Mindy's Recs

 


 

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The Stolen Child: A Novel By Ann Hood Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9780393609806
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: W. W. Norton & Company - May 7th, 2024

AVAIL. 5/7/24

Be prepared to make yourself a chart in order to keep up with all the captivating characters you will meet in The Stolen Child. Start with an American WWI soldier in France and a painter. Add a woman who will accompany him, fifty-seven years later, back to France. . . on a mission to find out what happened to an abandoned baby. Finish in Naples with the Museum of Tears, an Italian’s cautious “recording . . . of human sorrow.” Experience the ultimate six degrees of separation as Ann Hood takes you back to the 70’s - TWA, Jim Croce, Roger Ebert movie reviews, Rice-a-Roni, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy and Pablo Neruda. What a gem of a book!

- Mindy

 


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Days of Wonder: A Novel By Caroline Leavitt Cover Image
$29.00
ISBN: 9781643751283
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Algonquin Books - April 23rd, 2024

AVAIL. 4/23/24

Days of Wonder begins with twenty-two-year-old Ella, leaving prison after seven years, living a free life with her mother. . . or trying to. Caroline Leavitt carefully weaves - between the span of eight years - past connections, building Ella’s obsessions to a crescendo. Who can be trusted? Who is telling the truth? With the last twenty pages to read, I kept wondering how the author was going to be able to reconcile Ella’s unsettled existence, but she does it! A heartfelt story to be read by all.

- MINDY


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A Game of Lies: A Novel By Clare Mackintosh Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781728296500
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - April 23rd, 2024

AVAIL. 4/23/24

Welsh Detective Constable Ffion Morgan investigates the filming of a TV reality show that transforms into a very different “game.” Production has begun but the rules have changed for the seven contestants. Phobias, secrets, and of course a murder abound in A Game of Lies, Clare Mackintosh’s newest thriller. She doesn’t disappoint, as you are taken on a roller coaster read to the very end. Just when you think you figured out the culprit, guess again!

-  MINDY


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All the Colors of the Dark: A Novel By Chris Whitaker Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9780593798874
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Crown - June 25th, 2024

AVAIL. 6/25/24

All the Colors of the Dark is about believing and never ever giving up. Over the span of twenty-six years, two characters use art and nature to heal, discover, connect. Everything happens in this book, literally everything. And it will take your breath away. Whitaker is brilliant!

-  MINDY


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Sometimes We Fall By Randall de Sève, Kate Gardiner (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Randall de Sève, Kate Gardiner (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9780593645499
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Random House Studio - August 6th, 2024

AVAIL. 8/6/24

Simple illustrations in earth tones about a mother bear teaching her cub about all the “what if’s” that can take place in our lives. We have to take chances in order to succeed. We will fall, but we will pick ourselves up! What a delightful read, centered around a plum tree.

-  MINDY


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The Mystery Writer: A Novel By Sulari Gentill Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781728285184
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Poisoned Pen Press - March 19th, 2024

AVAIL. 3/19/24

Gentill has done it again, cleverly planting covert details throughout this fast-paced novel featuring an entourage of characters including Theo, aspiring Aussie author, her lawyer brother Gus, and his friend Mac P.I. Plan to indulge yourself with conspiracy theorists, missing manuscripts or manifestos, chance meetings… or not, a dubious literary agency, and a dog named Horse! And let’s not forget a few murders. The Mystery Writer deserves the prize for the most compelling opening sentence!

- MINDY


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The Memory of Lavender and Sage By Aimie K. Runyan Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781400237258
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Muse - March 5th, 2024

Tempesta, our narrator, leaves New York for the region of Provence, where she has bought a house in disrepair, sight unseen. As she seeks help with this massive renovation project, she is also looking for answers as to why her mother left the French village of Sainte-Colombe. In turn, she is committed to helping the village thrive, making suggestions on how it could reinvent itself, yet keep its old-world charm. The Memory of Lavender and Sage will have you yearning for a greenhouse of your own, like Tempesta’s, full of the delightful smells of pungent herbs – oregano, thyme, basil, mint and of course lavender and sage.

-  MINDY


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The Search Party: A Novel By Hannah Richell Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781668036068
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Published: Atria Books - January 16th, 2024

Three families are invited to Max and Annie Kingsley’s glamping settlement by the cliffs of Cornwall. An injury occurred but to whom? What did twelve-year-old Kip do? What happened to Jim’s arm? Hannah Richell cleverly keeps us in suspense by setting up scene after scene, but not revealing the character who is affected. Throughout the weekend, emotions, secrets and disappointments come alive while a seething storm is brewing out at sea. The Search Party is the perfect atmospheric mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page!

- MINDY


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The Silence in Her Eyes: A Novel By Armando Lucas Correa Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781982197506
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Published: Atria Books - January 16th, 2024

Stop for a moment and close your eyes. Try to figure out what is going on around you by experiencing the smells. . . the sounds. These two senses are important to Leah, as her moving world is a blur; she has akinetopsia. But who is real in her world: the doorman, the neighbor and her abusive husband, the bookseller, the doctor? Just when you think you have figured out the mysteries of Leah’s life, the author introduces yet another doubt-filled scenario. The Silence in Her Eyes is a clever mystery to the bitter end.

-MINDY


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The Lost Van Gogh: A Novel By Jonathan Santlofer Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781728258966
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Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - January 2nd, 2024

What a perfect novel to be reading while I was visiting Amsterdam… the canals, the bicycles, the art work. The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer is not only about a search for Van Gogh’s last portrait but also delves into the whereabouts of Nazi-looted art and the repatriation efforts of these valuable works. How prophetic Santlofer was with his subject matter as Van Gogh’s art continues to appear in the news - a recent return of a stolen painting and the discoveries of paintings found under other paintings. Pay attention to everyone who comes across Luke and Alex’s path; no one is who they appear to be.

-  MINDY


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The Archive of Feelings: A Novel By Peter Stamm, Michael Hofmann (Translated by) Cover Image
By Peter Stamm, Michael Hofmann (Translated by)
$15.99
ISBN: 9781635422757
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Other Press - December 5th, 2023

Anyone could have written this story, but anyone didn’t; Peter Stamm did in his familiar stream of consciousness style. An unnamed narrator is archiving his life, as he lives in a kind of “continual present.” As he ponders a meeting with an old friend, he questions his life of imagination or reality. . . of loving a person or memories of a person? Once you delve into one of Stamm’s novels, you will want to read them all.

- MINDY


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The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession By Michael Finkel Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780525657323
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Knopf - June 27th, 2023

Stéfane Breitwieser is not your typical art thief. With no interest in selling the stolen works of art, he just wants to live in an attic surrounded by them. Finkel’s short book is packed full of heists by someone considered an art connoisseur or a thief. . . or a connoisseur and a thief. During your next visit to a museum, instead of observing a work of art, you might think: what would Breitwieser do to get his hands on this valuable object? Finkel intersperses famous past museum heists with those committed by this contemporary young thief. Patience gave the author a successful exposé of an obsessed art lover.

- MINDY


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Wandering Through Life: A Memoir By Donna Leon Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9780802161581
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atlantic Monthly Press - September 19th, 2023

We know Donna Leon for her mysteries featuring the lovable Commissario Brunetti, but she turns to nonfiction with Wandering through Life. What a perfect title for her memoir! Leon shares snippets of a most prolific life so far that will make you smile and perhaps force you to reminisce about your own personal anecdotes. Her humor, her love of music and concern for her beloved Venice are all there. And don’t be surprised if, after reading this delightful memoir, you find yourself wanting to seek out a production of Tosca!

- MINDY


So Shall You Reap: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery By Donna Leon Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780802162366
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atlantic Monthly Press - March 14th, 2023

It has been so entertaining spending time once again with Commissario Brunetti as he pensively investigates yet another murder. Donna Leon has a knack of slowly giving us the details, the Venetian scenes, the camaraderie among the police force. Then she draws you quickly to the finish line where all comes together. Do not miss her memoir, Wandering Through Life.


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The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth By Elizabeth Rush Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9781571313966
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Milkweed Editions - August 15th, 2023

Rush’s personal thoughts, observations and actual participation give you a front row seat as she takes you on an incredible journey heading towards Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica. Joined by scientists, students, the media and of course, the crew of the research vessel the Palmer, the author presents a true collaboration necessary for the success of this important study of glacial climate change that affects us all. Collaboration: a word we should all be thinking about… and using. Paralleling her observations on board are Rush’s intimate thoughts on her own pregnancy. The Quickening reads like a production in four acts with all the crucial characters on a moving stage, presented in their own voice. This vital chronicle just might make you more aware of our changing world.

- MINDY


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Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 (A Novel) By T. J. Newman Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9781982177911
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster - May 30th, 2023

If you thought Falling was full of suspense, strap yourself in for T.J. Newman’s latest, Drowning. And I was crazy enough to read this novel on a recent flight! It would be like sitting on the beach, reading Jaws, while you are dipping your toes in the water! What a fantastic read! Move Drowning right to the top of your reading list.

- MINDY


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The Puzzle Master: A Novel By Danielle Trussoni Cover Image
$27.00
ISBN: 9780593595299
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House - June 13th, 2023

Puzzlist/savant Mike Brink is contacted to decipher a mysterious drawing by a prisoner detained in an Adirondack prison. Thus begins a fast-paced adventure - of discovery, technology, mysticism, and savantism - for both character and reader! Bring in a rare doll, a 1909 letter and plenty of puzzles, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself engrossed in wanting to solve each enigma along the way. With scene after suspenseful scene, The Puzzle Master zigzags to an ending you won’t see coming. A must-read!

- MINDY


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Dust Child: A Novel By Que Mai Phan Nguyen Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9781643752754
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Algonquin Books - March 14th, 2023

Phong, growing up Amerasian in a society that treats you like a “dust child” - homeless, abandoned, “a child of the enemy” - attempts to get a visa to come to the United States. Dan, a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, returns almost fifty-years later to look for Kim and their child. Does one try to make amends or leave life the way it is without disrupting someone else’s? These two scenarios, as well as the psychological trauma of war for both soldiers and civilians, play a major role in Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s newest most realistic novel of living through a war and its painful aftereffects.

-- MINDY


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The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel By Patti Callahan Henry Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9781668011836
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Atria Books - May 2nd, 2023

To be safe from the evening bombings in war-torn London, two sisters are sent to live in the country. To give comfort to her younger sister Flora, Hazel creates a fairy tale, shared only by the two of them. Flora tragically disappears and twenty years later, Hazel is still looking for her . . . as another mystery appears. A book is published, but it is the fairy tale only the sisters knew. Who wrote it? The Secret Book of Flora Lea is surrounded by the power of storytelling, hope and perseverance as the characters struggle with the truth.

- MINDY


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Con/Artist: The Life and Crimes of the World's Greatest Art Forger By Tony Tetro, Giampiero Ambrosi Cover Image
$29.00
ISBN: 9780306826481
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Hachette Books - November 22nd, 2022

“The key to being a great forger is not being a great painter but rather a convincing storyteller.” And that’s how, for over fifty years, Tony Tetro succeeds in the “profession” of forgery…for the most part. Tetro develops a passion for the works of Caravaggio, Chagall and Dali among others, meticulously conducting research on the components of a period painting – type of canvas support, nails, paint, even the aged varnish and surface residue. And just when you think you’ve heard it all, Tetro decides to take on the concept of forging another one of his favorite objects: a Ferrari!

Written in “gangsta” flair paired with formal art historical/critical knowledge, Con/Artist presents a colorful rags-to-riches-to-rags memoir, complete with lots of name dropping.

- MINDY


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Better the Blood: A Hana Westerman Thriller By Michael Bennett Cover Image
$27.00
ISBN: 9780802160607
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atlantic Monthly Press - January 10th, 2023

Colonialism plays a major part in Michael Bennett’s debut novel, Better The Blood. A heinous event in the 1860s in New Zealand becomes the impetus for a series of vengeful acts in the 2020s. Young Maori detective Hana Westerman and lawyer turned professor/activist Poata Raki go head-to-head, questioning loyalty and Maori traditions. Both struggle to restore balance in their lives - one the peaceful way, the other vindictive.

As the author so well stated, “. . . the sheer unified will of those gathered in the name of love, peace and compassion could change the course of events.” Better the Blood is a thriller bound to resonate with us all, as we somehow build a common path towards acceptance of all cultures. The melodic words of the Maori language, that so aptly flow throughout the novel, are even more relevant!

- MINDY


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Bravo, Little Bird! By Annie Silvestro, Ramona Kaulitzki (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Annie Silvestro, Ramona Kaulitzki (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781665906920
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books - February 21st, 2023

Ages 4-8

An old man and his wife, a little bird and a grandson bring alive a beautiful story about how music has the power to connect us all. Pass down the joy of music to every generation because it is through this medium that we will be reminded of those who have passed.

-- MINDY


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The Last Party: A Novel By Clare Mackintosh Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781728250960
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - November 8th, 2022

So many clues, so many suspects but one murder on a lake in North Wales. Secrets are peeled away, one by one, in Clare Mackintosh’s newest, The Last Party, as tensions rise between the wealthy British inhabitants of The Shore and the local stalwart Welsh community. As in Hostage, Mackintosh will have you surmising who the murderer must be, but changing your guess with every chapter. The Last Party has it all - tenuous relationships and secrets among family, co-workers and past encounters. Take the plunge and delve into Mackintosh’s latest!

- MINDY


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The Cloisters: A Novel By Katy Hays Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781668004418
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Atria Books - July 11th, 2023

Luck, fortune or fate - whatever you want to call it - brings Ann Stilwell from the state of Washington to The Cloisters in NYC to begin an “internship.” Ann becomes obsessed with a special deck of tarot cards and questions the idea of one’s fate - would you want to know yours or be able to control your own destiny? Hays’ descriptive writing of The Cloisters and its medieval surroundings made me want to re-visit this special collection of art. A debut mystery novel that will keep you guessing until the last secret is revealed!

-MINDY


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The Poet's House By Jean Thompson Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781643753928
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Algonquin Books - July 3rd, 2023

There has to be a sequel to The Poet’s House! I want to know what the future holds for these colorful characters who all become connected through one writer, Viridian, an elderly poet. Starting an unfamiliar journey, Carla, her landscaper, tries to fit in with Viridian’s entourage of poets, publishers and friends. Even the author turns poet as she cleverly interjects fitting poems throughout her prose. The Poet’s House will leave you contemplating the growth of your own legacy and remind you of the many twists and turns one’s life will take.

-   MINDY

 


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The Bodyguard: A Novel By Katherine Center Cover Image
$29.00
Email or call for price/availability
ISBN: 9781250219398
Published: St. Martin's Press - July 19th, 2022

Katherine Center, thank you for supplying a dose of pure escapism. Hannah, not your typical bodyguard, gets a new assignment: Jack, your typical actor in need of protection. They are in a situation where Hannah, while on duty, poses as Jack’s new girlfriend. Through humor, challenges and self-reflection, these two characters help each other realize that “the people we love help teach us who we are.” And life is all about choosing kindness . . . and birdhouses. An entertaining summer read!

-  MINDY


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Falling: A Novel By T. J. Newman Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781982177898
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster - May 17th, 2022

Falling is a story about a plane - a story about family and relationships, betrayal and most of all, about trust. All the training against terrorist attacks never prepared Captain Bill Hoffman for a situation on board a flight from L.A. to New York’s JFK. How can he safely protect the lives of his passengers and crew as well as the lives of his family members? T. J. Newman’s novel forces readers to ponder and appreciate the indisputable responsibility of flight attendants and pilots and the unanticipated risks that come with their profession. A bona fide thriller that won’t let you move until you’ve finished the last page!

- Mindy


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The Lies I Tell: A Novel By Julie Clark Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781728260129
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - March 7th, 2023

You can learn a great deal about someone through social media. Convince others this is who you are . . . today. Meg, the vengeful con artist is posing as a real estate agent when she meets Kat, a striving journalist. Working to expose corrupt individuals, especially one in particular who has devastated her life, Meg doesn’t know that Kat can play charades too and fabricates her own role. Think about the “difference between justice and revenge” as you delve into Julie Clark’s latest thriller, The Lies I Tell.

-- MINDY


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The Woman in the Library: A Novel By Sulari Gentill Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781464215872
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Poisoned Pen Press - June 7th, 2022

Four strangers congregate in the reading room at the Boston Public Library - one of them, the narrator attempting to write a mystery. A piercing scream transforms them into friends. Get your coffee ready while you delve into this Aussie author’s double mystery of crime scenes and coincidences, and try to figure out the true connections among these evasive characters and the meaning behind those insightful critiques tucked in each chapter of The Woman in the Library.

- MINDY


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Give Unto Others: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery By Donna Leon Cover Image
$27.00
ISBN: 9780802159403
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Atlantic Monthly Press - March 15th, 2022

There’s a fine line between helping an acquaintance as a friend or as a police professional - a major dilemma for Commissario Guido Brunetti in Give Unto Others. Should he be using police resources to aid a casual friend who has concern for her daughter’s safety? Of course, Brunetti, with his quiet demeanor, becomes involved with a quest for answers. In doing so, he faces his biggest challenge: how does he question someone who has dementia. Leon even mentions another challenge - the “pandemia,” reminding us of the universality of this epidemic. In her 31st novel, Leon once again gives equal importance to the Venetian setting as she does to her memorable characters. You have to wait patiently for the action; it will appear along with acts of vandalism, betrayal, trust, and corruption.

MINDY


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The Collector's Daughter: A Novel of the Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb By Gill Paul Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780063079861
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - September 7th, 2021

The curse of Tutankhamun’s tomb plays a major role in The Collector’s Daughter by noted historical fiction author Gill Paul. In 1922 Eve Herbert and her father, Lord Carnarvon are present when archaeologist Howard Carter opens the tomb of Tutankhamun for the first time. The author moves back and forth between the 1920s and the 70s, where we learn that Eve has been dealing with recurring strokes. Could they have been brought on by a container that was removed from Tut’s tomb in the 20s? Egyptologist Ana Mansour believes there is more to this mystery. She meets with Eve numerous times in an attempt to solve the whereabouts of missing items from the original list of tomb artifacts. Who owns these objects and should they be repatriated? What really happened at the opening of Tut’s tomb? A question to ponder as we approach the 100th anniversary of its discovery!

- MINDY


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Her Hidden Genius: A Novel By Marie Benedict Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9781728229393
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - January 25th, 2022

Another historic female figure is brought to the forefront in Marie Benedict’s sixth novel, Her Hidden Genius. Rosalind Franklin, biophysics professional in the 1950s, spends her short life traveling between Paris and London, undertaking research on the “molecular structure of DNA.” One caveat persists: a female working in a male-dominated field - who can be trusted with Rosalind’s scientific experiments and who will receive the credit on the creation and transmission of genetic data. Delve into Her Hidden Genius and enjoy Benedict’s always entertaining blend of fact and fiction.

- MINDY


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Taste: My Life Through Food By Stanley Tucci Cover Image
$29.00
ISBN: 9781982168018
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Gallery Books - October 5th, 2021

Tucci merrily goes along talking about growing up, family and food, interspersing the simplest of recipes you could almost smell. Then, he hits you in the gut with his most personal challenge where food takes an ironic twist in his life. Taste is most certainly “a memoir of sorts” and the cover, which is ingenious, says it all.

-- Mindy


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Hostage: A Novel By Clare Mackintosh Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9781728245522
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - June 22nd, 2021

A cop, a babysitter and an innocent five-year old - at home. A flight attendant with some “questionable “ passengers - on board Flight 79. Wait! What did I just read?! Just when I thought I figured it all out, I got hit with a one-two punch ending. Be prepared to flip back through the pages of HOSTAGE to affirm all those twists and turns of a true thriller.

- MINDY


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Raft of Stars: A Novel By Andrew J. Graff Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780063031913
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ecco - January 11th, 2022

Graff has written a novel that is so vivid you will smell the trees, feel the rocks and hear the turbulent falls. Two desperate ten-year-old boys flee into the forest after one of them shot the other’s abusive father. Enter a caring grandfather and a young sheriff - one knows the woods; one knows how to conduct a search. Can they reach the boys before they are confronted by a relentless storm and a dangerous section of gorge? A determined mother and a young gas station attendant become part of the waiting game. . . or not. Raft of Stars is riveting and fast-paced, with twists and turns like the raging river that becomes a character itself.

-MINDY


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Meet Me in Another Life: A Novel By Catriona Silvey Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780063020214
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - April 26th, 2022

As you read Meet Me in Another Life, be patient. The fateful vignettes of Thora’s and Santi’s existential lives in Cologne, Germany will begin to make sense. How many lifetimes can two people experience as teacher/student, brother/sister, husband/wife, father/daughter, and even as co-worker and friend. Is life a test? What is the right path? Through time, these two characters embark on hopeful and sometimes desperate situations, but their survival comes to a startling finale as they discover what is illusion and what is reality.

-MINDY


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Transient Desires: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery By Donna Leon Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780802158185
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Grove Press - March 15th, 2022

For thirty years, fans of Donna Leon have followed Commissario Guido Brunetti through the canals of Venice as he has solved each case. After spending an eve with two Venetians, two American women end up in the hospital and Brunetti is called to investigate. But much more is discovered, and this may be the case that forces Brunetti to rethink his career. As in her other novels, Leon takes us on Brunetti‘s daily excursions through Venice - his usual stops for coffee, lunch, wine - giving us a yearning to travel straight to Italy, thinking we just might run into the commissario himself. Looking forward to Donna Leon’s thirty first!

- Mindy


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The Arctic Fury: A Novel By Greer Macallister Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781728215693
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - December 1st, 2020

Upon a patron’s request, Virginia Reeve takes on the task of leading an all-woman expedition to find a team of male explorers, lost in the Arctic. One caveat: Virginia is most experienced as a guide on land through the wilderness, but by sea through the frigid Arctic tundra? The journey begins and a year and a half later, Virginia is standing trial in a Boston courtroom for murder and kidnapping. Two captivating narratives appear in Greer Macallister’s 19th century tale of courage, tenacity and survival. For fans of Marie Benedict's historic novels: add Greer Macallister's to your list!

MINDY


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The Mystery of Mrs. Christie: A Novel By Marie Benedict Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781728234304
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - October 5th, 2021

Marie Benedict’s The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is based on an actual event - the disappearance of mystery writer Agatha Christie for eleven days in 1926. Benedict cleverly meshes two time periods - 1912, the writing of “the manuscript” as well as Agatha’s early life with former aviator/Lt. Archie Christie, through to 1926, the year of her disappearance - until they are one. As she successfully accomplishes in her prior novels, Benedict brings to life the historical period of the novel through language, details and ambience of the times. As “we are all unreliable narrators of ourselves,” then what becomes the truth of Agatha’s disappearance, reappearance and the deceptive relationship with her husband?

- MINDY


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The Sun Is a Compass: My 4,000-Mile Journey into the Alaskan Wilds By Caroline Van Hemert Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316414449
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown Spark - February 25th, 2020

The Sun is a Compass is a biologist’s candid journey of self discovery complete with aggressive bears, playful humpback whales, feisty hummingbirds and scolding chickadees. Heading into the most remote areas of Alaska and Canada, Caroline Van Hemert and her husband Pat rowed, rafted, hiked, skied and canoed 4000 miles from Bellingham, Washington to Kotzebue, Alaska. How do two people have such resilience to survive dangerous situations – unpredictable storms, the threat of an avalanche, swimming across a frigid Arctic river, and a depleting food supply? This memoir and others such as Raynor Winn’s The Salt Path, will compel you to observe and appreciate the healing forces of your own natural environment.

- Mindy


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The Last Flight: A Novel By Julie Clark Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781728234229
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - May 4th, 2021

Claire – surviving in an abusive marriage in NYC; Eva – waitressing in an upscale restaurant in Berkeley and . . . operating a dangerous “side job.” A desperate attempt by two women to disappear from their current fearful lives. Can they pull it off? Two identities switched. A plane crash. One lives. Absolutely thrilling with all the twists, turns and connections you never see coming!

- Mindy


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More Miracle Than Bird By Alice Miller Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781951142513
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tin House Books - May 11th, 2021

Book clubs - have a “field day” with Alice Miller’s More Miracle than Bird. The novel opens with Georgie Hyde-Lees as she tends to a London hospital ward of injured World War I officers. Throw in secret meetings, spirits, and shades of a medieval romantic tragedy as Georgie‘s anticipated relationship with the much older Irish poet W. B. Yeats develops. No doubt strong-willed Georgie is going to do “her own thing;” there were a few passages where I wanted to reach into the book and extract naïve Georgie from the unsettling situation. Pay attention - symbolism abounds (Look closely at the cover) - enjoy and don’t forget to pass the brandy!

-  Mindy


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The Salt Path: A Memoir By Raynor Winn Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780143134114
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Published: Penguin Books - March 5th, 2019

Ok, so I must confess…. I chose this book for its wonderful artistic cover. But what a journey of despair and perseverance! One day the author and her husband lose their farm over a legal dispute and the next day, he is diagnosed with a debilitating disease. What would you do with no home, distraught news and very little financial security? Walk, walk and walk . . . more specifically, 630 miles along the South West Coast Path in England. Reminiscent of Ruth Fitzmaurice’s I Found My Tribe and Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, The Salt Path is about coping and healing through the wind and downpours of coastal storms, the pain and thirst from the blistering heat but also about living in the moment, moving forward on a path of acceptance and sheer resilience.

- Mindy


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Lady Clementine: A Novel By Marie Benedict Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781492666936
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Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - July 7th, 2020

Have a map of Europe handy as you delve into Marie Benedict’s newest novel Lady Clementine. The author once again brings us the voice of the times, as she has so successfully done in her prior historical novels. Benedict cleverly introduces conversations between Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine that might have taken place within the span of two world wars. “Clemmie” not one for frivolity, struggles between her duty as mother and her duty to stand beside her husband during his changing parliamentary capacities. How different the outcome of Winston’s political ventures would have been if Clemmie had chosen a less daunting path! And when you finish this novel, be sure to pick up Erik Larson's The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz.

-  Mindy


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The Only Woman in the Room: A Novel By Marie Benedict Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781492666899
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Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - August 6th, 2019

Married at nineteen to a wealthy, but abusive Austrian munitions dealer, glamorous witty Hedwig Kiesler finds a way to leave behind an unsafe world of the 1930s and begins a new life of Hollywood stardom, but one of loneliness and guilt. Now known as Hedy Lamarr, could she have saved the lives of many Austrian Jews by exposing Hitler’s horrific plans? How does she convince the male world that this beautiful actress of the 40s wants to be recognized for her intellect – specifically a scientific invention that would improve U.S. military weaponry? Mixing fact with fiction, Marie Benedict once again reveals a historic female figure (as with Mileva Maric in The Other Einstein) who contributed much more to society than was revealed on the screen.

-  Mindy


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The Last Tourist: A Novel (Milo Weaver #4) By Olen Steinhauer Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250036193
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Published: Minotaur Books - March 23rd, 2021

Olen Steinhauer keeps the pace going with his latest CIA adventure starring the elusive Milo Weaver. CIA analyst Abdul Ghali is sent on a mission to the Western Sahara to investigate Milo and his connections to the “Library” only to end up escaping with him on a boat to Spain. You will get jet lag, just reading about take offs and landings – to China, Italy, Africa, England, Switzerland, the U.S.  Of course, a novel by Steinhauer would not be complete without holding an intimate or private meeting among agents in a restaurant. From individuals to ruthless corporations - who can be trusted, who is compromised, who is safe, who will be the last “tourist”?

- Mindy


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The Line Tender By Kate Allen Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780735231610
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Published: Puffin Books - April 21st, 2020

MIDDLE GRADE - AGES 10+

Thirteen-year-olds Lucy and Fred decide to spend their summer working on a science project – a field guide that Lucy illustrates while Fred writes. The only stipulation is that they have to see the actual specimen. But when a dead great white shark appears, memories of Lucy’s mother, a marine biologist, surface once again. What comes through is the naïve honesty of a young girl who has coped with losing her mother and now has to deal with yet another tragedy. One particular chapter literally took my breath away. The Line Tender is a book to savor, one that will help any young person, who has experienced loss, to understand the feelings of sadness and anger and to survive with the help of family and unexpected friendships. The cover and chapter illustrations by Xingye Jin are perfect and are a major contribution to the story.

-  Mindy


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The Middleman: A Novel By Olen Steinhauer Cover Image
$18.00
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ISBN: 9781250036186
Published: Picador - June 4th, 2019

Pacifist Martin Bishop, who spent time with a left-wing group in Berlin, is joined by the more volatile Benjamin Mittag, creating a mass disappearance of Americans across the United States. These two revolutionaries manage to feed on an atmosphere of fear and paranoia, encouraging a myopic vision of a society that needs fixing – a society full of hypocrites, distrustful politicians, ruthless corporations and questionable media. Steinhauer ingeniously connects an engaging cast of characters – including special agent Rachel Proulx – who twist and turn their way through the novel, plowing through scrupulous situations and acts of disloyalty. Be prepared to pay attention to every word, every detail in Steinhauer’s newest fast-paced thriller.

-  Mindy


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Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel By Katherine Center Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9781250622129
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: St. Martin's Griffin - July 14th, 2020

What happens when you need to leave the profession you love, to live with your estranged mother – who walked out on your 16th birthday? Cassie, an experienced, highly qualified firefighter moves from Texas to Massachusetts to appease her mother and to join another team of firefighters, except this crew overlooks her qualifications and has a difficult time accepting a female firefighter. Things You Save in a Fire is about forgiveness and compassion towards our coworkers, our family, and . . . our enemies.

- Mindy


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Wicked River: A Novel By Jenny Milchman Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9781492658993
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Published: Sourcebooks Landmark - May 1st, 2018

A honeymoon to remember! Newlyweds and urbanites Natalie and Doug venture on a canoe trip in the vast Adirondacks. Enter Kurt who, having broken ties with civilization, is becoming more predatory each day. Enter Mia, Natalie’s thirteen-year-old niece who is counting the days for her aunt to return to city life and soon realizes those days have passed. Lost maps, broken bones, near-starvation and shivering temps – who becomes Lost-Found-Trapped-and-Saved in Jenny Milchman’s latest thriller? Suspense at its best!

-  Mindy


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Max and Bird By Ed Vere Cover Image
By Ed Vere
$17.99
ISBN: 9781492635581
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky - September 5th, 2017

CHILDREN - AGES 3-6

Max is back! With minimal illustration and vibrant color, Vere teaches children about persistence, dreams, manners and learning, but most of all, about friendship. Max chases Bird but also wants to befriend him. Bird wants to learn to fly, and after spending weeks studying books from the library, they both give it a try. In the world of picture books, Max is here to stay. A delightful read that will put a smile on everyone’s face!

-  Mindy