Discover new mysteries at library—July 31, 2009
It doesn’t take a detective to uncover dozens of new whodunits at Hastings Public Library. The library’s “new books” shelves are riddled with mysteries just waiting to be unraveled.
Felines and canines continue to meow and woof their way into the hearts of mystery lovers who enjoy tails with their tales.
“Cat Playing Cupid” is the 14th story in Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s popular Joe Grey Mystery series. Providing plenty of tomcat commentary and feline perception is Joe Grey who calls himself “a cop in cat skin.” He helps his human, Clyde, solve a ten-year-old cold case that involves a man who disappeared just days before his wedding.
Reviewers are giving four paws up to “Hounding the Pavement,” the first in the new Dog Walker Mystery Series by popular romance author Judi McCoy. New York City dogwalker Ellie Engleman can “hear” what her canine clientele is thinking. In a light-hearted whodunit, Ellie finds herself on the prowl for the killer of one of her human clients; taking a detour along the way for a little romance. HPL’s copy is in large print.
If you have an acquired taste for delicious mysteries, you might enjoy “Fed Up,” the first book in a new series co-written by mother-daughter team, Susan Conant and Jessica Conant-Park. This culinary mystery features Chloe Carter, student and food lover whose boyfriend, Josh, is a television cooking show chef. Josh finds himself in a pot of hot water when one of his guests drops dead after eating his home-cooked lamb dinner. Savor this mystery and the numerous gourmet recipes at the back of the book.
Another debut mystery is “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” by Alan Bradley. Set in a 1950’s English village, this is an adult mystery with a kid narrator and sleuth. Flavia de Luce is an 11-year-old science prodigy with a penchant for poison. Bradley says the reason the narrator manifested herself as a young girl is that he thought it would be fun to have somebody who was virtually invisible in a village.
“. . .nobody thinks for a minute that (children are) going to do anything with the information that they let slip. I wanted Flavia to take great advantage of that. I was also intrigued by the possibilities of dealing with an unreliable narrator; one whose motives were not always on the up-and-up.”
Actress and author Harley Jane Kozak has a new mystery, her fourth in a series featuring Woolie Shelley, a greeting card artist. Woolie goes undercover in “A Date You Can’t Refuse,” teaching three foreign celebs how to cope with the customs of Beverly Hills, improve their English and become Oprah-ready. Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum may especially enjoy Woolie. And like the Plum books, Kozak’s stand alone but may leave the reader wanting more. Kozak’s previous three mysteries featuring Woolie all are available at HPL.
Bestselling author Jon Land’s latest page-turner, “Strong Enough to Die” has gripping Texas Ranger action. Caitlin Strong, a feisty female heroine who is a fifth-generation Texas Ranger, teams up with a deadly Texas outlaw to discover the truth behind a bloody desert firefight and a frightening conspiracy.
