Partner in Crime, by Judith A. Jance

MYS Jance
Recommended by Susan Groytyahann

Veteran mystery writer Jance merges her two popular series in this unusual title. Sheriff Johanna Brady of Cochise County Arizona has a brutal poisoning on her hands. When it turns out the victim was in Witness Protection through the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, things get complicated. J.P. Beaumont, formerly a Seattle PD Detective and now an AGO investigator, is sent to Bisbee to “assist.” Beau is the hero of Jance’s other series, and at first Johanna fiercely resents his intrusion on her turf, as well as his supervisor’s lack of cooperation. Sparks fly as these two dynamic, headstrong investigators match wits with each other and the murderer. A tour de force that can be read independently of either terrific series, but is more fun with an early title or two from each to draw on.

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The Dante Club, by Matthew Pearl

FIC PEARL
Recommended by Irene Goldberg
The historical facts are true, the Dante allusions are true, but the murders are pure fiction. A delightful novel about a small group of scholars who realize that a series of local murders are modeled on the descriptions of Hell’s punishments from Dante’s Inferno, even as they work on the first American translation of the work.

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Jesus Land, by Julia Scheeres

373.7293 SCH
Recommended by Irene

It’s the 80s in rural Indiana. In order to prove their open-mindedness and religious charitable nature, Julia Scheeres’ parents adopt a black boy her age to grow up with her. Her mother does more church attending than parenting; her father has an explosive temper. These kids can’t win. This memoir makes you laugh and then gasp in horror. A must read.

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Hot Money, by Dick Francis

MYS FRANCIS
Recommended by Susan

Famous British jockey-turned-mystery-wrier Francis bases his wonderful thrillers around the racing industry and its ancillary support services, but they are all, ultimately, about people. He carried this furthest in his most unusual title, Hot Money. Murder has tainted the convoluted relationships of much-married tycoon Malcolm Pembroke with his three ex-wives and eight children. Someone murdered his most recent wife and later tried to kill him. Malcolm turns to his estranged son Ian, an amateur jockey, for protection, but his boisterous, outgoing nature makes him impossible to shelter anywhere in England. After several more murder attempts, Ian introduces Malcolm to the United States racing scene half a world away, and begins trying to untangle the deadly resentments among his half-siblings. Peeling away layers of emotional and financial neediness, Ian discovers an unspeakable crime from the past and sets a dangerous trap for the killer.

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Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations, by Alexander McCall Smith

FIC MCCALL SMITH
Recommended by Jo Ann

Fans of this delightful author (bestseller: No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency) will enjoy these entertaining short stories. The nine stories focus on the trials and tribulations of dating…set in various countries between 1950 and 1960, and range from the humorous to the absurd to the wistfully romantic.
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Heat and Dust, by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

FIC JHABVALA
Recommended by Jo Ann
A Booker Prize winner, this well-written Anglo-Indian romance takes place in 1923 colonial India between the beautiful Englishwoman, Olivia, and Prince Nawab. The scandal intrigues the grand-daughter, who tells the story.

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Killer Stuff by Sharon Fiffer

Recommended by Sue

MYS Fiffer

Killer Stuff is the first of Sharon Fiffer’s Jane Wheel mysteries. Jane, a suburban Indiana mother of one, was downsized from a high-powered corporate position. She takes up antique dealing in these delightful cozy mysteries. Jane starts her new career as a “picker,” someone who scours garage sales for collectibles and sells them to established dealers. Jane is getting good at finding quality stock, but she has an unfortunate tendency to find – bodies! As a suspect in a murder case, Jane meets Detective Bruce Oh. In future volumes, they become a great team, with Jane’s intuitiveness and local knowledge complementing Oh’s cool logic. Later titles are Dead Guy’s Stuff, Buried Stuff, and Hollywood Stuff. Fiffer delivers clever plots, a delightfully quirky supporting cast, and tons of antique finds to die for!

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The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, by Kim Edwards

Recommended by Donna

FIC EDWARDS

This is a book of fiction that takes place in the early 1960s. On a snowy night a woman gives birth to twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Down Syndrome. Unbeknownst to the mother, the father sends the baby girl away. The story tells of a grieving mother who cannot forget her only daughter and a brother who feels the loss of his twin.

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Messenger of Truth: a Maisie Dobbs novel, by Jacqueline Winspear

Recommended by Danielle

FIC WINSPEAR

Set in England during the 1920s, this is the 4^th book about Maisie Dobbs’ adventures as a female private investigator. Times for women have changed while most of the men were off fighting the war leaving the women responsible for supporting the family. In this episode, Maisie must help find out if the death of her client’s famous artist brother was indeed an accident or murder.

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Rattled, by Debra Galant

Recommended by Jennifer

FIC GALANT

Set in a new “McMansion” community of suburban New Jersey, Heather Peters, a superficial, materialistic, lawyer’s wife and class mom, finds trouble when her handyman, a local egg farmer, kills an endangered rattlesnake on her back porch. Animal rights activists are alarmed and Peters is arrested at her misfit son’s school on Back-to-School Night. A national media frenzy surrounds Peters, the “rattlesnake killer,” forces animal rights activists to act on behalf of snakes, exposes the land developer’s crooked business deals, and embarrasses the Homeowners Association in her community. Peters is forced to save her reputation and her family’s home at Galapagos Estates. A funny book.

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Closure: The Untold Story of the Ground Zero Recovery Mission, by Lt. William Keegan and Bart Davis

Recommended by Jennifer

974.7104 KEE

Lt. Keegan lets his guard down in a personal account of his 9 months at Ground Zero. His duty to defend the honor of the victims, their families, and the PAPD is uncompromised by his conversational dialog and graphic, often disturbing, passages. Closure is a valuable contribution to the body of works about the attacks on September 11th. Reviews

In the Company of a Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant

Recommended by Donna

FIC DUNANT

A novel of historical fiction set in the late 1500s, this is truly a story of friendship. Fiammetta is a courtesan and her friend and confidant is a dwarf nicknamed Bucino. They leave Rome when the city is destroyed and move to Venice to start anew. A city rich in political intrigue and religious fanaticism, they make a new life for themselves only to see it destroyed when the courtesan falls in love! When you read this book you will truly feel you are floating on the canals of Venice.
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The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger

Recommended by Jo Ann

FIC WEISBERGER

Recent college graduate, Andrea Sachs, accepts her first job as assistant to a top fashion magazine editor, a position for which many would die. Her daily existence is one of humiliation, degradation and slave laborer to a ruthless, self-centered, unreasonable demon of a boss. The “carrot” that keeps her working is the promise of a New Yorker dream job. A fun, quick read prior to seeing the movie.
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Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family, by Patricia Volk

Recommended by Jo Ann

Non-fiction 641.5 VOL

Patricia’s memoir is a humorous, heartwarming, and nostalgic walk through her years growing up in a New York City restaurant family in the mid-1900s. Four generations of unique and colorful family members, whose ups and downs are woven around the dinner table, will put a smile on your face.

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Goodnight Nobody, by Jennifer Weiner

Recommended by Lynette

FIC WEINER

A lonely housewife living in a small Connecticut suburb finds her friend dead one afternoon. While her children are in nursery school three days a week, she investigates the murder and discovers disturbing, yet funny secrets of her new hometown. Reviews

Dead Watch, by John Sandford

Recommended by Irene

FIC SANDFORD

From the author of the Prey series comes a stand-alone political thriller you can’t put down. When Lincoln Bowe, a controversial Republican ex-senator disappears, the White House puts Jacob Winters, a veteran political operative, on the case. Every clue opens yet another can of worms, and Jake is awash in misinformation and devious behavior. Fast paced and fascinating. Reviews

The Alchemist’s Daughter, by Katharine McMahon

Recommended by Heather

FIC MCMAHON

Emilie Seldon is raised by her father who teaches her about alchemy. When a man consults her father regarding his studies, Emilie falls in love and soon marries him. As a result of unanswered letters from her father, she returns to her home where she unravels mysteries about her past.

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Caught Dead in Philadelphia, by Gillian Roberts

Recommended by Irene

MYS ROBERTS

Introducing a sparkling, witty mystery series featuring Amanda Pepper, schoolteacher and talented sleuth. Teachers will enjoy the trials of a dedicated educator as she experiences the ups and downs of the school environment. Everyone will enjoy the adventures and travails of Amanda’s personal life and loves against the backdrop of the City of Brotherly Love. The first in a series of several books.

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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Recommended by Irene
FIC SEE

In 19th century China, in the time of bound feet and seclusion for women, Lily, the narrator, tells of her life in vivid detail. Because she is judged to be a valuable match, she endures painful foot binding and is paired with a girl in another village with the same birthday. They write to each other in women’s secret writing – sending messages written on a fan. A deeply moving period piece.

Reviews: http://tinyurl.com/z5ftu

The Witch of Cologne by Tobsha Learner

Recommended by Donna
FIC LEARNER

If you like historical fiction, you will love this book! Set in the 1600s, Ruth is a Jewish midwife who is ahead of her time. Her progressive ways seem unnatural to the locals and she is branded as a witch. She falls in love with and marries a Catholic priest. What follows is a tale of faith, love, and sacrifice. This is a true love story and a real page turner.

Reviews: http://tinyurl.com/esw6h

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Recommended by Annemarie
FIC GREGORY

A fascinating historical fiction of the life of Katharine of Aragon, daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Betrothed to Arthur, the Prince of Wales, Katharine’s marriage seals an alliance between Spain and England. Katharine and Arthur fall in love, but Arthur’s premature death leaves Katharine a widow after only a few months of marriage. The desire to fulfill her destiny as Queen of England brings Katharine to the throne as the wife of Henry VIII, Arthur’s younger brother. The story unfolds with plenty of political intrigue. Katharine’s early years as the daughter of a warrior queen and her life at the exotic Moorish palace at Granada are brought vividly to life as are the customs and people of Tudor England.

Reviews: http://tinyurl.com/e6shx

Push Not the River by James Conroyd Martin

Recommended by Danielle

A novel inspired by the unpublished diary of Countess Anna Maria Berezowska. Orphaned as a teenager in Poland during 1763-1796, Anna is forced to live with her aunt and uncle where her life is constantly challenged. Follow Anna on her journey of courage and survival as Catherine the Great and the Russian soldiers invade Poland to expand their borders.

Reviews:http://tinyurl.com/gk2j8

We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg

Recommended by Jean
FIC Berg

Set in Tupelo, Miss., best-selling author Elizabeth Berg delivers a heartwarming novel based on fact about a woman who contracted Polio while pregnant with her daughter and struggled selflessly to raise her despite spousal abandonment and other challenges.

Reviews-http://tinyurl.com/l84do

Mulch Ado About Nothing by Jill Churchill

Recommended by Theresa
FIC Churchill

In this light, cozy mystery , Jane and her neighbor and best friend Shelley take a gardening class and as usual, find themselves in the middle of a ton of trouble.

Reviews-http://tinyurl.com/nkheo

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

Recommended by Jo Ann
Non-fiction 641.5092 REI

A humorous and insightful look into the experiences of Reichl’s years as a New York Times restaurant critic. She painstakingly adopts elaborate disguises in order to avoid being recognized and hence treated differently from “ordinary” diners. Her honest reviews, as well as reviews of non-traditional restaurants, cause interesting problems. Recipes and some reviews are included.

Reviews-http://tinyurl.com/gkt5x

In Cuba I was a German Shepherd by Ana Menéndez

Recommended by Jennifer
FIC Menéndez

A collection of stories set in Miami and Havana about post-revolutionary Castro Cuba. Menéndez recounts the ease of summer days spent sitting, joking and playing dominoes, as well as heartfelt memories, hopes, and dreams past of aging Cuban-Americans. This book is filled with emotionally provocative tales of joy and grief of the life of an exiled community.

Reviews-http://tinyurl.com/nrvf6

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

Recommended by Theresa
FIC Otsuka

In this tragic novel, we learn about the plight of Japanese-Americans forced to live in internment camps during World War II.

Reviews-http://tinyurl.com/ldj85

The Secret Life of Beesby Sue Monk Kidd

Recommended by Theresa
FIC KIDD
In this uplifting novel, Lily has lost her mother and is forced to stay with her abusive father. She runs away with her nanny, Rosaleen. The two are taken in by three beekeeping sisters and they find the love and family that they have been seeking.
Reviews-http://tinyurl.com/lh435