Faithful Place / Tana French 400 p.

Detective Frank Mackey returns unwillingly to his home after 22 years of self-imposed exile when his long lost, love, Rosie Daly's suitcase turns up in an abandoned home, the only remnant of their plan to run away together to London. In this third novel featuring the Dublin Murder Squad, Frank investigation is wound tightly around his dysfunctional family, friends and neighbors of Faithful Place, Dublin, Ireland. Mackey reveals all the happenings of the neighborhood. Everyone from that time has secrets drudged up as the pieces slowly fall into place. Language alert. For those readers who enjoy all the details of relationships.

Anthony Award Nominee

Loving Jack/Nora Roberts/296 pgs

This is book 1 of a 2 title series. In this one, we meet Jack (Jacqueline) McNamara who is subletting her dream house from her cousin in order to write her first novel. What she doesn't know is that her cousin was only house sitting and the owner, Nathan Powell, is on his way home. Of course, sparks start to fly but they make an arrangement where she can stay for 1 month and will cook for him. This is your typical romance, but if you are looking for just a mindless good romantic story, this book is for you.

The Search for WondLa / Tony DiTerlizzi / 477 pages

There aren't many good science fiction books for kids and I'm glad to say that this one is a great science fiction story. Eva Nine lives underground with her robot muthr. She longs to meet other humans but has never been on the surface of the planet. Chaos ensues when a brutal hunter blasts into her sanctuary and she must escape. Readers will be fascinated by the unusual creatures that Eva meets and hooked by what happens to Eva as she searches for other humans. The book while very long, will keep the attention of good middle grade readers. It's very thought-provoking too. The illustrations by DiTerlizzi are unique, fabulous and integral to the book. Hope the 2nd book comes along soon as you are left hanging at the end of the 1st book.

One False Note / Gordon Korman / 174 pages

Second book in the 39 Clues series. Each book in the series is written by a different author but uses all of the same characters and plotline. Each of the authors in the series knows how to write books that will hook readers. One False Note uses information about Mozart and his sister to help solve a clue. There's plenty of action, despicable characters and sibling rivalry. I can see why these books are never on the shelf at the library!

Maze of Bones / Rick Riordan / 220 pages

First in the hugely popular 39 Clues series. Listened to this one on CD and loved it, loved it, loved it. Got a reluctant boy reader in your family? Hand them this book. Dan and Amy Cahill must compete with other Cahill family members to solve 39 clues that will bring the winner world power. Riordan is soooo clever. He fits in historical characters and details that will get kids reading about Benjamin Franklin. This is all action, suspense, and puzzle solving. Don't start the series because you'll have to read them all....

A Turn in the Road / Debbie Macomber / 333 pages

Three generations of women (mom, daughter, and ex mother-in-law) set off on a road trip from Seattle to Florida. Each of the characters has issues with men in their lives. Each resolves those issues and lives happily ever after of course. Good chick lit. Warm female friendships.

Zita the Spacegirl / Ben Hatke / 183 pages

Graphic novel for kids. Zita risks everything to save her friend who is taken to another planet because of Zita's actions. Great story. Interesting creatures. It reads like Zita may have more upcoming adventures. Girls and boys would enjoy this one.

Live to Tell / Lisa Gardner / 388 pages

Detective D. D. Warren solves another mystery. This one involves psychotic children, survivor issues, and D. D.s ticking biological clock. Very intense. Scary. Told from aspects of three characters and each of their stories come together in the end.

61 Hours / Lee Child / 383 pages

Listened to this one on cd and it was chilling. First Jack Reacher book I've read and now I feel the need to go back and start from #1. Very suspenseful. Leaves you hanging.

The Art of Forgetting/Camile Noe Pagan/284 pages

Marissa and Julia have been friends since high school and are living out their dreams (well, almost) in New York. When Julia is hit by a cab and suffers severe head trauma, her life changes, but Marissa's does too. Julia moves back to the Midwest so her parents can care for her leaving Marissa to re-examine her life without Julia as a focal point.

Another "memory" book but still different from the rest. Good story.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter/Tom Franklin/274 pgs

Larry Ott had been accused of kidnapping and maybe the murder of a neighbor girl while he was still in high school. But because the body was never found he was never charged with any crime except in the minds of the people in his home town. Now another girl is missing and he is a suspect in this crime, but before anything can be done he is shot. His childhood friend and the new constable, Silas Jones is trying to find out what happened. Silas and Larry were friends one summer - this is important because Larry is white and Silas is black and this is Mississippi in the 70s. You can figure out part of the story right away but there are some twists at the end.

The Shelockian / Graham Moore / 589 pgs

When literary researcher Harold White is inducted into the preeminent Sherlock Holmes enthusiast society, he never imagines he's about to be thrust onto the hunt for Arthur Conan Doyle's missing diary. But after a Doylean scholar is murdered, it is Harold who takes up the search, both for the diary and for the killer.

For the life of me I cannot remember if I actually have ever read any Sherlock Holmes stories. Many titles are listed in this work and I vaguely recall certain story lines...I must have been brought up on all the TV shows and movies. I like the way the author ties in the turn of the century advancement from gas lamps to electric lighting in London....and how there may have been so much more intrigue and mystery in the past (shadowy features of gas lamps) as opposed to the almost overexposed facts, etc. (bright electric lighting) our technology offers us now. I like historical fiction. Read it!

Faithful Place / Tana French / 679 pgs

The story is set in Dublin, Ireland. Young Frank plans to run away with his girlfriend to London in the hopes of escaping poverty and a horrible family life. Rosie, his girlfriend fails to join him. He decides to leave anyways. His life takes a turn he never imagined it would.

More than 20 years later he discovers evidence of foul play from that fateful night. He winds up back home trying to make sense of relationships, both of friends and family members. It took a chapter or two to get my mind wrapped around the language but from then on.....I could almost hear the voices and picture the characters. I liked it.

Midnight Crystal/Jayne Castle/406 pgs

"Midnight Crystal" is the ninth title in the Arcane Society series. This one takes place in the future in the world of Harmony. The new head of Jones and Jones - Marlowe Jones meets the new head of the local Ghost Hunter Guild, Adam Winters. He is looking for the Burning Lamp because he believes that he is the next victim of the Winters curse. Plus he believes that the power of the lamp will help save the underworld. Together they find the lamp and save the underworld but they also discover the secret of the Midnight Crystal. I really liked this one - the world of Harmony is very different and the author's descriptions of it make it very believable.

Now You See Her/James Patterson/ 383 pages

In Patterson's 40th book of the year (clearly I jest...), a woman has to confront her past and try to save an innocent man. If we purchase large print versions of his work, we are wasting our money. With short chapters, large margins, big print and even bigger chapter headings, every book is large print. All in all, a good story though.

Born to Rock/ Gordon Korman/ 261 pgs.

I thought it was time to read something by Gordon Korman (actually, listen to it on cd) since he is coming to the Library District. What a fun book! I don't generally choose "guy" books, but this was really entertaining.
I was hooked right from the beginning wondering how the president of the Young Republicans Club was going to end up with a punk rock band. It was well done. Even the promised cavity search. Korman also offers a small look into the life of a "roadie" that travels with a rock band. I am much happier reading about it.
He ties the book together at the end with a great ending. I reluctant reader might actually read this, especially if he likes heavy metal or goth.

Justice/Karen Robards/342 pgs

This is the sequel to "Pursuit". Jessica is now in a sort of Witness Protection but unfortunately her secret is about to come out. She is the lawyer on a high profile case and now seems to be a target for murder again. Not sure if it has to do with the murder of the First Lady. Mark Ryan is back in her life - trying to protect her again. Once again, the close quarters is making those feelings about Mark, that Jessica had been trying to bury, surface. Another good story - could there be a third? Will have to wait and see

Pursuit/Karen Robards/369 pgs

Jessica Ford is a up and coming young lawyer who is called in the middle of the night by her boss to pick up the First Lady. After she gets to the hotel where the First Lady is hiding, she is then taken in a car and the next thing she remembers she is in the hospital - the only survivor of an accident which killed the First Lady and 2 other people. She is then on the run for her life with Mark Ryan, the Secret Service agent on the First Lady's detail. Of course they fall in love as they are trying to find out what really happened that night. Good story and prequel to "Justice" - which just came out in July.

Shelter/Harlan Coben/304 pages

Shelter is Coben's foray into Young Adult fiction. Lucky teens! Mickey Bolitar, Myron's nephew who was introduced in Live Wire, lives with his uncle but doesn't have much contact with him. He's starting a new high school and trying to fit in. When his almost girlfriend goes missing, he and his small band of outcasts try to find out where she went. Of course, it's a Harlan Coben story, so expect the unexpected.

The Ideal Man/Julie Garwood/322 pgs.

Other than the lame title, Julie Garwood has written another enjoyable romantic suspense novel. Dr. Ellie Sullivan has witnessed an attempted murder, and is under the protection of FBI agent Max Daniels. If that isn't enough, Ellie is also on the radar of Evan Patterson--a stalker who attempted to kill her years ago!

Split Second/ Catherine Coulter/419 pages

The next in the the FBI Thriller series. The team finds out early on who the killer is, so the goal is finding the killer before someone else dies. A secondary story involves a team member and a family secret.