Fiction

This first novel by Indian writer Adiga depicts the awakening of a low-caste Indian man to the degradation of servitude. While the early tone of the book calls to mind the heartbreaking inequities of Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance, a better comparison is to Frederick Douglass's narrative about how he broke out of slavery. The protagonist, Balram Halwai, is initially delighted at the opportunity to become the driver for a wealthy man. But Balram grows increasingly angry at the ways he is excluded from society and looked down upon by the rich, and he murders his employer. He reveals this murder from the start, so the mystery is not what he did but why he would kill such a kind man. The climactic murder scene is wonderfully tense, and Balram's evolution from likable village boy to cold-blooded killer is fascinating and believable. Even more surprising is how well the narrative works in the way it's written as a letter to the Chinese premier, who's set to visit Bangalore, India. Recommended for all libraries.—Evelyn Beck, Piedmont Technical Coll., Greenwood, SC

At age 29, Dahlia Finger is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Dahlia's life is studded with failure—not only hers, but those of the people surrounding her. Her parents divorced when she was quite young; her once loving brother became the proverbial "monster of indifference," totally rejecting her; and she has no close friends, no academic achievements, no career, and no great loves. She is bright, angry, and utterly profane. Albert (How This Night Is Different) frames the trajectory of Dahlia's illness through a lightweight self-help guide for cancer patients. In chapters like "You're the Boss," "Live Now," and "Forgive and Forget," Dahlia mordantly relives her life and rapidly moves toward death. The disease that is eating her brain and her memories is only held at bay by her anger. Her bitter humor and scatological vocabulary mask a frightened girl, wondering "Why me?" Albert has given readers a no-holds-barred portrait of terminal illness. This is not a gentle book, but it is an authentic and important one. Highly recommended for all serious fiction collections.—Andrea Kempf, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS

As this third thriller (after Carved in Bone and Flesh and Bone) by the pseudonymous Bass (the writing team of Dr. Bill Bass, forensic anthropologist and founder of University of Tennessee's Body Farm, and science writer Jon Jefferson) opens, Bill Brockton is back at work on the Body Farm after the recent murder of his lover and an attempt on his own life. The killer, Garland Hamilton, nurses a fanatical grudge against Brockton. Before his trial begins, Hamilton escapes and is presumed to have died in a mountain cabin fire. In the meantime, Brockton uses his skills and those of his graduate student Miranda in various unrelated cases, including that of a Georgia crematorium stacking bodies in the woods and providing fake ashes to the families. The authors juggle several quickly moving narratives until the final confrontation between Brockton and his nemesis. Buy wherever forensic fiction is popular, and be aware of several graphic scenes and descriptions. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/07.]—A.J. Wright, Anesthesiology Lib., Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham

Brandon's first novel details the grim misadventures of two young drug runners, Kyle and Swin. With boss Pat Bright, they work for a mysterious man named Frog out of a neglected Arkansas state park, as dead bodies pile up in more and more gruesome ways. Bright, whose past is littered with despicable activities, suffers a ghastly death at the hands of Nick, the nephew of a drug customer. After Kyle kills Nick, they dump his body in a swamp and take charge of Bright's operation. The only positive influence in their lives is Swin's girlfriend, Johnna, a nurse who adds a woman's touch to their dumpy trailer. After Johnna gets pregnant, Swin realizes there is no future in what they've been doing and dreams of something better. But as Kyle says, the world has no intention of offering them worthwhile lives, and the distressing conclusion bears him out. Some readers may have difficulty with the violence—others may not care about the misfits crowding out the story—but this uncomfortable book will find an audience in most large public libraries.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Grand Junction, CO

In this clever debut novel, the pseudonymous Cain, an award-winning British journalist, successfully tackles a larger-than-life, real-world event. Samuel Carver is the titular character who will arrange a death (usually made to look accidental) for the right price. Like other fictional assassins, he lives by a certain code. Yes, he'll kill someone when he's hired for the job, but he only takes on certain jobs. And the people he arranges accidents for are universally bad—until his most recent job. What was supposed to be the end to an evil terrorist is instead the accident that shocks the world, and Carver is now on the run from the people who hired him and several other agencies, because this "accident" is the 1997 car crash that killed Princess Diana. Nicely paced and well researched, this is a thriller that genuinely thrills and makes the reader wonder, if only for a moment, What if? Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/07.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

With several successful crime novels already published under her real name, Jenny Siler, Carr sets her second espionage thriller (after An Accidental American) in the twisted alleys of the Middle East and Madrid. An American interrogator working with detainees swept up in the pursuit of enemy extremists defends a Moroccan teenage boy caught in the dragnet at the Bagram Airbase site in Afghanistan. Desperate for information, the Americans set him free—in Madrid, where he is to report useful tidbits learned from the Arab street to his CIA handlers. The boy's fabrications eventually trigger a paroxysm of violence as the warring forces seek to protect identities and secrets. Abundant with graceful prose and gritty local color, the tale is unfortunately marred by a jagged chronology that disrupts the pace and development of the story. But the main protagonist, feisty interrogator Katherine Caldwell, is a well-drawn character whose strong loyalties balance precariously against the brutal efficiencies of the agency. In addition, Carr's purpose, as she notes in her acknowledgments, is to illuminate the vicious abuses that occurred under the reign (1961–99) of Moroccan King Hassan II, and American readers will gain insight into that country's oppressive Years of Lead. This worthy addition to the spy genre is recommended for large public libraries.—Barbara Conaty, Falls Church, VA

In this exciting and well-written follow-up to Napoleon's Pyramids, which traced American frontiersman Ethan Gage's adventures in Egypt during Napoléon's 1798 abortive attempt to conquer the Middle East, our 18th-century Indiana Jones seeks a lost love who might have died searching for a mystical, ancient artifact, the "Book of Truth," stolen from the Great Pyramid by Moses and brought to Israel. This possibly sacred scroll is also sought by villains who believe it has magical properties. Dietrich's latest tale is ripe with rich detail of the Holy Land of the period and its disparate peoples. Fascinating historical and fictional characters and good dialog add to the mix. Offering high adventure and good history, it's also great fun. Recommended for all popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/07.]—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Dobbs's fourth Winston Churchill novel (after Never Surrender), and his 12th book, attempts to humanize the Yalta Conference of February 1945 by presenting the thoughts and feelings of Churchill with an occasional glimpse into the minds of President Roosevelt and Marshal Stalin. Interspersed with the historical events of the conference's eight days, Dobbs's novel tells the story of a Polish cavalryman who witnessed the massacre of Polish officers in the forest at Katyn and now, a plumber for the Soviets, wants Churchill to rescue him before he is unmasked. In Dobbs's reconstruction, Churchill is a drunken fighter; Roosevelt, a doddering fool interested only in creating the United Nations and in enlisting Soviet assistance against Japan; and Stalin, a ferocious bully but a shrewd negotiator. The betrayal of the novel's subtitle is that of "dull-witted" Roosevelt, who seems set on appeasing the Soviets at Poland's expense. Churchill's triumph, revealed only in the epilog, turns out to be saving France and Germany as a bulwark against further Soviet expansion. He is thus credited with the eventual fall of communism and the freedom of Poland! While the rape of Poland is graphically portrayed, Dobbs's three protagonists come across as unsympathetic caricatures. Roosevelt is so odious that one wonders if any American other than a die-hard Anglophile will enjoy this book. A marginal purchase. [The author of the best-selling House of Cards, adapted into a popular PBS series, served as a chief adviser to prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major.—Ed.]—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tuscon

Erdrich adds more layers of history to her community centered on an Ojibwe reservation in rural North Dakota, and as her loyal readers understand, she is going to make us work for it. This latest novel (after The Game of Silence, a novel for children) begins with a mysterious killing. As the people of the town of Pluto get the chance to tell their stories, they are attempting to reconcile the tangible with the spiritual, the native with the Eurocentric, and the reason behind the murders is hidden within the struggle. Be it the power of nature, the power of the holy, or the power of one's ancestry, the people that populate these linked tales are at the mercy of unseen forces. Erdrich's stories require our patience, as we are offered bits and scraps that we must somehow arrange in order to get to the sum of their parts. She gives us credit for being smart enough to see the big picture, and the end result is always worth the effort. This work serves to bolster her body of work, and we are fortunate that such a gifted storyteller continues to focus her gaze on this region of the continent. Highly recommended for all fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/08.]—Susanne Wells, P.L. of Cincinnati & Hamilton Cty.

British chick lit author Fforde (Bidding for Love) writes great stories about funny, smart women. Her latest is the tale of Anna, an interior designer, who buys a small English country cottage in the hopes of restoring it to its former glory. She meets this challenge head-on, learning to do all of the work herself. At a school reunion, Anna reconnects with architect Max Gordon, the one that got away. He's unbelievably handsome, fabulously wealthy, and successful to boot. But before Anna can finish the house and live happily ever after with the dreamy Max, the equally good-looking but impossible Rob Hunter enters the scene, responsible for ensuring that Anna's cottage is restored correctly. Rob is quite helpful with Caroline, Anna's newly rescued greyhound, but Anna is unsure what to make of him. Is he friend or foe? Written in an engaging, comfortable manner, Fforde's romantic comedy is entertaining but still has something to say about being a woman of the world. Recommended for all public libraries. Library marketing campaign.—Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz, Cleveland P.L.

In a world dominated by extremes, Fioretos, a Swedish-born novelist living in Berlin, presents an honest and astonishing study of the marginalized and often stigmatized people who attempt to exist between the two, specifically, those who don't fit neatly into traditional sexual roles. Set in 1928 Berlin, it is a smart and sexy murder mystery as dark and disturbing as it is seductive in the beauty of the writing and the complexity of its characters. With the help of friend Dora, Sascha Knisch comes to accept his desire to dress as a woman. But following Dora's apparent murder, he is caught in a power struggle between the state police's vice and homicide departments. While we follow the narrator's personal struggle, we are kept off guard by the constantly shifting "facts" of the investigation. As the intriguing story moves toward its conclusion, it continues to duck into the dark corners of its labyrinth rather than accelerate rapidly toward a clean and predictable ending. This extraordinary novel is destined to be much discussed and is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—K.H. Cumiskey, Duke Univ. Lib., Durham, NC

Nan Mulholland is 60 and still getting used to being widowed. Though not really close to her daughter, Alex, she at least has the comfort of her four-year-old granddaughter, Jane. When, early one morning, Alex calls unexpectedly and asks Nan to fly from Seattle to the East Coast, Nan doesn't hesitate to comply. Alex believes her husband, Jane's father, has been abusing their daughter and that escape is the only option. Nan makes her way with Jane to Providence, the home of her closest friend and confidante, Deenie, but Deenie is not there. Through the kindness of strangers, Nan manages to protect Jane while awaiting further instructions from Alex, and it is the year Nan spends waiting for Alex to get in touch that she begins to have a real life and discover an inner strength she never knew she had. Harleman gives us an interesting look at the lengths to which people will go to protect their children. The characters are complex and struggle mightily to do the right thing, even in the face of their own self-interests. Recommended for larger fiction collections.—Robin Nesbitt, Columbus Metropolitan Lib., OH

Seeking stability for her two children, Vianne Rocher has suppressed her magical powers since last seen in the much-acclaimed Chocolat. With Anouk now a preteen and Rosette a special-needs preschooler, she has her hands full as she manages—What else?—a chocolaterie in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris. But the Halloween winds blow in Zozie, an identity-robbing witch disguised as a charismatic helpmate. Zozie ingratiates herself into this little family, stealthily planning her next diabolical theft, scheduled for Christmas Eve. As autumn flows by, the two women transform the drab shop's confections into something so delectable the pages practically ooze chocolate. Then Roux shows up—after four years—troubled by the changes in his former lover's lifestyle and by this newcomer. His appearance revitalizes Vianne and forces her to address what is happening in her household and to reclaim her own unique magic touch. The race against time gives the story intensity, and the three female characters come alive with Harris's trademark shifting narrations. Although it's a bit darker than Chocolat, readers will drink up this pleasurable tale of love. Highly recommended for all popular fiction collections. Expect high demand. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/07.]—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA

Once again, novelist Hoffman (Skylight Confessions) weaves a mesmerizing tale of the human condition, this time examining the nature of love. Set in London, her new novel tells the story of three different women, tangentially connected. The book's first part focuses on self-absorbed Maddy Heller, who has always coveted her sister Allie's life. That obsession continues when she has an affair with Allie's terminally ill fiancé, Paul. The second part travels back in time to follow Paul's mother, Frieda, as she becomes involved with an engaged and tragic rock star. The final section concerns Maddy and Allie's mother, Lucy Green, who was in the middle of a fraught love triangle many years before having the girls. Each of these women has lost her faith and each searches for the one angel on earth who can renew it for her. A solid story with a haunting plot line and interesting characters, this latest novel is sure to please Hoffman's fans and win over new readers. Recommended for all public library fiction collections.—Nanci Milone Hill, Nevins Memorial Lib., Metheun, MA

Jewell (Vince and Joy) weaves together the oddball lives of London misfits in this well-crafted and entertaining seventh novel, published in Britain as 31 Dream Street. An eccentric poet, Toby has established a rooming house for anyone needing refuge from the real world. There's rocker Ruby, on her own since age 16; mysterious actress Joanne, who won't speak to anyone in the house; earnest mailroom clerk Con and his freewheeling mum, Melinda; and recluse Gus, who's been there since before Toby inherited the sprawling house. When Gus dies, he leaves Toby money and instructions that Toby must use it to improve his life and not die alone as he did. With the help of the cute, friendly young woman across the street, Toby not only takes on a massive remodeling of the house, but decides to help his flatmates overhaul their lives. The characters are very appealing in their own quirky ways, and Jewell does a marvelous job tying their stories together. A little less like chick lit than some of her previous novels, this would also appeal to male readers who enjoy Nick Hornby. For most fiction collections.—Rebecca Vnuk, Glen Ellyn P.L., IL

When a retired schoolteacher is brutally stabbed in her driveway, LAPD Detective Milo Sturgis and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware must figure out who would want to kill her. Their ensuing investigation uncovers other, possibly related murders. The methods of killing vary, but the motives share a twisted altruistic element: the victims somehow "deserve" their deaths. The only things that seem to tie the crimes together are expensive scarves and black luxury cars. Although the story can be quite complex at times, the action is fast paced, and the many plot twists leave readers on the edge of their seats. Kellerman's writing is neat and not overly burdened by extraneous detail. His 22nd Alex Delaware thriller is recommended for all public libraries as demand is sure to be high for this best-selling author. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/07.]—Amanda Scott, Cambridge Springs P.L., PA

Baltimore is the temporary home of a big- budget television series, which doesn't please the locals as much as one would think. Tess Monaghan (No Good Deeds) manages to ruin a day's shooting while out rowing and in the process finds herself the sought-after security detail for Selene, the show's 20-year-old star. Strange things are happening on set, and Tess agrees to babysit providing the producers give boyfriend Crow's latest project, Lloyd, a job. The details are worked out, but when Tess is outsmarted by Selene, she is forced to bring in extra help. Then a production staffer is murdered, and it seems as if everyone on set is suspect, from the producers to the actors to the writers and the staff. The production of a TV series is complicated business, and Lippman includes lots of Hollywood detail in this Charm City murder mystery. It's an interesting story with a lot of characters, but, unfortunately, Tess is the only one that is fully fleshed out. Not Lippman's best effort, but fans of the series will want to read it anyway. Recommended for larger fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/07.]—Stacy Alesi, Boca Raton, FL

Dara, a therapist at a women's center, lives in the downstairs flat of her friend Abigail's London home. A workaholic actress and theatrical producer, Abigail lives upstairs with her boyfriend, Sean, a struggling Keats scholar and writer. Although Dara and Abigail were best friends in college, their lives are so busy there is not much time for getting together. Sean is financially strapped and agrees to coauthor a book on euthanasia. He suspects Abigail is having an affair. Dara is involved with a married man she is perennially sure will leave his wife. And although she is often able to help her clients with their problems, Dara has never resolved issues revolving around her parents' divorce. Her father, Cameron, has never been able to tell her he struggled with attractions to young girls, whom he photographed obsessively. How these four characters ultimately fail at connecting with each other results in a tragedy three will regret for the rest of their lives. Livesey's latest novel (after Banishing Verona) keeps readers brooding over the power of secrets in this dark and disturbing psychological tale. Recommended for literary fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/08.]—Keddy Ann Outlaw, Harris Cty. P.L., Houston

The authors, identical twins, have drawn on their joint experiences waiting tables to write a novel about the struggles of one waitress to make it in an upscale Manhattan restaurant. After losing her job at a marketing firm, Erin goes to work waiting tables at Roulette. She knows nothing about the intimidating restaurant business, but sheer determination and a little help from her friends get her through the harrowing ordeal of managing difficult customers, dealing with an ornery chef, and just trying to stay upright. Erin struggles with not only the job for which she is completely unqualified, but also a blooming relationship with Daniel, one of Roulette's customers. The novel touts a rather out-of-date message, that you are not your job and that you can date anyone you want, even if you're just a waitress. Often painful and sometimes funny, it will appeal to readers of Sophie Kinsella's "Shopaholic" series and other chick-lit tales of New York singles. Recommended for large popular fiction collections.—Anika Fajardo, Coll. of St. Catherine Lib., St. Paul, MN

Jamie McCloone is a middle-aged Irish farmer of modest means and simple ways. Unmarried and lonely, he lives in bachelor squalor and drinks a little too much at the pub. Lydia Devine, also middle-aged and unmarried, is a schoolteacher living with her judgmental, widowed mother. An upcoming wedding and the specter of once again taking her mother as her date sufficiently motivate Lydia to find a male companion by taking out a personal ad in the local paper. Jamie responds, and they eventually arrange a meeting, with ultimately surprising consequences. In the meantime, we learn about Jamie's abusive upbringing in a Catholic orphanage and Lydia's restrictive childhood under her harshly religious parents. However, the Dickensian horrors of Jamie's childhood are at odds with the sometimes slapstick scenes of his adulthood. And Lydia's grief over the loss of her mother seems greatly exaggerated in comparison to her earlier feelings of annoyance and weariness. But despite these disparities, first-time novelist McKenna (she previously published a memoir, My Mother Wore a Yellow Dress) has created characters that readers will care about, and her lyrical dialog and Irish colloquialisms are a delight to read. Recommended for public libraries.—Joy Humphrey, Pepperdine Law Lib., Malibu, CA

Best-selling Spanish author Navarro (The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud) crafts two fiction genres into one novel. On the surface, we have another religious thriller about a cache of sacred texts that will change all of Christendom; in this case, a version of the Bible dictated by Abraham to an apprentice scribe. The predominating story, however, is a revenge tale, and that is where the novel becomes a suspense thriller. There are two sets of four people. Each group consists of lifelong friends, committed to a monumental goal, bearing the load of a tremendous secret, and with seemingly unlimited resources. One group is after the clay tablets; the other has been seeking to exact revenge for 60 years. The backstory linking our groups depicts Nazi atrocities in unexpected and gruesome detail. As the book is set mostly in Iraq in the months leading up to the U.S. invasion, the author benefits from historical hindsight; however, her European political perspective at times seems more pontification than dialog. In the end, there's plenty of action and revenge, but no religious upheaval. Like her previous novel, the denouement is tragic and unsatisfying. Recommended for larger popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/07.]—Laura A.B. Cifelli, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., FL

Newton hits the ground running with this debut thriller, an action-packed, noir-as-can-be account of a week in the life of Chicago top cop Patti Black, whose terrible past hits her in the face after 23 years. An orphan at 12, Patti was sent to the Calumet City foster home of Annabelle and Roland Ganz, who spouted religion while sexually abusing their charges. When Annabelle's body is found entombed in the wall of a building after a gang shootout and a kidnapped, maimed, and murdered assistant district attorney turns out to be a fellow Ganz foster child, Patti fingers Roland, father of the son she gave up for adoption after running away at 15. But she's also being trailed by the FBI and the Chicago police's Internal Affairs Division (IAD), who threaten charges and jail despite the police chief's special assignments and protection, and by contract killers. With her only allies being her former tactical unit sergeant and a glamorous reporter who wants the story, Patti seeks retribution on the chase of her life. Raw, heart-pounding, adrenalin-producing fiction doesn't get much better than this. Highly recommended for all fiction collections. [The author was inspired by real-life Chicago beat cop Patti Black.—Ed.]—Michele Leber, Arlington, VA

Noted for her heart-wrenching stories and the complicated humanity of her characters, Picoult (The Tenth Circle; My Sister's Keeper) continues her successful foray into fiction. In her new novel, she delves into questions of faith, vengeance, and redemption by exploring the rage of a mother who has lost a daughter, the bitterness of a criminal on death row, and the fate of a critically ill child that forces them together one last time to test the question, Can even the most understandable thirst for vengeance be quashed if it means saving someone you love? Picoult tackles the most complicated personal and political issues with compassion and clarity, and her fans will want this one. Suitable for all public libraries.—Colleen S. Harris, Univ. of Tennessee Lib. at Chattanooga

In this country, Ramírez (To Bury Our Fathers) is probably best known as a former vice president of Nicaragua (1984–90) and a strong critic of the United States, but in Spanish-speaking countries he is regarded as a leading Nicaraguan fiction writer. This English-language translation of his Margarita, Está Linda la Mar, which won Spain's Alfaguara Prize in 1998, is, writes the publisher, "a complete metaphor of reality and legend, the entire history of [the author's] country." In 1907, famed poet Rubén Darío returns to his native Nicaragua, where he inscribes one of his most famous poems—that of the title—onto the fan of a nine-year-old girl. Forty-nine years later, the dictator Anastasio Somoza is assassinated by a group of intellectuals and poets. The novel weaves together these two stories in a highly complex structure: the reader must wade through several narrators; read transcribed radio conversations, letters, and even Somoza's curriculum vitae; and sift through legends and actual events. The result is a thoroughly engrossing political novel highly recommended for college and university libraries. [Visit the author online at www.sergioramirez.org.ni.—Ed.]—Mary Margaret Benson, Linfield Coll. Lib., McMinnville, OR

The three beautiful, red-headed Heller sisters, granddaughters of a respected literary critic, are inexplicably hailed by The New Yorker in a lavish photo spread as the new "it" girls. And so the rise to fame begins for Daria, Polly, and Amelia as fashion magazines, famous, sleazy actors, and paparazzi relentlessly take notice. Philip, their neglected and marginalized brother, is the lone voice of dissent, as the sisters soon become household names, quit school, and are featured on an eight-foot tall billboard in the middle of Manhattan's Union Square. When Amelia, at 14 the youngest of the sisters, lands a role in an off-Broadway play and breaks away from the sister act, the uneasy sibling rivalry surfaces and forces the three sisters and their brother to decide where their newfound fame will take them. In her funny and well-observed first novel, award-winning Broadway playwright Rebeck (Omnium Gatherum; Mauritius) weighs in on the peculiarity and absurdity of fame in modern America. In spite of the misleading and very dated cover on the advanced reading copy, this is much more than fluffy chick lit. Strongly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/07.]—Andrea Y. Griffith, Loma Linda Univ. Libs., CA

Known for his canny knack for combining the elements of love, national crisis, and humor, Skármeta, Chile's former ambassador to Germany, is also the author of the novel on which the highly popular movie Il Postino was based. Now that Chile has returned to democracy after its traumatic years of dictatorship, the president extends amnesty to all nonviolent criminals in the nation's overcrowded prisons. Among them are a charismatic young horse thief named Ángel Santiago and the master bank robber Nicolás Vergara Grey. Almost as soon as Ángel leaves prison, he meets a talented dancer named Victoria Ponce, who desperately needs cash to finance her lessons, and he hatches the plan for a breathtaking bank heist if only he can enlist the aid of Nicolás, who also happens to need cash to rekindle the flames of his marriage to the beautiful Teresa Capriatti. Because Ángel is a skilled horseman, an escape on horseback over the Andes to Buenos Aires for Ángel, Nicolás, and Victoria seems like the perfect getaway. Warm, witty, and universal, this novel by veteran and prize-winning novelist Skármeta is an absorbing page-turner. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/07.]—Jack Shreve, Allegany Coll. of Maryland, Cumberland

In Strauss's (Chang and Eng) third novel, TV airtime salesman Josh Goldin learns that his wife, Dori, has just taken their eight-month-old son, Zach, to the emergency room. This sets off a series of events that eventually forces Josh to question the state of medical care, the legal system, and his wife's sanity. When Zach is treated a second time for mysterious, life-threatening symptoms, head pediatrician Darlene Graves becomes suspicious and calls in Child Protective Services (CPS). Suddenly, the Goldins' suburban Long Island lives are made difficult by visits from the CPS investigator, and Darlene's life, too, becomes stressful as a newspaper reporter attacks her for going after innocent people and her long-lost father, a former prison inmate, suddenly turns up wanting to build a relationship. Ultimately, it is Josh who finds himself most conflicted, caught between his love for his wife and the mounting evidence that Dori might, in fact, be harming their son. The narrative switches from medical to psychological to courtroom drama as each character is gradually forced to face his or her own reality. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/08.]—Joshua Cohen, Mid-Hudson Lib. Syst., Poughkeepsie, NY

Award-winning sports columnist Todd's debut novel is based on family diaries and journals. Covering a 70-year span from 1863 to 1933, and set mostly in Nebraska and Montana, this family saga covers four generations of the Paint family, especially twin brothers Eli and Ezra Paint, who build the 8T8 Ranch up from nothing, near Prairie Dog Creek, NE. As an epic, it's very good at showing what life was like on the frontier—it even manages to tell a couple of pretty good stories, such as the lightning-blasted lynching of Eli Paint—but on the whole, readers will need the mindset of a historian to enjoy this book. Recommended for academic and regional collections (especially if the region is the northern Great Plains).—Ken St. Andre, Phoenix P.L.

Primatologist Dana Armstrong is passionate about making a difference in the lives of the animals living at a South Carolina chimpanzee sanctuary. But a break-in resulting in the escape of numerous chimpanzees forces Dana to not only determine who was responsible for the vandalism but also deal with her traumatic memories of the past—for Dana is a survivor of a psychological experiment, raised as a child with a chimp named Annie. She now faces opposition from the local community, political pressure from her university, and a ghost from her past who is bent upon her destruction. To further complicate matters, Dana's seldom-seen rogue brother appears on her doorstep, and a handsome journalist tugs at her heartstrings. Novelist Wesselmann (Trutor and the Balloonist; The Earth and the Sky) has once again combined a riveting plot with exciting characters to hold you spellbound until the last page. This novel, which raises many ethical and moral considerations, is most timely. On October 30, 2007, a chimpanzee named Washoe died at the age of 42. He was the first nonhuman known to communicate in a human language. [For your reading group, you might want to pair this with Elizabeth Hess's nonfiction Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human.—Ed.]—Melody Ballard, Pima Cty. P.L., Tucson, AZ

In this third in the author's series of witty novels about an eccentric and driven English family (after I'll Go To Bed at Noon and August), the family patriarch, retired art teacher Aldous Jones, is trying unsuccessfully to adjust to his new status as an aging widower. More or less in a continuous stupor, Aldous spends his time drinking heavily and settling into a vegetative state not much removed from the potato plants he has permitted to grow in a neglected cupboard—until the sight of a beloved Rembrandt painting captures his imagination, revives his flagging libido, and sends him off in search of romance and adventure. Following a memorable visit to his son in the bohemian quarter of Ostend, Belgium, Aldous pursues love and art with an intensity that spreads sound and fury among relatives, neighbors, and beyond. Rich in humor and pathos, this comedy of modern urban life with its richly defined main character will have wide appeal among readers of literary fiction. Recommended for most collections.—Starr E. Smith, Fairfax Cty. P.L., VA

Dean, author of the best-selling The Madonnas of Leningrad, has put together a stunning collection of stories. She presents several stories concerning actors: a gregarious puppeteer turns against his friends when he puts on his puppet in "What the Left Hand is Saying"; an actress in a traveling show realizes that she will lose her married lover in "Romance Manual"; and an aging part-time actor risks losing his marriage by accepting yet one more bit part in "Dan in the Gray Flannel Rat Suit." In the title story, a dying woman writes a letter to her ex-husband, forgiving him for the accident that killed their only child. In "The Afterlife of Lyle Stone," Lyle suffers a breakdown that causes him to question his life but forgets about it in the face of antidepressants. Characters are drawn subtly, with just enough detail to let the reader feel the personality, and the story is allowed to carry the characters to its conclusion. These polished stories evoke a more experienced writer than Dean, who has already had a career as an actor. Recommended for libraries where there is an interest in literary fiction or short stories.—Amy Ford, St. Mary's Cty. Lib., Lexington Park, MD

A sense of mystery and strangeness pervades these 13 stories by Pulitzer Prize winner Millhauser. Divided into three sections, the stories explore themes of excess and obsession. "Vanishing Acts," the first section, is the most realistic. "The Disappearance of Elaine Coleman" pins the guilt for the unexplained disappearance of an individual no one really knows on the narrator, along with all those who've rendered her invisible. "Dangerous Laughter" is the story of a suburban, teenage hysteria with fatal consequences. The "Impossible Architectures" section explores bizarre, fantastical worlds, such as the community in "The Other Town" that is an exact, unlived-in replica of another, and the ultimately invisible miniatures created by the master modeler of "In the Reign of Harad IV." The stories in the final section, "Heretical Histories," are set in seemingly parallel universes, including that of "The Wizard of West Orange," about an inventor resembling Thomas Edison who attempts to create a machine to replicate human touch. While not everything works, Millhauser's intelligence and originality shine through on every page. Recommended for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/07.]—Lawrence Rungren, Merrimack Valley Lib. Consortium, Andover, MA