#crime

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here are some of the new books coming to our shelves this week for you to add to your book list!

Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson – A heartrending, intimate memoir from the iconic pin-up and former star of Baywatch.

Maame by Jessica George – A young British Ghanaian woman navigates her 20s and finds her place in the world.

Exiles by Jane Harper – A federal investigator, Aaron Falk, investigates the disappearance of young mother who left her baby alone in a festival crowd and vanished in the latest novel from the New York Times best-selling author of The Dry.

The Drift by C. J. Tudor – Hannah, trapped with a handful of survivors after an accident; Meg, stranded in a cable car high above snowy mountains with five strangers; and Carter, plunged into darkness at an isolated ski chalet, are all faced with something that threatens to consume all of humanity.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano – Owing a favor to the Russian mob for buying a luxury car she accidentally destroyed, Finlay agrees to help identify a contract killer in the latest novel of the series following Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead.

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer – A redemptive story of a mother’s gripping journey across the Caribbean to find her stolen children in the aftermath of slavery.

8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty – The author of the #1 New York Times best-seller Think Like a Monk offers a revelatory guide to every stage of romance, drawing on ancient wisdom and new science.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

There are tons of new releases that come to our shelves every week. Here are some books we picked out for you!

The House at the End of the World by Dean Koontz – Alone on Jacob’s Ladder island until two agents arrive in search of someone – or something – they refuse to identify, artist Katie, along with a brave young girl, finds herself in an epic and terrifying battle with a mysterious enemy that could bring about the end of the world.

The Family Business by Carl Weber & La Jill Hunt – When over a million tabs of HEAT, once known as the perfect drug, are stolen, Orlando Duncan discovers that a billionaire, with ties to illegal contraband smuggling rings, is targeting his family, putting them all on a deadly collision course as they try to reach the top.

The Bullet Garden by Stephen Hunter – In 1944 Normandy, when German snipers start picking off hundreds of Allied soldiers every day, Pacific hero Earl Swagger, assigned this crucial and bloody mission, must infiltrate the shadowy corners of London and France to expose the traitor who is tipping off these snipers with the locations of American GIs.

The Devil’s Ransom by Brad Taylor – When his covert company, along with every other entity in the Taskforce, is hit with a ransomware attack linked to the Taliban, Pike must stop a plot to alter the balance of power on the global stage orchestrated by a former NSA specialist in the U.S. government.

Don’t Open the Door by Allison Brennan – Quitting her job and moving in the wake of the shocking murder of her son, Marshal Regan Merritt returns to Virginia to look into her former boss’s death in the second novel of the series following The Sorority Murder.

Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy by Daniel T. Willingham – Steeped in scientifically backed practical advice, this groundbreaking guide provides real-world practices and the latest research on how to train your brain for better learning.

All Hallows by Christopher Golden – On Halloween night in 1984 Coventry, Massachusetts, four children in vintage costumes with faded, eerie makeup blend in with the neighborhood kids trick-or-treating, begging to be hidden and kept safe from The Cunning Man.

Children of the State: Stories of Survival and Hope in the Juvenile Justice System by Jeff Hobbs – From the best-selling and critically acclaimed author of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace comes a look at the school-to-prison pipeline and life in the juvenile “justice” system.

~Semanur

Book Review: The Couple at the Table

MelindaLeave a comment

Newlyweds Jane and William are enjoying their honeymoon at the beautiful Tevendon Resort. But when William’s ex-wife Lucy shows up with her new partner Pete, Jane accuses them of ruining their getaway. Jane receives a note to “beware of the couple at the table nearest to yours.”

She immediately blames Lucy, but at dinner that night she’s surprised to find that the tables are all equally spaced…which means that every other couple is also a potential suspect. In a tirade Jane leaves the dining room only to end up dead within hours.

Sophie Hannah brings her loveable crime-solving duo Simon and Charlie back for another case, and this time they’re witnessing the crime firsthand. As guests at the resort, Simon and Charlie quickly pack up their vacation vibes and step into the role of investigators.

This book is a whodunnit-style mystery where motive, means, and opportunity are explored through multiple narrators. Sophie Hannah is one of my must-read authors, and while this book wasn’t my favorite, it was still an enjoyable read!

Request a print copy here or download a digital copy here.

-Melinda

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People by Tracy Kidder, Tracy – Tells the story of an inspiring doctor who made a difference by helping to create a program to care for Boston’s homeless community.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix – Forced to return to the small Southern town where she grew up to sell her late parents’ house, Louise discovers that her and her brother’s old grudges pale in comparison to the terror that still lurks within its walls.

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict – After her sister Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader and her sister Unity follows Diana to Munich, inciting rumors that she’s become Hitler’s mistress, novelist Nancy Mitford, after uncovering disquieting documents, must make difficult choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany.

The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston – As Constance finds her way back to New York City in the late 1800s to prevent the death of her siblings and stop serial killer, Dr. Enoch Leng, FBI Special Agent Pendergast desperately tries to find a way to reunite with her before it’s too late.

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon – When three teenagers – Hannah, a sweet girl with an unstable history; Jack, the popular kid with a mean streak; and Christopher – an outsider desperate to fit in – become suspects in the murder of a fellow student, their parents will do anything to protect them, even at the others’ expense.

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall – Twenty-two years after her best friend was attacked in the woods, surviving seventeen stab wounds, Naomi Shaw, who has a secret worth killing for, returns home when the man responsible dies in prison to find out what really happened, no matter how dangerous the truth may be.

The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis – When she inherits a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B along with her ex-best friend Lauren and Knox, the guy who once broke her heart, Alice unexpectedly finds acceptance, true friendship and love as they work together to restore the inn to its former glory.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Take a look at some of the exciting new releases coming to our shelves in this week…

Spare by Prince Harry – With its raw, unflinching honesty, Prince Harry’s memoir—in which he discusses the effect of his mother Princess Diana’s death on his life—is full of insight, revelation, self-examination and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – A Cambridge professor, scholar and researcher on the study of faeries visits the hardscrabble village of Hransvik where she gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones and resists her insufferably handsome academic rival.

Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica – When her husband Jack vanishes without a trace, Nina Hayes will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, which, unbeknownst to her, is inextricably linked to their close friends, who may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing.

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo – Assembling a team of dubious allies, Galaxy “Alex” Stern is determined to find a gateway to the underworld and rescue Darlington from purgatory in the second novel of the series following Ninth House.

Nazi Conspiracy, The: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill by Brad Meltzer – In this gripping true story of daring rescues, body doubles and political intrigue, the New York Times best-selling authors of The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy reveal the Nazi’s plans to kill FDR, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill – an assassination plot that would’ve changed history.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham – After her son is kidnapped while sleeping in his crib, a mother agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster with ulterior motives in the new novel from the best-selling author of A Flicker in the Dark.

The House of Wolves by James Patterson & Mike Lupica – Jenny Wolf’s murdered father has left her in charge of a multi-billion-dollar empire—a newspaper, a football team, a holding company … and a dysfunctional family that knows no bounds.

~Semanur

Trent’s Top 10 of 2022

trentrossLeave a comment

This year it was slightly easier than usual to narrow down my list to a top 12. I read significantly less this year, and there were fewer standout titles. However, it was still tough to select which of those standouts made the final list. As usual, I have grouped any series that have made my list into a single entry. Additionally, you can click the images to see their availability.

10. Portrait of a Thief – Grace D. Li
9. Vera Kelly Is Not a Mystery – Rosalie Knecht
8. Harlem Shuffle – Colson
Whitehead

7. Sinister Graves – Marcie R.
Rendon

6. Big Gold Dream – Chester Himes
5. Murderbot Series – Martha Wells

4. We Ride Upon Sticks – Quan
Barry

3. The Witch’s Heart – Genevieve Gornichec

2. The Spellman Files – Lisa Lutz
1. The Trespasser

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here are some of the new books coming to our shelves this week for you to add to your book list!

Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy – Told entirely through the transcripts of the narrator’s psychiatric sessions, this intimate portrait of grief and longing follows 20-year-old Alicia Western as she, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, contemplates the nature of madness, her hallucinations and her own existence in 1972 Black River Falls, Wisconsin.

Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon by Kate Andersen Brower – The author of the New York Times best-seller The Residence returns with the first authorized biography of the Hollywood icon, including her rise to fame at age 12, her eight marriages and her efforts to fight AIDS.

Tom Clancy Red Winter by Marc Cameron – When possibly Soviet defector offers the CIA details of his government’s espionage plans in return for asylum, former Marine and brilliant CIA analyst Jack Ryan goes behind the Iron Curtain to find answers before the Cold War turns into a Red Winter.

A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley – A 1851 Monterey widow working at a brothel investigates when the dead bodies of young women start appearing on the outskirts of town in the new novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres.

The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale – When the family estate is bequeathed to a man she shares a complicated history with, former piano prodigy Saskia Kreis is forced to reexamine her own past—and the romantic relationship that changed the course of her life—for answers.

Night Shift by Robin Cook – When her longtime friend, Dr. Sue Passero, dies mysteriously in the hospital parking garage, newly appointed chief medical examiner Dr. Laurie Montgomery asks her husband to investigate, which pits him against a clever and deranged killer determined to administer another lethal blow.

Three-Edged Sword by Jeff Lindsay – Fearless thief and master of disguise Riley Wolfe plans his biggest heist yet even though his list of powerful enemies grows longer and more dangerous.

W. E. B. Griffin the Devil’s Weapons by Peter Kirsanow – Dick Canidy and the agents of the OSS search war-torn Poland for a rocket scientist who holds the secrets to the Nazis’ superweapons before the Germans and Soviets get their hands on him.

The Last Invitation by Darby Kane – Invited to join a secret club of powerful women, the Sophie Foundation, who mete out justice to men who behave very, very badly, Jessa Hall soon realizes the high—and deadly—price of admission and discovers that once in the group, it’s impossible to get out.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

There are many exciting new book releases coming and you don’t want to miss it…

The Choice

When the enemy’s witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in a dream, practicing black magick and sacrificing the innocent, Breen, united with Keegan and all of Talamh, must save those in need of rescue and, with every weapon she has, confront the darkness once and for all.

The Whittiers

When a devastating tragedy takes their parents from them, the eldest four adult Whittier children must put aside their personal issues and grief to keep the family together and support each other and their two youngest siblings.

Hunting Time

A wealthy entrepreneur hires Colter Shaw to track down and protect his employee, Allison Parker, a brilliant engineer, who is on the run from her ex-husband with her teenage daughter, in the fourth novel of the series following Hunting Time.

A Christmas Memory

Reeling from the loss of his brother in Vietnam, Richard moves with his family from California to his grandmother’s abandoned house in Utah where he finds the holiday spirit with the help of an elderly neighbor and his dog.

NYPD RED 7

When a network of professional assassins, trained by the U.S. military, terrorize New York City, NYPD Red detectives Kylie MacDonald and Zach Jordan must hunt down these elusive mercenaries—the biggest challenge they’ve ever faced, which forever changes their lives.

The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book

Hand-picking the keenest insights and funniest exchanges from 84 episodes of the groundbreaking streaming series, this gorgeously designed and carefully curated book collects casual yet intimate conversations with the funniest people alive, becoming the most important historical archive about the art of comedy ever amassed.

Defending Alice: A Novel of Love and Race in the Roaring Twenties

Roaring Twenties New York society is set ablaze when a working-class black woman marries the son of a wealthy, prominent family and makes international headlines after he sues for annulment accusing her of hiding her “Negro blood.”

All the Blood We Share: A Novel of the Bloody Benders of Kansas

The family of a gifted medium who can receive messages from Beyond are welcomed by the town of Cherrvale, but no one knows about their other business, in a novel based on the true story of old West serial killers.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Here we have some new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

After tracking down fugitive Oswald Wednesday with a fellow apprehension agent, Stephanie Plum faces a new obstacle as she tries to bring in her latest bounty, in the latest addition to the long-running, very popular series following Game On.

When Adele Schumacher arrives in his office with a bag of cash, bizarre tales of government conspiracies and a squad of professional bodyguards, Elvis must find her missing son, a controversial podcaster, before someone else does, bringing him and Joe face-to-face with corrupt politicians and vicious drug cartels.

When she is kidnapped, Amelie, a billionaire’s wife, wonders why she has been taken, who her mysterious captors are and why she feels safer here, imprisoned, than with her husband.

The beloved Friends star shares candid behind the scenes stories from the legendary sitcom, as well as detailing his own struggles with addiction that threatened to derail his career.

After the death of his wife, whom he insists visits him every night in the form of an angel, Lucas Goodgame forms an unlikely alliance with a young man, ostracized by their community, who begins camping out in his backyard, bringing with him hope and the power to heal.

One of the music world’s most iconic artists writes about his remarkable life for the first time, from his early days growing up in Dublin, to U2’s meteoric rise to fame, to his more than 20 years of activism dedicated to the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty.

In New York, six human avatars that embody their city’s heart and wield its magic, must join together with the Great Cities to stop a mayoral candidate, backed by the Enemy, whose populist rhetoric of gentrification, xenophobia and “law and order” could destroy the world.

When an old family bracelet inadvertently calls up both her mother’s ghost and a monstrous entity, an urban indigenous woman searches for what happened to her mother all those years ago, forcing her to confront a long-denied truth and the one thing she’s always wanted but could never have.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

Take a look at some of the exciting new releases coming to our shelves in this week…

The Revolutionary Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff – Offers a biography of a noted Founding Father—the one who stood behind the change in thinking that produced the American Revolution.

The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human by Siddhartha Mukherjee – Presenting revelatory and exhilarating stories of scientists, doctors and the patients whose lives may be saved by their work, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, drawing on his own experience as a researcher, doctor and prolific reader, explores medicine and our radical new ability to manipulate cells.

Marmee by Sarah Miller – In 1861, Margaret March, with her husband serving as an army chaplain, finds the comfort and security of her four daughters resting on her shoulders alone as she faces financial hardships, secrets and tragedy, in this revealing retelling of Little Women from the perspective of the beloved matriarch known as Marmee.

Thief of Fate by Jude Deveraux & Tara Sheets – After changing the course of history when he stole Cora McLeod from her destined soulmate, Finley Walsh, in 1844, Liam O’Conner, desperately trying to make amends, has three months to restore the balance by reuniting Cora and Finn or pay the ultimate price.

Livid: A Scarpetta Novel by Patricia Cornwell, Patricia – When the sister of the judge presiding over a sensational murder case is found dead, chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta, the reluctant start witness in the trial, investigates and recognizes telltale signs of the unthinkable, pitting her against a powerful force that returns her to the past.

No Plan B: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child, Lee & Andrew Child – Witnessing a woman pushed to her death in front of a bus, Jack Reacher, following the killer on foot, is unaware that this is part of a secret conspiracy with many moving parts with no room for error and any threats will be permanently removed, including Reacher.

The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy – In 1980 Pass Christian, Mississippi, salvage diver Bobby Western, after a plane crash, discovers the pilot’s flight bag, the plane’s black box and the tenth passenger are missing, submerging him in a conspiracy beyond his understanding as he is shadowed in body and spirit by the past and present.

~Semanur