#detective

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

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

Paris: The Memoir

In this deeply personal memoir, the ultimate It Girl shares, for the first time, the hidden history that traumatized and defined her and how she rose above a series of heart-wrenching challenges to find healing, lasting love, and a life of meaning and purpose.

I Will Find You

Receiving evidence that his son might still be alive, an innocent father convicted of murdering his own child breaks out of prison to uncover the truth, in the new novel by the best-selling author of The Stranger.

Collateral Damage

After her husband is involved in a suspicious accident, Ali Reynolds must take his place at a ransomware conference in London and finds herself in a race against time as she uncovers mysterious vendettas that endanger the people she loves.

Hello Beautiful

Awarded a college basketball scholarship away from his childhood home silenced by tragedy, a young man befriends a spirited young woman who welcomes him into her loving, loud, chaotic household, in the new novel by the author of Dear Edward.

Good Dog, Bad Cop

Paterson Police Department’s Corey Douglas and his K Team investigate a suspicious crime near the Long Island sound that resulted in two deaths and a cold case, in the fourth novel of the series following Citizen K-9.

All That Is Hidden

Former private detective Molly Murphy Sullivan is shocked when her husband tells her they are moving to Fifth Avenue and that he’s running for sheriff, in the latest addition to the long-running series following Wild Irish Rose.

So Shall You Reap

Assigned to investigate the murder of an undocumented Sri Lankan immigrant, Commissario Guido Brunetti must rely on gossip and the memories of people who knew the victim, and as parts of the puzzle come together, a connection to his own youthful past turns out to be the final piece.

Dust Child

The abandoned son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman during the war dreams of finding his family and a better life in the new novel, from the internationally best-selling author of The Mountains Sing.

Our Best Intentions

Caught in the middle of a criminal investigation after finding her classmate stabbed and bleeding, Angie, an introverted teenager, must navigate conflicting narratives while her father attempts to shield her and protect his hard-earned efforts to assimilate, which overshadows his ability to see right from wrong.

~Semanur

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!

Storm Watch

After finding the frozen and mutilated body of a man killed near the location of a mysterious high-tech structure, Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett finds his investigation obstructed by federal agents, extremists and the governor and must find away around them to stop the oncoming storm of peril.

Never Never

The #1 New York Times best-selling author of It Starts with Us joins forces with the New York Times best-selling author of The Wives have created a gripping, twisty, romantic mystery.

Stars in an Italian Sky

In 2017 New York, Luca and Cassandra, the perfect match for each other, find their blossoming relationship changed forever when a chance meeting between their grandparents reveals a long-buried family secret linked back to two star-crossed lovers in post-World War II Italy.

The Angel Maker

When her brother, Chris, the survivor of a gruesome attack years ago, goes missing, Katie Shaw must join forces with Detective Laurence Page who believes a recent murder is linked to Chris, and to a notorious serial killer, who legend had it, could see the future.

A Day of Fallen Night

With the younger generation questioning the Priory’s purpose since wyrms haven’t appeared since the Nameless One, Tunuva Melim, a sister of the Priory, finds her calling when humankind needs protection after a new age of terror and violence is ushered in.

The Maltese Iguana

When the only witness to a CIA revenge mission gone wrong is forced to flee his home country, he arrives in the Florida Keys where he runs into the Sunshine State’s most lovable serial killer, Serge A. Storms, and his convoy of hardcore partiers.

The Crane Husband

Taking care of her small Midwestern family while her mother, a talented artist, weaves beautiful tapestries, a 15-year-old girl, when her mom brings home a 6-foot-tall crane, must protect them all from this invasive creature whose demands could destroy everything – unless she changes the story.

Black Candle Women

Follows four generations of the Montrose family, who have been living with a curse that leaves any person they fall in love with dead, stemming back to a Voodoo sorceress in 1950s New Orleans’ French Quarter.

The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist tells the powerful, and inspiring story of Nancy Hopkins, a reluctant feminist who, in 1999, became the leader of 16 female scientists who forced MIT to publicly admit it had been discriminating against its female faculty for years.

~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 Last Kingdom

When his protégé infiltrates a renegade group intent on winning Bavarian independence from Germany, with everything hinging on a lost 19th-century deed that is the legal title to lands that Germany, China and US want, Cotton Malone battles an ever-growing list of deadly adversaries, all intent on finding the last kingdom.

I Have Some Questions for You

A successful film professor returns to teach at her alma mater and becomes determined to investigate a closed murder case, in the new novel from the author of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist The Great Believers.

Burner

Court Gentry and his lover, Zoya Zakharova, discover they both want to capture Alex Velesky, who stole records from his Swiss bank employer, but for very different reasons, in the 12th novel of the series following Sierra Six.

A Calder at Heart

After losing his whole family to Spanish Flu, a former US Army Major heads to Blue Moon where the Calders welcome him and offer him a piece of ranching property in the third novel of the series following Calder Grit.

Every Man a King

NYPD investigator Joe King Oliver is tested when asked by his billionaire friend to defend a White nationalist who has been accused of murder, in the sequel to the Edgar Award-winning Down the River Unto the Sea.

It’s One of Us

A successful interior designer who keeps failing in her quest to conceive is shocked when she learns that a suspect in a recent murder investigation is her husband’s son from a long-ago donation to a sperm bank.

The Librarian of Burned Books

Set against the backdrop of World War II, this unforgettable novel, inspired by the true story of the Council of Books in Wartime, follows three women whose fates become intertwined by their belief in the power and goodness in the written word to triumph over the very darkest moments of war.

~Semanur

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.

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

Lisa’s Top Ten of 2022

lisa1378Leave a comment

This list of books is all about mom life. Whether is be getting the kids to read for school, what to make for dinner, how to make tedious chores like folding laundry more enjoyable, planning that family vacation, or catching up on the summer best sellers from 5 years ago….. Here are my favorites (or the most useful) picks for 2022.

Getting the kids to read:

Interrupting Chicken Cookies for Breakfast– by David Ezra Stein. This is the latest in the Interrupting Chicken series and makes everyone in my house laugh- and seriously consider eating cookies for breakfast!

Press Start! Game Over, Super Rabbit Boy! by T. Flintham is first in the Press Start! series that have helped young readers in my house get over that mental block from “I can only read picture books” to “I can read on my own!” They are short, easy to read, and have a fun video game theme. Most importantly, they look and feel like short chapter books and help building some reading confidence. The series is now up to 12 books.

What to Make For Dinner:

The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach. I subscribe to a local CSA (community supported agriculture) and was looking for ways to get my kids to eat more of what comes in the CSA bag.  Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a miraculous way to make cauliflower so my son will willingly feed it to himself.  But I did appreciate this author’s approach to introduce more vegetables at the table with small plates and tastes.     

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof– by Ina Garten. I have 2 other Ina Garten cookbooks and use them regularly.  I find this one to be a little heavy of the seafood, which I don’t cook with much at home.  But the soups and desserts in this book are delicious and great around the holidays. I love the winter minestrone recipe in this book.

Watched too much Bluey:


Big Little Lies– by Liane Moriarty. This is more like the Bluey antidote for when you need a story that is darker, more adult, and everyone’s hurt feelings aren’t resolved in 7 minutes or less. It is a suspense book full of scandal and bad behavior of parents in a close knit community.

Keep your hands free for household chores:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. In an attempt to make housework more tolerable, I started listening to the audiobook version of Ready Player One. It’s an action packed adventure to entertain you while folding laundry. Fans of Star Trek: TNG and The Big Bang Theory might get a kick out of listening to Wil Wheaton, who does a great job of making the audiobook not seem so audiobook-ish.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. A hit among book clubs and I wanted to give it a whirl. It didn’t disappoint. And who doesn’t want to escape to the golden age of Hollywood while you are cleaning out closets!?!

Mysteries- my weak spot:

The Maid by Nita Prose. This is a good cozy mystery story with a unique narrator. The main character does a lot of growing while solving the mystery, making this a satisfying read.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano. A likeable new series of mystery books. If you are a fan of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich you will like this accidental sleuth who is trying to balance her career and her young family.

Go ahead, plan that dream vacation:

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger & Len Testa. If you are even thinking about a trip to Disney World I suggest you read up.  There is so much to see and do it can make the planning process overwhelming.  There are many guides out there to help you, but this one was my favorite.

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