New Items ~ December 2020

FICTION

After all I’ve done by Mina Hardy.  An expert nightmare, one of those rare thrillers whose answers are even more scarifying than its mysteries.

The cold millions by Jess Walter.  Two brothers are swept up in the turbulent class warfare of the early 20th century.

Dead man dancing by John Galligan.  Sheriff Heidi Kick is investigating an illicit cage fighting ring with ties to white nationalism when her husband suddenly goes missing.

Death comes as the end by Agatha Christie.  Egypt in 2000 B.C.  A priest’s daughter, investigating a suspicious death, uncovers an asp’s nest of jealousy, betrayal, and serial murder.

The dirty south by John Connolly.  A chilling blend of police procedural and gothic horror tale…perfect for fireside reading on cold, rainy nights.

Fortune favors the dead by Stephen Spotswood.  A sprightly period debut in the noir vein – a provocative gender-flipping of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.

Hidden Salem by Kay Hooper.  A town shrouded in the occult.  An evil that lurks in the dark.  The S.C.U. returns because what actually hides in the shadows and secrets of Salem is unlike anything the agents have ever encountered.

I saw him die by Andrew Wilson.  In a classic who-dun-it filled with red herrings and double-crosses, Agatha Christie investigates a mysterious death in the Scottish highlands.

Inheritors by Asako Serizawa.  A beautiful and brutal exploration of lives fragmented by the Pacific side of World War II.

Jane in love by Rachel Givney.  Jane Austen, heralded author, ends up time-traveling almost 200 years into the future.  There she finds the love she’s written about and the destiny she’s dreamed of…but is it worth her legacy?

Jingle all the way by Debbie Macomber.  Love can transform even the best-laid plans in this heartfelt Christmas novel.

The last great road bum by Hector Tobar.  A would-be writer leaves a comfortable existence in Urbana, Illinois, in order to travel the world in search of material for a great American novel.  Instead, he finds romance, danger, and the dark heart of the mid-20th century.

Memorial by Bryan Washington.  Benson and Mike, a mixed-race couple in Houston, search for the truth about themselves, each other, and their families.  It’s a subtle and moving exploration of love, family, race, and the long, frustrating search for home.

The missing sister by Elle Marr.  This follows a medical student to, around, and ultimately beneath Paris in search of the twin sister she’d been drifting away from.  Notable for its exploration of the uncanny bonds twins share and the killer’s memorable macabre motive.

Not my Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills.  A smart and sexy contemporary romance about a smoking-hot professional football player and the small-town girl he can’t resist.

On borrowed crime by Kate Young.  The Jane Doe book club enjoys guessing whodunit, but when murder happens in their midst, they discover solving crimes isn’t fun and games.

One more for Christmas by Sarah Morgan.  As the snowflakes fall on their first family celebration in years, the Mitchell women must learn that sometimes facing up to the past is all you need to heal your heart.

Plain bad heroines by Emily Danforth.  A horror-comedy centered around a New England boarding school for girls.

Ring shout by P. Djeli Clark.  A dark fantasy historical novel that gives a supernatural twist to the Ku Klux Klan’s reign of terror.

The secret lives of church ladies by Deesha Philyaw.  These 9 stories feature four generations of Black women grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church’s double standards and their own needs and passions.

The sentinel by Lee Child.  Jack Reacher is in Nashville and a voice in his head is telling him to walk away.  Of course, he doesn’t.

Sweet sorrow by David Nicholls.  A bittersweet yet funny coming-of-age tale about the heart-stopping thrill of first love – and how just one summer can forever change a life.

The switch by Beth O’Leary.  A grieving British woman and her grandmother switch homes and lives in an attempt to shake things up.  The result is a cozy hopeful escapade that will make readers laugh, cry, and feel inspired.

The wonder boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg.  A heartwarming novel about secrets of youth rediscovered, hometown memories, and the magical moment in ordinary lives.

 NEW DVDs

The Crown: the complete third season (2020) starring Olivia Colman

Gallipoli (1981) starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee

The informer (1935) starring Victor McLaglen

Quantum of Solace (2009) starring Daniel Craig

NONFICTION

The Bible with and without Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine.  The author shows how and why Jews and Christians read many of the same biblical texts differently.  Exploring and explaining these diverse perspectives, she reveals more clearly Scripture’s beauty and power.

Blue Sky Kingdom by Bruce Kirkby.  As it explores an ancient – and dying – Tibetan Buddhist culture, this delightful book also tells a timely, heartwarming story of a family’s search for peace away from the din of modern culture.

The bottom line for baby by Tina Bryson.  From sleep training to screens, thumb sucking to tummy time – what science says about it all.

Catching the wind by Neil Gabler.  The epic, definitive bio of Ted Kennedy – an immersive journey through the life of a complicated man and a sweeping history of the fall of liberalism and the collapse of political morality.

Celeste Holm Syndrome by David Lazar.  Fans of Hollywood’s Golden Age will delight in this affecting look at what makes actors truly memorable, even if they’re not in the spotlight.

The dead are arising by Les Payne.  An epic biography of Malcolm X.

Inside game by Keith Law.  Bad calls, strange moves, and what baseball behavior teaches us about ourselves.

Making work human by Eric Mosley.  How human centered companies are changing the future of work and the world.  How do you keep your employees engaged, creative, innovative, and productive?  Simple:  Work human!

Philip and Alexander by Adrian Goldsworthy.  This definitive bio of one of history’s most influential father/son duos tells the story of two rulers who gripped the world – and their rise and fall from power in ancient Greece.

Right place, right time by Bob Gruen.  An action-packed memoir that takes readers on the road with rock’s hardest-working photographer.  And the stories he tells….

Singular sensation by Michael Riedel.  The story of a transformative decade on Broadway, featuring gripping behind-the-scenes accounts of shows such as Rent, Angels in America, Chicago, The Lion King and The Producers – shows that changed the history of the American theater.

West Side Story by Richard Barrios.  While remaining always respectful to the movie and the people who made it, the author lays bare the behind-the-scenes tumult, elevating the book from a typical making-of story to something really special: a no-hold-bared chronicle of what it really takes to get a great movie made.

World wild vet by Evan Antin.  From the star of Animal Planet’s Evan Goes Wild comes a wild look at our natural world that is perfect for fans of Steve Irwin, James Herriot, and Bear Grylls.

Notes from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, and New York Times Book Review.