Fiction

Using luminous, heartfelt language, the award-winning Ali (Brick Lane) weaves a tapestry of human frailty. A motley collection of natives, tourists, and expatriates lives and works in Mamarrosa, a small village in the Alentejo region of Portugal. United by their quiet burdens, Ali’s characters wait and hope for change but cannot bring themselves to exert any efforts on their own behalf. Instead, they pin their hopes on the return of Marco Afonso Rodrigues, who earned a fortune abroad and is coming back to Mamarrosa for his own mysterious purposes. Readers who prefer description and setting to plot will appreciate the story’s leisurely pace and meticulous attention to scenic detail. Though Ali assigns a new narrator to each chapter, sacrificing character development in favor of theme, the brief, tantalizing glimpses of private heartbreak each character reveals are both touching and compelling. Overall, the novel compares favorably with Carson McCullers’s The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter as a study of collective despair and frustrated hopes. Recommended for all medium to large fiction collections.—Leigh Anne Vrabel, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh

Ansay takes us on the dark, emotional journey of a mother’s losing a child and brings us out on the other side into forgiveness and redemption. Meg and Rex Van Dorn’s comfortable life in Meg’s home town on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Michigan ends when their young son is killed in a car accident as Meg is driving him to school. Cindy Ann, the driver who caused the accident, was Meg’s best friend in high school. Meg and Rex file a civil suit against Cindy but drop it when they find that bitterness is dominating their lives. Trying to start over, they buy a sailboat and move to the Caribbean. Their seafaring life, which Ansay depicts authentically in all its drudgery and danger, seems exotic but offers them little comfort. In time, Meg’s feelings about Cindy evolve into something like a supernatural connection. When she learns that Rex is secretly pursuing the civil suit, the differences in how they cope with grief begin to pull their marriage apart. For all popular fiction collections; buy to please the many fans of Ansay’s Oprah selection, Vinegar Hill.—Reba Leiding, James Madison Univ. Libs., Harrisonburg, VA

It is 20 years after the Civil War, and Alison Sansing has little time left. Cancer leaves few options in 1884, at least none that interest Alison. What does interest her in this latest novel from Bahr (The Year of Jubilo) is traveling from her home in Cumberland, MS, to Franklin, TN, the site of the 1864 battle that took the lives of her father and brother. To accompany her, she enlists childhood friend Cass Wakefield, also a participant in the battle. No youngster caught up in the romance of war, Cass has never forgotten the confrontation and doesn’t want to go back, even to help Alison. Most of what befalls a man in war occurs on the inside, and visions and nightmares are what veterans like Cass count among their souvenirs. This beautiful novel turns the tables on our view of war; the combatants we meet are witty and wry, and we can’t help but be charmed by the descriptions of their dusty, dreary, less than honorable and unheroic routine. The final return to Franklin brings the memories to life and changes everyone involved. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/06.]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

This third novel from Baker (Naming the New World) follows three generations of the Merian family during the 17th and 18th centuries. Patriarch Jasper Merian settled in Carolina after being freed from bondage as a slave. He came alone, leaving behind a wife and child, but what lay ahead was the utopia he dreamed of creating, and nothing could slow his desire. Jasper labored for years building the Stonehouses estate, and eventually he and his new family reached a degree of wealth and success rarely known to a freedman. But as the Revolutionary War approached, his peaceful utopia began to change, and the family risked separation. Baker manages to keep things interesting by incorporating omens and dreams as well as elements from ancient fables (e.g., an Iliad-style battle sequence between two great warriors of the Revolutionary War). His wide range of influences is evident—the text reads like a successful combination of forms. Despite a relatively slow introduction, Baker once again delivers an original historical novel. Recommended for larger public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/06.]—Stephen Morrow, Amherst, MA

As executive chef for a morning television show, 29-year-old Casey Costello not only cooks with a great bunch of people, including venerable culinary icon Sally Woods, but also gets to work with a variety of celebrity guest chefs. The show’s latest guest is none other than Danny O’Shea, and Casey quickly discovers that working with the wickedly sexy and annoyingly irresistible Irishman is going to be an unparalleled adventure. Cookbook author Barr (Make It Italian) uses her own experience as an executive chef to Julia Child and a television culinary producer to give her leisurely paced yet utterly charming love story its vivid sense of realism. She deftly seasons the writing with a touch of tart wit, and while there are no recipes, the author’s luscious accounts of the different dishes prepared and meals consumed are almost as good. Recommended for all public libraries.—John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ

This is an ambitious novel about a clueless, middle-aged husband who has some serious growing up to do. At stake, it turns out, is everything he holds dear—including his loving wife and two children. Beard’s (Dear Zoe) narrator is Michael Benedict, at once vulnerable, humorous, and comically self-absorbed. He is also affluent, obsessed with golf and sex, and appears to have no idea how lucky he is. When his wife announces an unplanned pregnancy, he reacts coolly to the news. This precipitates a marital crisis that ultimately threatens his family and also brings him to some lonely and dangerous places. The skillfully drawn Benedict is almost able to carry the novel on his own. There are some problems, however, with tone and plotting: Beard tries to keep things lighthearted, for example, but when Benedict moves out and begins visiting prostitutes, the novel becomes incongruously dark. Though by the end, Benedict and his wife make tentative steps toward reconciliation, the magnitude of his betrayal seems immense. A flawed but nonetheless intriguing novel; recommended for libraries with large modern fiction collections.—Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT

Pretty Molly Mendoza didn’t know what she was in for when she took a job with the Granite Creek Pack Station. What she got was a summer of hard work, adventure, and cowboy loving. Brumfield’s (A Tourist in the Yucatan) second novel is a comedic cowboy tale of ornery mules and macho men that mostly hits below the belt, featuring such incidents as a cowboy being kicked in the testicles by a mule. It is more a modern Western in the picaresque style of Baxter Black (Hey, Cowgirl, Need a Ride?) than a mule-packing epic à la Willard Wyman’s High Country, as the cover would lead you to believe. One cannot fault Brumfield, who has 25 years of experience as a wilderness guide and packer, for his technical knowledge of the packing business. But it seems like a full quarter of the story is hitches, folding tarps, and other such gear. Larry McMurtry liked this book—it says so on the back cover. This reviewer, however, didn’t. Recommended for larger libraries with strong regional collections about the West.—Ken St. Andre, Phoenix P.L.

In the first of Canobbio’s five novels to be translated into English, garden architect Claudio Fratta is obsessed with two events from the past: his father’s business failure and his brother’s death from a drug overdose. He has fallen in love with Elisabetta Renal, the beautiful widow of wealthy philanthropist Alfredo Renal, and follows her everywhere. Soon after their first brief encounter, he is invited to design a garden for her estate. As the story progresses and the new garden emerges, Claudio pieces together the puzzle of his father’s difficulties and gets revenge on the remaining loan shark who destroyed his family’s furniture business. Eventually, Claudio also comes to terms with his brother’s death. This remarkable story of regret, revenge, and acceptance offers exceptionally well-drawn, complex characters. This is not your typical novel of “la dolce vita” in Italy. The story could take place anywhere as Claudio spends time going to the mall, shopping at a supermarket with the war raging in the Balkans in the background. Instead of talking about the sweet life, the characters debate Italy’s political situation. A mystery, a romance, and more, this suspenseful novel builds to a climax that will thoroughly engross the reader. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Lisa Rohrbaugh, East Palestine Memorial P.L., OH

Michael Boone, a.k.a. Butcher Bones, is a formerly famous Australian painter of working-class background who has lost all of his art in an acrimonious divorce and now finds himself broke and exiled to a patron’s house in the outback. There, he tries to begin painting again while taking care of Hugh, his psychologically damaged brother and alter ego. Into this already tumultuous world stumbles the bright, beautiful, and amoral Marlene, a similarly self-made art authenticator with a tie to the estate of a famous painter. The two begin a love affair that helps Boone restart his career while at the same drawing him ever deeper into the more nefarious aspects of the art world. Theft is the overarching metaphor of the novel, covering everything from aspects of the artistic process, to the relationship between artists and collectors, to the art world generally, and it’s a metaphor that Carey (Oscar and Lucinda) likely intends to extend into the world at large. Sharply observed, well written, and acerbically witty, this book will only further Carey’s reputation. Recommended for all public libraries.—Lawrence Rungren, Merrimack Valley Lib. Consortium, Andover, MA

Childress’s (Crazy in Alabama) absorbing and offbeat novel follows events in the life of young Daniel Musgrove as his family relocates to rural Mississippi. Daniel begins his junior year in high school, a stranger in a strange land, but quickly befriends a local alienated youth named Tim Cousins. The two boys share some typical and funny high school experiences. But there is a darker side, starting with a strange accident after the prom involving the homecoming queen, and even though they are not really at fault, they implicate themselves by saying nothing when the school bully is blamed. Tim is comfortable with their silence, but Daniel feels guilty. Although the boys remain friends, Daniel comes to suspect that something is seriously abnormal about his friend. The book climaxes in a Columbine-like scene wherein Tim goes berserk with rifles in the school and Daniel attempts to act heroically but is not enough of a hero to save his two closest friends. Serious issues of race, identity, and loyalty are raised, and tragic and violent events occur, but the author retains a surprisingly light touch in this highly engaging read. Recommended for popular fiction collections.—Jim Coan, SUNY at Oneonta Lib.

A promise made on a whim comes back to haunt sports and entertainment agent Myron Bolitar. Worrying about two neighborhood girls riding with drunk drivers, Myron vows to help them anytime and anywhere as long as they call. Keeping his word a few nights later, he drops off one of the young girls in a suburban neighborhood, and she promptly vanishes. Her angry parents question his motives, and eventually so do the police. Myron swears to the missing girl’s mother that he will find her daughter, even if she doesn’t want to be found. The return of reluctant hero Myron (Darkest Fear) after a six-year absence will be applauded by his fans and enjoyed by newcomers. Abandoning the expected thriller elements, Coben has written a compelling drama that examines the power of honesty and determination to do the right thing. This should be shortlisted for major awards. Promise to read it. For all fiction collections.—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

While Paris appears here as charming as ever, there are a few problems with this novel about a distinguished elderly Indian novelist, Prem Rustum, and his late-life romance with a young American writer named Maya. One is that while it may at first glance look almost like chick lit, it often reads like some old guy’s feverish fantasy. The sex scenes are written in a somewhat crude yet oddly stilted manner. Even readers who are not put off by this May-December romance may draw the line (or laugh) at Prem’s fondly recalling a romp with a couple of 16-year-old French girls. Prem has also been tormented by the memory of an incestuous relationship with his sister many years ago. The main problem is that we are told that both Prem and his womanizing French friend Pascal are brilliant writers and apparently irresistible to women, yet we are never really shown why. With so many excellent novels by young Indian and Indian-American writers today, most libraries might find a better choice than this for their collections.—Leslie Patterson, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence

Billie is the ultimate unconventional woman, beautiful and smart and riding through the streets of Los Angeles on her yellow Ducati motorcycle. Problems arise when she falls for Keith, becomes pregnant, and then realizes that Keith’s “supposedly” soon-to-be ex-wife, Carmen, wants him back. Vowing to keep her family together at all costs, Carmen devises several devious plots to insure that Billie and her unborn baby stay permanently out of the picture. While everyone fights for his or her own interests, they all fail to notice the effect this insane love triangle is having on Keith and Carmen’s 15-year-old daughter, Destiny. Billie, Carmen, and Keith are forced to chase after Destiny as she runs into all the wrong people and places. Despite extremely long chapters, this latest novel from Dickey (Genevieve) does not disappoint. A well-developed plot, interesting characters, and beautiful imagery of various neighborhoods of Los Angeles combine to make it an exciting read. Recommended for public libraries with contemporary African American collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]—Lisa Jones, Birmingham P.L., AL

Douglas’s wry first novel charts the self-destruction of an art historian who can’t believe his good luck will last. Daniel Wellington seemingly has it all—a beautiful wife, a successful book, tenure at a New England liberal arts college, a position on a prestigious committee to design a German Holocaust Memorial. Yet this intelligent but self-deprecating academician manages to make the wrong move at every opportunity by convincing himself that the future will only bring the worst. As the creator of his own catastrophes, Daniel acts before he thinks about consequences. He stupidly lies about his background, contemplates adultery, insults the director of the British War Museum, and is so paralyzed with fear about becoming a father that he alienates his wife in a variety of bizarre ways. Douglas, who is on the faculty at Amherst, has perfect pitch for the tone of academia: genteel backstabbing, the polite ostracizing of so-called pariahs, and jealousy of the golden boys. While the narrator occasionally verges on the disingenuous, this bittersweet comedy will appeal to public library readers.—Andrea Kempf, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS

As Berlin struggles under the challenges of a post–World War I world, secretary Esther Solomonova finds herself caught up in her boss’s scheme—to authenticate young asylum patient Anna Anderson’s claims that she is the Grand Duchess Anastasia and survivor of the Bolshevik massacre of the Romanov family. But as acquaintances of the would-be royal begin turning up dead, Esther is left to wonder if proving her identity is the least of Anna’s problems. British author Franklin’s novel effectively blends history and suspense with a light touch of romance. The pace effectively mirrors the social and political upheaval that took place in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, turning up the tension in the plot as the Nazis rise to power. Franklin’s characterization is strong and believable—Esther is especially likable. She is plucky and clever, broadening the book’s appeal to fans of crime, historical fiction, romance, and women’s fiction. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [Readers interested in this period may also want to read Faye Kellerman’s Straight into Darkness, which is set in 1929 Munich.—Ed.]—Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L.

Gardam’s impressive oeuvre runs to over 25 books for adults and children, including Whitbread Prize winners The Queen of the Tambourine and The Hollow Land, but her latest has the freshness and energy of a particularly brilliant first novel. Filth (short for “Failed in London, Try Hong Kong”) is a retired international lawyer who has recently been widowed. Left to contemplate his long marriage, the moral contradictions of his career, and the passionate hatred he harbors for his next-door neighbor, Filth keeps returning to the trauma of his childhood as a “Raj orphan,” one of the countless colonial children sent away from their parents to be educated in a “home” in an England they had never known. The various meanings of “home” and the gap between the public persona and the private person are just two of the complex themes that Gardam treats here with the lightest of touches. Both witty and poignant, this work is more than a character study; through her protagonist, Gardam offers a view of the last days of empire as seen from post-9/11 Britain. Strongly recommended.—Leora Bersohn, Columbia Univ., New York

In her third novel (after Something Borrowed and Something Blue), Giffin introduces the character of Claudia Parr, a 35-year-old New York City book editor who has never wanted children. Claudia gets along famously with her husband, Ben, until he changes his own stance on children and decides he wants one after all. At first, she chalks it up to a phase, but soon it becomes clear that the love of her life is choosing fatherhood over her. Devastated, Claudia files for divorce and moves back in with her best friend. To make matters worse, the women closest to Claudia—her two sisters and her best friend—either already have children or are trying to get pregnant. Claudia makes the most of her situation and starts dating an attractive coworker, steadfastly believing she was right to stand by her values. Until, that is, she realizes that being with Ben is what matters the most. A fast-paced and interesting look at the various ways women view motherhood and pregnancy, this is sure to be popular with Giffin’s many fans. Recommended for all public libraries.—Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Vicky Townsley, stunning, single, and a successful features director at a hip London magazine, longs for the simple life: a country home, a couple of big dogs, gorgeous children, and a wonderful husband. Meanwhile, Connecticut housewife Amber Winslow is bogged down with the responsibilities of social climbing and motherhood that are part of her picture-perfect life in the idyllic suburbs. Vicky is so desperate to find out what life would be like as a happily married mother that she assigns herself a story that requires swapping lives. And Amber is the lucky recipient of this twist on Wife Swap and Trading Spouses. The experiment gives both women the excuse to get away from their lives and find out if the grass really is greener. Of course, it takes only a few short weeks for both to appreciate the paths they’ve chosen for themselves. Green’s (The Other Woman) witty blend of chick lit and mom lit allows readers to escape and live vicariously through these two characters. Recommended for all popular fiction collections.—Anika Fajardo, Coll. of St. Catherine Lib., St. Paul, MN

Picture a multitasking, suburban, thirtysomething mom and add to the mix her morally questionable father, an unmourned infant son, an absent but loving husband/father, a precocious seven-year-old daughter, and a few friends and siblings for spice. Oh yes, don’t forget the hunky Gen XY neighbor. Elayna Leopold has been skimming through life since the death of her child only to find that she’s multitasked herself into emotional bankruptcy. How she resolves her relationships with her husband, daughter, father, and deceased son will leave some readers nodding their heads in empathy and feeling empowered and others shaking their heads in skepticism and relieved she’s not a real-life friend. True to chick-lit nonform, Elayna ricochets off others’ lives until the end, when she ultimately reflects on her “loftier, more ambitious days. And now? This is enough. My husband, my babies, poetry.” While many chick-lit heroines don’t seem to take themselves seriously, Hanauer’s (My Sister’s Bones) character does, also realizing she’ll pay dearly for her actions. Recommended for public library collections catering to a chick-lit readership.—Andrea Wyman, Edinboro Univ. Lib. of Pennsylvania

During a record-cold winter in the Hamptons, Long Island, several boys turn up drowned. The latest discovery points to the work of a serial killer, with more bodies likely on the way. Deacon Kane, a novelist and college writing instructor who has been on the skids since his own son drowned four years earlier, finds himself under suspicion. Aided almost in spite of himself by two local PIs, he endures savage beatings, the grisly murder of a lover, and a watery confrontation with the surprising killer. Shamus Award winner Judson (The Poisoned Rose) uses the same locale and some bit players from his two earlier mysteries, but most of the protagonists here are new. He has a keen eye for detail and atmosphere, creates striking characters both major and minor, and varies the viewpoint to heighten the suspense. Although the villain’s rationale is questionable, the rest of the plotting is chillingly believable—an ordinary man confronts the inexplicable violence closing in on him. For large public and academic libraries.—Roland Person, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

In their third collaboration, Kaplan and Schnurnberger stick to the breezy style they created in The Botox Diaries and Mine Are Spectacular! After emptying her nest, Hallie Lawrence Pierpont is looking forward to reconnecting with her husband of 20 years. But then he dumps her for his fitness guru, and Hallie decides to get busy. A serendipitous meeting with the friend of one of her ex-boyfriends gives her an idea: Hallie is going to reconnect with all the men she didn’t marry, starting with millionaire Eric; spiritual guru Barry; and her high school sweetheart, Kevin. Hallie’s quest takes her to California and an exotic island, but when all is said and done she finds what she wants back in New York. Though her husband leaves her with no warning and she finds herself living alone for the first time in her adult life, Hallie manages the changes in her life with little angst. This is too little, however, to make the novel anything but a pleasant read—fun while it lasts but easily forgotten. Light women’s fiction for larger public library collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

Kenyon’s popular “Dark-Hunter” romantic fantasy series relocates from New Orleans to Seattle for its hardcover debut, which features the story of part-man/part-cat Dark-Hunter Ravyn Kontis. Like every other Dark-Hunter, Ravyn has enemies who will stop at nothing to kill him. When he is captured and impounded at an animal shelter, Susan Michaels, who happens to work for a Weekly World News–style tabloid, adopts him as her pet. On the way home from the shelter, however, Ravyn begins transforming from cat to man, forcing the unsuspecting Susan into a supernatural milieu she could never have imagined. All the trademarks of earlier titles in the series are here: humorous dialog, engaging characters, supernatural suspense, steamy sex scenes, and an enjoyable love story. Though Kenyon provides sufficient background on the major players, readers new to the series may have difficulty understanding the complex mythology behind the various supernatural beings populating the book. “Dark-Hunter” fans will flock to this latest release, and the new format may win some new fans. Expect demand for this and earlier volumes in the series. Recommended for all public libraries.—Nanette Donohue, Champaign P.L., IL

Khadra (The Swallows of Kabul) has the ability to convey that damning sense of unrelenting anxiety that may indeed be the object of terrorism. His latest novel concerns Dr. Amin Jaafari, an esteemed surgeon of Arab-Bedouin descent who has worked against the odds to become a relatively well-appointed citizen of Tel Aviv. In an instant, the doctor’s life is turned inside-out by a suicide-bomb attack near the hospital where he practices. The very worst of it comes when he learns that his beloved wife, who perished in the attack, is believed to have been the one who actually carried out the bombing. Incensed by this accusation, Amin rejects the idea that their idyllic marriage may not have been all that it seemed. His relentless search for the truth leads him back to a place from his past, and the story comes full circle. This could prove to be a book of some importance owing to its fine technique and relevance to current world affairs. Yasmina Khadra is a pseudonym for Mohammed Moulessehoul, a former officer in the Algerian army who lives in France. Recommended for all fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06].—Susanne Wells, P.L. of Cincinnati and Hamilton Cty.

“Nineteen is an age at which geniuses find their minds, by and large”—or so thinks 19-year-old Cyrus Collingwood, a year-round resident of East Sooke, Vancouver Island, a remote village whose population swells each summer with vacationers. Cyrus’s genius is currently manifesting itself in the attention he pays to these cottagers as he keeps track of their whereabouts and chooses the opportune moment to change their vacation memories just before they return to their everyday lives. Of particular interest to Cyrus are two American couples: Nicholas and his Indian-born wife, Samina, and Greg and Laurel, all old friends slowly drifting apart. When Greg and Nicholas visit a nearby park one day and only Greg returns, Cyrus’s life is changed as completely as are those of the tourists, who wonder whether Nicholas left of his own accord or met with misadventure. This is both a suspense story and a coming-of-age novel that evaluates friendship and the consequences of isolation. It’s the first novel from Klimasewiski, who has published short stories in The New Yorker and the Atlantic Monthly; recommended for larger literary fiction collections.—Debbie Bogenschutz, Cincinnati State Technical & Community Coll. Lib.

The sixth Victor Carl novel from former Philadelphia lawyer Lashner (Fatal Flaw) explores the process of redemption for lost souls. Carl is a hapless defense attorney just trying to pay the rent on his apartment and the lease on his office photocopier when he stumbles onto a case that might transform his life—or kill him in the process. This latest work revolves around rectifying past indiscretions, whether it’s a Rembrandt stolen 28 years ago or last night’s drunken escapade that resulted in a gleaming new tattoo. Carl’s ability to negotiate a deal outside the courtroom will determine the fate of several lives, including his own. Lashner, who could be considered an East Coast version of Michael Connelly, fills his narrative with frenzied plot twists, lovable characters, and a sharp wit. He paints the deeply flawed Carl as a pitiable figure trying to find his role in a nihilistic world and searching for a way to change his life for the better. Oddly, the answer lies within his new tattoo. Highly recommended for most fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]—Ken Bolton, Cornell Univ. Lib., Ithaca, NY

Shy screenwriter Chick Goodnight has sold his first script, though it needs daily rewrites once the film goes into production. On location in Hollywood, he falls into an easy partnership with the director, Sarah Stone, while working on the film, which tells the story of Chick’s legendary cowboy ancestor, Jimmy Goodnight (about whom Latham also wrote in The Cowboy with the Tiffany Gun). But production is jinxed by the machinations of the film’s sleazy producer, who is prone to casting-couch dalliances and cocaine abuse. When a starlet who happens to be Chick’s cousin dies shortly after a casting call with this producer, Chick plays detective with little success. Then the film crew moves to Texas, and another starlet dies. Not quite a mystery, a Western, or a thriller, this novel ambles along rather mechanically. Latham, who wrote the screenplay for Urban Cowboy, gives us an insider’s view of Hollywood but falls short of making us really care about his characters.—Keddy Ann Outlaw, Harris Cty. P.L., Houston

McCandless, returning to Lake Michigan’s shores and the coming-of-age themes of her first novel, Grosse Pointe Girl, here writes from the perspective of 14-year-old Presley Moran. Named by her Elvis-obsessed aunt, Betsi, Presley faces not just the usual social pressures of high school, but Betsi’s alcoholism and its effects on her family. In the few months between August and January, Betsi’s presence alters Presley’s world. The aunt who once represented the girl she wanted to become is now the source of pain and loss. Presley’s voice comes through with a believable mixture of confusion, innocence, and growing wisdom. Her story is enhanced by a narrative style that employs brief episodes and story gaps. The resulting breaks in the book deepen its complexity, providing space for conflicting emotions and paralleling Presley’s need to deny and ignore patterns until forced to confront loss and forgiveness. Recommended for large fiction collections.—Jan Blodgett, Davidson Coll. Lib., NC

Don’t abandon all hope, ye who enter. McFadyen’s debut opens with Special Agent Smoky Barrett in a downward spiral after the murder of her husband and young daughter as well as her own torture, rape, and disfigurement at the hands of a serial killer. One of the driving forces behind her return to the FBI is the emergence of a new serial killer, Jack Jr., who claims to be a descendant of Jack the Ripper. Jack relishes taunting his worthy adversary, Smoky, and her elite team to bring to an end his torture, rape, and murder of women who prostitute themselves over the Internet. As women continue to die and Jack’s crimes become increasingly personal for Smoky and her team, the race is on to determine Jack’s true identity and stop him. Narrated in the first person by Smoky, the mystery builds to a crescendo that leaves the reader with a surprise twist at the finale. Warning: McFadyen doesn’t flinch in his graphic descriptions of violence, so this book is definitely not for the squeamish. Recommended for large public library fiction collections.—Susan O. Moritz, National Gallery of Art Lib., Washington, DC

When nine-year-old Adam is discovered hiding in the woods beside the body of a classmate, the police are very interested in talking to the only witness to the little girl’s murder. Adam is autistic, however, and this traumatic event forces him to retreat to his own silent world. As his mother, Cara, tries to answer the many questions about her son’s bizarre behavior, she launches her own investigation and discovers that certain secrets from her past have surfaced, causing her to question everything and everyone around her. McGovern (The Art of Seeing) has written an unusual literary mystery that combines the elements of a women’s novel with the gripping aspects of a good suspense story. Taut writing and alternating viewpoints work effectively to lead the reader down several dead ends en route to an unpredictable and satisfying conclusion. This page-turner is a rewarding look into the life of a mother who must discover the truth, even if it ends up hurting her—and her son—in the process. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/06.]—Kellie Gillespie, City of Mesa Lib., AZ

First-time novelist Malkani has written an astonishing, laugh-out-loud, first-person narrative about a 19-year-old Londoner who wants desperately to fit in with his Indian gangsta mates. Bookish Jas, to his own dismay, often comes out with “poncey” comments that elicit razzing from his friends, Hardjit, Ravi, and Amit. These “rudeboys,” as they are known, are a complicated mix of Indian tradition and Western materialism who cop bad-boy attitudes as they buy lavender oil for their Mums at the local drugstore. For the most part, Jas is accepted as a rudeboy, and he becomes enmeshed in their stolen mobile phone scheme and their family problems as well as in “fit” Muslim girl Samira, whose brothers, Jas is warned, will kill him if he dates her. As Jas’s life begins to unravel, the story’s themes of multiculturalism, intolerance, and generational chasms intensify. It’s the juxtaposition of this deeply serious subject matter and supremely funny dialog that makes Londonstani an exceptional book. Malkani writes primarily in a hip Indian/British slang, but readers should not be put off by his creative style; it becomes second nature after the first few pages. Highly recommended.—Joy Humphrey, Pepperdine Univ. Law Lib., Malibu, CA

A departure for Swedish crime novelist Mankell, this work takes place in an African country after the overthrow of its longtime dictator by revolutionaries. In the ensuing confusion, bandits terrorize the countryside and conscript young boys into their ranks, among them the child Nelio. Nelio escapes and journeys to a big city, where he joins up with a group of street children. When Nelio is shot, he is cared for by a baker named José and tells José his story, ending with the gunshot that leads to his death. Nelio’s tragic tale changes José’s life, and he decides to spend his own life telling Nelio’s story, thus becoming known as the “Chronicler of the Winds.” Mankell’s novel is about the broken legacy of colonialism and the greed and violence that follow in its wake. The heroes (and victims) of this chaos are boys like Nelio and José who refuse to succumb to the brutality that surrounds them. Timely and well worth reading, this is highly recommended for all libraries.—Rebecca Stuhr, Grinnell Coll. Libs., IA

As the saccharine title implies, this latest offering from Margolis (Original Cyn) is all about baby, albeit rich and fabulous baby. Single and 32 years old, Ruby Silverman is the owner of an exclusive London baby boutique where rich actresses and society types snap up Gucci baby shoes and all-terrain strollers. Two events take center stage: Ruby’s 50-ish mother announces she is pregnant and Ruby meets Sam, an American gynecologist. Ruby has the predictable qualms about dating a gynecologist and having a new brother or sister in her thirties, but adjusts with alacrity. Her composure does get ruffled, though, when she shockingly discovers how pregnant Hollywood actresses stay so thin. The plot threads (Sam the American gyno, too-thin pregnant actresses, friend-that-can’t-conceive, her pregnant mother) converge in ultra-obvious ways, but thankfully, the book stays light and fun throughout. Recommended for public libraries with large chick-lit collections.—Andrea Y. Griffith, Loma Linda Univ. Libs., CA

In the beginning, there was Olivia Goldsmith’s The First Wives Club, a sympathetic look at former spouses. Now, this worthy successor takes up the cause of the “other women” and the problems created for them by those very first wives. Alison has the wedding of her dreams—until first wife Sophia barges in and leaves with the children. Fiona has to deal with a rebellious teenage stepson and his mother, who uses the boy as a pawn. Susan is constantly reminded that she can never live up to her husband’s deceased first wife. And Julia’s husband spends more time with his ex than with her. Alone, these women feel helpless and hopeless. Together, they form the Second Wives Club, a group that knows perfectly blended families are a myth and revenge is a dish best served cold—and often. Moore (Love @ First Site) delivers humor with great panache, seasoning it with a delicious dash of poignancy. This wonderful friendship book joins the ranks of such odes to female empowerment and camaraderie as Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez’s The Dirty Girls Social Club and Haywood Smith’s The Red Hat Club. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/06.]—Shelley Mosley, Glendale Community Coll. Lib., AZ

Art restorer Hope McNeill doesn’t have a dog, but she spends her free time at Central Park’s “Pug Hill,” where the playful dogs give her all the unconditional love and freedom she feels is otherwise lacking in her life. Shy and reserved, Hope signs up for a public speaking class after her parents ask her to make a speech at their anniversary party. Compared to her odd assortment of classmates, including a failed gay poet and an angry novelist, Hope begins to feel much better about her life—really, what’s so bad about a lackluster relationship, a tiny apartment, and a job in which she never sees the sun? Gaining some courage from the class helps her make some new choices in her life. Pace’s (If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend) second novel has some smart and witty moments. Recommended for larger fiction collections or where chick lit is popular.—Rebecca Vnuk, River Forest P.L., IL

On the surface, this latest novel from Parks (Destiny) tells the story of a group of kayaking enthusiasts learning how to hold their own in the white water of the Italian Alps. In fact, this novel is about the inner struggles of three of these characters: Clive, the rugged instructor who yearns to change the world; Michela, his loyal girlfriend, whose deepest wish is to leave Italy; and Vince, a high-powered British banker who is literally and figuratively drowning in the aftermath of his wife’s death. On a more philosophical level, Parks also examines the nature of extreme sports and those who participate in them. Parks’s writing style perfectly matches his subject matter. It ebbs and flows like a river, twisting and turning like the rapids. Eschewing quotation marks, his dialog flows into the narrative as seamlessly as a creek meeting a river. While some readers may become alienated by the incessant jargon, kayakers and canoeists will love this book precisely because of Parks’s intimate knowledge of the sport. Recommended for large fiction collections.—Karen Walton Morse, Univ. at Buffalo Lib., NY

A profound novel informed by Petterson’s own experience of losing family in the MS Estonia disaster, this latest from award-winning Norwegian novelist Petterson (To Siberia) tells the story of novelist Arvid Jansen. Drowning in grief and self-doubt after the loss of his family in the same accident, he struggles with loneliness and is unable to write. Besides sporadic contact with his older brother, his human relationships are restricted to his Kurdish neighbor, with whom he has only three words of shared vocabulary, and Mrs. Grinde, the elusive woman who stares at him from her window. The few short weeks covered in the novel affect Arvid subtly but profoundly, pushing him to come to terms with his survivor guilt and look outside of himself to recognize the needs of others. Masterfully written—and adeptly rendered by translator Born—this novel is both timely and timeless. After a challenging first chapter, readers will discover a beautifully enlightening treatise on grief and identity disguised as a novel. Highly recommended for all fiction collections.—Karen Walton Morse, Univ. at Buffalo Lib.

Despite sensual descriptions of the locale and of nearly every luscious meal, Roberts’s (Daughter the House) latest book is no standard tale of an uptight Englishwoman seduced by Italy. After Aurora’s third husband dies abruptly, she escapes to that country to visit her long-lost friend, Leonora, the ardently feminist abbess of the local convent, for whom she uses the canister containing her husband’s ashes to smuggle drugs and a box of sanitary pads to hide a pistol. The publisher’s synopsis, featuring a sexy Harley-riding intellectual priest, thefts at the art museum, and a possibly sociopathic heroine, is much more vivid than the actual novel, which is oddly flat and clumsy. And the book doesn’t feel as ominous or tense as Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley; it’s very understated, it rambles, and there’s no arc. English lit majors may find hidden wit in Aurora’s many literary references, but only if they prefer their humor like their Prosecco: dry. For larger collections.—Christine Perkins, Burlington P.L., WA

Savage’s debut novel is an odd recollection of the Scollay Square of 1960s Boston from the perspective of a rat named Firmin. Firmin is not your typical rat. After discovering he’s literate, he voraciously reads every book in Pembroke Books, a bookstore that attracts collectors and authors who discuss the qualities of first editions, books with special or unusual bindings, and erotica literature that the proprietor keeps locked in a safe. During a journey to the Boston Public Garden, Firmin is chased and beaten by a man with a walking stick. He is saved by bohemian writer Jerry Magoon, under whose care he recovers. The two share an unusual friendship and interests that include late-night trips to a theater that runs classic and pornographic films. Firmin’s life changes when Jerry tragically falls down his apartment stairs. Suddenly alone and homeless, Firmin characterizes the experience of the human residents of Scollay Square after the city tears down its buildings. This is a cleverly written memoir of the colorful lives and distinct shops of a Boston borough that was sadly replaced by lackluster government offices. Recommended for many collections.—David A. Beronä, Plymouth State Univ. Lib., NH

Like Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus’s The Nanny Diaries, Schrefer’s debut novel gives us a sneak peak into the lives of the terribly wealthy, terrible parents of Manhattan. Only this time it’s through the eyes of a high-priced SAT tutor. Fresh from Princeton, Noah has mountains of school loans to pay off and a family to support before he can pursue his dreams of becoming a professor. So he gets a job at an elite SAT tutoring agency, through which he meets the Thayers. There’s the beguiling psychiatrist Dr. Thayer, who repeatedly partakes of her own drug stash; the rarely seen, wheeling-and-dealing Mr. Thayer; Dylan, the laziest rich kid ever; and Tuscany, an enticing teenager who may actually have some smarts buried beneath her designer outfits and mascaraed lashes. As Noah gets sucked into the Thayers’ intricate lives, his own life spirals out of control. Shrefer’s book is not quite as biting as The Nanny Diaries, which took readers into more homes and displayed even more atrocious acts of parenting (a big part of the fun). Still, Glamorous is a fun read. Schrefer is a Harvard graduate who actually did tutor kids for the SATs, so one can bet the book speaks some truth. Recommended for public libraries.—Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC

This novel opens in Idaho, with 17-year-old Rigby John Klusener hitchhiking along a desolate highway, hoping to relocate to his self-perceived Shangri-La of San Francisco. Why such a young man would feel a need to flee his outwardly ordinary rural life is carefully detailed in the novel’s next 400-plus pages, in which Spanbauer (The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon) explains what it was like for a socially awkward gay teenager to grow up in a strict Catholic household, especially one with a seemingly unending string of bad fortune. Despite a brutal father, a radically repressed mother, and physically abusive classmates, Rigby John eventually finds friends, and even love, by looking in unconventional places. When he ventures out of his carefully cultivated Catholic/farm-life existence, he finds companionship in the form of two free-spirited Mexican workers, a hippy chick who attends the public high school, and a middle-aged gay alcoholic Indian who possesses an alluring mysticism. Though certain images become a bit repetitive, Spanbauer’s novel is worthy of its length, especially considering the absorbing denouement. An intelligent family drama that should appeal to a variety of age groups; recommended for most fiction collections.—Kevin Greczek, Ewing, NJ

This is noted sf and alternate history author Turtledove’s first foray into a “straight” historical novel. Grim but riveting, it describes what many consider one of the worst atrocities of the Civil War—the 1864 killing of black Union soldiers and their white officers by Confederates at Fort Pillow. Enraged that blacks would take up arms, 1500 Confederates under the command of Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked the 600-man Fort Pillow garrison, whose troops fought back savagely, further enraging the Confederates. When the fort was finally overrun, the killing continued, with racial hatreds exploding into mindless fury that Forrest felt unable, and unwilling, to stop. Later, the scope of the “Fort Pillow Massacre” was exaggerated and used as a rallying cry for the Union, while the Confederacy steadfastly denied that any such massacre occurred. Turtledove’s narrative leaves no doubt that he believes something terrible happened at Fort Pillow, and is an excellent companion to his many alternate histories of the period. Recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Wall (A Good Man) has taken a stab at a thriller. The Surrogate starts out well enough, with a missing infant and a girl on the run; unfortunately, it does not live up to its beginning. Pretty 21-year-old Jamie Long was orphaned at a young age, used by her stepsister, then shoved onto her elderly grandmother, who raised her with an iron fist but lots of love. When her grandmother passes away, Jamie drops out of college and, drowning in debt, makes a deal with the devil: she becomes a surrogate mother for a famous evangelical woman. This agreement leads to Jamie’s becoming a virtual prisoner on a Texas ranch, eventually escaping, and running for her life. Wall suspends disbelief by throwing in a last-minute rescue by a childhood crush. Except for Jamie, none of these characters is fully developed, yet with the fast-paced plot, steamy sex scenes, and aura of evil, this book makes an entertaining beach read. Recommended for large public libraries.—Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park, MD

Esther Gottesfeld has been famous most of her life, because in 1911, when she was just 16, she escaped the tragic Triangle Waist Company fire when so many others perished. Decades later, Esther, sarcastic and feisty, is interviewed by an irritating feminist researcher, Ruth Zion, whose questions probe lurid personal details of the tragedy. Esther’s death at age 106 comes just days before the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, an event Weber (The Music Lesson) skillfully weaves into Esther’s story. Granddaughter Rebecca must decipher the puzzling contents of Esther’s safety deposit box while Ruth continues prying because of discrepancies in Esther’s telling and retelling of what happened the day of the fire. Rebecca turns to her eccentric boyfriend, George Botkin, an experimental music composer, who helps put the pieces together. He composes the Triangle Overture, an ambitious, bold, and complex finale that Weber imaginatively uses to tie up the reminiscences, flashbacks, and trial testimony revolving around locked doors and crooked building inspectors. Weber demonstrates her deep understanding of her characters in this beautiful novel perfectly introduced by Robert Pinsky’s poem “Shirt.” Highly recommended for all public libraries.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Grand Junction, CO

The interesting aspect of these 25 Southwestern-based stories by Abbott (The Heart Never Fits Its Wanting) is the range of themes he fits into each story. “The Eldest of Things,” for instance, combines drug use, an affair with a fellow professor, English literature, and elements of the universe into a seamless whole. In “Category Z,” Abott interweaves having a physical for the army with the future life of three men. Some pieces, including the title story, relate simple love affairs but with an ironic twist. Elsewhere, Abbott brilliantly manipulates the narrative; in “Gravity,” the search for a teenage daughter who has been snatched leads to several unexpected revelations, while in “One of Star Wars, One of Doom,” a school shooting is told from several perspectives and layered with the revelation of an affair between two teachers. Stories that deal with our place in the universe include the complicated tale of a relationship between a father who saw a UFO land and the son who grew up with this event hanging over his life, and “The Human Use of Inhuman Beings,” in which a man becomes obsessed with angels after the death of a childhood friend. In the best of the collection, “Men of Rough Persuasion,” the story of a contract killer is told in a double entendre street lingo that connects the theme of father and daughter relationships with final justice. Highly recommended for larger collections.—Joshua Cohen, Mid-Hudson Lib. Syst., Poughkeepsie, NY