Fiction

Love is stronger than death, and secrets will always come out, as this carefully crafted debut novel reveals. When teenager Pinky Mittal unbolts a long-closed door, the spirit of a dead child emerges, forcing one Bombay family to deal with its private demons. Whether or not Pinky and her family are psychologically equipped to do so, however, is a question fraught with personal and political anguish. Readers who enjoy a good ghost story will appreciate the tense interplay between the living and the dead as the former seek to deny, then ignore, then banish the latter. Those who prefer realism will find Agarwal's snapshot of 1960s Bombay compelling and savor her attention to both historic and domestic details—the descriptions of food, jewelry, furniture, and religious ritual are particularly vivid. Agarwal's work will definitely appeal to fans of Monica Ali and Jhumpa Lahiri by virtue of its characters and setting, but it retains a fresh, original feel that will draw in new readers with its own literary merit. Recommended for all but the smallest fiction collections.—Leigh Anne Vrabel, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh

Eleven months after her husband's sudden death, Helen Ames remains helpless about home repair, ignorant of finances, and stymied by writer's block. Lonely and unsuited to any job outside the home, Helen has nothing to do but exasperate her adult daughter, Tessa, by intruding, until the family accountant calls asking about a secret withdrawal of $850,000 her husband made before dying. The mystery is quickly resolved, but in the meantime, Helen reluctantly agrees to lead an adult writing workshop for pay. The story then proceeds comfortably through Helen's coming to terms with her husband's surprise, her daughter's well-meaning withdrawal, and Helen's journey of self-discovery—with the help of her students—outside of her roles as wife, mother, writer. Prolific novelist Berg (The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted) is an accomplished master of women's fiction. Her warmth, humor, and forgiving eye for human nature, mixing wry observation with heartwarming moments, make this a pleasant read. Recommended for popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/09.]—Laurie A. Cavanaugh, Brockton P.L., MA

Center's second novel after The Bright Side of Disaster is a keeper. Lanie has just moved her family from Texas to Cambridge, MA, so that her husband, Peter, can realize his dream of becoming a professional musician. But while Peter is enthusiastic about his new challenges, Lanie mourns the loss of her old house in Houston and struggles not to go insane with the lack of money and her three little boys running wild. Changes happen slowly for Lanie. After having three babies, she is carrying extra weight, but the high of alone time at her new gym is enthralling. Then her mother mails some old cameras to Lanie, who signs up for a photography course taught by the creepy but talented Nelson. As Lanie's weight goes down and her artistic skills go up, her life with Peter is shaken. Can her marriage handle her transformation? The challenges and hilarity of young family life, combined with Lanie's heart-wrenching search for herself, will have readers laughing and crying. For all popular fiction collections.—Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC

The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012, and many wonder what will happen on that fateful day. That is the question D'Amato (Beauty) examines in this sprawling tome. Familiar with a game that the Mayans used to predict the future, Jed Deland successfully makes money on the stock market using the same methods. He ends up helping an organization with access to time-travel technology so that he can travel back at the height of the Mayan civilization, interact with these ancient people, and find out what the world can expect when the calendar ends. Not a thriller, a work of science fiction, or a historical, this novel is hard to define. End-of-the-world aficionados will find it compelling, but librarians will have a hard time booktalking it. It also ends with the dreaded four words: End of Book One. Will the entire series be published before the apocalypse? For larger collections only. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/08.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

Protagonist Aysha tells her story, flashing back to the events that led her to China. She had been teaching ESL classes in New York City when a Chinese student asked her to marry him so that he could become an American citizen. The essays he wrote for class told of his mother's suicide, his father's insistence that he leave instead of protesting at Tiananmen Square, and his deep shame at having abandoned China at a crucial time. Though moody and distant, he wooed her with home cooking, poetry, and Chinese lessons, and Aysha impulsively married him but said nothing to family or friends; the couple didn't even live together. She became pregnant, and then tragedy struck. This complex story of friendship, family, honor, and cultural differences is rich and deep. DeWoskin (Foreign Babes in Beijing) has firsthand knowledge of China, its language, and its traditions, as well as life in New York City, and her characters live and breathe. Recommended for all fiction collections.—Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Providence

After winning a big case, defense lawyer Sloane (The Jury Master) is approached by the widow of a national guardsman who was killed in Iraq. As a former soldier, Sloane is drawn to the unusual legal problems of bringing suit against the federal government, but he is also concerned about veterans' rights. His probe into what really happened in Iraq leads Sloane and his family into danger as they become the targets of a killer. This thriller is typical of suspense fiction that presents a hero facing almost impossible odds. Dugoni is able to rise above some of the routine aspects of the genre by presenting an interesting, contemporary plot that includes a possible Iraq War conspiracy. Recommended for fiction collections where legal thrillers are popular.—Joel W. Tscherne, Bryant & Stratton Coll., Cleveland

In this warmly amusing first novel, true love overtakes a grumpy old woman in Hungary, and her remote village is thrown into an uproar. Feared harridan Valeria falls for the local potter, a hapless widower content to make plates for his local customers. The potter had been seeing the woman who runs the bar where all the local men hang out, and she soon becomes jealous of Valeria and plots to sabotage the budding romance. Initially indecisive, the potter finally realizes that Valeria, for all her contrariness, has inspired him to create artistic masterpieces. Subplots involve the potter's apprentice, who refuses to commit to his own love, and the mayor's efforts to drag the remote village into the modern age. Throughout, the other villagers and bar patrons form a kind of Greek chorus. In the end, true love will conquer all, even though it might be injured a little by a broken beer bottle. Enjoyable and poignant, this work is recommended.—Jim Coan, SUNY Coll. at Oneonta Lib.

The latest novel from acclaimed Australian author Flanagan (Gould's Book of Fish; The Unknown Terrorist) is a meditation on the power of desire to transform lives. In an isolated Australian penal colony in the 1840s, an Aboriginal girl named Mathinna is adopted by the English governor, celebrated Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin, and his wife, Lady Jane. Devastated by her inability to bear a child, Lady Jane longs to coddle Mathinna but instead sets her on a rigid course of "improvement." Their thwarted relationship and Mathinna's subsequent emotional devastation form the aching core of the novel. A decade later, as Sir John and his crew slowly starve to death after an Arctic shipwreck, a London writer named Charles Dickens finds himself haunted by the story of the failed expedition. This obsession becomes The Frozen Deep, a play through which Dickens seeks to redeem his own emptiness. As always, Flanagan's prose is beautifully crafted, at once elegant and astonishing. This is Flanagan's most accessible work to date, and it should draw new fans. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/09; for a very different take on Charles Dickens, see Matthew Pearl's The Last Dickens, reviewed on p. 96.—Ed.]—Kelsy Peterson, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS

"Do you ever want to walk away from your life?" is the question that hangs over Flock's (Me & Emma) latest novel. Samantha Friedman's marriage is slowly eroding from lack of interest, something she suspected as early as her honeymoon. The adoption of Cammy, a two-year-old crack baby, and the subsequent birth of twin sons failed to improve the marriage. Samantha's friendship with a married man and her self-absorption in her own problems blind her to her daughter's cries for help. Now 16, Cammy feels unwanted and unloved, and turns to drugs and sex. This is a story that can only end in heartbreak. Unfortunately, it is not a particularly original one. With its language, sex, and drugs, this dreary tale is recommended only for those libraries that need additional books for readers who enjoy "problem fiction," as popularized by Oprah's Book Club picks.—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Oberleutnant Wilhelm Wetzlar and Lt. Henry Montgomery exchange civilities and makeshift gifts as German and British soldiers lay down their arms during the Christmas Truce of 1914. Wilhelm asks Henry to find his girl, Sam, a schoolteacher living near Stratford, and give her his photograph in uniform to explain his sudden disappearance. Wounded weeks later, Hal seeks to fulfill the request but instead becomes a suitor to Sam and a father figure to the son Wilhelm never knew he had. Hal's deception catapults this story through World War I and threatens to unravel these characters' lives. Descriptions of spying, intrigue, intelligence operations, jingoism of every stripe, and technological and medical breakthroughs reveal how those across the pond experienced the war to end all wars. The historical detail adds to the drama as first novelist Ford (a pseudonym for a British historian) keeps the reader on a knife's edge as the lies build and the truth is only a word or misstep away. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction as well as those who enjoy tales of espionage. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/09.]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

Carley Wells, nearly 16, has reportedly never met a book she likes. Aghast, her nouveaux riches parents decide that their daughter needs a "passion," and so to ensure that she does not remain intellectually impoverished, they commission a previously underappreciated writer to live at their estate and write a book to Carley's specifications. As she finds herself drawn into the story being assembled, Carley's life is dramatically altered. Complications persist in the form of Hunter, Carley's F. Scott Fitzgerald-obsessed best friend bent on self-destruction, and Bree, the hired novelist now separated from her previous existence. From the opening sentence of this strongly sardonic satire, Gibson's debut, it is clear that nothing is sacred. Whether examining trendy charity functions or the muted morals of the so-very-rich, her acerbic, acidic book is right on the money. The major surprise is that the novel also has a heart, and Carley leaps off the page as the most real character. Gibson's inventive language also enlivens this overly long novel; especially winning is the construction of the novel-within-the-novel. Readers fond of Claire Messaud and Marisha Pessl might want to try Gibson's bold outing. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/09.]—Andrea Tarr, Corona P.L., CA

Fans of Kellerman's Dr. Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis will find them in his latest novel, but only in passing. Half brothers, private eye Aaron Fox and LAPD detective Moe Reed (Bones), are center stage in this whodunit. They happen to be investigating the same case, and their examination of the life of missing 20-year-old Caitlin Frostig turns up connections she had with various lowlifes, the details of which form the bulk of the novel. As the brothers begin to overcome their issues with each other, they start to piece together the disappearance of another girl and her son, who are associated with Caitlin. All of this eventually leads back to the current whereabouts of Caitlin. Kellerman's writing, usually neat and not overly burdened by extraneous detail, fails to move the story along, as is the case with the unsympathetic characters. The conclusion is too easily wrapped up as well. Public libraries should see demand for this best-selling author, but readers who are not already fans probably won't take notice. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/08.]—Amanda Scott, Cambridge Springs P.L., PA

Award-winning author Kirshenbaum (e.g., A Disturbance in One Place) here blends the story of a love affair with one character's recollection of her immediate and ancestral family. While on vacation and with her future plans adrift, Sylvia Landsman—divorced, American, and Jewish—meets Henry, an expatriate living in Europe who also has ample time on his hands. Initial strong mutual attraction prompts these two to begin traveling Europe's back roads together, with Henry at the wheel. During their excursion from town to town and villa to villa, Sylvia relates the story of her life and her family's background. What she reveals is both humorous and at times disturbing. The shifts between past and present can be abrupt and disconcerting, but they become less problematic as the novel progresses. Ultimately, Kirshenbaum seems to be telling us that it is perhaps this filling in of all the gaps, when the future is uncertain, that allows love to grow. Recommended for all academic fiction collections and larger public libraries.—M. Neville, Trenton P.L., NJ

Readers who enjoy the suspense novels of Raymond Khoury and Julia Navarro may think this is one stamped from that die; they will probably be disappointed. Knox (the pseudonym of British author Sean Thomas) introduces us to war reporter Rob Luttrell, a bit shell-shocked from his eyewitness coverage of suicide bombings in Baghdad. To help him recover, his editor sends Rob to write a relaxing National Geographic-like spread on an archaeological dig in Kurdistan. How much trouble can Rob get into? Plenty! He stumbles upon practitioners of an ancient quasi-demonic religion protecting the site and a wealthy, insane British schoolboy whose family legacy charges him with the protection of certain buried "secrets." This lunatic and his cadre wreak havoc in England and abroad, perpetrating heinous, grisly, and rather literary murders that scream horror, not suspense/thriller. The body count is high, and characters to whom we warmed are brutalized. Religion, too, is debunked. The titular "secret" is overplayed all the way to the tidy, happy ending. Recommended for large popular fiction collections with generous budgets.—Laura A.B. Cifelli, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., FL

Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet is a mapmaker whose highly accomplished drawings have appeared in exhibitions at the Smithsonian and have garnered him the coveted Baird Prize, for which he is asked to come to Washington, DC, and deliver an acceptance speech. Unbeknown to everyone, T.S. Spivet is a 12-year-old boy who lives on a Montana ranch with his cowboy father, scientist mother, and bored teenage sister. Unwilling to forgo his award by revealing his age, T.S. secretly hops a freight train and travels to DC. Among the bizarre and impractical items he brings along is his mother's notebook, in which she has written a partially fictional account of their ancestor Emma Osterville, who struggled to be a scientist in a misogynistic environment. Emma's story in some ways parallels T.S.'s, as they both battle narrow-minded thinking in the world of science. Debut novelist Larsen's writing is as detailed and absorbing as a map, and while the ending is a bit of a stretch, the overall story is a delightful and poignant adventure. Recommended for all fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/09.]—Joy Humphrey, Pepperdine Univ. Law Lib., Malibu, CA

Eric Loesch, the narrator of this fifth novel from Lennon (Mailman), returns to rural upstate New York to buy land near where he grew up. He finds the town rundown, the ramshackle house on his property in need of major renovation, and his childhood neighborhood blighted with abandoned cars and weed-filled yards. Eric himself is a disagreeable loner, rebuffing the friendly locals, sometimes violently. Then he makes a startling discovery—a parcel of land with a large rock formation and the ruins of a castle sits in the middle of his property but is not part of his deed. His obsession to find its owner not only opens doors into a dark relationship with his father and a peculiar psychologist named Avery Stiles but also discloses Eric's own violent past in command of a U.S. Army prison in Iraq. The appearance of his estranged sister, Jill, helps him sort out sinister elements in his past that he does not understand. This gripping novel will solidify Lennon's reputation; highly recommended for all public libraries.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Grand Junction, CO

The fifth entry (after The Shop on Blossom Street, A Good Yarn, Back on Blossom Street, and Twenty Wishes) in Macomber's "Blossom Street" series follows her successful format of introducing new as well as familiar characters through their joint association at Lydia Goetz's Seattle knit shop. This time, Lydia is offering a "Knit to Quit" class, which attracts a woman trying to forget her unfaithful boyfriend, a man ordered by his doctor to reduce stress, and another young woman trying to give up smoking. Under the gentle guidance of Lydia and her cantankerous sister, Margaret, the class succeeds in coping with their issues in a variety of ways. Macomber manages to remain optimistic if not a tad unrealistic in resolving all of the dilemmas presented and ensuring a happy and satisfying conclusion. Knitting definitely plays a role here, but it shouldn't deter readers who don't have a passion for the needle arts from enjoying this title. Macomber shows no signs of fatigue in keeping her fictional Blossom Street books unique and entertaining. Recommended for all public libraries.—Margaret Hanes, Civic Center Lib., Warren, MI

Each person's grief is unique and, as with an accident along the side of the road, everyone slows down to witness another's suffering, thinking, "That could easily have been me." Clearly, there is a market for books that provide this sense of vicarious suffering and ultimately empowering self-discovery, and this debut novel about grief and repurposing one's life after tremendous loss fits the mold. It begins with a sense of foreboding and a dark secret tied to the protagonist's family farm in South Africa (where the author was born). Abbe Deighton has since fled her homeland and now lives with her husband and young daughter in Hawaii. She chafes in her role as minister's wife and suburban mother and is unhappy without really being able to pin down why. When her daughter's accidental death tears her life apart, Abbe must return to South Africa in order to discover the truth about her own mother and to begin healing. The character development in this novel is quite engaging, but ultimately the plot is somewhat predictable. Recommended for larger collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/09.]—Gwen Vredevoogd, Marymount Univ., Arlington, VA

Olmstead's seventh novel (after the award-winning Coal Black Horse) employs a sparse, poetic style that is appropriate for the book's bleak setting and subject matter. Set in the Mexican desert in 1916, the novel follows Napoleon Childs, a veteran soldier in the American Expeditionary Force sent to capture Pancho Villa. The futility of this mission is compounded by unendurable conditions and the pointless violence of the war. The novel revolves around an expedition to collect livestock, the grisly battle that ensues, and Childs's improbable struggle for survival. His attempts to make sense of this experience and of his life spent in the army are portrayed powerfully and subtly, and his conclusion that he has died and been reborn presages the death of the 19th-century world with the arrival of World War I. Recommended for public and academic libraries.—Douglas Southard, CRA International, Inc., Boston

Pearl's third historical novel (after The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow) explores the circumstances surrounding Charles Dickens's unfinished last work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Boston publisher James Osgood eagerly awaits the final installments of Drood after hearing of Dickens's sudden death. Unfortunately, Osgood's trusted messenger, Daniel, is killed before he can deliver the manuscript to the publishing house, and the manuscript disappears. Could Osgood's publishing rivals have stolen it, or is there an even deeper mystery going on? Accompanied by Daniel's sister, Osgood travels to England to search for clues about how Dickens planned on finishing Drood, unaware his enemies are close at hand. Pearl enriches his story through extended flashbacks, the inclusion of actual historical figures, including Osgood himself, and an in-depth knowledge of Dickens's career and literary works. Strongly recommended for all public libraries. [For some very different literary takes on Charles Dickens, see Richard Flanagan's Wanting, reviewed on p. 94, and Dan Simmons's Drood, reviewed in LJ 1/09.—Ed.]—Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib., CA

Fans of popular author Picoult (My Sister's Keeper) won't be disappointed with her newest novel, which offers a glimpse into the life of a family whose daughter is born with a severe medical condition that could have been prevented, but at what cost? Sean and Charlotte O'Keefe's magical world is turned upside down when daughter Willow is born with brittle bone disease, a disease so severe that Charlotte is forced into the role of caretaker for Willow and emotionally abandoning older daughter Amelia. It's only when Charlotte decides to sue for wrongful death that the family begins to unravel—even if the reason for the lawsuit is for Willow's future. In order to win the lawsuit, Willow's parents have to claim that they would have aborted her if they had known about her condition, a claim that is so abhorrent that it literally fractures the family. Picoult's novels are like Russian nesting dolls, with each plot unveiling a subplot, leading to an ending that readers never see coming. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/08.]—Marika Zemke, Commerce Twp. Community Lib., MI

In his latest outing, Agent Pendergast (The Wheel of Darkness) and partner Lieutenant D'Agosta probe the murder of a reporter they both admired and considered a friend. The evidence appears to be a slam dunk because the perpetrator was seen by several people who knew him and appears on security camera footage holding a bloody knife right after the crime. The only problem—the man they are looking for was found floating in the Hudson River days before. When Pendergast heads to the morgue to examine the corpse, he discovers the body has disappeared. Blend in a secretive cult that believes in animal sacrifices and the possible reanimation of the dead, and the result is another winner from thriller masters Preston and Child, who specialize in a compelling story, intriguing characters, and the implausible becoming terrifyingly real. Even though Pendergast is prominent here, D'Agosta has a chance to shine as well. Another guaranteed hit that is highly recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/09; see also the Q&A with Child in the Feb. 5 edition of LJ's BookSmack! e-newsletter at tinyurl.com/co4ng5.—Ed.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

It is 1947, and teenager Sally Werner is on the run in rural Pennsylvania, fleeing her family and the newborn son conceived after a brief encounter with an older cousin. She follows the river north on the first of several abrupt, desperate journeys that take her farther from each reinvented life. Depending upon the kindness of strangers generally works, but tragic and violent love affairs leave Sally with emotional and physical scars as well as a daughter, Penelope. Over six decades, we follow mother and daughter and then granddaughter and namesake, Sally, who serves as narrator and as her grandmother's confidante. The elder Sally finds contentment later in life, but secrets and misunderstandings threaten Penelope's happiness. Through it all, the fictional Tuskee River keeps flowing, and sightings of a mythical creature periodically occur. While Scott (The Manikin) finely dissects the lives of these American women with realism and respect, the work sometimes sags beneath its own weighty detail. An optional purchase.—Jenn B. Stidham, Houston Community Coll.-Northeast Lib.

CIA "cleaner" Micah Dalton is in bad standing with the Company but manages to acquire yet another wound and slaughter five bad guys in the first few pages of this suspenseful sequel to the author's two previous breath-stoppers (The Echelon Vendetta and The Orpheus Deception). The novel's violence is juicily graphic, and Stone's main evildoer is nearly satanic. Stone's work is not smoothly literary, instead moving in leaps from one subplot, one location, and one character set to another. Even so, his descriptions of the many different settings are nicely detailed; there are numerous characters, but not an excessive amount because of Stone's proficiency at rendering each memorable. His technique lends authenticity to the main story line, part revenge tale, part search for a possible mole in one of America's intelligence agencies. In the end, readers may be left with as many questions as answers. Recommended for all public libraries.—Jonathan Pearce, California State Univ., Stanislaus

This latest from Tóibín (The Master) begins in the southwestern Ireland town of Enniscorthy during the early 1950s, where dutiful daughter, doting sister, and aspiring bookkeeper Eilis Lacey lives with her mother and older sister, Rose. Her brothers have long since left Ireland to seek work in England, and Eilis herself soon departs for Brooklyn, NY. Once there, she attempts to master living and working in a strange land and to quell an acute and threatening loneliness. Initially friendless and of few means, Eilis gradually embraces new freedoms. She excels in work and school, falls in love, and begins to imagine a life in America. When tragedy strikes in Enniscorthy, however, Eilis returns to discover the hopes and aspirations once beyond her grasp are now hers for the taking. Tóibín conveys Eilis's transformative struggles with an aching lyricism reminiscent of the mature Henry James and ultimately confers upon his readers a sort of grace that illuminates the opportunities for tenderness in our lives. Both more accessible and more sublime than his previous works, this is highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/09.]—J. Greg Matthews, Washington State Univ. Libs., Pullman

Sir Richard Francis Burton's (1821–90) facility in learning languages and assimilating into indigenous cultures made him an enigma to other British colonial officers. The accounts from various narrators who describe his exploits in this German prize-winning novel leave him an enigma to readers as well. Burton's Indian servant relates his memories to a scribe who reworks the story further. The Grand Vizier conducts an investigation into Burton's participation in the hajj after his account of the experience is published in Britain. The man who guided Burton and others in their search for the source of the Nile enthralls listeners with tales from the journeys. Troyanov's narrative interludes offer additional information about Burton's activities in India, Arabia, and Africa but reveal little about what drove him to danger and adventure. Readers with a basic knowledge of Burton's life, an appreciation for lengthy descriptions of exotic locales, and a tolerance for ambiguity will fare better than those looking for plot or character development. Marketing campaigns may create demand in public libraries.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Mankato

Venezia's debut novel covers not 1000 years but about 150 in the lives of the Falcone family of the Basilicata Province, a poor, mountainous region in southern Italy, "down near the heel of the boot, that spot where blood stagnates and has trouble making its way back up the leg." In a striking opening scene, we are introduced to Don Francesco, the family patriarch, by following a stream of olive oil up the streets of town to the Falcone house, where large jars of oil in the storeroom have been shattered by the screams of Francesco's wife, Concetta, in labor upstairs. Venezia has a talent for constructing these elaborate and poetic set pieces as she proceeds rather quickly through the generations of Falcones, concluding with the story of Gioia, an actress in the 1980s who returns to the ancestral home and revisits her family history. This technique leaves behind a parade of memorable characters almost as soon as they are introduced, but it does create the intended effect of a family as a bittersweet blur of memory. Recommended for larger fiction collections.—Forest Turner, Suffolk Cty. House of Correction Lib., Boston

Fifteen-year-old Benji has spent every summer since he can remember in Sag Harbor, NY. The rest of the year, he's a black preppie from Manhattan, with a doctor father and a lawyer mother and a younger brother, Reggie. It is 1985, and Reggie gets a job at Burger King, leaving Benji (who would prefer to be called Ben) to hang with his summer friends (the term posse wasn't invented yet), other black prep school refugees. Not a lot happens during those three months. Or does everything happen, all that matters to an insecure, nerdy teen just beginning to recognize the man he might become? Scooping ice cream at Jonni Waffle, riding to the "white beach" with the one guy who's got a car, trying to crash a Lisa Lisa concert at the hip club, and kissing a girl and copping a feel are significant events in a life that encompasses generations of folks who called Sag Harbor home. Wonderful, evocative writing, as always, from Whitehead (Apex Hides the Hurt); male readers especially will relate. Highly recommended. [Prepub Alert, LJ 12/08.]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

By now, 9/11 has established itself as a marker in modern literature. Ward uses it to touching effect in the first story in this lovely collection about ordinary people trying to find meaningful love. The "When do we start a family?" chat begun by Zelda and her husband is ambushed by her need to get Cipro in case of an anthrax attack. Small, efficient gestures are evident in "Butte as in Beautiful" when the class valedictorian bypasses college for a job at the local library and a brief, half-hearted engagement. Parental abandonment and miscarriage are front and center in "The Stars Are Bright in Texas." Six beautifully rendered stories track a decade in the life of Lola, whose beau leaves her for a pregnant Miss Montana. Lola then elopes and must struggle with life in Saudi Arabia as an "oil man's wife," where fabulous incomes are no match for the suffocating restrictions imposed on women. Back in the United States, the demands of children and reduced circumstances take a not unfamiliar toll on her marriage. Ward's often bewildered characters' efforts to keep trying to get it right is romantic courage at its most vulnerable. Strongly recommended.—Beth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI

Will a river-running trip down the Rio Grande help park ranger Anna Pigeon recover from her devastating winter in Isle Royale (Winter Study)? Wrung out and struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, Anna has been put on administrative leave. She and husband Paul opt to vacation in Texas's Big Bend National Park. The group trip quickly hits the rapids, leaving them raftless and helping a half-drowned woman give birth at the river's edge. Who is she, and is she a Mexican national? When this stranger dies and a sharpshooter starts aiming at the tourists, Anna moves into full gear—with a newborn baby in her arms. The parallel story involves Darden White, a longtime security guard smoothing the way for his charge, who is launching a campaign for governor at Big Bend. Mayor Judith Pierson is as scrappy as Anna, and when the two story lines intersect, fierce action ensues. Straddling the U.S.-Mexico border, the Rio Grande makes a fitting metaphor for the undercurrents in our two countries' relationships. Leave it to Anna to tackle both racism and sexism in her usual, indefatigable way. An essential series for all public library mystery collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/08.]—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA

This debut mystery introduces Police Chief Kate Burkholder of Painters Mill, OH. Kate grew up in that Amish community but abandoned her heritage after a traumatic event in her teen years. Now she's back, using her Amish background to navigate between the two factions in the community. Her hard-won equanimity is shaken when the body of a young woman is found. The murder appears to be nearly identical to a series of killings from 16 years ago, though Kate knows that it can't be the same person. As successive murders follow, she is forced to walk a tightrope between running a good investigation and protecting herself and her family. Sworn marks Castillo's move from romantic suspense to straight mystery, and judging by this novel, the move is a good one. Though the ending feels a bit rushed and serial killers abound in crime fiction today, this is very well done. The small-town setting, complicated relationships among the inhabitants, and the strong but battle-scarred protagonist bring Julia Spencer-Fleming's series to mind. Highly recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 2/1/09.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

A gritty case of child abduction and serial murder and the obsessive grief of a widowed husband are at the heart of Hill's latest Simon Serailler mystery (after Various Haunts of Men and Pure in Heart). While preparing for a posh London exhibit of his drawings, Simon is called to join a team searching for a number of children who have been abducted near his village of Lafferton. A suspect is quickly detained, but the evidence is scant. As Simon mentors the team through the investigation, violence rattles the village further as a young widower, crazy with grief, takes the new Anglican priest hostage. The handsome and enigmatic detective is instantly attracted to this feisty lady cleric, who ruffles his reserve and just might break his heart. Hill blends just the right measures of darkness, tension, and human interest. Her consistently well-crafted plot and believable characters make this a welcome addition to the series. Highly recommended.—Susan Clifford Braun, Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA