Fiction

Barry's follow-up to her wildly popular debut, The Lace Reader, offers readers a healthy sampling of celestial navigation, fairy tales, half-truths, witchcraft, and intrigue. Psychotherapist but troubled young woman Zee Finch strikes out on an emotional journey to acquire knowledge and insight about her family's past. On the threshold of marriage, she finds herself in deep despair over a patient's suicide and is compelled to reexamine the chaotic years preceding her own mother's suicide; however, this compulsion loosens Zee's grip on reality. Navigating between truth and fiction, Zee is finally able to move forward. Barry wisely places her novel in atmospheric Salem, MA, as literary history, sailing, and witchcraft form the backbone of this tale. VERDICT Zee's a vulnerable, likable character, and the dramatic narrative brings her experiences to life. Although readers will be perched on the edge of their seats while consuming this mesmerizing, suspenseful tale, there are a few convoluted and confusing aspects among the details. Fans will also appreciate the brief reappearances of characters from Barry's debut. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/10; 250,000-copy first printing, reading group guide, and seven-city tour; ebook ISBN 978-0-06-199250-6.]—Andrea Tarr, Corona P.L., CA

Most of us recycle everyday without giving it much thought. But what if we were recyclable? Daniel, who thinks of himself as a recycled soul, is different from everyone else—he remembers all his past lives. For over 1000 years, he's been learning how actions in one life affect the next and discovering that not everyone who returns has good intentions. But most of all, he remembers Sophia, despite her changing name and form, and while Sophia can't quite remember him, she's inexplicably drawn to get as close to him as she can. Although circumstances keep them apart time and time again, Daniel has mastered patience and has boundless faith that one day they will live a lifetime together. VERDICT Brashares's second adult novel (after The Last Summer [of You and Me]; author of the YA "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series) is reminiscent of Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife, and Daniel and Sophia's near misses and chance encounters captivate and entrance us. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/10; national tour.]—Jennifer Anderson, Texas A&M Univ.-Corpus Christi Lib.

It is 1908, and the dark clouds of World War I are beginning to gather. A naval arms race of epic proportions is under way, and the world's powers will stop at nothing to develop the best warships and, simultaneously, use deadly force to halt the development of other nations' navies. When several of America's leaders in naval technology are murdered, Isaac Bell (The Chase; The Wrecker) and the Van Dorn Detective Agency are brought in to both solve the crimes and stop the killers. A consummate assassin simply named the Spy is behind it all, but whom does he serve and why? VERDICT As with the previous two Isaac Bell novels, this title is rich in period detail, features exciting chases and nasty villains, and is a great fun read. Since Cussler and Scott are dealing with history, the series cannot go over the top like so many of Cussler's futuristic novels. Better, Isaac Bell is a superb action hero who moves elegantly and lethally through the period. Highly recommended. [See LJ 2/1/10; for more summer thrillers, see Andrew Smith's "Short Takes: Summer Men's Fiction," p. 68.—Ed.]—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

In summer 1969, Atlanta native Frances Ellerby goes to Miami for a wedding and meets not only Dennis DuVal, the man she will marry, but also Marse, a woman who becomes her best friend. The DuVal family owns a beach house on stilts in Biscayne Bay, where Dennis and Frances will spend many of the happiest years of their marriage. Their daughter, Margo, is born, then Frances has several miscarriages. Dennis is a lawyer but grows dissatisfied with his job. The family seems happiest on the water, boating and fishing. Frances never gets over her amazement that her life flourishes in gaudy, exotic Miami. Sometimes she feels she drifted into her marriage, but as the years go by, her deep commitment to family and friends, often tested, is portrayed with emotional depth. She changes before our eyes from a guileless girl to a woman of wisdom. VERDICT This decadeslong story of a marriage will appeal to fans of Barbara Bradford, Jodi Picoult, and Sue Miller, as well as readers who enjoy first novels.—Keddy Ann Outlaw, formerly with Harris Cty. P.L., Houston, TX

In 1985, Frank Mackey and Rosie Daly were 19, in love, and planning to run away together from Ireland to start a new life in England. When Rosie failed to meet him, Frank stayed in his hometown of Dublin, estranged from his dysfunctional family. But 22 years later, Frank, now on the Dublin Police Undercover Squad and boss of Det. Cassie Maddox (from The Likeness), finds his history in upheaval when his colleagues unearth Rosie's remains in a dilapidated house in his old neighborhood, and he's pulled back into his family of four siblings and their alcoholic, wife-beating father. When his younger brother dies days later—accident, suicide, or murder?—in the yard of the same old house, Frank connives to stay in the loop of the investigation as he tries to put the pieces together and his nine-year-old daughter becomes a key player in the case. VERDICT With French's masterly portrayal of family dynamics and responsibility and her adept depiction of young love and parental devotion, fans are unlikely to miss Maddox, the protagonist of her first two New York Times best sellers (Into the Woods; The Likeness). Psychological suspense at its best. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/10.]—Michele Leber, Arlington, VA

Suzanne leads a double life. She assumes one role when teaching English to wayward teens and another, very different guise with the men she chooses for her risky sexual encounters. While summering at an isolated cabin in northern Minnesota, she places a newspaper personal ad and receives two responses: one from incarcerated rapist Breville, the other from aimless cowboy Brill. Victim of a rape during her teen years, Suzanne begins a correspondence with Breville that starts with a series of candid, increasingly sensual letters and progresses to prison visits, then embarks on a string of random one-night stands with the erratic Brill. Through her craving for these two enigmatic men, Suzanne begins to come to terms with her own traumatic past. VERDICT In prose that is frankly sexual yet too raw to be truly erotic, Gibbon (Swimming Sweet Arrow) chronicles a damaged woman's attempt to heal herself through a series of destructive relationships. Compelling yet at times almost too uncomfortable to read, Thief will resonate with fans of Ellen Hopkins and Kathryn Harrison, as well as gritty memoirists like Kathie Dobie and Kerry Cohen.—Jeanne Bogino, New Lebanon Lib., NY

In 1814 Edinburgh, Sara Stevenson has brought shame to her well-educated, well-respected family by choosing the wrong young man to love. Worse yet, she not only gave Thomas Crichton her heart but she's expecting his child out of wedlock. On the day they were to elope, Thomas mysteriously disappeared, and Sara is banished to one of her father's most remote lighthouses on the wild Highland coast. Now she's under the watch of the unsociable lighthouse keeper, William Campbell, who's keeping some dark secrets of his own. Will either Sara or William survive the storm that brews between them? VERDICT The historical information on sailing the Scottish coast, details on how lighthouses functioned, and realistic portrayal of Highland life are the highlights in this slow-paced debut. Hannah's characters are fairly two-dimensional, and Sara is particularly hard to like, being alternately willful and whiny, although she softens toward the end. The underlying, semimystical story line explains the ghostly apparitions and time travel in the final chapter but doesn't prevent the novel from feeling a bit flat.—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

Oftentimes, sequels leave first-time readers confused, fail to develop a realistic or engaging plot, and don't add a creative new dimension to already established characters. Jenoff's follow-up to Almost Home avoids all these pitfalls. After U.S. Foreign Service diplomat Jordan Weiss discovers that her college lover Jared didn't really die in an accidental drowning, she sets off to find him and discover why he faked his death a decade ago. While following a mysterious woman somehow connected with him, Jordan reluctantly joins forces with Ari, a former Israeli operative with his own cryptic goals. Can the two of them trust each other and find the answers they are searching for? There are exciting twists and turns as Jordan and Ari follow the trail and begin to develop a cautious, potential romance. The story ends with a wallop, and Jenoff hints at a continuation of the series. VERDICT In this intelligent mixture of romance and espionage thriller, the main characters are complex, the relationship is slowly developed and realistic, and the story is just convoluted enough to engage but not confuse readers. Guaranteed to appeal to a wide variety of fiction readers, it's a winner in every way. [Ebook ISBN 978-1-4165-9795-7.]—Margaret Hanes, Civic Ctr. Lib., Warren, MI

Private Francis Vancleave is stationed in Tokyo just after World War II, serving as a typist for General MacArthur. His position puts him in contact with the elite units billeted near the Emperor's Palace; in fact, his roommate, Clifford, is in the Honor Guard and arranges for Francis to become a Saturday companion for MacArthur's young son. The narrator's strong first-person voice contrasts with his retiring, impassive demeanor, giving the novel a pensive tone that has more in common with an Alice Munro story than a typical war novel. Francis is hypersensitive to his bleak, war-torn surroundings and the plight of the ever-present panpan girls (prostitutes). Yet he barely reacts when he receives word of his wife's affair back in the States or when he learns of Clifford's growing entanglement in Tokyo's black market. But Francis's experiences subtly change him; he moves from being a typist—merely recording what passes before him—to taking charge of his life. VERDICT With its spare, economical prose, this novel brings a different slant to the theme of war and relationships. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/10.]—Reba Leiding, James Madison Univ. Libs., Harrisonburg, VA

Hired to make a documentary of a dying but secretive billionaire's early years in rural West Baden Springs, IN, Eric Shaw finds more than he bargained for in a small town still mired in its former glory and a hotel that holds more than just memories. A mysterious antique water bottle, a town reluctant to let go of old connections to fame and infamy, hallucinations, and a resurgent evil combine to bring readers a gripping chiller that will keep them guessing—and looking under the covers—until the last page. VERDICT This "Midwestern Gothic" by Los Angeles Times book prize winner Koryta (Envy the Night), who is making his Little, Brown debut, is a departure from the author's prior neo-noir crime novels, but it's being positively compared to Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Peter Straub. Fans of horror and supernatural suspense will enjoy his latest, and darkest, work yet. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/10; seven-city tour.]—Colleen S. Harris, North Carolina State Univ. Lib., Raleigh

Trouble erupts for television reporter Riley Spartz as she becomes the latest victim of Sam Pierce, an unscrupulous gossip columnist. After Sam publishes slanderous information about her in his "Piercing Eyes" newspaper column, Riley retaliates publicly. When Sam turns up dead, Riley is number one on the suspect list. Has Riley snapped? Is she guilty as charged? Will this be the move that destroys her career? As Riley struggles to save her good name, she must also contend with a cocky new reporter who seems to be jockeying for her job. Refusing to allow her fractured personal life to distract from active investigations, Riley seeks the identity of a headless victim and ardently attempts to uncover a possible plot behind local wind turbine explosions. VERDICT Best-selling author Kramer (Stalking Susan; Missing Mark) has delivered her finest Spartz novel to date; fiction readers will love this riveting, action-packed journey into television news investigations. [Ebook ISBN 978-1-4391-7803-4.]—Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

Having survived the extremes of brutality and privilege, and now at an advanced age, the former slave named Miss July is compelled to share the story of her life. Her grown son, a well-educated gentleman and a printer by trade, frames the story as he gently informs the reader of Miss July's headstrong ways. Powerless throughout most of her life, Miss July now clearly enjoys the opportunity to embellish—and to edit—her story however she wishes. Born to a Jamaican field slave in the 1820s, she tells heart-wrenching tales from her years on the Amity sugar plantation. As for the British plantation owners, their tendencies toward folly and self-delusion pave the way for the slave revolt known as the Baptist Wars of 1831. Even the best-intentioned whites who come to the island to fight for abolition end up succumbing to the intense Jamaican heat and the madness of the constant struggle for power. VERDICT As Levy proved in her Orange Prize-winning Small Island, her particular ability lies in giving voice to her characters. Her fifth novel is a stunning portrait of slavery and resilience that will stay with the reader long after the last page has been turned. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/10.]—Susanne Wells, P.L. of Cincinnati & Hamilton Cty.

No one is what he or she seems to be. Lustbader's fifth installment (after The Bourne Deception) of Ludlum's saga of rogue agent Jason Bourne finds Bourne in possession of a ring with a cryptic engraving. Bourne, a product of the newly reformed ruthless and clandestine American Central Intelligence program called Treadstone, is still being hunted by his former employer. Treadstone is anxious to capture Bourne and Russian Leonid Arkadin, two of their top lethal graduates, to find out where their training went wrong. If that fails they want to manipulate the killer-with-a-conscience Bourne and the unscrupulous Arkadin into destroying each other. As Bourne works to put the shattered pieces of his memories back together, he doesn't know whom or what to trust. And time is running short for Bourne as various parties work to gain control over the ring, a key to unimaginable wealth, and terminate the indestructible Bourne. VERDICT Thriller addicts who love intricate webs of conspiracy mixed with an adrenalin rush of action and global adventure will snap this one up. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/10; for more summer thrillers, see Andrew Smith's "Short Takes: Summer Men's Fiction," p. 68.—Ed.]—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L.s, MD

Anton Waker simply wanted to have an office job, a home, and a family. He never wanted to participate in his family's shady business dealings. His parents traffic in stolen goods, and he's been helping cousin Aria sell forged documents to illegal immigrants. Now he has a comfortable management job, but then Aria blackmailed him into doing one last job for her, and all prospects for a normal life seemed lost. In this intricate novel, her second after Last Night in Montreal, Mandel underscores the notion that everything in life comes with a price tag, and sometimes that cost is remarkably high. Although some situations seem contrived, overall the construction of the novel is unique and compelling. The story leaps from New York to Canada to Italy, unfolding slowly, allowing the reader only limited knowledge about the characters and their motivations until the ending. VERDICT An intriguing and suspenseful read that will appeal to those who like mysteries.—Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

After the long illness and death of his wife, chess player, baseball card collector, and short fiction writer Montese Crandall writes a novelization of the 2025 remake of a 1963 horror film, The Crawling Hand. In his novelization, "The Four Fingers of Death," Crandall depicts a not-too-distant future in which research has resulted in the production of bionic limbs that can lead lives of their own. After the failure of a manned mission to Mars, the spacecraft crash-lands on Earth with only a four-fingered arm aboard. Various parties race to possess this lone limb both to discover its Frankenstein-like secrets and to prevent it from harming humans as it crawls along its way. Crandall provides an introduction and an afterword to his novelization that sets it in the context of his own struggles with the power—and failure—of science to reconstitute the human body from spare parts through organ transplantation. VERDICT The novel's too-contrived language ("cretaceous reptilian carnivore," "petrochemical multi-use furniture modules") stretches credulity, and the protracted story often plods along tediously, but Moody does combine Kurt Vonnegut's masterly black humor with the apocalyptic scenery of B-movies and the postmodern playfulness of Neal Stephenson and David Foster Wallace in an ironic tale of humanity's foibles. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/10.]—Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Evanston, IL

Middle-aged widower Aoyama has lived alone with his son for a number of years. He recruits a filmmaker friend for a scheme that will help him land the perfect woman; they create a casting call for a movie they don't plan to make, and soon they are facing hundreds of résumés and interviews. They roll up their sleeves and start screening each woman. Unfortunately, Aoyama is fixated on one beautiful ballerina, Yamasaki Asami. Although there is mention of her sordid past, Aoyama isn't fazed, and he doesn't take the time to understand the subtle but dark history of his new love. By the time he realizes that she isn't the innocent he had fallen for, Yamasaki has already drawn him into her depravity. In a shocking turn of events, the two face off in a garish finish. VERDICT This dynamic novel—adapted into the cult classic movie of the same name in 1999—by Murakami, winner of Japan's prestigious literary Akutagawa Prize, moves at breakneck speed and spirals out of control. Not for the squeamish, this is a book you won't put down...until it's too late. Recommended for most libraries, especially in urban locations, with Asian and foreign-film fans.—Ron Samul, New London, CT

In this new work of historical fiction, Noyes (Angels and Apostles) effectively offers two separate stories, both taking place in mid-19th-century America and England. First, there is the story of Clara Gill, a reclusive illustrator spinster shut away from the world at large in her father's home in Rochester, NY. Clara's sternness and acute observations often intimidate the few people with whom she does interact, and as she is no longer young, her prospects in life are diminished. The second narrative focuses on the strange circumstances concerning two young sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox, whose lives takes a decidedly notorious turn when it is believed that they are able to communicate with the dead. When Clara, her father, and the Fox family become intertwined, Clara finds in Maggie something of a friend, which prompts her to begin to examine her own earlier life in London. Never knowing whether Maggie and Katie are charlatans, Clara nevertheless admires the girls' tenacity in warding off skeptics and continuing to offer séances to interested people. VERDICT A novel of beguiling characters that probes both belief and the veracity of emotion, this endlessly fascinating work should be considered by all fiction readers.—M. Neville, Trenton P.L., NJ

The latest by Palahniuk (Pygmy) reaches back to Hollywood's Golden Age with Hazie Coogan, a do-it-all assistant who narrates how she created, maintained, and defended the stardom of Katherine Kenton, a veteran actress known for chipper portrayals of historical wives. Thanks to Hazie, the relentlessly dumb Miss Kathie has survived multiple marriages, merciless beauty rituals, and more than her share of career peaks and valleys. Now Hazie faces her gravest challenge yet—Webster Carlton Westward III, a youthful suitor whose romantic overtures may be darkly motivated. Everything here is exaggerated: thunderous name dropping, ridiculous scripts in which playwright Lillian Hellman makes herself into a tall-tale historical hellcat, torrid sexual encounters, and the crassness of the gossip mill. VERDICT Palahniuk still has considerable linguistic firepower and satirical humor, but here he puts it in service of a repetitive, predictable story, never fulfilling the promise of a great premise. Constant, bold-faced references to Tinseltown obscurities become annoying long before the end of a short book. Palahniuk is coasting, and this title may annoy even dedicated fans. [Ebook ISBN 978-0-385-53317-1.]—Neil Hollands, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA

Robert Vishniak is a striver—not a bad thing in America, land of opportunity and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. Growing up working-class Jewish in northeast Philadelphia, he quickly realizes that there is more to life than the same old neighborhood, family, and friends. He's fortunate to be good-looking and hard-working, and he gets accepted at Tufts University. There he rooms with Sanford Trace, whose family is filthy rich and powerful. Trace can't be bothered to really attend classes—which is why he is at Tufts rather than Harvard with the rest of his friends. The combination of a successful college career and the right friends launches Robert on the proverbial path to riches, career climbing, and beautiful women. In this study of money, class, and love, debut novelist Pomerantz includes a few twists on the usual poor-boy-meets-rich-girl tale, giving the reader a different look at life in America from the Sixties to the Eighties. VERDICT Sure to be found in many beach bags this summer, this novel will appeal to fans of family sagas and coming-of-age stories. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/10.]—Robin Nesbitt, Columbus Metropolitan Lib., OH

Playwright Rebeck's second novel (after Three Girls and Their Brother) revolves around the crazy world of Manhattan real estate. Hours after her mother's funeral, cash-strapped Tina Finn finds herself installed as the new tenant in the 12-room apartment her mother shared with her second husband, Bill, also recently deceased. Tina's sisters, both sharks, realize they stand to inherit this fabulously expensive Upper West Side residence. Loser Tina is elected to stay and live in the apartment to strengthen their legal claim...except no one wants her there. The building's residents, especially the co-op board, hate the lowbrow Tina and her sisters. And then there are Bill's sons, who vehemently contest the Finn sisters' rights to the space. VERDICT This dark comedy is wildly uneven, although not without its bright spots. Urban libraries might find more interest.—Andrea Young Griffith, Loma Linda Univ. Lib., CA

Liz Carlyle makes her fifth foray (after Illegal Action) into thwarting the vile plots of evildoers, this time at the famed Gleneagles resort in Scotland, site of an upcoming peace summit. For its Middle Eastern players, the tense quest has never looked this promising, but reports point to a wily saboteur at work. Liz plumbs deeply into her quirky intuition to snag the elusive plotter but is catastrophically sidelined by a traffic accident. Or not? Rimington, onetime head of the famed British spy agency MI5, creates a tight cat's cradle of a plot along with plenty of realistic tradecraft and a shimmer of romance for a terrific summer read. VERDICT Suspense-loving Anglophiles will want to stock up on this and earlier Carlyle titles as well. And readers who have read all of Gayle Lynds's thrillers might want to try Rimington. [Ebook ISBN 978-0-307-59375-7.]—Barbara Conaty, Falls Church, VA

Charlotte is more than the successful author of Jane Eyre, she's also a magnet for trouble. While touring Bethlehem Royal Hospital, a.k.a. Bedlam, Charlotte believes one of the inmates is John Slade, the spy who captured her heart three years ago but then went missing. The man escapes before she can be sure, forcing Charlotte to search the streets of Whitechapel for clues. She quickly finds herself tangled in a web of intrigue that stretches from the tsar of Russia to the Queen of England. Thankfully, Charlotte tracks down Slade and together they just might be able save the British Empire, again. VERDICT This sequel to The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Brontë does not ascribe any special sleuthing capabilities to Charlotte, and unflattering depictions of important Victorian figures are inserted while Charlotte's real-life future husband, Arthur Bell Nichols, receives particularly harsh treatment. A wide variety of interesting scientific, political, and literary tidbits are crammed into this romantic mystery, but it left this reader wishing for a more focused story.—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

On a sunny August afternoon, realtor Annie O'Sullivan is just about to end an open house showing when a friendly, nicely dressed man appears. What seems to be a lucky break is really just the beginning of Annie's yearlong ordeal. During sessions with her psychologist, Annie takes the reader back to her abduction and narrates how she struggled to survive during and after the horror. Since the reader is reliving the events through Annie's own retelling, the material can be tough to take. That emotional challenge is alleviated by Annie's flashes of humor and defiance. In her mind, once a victim does not mean one forever. VERDICT While there is physical danger in what Annie experiences, the suspense is in her psychological struggle. Author praise of this highly touted debut includes comparisons to Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner, and those authors' fans will like this thriller. While this may be a stretch, the "what would I do" aspect of the reading experience may make this a match for some Jodi Picoult readers as well. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/10; 150,000-copy first printing; library marketing and prepub author tour.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

As head of homicide in Melbourne, Australia, Inspector Stephen Villani devotes himself to serving justice. Yet even as he pursues cases with single-minded intensity, he can't ignore a foreboding that the job is destroying him. Faced with a brutal triple homicide and an unidentified victim found in a penthouse apartment, Villani uncovers a sinister political dimension to the crimes as major players in the upcoming state elections try to influence the investigation. Meanwhile, Villani's drug-addicted teenage daughter is out on the streets, his marriage is in crisis, and bush fires threaten his father's life. VERDICT In this follow-up to the award-winning The Broken Shore, Temple spins a complex and powerful story with writing so top-notch that readers might be tempted to slow down and savor the prose if the plot line weren't so compelling. Villani is an unforgettable protagonist, a miserable, conflicted cop who somehow embodies grace in a malevolent world. Already acclaimed in Australia, Temple proves once again that he deserves to be better known among American crime fiction fans. Talk it up; highly recommended.—Kelsy Peterson, Johnson Cty. Community Coll., Overland Park, KS

Texan Jeremy Davis might have gone to Princeton, but his family needed him at home. Now a first-year student at the "world's most exclusive law school" (call it Yalvard), Davis holds his own among the elite. Selected as an assistant by a kingmaking professor, Davis embarks on a series of tests for entrée into a secret club. When he is paired with the female/Rhodes Scholar of his dreams for a mock trial competition, he sacrifices his ideals to destroy the career of his witness, impressing his partner and members of the club in the process. Yet without warning, Davis is deemed unworthy of the club. Along with some unlikely allies, he sets out to uncover the truth behind Yalvard's best-kept secret. VERDICT The characters are well developed and the writing sharp. Yalvard's steam tunnels come to life as this clever mystery unfolds. Until a too far-fetched denouement, this reviewer was fully engaged. Still, fans of Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club and Donna Tartt's The Secret History may enjoy. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/10.]—Laura A.B. Cifelli, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., FL

It took Turow more than 20 years to bring us the sequel to his best-selling first novel, Presumed Innocent, and it was worth the wait. Now 60 and long after being acquitted of murdering his mistress, Rusty Sabich has become chief judge of the Kindle County, IL, appellate court and is running for the state supreme court. When his wife dies in her sleep, Sabich waits 24 hours before calling his son or anyone else, setting off suspicions of foul play with his old nemesis, acting prosecutor Tommy Molto. The coroner determines she died of natural causes, but Molto and his chief deputy, Brand, quietly start building a case, convinced Sabich is trying to get away with murder again. VERDICT This is a beautifully written book with finely drawn characters and an intricate plot seamlessly weaving a troubled family story with a murder. Drawing the reader in and not letting go until the last page, Turow's legal thriller is a most worthy successor to Presumed Innocent and perhaps the author's finest work to date. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/10; for information on the audio edition, see "Major Audio Releases," LJ 4/15/10.—Ed.]—Stacy Alesi, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., Boca Raton, FL

Sixty-seven-year-old Milla lies on her deathbed, reliving more than 40 years spent on the family farm outside of Swellendam in South Africa. Ravaged by ALS, she can communicate only by blinking her eyes. Milla's black maid, Agaat, is her sole caretaker. The two share a more significant bond than that between Milla and Jak, her brutish, self-centered husband. It even surpasses Milla's connection to her son, Jakkie. Agaat reveals their complex past, a past further complicated because Agaat becomes Jakkie's nanny and principal companion despite her displacement as Milla's "adopted" daughter once Jakkie is born. Agaat cares for Milla, yet the caretaking duties reveal her frustration and fatigue, and the disease's progression has significantly altered their relationship's balance of power. Van Niekerk skillfully leads readers through the decades of Milla's life, remarkably combining second-person reminiscences with Milla's first-person diary entries. Ultimately, their story is a powerful allegory of the story of modern South Africa. VERDICT Winner of the Sunday Times(South Africa) Fiction Prize in 2007, this follow-up to Van Niekerk's acclaimed first novel, Triomf, is not comfortable or easy to digest but is essential for collections covering contemporary world fiction because of its exquisite and provocative writing and moving story.—Faye A. Chadwell, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR

Vintage clothing lover Phoebe opens her own resale boutique in London's Blackheath neighborhood, meeting much success. She's grateful for the hustle and bustle the shop provides, because it lets her forget her guilt over the death of her best childhood friend, not to mention that she just left her fiancé at the altar. When the elderly Mrs. Bell contracts with Phoebe to sell her entire wardrobe, Phoebe finds herself reeled in by the story of Mrs. Bell's childhood friend, thought lost in the horrors of the Holocaust. Additionally, our heroine's got not one but two new suitors keeping her on her toes. Sounds like a lot, but Wolff manages to keep every story line interesting and on track, including plenty of fashion talk. VERDICT Fans of British chick lit, rejoice! (And readers who aren't already fans, prepare to become such.) With a wide cast of realistic, wonderfully drawn characters, a deft blending of the past with the present, and a seemingly effortless managing of several plots at once, this charming novel by the author ofBehaving Badly and The Trials of Tiffany Trott deserves a place in all popular fiction collections.—Rebecca Vnuk, Forest Park, IL

Katherine is a former dancer unfulfilled by her current life as wife, mother, and part-time music teacher. A chance meeting with a poet at a fundraising event hosted by her father leads to an intense affair. Meanwhile, her father works single-mindedly to woo donors to build a library while coping with his declining health and personal demons. In her first novel, Woof commits the common sins of an unseasoned writer: telling more than showing and echoing words and phrases in close proximity. While the self-centeredness and failure to connect with loved ones exhibited by most of the main characters eventually reveals itself as a main theme of the book, it makes it difficult to engage with or have sympathy for them. VERDICT This is unlikely to attract a broad audience, as the artistic and academic realm in which it is set demands the more mature artistry of authors such as A.S. Byatt or Philip Roth to draw readers in.—Christine DeZelar-Tiedman, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis

This remarkable collection of 14 short stories explicating tradecraft from the OSS of World War II through today's "sleepers" and terrorists is contributed by leading contemporary American and British stars in spy fiction. Editor Penzler has chosen well as no disappointments lurk here, and the stories move the reader on a roller coaster of moods from dismal through the brightest of lights and back again. Prominent among the contributors, Charles McCarry summons West African horrors, John Lawton offers a hilarious con job, James Finder springs a sudden surprise, John Weisman demonstrates that it's hard for a spy to stay alive, and Dan Fesperman's storytelling shines, as does Stella Rimington's. VERDICT Those spy fans who enjoy the excellent writing in the celebrated novels of these contributors will discover no loss of tension or excitement here and are likely to acquire new appreciation for the skill with which the authors deliver their tales.—Jonathan Pearce, California State Univ.-Stanislaus, Stockton, CA

Readers who have enjoyed Eisenberg's four volumes of short stories or grown familiar with her work in The New Yorker over the past 20 years will be thrilled with this substantial collection, which demonstrates the full range of her talents. These satisfyingly lengthy stories also have the potential to engross readers who avoid the genre, having been left hanging one too many times with lazy, enigmatic endings. Eisenberg is equally at home with artsy Manhattan social comedy (see "Flotsam," from Transactions in a Foreign Currency and "Some Other, Better Otto," from Twilight of the Superheroes), Jamesian narratives that characterize complex relationships in gracefully balanced long sentences (see "A Cautionary Tale," from Under the 82nd Airborne), politically savvy stories that capture differences of race and class through the perspective of American transplants in countries like Honduras (see "Broken Glass," Transactions, and "Someone To Talk To," from All Around Atlantis), and clear-eyed stories that nevertheless reveal the disjointed perceptions of characters with tragically damaged psyches (see "Window," Twilight). VERDICT This impressive volume celebrates the prodigious talent of a writer who deserves to be better known.—Sue Russell, Bryn Mawr, PA