, a morgue, and hospitals for smallpox and typhus victims. It?s now the focus of a murder investigation by Alex Cooper, assistant DA and sex crimes prosecutor for Manhattan. Fascinating mix of history and current crime.

Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis
This title provides insight into the lives and personalities of the men who were the leaders of America?s revolutionary generation. It gives readers a better understanding of the occurrences that lead to the founding and early development of our country, how uncertain success was and how details are often overlooked in our hindsight view of their actions through the lens of time. In reading Ellis? book, you will find out about the on again off again friendship of Jefferson and Adams, the details and importance of the duel that lead to Hamilton?s death and Burr?s loss of reputation, the true power and impact of Washington, and the generation?s avoidance of the issue of slavery.

Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Years by Jamyang Norbu
What really happened to Sherlock Holmes after his encounter with Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls? The two years in Holmes? life that were only marginally accounted for in the writings of Dr. Watson are elucidated in Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Years. The details of Holmes? journey to India and Tibet and his adventures there will entertain as they recreate the mysticism of those foreign lands. Holmes fans, take note.

Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks
In Year of Wonders the reader can vicariously experience life in a small village of 1666, one which becomes infected with the plague. The customs of the time, the drudgery of daily life and the horrors of the plague are seen through the eyes of Anna Frith, a young housemaid. This richly detailed historical novel is based on the true story of Eyam, an English village, in a time when beliefs were a blend of faith, science and superstition.

The Accidental Pope: A Novel by Raymond Flynn and Robin Moore
What if the conclave held after the death of Pope John Paul II was deadlocked, and through what some consider an accident, and others consider the work of the Holy Spirit, the first American pope is elected? This new pope, Peter II, is not just unusual because he is American. He is actually a fisherman, a former priest and widower, and the father of four children. How he acts on this renewed call to serve his church, and how the church deals with him and his family, makes for marvelous reading. Co-written by a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and the author of The French Connection.

When This Cruel War Is Over: A Novel of the Civil War by Thomas Fleming
The Sons of Liberty, a group of revolutionary conspirators based in the border states and Old Northwest Territory, are ready to make their move during the waning months of the Civil War. Disgusted with years of ceaseless bloodshed and Lincoln?s handling of the slavery issue, they are planning a new Western Confederacy. Strongwilled Kentucky belle, Janet Todd, entices wounded, disenchanted and romantically captivated Union Major Paul Stapleton to join the conspiracy. The planned uprising and the main characters are based on actual occurrences and actual people whose story Fleming fictionalized, after his study of historical documents only recently made available.

Comfort Me With Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl
Renowned food critic for such prestigious journals as the "Los Angeles Times" and the "New York Times", Ruth Reichl has penned a simply delicious autobiography! Her love of food and cooking, plus a penchant for entertaining friends at impromptu dinner parties, was detailed in her first book, Tender at the Bone, but this work easily stands alone, as she explains her decision to leave her job as a chef and take up the pen, along with her knife and fork. This new line of work proved to be anathema to Reichl?s friends, with whom she shared a commune in Berkeley, though they had no problem overriding their principles when Reichl invited them along on her expense account. Read with envy of her travels to Europe, China and the far East, while salivating over the exotic recipes she shares. Empathize as she writes of the dissolution of her two-career marriage and of her attempts to adopt a child. This is an honest, moving and enticing book.

Niagara Falls All Over Again by Elizabeth McCracken
Mose Sharp is the only son in a close-knit Jewish family in Iowa. Rather than take over the family business, he heads for the vaudeville circuit and soon teams up with Rocky Carter. Carter and Sharp, with Mose playing the straight men, move successfully from vaudeville to radio, Broadway, and finally Hollywood. McCracken chronicles a flawed friendship over thirty years, telling a powerful story of family and love, grief and loss.

Man and Boy by Tony Parsons
When Harry Silver turns thirty, life is great! He has a beautiful wife, adorable son, and great job. He treats himself to an expensive new sports car and a one0night affair with a co-worker. Once his wife learns of his infidelity, she leaves him and his son, and Harry loses his job to the sexy co-worker. He soon learns the difficulties of being an unemployed and single parent to a precocious five year-old. Harry finds unexpected support from his own parents, and a new female friend. Although each member of his support system is drastically different, they all share the same pragmatic attitude about life. Not until his own father?s death does Harry truly understand that love has many faces. He learns what it really means to be a man and father, and how to show love, strengthened with the right amount of tenderness. Man and Boy was named Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and mixes the perfect combination of humor and poignancy.

La Cucina by Lily Prior
If you enjoyed Laura Esquivel?s Like Water for Chocolate, don?t miss Prior?s La Cucina. The novel takes place in Sicily, where Rosa turns to cooking for solace when her first and only love is murdered. Eventually she moves from the countryside and begins a new life as a librarian in Palermo. There she meets an Englishman, who sweeps her off her feet. The story celebrates food, passion, and romance.

The Colonel by Patrick A. Davis
David Baldacci fans will eat this one up. Retired Air Force investigator Martin Collins is called in to help when a colonel and her children are brutally murdered. The colonel?s secrets may cause too many problems for the government to push the investigation.

The Dearly Departed by Elinor Lipman
If you enjoyed Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani, try this comic novel with a touch of pathos.

Amateur golfer Sunny Bratten returns to her hometown for her mother?s funeral. She doesn?t expect to find a half-brother she never knew and a town that remembers her fondly.

Naked Came the Phoenix: A Serial Novel ed. By Marcia Talley
An all-star lineup of 13 women mystery writers, including Lisa Scottoline, Faye Kellerman, and Nancy Pickard, collaborated to produce this serial novel reminiscent of Naked Came the Manatee (1996). Nevada Barr starts off by introducing Caroline Blessing and a host of zany characters who are at the lush Phoenix Spa in the mountains of Virginia. Each author adds to the tale, creating a comic soap-opera mystery. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to breast cancer research. Don?t miss this fun read!

Death on a Silver Tray by Rosemary Stevens
Move over Koko and Yum-Yum. Beau Brummell may be the hero of this Regency mystery, but Brummell?s Siamese, Chakkri, clues Brummell in to the murderer of a dislikable dowager. Fans of Lilian Jackson Braun may appreciate Chakkri and his eccentric owner.

Black Dog by Stephen Booth
Ben Cooper is teamed up with newcomer Detective Constable Diane Fry in a murder investigation involving a teenage girl and the uncooperative old man who discovered crucial evidence.  A little darker mystery, for those fans of Val McDermid's A Place of Execution.

Your Cheatin' Heart by Nancy Bartholomew
Following her divorce, Maggie Reid became a country western singer.  She didn't plan on becoming part of her own lyrics when she fell for the police detective investigating her ex-brother-in-law's murder.  Fun mystery with a likeable heroine.

Open Season by Linda Howard
When mousy librarian Daisy Minor changes her lifestyle to go husband-hunting, she doesn?t expect to witness a murder, become the hunted, and find a boyfriend all at the same time. Fun and sexy with a little suspense thrown in.

Beyond Belief  by Roy Johansen
Joe Bailey, the Spirit Basher, is a bunco squad cop and a former magician. He is called in on his first murder case when the head of the parapsychology department at an Atlanta university is murdered, and the suspect is an eight-year-old boy with purported telekinetic powers.

Mapping the Edge by Sarah Dunant
Anna, a reliable single mother, leaves for a short vacation in Italy, while her beloved six year old daughter stays at home in London with friends. When Anna doesn?t return home on time, everyone starts to worry that she might never make it back. How could she leave her daughter? Is she enjoying a romantic tryst, or has she been abducted by a stranger? Dunant gives us a compelling psychological suspense novel that you won?t be able to put down.

Snow Mountain Passage  by James D. Houston
Houston powerfully retells the story of the Donner party, a wagon train of families headed west, that ended in tragedy and even cannibalism. The story is told primarily from the perspective of James Reed, who is forced to ride ahead alone and leave his family with the party. Alternating with Reed?s tale are the trail notes written from memory 75 years later by his daughter, Patty. Houston gives us a terrific read based on a real incident in American history.

A Dream of Wolves by Michael C. White
Stuart Jordan is a transplanted Yankee practicing medicine in a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Years ago, he lost his son in a tragic accident, and lost his wife to a mental illness for which she refuses to be properly treated. Jordan?s life is suddenly transformed one night when he as the Medical Examiner is called out to investigate a brutal murder. He finds himself at age 57 as a foster parent to an endearing Native American infant. This child entwines Jordan in the lives of the abused mother, the violent hill-dwelling clan that claims the child, and draws his estranged wife back into his life. While Jordan reluctantly takes responsibility for this child, his quiet orderly life moves out of his control, and he is forced to make decisions he is emotionally unprepared to face. White?s writing style weaves a great story, his believable and likable characters, with the violence of the backwoods, and the subtle beauty of the Appalachians.

The Merchant?s House by Kate Ellis
The first in a mystery series featuring Wesley Peterson, a black British policeman who has studied archeology at the university. Peterson combines his love of archeology and history with his investigations of modern crime. An archeological dig provides a journal and clues as to the murder of a young woman, and the disappearance of a little boy.

The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell
Kurt Wallander, a Swedish police inspector, is grieving over the death of his father when he is confronted with a gruesome murder. More grisly killings follow, but Wallander has a difficult time establishing the connection he is sure exists. Wallander is a tough cop, but frequently questions his choice of profession, and his decision to remain in it. The series has taken Europe by storm and this book has sold over half a million copies in Sweden alone.

Thursdays at Eight by Debbie Macomber
"Four women, all friends, who met every Thursday morning at eight." They were: a widow, a struggling young actress, a new divorcee, and a happily married mother of teens. At the start of the year, they each pick a word to represent themselves in the next year. But none think to pick "change" or "growth".

Hang My Head and Cry by Elena Santangelo
Pat Montella and Miss Maggie return in the sequel to By Blood Possessed. When they uncover a body at Bell Run, Pat starts to see the ghost of a young black boy, the son of a former slave. Somehow, the events of the past on the property are linked to a current murder and disappearance.

Three Dirty Women and the Garden of Death by Julie Wray Herman
The first in a mystery series featuring the landscaping company, Three Dirty Women, owned by three friends. When Amilou Whittier, one of the owners, finds the body of her philandering husband in a flower bed, she looks like the primary suspect.

Bad Girl Creek by Jo-Ann Mapson
Phoebe Thomas?s wheelchair doesn?t make her inheritance of her aunt?s flower farm any easier. But her invitation to three women to become roommates may help each of the troubled women find friendship and remake their lives.

Ring of Truth by Nancy Pickard
True crime writer, Marie Lightfoot, has completed her latest book, telling the secrets of a love affair gone wrong. But there are many loose ends, so Marie starts digging deeper into the case, placing herself in danger from someone who wants the truth to remain hidden. In the second of her Marie Lightfoot series, Pickard has created a fascinating thriller based on people who are not what they seem to be.

The Last Jew by Noah Gordon
In 1492, the Spanish Inquisition changed Yonah Toledano?s life. The 15 year old son of a highly regarded silversmith, Yonah is forced to flee his hometown when his father is killed by Inquisition forces. He begins a meandering journey throughout Spain, living as a shepherd, an apprentice silversmith, and finally becoming a respected physician. The Last Jew is a fascinating look at life during the Spanish Inquisition.

Last Song Dogs by Sinclair Browning
This first in a mystery series introduces Trade Ellis, part Apache, cowgirl, private eye, and a rancher in Arizona. Her first murder investigation coincides with her 25 the class reunion when the Song Dogs, the cheerleaders from her class, are being murdered.

Front Porch Tales by Philip Gulley
Anyone interested in some gently inspirational reading with a touch of humor will enjoy Front Porch Tales, written by a Quaker pastor in Indianapolis. Gulley reflects on his childhood, his family, and what he truly values in life. In doing so, he provides some uplifting reading.

Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie
Nell may be beaten down by her divorce, but she?s feisty enough to argue with Gabe, her new boss at a shabby little detective agency. Sparks fly in this funny, sexy romance with suspense thrown in as an added treat.

Summer Island by Kristen Hannah
When an advice columnist?s past catches up with her, her estranged daughter agrees to take care of her, with plans to write a tell all article about the mother who left the family. However, there?s more to the story than Ruby knows. This meaty novel brings together themes of relationships, love and death in a powerful tearjerker.

Mean Genes: From Sex to Money to Food: Taming Our Primal Instincts 
By Terry Burnham and Jay Phelan
Why do we tend to want and to do things that are bad for us? Burnham and Phelan offer a highly readable and engaging explanation based on evolutionary biology. They explain how our genetic makeup inclines us to spend more and eat more than we should, to crave risk, and to react to our friends and families in ways that may not promote good relationships. In describing the connections between genes and behavior, they show how understanding these connections can help us improve our lives with a delightful sense of humor.

The Alpine Advocate by Mary Daheim
The first of the mystery series featuring Emma Lord, editor-publisher of The Alpine Advocate, a small newspaper in Washington. The grandson of the wealthiest man in town is murdered, and his only other grandson, Chris, is a suspect. But Emma had taken Chris in as a favor to her son, and she doesn?t want to believe he?s guilty. With the help of her assistant, Vida, Emma unearths local secrets that could lead to a murderer. Introduces Emma and a great cast of small town characters.

The Four Seasons by Mary Alice Monroe
When the youngest of the four Season sisters dies, she sets the others on a quest for a missing family member. Monroe does an excellent job making each sister a likeable individual as they discover their pasts, share their memories, and chart their future.

Domain by Steve Alten
Stonehenge, the pyramids of Giza and Chichen Itza, Mayan legends, galactic gateways, and pure fusion bombs are strangely linked in Domain. The only person able to understand their relationship and to prevent an apocalypse on December 21, 2012 is Mick Gabriel. The catch is that Mick, diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, has spent the last decade in an asylum. Can Mick convince psychiatry intern, Dominique Vazquez to believe him, help him escape, and prevent humankind?s destruction? If you like plenty of action mixed with archeological background and a local link to Sanibel, then Domain is for you.

Hot Springs by Stephen Hunter
In 1946, Hot Springs, Arkansas, is a wide-open town, run by gangster Owney Maddox. While tourists take the cure in the mineral waters, the casinos and brothels are the real source of town prosperity. Enter a newly-elected county prosecutor who wants to clean up the town. He hires Earl Swagger, ex-Marine and Medal of Honor winner to help. Packed with page-turning action, sin, crime, and gunfights, the novel is at once a violent and deeply touching story.

On Bear Mountain by Deborah Smith
Ursula Powell grew up in the Georgia mountains, in the shadow of a sculpture of a bear that her father loved and dominated her family. Quentin Riconni, the son of the sculptor of the bear, grew to resent his father, his father's work, and all it stood for. When Ursula?s world is threatened, Quentin shows up to offer her millions of dollars for the piece of art. Smith has written a powerful story of two needy people drawn together by a powerful work of art.

This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
The bestselling romance writer moves into hardcover with this funny, sexy story of children?s author Molly Somerville who gets into trouble when she impulsively acts on her long-time crush on Chicago Stars quarterback Kevin Tucker.

Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra
Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra adds a fourth title to his prolific line-up of books. Raised by a benevolent mob leader, the narrator of this fast paced novel takes us through the lives of organized crime leaders during the early 1900s. The story spans several decades as he reveals the truth behind Angelo Vestieri and his rise to power. Fans of the mafia genre should thoroughly enjoy the history of the mob, its changes, loyalties and ruthless abandon for anyone or anything standing in its way. Carcaterra has written another intriguing saga of New York City?s colorful and diverse history.

A Land Remembered by  Patrick D. Smith
How many of today?s Floridians know what frontier Florida was like? If you are one of them, then read A Land Remembered, a fictional account of Florida life beginning in the 1860s. The hardships, people, and places of earlier times come to life through the years of the MacIvey family, whose fortune grew through the generations as the state developed. After reading this book, your thoughts of Kissimmee, Punta Rassa, Miami and the Okeechobee area will never be the same again.

Note:  Patrick D. Smith is the recipient of this year?s Lifetime Achievement Award, presented annually at the Lee County Reading Festival.

The Incumbent by Brian McGrory
When Jack Flynn, Washington, D.C. correspondent for the Boston Record, makes a routine phone call to the White House on the issue of presidential pardons, he never expects the President of the United States to invite him for a round of golf. Jack is further shocked when he is offered the job of press secretary for the new administration just seconds before an assassination attempt on the tenth tee injures both men. When he receives an anonymous call saying, "Nothing is as it seems," he begins investigating what could be the story of the decade. The more Jack digs, the more convoluted and complex the mystery, involving murder, mayhem and conspiracy, becomes. Try this compelling glimpse into the ambitious and often ruthless, deadline-driven world of print journalism.

Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas
Alice Bullock is a young newlywed in Iowa when her husband Charlie enlists in the Unio0n Army.  Over the next couple of years, Alice writes to her sister, telling the story of a woman's life during the war years, trying to hold the family farm together, while filling her spare time with quilting.  When Alice is accused of murder, she finds out who her friends are, and the evils of small town gossip.  Dallas, the author of The Persian Pickle Club, introduces a woman who grows from an immature, flirtatious girl to a strong woman capable of taking on enormous burdens.


Out of the Blue by Sally Mandel
Anna Bolles thought she had built a satisfactory life for herself despite her multiple sclerosis. She was no longer an athlete, but she loved her teaching job, and her life with her mother. She didn?t know how to handle it, though, when she fell in love with Joe Malone, a pilot and successful businessman. Despite the problems, they both fell in love "Out of the Blue".

Going Out in Style: A Very Fashionable Mystery by Chloe Green
This is a fun read and an education into the world of the fashion industry. Dallas O?Connor is a fashion stylist whose job is to create illusion for photo shoots. In this fast moving story, Dallas works to clear her name and get to the bottom of the recent deaths of various fashion moguls.

24 Hours by Greg Iles
When five year old Abby doesn?t return from the second floor bathroom, her mother knows a primitive stab of fear in the pit of her stomach. The smell of chloroform, which assaults her senses as she ascends the stairs confirms every mother?s worst fears. A madman named Joe Hickey will control Dr. Will and Mrs. Karen Jennings?s next 24 hours with his diabolically evil plot to extort money and avenge the death of his mother at the hands of a surgeon. This is a gripping story of one family?s desperate fight to save their child.

Eagle?s Cry by David Nevin
If the years 1800 to 1804 are mishmash in your mind and names like Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison and Lewis are merely a series of names from a U.S. history text, read this book!  Nevin succeeds in bringing these characters to life and showing how they guided our country onto the path it eventually took as a sovereign country, free of aristocracy. While this is a fictional account, the political intrigues of that time seem little different from current ones, and demonstrate the impact of decisions.

The Last Star by William Proctor
When a mysterious light appears in the eastern sky, a team of astronomers and researchers is sent to the Middle East to investigate. Unable to assess this light using the array of scientific instruments at its disposal, the team reluctantly explores religious or extradimensional explanations. Could the inexplicable light be a reappearance of the star of Bethlehem?  Miraculous healings, apparently from the unexplained light, apocalyptic fervor, and terrorism occur, affecting the team?s research as well as their personal lives and beliefs.

Mom?s Pocket Guide to Watching Football 
by Linda Wong and Kailee Wong
If you are illiterate as far as football is concerned, and are tired of getting those looks from your family and friends when you ask a question, then this is the book for you. It covers the basics of scoring points, offense, defense, special teams and penalties while making you feel that none of your questions are dumb questions. Written by a football mom and her son, linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings.

The Sugar House by Laura Lippman
Laura Lippman?s Baltimore becomes as dark as Denis Lehane?s Boston in this latest mystery by the Edgar award winning author. Tess Monaghan tries to find the identity of a murdered Jane Doe. Her problems get worse when she discovers the name of the dead woman; problems that threaten the jobs and lives of Tess? family.

Borderlines by Archer Mayor
Lieutenant Joe Gunther is unhappy with his career in the Brattleboro, Vermont Police Department, and uneasy with his personal life. Hoping to bring back pleasant memories, he takes a leave of absence and returns to Gannet, a small town where he was happy as a child. But, Gannet is economically depressed, a cult has moved in, and the people Gunther remembers are embittered and changed. A murder and a fire force him to investigate the people and town who were once close to him.

The Book Club by Mary Alice Monroe
Mary Alice Monroe, one of the featured authors for the Lee County Reading Festival 2001, uses a book club to bring five women together to share first, the discussion of books, and later their feelings and their lives. During one year, each woman faces a personal tragedy, but their friendship and shared readings allow them to triumph over their problems.

Home to Harmony by Philip Gulley
If you?ve missed Jan Karon?s Mitford series this year, try Home to Harmony. Sam Gardner, the pastor of the Harmony Friends Meeting tells delightful stories about his parishioners in this small Midwest town.

Callahan?s Key by Spider Robinson
Once again, the universe is in danger. So the creator of the Callahan series unites the old gang for a road trip. The strangest group of characters to inhabit a bar in this galaxy move to Key West to save the universe.

Stranger, Dearest Friend by Laney Katz Becker
A breast cancer survivor to wrote this novel of two women who meet on an Internet support group. It?s warm and informative; and you?ll laugh and cry as they correspond and tell each other of their medical experiences, family lives and frustrations.

Final Rounds by James Dodson
When Dodson, a golf writer, finds out that his father has only a few months to live, he proposes they set off on the golf journey of their dreams. Father and son play and visit the famous courses of England and Scotland. They reminisce and reaffirm their love for one another. Golfers and non-golfers alike will find this a heart-warming memoir.

Grasshopper by Barbara Vine
This new novel by Barbara Vine (who also writes as Ruth Rendell) is an exceptional psychological thriller. The story is told in flashback, as 31-year-old Clodagh Brown recounts the events of her twentieth year when she and an unusual group of friends spent their time walking the roofs of London. We learn of her childhood fascination with climbing electrical pylons, and the tragedy that resulted. Vine weaves a web as we try to uncover if and when a similar disaster will occur.

Welcome to the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvik
Geneva Jordan, a self-centered actress, finds a different life in Minnesota when she baby sits her twin?s son, a thirteen-year-old with Down?s Syndrome.

Tularosa by Michael McGarrity
This first mystery in a gritty series introduces Kevin Kerney, an ex-cop in New Mexico. Kerney digs into the past when he investigates the disappearance of Sammy Yazzi, a soldier reported missing from White Sands Missile Range.

Lucy Crocker 2.0 by Caroline Preston
Lucy Crocker is the unlikely creator of a bestselling computer game, Maiden Quest. She is unable to master the energy to complete the sequel to the popular game. Her husband, Ed, owner of the software company, gives the project to a team of employees and names Lucy consultant. Her 13 year old twin boys are too involved in their own computer business to pay her any attention. When she discovers the boys looking at pornography on the Internet, Lucy ships them of to the wilderness camp she went to as a teen. Then she takes off herself - without letting Ed know. What follows is an amusing look at the comic and not-so-comic effects of technology on life and love.

A Place of Execution by Val McDermid
One of the best mysteries of the year. Detective Inspector George Bennett is the investigating officer when thirteen year old Alison Carter disappears from Scardale, an isolated rural village. Thirty-some years later, he finally agrees to discuss the haunting case with journalist Catherine Heathcote. Catherine is shocked when he demands she stop publication of the book, so she resorts to backtracking to reinvestigate the case. A riveting story that will stay with you.

Distemper Beth Saulnier
Alex Bernier is a twenty-six year old journalist in the college town of Gabriel, New York. When she stumbles across the second victim of a serial killer, she is determined to cover the story, not participate in it as a victim. Unfortunately, the victims resemble one of Alex?s roommates, and she is drawn into the case. Alex is a feisty character, determined not to make the same mistakes heroines make in mystery novels.

The First Time by Joy Fielding
Shortly after Mattie Hart?s philandering husband, Jake, leaves her, she learns she has Amyotrophic Lateral Schlerosis, Lou Gehrig?s Disease. Mattie?s teenage daughter, Kim, reacts strongly to her father?s desertion and her mother?s terminal diagnosis. Jake makes the decision to return home to help his estranged wife cope with her illness and his daughter?s confusion. But Mattie tells Jake bluntly that she does not want his pity or false concern. Mattie tells Jake she needs his unconditional love and support and invites him to leave if he cannot provide what she and Kim need. Jake decides to at least try to meet Mattie?s request. What ensues is a tender love story as a family rediscovers the importance of honest commitment. Mattie and Jake renew their passion and rediscover their love as they realize Mattie?s illness imposes time limitations. The First Time ends sadly and happily as a family learns what is really important in life.

The Deepest Water by Kate Wilhelm
Jud Vickers was a novelist whose career took off after his second novel. He was also the most important man in his daughter Abby?s life, much to the dismay of her husband. When Jud is murdered in his remote cabin, it falls to Abby to try to decipher the maze of his last unpublished novel. She also is determined to find her father?s killer. Will the unpublished book give her the clues she needs? Could the killer be someone she knows? An intriguing suspense thriller you won?t want to miss.

Like Judgment Day: The Ruin and Redemption of A town Called Rosewood by Michael D?Orso
The town of Rosewood, Florida existed until 1923 when its black, middle class inhabitants were attacked by whites and the town destroyed. Survivors scattered, and rarely spoke of the event, which was forgotten by Florida history until recently. Like Judgment Day presents the facts of this tragedy in Florida?s not-too-distant past, and its more recent aftermath.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, joins Vittoria, the daughter and partner of a murdered European scientist to interpret the ambigrams and interrupt the murderous plans of the Illuminiati, an ancient secret brotherhood, thought to be defunct. The Illuminati plan to destroy Vatican City during a conclave to select the next pope, using an antimatter bomb stolen from Vittoria?s father. Improbable as this scenario may seem, Angels and Demons is a well crafted page-turner, and evidences a solid knowledge of Rome, art, and history.

Murder on a Girls? Night Out by Anne George
The hilarious Southern sisters Patricia Anne and Mary Alice are back with their barbs, humor, and decades of sibling rivalry. The impulsive widow Mary Alice purchases a country-western bar, but before the final papers are signed, the owner is murdered. These totally opposite 60-something sisters investigate the murder.

A Perfect Evil by Alex Kava
This first novel is reminiscent of a Thomas Harris or Jeffrey Deaver thriller.  Maggie O-Dell, an FBI profiler and Nick Morrelli, a Nebraska sheriff, join forces when young boys are kidnapped and brutally murdered.  Slowly, the truth dawns that they are tracking a serial killer who may have been preying on young boys for years.  Kava's fantastic web site goes hand-in-hand with the book.  Check it out at www.aperfectevil.com.

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
Pharmacist Ave Marie Mulligan is the town spinster with a delightful set of friends in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Discovery of her mother?s long-kept secret turns her life upside down in this wonderful book.

The Black Rose by Tananarive Due
"In an era of inhumanity, she dared to give black women beauty and pride. Could there be anything more beautiful in the world than a black rose?" - Alex Haley

Born to former slaves on a Louisiana plantation in 1867, Madam C.J. Walker rose from poverty to become America?s first black female millionaire, the head of a successful company, and a philanthropist in African American causes. Based upon a true story, using research by acclaimed author Alex Haley, Due has written a riveting narrative of a woman?s life. Carefully-crafted, historically accurate, this engrossing novel provides a vivid portrait of a remarkable woman. The reader becomes intimately involved from the very beginning of the book, when Sarah and her sister and brother lose their parents to Yellow Fever. Sarah believed in the power of dreams and her hard work and single-minded determination made those dreams come true. Once you start her story, you won?t want to put it down.

The author, Tananarive Due, is scheduled to appear the Lee County Library System Reading Festival on March 10, 2001.

False Accusations by Alan Jacobson
In False Accusations, Jacobson weaves a tale of deadly revenge. Dr. Phillip Madison seems to have it all: wealth, power, and the respect of his peers. His charmed life unravels when he is arrested in the middle of the night and charged with murder. He is forced to prove his innocence and convince everyone, especially the District Attorney, that he is being framed by a vindictive woman who worked for him. This book will keep you reading to the very end!

Sis Boom Bah by Jane Heller
Deborah and Sharon Peltz are very different sisters, both pursued romantically by Dr. Jeffrey Hirshon. When the double-dealing doctor is murdered, the sisters suspect everyone, including each other! Sibling rivalry is redefined, and sisterhood tested, when Deborah realizes that she and her sister must cease their childish bickering to hunt down Hirshon's murderer, and eliminate herself and Sharon as suspects. Jane Heller's wit, humor, and satire are as sharp as the doctor's scalpel in this romantic mystery. Heller, who resides in Stuart, Florida, brings plenty of Florida flavor and color to her writing. Once finished with Sis Boom Bah, look at your own sister with new appreciation.

High Five by Janet Evanovich
The bounty hunting business is slow, so New Jersey's Stephanie Plum takes on a few extra jobs to pay her rent. She tangles with a little person, has her car blown up, and her love life is out of control, in the usual hilarious mystery from Evanovich, the funniest mystery writer around.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
Fifteen year old Michael Berg falls ill on the sidewalk outside Hanna's apartment and, though she cleans him up with motherly concern and sends him on his way, Michael senses that his life may be forever changed. Their ensuing, rather unorthodox affair seems both believable and beautiful in Schlink's sparse prose, as Hanna instructs Michael in the pleasures of the body while Michael, the reader, entices Hanna with the joy of the written word. The mystery of her sudden disappearance becomes more complicated years later when Michael, a law student attending the trial of Nazi war criminals, finds that Hanna is a defendant.

The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
With a winsome touch, Orlean weaves the story of "orchidelerium", the Victorian name for orchid obsession, as practiced in South Florida. By including all the elements so particular to South Florida; idiosyncratic characters, members of Florida's founding families, streets that go nowhere, reverting to the swamps from which they were carved, Seminole Indians who set up gambling casinos and plant nurseries, and, most especially, the orchid thieves themselves, the author conveys to both the initiated and uninitiated those things that combine to form quintessential Florida. If you live in Florida and find yourself in love with, yet exasperated by this state, this book is for you.

The Emperor's General by James Webb
This work of fiction is historically correct to dates, places, action and time. It personalizes one of the most complex figures of the twentieth century, Douglas MacArthur, by showing his brilliance, arrogance, and quest for power during the final days of WWII and the occupation of Japan. Webb is former Secretary of the Navy and author of one of the finest works of fiction on the Vietnam War, Fields of Fire.

First Evidence by Ken Goddard
This novel is a work which defies genre labeling. It is a mystery with a focus on crime scene evidence and forensics. It is a high-tech thriller with fancy gadgets. It is also sci-fi, with shadowy suspects of inhuman abilities.

Expecting Adam: A true story of birth, rebirth, and everyday magic by Martha Beck
Harvard-educated Beck writes a well-crafted story about having her second son, Adam, who was born in 1988. Author Marion Winik expressed it best when she wrote ". . . I thought it was about a lady who had a baby with Down syndrome. This is like saying Anna Karenina is a book about a lady who commits suicide." Incredibly funny, deeply spiritual, perceptive, thoroughly modern: truly a memoir not to be missed.

Mr. White's Confession by Robert Clark
The year is 1939; the place is St. Paul, Minnesota. Lt. Wesley Horner heads a police investigation into the brutal death of two showgirls. All clues point to Herbert White, an eccentric recluse who, literally, is unable to recall anything other than the distant past. Did he commit the crimes, or is he a convenient scapegoat? In this 1999 Edgar award winner, Clark examines the inner minds of two very different men and the women in their lives.

Crazy for You by Jennifer Crusie
Quinn McKenzie only wanted a change in her life, but she didn't realize when she wanted to adopt a stray dog that it would change her love life, the school she worked at, her parents' life, and eventually Quinn's whole world. Crazy for You is a fun, sexy romance filled with humor.

The Wilder Sisters by Jo-Ann Mapson
One sister, 40, is the widow of a man who cheated on her. The other sister, 35, never found the right man. Although they haven’t spoken to each other in five years, they both end up at their parents’ New Mexico ranch in an attempt to heal themselves. Mapson’s novel is a well-developed story of growth, recognition and love.

Dinoverse by Scott Ciencin
The Ft. Myers author may have written a juvenile novel, but this novel of four young people is worth anyone’s time. Four eighth graders are accidentally transported back in time, and become dinosaurs. This isn’t the typical dinosaur story, though. The teens take their own problems and personalities with them, so they must deal with their human problems, and their dinosaur bodies and lifestyles. A fascinating story.

What the Deaf-mute Heard by G.D. Gearino
Sammy Ayers is abandoned at a Georgia bus station when only ten years old. He finds safety in pretending to be a deaf-mute. The station master takes Sammy under his wing, and Sammy creates a niche for himself in the small town of Barrington. No one bothers to censor themselves around Sammy, so what he hears one week in 1966 proves to have profound consequences for the town’s young preacher in training. Find out for yourself "what the deaf-mute heard".

James Clavell’s King Rat by James Clavell
Changi was a forbidding prison during World War II. In 1945, the Japanese left control of the prison to the Allied officers. Some of these officers enforced the Japanese law with vengeance. Others did not. Enter the King, an American corporal who turned the camp into his own private trading post. Clavell once again proves his mettle as an outstanding storyteller.

Dead Man's Fingers by Barbara Lee
Development vs. environmental concerns. Politics. Jet skiis. Murder. No, it isn't Lee County. It's the latest Cheseapeake Bay mystery featuring real estate agent Eve Elliott. Lee's mysteries just get better as she pits environmentalists, developers, politicians and neighbors against each other in a fight to the death.

Summer of '98 by Mike Lupica
If Lupica's remembrance of the baseball of 1998 doesn't melt your heart, you're not a baseball fan. Lupica links his childhood baseball memories with last summer's theatrics and the experience of sharing that summer with his sons in this warm memoir.

The Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll
Although this true story takes place in the dawn of the Internet, it remains a riveting account of how a 75-cent accounting error alerts an astronomer to the presence of an unauthorized user on his computer system. Follow Stoll's one man hunt as he tracks down a spy who is stealing sensitive military information and reports to the KGB.

From the Lanai: and other Hawaii Stories by Jessica Saiki
A collection of 17 short stories, primarily character sketches, about Japanese-Americans in Hawaii. The Rocky Mountain News wrote an apt summary: "Unfolding as gently and gracefully as a lotus blossom, these 17 stories re-create the universal world of ordinary people far removed from Hawaii's tinsel tourist mecca..."

Home Town by Tracy Kidder
Kidder brings Northampton, Massachusetts to life in the same way John Berendt did for Savannah in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Kidder introduces readers to a few of the residents to reveal modern life in a small town in this fascinating book.

While I Was Gone by Sue Miller
Sue Miller, the best-selling author of The Good Mother, once more explores the untamed terrain of love, intimacy, and betrayal in her fourth novel, While I Was Gone. Jo Becker seemingly has it all: a veterinary practice she loves, a devoted husband, three grown daughters, and a picture-perfect Massachusetts farmhouse. A simmering discontent, however is aroused by the appearance in her office of Eli Mayhew, a character from her past who shared a bohemian lifestyle and group house with her in Cambridge in 1968. Drawn both to Eli and the person she used to be, Jo finds herself revisiting the darkest moment of her past and imperiling all that she loves. Miller writes exquisitely of family life, marital fidelity, and the haunting appeal and laments of the past.

Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball
The author investigates the history of his own prominent family, the Balls of South Carolina. Through painstaking research and numerous interviews, he reconstructs the family's history and meets many of his relatives, both black and white. The book is an honest confrontation of his own family's history of slavery, a recognition that his relatives were both slaves and slave holders, a microcosm of race in America, and a fascinating read. It brings history to life and allows us to meet contemporary people whose family roots intertwine because of the practice of slavery.

Jackie by Josie by Caroline Preston
In this engaging first novel, we meet Josie Trask, a harried young mother trying to finish her dissertation. While her husband goes off to California to teach a summer course, Josie stays behind to make money by digging up dirt on Jackie Onassis for a trashy celebrity biographer. While delving into Jackie's life, Josie realizes the similarities in their lives and personalities. Jackie quotes and trivia are interspersed throughout the book, and make for interesting and thought-provoking reading.

Wives of the Fishermen by Angela Huth
Huth explores the lifelong friendship of two very different women in a Scottish fishing village. Myrtle Duns is a quiet, thoughtful woman, while her best friend, Annie Macleoud, is brash and competitive. Although Myrtle and Annie have a deep bond of friendship, there is an undercurrent of unresolved conflicts between them. When Myrtle's husband, Archie, is killed in a tragic fishing accident in which Annie's husband is partly to blame, their relationship becomes strained. Myrtle forgives Annie's husband, but Annie's behavior continues to strain the relationship. Huth's characters come alive for the reader, and are not soon forgotten.

Caught in the Middle by Gayle Roper
Reporter Merry Kramer has just moved to the small town of Amhearst, PA. When she opens the trunk of the car to get out the case of soda, the last thing she expects to find is a dead body. The next day she is not only interviewing a local artist for an article, but also writing about a murder. When another person is killed and Merry is attacked, she starts wondering just what the killer thinks she knows.

The Moor’s Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie (Sound recording)
One look at the size of a Rushdie novel may normally make you back off - no time, no patience - but the audio cassettes are a delight. Art Malik reads this work with all the unusual speech patterns and emphasis of an Indian speaking English in an Indian world. The layered details and intricate intertwining of the story elements could sometimes be regarded as tedious, if the listener is rushed, but in traffic or while doing housework, the need to hurry through all of Rushdie’s rich characters and their lives drops away and the story can be enjoyed as it is meant to be - purely entertaining.

The First Lady Murders ed. By Nancy Pickard
This is definitely a collection of cozy mysteries for fans who like historical mysteries. Twenty popular mystery writers such as Anne Perry, Linda Grant and Carole Nelson Douglas have contributed stories featuring the First Ladies. These are fun stories based on fact.

Picking Up the Pieces by Mary Sheepshank
A story of four generations of women from Yorkshire, England. Sheepshank exemplifies the charm of English novels. Those who enjoy reading Jean Stubbs and Elizabeth Howard will be captivated by Mary Sheepshank.

Run Jane Run by Maureen Tan
This is Tan’s second novel to feature Jane Nichols. Jane is a member of MI-5 in this action-packed novel that takes place between England and Savannah, Georgia.

Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett
This novel chronicles a crucial time in the history of exploration, the mid-nineteenth century fascination with the mystery of the Arctic. Skillfully blending fact and fiction, Barrett tells of Erasmus Darwin Wells, a scholar-naturalist, who sails aboard the Narwhal on a journey of Arctic exploration. Through his eyes we meet the members of the crew, the volatile commander of the expedition, and experience all the beauty and terrors of the region.
       In contrast to Erasmus’ views are those of the women left at home, and of the Arctic natives. Together those who travel and those who are left behind weave a web of myth and history. Barrett’s explorers discover, as all explorers do, not what was always there and never needed discovering, but the state of their souls.

Zip Six by Jack Gantos
When is the story of a total loser a total winner? When it’s Zip Six! Zip Six is the story of Ray Jakes, a young hashish smuggler who struggles to survive the cruelties of prison. But even when he is released on parole, his struggles do not end. He is in store for one last betrayal. A real page flipper.

Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery by Bahaa Taher
This is the story of a young Muslim who is given sanctuary in a Christian monastery when the widow of a man he has killed in self-defense demands vengeance. Set in a village in Upper Egypt, the story is both compelling and fascinating. It vividly describes a traditional society caught up in the process of change.

Rage Factor by Chris Rogers
Prosecutor turned bounty hunter, Dixie Flannigan, always brings in her man, even if a revolving-door legal system allows a sadistic rapist like Lawrence Riley Coombs to leave the courthouse a free man. When vigilantes abduct Coombs, and several other slippery criminals, giving them a taste of their own medicine, she investigates the group of avengers and discovers one of her best friends may be involved. Then the man in her life complicates matters by pressuring her to find a less dangerous line of work and, adding to her sense of guilt, Dixie’s Doberman MUD (Mean Ugly Dog) begins to suffer from separation anxiety. 

Space: A Memoir by Jesse Lee Kercheval
Kercheval was only ten when her family moved to Cocoa, Florida. Jesse was excited about the closeness to the space program, her mother had to quit her job for the move, and her sister was allergic to Florida. This coming of age autobiography is the sad story of a family coming apart in contrast to the growth and change in the space program.

On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah
After 20 years of marriage, Annie’s husband says he wants a divorce on the same day their only daughter leaves home. Heartbroken, she returns home to Mystic, Washington where she finds two tormented people who need her.

Par Four by Elizabeth Gunn
Jake Hines, Chief of Detectives in Rutherford, Minnesota, faces a rash of burglaries and drug problems in the older section of town. His investigative team finds a way to tie the various cases together in this well written mystery.

Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
The Spartans of ancient Greece are fiercely portrayed in this fictional account of the Battle of Thermopylea in 480 B.C. This is a well written story about the 300 Spartans, containing graphic descriptions of fighting with swords and spears and giving the reader a vivid look at the hardships and heroism of these warriors.

The Tennis Partner by Abraham Verghese
Not since Mitch Albom wrote so eloquently about his Tuesdays with Morrie has such an honest, heartfelt book been written about a friendship between two men. From the moment they met, Abraham, doctor and mentor, felt a kinship with the troubled young intern, but, on the tennis court their roles were reversed as David, dropout from the pro circuit, became the instructor. Over the course of three years these two men gradually share and face their triumph and failures in both work and personal relationships, in very disparate ways. Using tennis as a metaphor for life, Verghese mourns the discovery that often the game is won or lost in one’s head, long before the ball is even put into play.

The Alligator’s Farewell by Hialeah Jackson
Jackson isn’t Carl Hiaasen, but only a Florida writer incorporates a body in a nuclear reactor, a nude bar in the Everglades, a deaf owner of a security firm, and a vice president named Dave the Monkeyman. Only in Florida.

Into the Forest by Jean Hegland
In this fascinating first novel set in the near-future, a distant war has caused the collapse of industrial America. In a secluded section of Northern California, two sisters are left on their own to struggle to survive amid the collapse of technology and society. They also must find ways to sustain their emotional life through individual sources of inspiration. A coming of age story that will fill readers with a sense of the human spirit’s strength and beauty.

Vespers by Jeff Rovin
Dr. Nancy Joyce, bat expert, and Detective Robert Gentry must stand between an invading force of bats and New York City in this engrossing horror novel. Vespers is to be a Touchstone Picture.

Charming Billy by Alice McDermott
Charming Billy, the 1998 winner of the National Book Award, tells the poignant and ironic story of charming Billy Lynch, a romantically doomed Irish American Catholic in modern-day New York. Beginning her novel with Billy’s death from alcoholism, Alice McDermott compassionately probes the complex relationships that bind people by blood, shared memories, the church, and the curse of drink. Through a series of bittersweet recollections and revelations by his mourners, Billy’s tragic tale of unrequited passion for his "Irish girl" unfolds.

The Poyson Garden by Karen Harper
As a 25 year old princess, Elizabeth I finds herself and her Boleyn family threatened by a poisoner. With her few allies, the determined princess turns investigator in this intriguing historical mystery.

Gone Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
Children are disappearing from the homes of less than perfect mothers and the Boston Police Department, while appearing to back the investigation, is actually hindering the work of PI duo Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. Why? Find out in this intelligently written page turner by an award winning author whose books have more twists and turns than the Boston city streets they chronicle.

Framework for Death by Aileen Schumacher
The Florida author brings back Tory Travers, a widow and engineer who teams up with Detective David Alvarez. Together they investigate a collapsed house and the story behind the baby found in the house. Tory is an intriguing addition to the amateur detective field.

Link by Walt Becker
Extraterrestrial life may be responsible for cultures on earth, and even genes, in this adventure novel based on recent archeological discoveries.

Bread on Arrival by Lou Jane Temple
Heaven Lee, a Kansas City restaurant owner, becomes involved when bread makers attending a local convention start dying. Recipes are included in this mystery.

Private Justice by Terri Blackstock
When the wives of local firemen turn up dead in burning houses, Mark Branning starts worrying about his wife, even though they are separated. Mark wants to protect Allie, whom he still loves, but a female friend, a broken relationship with God, and a person with a vendetta