| Braille Books 1995-1996 National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Library of Congress Washington 1997 Fiction Adventure The Call of the Wild BR 9833 by Jack London 1 volume Buck, a St. Bernard, is stolen and trained to be a sled dog in the Alaska gold fields. Abused by both men and dogs, Buck learns to fight ruthlessly until he finds in John Thornton a master he loves and respects. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1903. The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure BR 9732 by James Redfield 2 volumes The author embarks on a search for an ancient Peruvian manuscript that predicts a massive transformation in human society. He meets with resistance from government and church authorities in Peru, who attempt to suppress knowledge of the manuscript. He persists, however, discovering nine spiritual insights in separate encounters, beginning with the most commonan awareness of coincidences in life. Some strong language. Bestseller 1993. The Commodore BR 10224 by Patrick O'Brian 3 volumes As in sixteen previous tales in this series, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin occupy center stage. Upon their return to England, the seafaring duo face several domestic adjustments. Just as life on land becomes very interesting, Captain Aubrey is ordered to Africa. But the Napoleonic Wars are not over, so another, secret order redirects the commodore to Ireland to intercept the French. Some strong language. 1994. The Lost World BR 10243 by Michael Crichton 3 volumes This sequel to Jurassic Park (BR 9345) is set six years after the dinosaur island park disaster in which humans fought off genetically engineered replicas of prehistoric animals. One survivor of that attack is now a member of a group who return to the area and meet up with the remaining dinosaurs. Strong language and violence. Bestseller 1995. The Reverse of the Medal BR 9868 by Patrick O'Brian 2 volumes Having successfully completed his mission in the Atlantic, Captain Jack Aubrey is now back in London. While there he makes some investments that suddenly put his career in jeopardy. Once again his ship's surgeon, Stephen Maturin, comes to his rescue. 1986. She BR 9971 by H. Rider Haggard 3 volumes An Englishman journeys to Africa to track down the evil queen who, according to an ancient manuscript, murdered one of his ancestors. In the jungle he meets with the beautiful, ageless white goddess, "She," who falls in love with him and shares the secret of the Pillar of Life. Some violence. 1887. Treason's Harbour BR 9869 by Patrick O'Brian 3 volumes Following a battle off the Ionian islands, Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin are in Malta, where both of Aubrey's ships, the Worcester and the Surprise, are undergoing repairs. While Aubrey concerns himself with the reconditioning work, Maturin, surgeon and spy, learns that agents of Napoleon are planning to sabotage Aubrey's next mission. 1983. White Fang BR 9693 by Jack London 1 volume A wolf-dog, rescued from danger and tamed by a kind master, redeems his brute nature by defending his master's family against an escaped convict. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1905. Classics Around the World in Eighty Days BR 9468 by Jules Verne 2 volumes Phileas Fogg is certain that he can travel around the world in eighty daysan incredibly short period of time in 1873. He's so sure that it can be done that he's wagered half of his fortune and set off on the grand adventure with his servant Passepartout. For high school and older readers. 1874. The Call of the Wild BR 9833 by Jack London 1 volume Buck, a St. Bernard, is stolen and trained to be a sled dog in the Alaska gold fields. Abused by both men and dogs, Buck learns to fight ruthlessly until he finds in John Thornton a master he loves and respects. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1903. Doctor Zhivago BR 9814 by Boris Pasternak 5 volumes The story of a Russian physician and poet during the early decades of the twentieth century. Yurii Zhivago, an individualist and something of an outsider, is separated from his wife by the Bolsheviks and falls in love with Lara, the wife of another man. Pasternak's portrait of Russian life during the post-revolution years includes an epilogue expressing hope for liberation and freedom in the future. 1958. The Grapes of Wrath BR 9954 by John Steinbeck 5 volumes Pulitzer Prize-winning story of the Joads from Oklahoma, who, along with other families during the Great Depression, are driven from their dust-bowl farms by the encroachment of large agricultural interests. They set out, like generations before them, to the promised land of California to find work. Instead they face organized opposition to their struggle to survive. Strong language. 1939. Hilda Lessways BR 9851 by Arnold Bennett 3 volumes This companion to Clayhanger (BR 9121) begins in 1878 in Turnhill, England, where twenty-one-year-old Hilda Lessways finds life with her widowed mother unfulfilling. Afraid that her inheritance will be squandered by her mother, Hilda gathers her courage and seeks the advice of attorney George Cannon. Cannon offers Hilda a vocation, and her life begins to change. Then a second man enters her life: Edwin Clayhanger. 1911. The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit BR 10218 by Charles Dickens 8 volumes Old Chuzzlewit, surrounded by a selfish family, sees the same traits forming in his grandson Martin and kicks him out of the house. Penniless, young Martin makes his way to America to seek his fortune. After a series of difficult experiences, he is cured of his greed. Other members of the Chuzzlewit clan have their own selfish goals, including a plot to murder Old Chuzzlewit. 1844. Lord of the Flies BR 9480 by William Golding 2 volumes With horrifying implications, this novel relates the experiences of a group of English boys who are wrecked on a desert island and have to establish their own system of government. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1954. The Mysterious Island BR 10097 by Jules Verne 2 volumes During the Civil War, Northerner and engineer Cyrus Smith is a Southern captive. He escapes by hot-air balloon with three other men, a boy, and a dog. A storm blows them to an island, but Smith is lost at sea. Later the others find him, but no one can explain how he reached land. Mysterious events and resourcefulness help them survive the next four years. Sequel to Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (BR 9469). For high school and older readers. 1870. The Prince and the Pauper BR 9695 by Mark Twain 2 volumes The future Edward VI of England and a young pauper agree to trade places for a few days. The pauper becomes king, and he finds it quite insufferable. Meanwhile, the prince is roaming the street in tatters. People and circumstances almost make the role reversal permanent. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1882. The Scarlet Letter BR 9407 by Nathaniel Hawthorne 2 volumes First published in 1850, this symbolic novel set in Puritan New England traces the effects of one particular sin on the lives of four people. Hester Prynne is forced to wear her sin openly in the form of a scarlet letter "A" for adultery. The other characters are Hester's child; her husband, who seeks vengeance; and the minister, who conceals his guilt. 1850. Sons and Lovers BR 9812 by D.H. Lawrence 5 volumes Restored text. Story of Paul and William Morel, brothers who bear witness to the tensions of their working-class parents. William adopts the bitterness that his father expresses too freely. Paul, the younger, finds one woman appealing and another exciting, but can elicit for neither the sensitive feelings he has for his mother. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1913. These Twain BR 9853 by Arnold Bennett 4 volumes In the third volume of the Clayhanger trilogy that includes Clayhanger (BR 9121) and Hilda Lessways (BR 9851), Edwin and Hilda have married after Hilda's "tragic adventure with a rascal and a bigamist," and her son by George Cannon is now ten years old. The book begins with an "at home" gathering at the Clayhangers' in 1892 and follows the ups and downs of their marriage through the next five years. 1915. Tom Brown's Schooldays BR 9429 by Thomas Hughes 3 volumes Tom Brown is from a long line of Browns who claim that the British nation owes much of its greatness to them. As a young boy, Tom, the son of a squire, is encouraged to play with the village boys. But at the age of nine, Tom is packed off to Rugby, where he fears but learns to respect the famous Dr. Arnold; develops long-lasting friendships; and gets involved in typical English schoolboy adventures, including the inevitable fights. 1857. Twenty-Thousand Leagues under the Sea BR 9469 by Jules Verne 3 volumes A nineteenth-century science fiction tale of an electric submarine, the Nautilus; its eccentric captain, Captain Nemo; and the undersea world. The novel anticipates many of the scientific achievements of the twentieth century. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1869. War and Peace BR 9710 by Leo Tolstoy 14 volumes First published in 1869, this epic novel deals with Russia and France at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. It describes the invasion of Russia by Napoleon and his army and presents the author's theories of history. 1869. The War of the Worlds BR 9590 by H.G. Wells 2 volumes The Martians, a loathsome though highly organized race, invade England and, with their superior weapons, subdue and prey on the people. For high school and adult readers. 1898. Family Dancing on Glass BR 9675 by Susan Taylor Chehak 2 volumes Adolescent Wolfgang Von Vechten, angry that his mother had to marry his late father's business partner, kills the man and hangs himself. Years later, his nephew Bader marries the partner's great-granddaughter Katherine. But Bader becomes involved with a neighbor's teenaged son, and when Katherine crashes to her death while dancing on a skylight, history repeats itself. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1993. Family Games BR 9964 by Jean Stubbs 3 volumes Blanche Malpas's mother, Sybil, invites her grown children to spend Christmas with her and their father, Tony, at their Cornwall home. Tony has ignored Blanche since the birth of her illegitimate son, Aaron. The reunion is interrupted by unexpected guests: Aaron's father; Tony's mysterious sister, Tasha; and the estranged wife of Blanche's brother. And Blanche learns the shocking truth about her parentage. Strong language. 1994. The Hundred Secret Senses BR 10230 by Amy Tan 3 volumes Although Olivia is disappointed and often embarrassed by her Chinese-born half sister, she tolerates Kwan's eccentric, brassy, meddlesome ways and even her incessant discussions with nineteenth-century Chinese ghosts. Olivia is also disappointed with her marriage and its own ghost. Eventually Kwan helps Olivia to understand loyalty and unconditional love. Some violence, some descriptions of sex, and some strong language. Bestseller 1995. The Mother: The Good Earth Trilogy, Volume 3 BR 9579 by Pearl S. Buck 2 volumes Sequel to Sons (BR 9578). A Chinese peasant, overwhelmed by the responsibility of an aged mother, a wife, and small children and by the routine of his daily life, is stimulated by travelers' tales and gambler's luck and suddenly deserts his family. The young mother slaves to support everyone with a devotion that achieves its reward at last in a grandchild. 1934. The Seventh Stone BR 9442 by Nancy Freedman 4 volumes World War II is drawing to a close, and Noboru Sanogawa, unhappy in his marriage to Momoko, chooses death with honor as a kamikaze pilot. Besides his wife, he leaves behind a young son, Akio. As Momoko tries to remake her life within traditional Japanese society, she watches Akio seek to avenge his father's death by building a worldwide financial network. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1992. Song of Solomon BR 9632 by Toni Morrison 3 volumes (Reissue) This novel surveys nearly a century of American history as it impinges upon four generations of a single black family. Macon Dead III, known as Milkman, is the first black baby allowed to be born in Mercy Hospital in the 1930s. Milkman undertakes an epic journey into an understanding of his family's heritage and, hence, himself. Strong language and descriptions of sex. 1977. Fantasy Aegypt BR 9605 by John Crowley 4 volumes Pierce Moffett, an out-of-work professor, and Rosie Rasmussen, a young divorcee, are drawn together by their love for the historical novels of the reclusive and eccentric Fellowes Kraft. They soon find themselves on the trail of an alternate history of the world, full of angels, magic, and the hidden lore of a country known as Aegypt. 1987. Both Sides of Time BR 10273 by Caroline B. Cooney 2 volumes Annie wants romance from her boyfriend, Sean, but he's only interested in cars. While visiting his apartment at the crumbling Stratton mansion, Annie wanders through the building, sad that it is to be demolished. Suddenly, she is pulled back a century to 1895 and meets Strat, young heir to the mansion. The period is romantic but not kind to women or immigrant groups, and a murder threatens Annie and her new friends. For junior and senior high readers. 1995. The Catswold Portal BR 9804 by Shirley Rousseau Murphy 3 volumes A fantasy set in 1957 Earth and in the Netherworld or world of faerie. Queen Siddonie, pretender to the throne of faerie, plans to conquer the Netherworldan act that would profoundly affect the upper world. The true queen, seventeen-year-old Melissa, has been transformed into a calico cat and has taken up residence with artist Braden West, who lives near the portal between the two worlds. For high school and older readers. 1992. Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time BR 9906 by James Gurney 1 volume In 1860 biologist Arthur Denison and his son Will sail from Boston on a voyage of discovery. Two years later they are shipwrecked and carried by dolphins to the lost island of Dinotopia. There dinosaurs and people live harmoniously together, sharing the dinosaurs' centuries of knowledge and the newer learning brought by the humans. For junior and senior high and older readers. Bestseller 1992. The Dragon at War BR 9385 by Gordon R. Dickson 3 volumes Dragon Knight Sir James Eckert loses the help of his powerful ally, the magician Carolinus, just as the French, allied with a host of nasty sea serpents, begin the invasion of England. Alone with his lesser powers of magic and the ability to transform himself into a dragon, Eckert faces the evil mastermind behind the raid. Sequel to Dragon on the Border (BR 9384). 1992. The Dragon on the Border BR 9384 by Gordon R. Dickson 3 volumes Twentieth-century American Jim Eckert, now Baron de Malencontri et Riveroak, continues his sojourn in medieval England. As he and Sir Brian travel toward the Scottish border, they are met by several men who appear to be riding on invisible steeds. They soon discover that England is being invaded by Hollow Men, and, unfortunately, these men when killed can be restored to life as long as one Hollow Man lives. Sequel to Dragon Knight (BR 9094). 1992. The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings BR 9745 by J.R.R. Tolkien 5 volumes In this first volume of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo, a home-loving hobbit, inherits the magic ring that his Uncle Bilbo brought back from his adventures in The Hobbit. To protect the ring from the powers of darkness, Frodo must make a long, dangerous journey. 1954. Into the Green BR 9588 by Charles De Lint 2 volumes Traveling with her father's band of tinkers, fifteen-year-old Angharad learns that she has "the sight" when she meets a witch and his grandson Garrow. Shortly after she and Garrow marry, a plague kills him and everyone Angharad knows. Accepting the life of a witch, Angharad obtains the gift of harping and meets a tree wizard. Soon, the wizard has a dangerous mission into the green that only Angharad can accomplish. Strong language and violence. 1993. The Little Country BR 9380 by Charles De Lint 5 volumes Musician Janey Little discovers an unknown fantasy novel, entitled The Little Country, in her grandfather's Cornwall home. She finds that the book contains a magic that somehow connects her real-world life with the action of the story itself. A chain of events is unleashed in both the actual world and the book that brings the forces of good and evil into sharp conflict. 1991. Love and Sleep BR 10083 by John Crowley 1 volume Pierce Moffett delves deeper into Renaissance metaphysics in an attempt to come to grips with the modern world where he has always felt out of place. Memories of his childhood, coupled with his studies of Renaissance mystics, now seem to reach out of the past, intertwining with his present, and he perceives that he is on the threshold of a magical change in his life, and perhaps in the universe itself. Sequel to Aegypt (BR 9605). 1994. Orlando: A Biography BR 9501 by Virginia Woolf 2 volumes Fantasy about a young Elizabethan nobleman who, by book's end, has been transformed into a young woman. The author examines English literary and social history through the three hundred years of Orlando's life, and the transformation emphasizes Woolf's belief that women are the intellectual equals of men. 1928. The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings BR 9749 by J.R.R. Tolkien 5 volumes In this third volume of the Ring trilogy, Frodo and Sam bear the ring to Mount Doom. The War of the Rings, fought between the forces for good and the Dark Lord of evil, is ended. Sequel to The Two Towers (BR 9747). 1955. Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon BR 9553 by Lisa Goldstein 3 volumes London, 1590. A band of faeries invades the city as conspirators plot to unseat Queen Elizabeth I. The sprites are looking for their long-awaited king, Arthurson of Alice Wood, a widowed bookseller. But also searching are alchemist Paul Hogg and famed London author Christopher Marlowe. As their paths cross with the faeries, a battle between good and evil ensues. For high school and older readers. 1993. The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings BR 9747 by J.R.R. Tolkien 4 volumes In this second volume of The Lord of the Rings, the now-separated companions of the Ring meet Saruman the wizard, cross the Dead Marshes, and prepare for the Great War in which the power of the Ring will be undone. Sequel to The Fellowship of the Ring (BR 9745). 1954. When Bobby Kennedy Was a Moving Man BR 9528 by Robert Ellis Gordon 1 volume Seattle moving man Stanley Higgins is surprised to find himself working with Bobby Kennedy, who has been sent back to Earth with a few powers. But Bobby soon angers the gods by abusing these gifts, gets fired, and attempts to murder the mobster he holds responsible for Jack Kennedy's death. In prison, Bobby hallucinates about his first life. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1994. Wilderness BR 9478 by Dennis Danvers 2 volumes Alice White's secret has prevented her from getting close to people, because either they would think she is insane or they would believe her and be horrified. When Alice falls in love with biology professor Erik Summers, she decides to risk everything and tell him the truth: ever since puberty, Alice has changed into a wolf during each full moon. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1991. General Alma BR 10350 by Gordon Burn 2 volumes Burn bases this 1991 Whitbread Prize novel on the life of Alma Cogan, a 1950s British singer who died of cancer in 1966. In Burn's tale, Alma is still alive in 1986, and she explores the complex relationship between her public and private life. Some strong language and some violence. 1991. The Book of Dreams BR 9838 by Craig Nova 3 volumes Marta works at the Hollywood Romance Advertiser. When an errand for her boss ends in murder, Marta's ex-con neighbor, Victor, who has been secretly following her, insists Marta help him in a blackmail scheme. Cleaning offices, Victor has stumbled upon tapes of a movie star's therapy sessions. Meanwhile, Victor loses the boy he is assigned to as a Big Brother, and a wealthy man falls for Marta. Strong language and some violence. 1994. California Angel BR 10106 by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg 2 volumes Toy Johnson's husband is annoyed when she gives money to her needy students. What is this compulsion to help children that drives Toy time after time? And how are her efforts to help children related to her dreams and to her recurring cardiac episodes? While on a trip to New York with a friend, she has an attack and finds herself saving a child from a burning building. Then she is arrested for kidnapping. Bestseller 1995. The Diary of Emily Dickinson BR 9760 by Jamie Fuller 1 volume This fictional diary of the thirty-seventh year of nineteenth-century poet Emily Dickinson contains 102 entries, twenty-five "new" poems, and biographical and other editorial comments. The premise is that a workman found this diary hidden in a wall after Dickinson's death. Enthralled, he kept it secret until shortly before he died. This "window into her thoughts" reflects the themes found in Dickinson's poems and letters. 1993. Emily Louise BR 9861 by Joan Darlington Beam 2 volumes Twenty-nine-year-old Theresa Freidmann has been confined to her bed in a nursing home for five years because of arthritis. She is annoyed when "shameless" Emily Louise begins working at the home and disrupts Theresa's predictable life. Emily Louise dyes Theresa's hair, scolds her for not doing things for herself, and warns her that her lawyer may be after her money. Theresa's anger fades as she begins to enjoy life again. Some strong language. 1994. Fat Lightning BR 9963 by Howard Owen 2 volumes When Nancy's husband, Sam, gets fed up with his pharmacist job in Richmond, he takes Nancy and their toddler son back to his hometown, where his surly uncle Lot has a long-burning mountain of sawdust on his land. As Nancy and Sam face extramarital temptations, Lot's solitary life changes when he discovers an image of Jesus on his barn. Years later, Nancy writes a novel about what happened to Lot. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1994. The Gates of Ivory BR 9423 by Margaret Drabble 4 volumes In A Natural Curiosity (BR 8228), Drabble portrayed the lives of British women Liz, Alix, and Esther, friends since college. In this sequel, Liz, a London psychiatrist, receives an odd package from her longtime friend Stephen Cox, who has gone to Cambodia. As Liz searches for Stephen in Southeast Asia, glimpses of his life and the lives of Liz and her two friends are revealed. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1991. Ghosts BR 9511 by John Banville 2 volumes Novel by Irish author of The Book of Evidence (BR 8400) blends real people, ghosts, and painted figures. When seven day-trip passengers come ashore after their pleasure boat is wrecked, they descend upon the island household of Professor Kreutznaer, who is engaged in writing art history. It seems that the occupants of the boat and the house have reason to study one another. 1993. The Holy Man BR 10232 by Susan Trott 1 volume Joe is a holy man who lives on a mountaintop with several other monks. During the summer, there is a steady line of people from all walks of life coming up the mountain path to see Joe and to hear his words of wisdom. Each pilgrim comes to Joe with a problem addressing themes such as violence, love, fear, ego, or impatience. 1995. The Journey of Ibn Fattouma BR 9503 by Naguib Mahfouz 1 volume This novel by the Nobel Prize-winning author was first published in Arabic in 1983. It is a parable about Fattouma, a young man in search of answers to life's fundamental questions, who is bound for Gebelland of no return. His journey is interrupted by marriage, children, wartime, imprisonment, political demonstrations, and thwarted attempts to follow his religion. Fattouma's journey toward perfection lasts a lifetime. 1983. The Lost Boy: A Novella BR 9575 by Thomas Wolfe 1 volume Episodes based on the author's childhood recall his older brother Grover from the perspective of different family members. Grover himself relates an experience in the town square. Then his mother recalls an incident with Grover on a train trip to the World's Fair in St. Louis. A sister examines old photographs and relives the day Grover contracted typhoid fever. Finally, the author returns to the house where Grover died. 1937. The Mandarins BR 9769 by Simone de Beauvoir 7 volumes Set in Paris after World War II, this novel won the Prix Goncourt, the most coveted literary prize in France. The author draws upon her intellectual circle, which includes Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, for a portrait of the philosophical and political climate of the period. 1954. Midaq Alley BR 9609 by Naguib Mahfouz 2 volumes Set in an ancient quarter of Cairo in the early 1940s, a time when the British Army moved into the area in an effort to thwart a Nazi invasion. Influenced by Western ideas, the impoverished people who live and work in this crowded alley are forever looking to escape life as they know it. Among them are the caf owner, Kirsha, who likes drugs and little boys; Hamida, a beautiful and ambitious prostitute; and Abbas, a naive barber. Some strong language. 1966. Operation Wandering Soul BR 9667 by Richard Powers 4 volumes Richard Kraft, surgical resident at Carver General in Los Angeles, and Linda Espera, therapist, are weary of trying to patch up the children in their care, including Joy, a boat child from Asia; Nico, a child in a man's body; and Chuck, nicknamed No-Face. As they work on the children's physical needs, they also try to instill hope by telling them stories about the Pied Piper, Peter Pan, and the Secret Garden. Some strong language and some violence. 1993. Papa's Suitcase BR 10271 by Gerhard Kopf 1 volume The narrator, who dubs himself Hemingstein, is a lover of books, especially those by Ernest Hemingway. He is so obsessed with the writer that he embarks on a trip to the places Hemingway visited around the world. Hemingstein hopes to find the suitcase containing all of Hemingway's manuscripts that was lost in Paris in 1922. But is he really traveling around the world or only imagining it? 1994. A Place Where the Sea Remembers BR 9524 by Sandra Ben¡tez 1 volume In Santiago, Mexico, Candelario is pleased with his promotion to salad-maker. When he learns his wife's young sister Marta was raped and is planning to abort the fetus, he grandly offers to raise the baby. But the unthinkable happens: Candelario is fired for making lousy Caesar salads and his once-barren wife becomes pregnant. When they refuse her baby, Marta is desperate. Meanwhile, other Santiago residents experience minidramas of their own. 1993. The Raiders BR 10130 by Harold Robbins 3 volumes Twenty years after The Carpetbaggers (BR 10129), wealthy Jonas Cord is still regretting never telling his late father he loved him and never having a son to express his love to. Now, while Cord is on the run from federal marshals who want him to take a business risk by testifying in front of Congress, his wife is divorcing him. Then he learns he has a grown son. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. The Rothman Scandal BR 9817 by Stephen Birmingham 5 volumes Alexandra Rothman has come a long way since she left Paradise, Missouri. She is editor-in-chief of Mode, a fashion magazine that has just reached a record-breaking circulation of five million. But at a celebration party, Herbert Rothman, Alex's father-in-law and boss, makes an announcement that shocks New York society and starts a chain of events that may destroy the magazine. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 1991. The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer BR 9421 by Jennifer Lynch 2 volumes Laura, late of the TV series Twin Peaks, received her diary on July 22, 1984, a perfect day to turn twelve. As she matures, Laura appears to be a happy and popular young girl. But she also has a dark side. She is haunted in her dreams by someone named BOB, and she is involved with drugs. As she struggles through her teenage years, she becomes more and more ashamed of the person she has become. Strong language and descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1990. Shadow Play BR 9711 by Charles Baxter 3 volumes Wyatt Palmer, artistic and clever as a boy, is now an assistant city manager in a small town. When an old school chum turns up with an offer to bring in business and jobs in the form of a chemical plant, a deal is cut. Citizens of the local community seem pleased with what WaldChem has done for them. But Palmer knows the awful truth about what the company is doing to their environment, and now he must make a dreadful decision. Some strong language. 1993. The Sixteen Pleasures BR 9793 by Robert Hellenga 3 volumes When Florence is flooded in 1966, twenty-nine-year-old American book conservator Margot Harrington offers her services to the country where she spent two years of her youth. She is helping restore a convent's collection when a nun discovers an ancient book of erotic drawings and sonnets. While attempting to sell the book to profit the convent, Margot, inspired by the book, begins an affair with an older married man. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. The Temptations of St. Ed and Brother S BR 9601 by Frank Bergon 3 volumes In the 1990s many people are concerned about the environment, as are St. Ed and Brother S, the only monks at the Hermitage of Solitude in the Desert. Now there is a nuclear waste dump planned for nearby land, and both monks, as well as the Shoshone Indians, object. The monks also face temptations, including lust and the desire for fame. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1993. Time and Time Again BR 9990 by Dennis Danvers 3 volumes Novelist Marion Mead finds a 1769 newspaper ad by a man whose wife, Susanna, ran away with a convict. Requesting history on the family, Marion discovers Raymond Lord, who owns the journal of Susanna's descendant, Pearl. As Marion's novel about Susanna almost writes itself, she finds odd coincidences between it and both Pearl's writing and her own growing relationship with Raymond. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. To Dance with the White Dog BR 9839 by Terry Kay 2 volumes Sam Peek's entry in his journal says simply, "Today my wife died. We were married fifty-seven good years." His children gather and begin to discuss what is to be done. Eventually Sam finds himself alone, except for a mysterious white dog only he can seeto the consternation of his children. Although somewhat incapacitated by a bad leg, Sam remains independent until he joins his wife in death. The dog then appears to his family. Some strong language. 1990. The Training Ground BR 9420 by Siegfried Lenz 4 volumes Bruno Messmer, rescued by Konrad Zeller, narrates the story of the Zeller family's resettlement on the Baltic coast after World War II. Mistrust reigns until financial success earns the Zellers a measure of respect. But Bruno is worried that Konrad may soon die and that his children care little for the tree farm that they have raised on a former military training ground. Bruno's observations may be construed as a metaphor for modern Germany. 1985. Gothic Dr. Haggard's Disease BR 9623 by Patrick McGrath 2 volumes Set in England at the outset of World War II. Edward Haggard, a young doctor, learns that he is not immune to love, but he is stunned by the consequences of his affair with Fanny, the wife of an older physician. Dr. Haggard removes himself from the scene, but the day that Fanny's son turns up in uniform, he discovers that his passion is rekindled in a bizarre manner. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1993. Vanish with the Rose BR 9489 by Barbara Michaels 3 volumes Diana, a lawyer, knows she is risking a lot when she convinces Walt, the landscaper, to recommend her to the Nicholsons as a landscape designer. But she has to find out what has happened to her brother Brad, last seen when working for the previous owner. With her identity soon uncovered, Diana and several young people begin a search that involves haunting music, spells of dÂjÂ
vu, a brutal ex-husband, and a corpse. Strong language. 1992. Walking after Midnight BR 10189 by Karen Robards 3 volumes At 2:00 a.m., Summer McAfee, owner of a janitorial service, is on her knees scrubbing the floor of a funeral home. Suddenly the naked and badly bruised body of a man comes to life, and he takes her hostage. Over the next four days they are on the run, dodging bad cops and a ghost, as the former corpse, a cop working under cover, tries to save himself and Summer. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. Waltz in the Shadows BR 9796 by Catherine Rieger 2 volumes Vienna, 1888. Emily Hopkins, twenty-two, has come to Vienna at the request of Dr. Franz Joseph Demel to help write a biography of her father that will, she hopes, dispel the lies about him. But when Emily arrives, she doesn't remember Dr. Demel. Mysterious events are occurring in the dark house, which has become a sanitarium, and someone is attempting to scare her with strange notes. She turns to Dr. Maximillian Schaller for help. 1993. Growing Up Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me BR 9998 by Julie Johnston 2 volumes Sara Moone's adoptive parents died when she was three. Since then, she has shuttled from one foster home to another, refusing to make friends and dreaming of quitting school at sixteen. But at fifteen she is placed with the Huddlestons, where she reluctantly develops some relationships and comes face to face with her birth mother. Sara writes about her jumbled feelings in her computer journal. For junior and senior high readers. 1994. The Hookmen BR 10151 by Timothy Hillmer 3 volumes After his mother and sister leave, nineteen-year-old Cruz takes a job with the Kern River Search and Rescue to support himself and his alcoholic father. Aging Crawdad teaches Cruz how to be a hookman, fishing dead bodies out of the river. Cruz makes friends with hookman Walker and begins a relationship with troubled Rita. Despite Walker's advice, Cruz agrees to go on a wild boat ride with Crawdad. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. Jasmine Nights BR 10268 by S.P. Somtow 3 volumes In a crazy mix of Thai, American, British, and classic Greek influences, twelve-year-old Justin explores the mysteries of the adult world in his native Bangkok. He and his two cohorts-in-adventure, one from black Georgia, the other from white South Africa, combine knowledge and misconceptions from their very different backgrounds. Glossary of Siamese words. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. Jesse BR 10145 by Gary Soto 1 volume In the 1960s, Jesse, seventeen, and his brother, Abel, move out of their drunken stepfather's house into a cottage of their own. Jesse then joins Abel in the community college. They live on their late father's Social Security benefits and their own work in the fields. Jesse worries about Cesar Chavez's cause and about Abel's involvement with a non-Mexican girl, and he tries to fit religion and girlfriends into his own life. For high school and older readers. 1994. Mysterious Skin BR 10270 by Scott Heim 2 volumes Little Leaguer Brian Lackey, eight, can't remember the five hours following one of his games, and as the years pass, Brian imagines he was abducted by aliens. Another boy on the baseball team, Neil McCormick, had consented to sexual fondling by their coach. When Brian begins to recollect that his experience was shared by Neil, he tracks down Neil, who is now a prostitute. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. Tom Brown's Schooldays BR 9429 by Thomas Hughes 3 volumes Tom Brown is from a long line of Browns who claim that the British nation owes much of its greatness to them. As a young boy, Tom, the son of a squire, is encouraged to play with the village boys. But at the age of nine, Tom is packed off to Rugby, where he fears but learns to respect the famous Dr. Arnold; develops long-lasting friendships; and gets involved in typical English schoolboy adventures, including the inevitable fights. 1857. A World for Julius BR 9739 by Alfredo Bryce Echenique 5 volumes Julius is a young boy growing up among the social elite in Lima, Peru, during the 1940s and 1950s. His father died when he was two, and he rarely sees his mother. His time is spent playing in the great carriage that once belonged to his great-grandfather, the president of the republic. But as Julius's world expands through school and trips abroad, he starts to realize the changes the outside world is bringing to his country. Strong language. 1970. Yoruba Girl Dancing BR 9494 by Simi Bedford 2 volumes Remi's upbringing is entrusted to her wealthy grandparents because she is a girl. She loves the "miniature village" of her grandfather's African mansion. But at her grandfather's death, Remi's parents send the six-year-old to school in London, where she is set adrift in a sea of white faces. Remi conquers the hurtful cultural differences and adjusts to her life there. Years later she again becomes a Yoruba girl dancing. For high school and older readers. 1991. Historical Beauty from Ashes BR 10167 by Eugenia Price 5 volumes St. Simons Island, Georgia, 1845. Anne Couper Fraser has had to face the death of her parents, her beloved husband John, and a daughter. Now she must face the loss of her much loved plantation on St. Simons Island. With the rest of her children, Anne moves to Marietta, Georgia, and begins to put her life back together until war clouds begin to gather over her and the South. Sequel to Where Shadows Go (BR 9375). 1995. Bestseller. The Burning Time BR 10229 by Carol Matas 1 volume Set in seventeenth-century France. Fifteen-year-old Rose and her mother are stunned when Rose's father, Philippe Rives, is killed in a riding accident. And soon after the accident, Madame Rives, a midwife and a healer, is accused of being a witch. Rose, too, is a suspect, but she manages to escape. Soon a simple country life becomes a fight for survival. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1994. Crossing by Night BR 9701 by David Aaron 4 volumes Fictionalized account of the exploits of World War II spy Elizabeth Pack. Pack was an American debutante who married the British diplomat who impregnated her. When he gave up their baby to avoid embarrassment, Elizabeth was devastated. Her attempt to be a demure diplomatic spouse was quickly put aside when she was given the chance to save the ambassador to Spain. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1993. The Dawning of Deliverance: The Russians, Volume 5 BR 10264 by Judith Pella 3 volumes In the early 1900s, Countess Mariana Remizov, twenty-three and unmarried, wants to do something with her life. Her father and grandmother are outraged when Mariana heads to the Manchurian front to work as a nurse. There she again meets Daniel Trent. As war rages, Mariana and her family rely on God's power to bring them love and freedom. Sequel to Heirs of the Motherland (BR 9863). 1995. Doctor Zhivago BR 9814 by Boris Pasternak 5 volumes The story of a Russian physician and poet during the early decades of the twentieth century. Yurii Zhivago, an individualist and something of an outsider, is separated from his wife by the Bolsheviks and falls in love with Lara, the wife of another man. Pasternak's portrait of Russian life during the post-revolution years includes an epilogue expressing hope for liberation and freedom in the future. 1958. The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre BR 10211 by Ann Rinaldi 2 volumes Rachel Marsh is an indentured nursemaid for the children of John and Abigail Adams. Her friend Jane urges her to consider her future and side with the rebelling colonists, but like the Adamses, Rachel can't condone their gang-like activities. Although Rachel doesn't like the attitude of the newly arrived British troops either, she soon makes friends with a lonely British soldier. For junior and senior high readers. 1993. The Four Adventures of Richard Hannay: The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, Mr. Standfast, The Three Hostages BR 9656 by John Buchan 8 volumes First published between 1915 and 1924. In The Thirty-Nine Steps, an engineer attempts to foil a conspiracy. Greenmantle pits a secret agent against Germans trying to start an Eastern holy war. Mr. Standfast deals with British Intelligence in World War I. An agent uses hypnotism to search for missing persons in The Three Hostages. 1988. Hard Road to Gettysburg BR 9743 by Ted Jones 3 volumes Caroline Wade's happiness when her twin sister, Victoria, visits from Alabama turns to horror when two men break in to kill Carolineon her husband's orders. Victoria's slave rescues the twins but an injured and pregnant Victoria is bedridden until the birth of her triplets. She leaves one infant with Caroline in Illinois and returns south, not realizing that the siblings will meet againon opposite sides of the Civil War. Strong language and violence. 1993. The Hawk and the Jewel: The Kensington Chronicles, Volume 1 BR 9603 by Lori Wick 3 volumes Even though she is English, Shani is the most favored child in the household of Ahmad Khan. Thus she has trouble understanding how her beloved Ahmad can send her back to England. On the voyage, Captain Brandon Hawkesbury tells Sunny (her given name) about her family and about life in England. But Hawk cannot prepare her for the turmoil she soon faces. Prequel to Wings of the Morning (BR 9604). 1993. Heirs of the Motherland: The Russians, Volume 4 BR 9863 by Judith Pella 3 volumes Russia, 1890s. War is on the horizon as Count Dmitri Remizov returns from eighteen years in exile to claim his daughter Mariana, raised by his wife Katrina's relativesSergei and Anna Fedorcenko. The Fedorcenkos and Count Dmitri and Mariana will have to call upon their faith to sustain them as they struggle to reunite their families during these tumultuous times. Sequel to Travail and Triumph (BR 9336). 1993. Homeland BR 9462 by John Jakes 10 volumes Berlin street urchin Pauli Kroner dreams of being a painter and coming to America. At fourteen he arrives, makes his way to his uncle's home in Chicago, and changes his name to Paul Crown. A Kodak camera gives him a chance to put his artistic skills to work, and he becomes involved in Hollywood and the motion picture industry. Along the way, he falls in love with Julie Vanderhoff. Crown Family Chronicles. Some strong language. Bestseller 1993. If I Should Die before I Wake BR 10142 by Han Nolan 2 volumes Since her father died in an accident she attributes to his Jewish boss, Hilary has shaved her head and joined a local youth gang called the Great Aryan Warriors. Now in a Jewish hospital after a motorcycle accident, Hilary is annoyed by the pity in an elderly woman's eyes. Then Hilary spirals into another place and timeNazi Germanyand realizes she is a Jewish girl named Chana. Strong language and some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 1994. The Journal of Hildegard of Bingen BR 9516 by Barbara Lachman 2 volumes Inspired by the writings of a twelfth-century mystic, the author creates a journal depicting a year in the life of the medieval German abbess. Lachman reveals Hildegard's concern for the secular and the spiritual world and depicts her as a busy woman who established and ran an autonomous convent, composed liturgical music, wrote poetry, tended the sick, oversaw the illumination of manuscripts, and held her own against paternalistic clergy. 1993. Kristin Lavransdatter: Volume 1, The Bridal Wreath BR 10085 by Sigrid Undset 3 volumes In this first volume of a trilogy set in medieval Norway, the winner of the 1928 Nobel Prize for literature tells of Kristin's girlhood and her love for Erlend NikulaussÂn, a young man of whom her father strongly disapproves. Prequel to The Mistress of Husaby (BR 10086). 1923. The Moon Below BR 9820 by Barbara Bickmore 5 volumes Hallie Thomas has grown up in the coal-mining fields of England, but she hates it there and wants a better life somewhere else. Her chance comes when she receives a letter from an old friend, Chad Morgan, asking her to come to Australia to be his wife. But when she falls ill on board ship and is cared for by Dr. Tristan Faulkner, she falls passionately in love with him. Some violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1990. Pacific Destiny: The Holts; An American Dynasty, Volume 8 BR 9770 by Dana Fuller Ross 3 volumes In 1898 the Holts are affected by the battle over Cuba's freedom from Spain. Tim Holt leaves his new bride to report the action for his San Francisco newspaper, and Henry Blake escapes the anger of wife Cindy by going undercover for the army in Manila. Meanwhile, Frank Blake, last heard from in Yukon Justice (BR 9323), considers giving up his adventurous lifestyle. Strong language and some violence. 1994. Peter Nevsky and the True Story of the Russian Moon Landing BR 9737 by John Calvin Batchelor 5 volumes Russia, 1968. Peter Nevsky, son of a World War II flying ace who was murdered by Stalin's men, arrives at Starry Town, home of the cosmonaut corps. At twenty-two, Peter has come to keep a childhood appointment with the moon. But his life will be ruled by the Martian Troika (three men who flew with his father and are the soul of the space program) and by two powerful womenKatya and Daemonia. Strong language. 1993. The Plymouth Cloak: The Second Tale of Roger the Chapman BR 9706 by Kate Sedley 2 volumes Roger the Chapman is in Exeter to peddle his wares when he is summoned by the king's brother, the duke of Gloucester. The duke, familiar with Roger's previous daring deeds, requests that he join the king's messenger, who is delivering an important letter. Roger learns there are many who want to cause harm to messenger Philip Underdown, and not just because of the letter. Some strong language and some violence. 1992. Pomp and Circumstance BR 9418 by Fred Mustard Stewart 4 volumes As ten-year-olds, Adam Thorne and Lizzie Desmond vow their love for each other. In 1856, at eighteen, they consummate that love. Shortly thereafter, Lizzie finds she is with child, and Adam unexpectedly becomes heir to a family secret that sends him to India. Before the two can finally be united, they will have become involved in significant historical events in England, India, and the United States. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 1991. The Prospector BR 9724 by J.M.G. Le ClÂzio 3 volumes In 1892 Alexis and his sister Laure are enjoying an idyllic childhood in the wild Boucan valley on the island of Mauritius. Their father has great plans, including building a power plant, but none comes to fruition. Eventually, economics drives the family from the valley, but Alexis is not happy in civilization. Years later, after his father's death, Alexis returns to the wild to search for gold and paradise. Some descriptions of sex. 1985. Redemption BR 10148 by Leon Uris 6 volumes In this sequel to Trinity (BRA 14326, BRA 15339), Uris continues his account of the Larkins, the Hubbles, and the Fitzpatricks. Liam Larkin settles in New Zealand and begins a family, while his brother Conor remains behind to fight for Irish freedom. Liam's son Rory follows in his uncle's footsteps, returning to Ireland with a mission of vengeance. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller 1995. Sons: Good Earth Trilogy, Volume 2 BR 9578 by Pearl S. Buck 3 volumes Sequel to The Good Earth (BR 9400). After Wang Lung's death, the land that he spent his lifetime acquiring is to be divided among his three sons. The story revolves mainly around the third son, a runaway who had become a powerful military officer, and the use he makes of his inheritance. 1932. The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters BR 9581 by Robert Lewis Taylor 5 volumes In 1849 Dr. Sardius McPheeters decides to escape his debts and his genteel wife's disapproval by heading for California to strike it rich mining gold. Fourteen-year-old Jaimie is allowed a year off from school to accompany his father. But almost at once the hapless doctor must write to his wife that Jaimie is lost and possibly dead. In fact, Jaimie is captured by murderers in the first of his many adventures. Some violence. Pulitzer Prize winner. 1958. The Tree Still Stands BR 9659 by Mae Briskin 2 volumes Ruth was only seven years old when her father made her responsible for Imma (or Grandma). The scene was Warsaw, and the Levy family was intact. But the Nazi threat changed everything. The story of this Jewish family is told from Ruth's perspective as they flee, first to Paris, then southward through France to Italy. Their bravery and love for one another sustain them through tragedies on their perilous journey. 1991. The Venetian Mask BR 9439 by Rosalind Laker 4 volumes Marietta's life at the PietÂ
, a Venetian orphanage and music school, is happy, thanks to her friend Elena. Then Marietta, shunned by her true love, is unknowingly promised to a mysterious man who is linked to her past and is a sworn enemy of the man Elena is forced to marry. The girls' secret friendship survives illicit romance, babies switched at birth, attempted murder, Napoleon's reign, and false imprisonment. Violence and descriptions of sex. 1993. War and Peace BR 9710 by Leo Tolstoy 14 volumes First published in 1869, this epic novel deals with Russia and France at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. It describes the invasion of Russia by Napoleon and his army and presents the author's theories of history. 1869. The Waterworks BR 9665 by E.L. Doctorow 2 volumes Set in New York City just after the Civil War. Martin Pemberton is walking in the rain when he spots his father, whom he believed dead, passing in a horse-drawn omnibus. When young Pemberton, who writes for a newspaper, tries in vain to track the omnibus, he disappears. McIlvaine, his editor and the narrator of this tale, sets off to search for Pemberton and for answers to a growing set of mysterious circumstances. Bestseller 1994. Where Shadows Go: Georgia Trilogy, Volume 2 BR 9375 by Eugenia Price 5 volumes After spending the first years of marriage in England, Anne Fraser has finally convinced her husband John to return to St. Simons Island. John has difficulty adjusting to owning slaves, but the couple settle in and begin raising a family. Their peace is shattered, however, when actress Fanny Kemble comes to visit and marries the owner of a nearby plantation. Sequel to Bright Captivity (BR 8538). 1993. Wings of the Morning: The Kensington Chronicles, Volume 2 BR 9604 by Lori Wick 2 volumes For twenty-three years, Victoria (Smokey) Simmons's life has been spent on board her father's ship the Aramis. Now he is dead and she is captain. Dallas Knight, captain of the Zephyr, often arrives at a port too late to pick up cargo because the Aramis has gotten there first. He will not be happy to find out that the Aramis's captain is a woman. Sequel to The Hawk and the Jewel (BR 9603). 1994. Human Relationships America by Land BR 9526 by Robert Olmstead 2 volumes Raymond Romeo Redfield, twenty-three, drops out of college and heads west to see his cousin Juliet, who knows him better than anyone. Each has suffered from a heartbreaking experience, but as these kindred spirits travel together across America, they find between them a powerful and undeniable love, a love that will set them on a course to reclaim the child Juliet gave up for adoption. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1993. And Do Remember Me BR 9862 by Marita Golden 2 volumes Jessie Foster runs away from her Mississippi home to escape her father's sexual abuse. She is befriended by Lincoln Sturgis, who enlists Jessie in Freedom Summer. Jessie also finds a true friend in activist and scholar Macon Hightower. After Jessie is a hit in an amateur production of Lincoln's play, she adopts the name Pearl Moon and leaves for New York with Lincoln. Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1992. Angel Angel BR 10253 by April Stevens 2 volumes Shortly after Augusta Iris's artist husband leaves her for another woman, she crawls into bed and stays there. Her eighteen-year-old son, Henry, finally calls his brother, Mathew, at Harvard for help. Mathew returns home, but neither son is equipped to deal with Augusta's depression. Help comes in the form of Bette Mack, a young woman who makes a profound impact on each of their lives. Strong language. 1995. Another Good Loving Blues BR 9559 by Arthur Flowers 2 volumes In 1918 blues piano player Lucas Bodeen stops his wandering when he lays eyes on conjure woman Melvira Dupree in the small town of Sweetwater, Arkansas. But, as Bodeen warns her, "I ain't never tossed my shoes under no woman's bed for long. When the blues call, I'm liable to answer." Likewise, when hoodoo signs call, Melvira answers, and now she's being called by the mother who abandoned her. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1993. Benediction at the Savoia BR 9417 by Christine O'Hagan 3 volumes Like Jackie Kennedy, thirty-two-year-old Delia Delaney is pregnant. Anxious that her two daughters are growing up, Delia is thrilled about another child. Delia is heartbroken when Jackie's newborn son dies and worries that her own baby is late and has stopped moving. She thinks of her wedding to hard-drinking Irish cop Maurice, the births of her daughters, her late alcoholic father, and her religious mother. Strong language and some violence. 1992. A Bowl of Cherries BR 9608 by Shena Mackay 2 volumes Years ago, while Stanley was imprisoned as a conscientious objector, his twin, Rex, stole both Stanley's chance at literary fame and his girl, Daphne. Rex and Daphne now have a grown daughter, Daisy, who, holding herself responsible for a long-ago death, puts up with a husband who suffocates her. But the past is dragged into the present when Rex's illegitimate teenage son invades the family and demands things be set right. Some strong language. 1992. Break the Heart of Me BR 9776 by Elizabeth Dewberry Vaughn 2 volumes As twenty-three-year-old Sylvia Mullins is being seduced by a country-music singer, her troubled childhood comes to mind. Her fatally injured teenaged mother is kept alive until Sylvia is born. Raised by her grandparents, Sylvia blocks out Paw Paw's molestation. When Memaw dies, Sylvia's "uncle" admits he is her father. After a disastrous high school crush, Sylvia marries older, overweight Buddy. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. Breath, Eyes, Memory BR 9784 by Edwidge Danticat 2 volumes Until age twelve, Sophie is raised by her aunt in Haiti. Her mother then sends for her to come to New York and explains that Sophie is the product of rape. When a grown Sophie is befriended by an older musician, her mother tests her virginity. Sophie rebels by violently deflowering herself, an act that will later cause her to seek sexual phobia therapy. She marries the musician and tries to come to terms with her past as her mother does the same. Some violence. 1994. Bridie and Finn BR 9727 by Harry Cauley 3 volumes In the 1940s, when Finn is in the fourth grade, Bridie moves into the house across the street and immediately proclaims herself to be his best friend. She is a loud, opinionated girl with self-chopped hair who lives with her hard-drinking father, Laurie. After Laurie dies and Finn's family dwindles, Bridie moves in with Finn and his father. The two friends remain inseparable until Bridie's confession shatters Finn's dreams. Strong language. 1994. Called Out BR 9897 by A.G. Mojtabai 2 volumes People of the small town of Bounds, Texas, react to the crash of a 727 jet carrying ninety-nine people. The widow whose field the plane lands in marvels that "you can't go anywhere nowadays without the world raining in on you." The local priest anoints all passengers regardless of their religion or condition. A passenger with Alzheimer's disease wanders lost through the town. And a man shocks his neighbors by stealing a severed hand. Strong language. 1994. The Carpetbaggers BR 10129 by Harold Robbins 7 volumes A study of the rise to power of Jonas Cord, a man haunted by a demanding father and committed to success, regardless of the consequences. Prequel to The Raiders (BR 10130). Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1961. Consider This Home BR 9801 by Greg Bills 3 volumes Kath Miller is living in Las Vegas with her ten-year-old son, Daron, when her father summons her back to Sterling, Utah, because Kath's mother has left him. In Sterling, Kath must also deal with her estranged husband, Merrill, and his obsession with Mormonism. And Daron gets a chance to meet Tom, his father, who admitted his homosexuality only after Kath became pregnant with Daron. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. A Cup of Christmas Tea BR 10231 by Tom Hegg 1 volume Shortly before Christmas a young man receives a letter from a great-aunt asking that he stop in for a cup of Christmas tea. Although he doesn't want to replace his childhood memories of her with what she might be like now, he reluctantly accepts. For senior high and older readers. 1982. Cured by Fire BR 10258 by Tim McLaurin 2 volumes Elbridge Snipes and Lewis Calhoon live in a homeless shelter in Seattle, Washington. Similarities in their backgrounds have brought them together, although each made his way here by a different route. Both men have lost their families, and now Elbridge is dying. On the night Elbridge knows will be his last, Lewis takes him to the top of a nearby hill where they reminisce about their lives and how they came to be together. Some strong language. 1995. Dancer with Bruised Knees BR 10075 by Lynne McFall 2 volumes After Jake leaves Sarah, his new lover takes Sarah's eye out with a pool cue. Sarah then loses her typing job because she won't wear a patch. Meanwhile her brother Morgan is accused of murdering his ex-wife, and their mother kicks out their father for believing Morgan is guilty. Sarah's therapist diagnoses her as manic-depressive and prescribes a cure. Strong language and some violence. 1994. Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery BR 9780 by John Gregory Brown 2 volumes When Dr. Thomas Eagan leaves his second wife, Catherine, he reenacts his mother's leave-taking years before. But, unlike his mother, Thomas takes his children with him. His daughter Meredith slowly learns the reasons behind both desertions through letters from Catherine and encounters with Murphy Warrington, the black man who assisted Thomas's late father in his cemetery statue business. 1994. Excuse Me for Asking BR 9981 by Janis Arnold 3 volumes Julia Salwell and Robin Tilton meet as college roommates at Texas Tech and, although very different in temperament, begin a lifelong friendship back in Julia's small hometown. Intellectual Robin doesn't admit that she has nagging doubts about her aunt's hazy account of the death of Robin's parents. But surprisingly, outspoken Julia also has a buried secret that she has never confronted her beloved father about. Some strong language. 1994. Fanfan BR 9888 by Alexandre Jardin 1 volume Descended from Robinson CrusoÂ, Alexandre is not like other men. When he discovers his parents' infidelities, Alexandre dreams of a romance of perpetual expectation and vows to discipline his urges and be monogamous. He becomes engaged to stable, if boring, Laure, and then meets Fanfan, who seems to share his dream. But anticipation of a half-century of unconsummated seduction is threatened by Fanfan's libido. Some strong language. 1990. The Favourite BR 9892 by Meredith Daneman 1 volume As Rosalind attempts to comprehend her husband Frank's leave-taking, she thinks back to the times her father left. As her father's favorite daughter, Rosalind's role was to try to convince him to stay. In her relationship with Frank, Rosalind was first the other woman, then the wife, and now, finally, the wife being left for the other woman. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1993. A Feather on the Breath of God BR 10259 by Sigrid Nunez 2 volumes The narrator of this tale is the youngest daughter of mismatched parents. Her half-Chinese, half-Panamanian father is silent, withdrawn, and a former workaholic who married her mother, a German, during World War II. They live in the projects of New York, where her mother tries to make the best of things. The narrator also attempts to make the best of her life by studying ballet, but these plans seem doomed when she falls for an immigrant. 1995. The Fire Eaters BR 9738 by William Cobb 2 volumes Damon Bell is five when he begins his story of growing up with his widowed mother, his four siblings, a fruit jar containing his father's severed ear, and the family secret of a black grandfather. His mother soon marries Barry, who has three children and an alcohol problem. After Barry deserts them, the expanded family struggle along, the mother marries again, and a grown Damon tries to come to terms with his family history. Strong language. 1994. The Gift BR 9610 by Danielle Steel 2 volumes John and Liz Whittaker and their two childrenTom, fifteen, and Annie, fiveseem to be a happy, lucky family. But Annie dies and the family falls apart. Maribeth Robertson, sixteen, is pregnant and has been thrown out of her home by her father. Traveling to Chicago, she stops in the Whittakers' hometown, meets Tom, and forms a strong friendship that affects all the Whittakers. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1994. Good Girls Don't Wear Trousers BR 9878 by Lara Cardella 1 volume In Sicily young Annetta dreams of being able to wear trousers. She decides to become a nun, thinking they wear trousers under their habits like the priests. Then she tries to become a boy but learns it isn't physically possible. Next she attempts to become a slut because then she can wear what she wants. Sent by her enraged parents to live with the uncle who molested her as a child, Annetta finds a friend in her unhappy aunt. Some descriptions of sex. 1989. Guppies for Tea BR 9850 by Marika Cobbold 2 volumes After her husband dies, Selma is put into a nursing home by her son, who then leaves the country. Although troubled with senility and incontinence, Selma is adamant about leaving the home. Her daughter, Dagmar, is too busy obsessively avoiding germs, so Selma's only chance at freedom comes from her granddaughter, Amelia. As Amelia's personal life crumbles around her, she tries to do right by Selma. Some strong language. 1993. Gypsy Davey BR 10213 by Chris Lynch 1 volume Davey was raised by his sister Joanne while their mother was out having a good time. Now Davey is twelve and his sister is seventeen, with a baby. Davey is oddly quiet, although inside his head he's talking constantly. But there's another side to Davey that works perfectly in rhythm on his bike and that cares for his nephew like "nobody ever loved babies before." Strong language and some violence. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1994. The Hanged Man BR 10237 by Francesca Lia Block 1 volume Seventeen-year-old Laurel lives at the top of a canyon in Los Angeles. Waiting in a hospital for her father's death, she meets Jack, who befriends her. Jack also introduces Laurel to a fast-paced lifestyle. Meanwhile, Laurel slowly confronts a lot of strange things going on in her life. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. For high school and older readers. 1994. A Heartbeat Away BR 9673 by Barbara Rogan 3 volumes Life is hectic in Mercy Hospital's emergency room, especially with a little drama among the staff. Crow Durango, housekeeper, gets the attention of Dr. Thomas Graystone, emergency room chief, when a deceased doctor gives her a diagnosis that saves two patients. Alice Straugh, a white nurse, wants to adopt a badly abused black child. Then there is Pilar, who keeps things moving, and Plummer, a doctor with no bedside manner. Strong language. 1993. Hello Down There BR 9671 by Michael Parker 2 volumes In 1952, after the car wreck that claimed his fiancÂe's life, Edwin is addicted to morphine prescribed by his uncle. He lives a reclusive life in his North Carolina hometown until he becomes obsessed with young Eureka. When the druggist is fired for refusing Edwin's wealthy mother's demands to supply the drug, Edwin tries to kick the habit as he slowly reveals his story to Eureka. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1993. Home and Away BR 9985 by Joanne Meschery 3 volumes While her ski-champion husband is (as usual) off trying to set another world record, California border inspector Hedy Gallagher Castle struggles with changes in her life and in the world. A new sportswriter insists he's in love with her, her minister father is trying to recover from a stroke, her daughter has been moved up to the varsity basketball team, Operation Desert Storm begins, and the religious right seems to be taking over. Some strong language. 1994. Hula BR 9633 by Lisa Shea 1 volume A ten-year-old girl and her slightly older sister fill their summer days with imaginative activities in their backyard. One is to hula dance the way their mother taught them. But their father takes away the grass skirts their mother brings home from the dance studio. Disturbed since the Vietnam War, their father is prone to rages and shooting sprees, so the girls are careful to stay out of his way. Some violence. For high school and older readers. 1994. I Been in Sorrow's Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots BR 9398 by Susan Straight 4 volumes At fourteen, Marietta Cook is already as tall as a man, with blue-black skin and the speech cadence of her rural community. When her mother dies, Marietta tries Charleston rather than weave sweet grass baskets. Returning pregnant, she learns her home is being restored as part of a plantation tourist attraction. Disillusioned, she returns with her twin boys to the modern world. Strong language and descriptions of sex. 1992. I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This BR 9898 by Jacqueline Woodson 1 volume Twelve-year-old Marie is a popular eighth grader in a predominantly African American class when Lena, a poor white girl, arrives. Because both girls have lost their mothers, they are soon drawn to one another. Then Lena reveals that her father is molesting her. Marie refuses to believe her, but once Marie gets over the shock, she begins to ask questions and to try to help Lena find a way out of her tragic situation. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1994. In Troubled Waters BR 9720 by Beverly Coyle 3 volumes Ninety-one-year-old Tom Glover now shares his family home with his daughter Lois and her husband, Paul, who has Alzheimer's disease. Sitting on his front porch, Tom can keep an eye on Paul and watch the group of rambunctious boys that fish at the edge of his land. Ted, the one black boy, reminds Tom of Lucky, a long-ago friend. When Tom hires Ted to take Paul fishing, the resulting community furor recalls Lucky's years-ago tragedy. Some strong language. 1993. A Map of the World BR 9800 by Jane Hamilton 4 volumes School nurse Alice Goodwin and her dairy farmer husband, Howard, are never truly accepted by the small community of Prairie Center. When the daughter of Alice's one friend, Theresa, dies after falling in the Goodwin's pond, the town turns vicious. Alice is accused of sexually molesting a troubled young boy in her school. As Alice awaits trial in jail, Theresa helps a stunned Howard cope at home. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1994. Nobody's Fool BR 9783 by Richard Russo 6 volumes Don Sullivan, known in North Bath, New York, as Sully, is about the unluckiest man in this unlucky town. At sixty, he is divorced, able to do only piecemeal work because of an injury, and living in a flat owned by his former eighth-grade teacher, Miss Beryl. The day before Thanksgiving 1980, Sully is offered a job by his old construction boss. It just might be the chance to regain his son's respect. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1993. Orlando: A Biography BR 9501 by Virginia Woolf 2 volumes Fantasy about a young Elizabethan nobleman who, by book's end, has been transformed into a young woman. The author examines English literary and social history through the three hundred years of Orlando's life, and the transformation emphasizes Woolf's belief that women are the intellectual equals of men. 1928. Out of Control BR 10096 by Norma Fox Mazer 1 volume High school football star Rollo, student senator Candy, and honor society president Brig are inseparable. So when Brig teases art student Valerie, the other two go along. But when the three fondle her in the hall and Valerie goes to the principal, Rollo becomes confused. He tries to make Valerie see that he's really a nice guy but begins to see himself through her eyes. Some strong language. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1993. Rocking the Babies BR 10246 by Linda Raymond 2 volumes Although Martha and Nettie Lee are both older African American women who volunteer to rock premature babies at a hospital, they dislike each other from the start. Martha wants to become a foster mother for a preemie abandoned in a Port-a-Potty. She doesn't realize that Nettie Lee is the child's grandmother, who is staying anonymous to protect her daughter. As the two women tell stories and befriend a young mother, they grow closer. Strong language. 1994. Secrets of Paris BR 9740 by Luanne Rice 3 volumes Shortly after her father shocks Lydie and her mother by shooting himself and a woman he secretly loved, Lydie's husband, Michael, gets a year-long assignment in Paris. Upset when Lydie is unable to enjoy the romance of the city, Michael falls in love with a colleague. Meanwhile, Lydie has finally made friends: an American married to a Frenchman and their Filipino housekeeper. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1991. Selling the Lite of Heaven BR 9847 by Suzanne Strempek Shea 3 volumes When Eddie Balicki asks the thirtyish daughter of Polish immigrants to marry him, she is thrilled. But just before the wedding, Eddie gets a call to become a Catholic priest. His jilted fiancÂe places an ad in the PennySaver to sell the engagement ring, which the paper calls "the lite of heaven." Over the next year, she interviews an odd string of possible buyers and reflects on the events that led up to this debacle. 1994. The Shipping News BR 9612 by E. Annie Proulx 3 volumes The story centers around Quoyle, a lowly newspaper reporter. When his wife, Petal Bear, runs off with another man and gets killed, Quoyle's aunt convinces the distraught man to move with his two daughters to an abandoned family home in Newfoundland. Quoyle goes to work for a sleazy paper covering the shipping news and learns to fit right in. Strong language. 1993. Silk Hope, NC BR 10115 by Lawrence Naumoff 2 volumes While Frannie is away on a three-day romp with various men, her mother dies. Frannie's sister, Natalie, and her fiancÂ, Jake, intensify the blow by informing Frannie they want to sell the farmhouse and surrounding acres. A female ancestor willed the land to stay in the hands of the family's women so they would always have a place to live. To keep her sanctuary, Frannie must somehow manage to buy out Natalie's share. Some strong language. 1994. Singing Songs BR 9900 by Meg Tilly 2 volumes When Anna is four, her father takes her older brother and leaves her mother and the four youngest children. Mama marries Richard, who moves in with three children of his own. Mama quits work, but they don't become a typical family. They fight a lot, they move to avoid social workers, and everyone calls Mama a "hoor." Worse, Richard insists on giving Anna and her sisters kissing lessons. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1994. Sleepwalking BR 10263 by Julie Myerson 2 volumes Struggling artist Susan marries successful Alistair but is soon unhappy. Eight months pregnant, she resolves leave him when she falls in love with another artist. Meanwhile, Susan's cruel father commits suicide, and his ghost as an unhappy child begins to haunt her. Intertwined with Susan's story is that of her grandmother Queenie, who failed miserably as a mother and wife. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. The Slow Natives BR 9564 by Thea Astley 2 volumes The Australian Leverson family consists of affable music teacher Bernard; his wife, Iris; and their sullen son, Keith. Bernard really doesn't mind when he learns that Iris is having an affair, but for Keith it is definitely the last straw. Keith loathes everything about his parents even though he loves them, and he secretly admits he could use some disciplining. A last act of rebellion finally tests his parents' limits. Strong language. 1965. Sula BR 9661 by Toni Morrison 1 volume Set in an Ohio community called the Bottom, the novel follows two friends, Sula and Nel, from childhood to old age and death. Some strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1973. Taft BR 10136 by Ann Patchett 2 volumes Drummer John Nickel becomes manager of Muddy's, a Memphis bar, after his son Franklin is born. When Franklin's mother moves him to Florida, the void in John's life is filled by young Fay, who applies to be a waitress, and her troubled brother, Carl. As John becomes entangled in their lives and fantasizes about what their late father was like, he realizes it is impossible to keep everyone safe. Strong language and some violence. 1994. Talk before Sleep BR 9860 by Elizabeth Berg 2 volumes Ruth and Ann have been close friends for about five years when Ruth is diagnosed with breast cancer. Ann, a former nurse, puts her own life on hold to help Ruth cope with the debilitating illness and face the approach of death. They spend the last poignant months talking about their friendship and socializing with Ruth's group of friends. Strong language. 1994. Tortilla Flat BR 10108 by John Steinbeck 2 volumes The setting is Danny's house in a tumbledown section of Monterey, California. Pilon, Pablo, Jesus Maria Corcoran, Big Joe Portagee, and the old pirateDanny's friendsare paisanos of mixed Spanish, Indian, Mexican, and assorted Caucasian bloods. They are also generally amoral vagabonds with soft hearts and no scruples. 1935. The Track of Real Desires BR 9815 by Beverly Lowry 2 volumes Ten days before her scheduled breast biopsy, fiftyish Leland Standard visits her hometown of Eunola, Mississippi, with her gay son, Toby. They stay with Leland's friends Mell and Baker Farrish, who are still reeling over the suicide of their daughter. As other friends bring their troubled lives to the welcome-home dinner party, they all ponder how they got so far off the track of real desires. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. The Tracks of Angels BR 9773 by Kelly Dwyer 2 volumes The afternoon of her father's funeral, young Laura Neuman takes a Greyhound bus from California to Boston to start a new life. Shaking off the creepy feeling that she's being watched, Laura takes a waitressing job and begins to educate herself with an encyclopedia. A slightly irritable angel appears in Laura's apartment, as Laura thinks back on the sad events that led her to Boston. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. Tunnel of Love BR 10084 by Hilma Wolitzer 3 volumes In this sequel to Hearts (BR 4651), Linda Reismanntwenty-seven, newly widowed, and pregnantand Robin, her thirteen-year-old stepdaughter, have just arrived in Los Angeles. They hope to begin a new life and establish a less volatile relationship. But fate has more trouble in store for bothrobbery, murder, a car accident, and a custody battle. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1994. Under the Silk Cotton Tree BR 9594 by Jean Buffong 2 volumes Beginning and ending with the account of the wedding of her two admired teachers, a "fete for so," young Flora gives a fast-paced, rambling account of the highs and lows of her life thus far on Grenada. She lives with her mother and siblings after her father leaves for St. Croix to strike it rich and never returns. Some strong language. For high school and older readers. 1993. The Virgin Suicides BR 9600 by Jeffrey Eugenides 2 volumes The neighborhood boys are obsessed with the five Lisbon sisters. The boys are attending the strict Lisbons' first party when thirteen-year-old Cecilia Lisbon succeeds in her second attempt to kill herself. They are on hand again a year later when the other sisters follow Cecilia's lead. Even after the boys become men, they still try to sort out what happened and why. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1993. Virtual Love BR 9891 by Avodah Offit 3 volumes New York sex therapists Aphra and Marc begin corresponding by e-mail after Marc moves to the West Coast and needs advice on treating a patient he has sexual feelings for. The relationship between Aphra and Marc (both married) soon becomes more than friendship. When Marc returns to New York for his father's funeral, he reads the lengthy passages Aphra has never sent him, and the two discover an astonishing fact. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1994. Water BR 9840 by Sue Thomas 2 volumes Professor Ruth Murdoch's husband, Simon, left her for another woman when their daughter, Julie, was three. After one heartbreaking affair, Ruth settles for an imaginary lover. Dismayed at the havoc Simon has wreaked on their lives, Julie eventually has the opportunity to confront him. Although Julie hates to swim, water surfaces again and again throughout the story. Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. The Waters of Thirst BR 9717 by Adam Mars-Jones 2 volumes William is a gay British actor who works doing voice-overs, has a monogamous live-in relationship with an airline worker, and suffers from kidney disease. William humorously describes his bittersweet life: elaborate dinner parties, encounters with the couple's strange neighbors and friends, his obsession with a pornographic model, and his hope that a careless motorcyclist will provide a kidney. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1993. The Weekend BR 10076 by Peter Cameron 2 volumes Fortyish art critic Lyle is taking his new lover, Robert, to visit friends Marian and John in the country for the weekend. On the train, Lyle explains that a year ago his lover Tony, who was John's half brother, died at this house. Meanwhile, Marian is puzzled that Lyle would bring a guest on this anniversary, and another weekend guest must justify her plans when her daughter unexpectedly pays her a visit. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1994. Why Sarah Ran Away with the Veterinarian BR 10068 by Liz Newall 2 volumes A year after forty-year-old Sarah leaves her husband of twenty years for her horse's veterinarian, she and her family separately discuss the subject. Because her mother is dying, Sarah has returned home to her husband. She is pregnant after many miscarriages, and her husband believes the baby is his, despite his vasectomy. And Sarah's aunt reveals family history that sheds light on Sarah's adventure. Some strong language. 1994. The Wind Blows Backward BR 9988 by Mary Downing Hahn 2 volumes Members of the popular crowd at Lauren's high school call her "Mouse" if they notice her at all. When Spencer, a fellow book lover and her secret crush in middle school, joined that crowd she gave up on him. But now, in their senior year, Spencer is starting to talk to her again. When they begin to date, Lauren quickly falls in love, despite Spencer's and others' warnings that he has problems. Some strong language. For high school and older readers. 1993. Humor Carry On, Jeeves BR 9533 by P.G. Wodehouse 1 volume Ten stories about the adventures of the irresponsible Bertie Wooster and his indispensable valet, Jeeves. Bertie recalls the morning he hired Jeeves on the spot, thanks to Jeeves's ability to produce a hangover cure. The incomparable valet proves himself time and again as he copes with uninvited houseguests, patches up broken romances, and listens politely to Bertie's harebrained schemes. 1925. The Cover Artist BR 9561 by Paul Micou 2 volumes Satire on the art world. Oscar Lemoine, a cartoonist and caricaturist, and his dog Elizabeth return to New York after escaping for more than a year in the south of France. Known for his wicked nude drawings of public figures on the cover of Lowdown, Oscar fled in confusion when he belatedly learned that the magazine was pornographic. But the peace he found abroad was short-lived when he fell in love with a manipulative woman. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1990. Di and I BR 10276 by Peter Lefcourt 3 volumes Leonard Schecter has been given the opportunity to write the script for a television series about England's royal family. Entranced by Princess Di, he woos her by promising to write an epic poem about her. Leonard and Di are besotted with one another, and Di packs up the two princes and heads to California for a life with Leonard. Strong language. 1994. Guest of a Sinner BR 9725 by James Wilcox 3 volumes Fortyish pianist Eric Thorsen's life is disrupted by the elderly woman and her odoriferous twenty-odd cats in the apartment beneath his in New York. While trying to bring action against her, Eric seeks refuge in his older sister's basement apartment but is annoyed by the appearance of his pushy father. To escape, Eric agrees to house-sit the apartment of adoring Wanda Skopinski. What follows is a series of humorous mix-ups. Strong language. 1993. It Is Not Now: Tales of Maine BR 10168 by John Gould 2 volumes Yarns about everyday small-town life with a regional accent. Octogenarian Gould, former columnist for the Christian Science Monitor, recalls days when "eyah" closed a deal. He can get into arguments over why anybody would need to replace permanent antifreeze, and he is pleased when a youngster expresses interest in a sled Gould is fixing, until the boy announces, "We can use my father's snowmobile to pull it back uphill!" 1993. Laughing Gas BR 10210 by P.G. Wodehouse 2 volumes Reginald, the third earl of Havershot, goes to Hollywood to prevent the ill-contemplated marriage of his cousin Egremont. The earl encounters even greater difficulties when he accidentally ends up changing placesand bodieswith a famous, but spoiled, child movie star. 1936. Once upon a More Enlightened Time: More Politically Correct Bedtime Stories BR 10132 by James Finn Garner 1 volume In the sequel to Politically Correct Bedtime Stories (BR 9870), Garner once more provides fairytales without biases. Hansel and Gretal become ecoheroes who turn their tree- butcher father into a beaver. In "The Little Mer-Persun," the air breather sacrifices his peopleness and becomes half prawn to be with his mer-person underwater. Bestseller 1995. What's Wrong with America BR 10109 by Scott Bradfield 2 volumes Emma O'Hallahan begins a journal to explain to her relatives and assorted genetic riff-raff why she shot her husband, Marvin, and buried him in the back yard. During the writing, flustered by a little too much brandy and the constant appearances of her annoying husband's ghost, Emma discovers she has also buried a nosy neighbor. When she finds a third grave, she fears she has gone too far. Strong language. 1994. Mystery and Detective Alibi for an Actress BR 10134 by Gillian B. Farrell 2 volumes In this prequel to Murder and a Muse (BR 10121), struggling actress Annie McGrogan offers her services to flashy private detective Duke DeNobili. When he assigns her to help protect soap opera actress Lucinda Merrill, Annie is proud of her realistic portrayal of a private eye and grateful for the easy money. But things get complicated when Merrill's husband is killed and Lucinda is a suspect. Strong language. 1992. The Angel Gang: Tom Hickey Trilogy, Book 3 BR 10190 by Ken Kuhlken 2 volumes After rescuing childlike Wendy from a Tijuana dive in The Loud Adios (BR 9977), ex-private eye Tom Hickey took her to his Tahoe retreat and eventually married her. Now that Wendy is about to give birth, Hickey is frustrated that she insists he leave town to help a past acquaintance beat a murder rap. His frustration turns to horror when Wendy is kidnapped. Strong language and some violence. 1994. Bertie and the Crime of Passion BR 10305 by Peter Lovesey 2 volumes Paris, 1891. Bertie, prince of Wales, has just arrived in Paris when Sarah Bernhardt informs him that the intended son-in-law of his good friend Jules d'Agincourt has been murdered. Bertie enlists Sarah's help, and they are soon off to the Moulin Rouge, where the murder occurred. 1993. Blackening Song BR 10348 by Aimee and David Thurlo 3 volumes Ella Clah left the Navajo reservation to join the FBI and start a new life. When her father is murdered, she returns, against FBI rules, to the "Rez" to investigate. Her brother, a medicine man, is considered a suspect. In trying to clear his name, Ella feels the tug of two cultures and two ways of life. She must discover her own identity as she seeks that of the murderer. Some violence and some strong language. 1995. The Body in the Cornflakes BR 9676 by K.K. Beck 2 volumes Just before the grand reopening of his Galaxy Foods supermarket, old Karl Krogstad announces his engagement to the store's television modelGinger of the enhanced bustline. When Ginger's body is found in the cornflakes display, assistant manager Ted Constantino suspects everyone: Karl's daughter-in-law, who thinks Ginger slept with her husband, Junior; Junior himself; and their spoiled son, Lance, who wants the store. Some strong language. 1992. The Bold Thing BR 9712 by Mark Daniel 3 volumes Micky Brennan was a horseman before he was sent to Her Majesty's prison for running someone down while drunk and drugged. Now free, Micky, shunned by old acquaintances, reluctantly agrees to go back home to Ireland to run a disabled American woman's horse farm. But Micky's troubles are not over: the woman is being pressured to pay extortion for being a "guest of Ireland." Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1990. The Cat Who Said Cheese BR 10344 by Lilian Jackson Braun 2 volumes It is autumn in Pickax City, and Qwill, along with other residents, is preparing for the Great Food Expoa festival of all kinds of happenings related to food. There is also a mysterious female guest at the New Pickax Hotel whose presence is causing quite a stir. But things really get hectic when a bomb explodes in the hotel and the intended victim seems to be the mystery guest. As usual, Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum help solve the crime. Bestseller 1996. Chosen for Death BR 10182 by Kate Clark Flora 2 volumes At her sister Carrie's funeral, Thea Kozak vows to find Carrie's murderer. Adopted as a newborn, twenty-one-year-old Carrie was waitressing in Maine and searching for her birth mother when she was killed. Detective Andre Lemieux seems dedicated to the case but can find no motive for the brutal attack. Hoping to find a lead, Thea retraces Carrie's search. Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1994. Dance Hall of the Dead BR 10352 by Tony Hillerman 2 volumes Navajo police lieutenant Joe Leaphorn faces a mystery and a possible murder in the disappearance of a Zuni youth and his Navajo best friend shortly before an important annual Zuni religious ceremony. Beliefs, motivations, and actions of characters reveal the differences between the Navajo and Zuni cultures. 1973. Dead End Game BR 9875 by Christopher Newman 2 volumes The night before the most important World Series game, Kansas City Royals pitcher Willie Cintron foolishly brings a woman back to his New York hotel room. Before the night is over, she has injected a drugged Cintron with a fatal dose of heroin. Hearing about Cintron's death, a friend refuses to believe the ballplayer returned to the "dead end game" of his old New York crowd. And NYPD lieutenant Joe Dante agrees. Violence and strong language. 1994. Dead Man's Island BR 9684 by Carolyn G. Hart 2 volumes Retired newspaper reporter Henrietta O'Dwyer Collins (Henrie O.) is surprised to be summoned by her long-ago lover, powerful Chase Prescott. Chase has also invited all of his close associates and family to the island he owns to determine with Henrie O. which of them tried to murder him. This task is made more difficult by a hurricane like the one that gave Dead Man's Island its name. Strong language and violence. 1993. Death among the Dons BR 9679 by Janet Neel 2 volumes Francesca Wilson McLeish, wife of police superintendent John McLeish, is at home on maternity leave. But the baby cries all the time, and Francesca is miserable. When Dr. Judith Symonds, warden of Gladstone College, is murdered, the college hires Francesca as bursar to straighten out suspect accounts. Then someone else dies, and Francesca almost becomes a victim herself. 1993. Death in Disguise BR 9842 by Caroline Graham 3 volumes Most everyone in the village of Compton Dando is of the opinion that the members of the commune who occupy the Manor House are a peculiar lot. Curiosity increases when the body of the group's spiritual leader is discovered. And life becomes very interesting for Chief Inspector Barnaby and Sergeant Troy as the number of murders grows. Some strong language. 1993. Death of a Glutton BR 9704 by M.C. Beaton 2 volumes Excitement comes to the Scottish village of Lochdubh when a singles club visits. Run by efficient Maria Worth, the club attempts to find spouses for the wealthy. Maria's hopes for this group are dashed, however, when her obnoxious business partner, obese Peta Gore, decides to join the club and disgusts everyone with her overeating and bad personality. When Peta is found murdered, policeman Hamish Macbeth is not short of suspects. Some strong language. 1993. Decider BR 9448 by Dick Francis 3 volumes As shareholders examine the grandstands of a run-down family-owned racetrack, an explosion nearly kills Lee Morris, whose stock in the track was part of his mother's divorce settlement. It is not the first such incident to befall Morris, a young architect who specializes in doing restorations, and he intends to find out who is behind this attack. Bestseller 1993. Degree of Guilt BR 9811 by Richard North Patterson 5 volumes Distinguished attorney Christopher Paget is raising his fifteen-year-old son Carlo. Carlo's estranged mother, television journalist Mary Carelli, is in town to interview novelist Mark Ransom but instead is accused of his murder. Not only does her story of Ransom's rape attempt have some inconsistencies for Paget and his assistant to sort out, it also involves a surprising group of well-known people. Violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1992. Dreamboat BR 10170 by Doug J. Swanson 2 volumes Private investigator Jack Flippo has come to Baggett County, Texas, to uncover the real cause of Mingo Gideon's death. Apparently Mingo and Rex Echols, his partner in the Melon Patch Ranch Bar, were out on Lake Dolph Briscoe when Mingo fell out of the boat and drowned. But is that what really happened? After all, Rex had just taken out a large insurance policy on Mingo. Some strong language. 1995. Edsel: A Novel of Detroit BR 10156 by Loren D. Estleman 2 volumes Estleman's fourth Detroit novel, following King of the Corner (BR 9357), is set in the 1950s. Former newspaperman Connie Minor now works in advertising and has been asked to secretly create an ad campaign for the new Edsel car. But Minor runs into problems when some people, especially the UAW leader, begin to think Minor is a spy for management or the competition. Strong language and some violence. 1995. The Father Hunt: A Nero Wolfe Mystery BR 9532 by Rex Stout 2 volumes Amy Denovo asks private investigator Nero Wolfe's assistant, Archie Goodwin, to find out who her father is and reluctantly agrees to hire Wolfe if Archie (the only man she trusts) does the actual work. After her mother's recent death, Amy learned that this unknown father has been sending money for years. Archie learns that Amy's mother was just as much a mystery as her father. Some strong language. 1968. Fatlands BR 10147 by Sarah Dunant 2 volumes Private investigator Hannah Wolfe is assigned to chaperone Mattie Shepherd, fourteen, on a birthday excursion to London. Her father, a research scientist, had promised to take Mattie but was too busy. When Mattie goes to get a theater guide from her father's car, the car explodes, killing her. The police assume the scientist was the intended victim and suspect animal-rights activists. But Hannah wants to investigate. Strong language and violence. 1993. Fer-de-Lance: A Nero Wolfe Mystery BR 9653 by Rex Stout 2 volumes Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin make their debut in this first of many tales about the corpulent master sleuth who operates out of a New York brownstone. When Wolfe receives the gift of a deadly snake, his assistant suspects that they are onto the clever person who murdered an Italian immigrant and a college president, although he cannot imagine what connection there may be. 1934. A Grave Talent BR 9843 by Laurie R. King 3 volumes When Casey Martinelli transfers to a San Francisco precinct, she is paired with Alonzo Hawkin on a serial killing case. The bodies of three little girls have been found in an odd colony outside of the city. When their investigation quickly reveals that one colony resident is a convicted child-murderer, the obvious conclusion seems too pat. And to both detectives, famous painter Vaun Adams seems an incongruous serial killer. Strong language and some violence. 1993. Growing Light BR 9974 by Martha Conley 2 volumes When her husband dies in a car crash, Anne Munro accepts a job at Growing Light, despite her misgivings about its abrasive New Age owner, George Ashby, and his kooky staff. The firm develops garden and farm management systems software and hardware attuned to the owners' biorhythms. When Ashby is killed on Anne's first day at work, she is shocked to learn that, though Ashby had many enemies, she is the primary suspect. Strong language. 1993. The Grub-and-Stakers House a Haunt BR 9746 by Alisa Craig 2 volumes Widow Zilla Trott is in her kitchen making a cup of camomile tea for herself and her cat when the ghost of Hiram Jellyby suddenly appears. He was murdered some years ago, and he wants Zilla to find his bones and bury them decently so he can rest in peace. Hiram also wants her to look for a wooden box of gold that he buried. When Zilla and her friends begin digging, they uncover more than bones and gold. 1993. The Horse You Came In On BR 9546 by Martha Grimes 3 volumes An old acquaintance asks Scotland Yard's Richard Jury to go to Baltimore and investigate a young man's death. Jury takes along Wiggins and his friend Plant who has, coincidentally, been summoned by a Baltimore author friend whose student was murdered while researching Poe. Following conveniently left clues suggesting that the two murders and one more are connected, the three immerse themselves in humorous Baltimore sleuthing. Some strong language. 1993. A Hovering of Vultures BR 9813 by Robert Barnard 2 volumes The Sneddon Fellowship is having its inaugural weekend bash at the Sneddon farmhouse in West Yorkshire. The late Sneddons were brother and sister authors, and Joshua Sneddon was said to have killed Susannah in a jealous snit and then killed himself. Elderly attendee Mrs. Farraday, a former resident, is shocked to find that her ancient, obnoxious mother not only is still alive but remembers something crucial about the elusive Sneddons. 1993. In a Pig's Eye BR 9750 by Robert Campbell 2 volumes Jimmy Flannery, sewer inspector, has just become the Democratic councilman for Ward Twenty-Seven. His wife, Mary, a nurse working with pregnant women, is herself expecting. While Flannery works out at his club one day, a man known only as P. Pig drops dead. Of course Flannery wants to know who he is and why he died, especially when the cops tell him to butt out. Some strong language. 1991. The Innocents BR 10269 by Richard Barre 2 volumes A flash flood uncovers a small skeleton in the California desert. The remains of six more children are found nearby. Successful restaurateur Ignacio Reyes is horrified to discover one of the children is his own. Benito was given up for adoption to wealthy Americans in 1967 when Reyes was destitute in Mexico. Now Reyes ca |
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