The Bells by Richard Harvell September 2010

Some novels prompt my immediate response-this one I had to savor, collect my thoughts and feelings. No one had heard of Beethoven, Mozart was 6 yrs. old. Set in the 1700's, it is the story of Moses Froben, born in the Swiss Alps to a deaf mother and raised by the Church, when a corrupt, evil choirmaster discovers his beautiful voice and has him castrated to preserve it. Thus begins his odyssey--protected by 2 monks and loved by one woman. His story is both heartbreaking and uplifting. Loved it! $24

The Gendarme by M.T. Mustain September 2010

I loved this book and learned so much from it. Mainly, I was deeply moved by Emmett Conn's story, told through his dreams that took place 70 yrs. earlier. Emmett is now 92 yrs. old and ready to die, but his dreams return him to a time during WWI when his Turkish government commits genocide against millions of Armenians. His true love, Araxie, was a deportee then, and the plight of these people is vividly described. The extermination of Jews was not the only unbelievebly cruel injustice that occurred. Thank you, Mark Mustian, for a job well done. Emmett's unflinching will to reconnect with his true love is a beautiful story of love and committment, and strength. $25.95

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay September 2010

Welcome back to the time of the Cold War and into the life of Nina Revskaya and her life as a prima ballerina in Moscow at a time when no one trusted even their best friends. This novel finds Nina, now 80 yrs. old and crippled with arthritis, looking back on her life. She now lives in Boston and is haunted by her past and troubled by the existence of Grigori Solodin, a professor at a Boston Univ. and searching for his birth parents and his history. What is the connection between them? This is a wonderfully done piece of historical fiction with an eye-opening look at the Soviet Union in the 50's and the spectactular world of ballet and the privileged few. Just loved it. $24

Innocent by Scott Turow May 2010

What's not to like about a book by Scott Turow? Do you remember Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto? Well, they are back in this superb novel of suspense and a legal thriller that keeps the reader guessing up to the very last page. Boy, Turow exhibits his legal knowledge and a twisted sense of justice that always begs the question: Who is really guilty here? Highly recommended. $27.99

The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear
April 2010

Maisie is hired by a wealthy American couple to find the lover of their long dead son, Michael, killed in WW I. Michael was a cartographer for the Brits during the war; hence the title. The investigation leads Maisie on a course that, of course, includes the military and a long lost cousin bent on revenge. I so admire Winspear's ability to "refresh" the reader's memory of Maisie's past. Is there romance in her future? Read and find out. This story alters Maisie's life forever! $25.99

31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan  March 2010

Boy, I loved this one! Based on a true story of murder, betrayal, and power, this novel is much more than a great historical mystery. Who brutally murdered Dr. Harvey Burdell in New York in 1856, a few years before the Civil War? Was it his housemistress, Emma Cunningham? This novel depicts the political climate and the social structure of life back then and it is reminiscent of the works of Caleb Carr. Its a fine mystery to boot! $25.99

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah February 2010

This will be a wonderful book for book groups! What made Anya Whitcom so distant and cold to her two daughters? On his deathbed the beloved father of Meredith and Nina pleads with his wife Anya to tell her "fairy tale". Why? Anya agrees, and as her story develops, the reader learns so much about her life in Leningrad during the siege in WW II. Being part Russian, this one hit home. Enjoy!!! $26.95

Bloodroot by Amy Greene January 2010

Is this novel magical? You bet, and in more ways than one. It is the saga of the Lamb family, specifically the wild and beautiful Myra, that spans their history from the Great Depression to modern day. The reader suffers along with the Lamb family through abuse, injustice, passion and pain, but in the end it is the draw and safety of Bloodroot Mtn. that saves them. The writing is exquisite, and at times will tear your heart out. I loved this book. $24.95

First Rule by Robert Crais January 2010

Guess I've been waiting for a story about the enigmatic Joe Pike and here it is. This time it was Joe's turn to "run the show", with a bit of help from Elvis, of course. Opening with the brutal murder of one of Pike's former mercenaries and his family, First Rule finds Pike compelled to find the killers. Thus he becomes involved with a vicious Serbian gang, illegal arms deals, and an orphaned baby boy. Get the picture here? There is a side to Joe Pike not seen before. Enjoy! $26.95

The Long Fall by Walter Mosley April 2009

Well, Mosley is one of my favorite authors and his new character, Leonid McGill does not disappoint! He is an old-school detective who has turned a blind eye to the law in order to accomplish his goal & support his family. Now he is trying to change his life: "decided to go from crooked to slightly bent". Love that line. Complete with Mosley's usual cast of suspicious and vicious characters. Good for you, Walter! I loved it. $25.95

The Cradle by Patrick Somerville March 2009

What a unique little gem of a book. Matt & Marissa are living a modest life in Wisconsin and expecting their first child when Marissa asks Matt to recover an antique cradle from her childhood. Why, and what would he uncover about her past that would so effect both their lives? Read and find out. Matt & Marissa are wonderful characters and this one even has a happy ending! $21.99

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult March 2009

Jodi has done it again and really challenged her readers. How do you deal with a child with an on-going illness that effects the entire family? Is love enough? Who will be responsible once you can't be? Who pays the bills? I knew a family with a daughter who suffered with brittle bone disease. It will break your heart, along with so many other other illnesses. This is the best book group book ever. Please read it. As always, Jodi has done her homework, her research, and yes, has given her all. $27.95

Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn March 2009

Well, I just love this series--romantic mysteries, with two great characters. Lady Julia Grey is at it again, pursuing Nicholas Brisbane beyond the rules of Victorian society. This novel finds Julia attempting to aid Nicholas organize a new household in Yorkshire. He is sharing this estate with the proud, but impoverished Allenby women. This story has it all: murder, intrigue, incest. Julia and Nicholas finally declare their love and are married. I hope this series continues; it's a great getaway! $13.95

Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear February 2009

Here is the newest Maisie Dobbs mystery that certainly has contemporary overtones. Maisie witnesses the explosive death of a WWI veteran and becomes involved with Scotland Yard when they receive letters that threaten massive deaths in London. This is very suggestive of terrorist attacks today. $25

The Help by Kathryn Stockett February 2009

For the times, they are a'changin'". So sang Bob Dylan. It’s been many years since I've been so moved by a book. Probably since The Last Days of Summer, by Steve Kluger. Anyway, this well-written story of the maids who work in Jackson, Ms. in the early 1960's rang so true with me. I fell in love with these maids, their courage and feistiness. How ironic is it that I read this novel the same week we elected our 1st African-American President? $24.95

Lark & Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips January 2009

I think this is the best book I've read since The Help. Set in the 1950's, it alternates between soldier Robert Leavitt's death in Korea, and some of his family in West Virginia 9 yrs. later. Lark is a 17 year old girl living with her aunt Nonie, and her handicapped half brother, Termite. Through their voices the reader learns of the ghosts and history of this family, life in the U.S. after the Korean War, and the ramifications of war. It is a glorious tribute to the human spirit and what ordinary people do to survive and conquer! $24

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson August 2008

Disturbing, compelling, up-lifting, spellbinding, at times even humorous. This is a story about the redeeming power of love and devotion and the stories told by Marianne are simply delicious. $25.95

Palace Council by Stephen L. Carter July 2008

As is everything by Stephen Carter, Palace Council is a challenge but well worth the effort! The turbulent times of Watergate, Vietnam, and the Civil Rights movement are the backdrop for this ambitious novel of intrigue. Will Eddie Wesley ever find his beloved sister? This is a whopper of a story. $26.95

Billy Boyle: A World War II Mystery
by James R. Benn September 2007

This is for any mystery lover or history buff--or both! Billy Boyle is a young detective in Boston when W.W.II breaks out and is fortunate enough to have in his family tree, "Uncle Ike", yes, Eisenhower. His family pulls some strings to keep him out of the regular army and he is sent to England to work for Ike. His first assignment? Find a traitor. Not only is this a good mystery based on true facts from the war, it becomes a commentary on the effects of war on ordinary people and the morality, or lack of it, of war. Fine food for discussion here. $13

The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips January 2008

This is a beautifully written story of the Moore family, struggling to survive the Depression in rural Alabama. The reader is immediately engaged by this book as young daughter Tess sees a woman drop a baby down their well. The story is told through the voices of the family members as the author evokes the coal-mining country of rural Alabama-its poverty, racial tensions, and labor loyalties. $15.95