December 2, 2021 - Christmas Crime Solvers

Ready for some Christmas mysteries to solve? In the mood for some coziness with your holiday fare? Maybe you want a little more intrigue in your Christmas stories?

Look no further! Brooke County Libraries have an excellent selection of Christmas tales mixed in with a little crime. All titles listed are available at one of our locations or as ebooks!

Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

While Hannah speeds through a lengthy holiday checklist, drama in town grows like Santa’s waistline on Christmas Eve. Her sister Andrea wants to stave off the blues by helping out at The Cookie Jar, Michelle’s love life is becoming complicated, Lisa needs Hannah’s advice, and Delores has a Christmas secret she’s not willing to share. But nothing dampens the holiday mood more than the chilling mystery surrounding the man found near death in an abandoned storefront two doors down from Hannah’s bakery . . .

A Christmas Resolution by Anne Perry

A smitten woman is about to marry a dangerous man—unless Detective Hooper and his new wife, Celia, can prevent it—in this wickedly tangled holiday mystery from bestselling author Anne Perry. Detective John Hooper, William Monk’s right-hand man at the Thames River Police, is blissfully happy in his new marriage to Celia, the cousin of a victim in one of the river police’s recent murder cases. Celia wants the same happiness for her good friend Clementine, who’s just announced her engagement to Seth Marlowe, a member of her church. Christmas is nearing, and this should be extra cause for celebration, but when Marlowe begins receiving threatening letters about his first wife’s death, it becomes clear that he is far from the devout man Clementine thought he was. 

The 19th Christmas by James Patterson & Co.

The Women's Murder Club gets ready for a quiet Christmas—until a mysterious killer decides to terrorize the city. As the holidays approach, Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends in the Women's Murder Club have much to celebrate. Crime is down. The medical examiner's office is quiet...

A Wee Christmas Homicide by Kaitlyn Dunnett

When her idea to drum up business in the town of Moosetookalook, Maine, results in the murder of a greedy toy-store owner, Liss MacCrimmon, the owner of the Scottish Emporium, feels personally responsible and, against everyone's better judgment, sets out solve the crime. 

The Spy Who Came for Christmas by David Morrell

As holiday celebrations take place in Santa Fe, Agent Paul Kagan is on the run with a baby the Russian mafia wants to destroy, and turns to a mother and her young son for help during a violent night where they all must work together to keep the child safe from harm. 

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

Being 35th in line for the British throne is no sinecure. Lady Georgiana Rannoch, distant heir to the Empire, has resigned herself to a dull Christmas in the family’s cold and cheerless Scottish castle with her henpecked brother, his awful wife and her even more repugnant family....

A Christmas Secret by Thomas Kinkade/Katherine Spencer

Before Christmas comes.... Martin Nightingale was no stranger to Cape Light. He spent many happy summers there as a boy. Now, he's returned to fulfill the unusual terms of his grandfather's will. In order to collect his inheritance, Martin must spread joy throughout the town with anonymous gifts. A shy man who doesn't make friends easily, Martin is stumped by the role of Secret Santa. But a pretty police officer, Louisa Tully shows him that, "A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet." 

Jingle Bell Bark by Laurien Berenson

A sleuth rescues two orphaned Golden Retrievers—and tries to solve their master’s murder—in this “delightful” mystery from the Agatha Award finalist. This year, all Melanie wants for Christmas is a dull moment. Between her teaching job, and showing her Standard Poodle puppy, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But when her son Davey’s usual bus driver, Henry Pruitt, disappears and is replaced by a surly, pierced twentysomething, Melanie is concerned. The elderly, amiable Henry was a friend to all in the neighborhood, so she decides to check on him…only to find that he died two days earlier, under suspicious circumstances.

Christmas Carol Murder by Leslie Meier

Longtime Lucy Stone series readers will be happy to catch up on life in Tinker’s Cove in this cozy Christmas mystery.”—Library Journal It’s Christmas in Tinker's Cove, Maine, and Lucy Stone is excited about her acting debut in the town’s production of A Christmas Carol. But not everyone is full of cheer. Tinker’s Cove has fallen on hard times this year, and with so many residents struggling to make ends meet, Christmas festivities are a luxury some can't afford. But the story’s not so bleak at Downeast Mortgage, whose tightfisted owners, Jake Marlowe and Ben Scribner, are raking in profits from everyone’s misfortune. Half the town is in their debt, so when the miserly Marlowe is murdered, the mourners are few and the suspects are many…

The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street by Karen White

Melanie Trenholm should be anticipating Christmas with nothing but joy—after all, it’s only the second Christmas she and her husband, Jack, will celebrate with their twin toddlers. But the ongoing excavation of the centuries-old cistern in the garden of her historic Tradd Street home has been a huge millstone, both financially and aesthetically. Local students are thrilled by the possibility of unearthing more Colonial-era artifacts at the cistern, but Melanie is concerned by the ghosts connected to it that have suddenly invaded her life and her house—and at least one of them is definitely not filled with holiday cheer....

Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson

It's Christmas Eve and Detective Alex Cross has been called out to catch someone who's robbing his church's poor box. That mission behind him, Alex returns home to celebrate with Bree, Nana, and his children. The tree decorating is barely underway before his phone rings again--a horrific hostage situation is quickly spiraling out of control.

 A Crafty Christmas by Mollie Cox Bryan

Christmas is just around the corner, and the ladies of the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop are thrilled when Sheila wins the first place prize in a scrapbooking design contest: a ten-day scrapbook-themed cruise in the Caribbean. Vera and Paige decide to tag along, which should pose the perfect opportunity to learn some new techniques, mingle with fellow croppers, and get in some rest and relaxation before the chaos of Christmas.

Be sure to let us know if we forgot any of your favorite titles! We love to hear from our readers in the comments or on our social media pages too.

All images and info courtesy of WV Reads, Google, Goodreads, and author webpages.

 

December 1, 2021 - Staff Reviews

Image courtesy of WV Reads

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/769846

The Innocent

By: David Baldacci

BCPL Book Club November 2021 Selection

I was never in to the hype of Baldacci. I typically read other genres and authors. For some reason I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it was a fast pace action thriller (which I normally am not in to except for watching movies) and listening to the production done via an audiobook stepped up the game enough that I have checked out the next book in this series as I liked the main character, who is named Will and is an assassin.

The actors who read the book (2 of them) were a nice voice cast to listen to and the sound effects made me think of what earlier radio was for people before TVs.

(AS)

November 30, 2021 - Staff Reviews

Country Proud

By Linda Lael Miller

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/5185934

2 Stars - A quirky Christmas, cowboy romance that doesn't quite meet my usual standards for Miller. Brynne and Eli's story lacked a vibrance that would my hold my attention. Both have a lot of baggage, not just with their former relationship. But I expect this ticks all the usual boxes of country romance fans and the author's classy style made it worth a try.

The plot sounded great in theory: small towm bartender and hunky local sheriff rekindle their high school romance. But these two had so much going on in their heads and not even on the page. Eli had the cowboy cop thing down, but he was kind of dumb. He admits in his head that he betrayed his high school sweetheart. But when he reaches out and she's reluctant, he can't even give a simple apology. Brynne and I did not mesh. She refuses to date cops, not so much because they have a dangerous career but because her ex cheated on her. That just didn't compute.

This series has me longing for Miller's Big Sky or Wedding series. This one doesn't have the bubbly, fun feel or the dynamic romantic tension. I was hoping "Strong" was a fluke but I was disappointed in "Proud " too. This one just fell pretty flat for me. Nothing about the first few pages of this book grabbed me. Eli's experience as a cop is pretty much thrown in as information dump rather than an exciting intro. And he came off as really old for a romantic lead, like past middle age. No one under the age of 60 thinks of a smart watch as a Dick Tracy gizmo. Brynne was also hard to relate to at first. She can't get the hang of email? Her attitude toward sex wasn't exactly likely to be understood by prudes or the happily permiscuous or anyone in between. And why we were talking about it on page fifteen, I didn't know. Then, sadly, I was just never hooked. There's a curious lack of early feedback on this book so I can't tell if it's just me. Fans of sweet, holiday romances may find something sparkling here, but I'd say a very open mind is needed.

(NS)

November 29, 2021 - New Arrivals

November 29, 2021

Adult Fiction

A Darker Reality by Anne Perry.

On her first trip to Washington, D.C., Elena Standish finally gets to visit her American mother's wealthy parents and their magnificent home. Elena's grandparents are marking a milestone anniversary by throwing an elaborate party with the influential friends of her grandfather, a prominent political industrialist. Even President and First Lady Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are there, and Elena takes pride in capturing the illustrious guests on camera. But the festivities come to a sudden and tragic end when one of the guests, Lila Worth, is run over by a car in the driveway outside. Elena believes Lila was trying to tell her something before her death, and when a call from her employer back home, MI6, confirms that Lila was a British spy, Elena pairs with a fellow agent to find out what vital information the young woman had in her possession. Soon an arrest is made in Lila's murder, and to Elena's horror, the accused is none other than her own grandfather, who claims his political enemies are trying to frame him. But who are these enemies, and how can Elena defend this man she barely knows? Nevertheless, determined to clear his name and save her family from disgrace, she delves into the details of her grandfather's investments and discovers that his business secrets run deep. As Elena begins to question his loyalties, she wonders if she can trust anyone in this threatening new world order.

 

The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi.

Grant McAllister, a professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked all the rules out - and wrote seven perfect detective stories to demonstrate. But that was thirty years ago. Now Grant lives in seclusion on a remote Mediterranean island, counting the rest of his days. Until Julia Hart, a brilliant, ambitious editor knocks on his door. Julia wishes to republish his book, and together they must revisit those old stories: an author hiding from his past and an editor keen to understand it. But there are things in the stories that don't add up. Inconsistencies left by Grant that a sharp-eyed editor begins to suspect are more than mistakes. They may be clues, and Julia finds herself with a mystery of her own to solve.

 

The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver.

After an ignominious early retirement, Remington announces to his wife Serenata that he's decided to run a marathon. This from a sedentary man in his sixties who's never done a lick of exercise in his life. His wife can't help but observe that his ambition is "hopelessly trite." A loner, Serenata disdains mass group activities of any sort. Besides, his timing is cruel. Serenata has long been the couple's exercise freak, but by age sixty, her private fitness regimes have destroyed her knees, and she'll soon face debilitating surgery. Yes, becoming more active would be good for Remington's heart, but then why not just go for a walk? Without several thousand of your closest friends? As Remington joins the cult of fitness that increasingly consumes the Western world, her once-modest husband burgeons into an unbearable narcissist. Ignoring all his other obligations, he engages a saucy, sexy personal trainer named Bambi, who treats Serenata with contempt. When Remington sets his sights on the legendarily grueling triathlon, MettleMan, Serenata is sure he'll end up injured or dead. And even if he does survive, their marriage may not.

 

Adult Non-Fiction

The Old Farmer’s Almanac: 2022 by Robert B. Thomas.

“Happy New Almanac Year! It’s time to celebrate the 230th edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac! Long recognized as North America’s most-beloved and best-selling annual, this handy yellow book fulfills every need and expectation as a calendar of the heavens, a time capsule of the year, an essential reference that reads like a magazine. Always timely, topical, and distinctively “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” the Almanac is consulted daily throughout the year by users from all walks of life. The 2022 edition contains the fun facts, predictions, and feature items that have made it a cultural icon: traditionally 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts; notable astronomical events and time-honored astrological dates; horticultural, culinary, fashion, and other trends; historical hallmarks; best fishing days; time- and money-saving garden advice; recipes for delicious dishes; facts on folklore, farmers, home remedies, and husbandry; amusements and contests; plus too much more to mention—all in the inimitable Almanac style that has charmed and educated readers since 1792.” – Amazon.com

 

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson.

Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people's lives and behavior and the nation's fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people--including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball's Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others--she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.

 

Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel

Night of the Spadefoot Toads by Bill Harley.  J

When his family moves from Tucson, Arizona to Massachusetts, fifth-grader Ben has a hard time leaving the desert he loves, but when he finds a kindred spirit in his science teacher and ends up trying to help her with some of her problems, he finally begins to feel at home.

 

Run, Book 1 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, & Nate Powell. YA GN

To John Lewis, the civil rights movement came to an end with the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. But that was after more than five years as one of the preeminent figures of the movement, leading sit-in protests and fighting segregation on interstate busways as an original Freedom Rider. It was after becoming chairman of SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and being the youngest speaker at the March on Washington. It was after helping organize the Mississippi Freedom Summer and the ensuing delegate challenge at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. And after co-leading the march from Selma to Montgomery on what became known as "Bloody Sunday." All too often, the depiction of history ends with a great victory. But John Lewis knew that victories are just the beginning.

Brooke County Public Libraries    Wellsburg (304) 737-1551    Follansbee (304) 527-0860

November 26, 2021 - WV Author of the Month

Brooke County Libraries are proud to feature November's WV WV Author of the Month: Marc Harshman!

Let us know if you have some favorites of his work. We'd love to hear from you in our comment section below or on any of our social media pages.

Marc Harshman is the poet laureate of West Virginia, appointed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin in May 2012. His poems have appeared in such publications as Shenandoah, The Georgia Review, The Progressive, Appalachian Heritage, Bateau, and Fourteen Hills. Other poems have been anthologized by Kent State University, the University of Iowa, University of Georgia, and the University of Arizona.

His eleven children's books include ONLY ONE, a Reading Rainbow review title on PBS TV and THE STORM, a Junior Library Guild selection and Smithsonian Notable Book Parent's Choice Award recipient. Booklist has called this same title "a knowing book that will speak to all children about self-image and hard-won success."

Mr. Harshman was honored in 1994 by receiving the Ezra Jack Keats/ Kerlan Collection Fellowship from the University of Minnesota for research of Scandinavian myth and folklore. He was also named the West Virginia State English Teacher of the Year by the West Virginia English Language Arts Council in 1995. More recently, he was named the recipient of the WV Arts Commission Fellowship in Poetry for the year 2000 and the Fellowship in Children's Literature for 2008. His children's titles have been published in Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Danish, and Swedish.

Marc is fondly known by many as a storyteller who served for over twenty years as a judge for the WV Liar's Contest held at the Vandalia Gathering in Charleston, WV. He has also served as an instructor for the historic Appalachian Writer's Workshop at the Hindman Settlement School in Hindman, KY.

Marc holds degrees from Bethany College, Yale Divinity School, and the University of Pittsburgh. He recently received an honorary doctorate from Bethany College in recognition of his life's work.

In honor of West Virginia's Sesquicentennial, Marc was commissioned by the Wheeling National Heritage Area to write a poem celebrating this event. This poem, "A Song for West Virginia," was presented in both Charleston and Wheeling as part of the day-long festivities held that day. (less)

 Images and info are courtesy of Google, Wikipedia, Goodreads, and author web pages.

Check out Fallingwater, one of Marc's beloved stories, on WV Reads ebooks!

Fallingwater - West Virginia Reads - OverDrive

November 24, 2021 - Staff Reviews

 

Against All Enemies

By Tom Clancy & Peter Telep

Release Date: June 14, 2011

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/575187

3.5 Stars - Not exactly vintage action from Clancy but exciting anyway. This standalone has more villians than heroes but a few surprised me. Maxwell Moore was a very intriguing hero who is at the same is a veteran operator but also just getting started.

Peter Telep's influence seemed a little heavier than some of Clancy's other coauthors. There's not usually so much emphasis on weapons and procedures, though as always getting a look into the spy mind is interesting. But the crispness of the action sequences are spotlight as usual. Moore is a hero with touches of some other Clancy characters but still unique. His SEAL training is outlined for us but his personal life is a bit of a mess. Of course. It's hard to be a spy and have a life.

There were so many characters running around that no doubt some will have trouble keeping track. But that's nothing new in the Clancy-verse world. And this isn't a bad book to either start into the Jack Ryan world or just fill a weekend since it's all entirely new people. Moore goes through a handful of sidekicks depending on the time and place but they're all fun. The drug dealers and empire family members are very entertaining, even surprisingly likable. The terrorists on the other hand are clearly ruthless and their level of cleverness takes awhile to determine. This also felt like there was a touch of cringey-ness, a bit more gruesome violence, sex, and evil villians than usual. At times, the violence is enough to make even a tough reader squirm but it's easily forgotten in the breathless pace. Yes, there's a lot of wordy description and info dump sections. But once you get comfortable or maybe relax even, things pick back up again. Not exactly what an avid Clancy fan would expect but still very impressive compared against many newer action thrillers.

(NS)

November 23, 2021 - A Book & A Recipe

Hello again book and food lovers! For November 2021, we are featuring out Dinner & a Recipe idea: West Ravenel's Favorite Puree of Spring Vegetable Soup. We pulled this from the lovely period romance Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas.

Good news is that is may be fall but these Spring veggies should be available, unlike in the Ravenel's time, at your local store for a wonderful, warming Fall soup day! Per Kleypas, you can substitute with pretty much any vegetables you like or have handy.

Here we go...

Ingredients:

1 large (or two small) zucchinis

1 large yellow summer squash

2 regular carrots (or baby carrots equal)

1 red or yellow bell pepper

2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 chopped yellow onion

1 quart of chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup of tomato paste

1 14-oz can of white beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup of heavy cream or half and half

Directions:

1. Chop veggies into half-inch pieces for blending.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot on med. high heat.
3. Add garlic, onion, and other chopped veggies to pot and saute to 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Add broth, tomato paste, beans, and seasonings and herbs. Bring to boil and then turn down to simmer.
5. Cook for at least 30 minutes or until everything is super tender.
6. Either blend with hand blender or a regular stand blender. For stand blender, do batches so you do not overfill.
7. Add the cream at the end and more seasoning for flavor if desired. 

Serve with buttered croutons or a grilled cheese sandwich for a hearty meal!

Check out the ebook available from WV Reads!

Devil's Daughter - West Virginia Reads - OverDrive