Spring into great reads at Maricopa Public Library

Spring has arrived in all its vibrant glory — blue skies, plenty of sunshine and warm temps.

If you add the cool drink, a comfortable lounge chair and a good book, your reading experience on the patio begins in earnest. In this latest edition of Great Reads, familiar names appear with some great stories to share so let’s begin.

The setting is London, the 2012 Olympic Games are just hours away from the official opening ceremonies and members of the elite private security team are on the job in James Patterson’s Private Games.

A grisly murder takes place and private investigator Peter Knight is on the scene. In the meantime, reporter Karen Pope, receives a letter from someone identifying himself as “Cronus,” a sinister force wanting to rid the games of the greed and corruption he says have spoiled the spirit of the Olympic experience. Can Pope and Knight find the elusive “Cronus” before he wreaks more havoc?

Poppy Wyatt is about to marry the man of her dreams. Unfortunately she’s lost her heirloom engagement ring during a hotel fire drill and her cellphone goes missing as well.

Luckily, she finds another cellphone and the fun begins with the phone’s owner Sam Roxton. As Poppy searches for her ring she gets a glimpse into Roxton’s life through emails and texts and it all leads to a very big surprise in I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella.

Detective D.D. Warren is investigating the murder of a pedophile when she’s approached by a woman with one unusual request in Catch Me by Lisa Gardener.

Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant predicts she’ll be dead in four days — on Jan. 21 to be exact. Some of her close friends from childhood have met their fates on that very same day and Charlene’s convinced that she’s next, but what’s more compelling is the secret she has yet to reveal.