My LINKcat AccountToday is the preantepenultimate (and yes, this really is a word) day before the library’s big, annual Harry Potter Birthday party on Monday, July 31st. This means that library staff is in the final stages of preparation and set-up design and in the early stages of panic. Yes. That was me in the grocery store over the weekend buying ridiculous quantities of club soda and butterscotch, pretzel rods and frosting, napkins and cups. Those of you who have attended these festivities before know that the seltzer and butterscotch are the fixin’s for my version of “butter beer” and that the pretzel rods and frosting make a rather magical wand when festooned with sprinkles and a bit of magic (and you can eat the wand too. How cool is that?). This year the party will be preceded by an appearance of Doctor Venom and his bizarre beasts. The show starts at 1 p.m. and the “normal” party starts at 2 p.m. Come for the program and stay for the party! There will be cake. While waiting for this magical day to arrive, below you will find some of the new titles that have arrived at the library to help you while away the time. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
The women who flew for Hitler : a true story of soaring ambition and searing rivalry / by Clare Mulley. A dual biography of the first two women flight captains for the Nazis describes how, in spite of Hitler's dictates against women in the military, Aryan poster girl Hanna Reitsch and Jewish aeronautical engineer Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenger were awarded the Iron Cross. By the award-winning author of “The Woman Who Saved the Children”.
Fall down 7 times get up 8 : a young man's voice from the silence of autism / by Naoki Higashida. A follow-up to The Reason I Jump shares the author's experiences as a young adult with severe autism, exploring in short, evocative chapters his observations on education, identity, family life, society and personal growth while sharing insights into the unique mental steps that are required for him to register his environments.
New Fiction
The daughter of Sherlock Holmes / by Leonard Goldberg. A highly skilled nurse with unique mental talents is recruited into the investigative team of the elderly Dr. John Watson and his handsome son before being swept up in a Holmesian mystery with ties to the Second Afghan War, a hidden treasure and a murder at the highest levels of British society.
Death of a bachelorette / by Laura Levine. While working on a knock-off reality TV show in the tropics, freelance writer Jaine Austen finds murder entering the script when one of the finalists, determined to win her prince, dies in a freak accident, which traps them all on the island while the police investigate, forcing Jaine to join in the fray before any of the other contestants suffer the same fate.
Death on Nantucket / by Francine Mathews. Investigating the suspicious death of an aging journalist famed for his work as a correspondent during the Vietnam War, Nantucket police detective Meredith Folger struggles to uncover the truth when another member of the victim's family is killed and the remaining members demonstrate tendencies to spin wild tales or keep dangerous secrets.
Endgame : a Nameless Detective novel / by Bill Pronzini. Two cases challenge the Nameless Detective agency's resources, including those of a woman who resolves to learn the truth about her late husband's possible infidelity in a remote Sierras cabin; and a man who would clear his name of his agoraphobic wife's murder.
Forever and a death / by Donald Westlake. A formerly wealthy businessman who loses everything to Hong Kong's new Chinese authorities vengefully plots to use a construction technology to destroy the city and steal its gold, a heist that is countered by the technology's developer and a beautiful young environmental activist.
A just clause / by Lorna Barrett. Surprised by a visit from their father, a con man who has served jail time, mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles and her sister, Angelica, investigate when he is implicated in a shocking murder that occurs against a backdrop of a high-profile book signing. By the best-selling author of “A Fatal Chapter”.
Odd numbers : a Hanne Wilhelmsen novel / by Anne Holt. A devastating bombing attack in the Islamic Cooperation Council's offices in Oslo brings special adviser Hanne Wilhelmsen out of her secluded home to investigate rumors of an imminent second attack and assist a long-lost friend's efforts to reach out to his troubled son.
Only skein deep / by Maggie Sefton. When the scandal-marked young wife of a banking scion is found dead on the greens at a local golfing club, pregnant Kelly Flynn and the Lambspun Knitters race the clock to identify an unhinged killer in their midst. By the best-selling author of “Knit to Be Tied”.
Take out / by Margaret Maron. A debut entry in a spin-off series by the best-selling author of the long-running Deborah Knott mysteries focuses on NYPD Detective Sigrid Harald. By the Edgar Award-winning author of “Three Day Town”.
What the dead leave behind / by David Housewright. Reluctantly investigating a cold-case murder as a favor for his stepdaughter, millionaire detective Rushmore McKenzie discovers links to a second killing before a series of suspicious coincidences reveal the activities of a dangerous adversary. By the Edgar Award-winning author of “Stealing the Countess”.