Booked in Saint Paul: Suggestions fromSaint Paul Public Library Staff

Espresso Tales

2010-10-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

This is the pleasant second book in Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street series. Originally published serially in the Scotsman newspaper, Espresso Tales is set in Edinburgh and features a group of residents who live at, you guessed it, 44 Scotland Street. These characters run the gamut from 6-year-old Bertie to 60-something Domenica. One of my favorite segments involves Bertie and his father Stuart’s trip to Glasgow to look for the Pollock family car, which Stuart has forgotten to drive back to Edinburgh after a work conference. Their meeting and subsequent excursion with Lard O'Connor and his henchman Gerry is priceless.--Barb P.

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Busy Body

2010-10-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

M. C. Beaton’s annoying yet loveable crime solver, Agatha Raisin, is back in action. Although her bearlike eyes are in good working order, her good legs are recovering from hip replacement surgery. This time around, a local official, who has put the kibosh on excessive holiday displays, is murdered outside a glass door at a community meeting with the whole town watching. Naturally, as always in this series, Agatha and her team are able to solve the murder while the police, including Agatha’s friend Bill Wong, stand helplessly by. Agatha entertains romantic ideas about three assorted gentlemen, which is a new record for her, I think. Set in the Cotswolds of England, this is an relaxing page turner with a winter holiday theme.--Barb P.

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A Bad Day for Sorry

2010-10-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

This charming mystery by Sophie Littlefield features homemaker Stella Hardesty, who spends most of her time keeping abusive spouses and boyfriends in line, without the intervention of law enforcement professionals. When she isn’t checking up on her “parolees,” she runs a sewing store. This book is set in Missouri and the weather during the book’s timeframe is hot, hot, hot. And to make matters worse, 50-something Stella is suffering from hot flashes, so she is in no mood to put up with any shenigans. However, Stella is forced to endure some doozies in the process of finding a missing baby and breaking up a drug smuggling ring. This is a page turner with a loveable heroine.--Barb P.

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False Mermaid

2010-10-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

This wonderful third mystery from Erin Hart features our heroine Nora Gavin, who returns to her home in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to solve a murder. The victim is not found in a bog this time, but in the trunk of a car. Luckily Nora does spend some time in Ireland with Cormac, so there are lovely descriptions of the Donegal countryside. But there are also descriptions of places right here in Saint Paul, including the Central Library downtown. Sadly, one of the characters gets hit by a car as he is crossing Shepard Road. In spite of this setback, Nora is able to solve the mystery of who killed the murder victim. And the reader is able to learn more about Nora and Cormac and their respective family dynamics.--Barb P.

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Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

2010-09-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

This fabulous tell-all by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger is packed with juicy show biz tidbits from the 1960s and 1970s. I knew Liz and Dick (oops, they hated those nicknames) drank alcohol to excess, but I had no idea Richard could drink three bottles of vodka a day. And Elizabeth put away large amounts of Jack Daniels. Sadly, Richard was the victim of his alcoholism. And Elizabeth was one of the first patients at the Betty Ford Center. The pair also shared a love of small dogs, several of which were kept for weeks on their yacht in London in order to avoid quarantine. Elizabeth's jewelry collection is legendary; Richard loved to give her expensive baubles for birthdays and anniversaries. The photographs in this book are wonderful--they were truly beautiful people as well as star crossed lovers.--Barb P.

Request Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century from Saint Paul Public Library.

Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

2010-08-16T16:35:00.001-07:00

This entralling book by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee is a page turner. Reading about hoarder houses and cars packed with old junk mail, newspapers, and magazines is fascinating. Even the floors of some of these places are covered with a layer of detritus. Most hoarders are highly intelligent and their hoarding behavior begins early in life. The authors, psychologists who work with hoarders and attempt to solve their hoarding problems, state that we all share some of the hoarding orientation to some degree. I have to say I was inspired to clean out a cupboard or two after I finished reading this book.--Barb P.

Request Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things from Saint Paul Public Library.

Ice Moon

2010-06-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

This thriller by Jan Costin Wagner was translated from the German by John Brownjohn. Set in Turku, Finland, the hero of this novel is Detective Kimmo Joentaa, who is recovering from the recent death of his wife. Instead of staying on compassionate leave to continue mourning, Timmo is hard at work, investigating a smothering serial killer. In another strange twist, Kimmo invites a murdered victim's former boyfriend from Germany to stay with him at his house--Kimmo even lets Daniel sleep in his bed, while he sleeps on the couch. The identity of the smothering serial killer is solved with an ingenious twist. And the descriptions of the Finnish countryside made me want to visit Finland.--Barb P.

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The Last Child

2010-06-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

This 2010 Edgar-award-winning mystery by John Hart is set in Raven County, North Carolina. Young Johnny Merrimon is looking for his twin sister, Alyssa, who disappeared without a trace about a year earlier. Other characters include Johnny's friend Jack Cross; Detective Clyde Hunt, who is also trying to figure out what happened to Alyssa; and Johnny's enemy and his mother's landlord and sometime boyfriend, Ken Holloway. There are many other characters in the novel as well. The book moves quickly, with 62 short chapters and a cliff-hanger at the end of each. There were several plot twists and unexpected developments that pop up at the end of the story.--Barb P.

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The Wandering Ghost

2010-06-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

The fast-paced fifth in Martin Limón's series featuring Sergeants Sueño and Bascom is set on military bases and nearby "villes" in South Korea. Our heroes manage to down vast quantities of the local OB beer in their investigative efforts to solve the mysteries of a missing soldier, a dead soldier, and a local schoolgirl who's been run down by a military truck, among other things. Limón spent 10 years in the U.S. Army in Korea and it shows in his knowledge of the military scene and subculture, right down to the black silk jackets with dragons, etc., on the back, that Ernie and George wear when they want to blend in down at the ville. Limón's descriptions of the Korean countryside and culture are lyrically portrayed and ring true.--Barb P.

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Broken Glass Park

2010-05-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

Alina Bronsky, a Russian immigrant to Germany, wrote this, her first novel, under a pseudonym. Set in Frankfurt, Germany, this coming-of-age story features our heroine, Sascha, a remarkably self-possessed teenager from Russia, whose boundary issues sometimes lead to risky behavior, including rollerblading with a budding Nazi and accepting rides and invitations to spend the night from strangers. She seems to have a thing for males named Volker. In spite of her venturesome activities, Sascha has a soft spot for her family; she has a tender relationship with her younger siblings. Written in the first person, this book is 221 pages of text; with no chapter breaks, it is hard to put down.--Barb P.

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So Much for That

2010-05-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

This latest novel by Lionel Shriver isn’t epistolary like We Need to Talk About Kevin, and it doesn’t have alternating chapters depending on what the heroine decides to do, like The Post-Birthday World did. It is a relatively straightforward narrative about a fabulous, long suffering guy named Shep, who is not only handy and rich, he is also good looking. His wife, his sister, and his best friend give him nothing but grief, but somehow things work out okay in the end for Shep. Set in New York City; Connecticut; and Pemba Island, Tanzania, So Much For That is autobiographical in that the character of Glynis is based on Shriver’s friend, Terri. The book includes many long diatribes concerning the U.S. medical coverage system.--Barb P.

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Still Midnight

2010-04-19T16:46:00.001-07:00

Glaswegian Denise Mina has created a new detective, DS Alex Morrow. Alex doesn’t get along with her coworkers, she gets pulled off cases by her supervisor, her colleague DS Bannerman is a total git, and to top it all off, she is miserably unhappy in her marriage. But somehow she keeps getting up and going to work every morning. In this first of what I hope will be a series, Alex needs to figure out why three inept gangsters think they can collect a major ransom by kidnapping small-time shopkeeper Aamir Anwar from the bosom of his family. Mina's description of the house where Aamir is kept pending his ransom being paid has got to be one of the grittiest and most disgusting I've ever read. This fast-paced thriller will keep you guessing to the very end.--Barb P.

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Purge

2010-04-19T15:53:00.001-07:00

Finnish-Estonian author Sofi Oksanen’s dark thriller time travels from 1939 to 1992, describing a multigenerational family saga that endures through the various occupations of Estonia. Idyllic descriptions of life in the countryside hide undercurrents of misery, unhappiness, betrayal, and disgust. Flies are a leitmotif—they are quite a problem out in the sticks. Although the young women of the family try to keep the home fires burning and protect their men folk, their efforts are not only unsuccessful, but seemingly rewarded with inhuman torture and suffering. According to the website, This is Finland, “[t]he Finnish word 'puhdistus' can mean 'purge,' but it comes from the word for 'clean' and can also be translated as 'cleansing.'”--Barb P.

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Apple Turnover Murder

2010-04-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

The latest installment in Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson mysteries was creative and well written. Hannah is still undecided about which man in her life to marry, and both of the men are giving off mixed signals. Our cookie baking sleuth finds yet another body and worse than that she wanted the victim dead. As we head back to Lake Eden, MN, during the annual charity fundraising campaign Hannah tries to figure out who had the best reason for wanting the victim dead, while trying to make sure they don't run out of apple turnovers. Dealing with her harried sister and keeping her cookie shop on track are a full time job to begin with, but add murder and you're left with one sleep-deprived sleuth. As usual it kept me guessing until the end about the who and why that make up a good murder mystery.--Sara G.

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The Man in the Wooden Hat

2010-04-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

Jane Gardam's Old Filth is back. This is the story of Edward "Old Filth" and Betty Macintosh Feathers, this time told from Betty's perspective. Set in Hong Kong and England, the narrative spans the time period from the end of World War Two through the handover of Hong Kong from the British to the Chinese government and beyond. Gardam describes British expatriate life in Hong Kong in as much lyrical detail as she describes Betty and Filth's pastoral retirement in Donheads. I laughed at the somewhat Shakespearean names of some of the characters, including loveable Judge Pastry Willy and lawyer and archvillian Terry Veneering.--Barb P.

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Abide With Me

2010-03-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

A lyrical, poetic page turner by Elizabeth Strout, the author of Olive Kitteridge, this novel, like her others, is set in New England, and the setting is a large part of the book's appeal. The bleak winter sadness of the story and setting are a nice juxtaposition with the redemption at the end. The characters are finely drawn, easy to connect with, and believable, although, just like in real life, some are total jerks. I found this to be a profound and moving story, unlike some of the professional reviewers, who cited "gloom and spitefulness." This novel is perfect for winter reading and it's named after my favorite funeral hymn, to boot. --Barb P.

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A Trace of Smoke

2010-03-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

This thriller by Rebecca Cantrell is set in 1931 Berlin. Hannah Vogel is a 32-year-old crime reporter for the Berliner Tageblatt. Hannah discovers early in the book that her brother Ernst has been murdered. After their unhappy childhood with an abusive father, Ernst had become part of the Berlin cabaret scene. Hannah realizes that Ernst's unfortunate involvement with an assortment of gay Nazis may have led to his downfall. In the midst of her crime-solving adventures, is Hannah falling in love with rich banker, Boris? His big black Mercedes; lovely suburban home; and fantastic cook, Frau Inge, add to Boris' allure.--Barb P.

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Lime's Photograph

2010-03-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Translated from the Danish, Leif Davidsen's fast-paced thriller is set in Spain with short trips to Russia, Denmark, and the Frankfurt airport. Originally from Denmark, Peter Lime is a paparazzo who lives a comfortable life in Madrid, spending quality time at tapas bars and the local martial arts studio. But he gets caught up in a web of intrique when he takes a photograph of the wrong couple on a secluded beach. Disentangling himself requires dealing with serious thugs from several countries. Lime is a loveable hero and really doesn't deserve all the lousy things that keep happening to him. I enjoyed the sociological insights on life in Spain and the descriptions of the Spanish countryside. --Barb P.

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The City & the City

2010-03-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

The cities in the title of China Miéville’s latest novel are Beszel and Ul Qoma. They exist in the same geographic location but in different countries, separated profoundly by differences in government, currency, language, and custom. A building in Beszel may sit next to a building in Ul Qoma, but citizens are taught from childhood to “unsee” the buildings and people of the foreign city. A shadowy, all-powerful group called Breach enforces the division.

While investigating the murder of a visiting archeology student, Inspector Tyador Borlú of Beszel’s Extreme Crime Squad must navigate two worlds, ultimately uncovering the deepest secrets of the two cities. Complex, original, and gripping.

--Katy S.

Request The City & the City at the St. Paul Public Library.

Zeitoun

2010-03-04T18:36:00.000-08:00

This nonfiction page turner by Dave Eggers kept me up until 2 in the morning--I was so caught up in the story that I had to finish it. Set in New Orleans and the surrounding area, this is the story of what the Zeitoun family went through before, during and after hurricane Katrina. There are lessons to be learned from their experience. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Zeitoun foundation to aid in the rebuilding of New Orleans and to promote respect for human rights in the U.S. and around the world.--Barb P.

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Swallow the Ocean: A Memoir

2010-03-04T18:20:00.000-08:00

Laura M. Flynn's poetic and readable memoir of a troubled childhood is somewhat evocative of The Glass Castle, although not nearly as wild and crazy. Flynn is able to recapture the magic of her childhood days without glossing over the heartache of her parents' divorce and her mother's mental illness. This book was a 2009 Minnesota Book Award finalist in the memoir and creative nonfiction category.--Barb P.

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The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir

2010-03-04T17:11:00.000-08:00

This saga of Kao Kalia Yang’s family’s journey from Laos to Saint Paul via a refugee camp in Thailand is lyrically written and a page turner. This heart-breaking tale personifies the St. Paul Hmong experience. Yang’s father took photographs of the family during the early years of their journey and these add a poignant dimension to the book. The family eventually settled in the McDonough Housing Projects in St. Paul. Yang is a poet, writer and a filmmaker. This book won the 2009 Minnesota Book Award in the memoir and creative nonfiction category. -- Barb P.

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Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

2009-11-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Tarahumara Indians of the Copper Canyon in Mexico may be the world's greatest long-distance runners, and they do it without technologically advanced shoes and the other accoutrement of the modern world.

Christopher McDougall's search for the Tarahumara introduces a cast of loners, misfits, rogues and other interesting characters who populate the world of ultramarathons. His quest for their secrets reveals that we may be who we are because our ancient ancestors ran. And his sharp and fun style make for a fascinating and fast-paced read.

Request Born to Run from the Saint Paul Public Library today! -- John L.

The School of Essential Ingredients

2009-08-08T08:31:00.001-07:00

Erica Bauermeister's first novel is a feast for the senses. And torture if you are hungry while reading it. Through the chapters you meet all the members of a cooking class taught by an extraordinary restaurateur. One night they make ravioli "no thicker than paper, their edges crinkled, their surfaces kissed with melted butter, scattered with bits of shallots and hazelnuts, like rice thrown at a wedding." Bauermeister captures moment after moment of her characters being healed by the intersection of food and emotions. For fans of Like Water for Chocolate and The God of Small Things. -- Jenny H.

Request a copy of The School of Essential Ingredients from the Saint Paul Public Library.

Say You're One of Them

2009-07-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan is a collection of 5 short stories set in different countries in Africa. The stories are tied together in portraying the difficult circumstances of life for children in Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and western Africa.

Elegant writing is used to tell stories of heartbreak and horror through the eyes of the children involved, as they are forced into slavery, to leave homes and friends behind, or bear witness to massacre.

Some of the stories are tough to take, but you will never forget them, nor will you look at the troubles of sub-Saharan Africa in the same way again.

Request a copy of Say You're One of the Them from the Saint Paul Public Library. -- John L.

Dark Roots

2009-07-16T10:37:00.001-07:00

A collection of short stories with a darkly humorous angle.

The stories are mostly set in Australia, although they really could be happening anywhere, and are usually told from the vantage of likable narrator. We may not make the choices our narrator does, but by the time we have read her story we can certainly empathize with and understand her decisions.

You'll want to tear through the stories all in one go, but each one bears careful reading. --John L.

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A Carrion Death

2009-07-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

This first book in a new mystery series by Michael Stanley introduces Detective Kubu. "Kubu" is the Setswana word for hippopotamus, and a fitting nickname for this large but tireless employee of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department. Kubu loves opera, food and drink in large quantites, and his wife Joy. Kubu dislikes being yelled at by his supervisor or his sister-in-law, but it happens with alarming regularity.

A deceptively slow pace brings the reader to the edge of her seat in this intricately plotted story featuring diamond smugglers and bushmen of the Kalahari. The details of modern life and landscape in Africa are worthy of any travel book.

Michael Stanley is the pen-name for the duo of Michael Sears and Stanely Trollip. Trollip divides his time between South Africa and Minneapolis--hence this first Detective Kubu story was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. --Jenny H.

Request a copy of A Carrion Death from Saint Paul Public Library.

The Terrorists

2009-06-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Set in Stockholm, Sweden, this is the tenth and final installment in the fabulous Martin Beck series of detective novels by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö. Martin has finally left his wife and taken up with a charming new woman. Sweden is usually perceived as an eternally cold country, but in these thrillers, Sweden is hot, hot, hot! Martin and his colleagues would love to take their long annual vacations but have to stay in town to prepare for the visit of an American senator. The policemen thwart the foreign terrorists, who’ve set up shop in Stockholm and are intent on assassination. Sadly, Martin Beck and his associates are unable to stop a disaffected domestic assassin. Although the authors took turns writing alternate chapters, transitions between them are seamless.--Barb P.

Request The Terrorists from Saint Paul Public Library.

Echoes from the Dead

2009-06-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

This thriller by Johan Theorin is set on the remote island of Őland, Sweden. Julia Davisson’s little boy Jens disappeared into the fog years ago and was never found. Julia is slowly recovering from the loss of her son with the help of her father Gerlof and a policeman named Lennart Henriksson. She isn’t going through nearly as many bottles of red wine as she had been while she was living in Stockholm. This thriller jumps about in time from shortly before World War ii to the present. All signs point to Nils Kant, the local villain, having kidnapped and killed little Jens—the only problem is, he died ten years before Jens’ disappearance. So what happened to Jens and will Julia finally find closure?--Barb P.

Request Echoes from the Dead from Saint Paul Public Library.

Beat the Reaper

2009-04-17T14:59:00.001-07:00

If you enjoy lengthy descriptions of blood and guts and gore, then Josh Bazell's thriller is for you. I listened to it on compact disc and it was harrowing. There were some funny lines, but I had some trouble feeling sympathy for the protagonist. The hilarious scenes at Manhattan Catholic Hospital made me glad this is fiction--or is it?--Barb P.

Request Beat the Reaper from Saint Paul Public Library.

Corner Shop

2009-03-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.” Roopa Farooki addresses the relative truth of this Oscar Wilde quote through three generations of the Khalil family. Lucky, a gifted young soccer player, dreams of winning the World Cup for England. His French-born mother, Delphine, struggles with her identity as a housewife and with her attraction to her father-in-law, Zaki, with whom she'd once had an affair. Zaki himself yearns for a life beyond his shop. Corner Shop is uneven but still charming--particularly when the slightly clueless, but honest and honorable, Lucky is the focal point.
--Katy S.

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Nemesis

2009-03-07T10:27:00.001-08:00

This book by Jo Nesbø has been translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett. Attractive blond bad boy policeman Harry Hole is back on duty. He’s on the wagon and in a committed relationship but still tempted by both women and booze. Set in Oslo and in Brazil, this is another thick, 474-page treat for Nordic mystery fans. Harry is working with a new partner, Beate Nolle, who is a second generation policeperson, with a photographic memory for faces. She spends her time in the house of pain, which is the room at the Oslo police station where CCTV films are reviewed. The next title in the series, Redeemer, will be published in English this year.--Barb P.

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The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl

2009-03-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

Shauna Reid began blogging right at the start of her weight loss journey. This book grew out of that blog, which is still active. Shauna realized she needed to take action when she was hanging laundry on the line and compared the size of her size 24“knickers” with her sister’s, which were a third that size. But this book is about more than Shauna’s losing half her body weight—it is a coming of age story. Shauna describes growing up in Australia in a somewhat dysfunctional family. When she was in her early 20s, she moved with her sister to Scotland for a year. (Apparently, Australian young people go abroad for long periods of time on a regular basis.) This book is seriously funny—Shauna has a wonderful sense of humor and lots of writing talent. You will find yourself cheering Shauna on as she triumphs over obesity and depression and makes a success of her life.--Barb P.

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A Rule Against Murder

2009-02-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

This fourth mystery by Louise Penny featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is her best to date. Set at the prestigious Manoir Bellechasse on an idyllic lake in Quebec, Gamache is trying to celebrate his wedding anniversary when another guest dies in a most unusual way. Lest this sound like the set up for a good cozy, think more along the lines of P.D. James...an eerie, isolated setting filled with a feuding family and suspicious staff. And at the center of it all, witty genteel Inspector Gamache knows he must delve into his own dark side to solve the murder. A former journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Penny has received awards for the Gamache mysteries from Britain, Canada and the United States. --Jenny H.

Request A Rule Against Murder from the Saint Paul Public Library.

Real World

2008-12-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

Written by Japanese novelist, Natsuo Kirino, this is the story of several troubled teens, one of whom is a killer. It is a hot summer in Tokyo, and cold drinks, air conditioning, convenience stores, and love hotels are very important to the characters. Although this is a fast-paced page turner, the descriptions of cram school don't make life in Japan sound very appealing. And I don't remember even a single mention of sushi.--Barb P.

Request Real World from Saint Paul Public Library.

Studio Sex

2008-12-19T10:38:00.001-08:00

By Swedish author, Liza Marklund, this mystery introduces another reporter/crime solver, Annika Bengtzon. It’s a hot summer in Stockholm, and contract cub reporter Annika is hoping to snag a permanent position at the Kvällpressen newspaper. She doesn’t want to have to move back home to the sticks of Flen. She is tired of her boyfriend Sven and her mother’s poor lifestyle choices. The only bright side of life in the hinterlands is spending time looking for mushrooms in the woods with her grandmother. When Annika finds out about a dead body in the cemetery near her pad in Stockholm, she seizes the opportunity for a scoop for the Kvällpressen.--Barb P.

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Detective Inspector Huss

2008-12-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

Helene Tursten has created “Sweden’s ‘Prime Suspect’” according to the book jacket. Actually, Detective Inspector Irene Huss is a much less flawed, fraught character than Jane Tennison. Irene has a long-suffering husband, who works as a chef; twin teenaged daughters, who have the usual adolescent issues; an affection-starved dog named Sammie, who spends his days at doggie day care; and a crew of coworkers, who guzzle coffee 24/7 and have beer delivered to the station along with their pizza. In the course of this mystery, Irene tangles with a group of Hell’s Angels and eventually solves the murder of a wealthy local businessman.--Barb P.

Request Detective Inspector Huss from Saint Paul Public Library.

The Dead Hour

2008-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

Written by Glasgow author Denise Mina, this is the second in her mystery series featuring crime reporter Paddy Meehan. Paddy has been promoted from her former go-fer position at the Scottish Daily News, although she is now the only person at her house in the Eastern Star housing estate who is “earning.” As usual in these books, Paddy gets involved in, and solves for the “polis,” a heinous murder. Heather O’Neill, who has a perfect Glaswegian accent, read this book to me on compact disc. Hearing this book read in the lilting cadences of a Scotch burr made the experience even more enjoyable and exciting to me than reading it.--Barb P.

Request The Dead Hour from Saint Paul Public Library.

Step-Ball-Change

2008-12-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

By Jeanne Ray. Caroline and Tom are comfortable--they are happily married and good parents to their four successful adult children. Their lives are upended when, suddenly and simultaneously, their daughter announces she will marry and Caroline’s newly-separated sister comes to stay with them. I picked up Step-Ball-Change while I was on vacation, and it was the perfect choice for a long bus ride--the characters are endearing, the writing snappy, and the conflicts and dramas engaging but not earth-shattering. --Katy S.

Request Step-Ball-Change from the Saint Paul Public Library.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

2008-12-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

Written by David Wroblewski, this Oprah pick is set in the wilds of Wisconsin near the Chequamegon National Forest. It takes place before the spread of cell phone use and is an amazingly fascinating family saga, loosely based on the Hamlet story. The Sawtelles raise special dogs that are trained before they are sold—who would have dreamed dog training could be so interesting? Edgar doesn’t fit his surname—he can see, but he can’t tell because he is mute.--Barb P.

Request The Story of Edgar Sawtelle from Saint Paul Public Library.

On Chesil Beach

2008-12-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

This small short book by Ian McEwan is set in 1962 on the Dorset coast in England and takes place in the space of an afternoon. It’s a snapshot of the time period and the social classes young, newly-married couple Florence and Edward belong to, right down to the description of their honeymoon supper. Sadly, although the two seem to have a lot in common, their shared interests are not enough to sustain their new relationship. Spoiler alert: This is the honeymoon from hell.--Barb P.

Request On Chesil Beach from the Saint Paul Public Library.

The Dog Says How

2008-12-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

This memoir by Minnesota playwright and storyteller Kevin Kling is as funny as it is poignant. "Christmas dinner. All the relatives start to arrive: Aunt Charlene and Aunt Floy, two aunts that hug me, call me by my brother's name and say how much I've grown." Boyhood memories include taxidermy, Lutheran guilt, drive in movies and snow days. But some of the chapters are an adult's perspective on topics like personal geography and losing a parent. Throughout, Kling writes with lyricism and a stand-up comic's sense of pace. He zooms from personal minutiae to universal insights with a smoothness that made the book a finalist last year for the Minnesota Book Award. --Jenny H.

Request The Dog Says How from Saint Paul Public Library.

Napoleon's Pyramids

2008-10-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

William Dietrich grounds this adventure tale with real historic detail. In post-revolutionary France an American expat is wrested from his dilettante life by a mysterious Egyptian medallion he wins in a card game. Forced to flee Paris, Ethan Gage joins Napoleon Bonaparte's 1798 army-cum-scientific expedition to Egypt. His reluctant quest to find the meaning of the medallion will pitch him against harrowing battles, cruel villains, unlikely allies, and, towering above them all, the ancient pyramids. Gage, resourceful but out of his depth, makes for an appealing hero and the historical characters are well-observed. Dietrich succeeds by keeping things believable, avoiding anachronistic dialogue and wildly implausible ancient technology. -- János

Request Napoleon's Pyramids or its sequel The Rosetta Key from the Saint Paul Public Library.

Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us)

2008-10-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tom Vanderbilt peers under the hood of an activity so commonplace we barely think about it: the act of driving. And what he finds is utterly fascinating. It turns out that new safety features inspire us to drive more dangerously, most crashes happen on sunny days to sober drivers, and it's better to wait until the last minute to merge. These are just a few tidbits from this easily readable parade of revelations. Vanderbilt distils a huge amount of research from all over the world, even visiting the Netherlands and India to experience their traffic firsthand. If you liked Freakonomics, or if you've ever driven a car, you're sure to find yourself caught up in Traffic. -- János

Request Traffic from the Saint Paul Public Library, or better yet, request the audiobook and listen in your car!

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale

2008-08-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

A sensational case in 1860 England that had even Charles Dickens playing detective comes to life in Kate Summerscale's new book on the murder at Road Hill. The details of the case sound like something straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. The setting is a large country estate where the only suspects in the case turn out to be the servants and family members of the young victim.

The burden to find the murderer falls to Detective Jonathan Whicher of the newly formed Scotland Yard. Whicher's suspicions point toward one family member but with little evidence his suspect is released. Severely chastised by the public for his accusation, Whicher leaves the case with his reputation shattered.

Summerscale weaves a fascinating story that goes well beyond the details of the case. Like Erik Larson (Thunderstruck, Devil in the White City) Summerscale excels at painting a picture of the social, political and literary climate of the time. A fascinating case with a conclusion that brings some closure but ultimately adds to the mystery and secrets that bound this family together.

Request The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale from the Saint Paul Public Library.

The Tenderness of Wolves

2008-07-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

First-time novelist Stef Penney won the 2006 Costa Award (successor to the Whitbread) for this chilly adventure. It is 1867 in Canada's Northern Territory and the Hudson Bay Company's fur trading posts are the going concern. When a murder happens in the tiny settlement of Dove River, it is men from the Company who come to investigate. Woven into this murder is a love story and an avalanche of history.

Readalikes: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje and The Master Butchers Singing Club and Louise Erdrich. --Jenny H.

Request The Tenderness of Wolves from the Saint Paul Public Library.

The Condition

2008-07-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Haigh (author of Baker Towers, reviewed earlier on this blog) combines two timeless elements in this multiple point-of-view story: dysfunctional families and a summerhouse. The "condition," a genetic disorder, stunts the physical growth of daughter Gwen, and the reaction of her parents and brothers stunts the rest of their lives. Covering the 1960s to present-day, the McKotch family grows up and apart and finally--after no small amount of pain--realigns in new ways. Readalikes: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen for dysfunctional families and Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan for dysfunctional families and a summerhouse. --Jenny H.

Request The Condition from the Saint Paul Public Library.

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz

2008-07-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Buckle up and enjoy the ride. Tony Horwitz takes readers on a history-packed and often times hilarious journey of discovery - or rather - rediscovery of America. The question Horwitz ponders (and what ultimately fuels his endeavor) is what exactly happened between the time of Columbus's landing in 1492 and 1606 when the English settled Jamestown. Furthermore, why are the events in between these two dates so vague and muddled in his mind.

To answer this question, Horwitz treks thousands of miles across America speaking to local historians, authors, museum and government officials, and native tribe leaders in search of the truth. Well, the truth he discovers is hard to obtain but myths are abundant.

The result of his efforts is an exploration of adventurers and explorers spanning several centuries beginning with the Vikings followed by the Spanish, Portuguese, French and finally the English. Every page of this narrative reveals some fascinating little detail. Prepare to laugh, learn and possibly revise your understanding of America's beginning as well.

Request A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz from the Saint Paul Public Library.

The Terror

2008-06-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's 1848 and the ships Terror and Erebus are entering a second year frozen in the ice near the magnetic north pole. The extreme cold, along with isolation and poorly preserved food is starting to takes its toll on the crews of the ships. As if that were not bad enough, they are being stalked by some sort of creature from the ice that is brutally killing the men one-by-one.

The story that ensues is chilling in every respect, and plays out as a sort of mash-up of the Shackleton story, the classic horror films "The Thing" and "Alien," and a Herman Melville or Patrick O'Brian novel, mixing terrific historical details with horror with Eskimo mythology. The Arctic provides an appropriate setting to put man in conflict with his fellow man and with nature, even as the future comes into conflict with past.

The story is based on the real-life Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest Passage (you can read more about the expedition on Wikipedia and VictorianWeb). -- John L.

Request The Terror from the Saint Paul Public Library.
Want a second opinion? János also reviewed this book.

Then We Came to the End

2008-06-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

In his debut novel, Joshua Ferris describes the motley crew at an advertising agency going slowly downhill. Tom Mota is a bitter, recently divorced, gun-loving copywriter who wears three polo shirts at once. Hank Neary is perpetually writing a “small, angry” novel about an ad agency. Lynn Mason is their boss, a self-possessed workaholic. The office shenanigans are fun, but the surprise is how often the story is genuinely moving. Uniquely narrated from a “we” perspective, Then We Came to the End was a 2007 National Book Award finalist. --Katy S.

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1776

2008-06-19T09:28:00.002-07:00

In 1776 author David McCullough describes a harrowing and defining year in the struggle for American Independence. It was a fascinating book to read and I found myself wondering, with all the mishaps, misguided decisions, lack of resources and lack of experience on the part of the colonists, how on earth did colonial America ever achieve independence from Britain? I especially enjoyed the wide range of letter and journal entries included in the book, which gave a first-hand account of what key figures, as well as lesser known ones, experienced during 1776. It is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to learn more about this era in American history.

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The Magical Chorus: A History of Russian Culture from Tolstoy to Solzhenitsyn

2008-06-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Solomon Volkov traces the relationship between culture and politics in twentieth century Russia starting with the reign of Tsar Nicholas II and concluding with Yelstin's administration in the 1990s. He explores in great detail the effect the political climate had on leading artists both before and after the 1918 revolution--from Leo Tolstoy's letters to the Tsar expressing his disapproval of the regime to Maxim Gorky's surprisingly close relationship with Stalin. (Gorky was Stalin's cultural advisor for several years.) The horrors of Stalin's regime (in particular) on artists of that era are realized throughout the book. The loss of so many individuals after the revolution either by suicide, in the camps or by escaping there homeland to live as emigres, is tragic. Epic in scope, this book will fascinate anyone interested in Russian art, politics and history.
Request The Magical Chorus from the Saint Paul Public Library.

The Sugar Queen

2008-06-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Addison Allen. 27-year-old Josey cares for (and is controlled by) her caustic mother, taking frequent refuge in a closet stocked with sweets of all kinds. Her claustrophobic world starts to slowly expand as she develops relationships with two women in transitional states, Della Lee and Chloe. Fans of Allen’s first novel, Garden Secrets, will also enjoy The Sugar Queen. Many of the same elements are present—strong female friendships, benign magic, and new love. The characters, again, are quirky and likeable. A comfortable read. --Katy S.

Request The Sugar Queen from the Saint Paul Public Library.

Three Girls and Their Brother

2008-06-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

In Theresa Rebeck’s compulsively readable first novel, Polly, Daria, and Amelia Heller become “It” girls when they are featured in a photo spread in The New Yorker. This is a funny, edgy look at celebrity and the machinations behind it. Rebeck tells the story from the perspectives of each of the girls and their brother in turn, creating distinctive, spot-on voices. You will root for these teens—they are smart and articulate, and most of the adults in their lives do not have their best interests at heart. --Katy S.

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Body Movers

2008-05-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

Twenty-something Carlotta loves good clothes, her younger brother Wes, and her ex-fiance who dumped her 10 years ago. She does not love that her parents skipped town (Atlanta) under the dark cloud of fraud charges against her father and she's raised Wes on her own. Now Wes is in trouble with the law for computer hacking and as part of his probation gets "gainful employment" as a body mover. Her employee discount at Neiman Marcus keeps her in fashion and her quick temper and mouth keep her in trouble. Carlotta proves irrepressible even when faced with a bully of a police detective and a possible serial killer. -- Jenny H.

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Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life

2008-04-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

Canadian author/artist Bryan Lee O'Malley has won over graphic novel fans and phobes alike with this hilarious and sweet series. 23-year-old Toronto slacker Scott Pilgrim has met the girl of his dreams… literally; she's been using his subconscious as a shortcut on her delivery route. To date her he must fight her seven evil ex-boyfriends. But how much will this disrupt his precious little life of hanging out, practicing with his hard rock band, and the girl he's already chastely dating? A big part of the fun comes from how Scott and his friends react to kung fu fights, videogame elements, and outright wackiness in their otherwise realistic twentysomething lives. -- János

Request Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life or volume 2, volume 3, or volume 4 from the Saint Paul Public Library.

One Good Turn

2008-03-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Scottish/English author Kate Atkinson lands her retired police detective and private investigator Jackson Brodie in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival. Now that he’s a millionaire with a villa in France, he doesn’t need to get involved in shady dealings. But, naturally, while waiting in line at a fringe event, he witnesses a road rage incident and gets sucked into a multi-layered plot involving a cleaning service, a builder of shoddy houses, an author, a comedian, and several thugs. It works out okay because Jackson’s girlfriend, who is appearing in a fringe theater piece, is too busy with rehearsals and pub crawling to spend much time with him. The plot twists and turns at a fast pace, and the characters, even the bad guys, are charmingly drawn. Atkinson’s next Jackson Brodie book is called When Will There Be Good News? and will be published in August 2008. --Barb P.

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The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure: The First Book of the Wraeththu Histories

2008-03-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

British author Storm Constantine expands her fantasy series about the Wraeththu, a futuristic race of androgynous beings, with a novel about their history. Told in third person and from different perspectives, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure explores the various consequences of the life, death, and rebirth of the Wraeththu ruler Pellaz. Readers familiar with the series will fondly recall Ulaume, Flick, and Seel, who interact with a fresh cast of characters this time around. Readers new to the original trilogy will enjoy the expanse of Wraeththu tapestry that Constantine carefully weaves in this compelling epic. -- Elizabeth H.

Request The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure from the Saint Paul Public Library.

Saga: A Novel of Medieval Iceland

2008-03-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

First-time Canadian novelist Jeff Janoda brings to life 10th century Iceland, where the protections of law and hospitality evolved to buffer families against marginal conditions and scheming neighbors. The novel adapts a portion of the Eyrbyggja Saga, one of the many epic stories passed down from the time of the island's settlement and later written in the 13th century. The story concerns the rivalry between two chieftains as it escalates into a deadly feud, and the choices of their followers that alternately help and hinder the chieftains' plots. There is definite crossover appeal to fans of westerns, with its depiction of frontier life, and of fantasy, with its matter-of-fact treatment of supernatural elements. -- János

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The Liar's Diary

2008-02-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

Patry Francis writes a chameleon of a book. It begins like women's fiction: shy school secretary Jeanne's life is shook up by the new music teacher--an intriguing, beautiful artist named Ali. The story's opening pace is slow, like Jeanne's life at that point, bouncing gently from her job to her roles as doctor's wife and mother to Jamie, a 16 year-old boy who is popular, but overweight. Jamie's the light of Jeanne's life and the tension between father, mother and son are just the usual adolescent tension, isn't it? Just as the reader is lulled by the somewhat sinister lullabye of the opening chapters, violence erupts. Like Jeanne, the reader is suddenly on a roller coaster with stomach-dropping turns. The physical locations may be an idyllic suburb and a remote cabin in New Hampshire, but prepare to also travel deep into Jeanne's psyche.--Jenny H.

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Little Face

2008-02-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

Poet Sophie Hannah’s first novel is a psychological thriller set in England. A missing baby; a wicked mother-in-law; a nasty, weak husband; and a confused, conflicted policeman—young mother Alice has many concerns. Add a criminal named Beer, and a dodgy health club, where killers pump iron and hide yucky things in their lockers, and things really go pear shaped. All loose ends are tied up at the end of this eerie page turner.--Barb P.

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Gods Behaving Badly

2008-01-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

In Marie Phillip’s debut novel, the Greek gods have fallen on hard times. They live in a decrepit, filthy, cramped flat in London, and their powers are waning. When Aphrodite convinces her son Eros to make Apollo fall in love with a mortal, she sets into motion a course of events that involves death by lightning, the extinguishing of the sun, and a trip to the underworld. The translation of the gods’ powers into a modern context is entertaining (Dionysus owns a nightclub and Artemis is a dog-walker) and the mortal characters, Alice and Neil, are well-drawn and charming. --Katy S.

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The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes

2008-01-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

A great many modern authors have written Sherlock Holmes novels, but perhaps the most unexpected is this one by Jamyang Norbu. When Sherlock Holmes returned from his apparent death in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1893 short story "The Empty House," the detective mentions having spent some of his years in hiding in India and Tibet. Jamyang, a prominent Tibetan writer, imagines these missing years as only an insider could. In place of Watson the narrator is Huree Chunder Mookherjee, a character from Rudyard Kipling's Kim. A few fantastical elements may rub some Holmes fans the wrong way, but this is overall one of the most energetic and original Sherlock pastiches yet. The first U.S. edition was published as Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years. -- János

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Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before

2008-01-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

Tony Horwitz, author of Confederates in the Attic, island hops the Pacific Ocean in Captain James Cook's wake. Cook's three 18th century expeditions charted vast tracts of the Pacific and made the first European contact with many of its inhabitants. Horwitz interweaves this historical account with his own visits in the modern day, documenting the positive and negative aspects of Cook's legacy in conversations with everyone from Maori gang members in New Zealand to the King of Tonga. From Australia to the Aleutian Islands, Tahiti to Hawaii, even sailing aboard a replica of Cook's ship, Horwitz brews an engrossing combination of biography and travelogue. -- János

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Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

2008-01-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

Junot Diaz tells this Dominican/American family story told from various first-person accounts. This book was written for me with my fluency in nerd speak and Spanish. Part of it takes place in New Brunswick, NJ where my brother lived for years, and also in the Dominican Republic. Good reminder of the sometimes untranslatable nature of language. This is Junot's first book in 10 years. He needs to write more quickly. --Marcus

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Prisoner of Tehran

2007-12-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Marina Nemat’s memoir is captivating from the first paragraph. Nemat describes her beautiful childhood, then contrasts it with her bleak teenage years. Those years were spent in Tehran's Evin prison during the Iranian Revolution. Her crime? Asking her teacher to teach calculus rather than the Koran. It is only through the intervention of one of her interrogators that her death sentence is reduced to life in prison. However, she must convert to Islam and marry him. As shifting factions fight for control of the government and the prison, her husband is assassinated. Through the intervention of his family (and a second meeting with the Ayatollah himself), Marina is released from prison. She relocates to Toronto and is finally able to embark on a normal life. --Lori L.

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Garden Spells

2007-12-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

Sarah Addison Allen’s debut novel centers around a family of women, the Waverleys, all of whom have unusual talents. A wayward Waverley sister, young daughter in tow, returns to her hometown seeking safety from a bad relationship. She has to make peace with the family--and the town--she left behind. Though nothing about the plot will surprise readers, the characters are engaging and the ending satisfying. Fans of Alice Hoffman (especially Practical Magic), Laura Esquivel and Lorna Landvik will enjoy the strong relationships and gentle magical realism. --Katy S.

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The Redbreast

2007-12-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

By Norwegian Jo Nesbø, this gripping mystery is set in Oslo and other exciting European and African locales. Detective Harry Hole (pronounced "Hō-la" in Norwegian) has been promoted to inspector and is on the trail of a assassin wielding a Märklin, a big German gun that leaves its targets in nasty shape. This book features flashbacks to World War Two, a pizza parlor frequented by skinheads, a drunken office party, and a one-winged bird named Helge. Although Harry is an alcoholic, he is able to stay on the wagon long enough to get to the bottom of this mystery. I love that he wears a Joy Division t-shirt while he works out at the gym. Jo Nesbø has written seven Harry Hole mysteries and only two have been translated into English so far. The other five are something to look forward to. The next title to be translated into English, Nemesis, will be released in 2008. --Barb P.

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Midnight Mass

2007-12-14T13:05:00.000-08:00

F. Paul Wilson, author of the popular Adversary and Repairman Jack series has written a what-if horror story to keep you awake at night. Vampires are real, their undead plague has overrun Europe and is invading America. In a small New Jersey coastal town an unlikely team gathers around a disgraced priest - a crucifix-wearing rabbi, a bomb-making nun, and a lesbian atheist – to battle against the vampires and their willing human thralls in a roller-coaster ride of violent action and suspenseful terror. -- GAK @ HH

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The Dragon

2007-12-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

Alfred Coppel's The Dragon is a political-action thriller set in the Cold War, when a clique of top Soviet military leaders conspire against their ailing premier and plan a preemptive strike against Red China timed to coincide with a visit to Moscow by the President of the US. Lasers, nukes, rogue IRA provo assassins, and more all figure into the action, as does one of my favorite characters, grizzled Red Army veteran Marshal Pavel Lyudin. By the author of both Thirty-Four East and The Burning Mountain. -- GAK @ HH

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Self Storage: A Novel

2007-12-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

Gayle Brandeis imbues atmosphere into every page of her novel, which tells ths story of Flan, a young mother with a grad-student husband. Don't be misled by the lingerie cover. This atmosphere is unsettled as it veers between the issues of an Oprah book and some chick-lit humor. Flan supports the struggling family with finds from auctions of abandoned storage units. Funk is what she often finds in the storage units too, while searching for meaning among all the stuff. Beautifully written, the story hinges on an old copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and liberally quotes from it. The ending of the book is neither a triumph or tragedy, but it may leave you wanting to fill up on Whitman. --Jenny H.

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Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World

2007-11-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

Jack Weatherford, a professor at Macalester College here in St. Paul, will change the way you think about world history. In this quick-reading and accessible book, he shows how Europeans were influenced by the technology, goods, and ideas of Native Americans. Weatherford argues that European nations couldn't have afforded expensive colonization attempts without the gold and silver looted from the Aztecs and Inca, and wouldn't have had the colonists but for a population explosion fed by Native American crops like corn and potatoes. If you thought Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond was a real eye-opener, you will want to see what Indian Givers has to offer. -- János

Request Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World from the Saint Paul Public Library.

A Game of Thrones

2007-11-28T12:05:00.001-08:00

George R. R. Martin launches his acclaimed fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire with this engrossing first volume. A Game of Thrones forgoes the usual fantasy convention of magic and great evil overwhelming the land, instead presenting a believable world rife with political and martial intrigue. Martin cycles through the points of view of several fascinating male and female characters, lending depths of complexity even to the villains. Although nearly 700 pages, the book stays lively with constant surprises, sending the story in unexpected directions. -- János

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Cold Skin

2007-11-28T12:01:00.001-08:00

Albert Sánchez Piñol, a Spanish anthropologist, bursts onto the literary scene with this short, brutal first novel. A survivor of World War I arrives on a subantarctic island to man a weather station and escape from his past. The only other inhabitant, the lighthouse keeper, won't speak to him, and that night he is attacked by relentless amphibious monsters. The protagonist's desperate situation explores disturbing questions about the dehumanization of war. -- János

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Maynard & Jennica

2007-11-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

by Rudolph Delson

A novel told from the perspectives of more than thirty narrators, including a macaw and an emergency brake, could easily get a little precious, but Delson pulls it off—what begins as a series of tangentially related vignettes comes together into a fairly cohesive account of the relationship between Maynard, an eccentric independent filmmaker and native New Yorker, and Jennica, an industrious California transplant. 9/11 serves as a catalyst in their relationship but doesn’t overwhelm it. A funny and fast-paced debut novel. --Katy S.

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The Fortune Quilt

2007-11-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

Lani Diane Rich's modern fairy tale centers on Carly, a 30-something television producer for Tucson Today who is used to being in control and who is not averse to bad puns. She has a good excuse for living at home--she's been acting as mom to her younger sister for the past 17 years after their real mom ran away from home. When a psychic quiltmaker "reads" Carly's quilt and predicts upheaval, Carly just laughs it off as another quirky person featured on her TV show. Multiple upheavals ensue, sending Carly to the small artists' community of Bilby, Arizona, and she finds herself rescued, at least temporarily, by the psychic quiltmaker. With colorful supporting characters, several love interests and a warm setting, this is just the book to curl up with by the fire to see how it will turn out happily ever after. -- Jenny H.

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The Alchemist

2007-11-25T11:14:00.000-08:00

Donna Boyd's The Alchemist expertly takes readers from present day New York to ancient Egypt and back again in an epic work of magic, immortality, longing, and suspense. After confessing to murder to psychiatrist Dr. Anne Kramer in contemporary Manhattan, Randolf Sontime relates his tale as a boy named Han in ancient Egypt. At the House of Ra, a temple where he is chosen to train in the discipline of alchemy, Han befriends fellow students Akan and Nefar. Together these two boys and girl realize that in union, they wield a wondrous power that is unparalleled in the physical realm. Yet as time passes, the festering temptation to give in to the dark arts proves to be too much and their alliance is damned forever. The Alchemist is a hypnotic novel of passion and mystery, sure to please readers of various genres. -- Elizabeth H.

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Halting State

2007-11-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

By Charles Stross.

The year is 2018 and Scotland is an independent country and part of the EU. Purchases are made in euros (not that anyone carries cash anymore), while south of the border the English are still using pounds, and the US is just about bankrupt. Taxis drive themselves, and you can never be lost as long as you wear your specs that superimpose GPS data and other information over the world around you. Email is just "mail" now, and your phone can do pretty much anything.

A bank robbery takes place a new start-up company. The suspects? A bunch of orcs and a dragon from an virtual reality game (!). The robbed company banks treasure for virtual worlds in order to increase their rarity and worth; the robbery is just part of a complex scheme that has economic implications in the real world.

Enter a Edinburgh cop, an insurance agent, and a computer programmer... all trying to find out who committed this robbery and why.

This techno-thriller shifts perspective among the three characters, and is told in a second-person narrative, which works all the more to give it the feel of entering the virtual world. -- John L.

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Legends in Exile

2007-11-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

This volume collects the first issues of Bill Willingham's acclaimed comic book series Fables. The story introduces a secret enclave in New York City whose inhabitants are the characters of fable and folklore, refugees from a mysterious invasion of the fairy tale kingdoms. Snow White, the deputy mayor, and the Big Bad Wolf, the sheriff, reluctantly team up to investigate a bloody murder all while striving to keep their community a secret. If you liked Neil Gaiman's The Sandman or American Gods, you will surely enjoy the first five volumes of Fables available at the Saint Paul Public Library. -- János.

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The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific

2007-11-21T11:10:00.001-08:00

J. Maarten Troost has written a laugh-out-loud chronicle of what it's really like to live in an island paradise. Troost and his wife moved from the United States to the Pacific atoll nation of Kiribati (pronounced KEER-ee-boss) and lived there for two years. It's a place where arriving airplanes have to dodge pigs on the runway, the neighbors describe his dog as 'tasty,' and beer is only sporadically available. Troost captures the day-to-day wonderment of living somewhere completely alien in this comic masterpiece. -- János.

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A Grue of Ice

2007-11-21T11:04:00.001-08:00

Adventure novelist Geoffrey Jenkins (1920-2001) was called South Africa's answer to Ian Fleming. This 1962 gem from Highland Park Branch Library's older fiction collection certainly has comparable pacing, larger-than-life villains, outlandish schemes, and exotic locations. In A Grue of Ice a British ex-navy captain turned oceanographer is ensnared in a megalomaniac's mysterious quest in the storm-tossed South Atlantic Ocean. Racing from Tristan da Cunha to Bouvet Island to the Antarctic pack ice, it's an old-fashioned adventure yarn that still thrills. -- János.

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The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland

2007-11-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

In a London pub Hugh Thompson hears about an Inca ruin discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 but so poorly mapped that no one had been able to find it since. He and some pals decide to go to Peru and look for it. Entranced by the thrill of exploration, Thompson ultimately embarks on a journey through the sites of the Inca Empire. The White Rock is an accessible and passionate survey of what is currently known about this enigmatic civilization and the dramatic landscape it ruled. -- János.

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Shadow of the Raven

2007-11-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

In a debut novel by David Sundstrand, a multiracial Bureau of Land Management officer stumbles into a deadly battle between poachers, pranksters, and bikers in the canyons of the Mojave Desert. The loner antagonist and evocative descriptions of the stark Californian landscape will appeal to readers of Nevada Barr and Joseph Heywood, though in the spectrum of crime novels Shadow of the Raven falls into the suspense category rather than the whodunit. Sundstrand's soft-spoken, malevolently intelligent biker gang leader deserves a spot in the villain hall of fame. -- János.

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Route 66 A.D.: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists

2007-11-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

Tony Perrottet reinvigorates the armchair travel genre by covering the, literally, oldest tourist route in the book. During the Roman Empire the combination of widespread peace and a leisure class produced the world's first tourist trade. Perrottet and his girlfriend follow the well-beaten track from Rome to Greece to Turkey to Egypt, armed with the world's oldest travel guide, published in 5 BC. This delightful travelogue shows how little things have really changed since the Romans were bedeviled by crowds, pushy local guides, hard mattresses, and bad food. -- János.

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The Skull Mantra

2007-11-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Eliot Pattison takes the "disgraced detective" genre to new heights: all the way to The Roof of the World. On a remote Tibetan hillside a hard-labor gang finds a decapitated body. The local party officials enlist the only experienced investigator in the province, a former Beijing policeman who is now one of the convicts. Shan Tao-Yun traverses a quagmire of moral ambiguity as he searches for a politically expedient solution while honoring the truth and the Buddhist lamas who are his fellow prisoners. Readers who appreciate the cultural detail and evocative landscapes of Tony Hillerman may relish The Skull Mantra. -- János.

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The Terror

2007-11-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

The genre-bending Dan Simmons combines historical fiction and horror in The Terror. He retells the tragedy of Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition, which disappeared without explanation while traversing the Northwest Passage. While the tale has been fictionalized before (The Broken Lands by Robert Edric is one example), this time the perils of Arctic exploration are ratcheted up with the presence of a fearsome monster stalking the doomed sailors aboard the ships Erebus and Terror. Simmons stuffs his lengthy tale full of historical details, evocative descriptions of the cold and ice, Inuit mythology, and details gleaned from archaeologists' grisly discoveries along the frozen shores of the Canadian Arctic. -- János.

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Across The Nightingale Floor

2007-11-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

The first in Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori series, Across the Nightingale Floor is set in an imaginary realm that resembles feudal Japan, complete with supernatural activities, martial arts, and battling clans. The protagonist, 16-year-old Takeo, is a member of a subversive and persecuted religious group who is (not coincidentally) given refuge by Lord Otori Shigeru. After joining the Otori clan, Takeo discovers that he is also a member of the "Tribe," a shadowy group of assassins with mystical abilities. Across the Nightingale Floor is an intriguing tale with a satisfying conclusion, whetting the reader's appetite for the rest of the series. -- Elizabeth H.

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Agnes and the Hitman

2007-11-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

Agnes and the Hitman is the second joint effort from Jennifer Crusie (beloved romance writer) and Bob Mayer (former Green Beret turned action-adventure novelist). Like their first collaboration, Don’t Look Down, Agnes and the Hitman features a competent, sexy woman with a dry sense of humor and a tough government operative with a vested interest in keeping the heroine alive. The plot, involving a wedding, flamingos, anger management, and the mob, is elaborate but never out of control. The many supporting characters are substantial enough that they add to, rather than detract from, the story. A smart, well-written, romance novel. --Katy S.

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A Spot of Bother

2007-10-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

Mark Haddon is known for his book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. In A Spot of Bother, George Hall, the patriarch of a middle-class British family, is slowly becoming obsessed with his mortality. His family is too wrapped up in their own problems to notice that George occasionally has "a spot of bother." Bumping up against his unfaithful wife, his divorcee daughter and his uneasily gay son makes for poignant and funny moments. When daughter Katie announces she is marrying her boyfriend, it looks like the family could be united in disliking "that Ray," but the ensuing wedding plans instead splinter them further. Part drama, part farce, this book gives a light touch to serious problems.--Jenny H.

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The Exception

2007-10-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

This thriller by Christian Jungersen (translated from the Danish by Anna Paterson) is set in Copenhagen where the four main characters work together at the fictional Danish Center for Information on Genocide. But there is something rotten in the State of Denmark--the group dynamic at the place is poisonous. Fast paced and action packed, the Exception explores office politics and human relations in a country where people ride their bikes to work and celebrate with champagne in the office.--Barb P.

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The Killing Jar

2007-10-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

This coming-of-age story by Nicola Monaghan is set on the council estates of Nottingham, England, where the author grew up. Drug use and child abandonment seem to have had an impact on the main characters. After much senseless violence and general dissipation, a happy ending of sorts ensues.--Barb P.

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F5 : devastation, survival, and the most violent tornado outbreak of the twentieth century

2007-10-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

This account by Mark Levine of the April 1974 super outbreak of 148 tornadoes in the southeastern quadrant of the U.S. includes scientific information of the meteorological variety interspersed with tornado victims' human interest stories. The life and career of Tetsuya Fujita (the “f” in F5 is named for him) is described at length. Frightening accounts of the survivors of the tornado outbreak will give you pause. I read this book based on the review I read here: http://ornerylibrarian.blogspot.com/.--Barb P.

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Soon I Will Be Invincible

2007-10-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

By Austin Grossman.
A fun book that plays with the superhero (and super-villain) motif, told in the first-person alternately by veteran villain Doctor Impossible and new heroine Fatale.
Anyone who has read comic books will recognize the themes, character types, and - yes - cliches. They are all handled with care and modernized (it turns out that evil geniuses are the way they are because they suffer from "malign hypercognition disorder" and we learn a little about what's with all the skin-tight costumes). More interesting when we learn the inner thoughts of villains and heroes, less so in the action sequences, you don't have to be a fan of comic books or superheros to enjoy this book. -- John L.

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Baker Towers

2007-08-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

By Jennifer Haigh. Follow the sorrows and joys of the Novak family, living in a Pennsylvania mining town just after World War II. The ironies of life for the “Greatest Generation” are brought out in vivid detail. Haigh has an amazing skill for zooming from a single person’s thoughts to depicting the fate of an entire town without giving the reader vertigo. They may be details we’ve heard in other stories—the Polish and Italian families, the plight of the miners during a strike—but Haigh sews it all together into a larger vision. --Jenny H.

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Banishing Verona

2007-08-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

In this novel by Margot Livesey, Zeke and Verona meet and connect but then, in a complicated set of circumstances, lose track of each other. Set in London and Boston, this is an unusual love story between an interior house painter and a radio show host. The characters are endearing in spite of their myriad faults. --Barb P.

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Blackwater

2007-08-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

By Kerstin Ekman, translated from the Swedish by Joan Tate. This is another great Scandinavian murder mystery. It’s a psychological thriller set during the midsummer holiday in Sweden. Atmospheric in the extreme, it is a snapshot of a lifestyle that is very different from ours—along with a very creepy murder or two. Nature and human dynamics are very present in this page turner. (Ekman has also written an historical fiction tetrology about a farming town in rural Sweden, which has been translated into English.) --Barb P.

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The Princess of Burundi

2007-08-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

By Kjell Eriksson; translated from the Swedish by Ebba Segerberg. Winner of the Swedish Crime Academy Award for Best Crime Novel, The Princess of Burundi is set in Uppsala, Sweden, where the snow is piled high and the atmosphere is thick and eerie. A minor thug has been murdered and Detective Ann Lindell is on the case. I enjoyed reading about a police department where an unmarried pregnant detective raised no eyebrows whatsoever in any social context. --Barb P.

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The Post-Birthday World

2007-07-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

A page turner by Lionel Shriver set in London and other UK hotspots. Alternating chapters provide alternating sets of events. Should the Russian-American expatriate go for the sexy snooker player or the absent-minded policy wonk? This book lets her (and you, the reader) have it both ways. --Barb P.

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The Echo Maker

2007-07-26T11:51:00.000-07:00

Richard Powers wrote this eerie juxtaposition of natural history and human dynamics. Set near the Platte River in Nebraska, this book is full of information about sand hill cranes and neurology in addition to being a fascinating study of human emotions. I wasn’t too thrilled with some of the characterizations (the neurologist’s wife’s conversational style was too weird to be true), but the story moved quickly and the ending paid off—I never guessed who wrote the note. --Barb P.

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Fun Home: a family tragicomic

2007-07-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Alison Bechdel, who writes the syndicated comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For,” chronicles her coming of age (and, eventually, out) in graphic novel form. The Fun Home of the title is her family’s funeral home. This was only the second graphic novel I have read—it’s not my favorite genre—but it was so readable, such a page turner, and so laugh-out-loud funny, that I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest it to a reader who isn’t sure whether or not they would enjoy a graphic novel. --Barb P.

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