A reader came in to the library today and asked me to post the following on the blog (since I really liked the book, also, I was happy to!):

Million Dollar Baby by Amy Patricia Meade

Described in a review as a "vintage-style" this mystery is a delightful mix of humor, plays on words, and dead bodies. Marjorie McClelland, herself a young writer of mysteries, lives in a post-Prohibition small Connecticut town. Three hours drive from New York City, the village has attracted the attention of millionaire Creighton Ashcroft. Ashcroft, smitten by Marjorie, consents to edit her book in progress. Marjorie convinces him that, for inspiration, they need to help the local police solve a mystery or two. And the die is cast.

This reader is none too patiently awaiting the promised sequel Ghost of a Chance.

Mystery Lover

THE BOOKMAN'S PROMISE—John Dunning—Hero Cliff Janeway, bookman (and ex-police) makes a promise to an elderly woman to pursue a collection of books allegedly belonging to her family and authored by explorer Richard Francis Burton. Immediately after the promise is made, the elderly lady dies. With few clues, Janeway traces the book, moving the setting to Charleston, S.C. and the possible affect the material gathered would have on the history of the Civil War. Joining Janway the young, lovely, Erin D'Angelo, attorney, and Koko, confident of the elderly woman. Fun/brash/dialog which moves the story right along, a fun read.

The SYSTEM of the WORLD--Neal Stephenseon--For those interested in the history and life in England in the early 16th Century, this, together with with the others in the trilogy, called the Baroque Cycle, QUICKSILVER and THE CONFUSION leave few details omitted as a variety of Characters move around England, Europe, and, indeed, the world. The combined almost 3000 pages explore chanes of thought/governmental/economic systems taking place thorugh that time and involve fictional and real characters, delimas faced and solved. TIME mazaine says of the Baroque Cycle "...will defy any category, genre, precedent, or label--except genious....Stephenson has a once-in-a-generation gift: he makes complex ideas clear, and he makes them funny, heartbreaking, and thrilling." In 3000 pages (the books combined) it is an undertaking, worth it, but an undertaking.

BLOGOSPHERE--Best of Blogs--Peter Kuhns & Adrienne Crew. Much of the book is devoted to what its title indicates, the best blogs in nine major areas and most having various subheadings. The authors stipulate that these are chosen not only for content, but also for layout, usage, etc, giving the potential blogger ideas on how to proceed building his/her own blog. In addition, the book has a general description of blogs...as well as a well written chapter entitled "How to Make Your Own Blog". While it leaves questions unanswered it gives a well written guide on how to get started.

THE BOOK OF THE DEAD—Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child. The Pentergast brothers (good and evil) are at it again as Diogenes continues to make the world pay for the evils he believes have been forced upon him. Set in the New York Museum, again, and across Europe, the 'thriller' is rich in detail; historical, geographic, psychological and cast in words of darkness. The end of an exciting trilogy as well as a story all to itself.

I recently read Three to Get Deadly and Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich. They were both great. I also read Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, it was the best book I've read since Eye Contact. It was great, you should definately read it if you're into 'darker' books. I'm currently reading Slay Ride by Chris Grabenstein, which I hope I'm spelling right, and The Dead Zone by Stephen King. Slay Ride has been alot easier to get into than The Dead Zone.

Another series that I particularly enjoy is the Cork O'Connor series by William Kent Krueger. Cork began the series as the former sheriff of a small Minnesota town, and is a sheriff on the run in the current book. The sense of place is extraordinary in this series, and much action takes place in the woods and on the boundary waters. I was concerned about this fifth book, since the fourth book, Mercy Falls, ended with Cork being on the run. But, the sense of place, although a different place, is also evident in Copper Creek. Cork is the target of a hit, put out by a mobster who thinks Cork killed his son. He ends up in Michigan with a bullet wound in his leg, staying with a cousin who is a veterinarian. When his cousin's teenage son and his friends get involved in a bad situation, Cork must choose between staying hidden and getting involved to help. A really good entry in a good series!

The All Iowa Reads title for 2007 has been announced! It is The Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio by Jeffrey Kluger. It is the first non-fiction title selected. It doesn't have a direct Iowa connection, but all Americans, including Iowans, have been affected by polio. I hope you will read it and come to one of the All Iowa Reads book discussions that we will hold next summer.

UNDER ORDERS--Dick Francis--Francis has new 'hero', at least to me, who is also involved in the horse racing world and involved in investigation and solving crimes. Two or three problems become resolved, along with a good discussion of how on-line gambling could be controlled by the gaming web-site, in this typical Francis book, with wit a bit of mayhem and longer sentences than I remember Francis using in the past.

GHOST FORCE--Patrick Robinson--Fast paced, international action, indeed piracy, set in 2011 Argentina takes the Falklands from Great Britain to say nothing of Exxon and British Petroleum. The U.S. seems helpless to defend their investment; but are they? Navy SEALs team up with British Agents in a daring set of missions to attempt to recapture the assets. Fun to read.

Kidnapped is the newest book in Jan Burke's Irene Kelly series. Irene Kelly is a reporter who has just done a story on missing children. She meets the brother of one of the more famous victims and gets involved in his efforts to clear their older brother, who is in prison for the murder of their father and the disappearance of 4 year old Jenny. This is a good installment in this series, which combines suspense with a police procedural, as Kelly's husband is a homicide detective.

MAYFLOWER --Nathaniel Philbrick-- As the cover says, "A Story of COURAGE, COMMUNITY and WAR. Researching a related topic, the history of Nantucket Island, the author found himself taken back to the Pilgrims and the Indians who met them, and to the relationships between them during the first 50-60 years. The myths of the Pilgrims have foundation in fact, but the force of the book is "the rest of the story". The story, the facts, traces the religiously commited Pilgrims, and their indian counterparts, from the landing at Plymouth Rock, through the next two generations; from peace through a war which "was more than twice as bloody as the American Civil War and at least seven times more lethal than the American Revolution"; the change of attitude from one of religion and the need for safety, to the need for power and expansion. The story is incredibly powerful on its own. The number of Indian tribes, and names, through two generations caused me confusion in a general reading; having said that, this work should be read to understand not only the facts of the founding, but the foundation of the subsequent history of the United States' formation.