Staff Picks
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Another laugh out loud roller coaster of a novel from Carl Hiaasen involving the death of a wealthy Dowager during a fancy charity event in Palm Beach. The case features several dubious characters, a clear headed "wildlife relocation specialist", the Secret Service, as well as various state and local law enforcement officials and one very large Burmese Python. It's rampaging imbecility at its best and Hiaasen uses the pandemic and a president who calls Florida his home as a back drop for a great escapist and fun novel. (Bob)
A young man goes missing in Olympic National Park and his father sets out to find him. This is the basic story of this book, but along the way we discover just how frighteningly common it is to disappear in the wild. Jacob Gray was just setting out on a long planned cross country bicycle tour when he vanished, leaving his fully loaded bike on the side of a road & four arrows stuck in the soil nearby. So begins the ordeal of his family who try to discover what has happened to Jacob. As Randy Gray, Jacob's father, leaves his life in California to commit himself wholly to finding his son, we go with him as he chases down each meager clue. The journey takes him into wild rivers, into the world of Search and Rescue volunteers, and even into the realm of dedicated Bigfoot researchers. The author discuses many other cases of people who vanished in the wild and the efforts to locate them, which vary greatly state to state and park to park. I was astounded by how many are still unaccounted for; an unsettling but fascinating book. (Kim)
A story of 2 unforgettable women from 2 generations, but connected by the men they love. Lenora "Lulu" Randolph lands in the Bahamas in the early 1940's as a magazine reporter and quickly becomes part of the elite "in" crowd led by the Duke & Duchess of Windsor. She meets and falls in love with Benedict Thorpe, but when he disappears, she goes on a mission to war-torn Europe to find his family and hopefully him. Years before this Elfriede, a young mother suffering from PPD, is sent to a clinic high in the Swiss Mountains. There she falls in love with an Englishman, Wilfred Thorpe. The story of how these two women fight for survival, happiness, and love is inspiring and heartfelt. Williams does a great job bring these 2 time periods & her characters to life. (Sue)
After her daughter’s devastating death, a divorce, and an emotional breakdown, Ellie hopes to move as far as possible from the grief, the rage, and the monsters of her past. When Martin Cresswell-Smith makes a whirlwind entrance into her life, she believes he may be the answer to her quest for a new beginning. Unfortunately for her fragile mind she doesn't realize that appearances can be deceiving and deathly. Filled with twists, turns, a gruesome murder set in the beauty of an Australian coastal town, this was my favorite Loreth Anne White novel yet! If you're looking for a great psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end, this book is for you! (Lisa)
Tara's upbringing is not one for the faint of heart. The story of her life up in the Idaho mountains with her survivalist parents and siblings was absolutely unbelievable. This was my first biography and an absolute page turner! (Bonnie)
This book is sci-fi/fantasy like I've never read before. I could not put it down. Gideon and Harrow share a love/hate relationship. Harrow is a necromancer who needs Gideon to be her swordsman. Gideon is a foundling trapped on Harrow's planet looking for a way off. Together they answer the Emperor's call to engage in trials to become his immortal servants to help save the world. Their relationship, which is filled with mistrust and hate, and maybe love is what they need to succeed. If you are a fan of sci-fi/fantasy - this is a must read adventure. Book two, Harrow the Ninth, came out in August. (Candie)
I love a good romantic suspense and Nora doesn't disappoint with this story. It starts with the kidnapping of 9 year old Caitlyn Sullivan from her prominent family's home in Big Sur. She manages to escape and find help with a nearby ranch family, the Coopers, where the seeds of a great love begin. This ordeal affects her throughout her life though, as family betrayals come to light and she wonders if she can ever find happiness, peace, and the life she wants with Dillon Cooper. (Sue)
A fun romp through the Keys set in 1935 which weaves together the stories of 3 very different women, all of whom are searching for a new future. Helen, who is pregnant and an abused wife, knows she must leave her husband in order to protect her baby. Mirta, who has fled Cuba through an arranged marriage, is worried about her husband's nefarious ties to the Mob and wondering if she will learn to love this man. Elizabeth, who takes the train solo from NY to Florida, is in search of her brother and his help with a family scandal. All 3 women will have to rely on and trust the new men they have met in order to achieve their goals and survive a powerful hurricane which is bearing down on The Keys. (Sue)
A new detective series set in Galway, Ireland. Detective Cormac Reilly is investigating the supposed suicide death of a young man named Jack when he realizes one of his first acts on the police force years before was to remove Jack and his sister Maude from their home after their mother dies. Maude does not believe her brother committed suicide and she pushes Cormac to discover the truth. A twisty tale where the past has a big impact on the present. I love to read stories set in other countries and this one did not disappoint. (Sue)
Although this is the second time I have read "The Stand" with a thirty year gap in between I was amazed at how much I had remembered of the story. Because the story is so well written, even after all that time and enormous to-be-read pile of new books, I could not put it down. The frightening aspects of the story that have or are happening now in our global pandemic society made it seem like Stephen King consulted a crystal ball when writing it. The characters and their individual and group journeys were so compelling, I felt I was right there with them. Definitely one of his best novels! (Lisa)
Laura Lyons, wife of the superintendent of the New York Public Library, is not content with her role as wife and mother of two children. She longs to attend Columbia Journalism School, get a job as a reporter and help support her family. However the roles and expectations for a woman in 1913 are very rigid and achieving her dreams may break Laura. Eighty years later, Laura's granddaughter Sadie Donovan, is an assistant curator at the NYPL, who comes under suspicion when valuable books begin to go missing from the library's famous Berg collection. I was very excited to hear that Fiona Davis was writing about one of my favorite places in the world the New York Public Library and she did not disappoint me. As Sadie walked down the stately marble hallways or when Laura gazed up at the magnificent ceiling in the Rose Reading Room, I felt I was right beside them. Not only did I learn more about the library but also about the oppressive treatment of women and the poor in the early 1900's. In the genre of historical fiction, Fiona Davis is one of the best authors I've read. I not only recommend this book but also a visit to what I consider a slice of heaven on Earth, the New York Public Library. (Lisa)
Julia Keegan and Will Slater are about to be married on a remote island off the Irish Coast. As the wedding party and the elite guests begin arriving, the secrets that lie festering just below their perfect façade threaten to expose the truth behind their smiles. Reminiscent of "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie this story had me staying up very late because I couldn't put it down. The characters with their explosive secrets and the extreme remoteness of the wedding location combines to create a perfect storm that will keep you guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this addictive thriller! (Lisa)
After much praise of this book I finally decided to pick it up and I definitely could not put it down. Abandoned at a very young age by her whole family Kya Clark survives on her own out in the marsh. With no schooling and really no social skills she is a mystery to the town. When the local football star is found dead the locals immediately blame “Marsh girl” as she’s known. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages of this novel! It is definitely a must read! (Bonnie)
Consuelo Vanderbilt, American heiress, was forced into a loveless marriage to the 9th Duke of Marlboro by her mother Alva Vanderbilt. After producing "An heir and a spare" Consuelo's marriage falls apart. She scandalously separates and forges and path of her own. Her fight for women's suffrage and medical care of children give her meaning in a world she had to make her own. This was a great story and a great character. Her story was very inspiring! (Bonnie)
Anna Princess of Kleve is engaged to the enigmatic King Henry VIII. While she is afraid from all the rumors she has heard she is also interested to learn about the man he truly is. While, as history tells we know the marriage does not last, Anna does not lose her head but becomes the sister to the queen and lives an independent life. This headstrong woman's life was both interesting and a joy to read. (Bonnie)
When idealistic Elwood Curtis is unjustly sent to the Nickel Academy reformatory in the 1960s for being in the wrong place at the the wrong time, he has no idea of how bad it is going to be. His friendship with Turner, who knows the score, is his only hope to enable him to survive his sentence. This book's setting is based on a real reform school that was in operation for 111 years in Florida . It is a heart wrenching read that should become required reading for every American. It won the 2019 Pulitzer among numerous other awards. (Candie)
I am not a Beach Read reader in general. As the odds of me getting to the beach this year seem slim, I've decided to jump into the genre. I was sucked into Big Summer immediately. Girl unhappy with her body being patronized by rich, perfect, mean girls. We've all been there or seen it. Daphne is easy to cheer for. Are there some unbelievable plot devices ? Yes but it's a beach book so I expected that and they weren't so far out . Fun wedding romance. Bit of a murder mystery. Happy ending. Kept me up late last night to get to the end so I mark that as a success. (Candie)
This thriller has been hyped by RI media all over the place. Set in R.I., it is filled with local color. That was fun. It is the story of a woman who decides to investigate a friend's murder as a way to lift her postpartum depression. At first that sounds far fetched, but Devon had been an investigator of sorts with dicey ethics before she got pregnant and vowed to change her life- so it works. The mystery is good, the locale is so fun, but the ending BLEW ME AWAY. I am that person who always knows the ending ( my husband finds it very annoying)- but I truly had no idea this time. Great read! (Candie)