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Hours:  10 - 6 Wed - Friday, Sat 10 - 5
Sundays for signings. 

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Book Group

All are welcome, so please join us. We meet again on Thursday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. for The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill. The book for Thursday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. is The Kind One by Tom Epperson.

Freelance writer Jaine Austen has gotten herself a teaching job on a week long cruise to the Mexican Riviera. The perks include a free vacation with all expenses paid and a 24-hour buffet. What could be more perfect? But things start to turn sour when her cat Prozac becomes a renegade stowaway. The cat’s spotted by a steward who blackmails Jaine into editing his gargantuan handwritten galleys. Add to the mix the ice-pick murder of a sleazy British dancer who was courting a rich widow, and Jaine’s budding romance with one of the widow’s nephews, and you have yourself another comic whirlwind adventure which is great summer poolside reading.

A doctor is found brutally murdered in her office at Cincinnati Memorial Hospital.

And nurse Cheryl Beth Wilson finds herself under intense scrutiny as a suspect due to her affair with the victim’s husband. Fortunately for her, former detective Will Borders is recovering from spinal cord surgery and recognizes the crime scene from a serial-killer case he thought he had solved years ago. The nurse and the bed-ridden patient work together to protect the prime suspect from becoming the next target. This suspenseful saga from the creator of the Phoenix based David Mapstone mysteries is the launch of a new series.

If the name of the author or the title of the book sounds familiar, that’s because we sponsored an event with the hardcover publication of the book last year. It’s a riveting tale of classic noir set in L. A. in the 1930’s. We are pleased to have the author return for the trade paperback release of the book, affording those who missed it last time an opportunity to get the book that Robert Crais called “…pure and original, with a heavy heart that beats through each page.” This novel has been optioned as a major motion picture by Casey Affleck, and is a real knockout.

Jack Liffey, former aerospace worker turned P. I., is hired to make use once more of his special skills in tracking missing children. Blue, the teenage daughter of his ex-wife’s best friend, is the subject of his search which brings him to the Palos Verdes peninsula.

It seems Blue got herself in the middle of a turf war between the affluent teenage surfers who enforce a strict locals-only policy and the Mexican day laborers who live in the ravines between the estates where they work. Rack up another winning episode in the Southern California noir series.

Sean O’Brien was a homicide detective in Miami for thirteen years, but with death of his wife from cancer six months ago, he is trying to start a new chapter in his life living in a riverfront cabin on the banks of the St. Johns River with his loyal dachshund Max. But O’Brien gets caught up in darker side of life again after he discovers a savagely beaten young woman hidden in the woods above the river.  A gritty and gripping debut that paints a striking depiction of rural Florida which lends a lively resonance to the action, this novel has elements reminiscent of the works of John D. MacDonald.

Reacher is riding in a nearly empty car on the Manhattan subway when he observes a young woman whom he suspects is a suicide bomber. This incident sets in motion a series of events that will entangle him in the complicated web of the war on terror. The deeper he digs, the more he learns. Tracing the roots back to the Soviet campaign in Afghanistan he uncovers information both the American authorities and Al-Queda are willing to keep secret at all costs, including Jack’s life. Simply stated, when it comes to composing thrillers that are fast-paced, well-written, and intelligent, there is no one better than Lee Child.

Looking for another hero along the lines of Jason Bourne or James Bond?  If so this debut novel introducing Lt. Cdr. David Trevellyan fits the bill. While completing an assignment in NYC, the Royal Navy operative stumbles across the body of a homeless man late one night in a dark alley.  The man had been riddled with six bullets in a precisely placed T shape.  When the police arrive, Trevellyan is taken into custody and thrown in a cell. When the FBI takes over the case things get worse and he realizes he’s been set up. The first-person narrative has a distinctive voice and the literary talent is real in this spirited debut offering from Lee Child’s younger brother.

Body-language expert Kathryn Dance and her team from the California Bureau of Investigation are trying to stop a troubled teen bent on revenge against his classmates and neighbors. Travis Brigham was the subject of some nasty and vicious attacks posted on a popular blog.            Now he’s disappeared and roadside crosses are appearing along the highways of the Monterey Peninsula. The crosses are the precursors announcing Travis’ intent to strike back with deadly force against his critics. The modern perils of the cyberworld make this a timely and thought-provoking nail-biter.

Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire doesn’t believe the murder confession of Mary Barsad.

Her husband, Wade, locked his wife’s horses in the barn and then deliberately burned them alive, motivating her to place six bullets in his head. Or at least that’s the story every body’s telling. Longmire goes undercover as an insurance investigator and finds that Wade had a lot of folks who might have had an interest in terminating his life. Walt’s poking and prodding into the dark corners of the town’s history unearth some dangerous secrets.

Detective David “Kubu” Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department is summoned to an isolated bush camp to assist the local police in the investigation of the murder of two guests. Suspicion has fallen on a third guest who has gone missing after the discovery of the bodies of the two men. The most puzzling aspect of the case facing Kubu is that one of the victims, a Zimbabwean teacher named Goodluck Tinubu, according to fingerprint records, has been dead for thirty years, a casualty of the Rhodesian civil war. Kubu believes the missing camper is more likely another victim rather than a murderer, so he plots a stratagem to catch a killer. Come safari with us and join us for a special celebration (yes, there will be cake) as we welcome Michael Stanley.

Michael Stanley is the pen name for the writing team of Johannsburg authors Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. This is a rare opportunity that you won’t want to miss. Mark your calendar today.

The crime fighting team of Jake Rosen, deputy chief medical examiner, and civil rights attorney Manny Manfreda are engaged in a bizarre case.  Five people have been attacked by a thief who hunts his victims, renders them unconscious, and then steals their blood. The villain in question has been dubbed the Vampire. What motivates such strange behavior? As murder becomes part of the equation, it is evident it will require all of their skills to unravel the truth behind the crimes and bring an end to this modern reign of terror. We are delighted to welcome Michael Baden back to the store, and provided she is not tied up in court we will have Linda here as well.

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Jack Taylor receives a letter containing the names of a list of victims. While coping with his own personal issues including his continuing fight to control his drinking, he at first ignores and dismisses the mailed missive as somebody else’s problem. But when a child’s name is added to the list, Jack grimly sets out on the hunt for a killer. This award winning series is Irish crime writing at its best featuring lyrical prose with a dollop of dark humor. (May)

Yep, she’s BAACCKKK!!! Stephanie Plum our favorite Jersey bounty hunter is at it again. More of the not so glamorous life we have all come to appreciate, with romantic dilemmas to be suffered through, pastries to be eaten, relatives to be avoided. You know the drill. Heck this is book fifteen to say nothing of the “between the numbers” volumes.

Call and reserve your copy because you KNOW you want this one. (June)

Alberto Suarez, a Cuban defector is killed by a hit-and-run driver, on a slick mountain road in Fairview, Colorado. His daughter, Mercado, a Havana cop obtains a visa to Mexico and sneaks across the border to find out who killed her father and why he was hiding in Colorado. But most of all she seeks vengeance. It’s a crime story that explores the facile corruption of the Hollywood jet-setters and the attendant exploitation of illegal immigrants. Irish crime writer McKinty has constructed a violent and provocative tale that is powerful, intense, and builds to a bang-up finale. (May)

Two sisters and their aunt are found dead in their Dublin home. It is an unsolved crime until Niall, a young mailman, finds a diary in a dead-letter bin. The diary written by the third sister who has gone missing, recounts the tale of “Darling Jim” a wandering storyteller who had the uncanny ability to charm women and worm his way into their affections. Unfortunately no one noticed that wherever Jim had been, the bodies of young female victims were left behind. Niall, using the diary, endeavors to find Fiona, the missing Walsh sister, and sort out fact from fiction about the legend of “Darling Jim.” (Apr.)

Turn of the century New York provides the backdrop for this original historical mystery.

After the death of his fiancée in a tragic ferry disaster, Detective Simon Ziele transfers to a department north of the city. But shortly after his arrival he is called to investigate the violent murder of a brilliant young grad student killed in her bedroom in the middle of the afternoon. Unexpectedly he is summoned to Columbia University by criminologist Alistair Sinclair who believes one of his patients may be involved. Winner of the Mystery Writers of America’s Best First Crime Novel this atmospheric suspenseful saga is a worthy addition to any collection. (May)

This is the first of an engaging new series about two brothers who lease offices on Baker Street. Reggie Heath is a renowned London solicitor who is burdened with an unusual condition in his lease. The tenant is bound to receive and respond to letters sent to Sherlock Holmes. When his brother Nigel, recently suspended from practicing law, takes off in response to one of these missives written by a child nearly twenty years ago seeking help in finding her missing father, Reggie is duty bound to follow him and books the next flight to Los Angeles to sort things out. This clever and original premise is well-executed and promises many more delightful cases to come. (June)

DENNIS TAFOYA, DOPE THIEF

Ray and Manny have been friends since their days in juvenile hall. Their latest scam is posing as DEA agents and seizing small-time dealers’ money and drugs. It’s an easy score, and the victims can’t go running to the real cops. But they make a big mistake when they pick a target that lands them hundreds of thousands. This guy will kill to get his goods back, making Ray rethink the whole thing. Even though he’s willing to forsake the money to get out of the life, the victim and his childhood chum have other ideas. This hard-boiled debut is evocative of James Ellroy or Jerry Stahl. (May)

SIGNED BOOKS

Dempsey Jo Killebrew’s boss at her PR firm has gotten himself caught up in a scandal that leaves her unemployed, broke, and homeless. With no other recourse left, she takes on the task of restoring the ancestral family digs in Gutherie, Georgia.  The house is in terrible condition and is occupied by a cranky old woman who’s a distant relative. The result of this challenge is an experience that will change her life forever. When it comes to capturing the aura of small town Southern life leavened with humor, Mary Kay Andrews is in a class by herself. (June)

Anna Pigeon is on administrative leave from the National Park Service as she tries to put her life back together after the traumatic events depicted in Winter Study. With her new husband she engages in a rafting trip in Texas’s Big Bend National Park. Their companions are four college students, and trouble rears its head just a few hours into the journey when the raft careens into the rocks and is lost. Rescuing one of the students who fell overboard leads to a grisly discovery that sets in motion a deadly turn of events. Anna’s struggle to regain her confidence as she is tested once more and set against the rugged Texas backdrop signals another winner in this popular series. (Apr.)

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett and his family have never really recovered from the loss of their foster daughter April. Six years have passed when they receive a phone call for Sheridan, Joe’s oldest girl - the message, “Tell Sherry April called.” As the calls continue to come, with the caller providing bits of information only the Picketts would know, Sheridan starts to believe her sister isn’t dead. Joe discovers a link between the location of the calls and a series of crimes committed by serial killers against victims whose carbon footprint is too high. Joe sets out to find the truth in what is arguably the best Joe Pickett thriller yet. (June)

Newlywed author Kitty McCloud and her husband are being haunted by a pair of spirits in their new home, Castle Kissane. Furthermore, a more worldly menace to their marital bliss presents itself with the arrival of Lord Shaftoe seeking to reclaim his ancestral estate. Add to the mix the pig who shows up doing what she does best, digging and rooting in the garden leading to further complications for Kitty. This is the second chapter of a trilogy, the sequel to last year’s porcine sensation, The Pig Did It.  Full of humor sprinkled with wistful Irish melancholy and lots of local color, this series of books is a genuine delight. (May)

LINDA CASTILLO, SWORN TO SILENCE

Police Chief Kate Burkholder was raised in an Amish household in Painter’s Mill, Ohio.

Her knowledge and familiarity with the culture have been a definite asset in performing her job well. But when a multiple murderer returns to her town after a sixteen year absence, she finds herself in an untenable position. She knows his identity, but to name him would betray her family and her Amish roots, and would reveal an old secret she has kept buried. Castillo effortlessly and skillfully makes the transition from romance author to thriller writer with this stunning and powerful debut. This is one you won’t want to pass up. (June)

L. A. Times reporter Jack McEvoy is going to be laid off in two weeks, but McEvoy decides to go out with one last great story. He focuses on the case of a young drug dealer who has been arrested and confessed to committing murder. When a phone call from an angry relative motivates Jack to dig deeper into the case involving the rape and slaying of an exotic dancer he starts doubting the guilt of the boy and senses a much bigger story which has a much more dangerous mind behind it. Connelly has woven a chilling mystery with an examination of the decline of print journalism into a seamless and compelling powerhouse of a novel. (May)

One year ago 12-year-old Alyssa Merrimon was abducted off the street, and is now presumed dead. Johnny, her twin brother, whose family was shattered by this event, stubbornly refuses to stop searching for her on his own. He sets out on his bike with a tattered map marked with X’s of all the houses he has scouted. Having to delve into the dark corners of his hometown, with his only allies a classmate and a stranger with his own bleak personal history, Johnny will discover some terrible truths.  John Hart, Edgar award winner for Down River, has written an exceptional novel. (May)

In his first contemporary novel since Mr. Paradise, three of his most popular characters, Cundo Rey (La Brava), Dawn Navarro (Riding the Rap), and Jack Foley (Out of Sight) are back again. The three of them become caught up in schemes where their loyalties and goals are constantly shifting as they seek to make some money, stay one step ahead of the law, and avoid going to jail. Take a terrific ride as Elmore Leonard’s trademarks of tight plotting and realistic spot-on dialogue are on prominent display here. (May)

Sun Valley Idaho Sheriff Walt Fleming is charged with making sure all goes well as the annual wine auction that brings the rich and powerful to Blaine County. He is responsible for the security of the visitors, the physical safety of the auction site, and the protection of the rare vintages. Among the priceless wines are three bottles that were a gift from Thomas Jefferson to John Adams. Thieves set off a bomb and Walt is caught up in a well-planned heist that will test his abilities to the limit. (June)

There are tensions between Thomas Flynn and his son Chris. Chris had a drug problem, and engaged in criminal behaviors that resulted in doing time in juvenile prison. Now he’s twenty-six working for his father’s D.C. carpet business and staying on the right path. But Thomas wanted more from his son in terms of ambition and achievement, and Chris feels judged and wants to be accepted as he is. Chris discovers a bag of stolen money with a friend he made when he was doing time. The money generates a series of events that will severely test the Flynns. Released just in time for Father’s Day, this novel probes with skill and deep insight the obstacles and challenges that parents and children face in the modern world. (May)

Archaeologist Nora Kelly and her husband N. Y. Times reporter William Smithback are celebrating their first anniversary when they are attacked in their apartment. Eyewitnesses and the security camera prove that the culprit is their spooky neighbor, Colin Fearing, a man who has been dead and buried for close to two weeks. This is the baffling turn of events which leads FBI special agent Pendergast and Lt. D’Agosta of the NYPD to probe into the inner workings of a strange and reclusive cult.  (May)

Ex-bodyguard Atticus Kodiak thought that he had safely withdrawn from the world of his violent past. Living for over a year under assumed names in a small seaside village in the Soviet Republic of Georgia, Kodiak and his lover ex-hit woman Alena, lose their newfound domestic peace when their new neighbors are viciously slaughtered. The sole survivor is a 14 year old girl, Tiasa, who has been sold on the black market as a sex slave.

Tracking the girl takes him on a dangerous and violent trek across Eastern Europe, with Amsterdam, Dubai, and Nevada all coming into play. This is a non-stop edgy and topical thriller which keeps you fully engaged to the very end. (May)

Dr. Faraday, the son of a maid, returns home to rural Warwickshire. WW II is over and he is called to attend to a patient at Hundreds Hall which has been home to the Ayres family for more than two hundred years. The house is crumbling and the yard is overgrown with weeds and gone to seed. Faraday will come to find his fate is entangled with this house full of secrets. A novel rich in atmosphere and psychological complexity, this is a chilling ghost story which provides a welcome relief from the summer doldrums. (May)