Fiction

By Staff -- Library Journal, 6/1/2007

Anton, Maggie. Rashi's Daughters. Bk. 2: Miriam. Plume: Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2007. c.496p. ISBN 978-0-452-28863-8. pap. $15. F

After opening her trilogy on renowned Talmud scholar Rashi's three daughters with the successful debut novel Rashi's Daughters, Book 1: Johevev, Anton delivers a tour de force with this second book. Here, the headstrong determination of middle daughter Miriam enables her to face head-on the many challenges endured by women of the 11th century, even if it does pose a problem for her father. Anton draws readers into life, love, and Talmud in medieval France, and her extensive research into this time period shows in her deft portrait of what life might have been like for the young daughter of a Jewish scholar. Readers will be fascinated as Miriam is appointed the community's midwife and will grimace as she decides to become a mohel, or ritual circumciser. They will fly through the nearly 500 pages and come away wishing for more. This fresh approach to historical fiction is recommended for all public libraries, especially those serving a large Jewish population; a study guide is available online. [Anton's third novel in the trilogy will center on Rashi's youngest daughter, Rachel.—Ed.]—Marika Zemke, Commerce Twp. Community Lib., MI

Brinkman's debut novel about the impact of a mother's sudden death—perhaps suicide—on a dysfunctional middle-class family calls up both Mark Haddon's Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Dave Eggers's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. This time, the story revolves around nine-year-old Sebastian Lane, aka Sebby. Brinkman clearly understands emotional pain and in Sebby has created a heroic child protagonist. Sadly, her success in this regard makes the book's deficits all the more glaring; she is credible only when delving deeply into the child's psyche to reveal the intersection of anguish, loss, and regression. Other passages are harder to accept; for example, when Sebby's dad plucks him out of school and takes him to the family's summer home, no one bats an eye. Indeed, Sebby seems to live in a world in which teachers, social workers, truant officers, and child welfare specialists are completely oblivious. Worse, it is only when Sebby's father is hospitalized, leaving the boy in the care of his teenage siblings, that anyone pays even a modicum of attention to the unraveling household. A disappointing first novel from someone who's considered a writer to watch; recommended for large fiction collections only. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/07.]—Eleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn, NY

Burdett (Bangkok 8; Bangkok Tattoo) brings back Det. Sonchai Jitplecheep for a third look at the seamy underbelly of Thailand. Someone sends Sonchai the DVD of a snuff film starring his former lover, a high-class prostitute who had an almost magical ability to leave men desperate for her attentions. When more murder victims surface and Sonchai's corrupt department is uninterested in investigating, the complex detective (his pregnant girlfriend is a former employee of his brothel-owning mother) soon finds himself literally haunted by the ghost of his former lover. Setting out on a complicated trail through the Thai sex trade, he comes across all manner of powerful, high-ranking men; prostitutes aplenty; and even a Buddhist monk. Despite the gruesome plotline, Burdett's spare storytelling style leaves readers fascinated, albeit with a bad taste in their mouths, for although the sex talk is almost clinical, its sheer volume means that this work is not for the squeamish. For most public libraries, particularly where atmospheric mysteries are popular. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/07; BOMC featured selection.]—Rebecca Vnuk, Glenside P.L. Dist., Glendale Heights, IL

In this follow-up to Queen of Babble, Cabot (The Princess Diaries) continues the story of Lizzie Nichols, who has just moved to New York with best friend Shari. Unable to find an apartment they can afford, the girls move in with their respective boyfriends. While Shari soon falls in love with someone else, Lizzie has visions of marriage with Luke. Lizzie has big plans for her life in the big city, and things start to fall into place when she lands her dream job refurbishing bridal gowns. Unfortunately, the job doesn't pay, so she gets an additional job as a receptionist at a swanky law firm. But she struggles with the firm's confidentiality requirements and ends up getting fired. By then, she's become indispensable at the bridal shop and parlays her firing into getting the pay she deserves at the job she loves. But her love life isn't going quite so well, and she may have to acknowledge that Luke isn't ready for marriage. A surprise ending leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the sure-to-come third book in this series. A fun and fast-paced novel with a likable heroine who is refreshingly passionate about her career choice as well as her boyfriend; recommended for all public libraries.—Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Too many rabbits are pulled from too many hats in this otherwise excellent novel, but Carter (The Emperor of Ocean Park) makes up for it with muscular narration, appealing characters, and a keen awareness of how ancestry, position, and skin color shape reactions to events. Lemaster Carlyle, the black president of an elite New England university, and his wife, Julia, the divinity school dean, discover the body of a professor who was once Julia's lover. Who killed him, and why? Fearful that the killing is connected to her daughter's increasing emotional instability and that her husband might be involved, Julia struggles to protect her entire family while doggedly pursuing the truth, even if the cost is her peace of mind. The issue of race keeps cropping up in this intriguing novel, as seen through the perspective of this country's thin black upper crust, whose members have reason to suspect the intentions of "the paler nation." Carter's sensitivity to social nuance, especially the delicate negotiations of place and status among members of the country's grievously small black elite, is exceptional. Difficult to put down and highly recommended for general collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/07.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

This debut novel from an award-winning writer and former coeditor of the literary journal Gulf Coast tells the story of Jenny Harris, a young woman preparing for an overdue baby and marriage when her fiancé leaves her. The narrative chronicles the end of her relationship, the beginning of her life as a single mother, and her methods of coping when her simple dream is shattered a day before it was set to begin. Naturally, an interesting man appears postbaby, though Jenny's interactions with him tend to lack depth. Jenny is at times a bit passive and deluded, particularly when the fiancé is still around, but she's also a charming and refreshingly optimistic character, maintaining her sense of humor and offering blunt observations regarding birth plans and sore nipples. This engaging, heartwarming protagonist/narrator keeps the novel afloat despite the clichés and contrived plot elements (e.g., her financial status after the baby's birth). Short chapters make this a quick read and a great book for the beach or summer vacation; fans of Jennifer Weiner's Little Earthquakes will appreciate. Recommended for public libraries.—Amanda Glasbrenner, Chicago

Far from wearing golden shoes, 14-year-old Estrella Thompson has no shoes at all. She lives with her grandparents, who eke out a marginal existence fishing on the Caribbean island of San Carlos in 1942. Spirited and ambitious, Estrella is marked as a troublemaker by the locals, who exile her from their small community. The novella follows her on her incident-filled journey to the island's one big town, Seville, in search of a job. Her first goal is to buy a good pair of shoes because she knows no one will hire a barefoot girl. Along the way, she encounters more hostile villagers and meets a horseman who calls himself Simon Bolivar. More troubles await in town, but Estrella lands on her feet and finds a way of getting those new shoes. Founder of the Calabash International Literary Festival and editor of Iron Balloons, a collection of Jamaican fiction, the Jamaican-born Channer has created an unforgettable character in Estrella. Recommended for most libraries.—Leslie Patterson, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence

Genevieve lives with her wealthy husband in 1920s Paris. To his chagrin, instead of having motherhood on her mind, Genevieve fancies herself a poet and spends a lot of time carousing with her cabaret singer friend Lulu and many artists and writers. She also has an enormous shoe collection. When she spots a breathtaking pair on the feet of her rival at a party, she is determined to commission the shoemaker Paolo Zachari to make her a one-of-a-kind pair, too. But Paolo prefers to choose his clients rather than be chosen. Unfortunately, this novel is not as satisfying as it could be. At first, it is a gripping slow burn as Genevieve's obsession with Paolo grows and details about their past and present lives are gradually revealed. However, Davis (The Dinner) then shifts into fourth gear; events happen much too quickly, and loose ends are tied up too neatly. The historical setting and details are captivating, but the numerous detailed descriptions of shoes and clothing become tiresome. For larger romantic historical fiction collections.—Samantha Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY

Some characters require several chapters to endear themselves, while others can hook a reader from the beginning. With "Empress" Frau Rother, all it takes is this book's first sentence. Arrogant, snobbish, and entirely delightful, she is the kind of "high-spirited woman" one wishes were more evident in fiction—and in real life. Dische (Strange Traffic: Stories) uses Grandmother Rother to relate the family history, sharing the unvarnished truth and her character's unshakable faith. The Empress has a way of celebrating and castigating her loved ones simultaneously, saying, in effect, "I believe in you, now quit whining and get on with it." She wields her way through an aristocratic childhood and an escape from Nazi Germany, finally landing in northern New Jersey. The suburban life is easier but also more confusing, as her ingrained European class consciousness does not necessarily translate to postwar America. By the time she gets around to discussing her grandchildren (especially young Irene's counterculture rebellion), the story weakens somewhat, but the charm of the Empress stands throughout. Dische manages to blend the comic and the poignant in a style that captivates and delights. This novel could meet with wide appeal and may easily become a book group favorite. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections.—Susanne Wells, P.L. of Cincinnati & Hamilton Cty.

Field's fascinating poetry (Point and Line; Incarnate: Story Material) has always blurred the line between fiction and verse. This work is an even more experimental consideration of the character Lulu, the focus of plays by Frank Wedekind, an opera by Alban Berg, and a film by G.W. Pabst. Field draws upon these sources and 40 others, ranging from Irwin Schrodinger to Patricia Cornwell, while also incorporating drawings by Abbot Stranahan and treated film frames by Bill Morrison. Unfortunately, the mismatched pieces never come together, and the work is often marred by pretentious language. "Alva: Ululu on or offstage is becoming more than a fetishized spectacle! Alban Berg: Blah, blah, blah." Precisely, Alban, could we please reserve terms like fetishized spectacle for dissertations? Field is also a multimedia artist, and perhaps Ululu would work better as multimedia piece because it simply does not work in print. It will appeal to a limited audience, which is a shame because Field's earlier volumes of poetry deserve much more widespread attention. Read the plays, try to find DVDs of the film and opera, and buy Field's poetry instead.—Jim Dwyer, California State Univ. Lib., Chico

By the author of an acclaimed story collection, Small People, this debut novel involves the psychotic Julia and her teenage daughter, Cheryl, who runs away from suburban Minneapolis to live an uncertain life on the streets in the punk world of the 1980s. Cheryl lives in a condemned building, formerly called the Sabotage Café, where Julia hung out in the 1960s. Cheryl befriends a beggar named Jarod and his dog (named Dog) before joining Trent, who becomes her boyfriend, and a gang of hapless teenagers who beg and steal to buy drugs and alcohol. After Dog is brutally killed by Trent and his gang, Cheryl sets fire to their empty building and returns in desperation to Jarod. Skillfully and ingeniously written, this gripping account presents the devastating effect of a mother's emotional instability on her child. The twist at the end clarifies the exaggerated events in Cheryl's life but does not soften the graphic cruelty and squalor of teenagers living on the streets. Highly recommended but not for the squeamish.—David A. Beronä, Plymouth State Univ., NH

Dash Bateman and her husband, Andrew, share a house in Washington, DC. Or at least they did, until photographer Dash impulsively dashes off to their vacation cabin in rural Virginia, leaving history professor Andrew on his own. Surely, the dog abandoned on their porch couldn't be the reason for the sudden rift in their union. Here, Gaffney (The Goodbye Summer) paints a portrait of a marriage left too long unexamined, with both partners suddenly seeking change. Grieving over the recent death of her mother and with daughter Chloe off at college, Dash wants freedom from the predictability of life with her hypochondriacal spouse. Andrew finds peace from the maelstrom born of his disordered wife; he sees her desertion as a chance finally to be "bored." Will yoga be the answer for Dash? Or handyman/neighbor Owen, perhaps? Is young, straight-from-the-hip colleague Elizabeth going to solve Andrew's problems? Gaffney reveals her all-too-flawed characters bit by bit as each reviews life before and after saying their vows. Can a 20-year marriage survive such scrutiny? Patrons will want to read this one for the pure charm of Gaffney's writing. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/07.]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

After a love affair sours and threatens her job with a large New York City law firm, young overachiever Natalie Goldberg impulsively takes a position in the district attorney's office in Macon, GA. An obvious outsider in almost every way, Natalie (Nat) spends her first months wrapped in the cocoon of her unhappiness. Then, contrary to her personal beliefs, she finds herself as the co-prosecuting attorney in a double homicide case. At the same time, Nat works to help a colleague's sister escape a domestic abuse situation. Nat begins to thrive in her new setting as she discovers the dual healing powers of time and gardening and realizes that happiness is possible without a rigid life plan. Despite some tough subject matter, Gayle has written a very appealing first novel with an engaging heroine and a cast of very believable secondary characters. Public libraries will want this for more than just summer reading.—Rebecca Kelm, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

Nine years after she was imprisoned for the attempted murder of Owen White, the drunk driver who had killed her son David, Alice Keesler is released and returns to Grays Island. Her husband has divorced her, second son Jeremy is a stranger, and Owen, in a wheelchair, is now mayor. Alice feels threatened by Owen when she opens a restaurant and, even worse, when Jeremy is accused of rape. For legal help, she turns to attorney Colin McGinty, whom she had met on the ferry to the island. He, too, has had his difficulties, having turned to alcohol after his wife was killed in the 9/11 attacks. Alice's and Colin's troubles parallel the earlier story of their grandparents. In 1942, artist William McGinty fell in love with Alice's grandmother, whose husband was fighting in the Pacific. Their love was revealed only in McGinty's masterpiece, the painting Woman in Red. Goudge's (Immediate Family) latest novel beautifully intertwines the two stories, two generations apart. Her characters are appealing both despite of and because of their problems. Recommended for all women's fiction collections.—Lesa M. Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

In a disappointing follow-up to The Saboteurs, the father-and-son duet of Griffith and Butterworth return to the early days of World War II in the Mediterranean theater. Canidy and his OSS colleagues have returned, and they have but one simple task—to convince the Germans that the next Allied attack from North Africa will not fall on Sicily. They manage this task while tidying up lingering plot threads from The Saboteurs, i.e., the German threat to use chemical and biological warfare against the Americans. There are lies, deceptions, and treacheries galore as the OSS crew struggles to succeed. However, the plot drags, the characters are shallow, and there are so many characters that it's confusing. Worse, nothing exciting seems to happen. Also, the use of "celebrities" (e.g., David Niven, Ian Fleming, and Peter Ustinov) is distracting and cutesy. Griffin's many fans may like it, but others will wonder why. Recommended for larger collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/07.]—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Doctor Impossible is a supervillain with impenetrable skin, a 300-plus IQ, and the same traumatic high school memories that most people have. He is still plotting to take over the world after being incarcerated for the 12th time. Attempting to thwart the Doctor's nefarious plans are the Champions, a team of the world's most powerful and beloved superheroes, plus a few new hires. One of these is Fatale, a cyborg who can bend iron and smash through walls but can't quite feel like part of the team. Debut novelist Grossman's diabolically brilliant idea is to combine the well-loved clichés of the superhero genre with a contemporary-realist style that answers nagging questions, e.g., Where do supervillains get all the stuff to build their doomsday devices? Can somebody with a metal exoskeleton sit in a regular chair? What happens if you use an unstoppable weapon on an invincible foe? And do evil geniuses just want to be loved? Grossman is a freelance game-design consultant and a doctoral candidate in English literature. Highly recommended for all public libraries; the excellent cover art by noted book designer Chip Kidd is sure to attract readers to this fun and thought-provoking book. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/07.]—Jenne Bergstrom, San Diego Cty. Lib.

In this first novel from the author of two story collections (e.g., Like Never Before), Nathan Mirsky travels to San Francisco after the death of older brother Daniel. He leaves behind his own troubled life, with an on- again, off-again relationship and a history of drug and alcohol abuse. Nathan is unexpectedly joined by his aging, widowed father, who had not been on speaking terms with his older son and is haunted by memories of their troubled relationship, his deceased wife, and his own history in the Holocaust. The two get in touch with Daniel's girlfriend, herself heavily involved in the drug scene with Daniel. The novel follows the interior monologs and exterior narratives of all these characters, interweaving past and present in a fragmented format that ranges from the day-care experiences of the girlfriend's son to Nathan's memory of psychoanalytic sessions to the father's nightmares about the Holocaust. In the end, the characters come to understand Daniel's death as they journey out of their own personal spheres. The narrative's disjointed nature reflects the unwanted intrusions of the past that serve to make the present unfathomable, but at times the interruptions seem to attenuate rather than intensify the ongoing drama. Recommended for larger fiction collections.—Jim Coan, SUNY Coll. at Oneonta

New York is the place to be for young, professional overachievers. That is, unless you are Jane Cooper, the boho chic heroine of Koslow's debut novel. Jane sits in a café drinking tea, eating pastry, and embroidering while she's supposed to be at work in a top investment firm. To make matters worse, her firm has major cash-flow problems and faces layoffs—but what's a girl to do when her best friend needs a post-breakup blowout trip to South Beach? Of course, Jane ditches her job and her hot boss, Ray, and flies first class to Florida, telling herself that she'll land customers while on vacation. Yes, Jane will have a hot vacation, but will she lose her job or save the company? In the end, who cares? This is chick lit at its worst: soulless and unappetizing. Not recommended for most public libraries.—Andrea Y. Griffith, Loma Linda Univ. Libs., CA

This new book by McNamer (My Russian) concentrates on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of FBI agent Aidan Tierney in 1946. The story begins very slowly with an episode involving a young Aidan and his brother, Neil—a scene so disconnected from the rest of the story that it may turn readers off. The brothers have indulged in wild horseback rides across the Montana prairies, but when World War II breaks out, Aidan and friend Ronald Taliaferro join the FBI, while Neil serves as a pilot. The story then skips back and forth between the war years and the present day. In 1946, Roland offers the FBI's condolences to the Tierney family, praying all the while that they will not ask him about the circumstances surrounding Aidan's death. In the present, an elderly Neil meets Roland by chance at a physical therapy facility and learns the truth about his brother's last days. If readers can make it past the odd first chapter, they will be drawn into the carefully crafted mystery and the complex internal lives of the characters. Recommended for larger libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/07.]—Amy Ford, St. Mary's Cty. Lib., Lexington Park, MD

Unrelentingly grim in tone, Mailman's debut novel, inspired by the experiences of a distant ancestor in 1600s Salem, is set in the "second year of no harvest, 1507, Tierkindorf, Germany." Aging and arthritic, Güde Müller has become a burden on her family, at least according to her bitter daughter-in-law, Irmeltrud. Wondering if God has forsaken them, the starving villagers turn for help to a visiting friar, who tells them that according to the book Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch's Hammer), all their troubles are owing to witches in their midst. Güde's lifelong friend, Kunne, becomes an instant target for the villagers' hate. But burning Kunne doesn't seem to help matters. When Güde begins experiencing horrible visions, Irmeltrud is only too eager to accuse her of witchcraft. Güde is certainly a pitiable figure, as she is starving, abused, and probably suffering from senile dementia. However, her story isn't particularly original, nor does Mailman bring a fresh perspective to the oft-told tale of witch burning. Not recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/07; reading group guide available at CrownReads.com.—Ed.]—Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

Musicians Charles and Ann Braithwaite are good parents and good people leading comfortable lives; eldest daughter Jane is a gifted musician bound for Julliard. Their apartment in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood is large enough that they can offer a room to their Dominican housecleaner, Gabriela, when she is not only sick but homeless. Soon, Gabriela's nephew, 18-year-old Andrés, is slipping in to sleep on the floor of his aunt's room. Andrés is a computer whiz set on going to college despite his troubled background. And Jane, a moody teenager with a penchant for other lonely souls, easily falls for him. Their relationship grows in secret while Gabriela's mysterious illness worsens. When Andrés is arrested during a drug bust, his troubles threaten to upend all that is sacred to the Braithwaites. Although there are some wacky subplots, Mendelson's novel has the same warm, caring appeal as the two earlier titles in her "Morningside Heights" trilogy, Morningside Heights (2003) and Love, Work, Children (2005). Recommended.—Keddy Ann Outlaw, Harris Cty. P.L., Houston

Popular novelist Mitchard (Cage of Stars) continues to explore family relationships, this time adding a twist of high-seas suspense. Best friends since high school, Tracy, Olivia, and Holly plan a reunion cruise on Olivia's yacht, along with Tracy's adopted teenaged daughter, Camille. The cruise unravels through a series of small missteps and betrayals. After a slow beginning, with chapters alternately highlighting the tensions between Tracy and her daughter and the twisted path of a group of drug dealers, the story comes alive as the four women find themselves lost at sea and fending off modern-day pirates. Fans of Mitchard will be pleased. Recommended for large fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/07.]—Jan Blodgett, Davidson Coll., NC

Lucy Sweeney, who chucked her professional career in television to stay home with her three sons, is bristling at the daily grind. She's overwhelmed, scatterbrained, and slightly envious of her single friends and the other "yummy mummies" at school who seem to have it all together. Only when her casual fantasies about Sexy Domesticated Dad, one of her fellow stay-at-home parents, escalate from improbable to possible at the same time best friend Emma's affair with a married man explodes does Lucy fully realize the depth and breadth of the commitments in her life—to her husband, her children, and, most important, herself. In her debut novel, London Times magazine "Slummy Mummy" columnist Neill takes a compassionate look at modern marriage and motherhood. More outwardly comic than Polly Williams's The Yummy Mummy and with an informal, intimate narrative style similar to Annie Downey's Hot and Bothered, Neill's book is a comedy of manners touching on fidelity, identity, family, and friendship. Recommended for public libraries where women's contemporary fiction and mom lit are popular. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/07.]—Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L.. NY

Both beautiful and baffling, Ondaatje's most recent novel (after 2000's Anil's Ghost) opens with the portrait of a complex family suddenly imploding in the Northern California wilderness. Anna and Claire have been raised as sisters by Anna's father (both mothers died in childbirth), with a neighbor boy named Coop also in attendance, his family having been battered to death by a hired hand. Anna and Claire both have feelings for Coop, but it's Anna who enters into an affair with him, precipitating an act of violence that flings the family apart. Subsequent passages detail Coop's desperate gambling, Anna's isolation in distant France, Coop and Claire's chance meeting years later, and the family history of poet Lucien Segura, whose works Anna has been studying. These passage are evocatively and delicately rendered, but their connections aren't; the book falls apart into lovely pieces that the reader has a hard time collecting. Oddly, this sense of dislocation does not seem to be the point, for a sense of family connection reverberates faintly throughout despite the disjointed narrative. Of course, dedicated readers will want to investigate, but others may be confounded. For literary collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/07.]—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal

The "forest primeval" of Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline holds only criminal darkness in this latest offering in Reichs's Tempe Brennan series. The forensic anthropologist is back in Montreal (after Break No Bones), facing a troubling lineup of young, female corpses needing her analysis. All from Acadia, these victims trigger long-suppressed memories of Evangeline, a childhood friend also from Acadia who mysteriously disappeared one summer. Tempe and police detective Andrew Ryan (her on again-off again lover) become convinced that her friend's fate is somehow connected to the bones in her hands. Hippolyte, a police colleague who grew up in the French-speaking Atlantic provinces, opens doors to the Acadian communities, as does a forensic linguist who analyzes a small volume of poems found at one of the crime scenes. When two of the corpses become connected to a photographer with an epic-size cache of kiddie porn, the Quebec investigators recognize they've found something huge. Reichs keeps her superb suspense piece on track, leaving the reader totally wrung out by the time the ultimate villains are tracked down and confronted. Essential for all collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/07.]—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., CA

This debut novel tries to combine the conspiracy thriller with Silicon Valley and doesn't quite succeed. Nat Idle still mourns the loss of his girlfriend years after her death. Sitting in a café one morning, he receives a note from a mysterious woman warning him to leave the building immediately. As Nat follows her out, the café explodes. Having lost sight of the woman in the chaotic aftermath, Nat discovers that the note is handwritten in his old love's style. Hooking up with a waitress who survived the blast, Nat decides to look for answers. Not able to trust the police or even his new partner, he must make hard choices that will force him to question his life and everything he knows. The technology discussed in the narrative proves interesting (Richtel covers technology and telecommunications for the New York Times), but there is not enough of it to justify the publisher's extensive marketing plans. More a quirky, character-driven story than a thriller, the novel bogs down in the sheer obviousness of the tale and lack of legitimate plot twists. A marginal purchase; Richtel writes the humorous daily comic strip Rudy Park under the name Theron Heir.—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

Police hostage negotiator Phoebe MacNamara meets Duncan Swift when she persuades the employee Duncan had just fired not to kill himself. Their growing relationship is soon complicated by family issues and threatened by a stalker who is close to destroying everything Phoebe values. In typical Roberts fashion, suspense and romance are mixed without shortchanging either, and she manages to work in some fascinating details about the art of hostage negotiation while keeping the reader wondering about the villain's identity. As always, Roberts has created some wonderful and memorable secondary characters. One of her strengths is her portrayal of family (the Quinns of her "Chesapeake Bay" quartet come immediately to mind), and the family members we meet here are people we believe in and care about. Like the author's Blue Smoke, this fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining novel delivers everything fans have come to expect from one of the best writers of romantic suspense out there. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/07.]—Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA

This is another dense, action-packed delight of a thriller by the ex-journalist author of Lost and Suspect. Recovering from injuries sustained on the job, Det.Ali Barba, receives a terse but startling note from Cate, an estranged friend who is pregnant, pleading with her to attend a high school reunion. There, in a brief conversation, Cate reveals that someone is trying to take her baby. The plot thickens when Cate and her husband are killed by a passing car as they leave the reunion. The apparent accident reveals that Cate had faked her pregnancy, and as Ali investigates, she uncovers a sinister underground network in which Cate was involved and soon becomes determined to honor her friend's memory by bringing those involved in her death to justice. Readers of Robotham's earlier novels will be pleased to see the return of both Ali Barba and Det. Vincent Ruiz. Recommended for all public libraries.—Caroline Mann, Univ. of Portland, OR

The exploding bomb in Rome that nearly took news photographer Josh Ryder's life triggered in him a series of wildly strange historical flashbacks. Determined to find the cause, he turned to the New York-based Phoenix Foundation, a scientific group dedicated to the possibilities of reincarnation. Memories of his past lives in ancient Rome as Julius, a pagan priest in a desperate mission to save his love, and in Victorian New York as Percy Talmage, son of the Phoenix Foundation founder, haunt Josh as he tries to bring his episodes under control. The foundation's interest in the excavation of a fourth-century tomb sends him back to Rome. But at the tomb, the Memory Stones are stolen, flinging Josh and archaeology professor Gabriella Chase into a race to recover these powerful artifacts. Rose's (Lip Service) engrossing thriller effortlessly leaps to and fro through the centuries. Dramatic suspense and intriguing characters expertly set the stage for this first in a series. Strongly recommended for all popular fiction collections. [This is Mira's lead fall title, and an extensive six-figure marketing plan is in the works.—Ed.]—Joy St. John, Henderson Dist. P.L., NV

Stace's second novel (after Misfortune) shifts between the viewpoints of two boys named George. One is a ventriloquist's dummy; the other is the ventriloquist's grandson. The dummy's narration takes some getting used to, and it sometimes drags, but it picks up as the duo entertains British troops during World War II. Overall, though, it's the story of the younger George that is more captivating, especially when he discusses his unhappy experience at boarding school during the 1970s in an interval that recalls some of John Irving's storytelling. The two Georges ultimately meet as part of the younger boy's search for his place in a family of domineering women. His search leads him back to a manuscript written by his long-dead grandfather, himself oppressed by the family matriarch. Stace, who writes and performs music under the name John Wesley Harding, has a real talent for re-creating a variety of settings, from battlefields to boarding houses to the backstages of vaudeville. This novel is an original, and it ends with a most satisfying revelation. Recommended for all libraries.—Evelyn Beck, Piedmont Technical Coll., Greenwood, SC

This is the book for readers wanting to be kept on the edge of their seats. It tells the seemingly placid story of an ESL teacher, Emma Perotti, who takes lonely immigrant student An-ling Huang under her wing, but it turns into riveting suspense when Emma goes on trial for An-ling's murder. The title is apt, as the characters silently bear their own thoughts and grief and pay for it through deceit and dishonesty. Emma and her husband and son are so good at carrying on the farce of everyday family life—for fear of exposing their own secrets—that they are easy targets. An-ling is a young artist, lost in the city, looking for someone to care for and help her. Or is she? With each chapter, the reader finds out more and more about these characters' pasts and how they influence their future. A fast, intense read; recommended.—Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park, MD

This novel by best-selling African American author Tyree (What They Want) is about a best-selling African American author named Shareef Crawford. Discontented with his mostly female fan base and disrespected by his peers for writing romances, Shareef decides to attract male readers with a street lit novel he pens under the name the Street King (Tyree himself has done the same, first with the pseudonym the Urban Griot and now with his real name). Hanging out with Harlem friends for research, Shareef agonizes over whether to risk writing a realistic book that could get him killed by gang leaders afraid of exposure. But readers learn more about Shareef's warring feelings than about Harlem's warring street soldiers. That's because Shareef's inner conflict centers more on money, respect, and why black men don't read than on Harlem street life or what drives so many to violence. Male readers may find it hard to identify with a main character so similar to Tyree, while Tyree's female fans may be bored by the self-promotion. Purchase where demand requires.—Laurie Cavanaugh, Brockton P.L., MA

Allen's prose is always wickedly entertaining. In this volume, containing 18 short stories, ten previously published in The New Yorker, Allen skewers the issues and concerns of the day. He lampoons the obsession for placing our children in the "right" schools ("The Rejection"). He underlines our propensity to purchase just about anything on eBay ("Glory Hallelujah, Sold!"). He ponders the property rights of kids and their summer camp projects ("Calisthenics," "Poison Ivy," "Final Cut"). He praises the little-known diet advice of Friedrich Nietzsche ("Thus Ate Zarathustra"). In short, Allen takes the slightly ridiculous from everyday life, gives it a twist and a tweak, and creates satire, irony, and laugh-out-loud humor. This collection holds up in comparison with his earlier writing (Getting Even and Without Feathers, for example). Recommended.—Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Coll. of Continuing Education Lib., Providence

While Greenman's 2001 collection, Superbad, contained some entertaining and challenging stories, it was occasionally too clever for its own good. All of the stories in in this new collection, however, are accessible, beautifully written, honest, and hilarious. Greenman's knowledge of popular culture is thorough and his rendering brilliant. The stories examine the complexities of modern relationships, particularly the ease with which we misunderstand each other and the difficulty in expressing ourselves. Protagonists are often caught in a purgatory between satisfying their own needs and those of their partners. They often have trouble reaching a balance because they think too much. In "Batting Clean Up," for instance, the main character (who, incidentally, has the same name as singer/songwriter Boyce Day) struggles with the pressure to come through in the clutch in both his relationship and as a developing writer. Evocative descriptions and humor ranging from wisecracks and vaudevillian bits to extended satire develop characters and advance the stories. The best stories demand to be read again immediately, then read again to a friend. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—K.H. Cumiskey, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh

It's tempting to say that Michaels's stories move breathlessly, as in the anthology's startling opening, "Manikin," which begins with a rape and ends with a suicide, consensual sex, platonic admiration, and obsession melted in between and oozing out the seams. But a simple sprint would be too boring for Michaels. Instead, his words run and fall back, introducing the suicide victim with the unexpected image of "naked feet like bell clappers" or, in a later story, "Mildred," amid talk of illegal abortions and just before reality tailspins and the male characters eat the female's womb, cutting dialog and leaving only sentences like, "Max was saying and Sleek added." Though his 1981 novel, The Men's Club, earned Michaels both praise (a National Book Critics Circle nomination for best novel) and criticism (some saw the content as misogynistic), he was considered an exceptional writer throughout his career. This anthology includes the Nachman stories, Michaels's only pieces not collected elsewhere. In a perfect world, these stories, less frantic but just as complex as his earlier ones, should be enough to sell the book. But if Michaels is already on your shelf, you may not need to prioritize this collection.—Kristin Thiel, Portland, OR

Drew Danner is a crime writer who's always done his homework. He's cultivated cops and forensic specialists to give his novels the necessary realism. He's researched everything from the guns his characters use to the ways in which bodies deteriorate. But in his latest effort, Drew is leaving fiction behind and exploring true crime. The result is almost more real than he can handle, because the murder he's researching for his newest book is one he may have committed. In the opening pages of Hurwitz's latest crime thriller (after Last Shot), Drew wakes in the hospital with a scar on his head, a cop by his bedside, and no memory of how he got where he is. The police think Drew killed his ex-fiancée in an angry frenzy. Four months later, Drew is acquitted of the murder by reason of mental defect (he had a brain tumor) but is driven to discover whether he is capable of the crime. Hurwitz has written a nice puzzler with a sympathetic hero and a great supporting cast. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/07.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

Making his Mira Books debut, award-winning British thriller writer Johnston (Body Politic) introduces Matt Wells, a crime writer who has a reputation for killing off his fictional characters in gruesome and bloody ways. But nothing has prepared Matt for seeing his fiction brought to life when an active serial killer chooses him to ghostwrite his story in real time. Communicating anonymously by email, the killer seems to know everything about Matt and his family and threatens to kill them, too, if Matt doesn't cooperate. To make matters worse, he is implicating Matt in the murders by imitating some of the most gruesome scenes from Matt's novels. Caught between the desire to contact the police and fear for his family's safety, Matt must find a way to stop the killer. Johnston has laced the plot with enough twists to keep readers guessing. The twists aren't always believable, and the murders are indeed gruesome and bloody, but fans of the genre will enjoy the white-knuckle ride. For most mystery and thriller collections.—Lisa O'Hara, Univ. of Manitoba Libs., Winnipeg