October New Popular Books

The following new books have been added this month to the Popular Reading Collection located next to the circulation desk.   These books and any other titles currently checked out can be placed on hold.
See a staff member at the circulation desk for assistance.

 

Bones to Ashes, by Kathy Reichs
Dark Possession, by Christine Feehan
Strip Search, by William Bernhardt
The Complete Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz
You've Been Warned, by James Patterson
The 47th Samurai, by Stephen Hunter
The Bone Garden, by Tess Gerritsen
Dead Heat, by Dick Francis
Exit Ghost, by Philip Roth



This Month's Great Escapes
by Bill McCleary  



Brother Odd, by Dean Koontz

The latest installment in what is shaping up to be a series finds Odd Thomas hanging out at St. Bartholomew’s Abbey in the High Sierra mountains of California.  Part monastery, part convent school, and part sanctuary for abandoned children with special needs, the abbey has not only attracted Odd.  Also in residence is a mysterious, billionaire scientist who has gone into seclusion.  If you will recall, Odd has the ability to see dead people who, for some reason, have not moved on to the next world. He also can see what he calls bodachs—sinister forms that appear when a disaster or an evil event is about to occur.  The bodachs have started to assemble at the abbey—but what horrible event is about to happen?  Odd, with the help of the abbey’s monks—and the spirit of Elvis—must once again do battle, this time to save the abbey’s children.  This was pretty good but I’m ready for something different from Mr. Koontz.
 

The Overlook, by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch, the relentless and dedicated LA cop who tends to do things his way regardless of the rules and regulations, had been working on cold cases but he has just been assigned to the Homicide Special Squad.  This squad handles just what the name says—special murder cases.  First up for Harry is the murder of a doctor who uses a very dangerous radioactive substance called cesium as part of a cancer treatment.  His wife has been found bound and gagged at their home and it looks like the doctor was forced to obtain a large quantity of cesium and turn it over to persons unknown in order to save his wife’s life.  A large amount of cesium can be used in a terrorist attack so the FBI is soon on the case—and stepping repeatedly on Harry’s toes as he tries to solve the doctor’s murder.  It’s not all bad though—Harry’s one-time lover, FBI agent Rachel Walling, is also assigned to the investigation--making this a special case, indeed.  According to the jacket flap, this book originally appeared in serial form in The New York Times Magazine and Connelly expanded it somewhat for this edition.  My only wish is that he had expanded it more—for me it ended way too soon.  Terrific, as always from Connelly.


Invisible Prey, by John Sandford

This is something like the seventeenth novel in the very popular ‘Prey’ series, featuring Lucas Davenport.  Lucas used to be a Minneapolis homicide cop but now he’s an investigator with a Minnesota state agency—the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension—and his cases are likely to be media hot potatoes.   In his latest outing, Lucas is juggling two very different but very high profile cases.  First, Lucas is investigating a mother’s charge that a state senator has had sex with her underage teenage daughter.  The accusation might or might not be true—there are conflicting stories to sort out.  While Lucas is on that case, which isn’t really thrilling him, word reaches him that a very prominent and wealthy elderly woman and her maid have been murdered in the woman’s palatial Minneapolis mansion.  With his homicide expertise, Lucas is called in to consult on the case.  And, a strange case it is.  While the mansion has been trashed, it doesn’t look like anything of value has been taken.  So, why were the women murdered?  As Lucas investigates, events seem to link the murders to his other case involving the state senator—but the cases are so different it has Lucas flummoxed.  When another murder occurs, suddenly there is another angle—the world of art and antiques.  And, Lucas has a deeper mystery on his hands.   I love this series—every installment has been exciting and interesting—and this latest is no exception.


The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, by Alexander McCall Smith

When we last looked in on Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, things seemed to be going well for one and all in her world and there was a general sense of contentment.  Well, as they say, that was then.  Some discontentment has definitely set in.  Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, her husband, who has always been happy to be a fine automobile mechanic, out of the blue tells Precious that maybe he would like to try doing something different—like handling one of Precious’s detective cases.  Precious secretly has her doubts but she assigns him a case involving a husband having an affair.  Also feeling dissatisfied is Precious’s assistant detective, Grace Makutsi, who decides to resign and seek a job more in keeping with her talents. Remember, she scored 97 percent at secretarial school!   And, our last malcontent is Charlie, the older of the two apprentice mechanics employed by Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni.  Charlie has plans to go into business for himself as the owner/operator of a taxi.  So, poor Precious has her hands full—and a vexing case of her own to solve.  As always, it’s a pleasure to return to Mma Ramotswe’s Africa.   








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Revised Sept. 28, 2007

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