Maricopa Public Library’s newest ‘reads’

The Maricopa Public Library offers some great new books to make our upcoming winter reading season a blissful one indeed.

For fans of John Grisham’s legal thrillers, a series of short stories are the focus in Ford County, the Mississippi site of his earlier novel A Time to Kill. Nora Roberts summons her alter ego J.D. Robb in the latest edition to the In Death series featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas in Kindred in Death. Best selling author Sandra Brown, takes readers to depression era Texas, featuring heroine Ella Barron, a boardinghouse owner, whose newest guest named David Rainwater brings some unexpected surprises in Rainwater.

The master, Stephen King, takes readers to Chester Hill, Maine, in his newest novel Under the Dome, where a mysterious force field engulfs the town in a chaos that only King can create. Arizona native Clive Cussler’s newest adventure features detective Isaac Bell investigating crimes against the Southern Pacific Railroad circa 1907 in The Wrecker.

A young man by the name of Harrison Shepherd and the journey he undertakes is showcased in Barbara Kingsolver’s The Lacuna. Like the line in one of Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits, “the city that never sleeps,” New York City is the subject of Edward Rutherfurd’s new historical novel New York, taking readers from the city’s beginnings to the present day.

Fans of Alex Cross, rejoice. James Patterson’s famous detective is back with his hero investigating the death of a relative in I, Alex Cross. Dean Koontz has Breathless, a suspense novel involving a group of strangers in the mountains of Colorado. The LA Police Department’s Hollywood Division is Joseph Wambaugh’s third in the Hollywood Station series. The police must deal with a teenage sex offender and a henpecked fraud artist creating havoc in Hollywood Moon.

“Today” weatherman Al Roker joins other celebrities who can add author to his resumé with his first book set in what he knows best, the world of television, in The Morning Show Murders. Sci-fi author Jim Butcher completes the series Codex Alera #6 with First Lord’s Fury. For those who enjoy quilting, Jennifer Chiaverini’s holiday themed A Quilter’s Holiday showcases the Elm Creek quilters’ latest heartwarming tale.

Wally Lamb, a favorite of talk show host Oprah, opts for the lighter side of life in a seasonal story Wishin and Hopin. The protagonist is a fifth grader named Felix Funicello, who just happens to be a distant cousin of that famous Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. Children’s favorite Fancy Nancy is getting ready for Christmas in Jane O’Connor’s Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous. In Too Deep is the sixth book in the 39 Clues series by Jude Watson; it will make a fine read for those enjoying the Christmas/New Year’s school break. So will Cecily von Ziegesar’s twelfth book in the Gossip Girl’s series, entitled I Will Always Love You.

For those who prefer non-fiction to fiction, new titles are available covering a variety of topics, especially memoirs. First up, Sarah Palin tells her story and more in Going Rogue. Tennis great Andre Agassi lets readers into his world in Open, and the late, controversial comedian George Carlin’s Last Words rounds out the newest in autobiographies.

Steve Forbes, a former contender for the White House, contends that capitalism is the best strategy to get America moving again in How Capitalism Will Save Us. In a follow-up to An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore’s Our Choice continues with the subject of global warming. New Yorker magazine contributor Ken Auletta brings us the story of web giant Google in his new book, aptly titled Googled.

Bon Jovi celebrates twenty-five years of success in this documentary of the band that recently received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo or Group with Vocals. William Langewiesche tells the story of the miracle on the Hudson in Fly By Wire. For those who enjoy Debbie Macomber’s novels, expect something different in One Simple Act. She writes about how one simple act of generosity can have a profound effect on one’s life and those who are touched by it.

New books by some of our favorite authors should take away the chill of those cool winter nights. Stayed tuned; more books are coming soon.

Roberta Cianciosi heads the Friends of the Maricopa Public Library group. She is an avid reader, a published writer and will be offering information on new books available at the library.

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