Staff Picks
Eric Idle recounts his amazing life, the formation of Monty Python, and all the fun he has had in between, with some sad parts. A must read for any Monty Python fan! (Kim)
I couldn’t read another book for a week after I finished this. The characters stayed with me and the setting at an old estate on Scotland’s Outer Hebrides was so vivid that I had to take a drive down to our beach to hear the gulls and watch the sandpipers. There is mystery and romance, family secrets and entanglements. The story goes back & forth between events that happened at Muirlan House back in the early 1900’s and then to the fallout in present day. A great read!!! — Sue
Two British teens go missing while on a trip to Thailand. To distract herself from her own worries about her son who she hasn't seen in two years, journalist Kate Waters immediately contacts the girls' parents so she can be the first with any breaking news. The case soon explodes with secrets and betrayals as they begin to piece together the girls' activities on their trip. Fiona Barton delivers another tense, twisted thriller that was very hard to put down. I was so engaged with her characters that, although I've never been a parent, I felt great empathy for the nightmarish situations they find themselves in while searching for answers. Hours after finishing the book, I'm still wondering what I would have done had I been in their shoes. Great book! (Lisa)
Elodie Winslow is an archivist, who comes across a beautiful leather satchel with a sketchbook. In the sketch book she finds a picture of a beautiful women and a twin gabled house. The pull she feels from these pictures makes her want to dig more into who this woman is and where is this all to familiar house. Rewind 150 years earlier and you have Edward Radcliffe, an up and coming artist who's just bought his dream house Birchwood Manor. Edward has invited a group with him to spend the summer relaxing and working on their art. But the summer takes a turn for the worst when Edwards fiancé is murdered and his model has mysteriously disappeared. Told from more then one perspective this story is a must read for historical fiction fans! (Bonnie)
Three strangers and one life-changing day set the stage for this touching story of unexpected friendship, growth, and self-discovery. This was my first Gayle Forman book but it won't be my last. Loved it! (Leah)
I always enjoy biographies & this one is no exception. I really knew nothing about Fred Rogers & while this book delivers the basic information about his childhood, his parents, his wife & colleagues, it also delved into what motivated Fred Rogers to become Mister Rogers. One quote really stood out for me: "I'm very much interested in choices, and what it is that enable us human beings to make the choices we make all through our lives. What choices lead to ethnic cleansing? What choices lead to healing? What choices lead to the destruction of the environment, the erosion of the Sabbath, suicide bombings or teenagers shooting teenagers? What choices encourage heroism in the midst of chaos?" A wonderful book about a truly good, kind & innovative man. (Kim)
This is a wonderful family story set mainly on an island off Greece in the Aegean Sea. It starts out present day with Anna who is struggling in her marriage and with the recent death of her mother so she decides to travel with her dad back to the Greek island of his birth. It is there that she discovers the true story of her family's history before, during, and after WWII broke out. Family secrets, love, loss, and survival are all wrapped up in this compelling tale and the setting is magical. It makes you question how well do you really know your parents lives before they became your parents. (Sue)
A psychological page-turner about a wealthy couple and the devious woman who is trying to worm her way into their lives because her ultimate goal is to live their life. Filled with greed, envy, deception, this tale takes many turns , but the real question is who is manipulating who? A can't- put- down, headshaking read that is very entertaining! (Sue)
Another wonderful, heartwarming story from one of my favorite authors. This one has been out for a while and I can't believe I never read it because it is fantastic. The setting off the coast of Washington state and the characters pull you right in and tug at your heartstrings along the way. The plot is a little predictable, but you won't care and you won't be able to put it down. My co-worker Bonnie loved it as well and we both want a sequel! (Sue)
A young woman finds an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central Terminal. As she learns more about the owner of the suitcase and the story behind the photos contained within it, she embarks on a tale of courage and the great strength of women during World War II. Inspired by true events, I was amazed by the determination of the women and men sent to Europe to aid the partisans in their fight against the Germans. A well written tribute to the unsung heroes of WWII who bravely and gallantly risked their own lives to save the lives of thousands. I highly recommend this book! (Lisa)
Nathan and Bub, two brothers meet at the Stockman's Grave where their third brother Cameron has met his horrific end. Beautiful yet at times inhospitable, the Australian outback seems to have claimed another victim. The slow reveal of the secrets and old wounds at the heart of the family kept me turning pages unable to step away. Through her detailed and vivid writing, Jane Harper brought not only this family to life but brilliantly captured the isolation and harsh life on an Australian cattle station. My favorite of her books so far! (Lisa)
A group of friends from Oxford have a tradition of welcoming in the New Year together and this time their reunion takes place in a secluded, posh Scottish estate. Nine people, a small baby, the estate's manager and gamekeeper are isolated when a monumental snowstorm hits the area. By the time the storm ends, one person will be dead and one of the party will have become a murderer. The bleak yet beautiful environment where the story took place became a character as well as the group of seemingly close friends due to the incredible descriptive writing. My feet felt like they were frozen as if I was walking in the deep snow around the lodge! This addictive mystery builds throughout the book giving pieces to the puzzle of who was killed with plenty of twists, turns and surprises leading to the actual murder. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to checking out Lucy Foley's other novels. (Lisa)
Charlie Parker is once again in the pursuit of evil. Great characters and storytelling that keeps you guessing and laced with a vein of horror. Great read!! (Ann)
Margaret "Patsy" Jefferson was a fascinating character. While this book is a work of fiction, it is based off of letters in history. I loved the way they portrayed Patsy and I learned so much about Jefferson. Although this story does have an ending I was sorry it did! Such a great read! (Bonnie)
What do you do when you get an invite to the wedding of "the one that got away"? Why you plan a trip around the world so you can be far away from the nuptials that will surely break your heart. Failing author Arthur Less decides to accept every invite to every event, boring or not, that he's been invited to. While working on his latest rejected book and celebrating the big 5-0, Arthur travels take him around the world and away from his problems. Funny and quick-witted, a great read! (Bonnie)
Amelia was a mermaid who always wished to live on land as a human and see the world beyond the sea. But once she takes the leap into the human world she marries a fisherman and lives a quiet life until her husband dies. One day a man who has heard stories about Amelia "the mermaid" approaches her and asks her if she would like to come and perform at a museum in New York owned by P.T. Barnum. Weary of the man, she also knows the money she will make will help her travel as she always wished she could. But P.T. Barnum has other plans of his own to keep "his" mermaid. This was a great read that kept me captive till the very end! (Bonnie)
I can't quite begin to share how much I love this book. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. Marisa de los Santos is one of my favorite writers, she never disappoints and in "I'll Be Your Blue Sky", she delivers again. Not only is her prose enviable, but the story is riveting, heartwarming and charmingly funny in all the right ways. I'm still smiling recalling the experience of it. With the same characters as "Belong to Me" and "Love Walked In", but it stands alone. (Leah)
A different sort of book from Rick Steves in which he promotes the power of travel to affect change. Certainly we should enjoy ourselves, but there's more to it than nice hotels and great food. It can be a chance to dispel myths about ourselves as Americans as well as those we meet. He's his usual upbeat self, but there is a bit more of an edge to this book as he discusses, topics you might not expect and does show concern with the way things are going in some parts of the world. He suggests following a few simple rules that will make travel so much more rewarding: Leave your preconceptions behind, be open to new experiences, and connect with people. Travel can change you, says Steves, don't be afraid to let that happen. (Bob)
The statistics regarding the opioid crisis are staggering, but Dopesick starts at the street level and shows the roles played by law enforcement, doctors, big pharma, and of course the victims and their families. In a culture that embraced painkillers as a norm, it's amazing, all the players involved that got us to where we are with a combination of marketing and malpractice. But, It's also about the people who are fighting back, and the progress that's being made. Much like Atul Gawande's Being Mortal, it's a book everyone should read. (Bob)
