My LINKcat AccountThese past few weeks, I have put off writing this little top-of-the-column piece until closer to the newspaper deadline so I could update you on the progress of the Story Hour / Children’s Room renovation. Well, I waited and waited until now I’m well into Monday afternoon. I am sorry to report that there has not been a whole lot. The floor installation has begun, but has yet to be finished. The sink still needs to be installed, but it did get on the truck so installation is now possible. Once the floor and sink are done the final trim will be put in place, and “Bob’s your uncle!” It should be done. Well, almost. Of course all the marvelous, luxurious, new space in all the new cabinets will need to be filled with all the stuff that was taken out of the old cabinets. And the fish, which are now residing in the Vienna Room will need to be moved to their new home on their own special counter. And then the chairs need to arrive. Then and only then will it be done. I think. In the meantime, while you’re waiting to view the renovated area, there are many new books arriving at the library weekly, nay one could say, almost daily. Below you will find some of the titles which recently arrived at the library. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
“Thicker Than Water: A Memoir” by Kerry Washington. In this profoundly moving and beautifully written memoir, the award-winning actor and activist provides an intimate view into both her public and private worlds as she chronicles her life’s journey thus far, sharing how she discovered her truest self and, with it, a deeper sense of belonging.
“Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America” by Michael Harriot. The acclaimed columnist and political commentator presents a sharp and often hilarious retelling of American history that focuses on the overlooked contribution of Black Americans and corrects the idea that American history is white history.
“The Burning of the World: The Great Chicago Fire and the War for a City’s Soul” by Scott W. Berg. Recounting one of the most infamous natural disasters in history—the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, this gripping book traces the fire’s devastating path and its aftermath during which a new political order rose out of the ashes, causing a power struggle over the city’s future.
“Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem Massachusetts” by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard. Revisiting the Salem witch trials of 1692 and 1693, during which more than 200 people were accused, this dramatic history of the Puritan tradition and how the power of early American ministers shaped the origins of the US depicts good, evil, community panic and how fear can overwhelm fact and reason.
New Fiction
“The Vaster Wilds” by Lauren Groff. Escaping from a colonial settlement in the wilderness, a servant girl, with nothing but her wits, a few possessions and some faith, is tested beyond the limits of her imagination, forcing her to question her belief of everything her own civilization taught her.
“Dead on Target, No. 34 (Agatha Raisin)” by M.C. Beaton & R.W. Green. Convinced of foul play, Agatha Raisin disregards the conclusion of her old adversary, Detective Chief Inspector Wilkes and investigates the death of a local landowner struck by an arrow in the latest addition to the long-running series following “Devil's Delight”.
“The Longmire Defense (A Longmire Mystery)” by Craig Johnson. Investigating a crime that goes back to his grandfather’s time in Wyoming, Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka County, recalling clues and motives from his past, questions the very nature of justice and mercy in the hard country of the West.
“Murder at Midnight, No. 4 (Lilly Adler Mysteries)” by Katharine Schellman. When a body is found shot to death after an unexpected snowstorm, Lily Adler quickly realizes that some people will stop at nothing to bury their secrets.
“The Raging Storm: A Detective Matthew Venn Novel, No.3 (The Two Rivers Series)” by Ann Cleeves. When the body of Jem Rosco—sailor, adventurer and legend—is found in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, DI Matthew Venn returns home to investigate where he is faced with superstition and rumor as another body is found, placing him and his team in danger.
“Reykjavik: A Crime Story” by Ragnar Jonasson and Katrin Jakobsdottir. On the 30th anniversary of the disappearance of Lara, a 14-year-old girl—one of Iceland’s most infamous unsolved cases, tabloid reporter Valur Robertsson decides to write a series of articles about her, hoping to uncover new evidence before violence strikes again.
“The Running Grave, No.7 (A Cormoran Strike Novel)” by Robert Galbraith. Business partners Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott are back in this seventh installment in the highly acclaimed, internationally best-selling series.
“The Traitor Among Us, No. 5(Elena Standish)” by Anne Perry. Infiltrating Wyndham Hall, where the body of a longtime MI6 agent was found, Elena Standish, as Hitler’s control spreads across Europe, covertly investigates his murder, working to uncover the true loyalties of the people in the house while protecting her sister from her beau’s potentially dangerous relatives.
“The Art of Desire” by Stacey Abrams & Selena Montgomery. One doomed love affair after another has made Alex Walton swear off men, and now she's determined to try something that maybe she can succeed at: a writing career; but will she be able to stick to her guns when love knocks on her door?