Samuels Says - "Which books made you cry the most?"

April showers! This month for our display, we asked the staff, "Which books made you cry the most?" (These can be tears of sadness, joy, or mirth. Or the book could just make you feel a strong emotions without tears, if you prefer.) Here are our picks— we'd love to hear yours too!

Joan:

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (F Ste) — I cried from page 1 all the way through!
Unsaid: A Novel by Neil Abramson (F Abr)
Still Alice by Lisa Genova (F Gen)
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon (F Sim)
I Thought You Were Dead: A Love Story by Pete Nelson (F Nel)
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (F Seb)
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (940.54 Hil)
What Came before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George (F Geo)
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (F Bro)
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (F Ver)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (F Sto)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (F Gru)
A Time to Kill by John Grisham (F Gri)
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (F Hos)
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (F Kid)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (F Lee)
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (820.9 Naf)
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (F Con)
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (F Pas)
The Space between Us by Thrity Umrigar (F Umr)

Kristin:

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (F Ish) and the film (DVD F Nev)
Suite Française by Iréne Nèmirovsky (F Nem)
I Gave My Heart to Know This by Ellen Baker (F Bak)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (F For)
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (F Sha)
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult (F Pic)
One Day by David Nicholls (F Nic) and the film (DVD F One)
Room by Emma Donoghue (F Don)
The Bedford Boys by Alex Kershaw (940.542142 Ker)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (F Gru) and the film (DVD F Wat)
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (F Nif)
Lucky by Alice Sebold (364.1532 Seb)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (YAF Zus)
Atonement by Ian McEwan (F McE) and the film (DVD F Ato)
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Classic PB Pla)
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (F Fra) and the film (DVD F Col)
The Hours by Michael Cunningham (F Cun) and the film (DVD F Hou)
The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Bend in the Road, (all F Spa) and Three Weeks with My Brother (813.54 Spa) by Nicholas Sparks
ZooBorns Cats! — sooooooooooooo precious (591.39 Ble)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (YAF Row)
Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin (YAF Fra)

Jeanne:

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (F Spa)
The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella (F Cap)
House of Daughters by Sarah-Kate Lynch (F Lyn)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (F Bro)
Sophie by Emma Pearse (636.737 Pea)
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (F Fla)
The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman (F Ric)
Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux (F Dev)
Firebird by Janice Graham (F Gra)
Three Wishes by Barbara Delinksy (F Del)
The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller (F Wal)

Jessica:

The Harry Potter series, especially The Half-blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (YAF Row)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (YAF Rya)
I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder (YAF Sch)
The Georgia Nicholson series by Louise Rennison (YAF Ren)
Everneath by Brodi Ashton (YAF Ash)
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (YAF Ara)
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (YAF Han)
Michael Rosen’s Sad Book (E Ros)

Boo:

Brian’s Song by William Blinn (YA 812.54 Bli) and the movie Brian’s Song (DVD 791.45 Bri)
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (F Spa)
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (F Han)
Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (F Alb)
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (E Mun)
Emily and Einstein by Linda F. Lee (F Lee)
Kindred Spirits by Sarah Strohmeyer (F Str)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (F Sto)
The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck (F Bec)
The Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King (F Kin)
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (F Mit)
Night by Elie Wiesel (Bio Wiesel Elie)
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards (F Edw)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (F Fit)
Susannah’s Garden by Debbie Macomber (F Mac)

Betty:

Love Story by Erich Segal (F Seg)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Classic PB Alc)
The Spellman series by Lisa Lutz (F Lut) — tears of laughter!
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo (133.901 Bur)

Katie:

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (F Seb) :(
Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me? by Mindy Kaling (818 Kal) :)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (YAF Row) :(
Georgia Nicholson series by Louise Rennison (YAF Ren) :)
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult (F Pic) :(
Seriously—I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres (Bio DeGeneres Ellen) :)
One Day by David Nicholls (F Nic) :(
Bossypants by Tina Fey (Bio Fey Tina) :)
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (JF Sil) :(
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (E Mun) :(

Melissa:

Marley & Me by John Grogan (636.752 Gro) :(
The Green Mile by Stephen King (F Kin) :(
I’m a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson (973.92 Bry) :)
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown (978 Bro) :(
Belle Weather by Celia Rivenbark (Overdrive) :)
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (YAF Raw) :(
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson (JF Gip) :(

Ben:

Crash by Jerry Spinelli (JF Spi)
The Crucible by Arthur Miller (Classic PB 812.52 Mil)
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (822.33 Sha)
Othello by William Shakespeare (822.33 Sha)
Oedipus by Sophocles (882 Sop)
Timaeus by Plato (in The Works of Plato, 888.4 Pla)
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (YAF Raw)
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (JPB W)
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (YAF Hin)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (F Lee)

Kathy J:

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (E Mun)
Any episode of Little House on the Prairie!
Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury (F Kin)
One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury (F Kin)

Tamara:

Old Yeller by Frank Gipson (YAF Gip)
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (E Mun)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Classic PB Alc)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (JF Mon)
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie (920 Mas)
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (Bio Ten Boom Corrie)
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown (978 Bro)
Graceling by Kristen Cashore (YAF Cas)
Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight (JF Kni)
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank G. Gilbreth, Jr. (920 Gil)
We Free Men by Terry Pratchett (YAF Pra) — funny!
Watership Down by Richard Adams (F Ada)

Cheryl:

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (JF Sew)
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (JF Whi)
This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (F Phi)
Home by Jeannie Baker (E Bak)
The Wump World by Bill Peet

Michal:

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (JF Spi)
It Might Have Been What He Said by Eden Collinsworth (F Col)
Titanic Voices: Memories from the Fateful Voyage (363.123 Ti)
The Enemy by Charlie Higson (YAF Hig)
Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen (YAF Pau)
The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller (F Mil)
The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir (Bio Elizabeth I) — her personal life seemed sad
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (Bio Frank Anne)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (YAF Rya) — the apocalyptic vision was so sad

Wyatt:

Michael Rosen’s Sad Book (E Ros)
Maus by Art Spiegelman (940.5318 Spi)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Reading Lists - Political Thrillers

Remember awhile ago (November 10) I wrote how much we love helping people find good books to read? The other day a patron wanted some espionage/thriller/political novels like Vince Flynn's. He left with a short list of authors to try, and he left me with inspiration for this reading list. I'll admit that I often have a hard time coming up with "guy books," so I especially loved this suggestion!

In this list, you'll find conspiracies, terrorism, and spy games set in the dangerous world of cutthroat politics.

The Birthday Present by Barbara Vine
Ivor Tesham, a member of Parliament, decides to give his married mistress an unusual birthday gift. He hires two men to kidnap her and transport her, bound and gagged, to their weekend love nest. When the kidnapping goes terribly wrong and results in murder, Ivor becomes trapped in a dangerous game of his own making.

Blink of an Eye by William S. Cohen
After a nuclear bomb flattens a major American city, national security advisor Sean Falcone is charged with identifying the attackers, but if his sources are incorrect, it could mean inciting war with the entire Muslim world. Cohen is a former Republican senator and congressman who also served as President Clinton's Secretary of Defense.

By Order of the President by W.E.B. Griffin
In the first of the Presidential Agent series, a leased Boeing 727 mysteriously vanishes after two passengers murder the pilot. Army intelligence officer Major Carlos Guillermo Castillo, a veteran of the Special Forces, is called in by the president of the United States to uncover the truth and embarks on an undercover investigation into a case with frightening implications.

The Camel Club by David Baldacci
It exists at the fringes of D.C., has no power, and consists of four eccentric members. Their simple goal is to find the "truth" behind their country's actions. The Camel Club studies conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government, but never in their wildest nightmares could they imagine the conspiracy they are about to uncover.

The Eleventh Commandment by Jeffrey Archer
Connor Fitzgerald has led a double life for the last 28 years as the CIA's most deadly assassin. Just days before his retirement, he comes across an enemy he can't handle—his own boss, director of the CIA. The Eleventh Commandment? "Thou shalt not get caught. But if you are, deny absolutely that you have anything to do with the CIA."

Empire of Lies by Andrew Klavan
Jason Harrow must return to New York when he learns his daughter is in trouble. Realizing he's either incredibly paranoid or that Serena knows enough about a terrorist group to endanger herself and everyone around her, he tries to prevent "the End of Civilization as We Know It" while confronting his fear that he's inherited his mother's insanity.

Eye of the Storm by Jack Higgins
In the first Sean Dillon thriller, elusive master terrorist Sean Dillon reemerges during the Gulf War when Saddam Hussein hires him to assassinate Margaret Thatcher. Only Martin Brosnan, an American Special Forces hero and IRA member turned college professor, can stop him.

Fade by Kyle Mills
Salam al Fayed (aka Fade), an American agent of Arab ancestry and a former Navy SEAL, becomes bitter when his latest mission ends in failure and his employers treat him badly. So when his former friend and colleague, Homeland Security agent Matt Egan, is ordered to persuade Fade to put aside his anger and join an undercover team in the Middle East, Fade has a one-word answer.

The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson
In the first of the John Wells series, Wells, an undercover operative who has infiltrated al Qaeda, is trapped between his terrorist associates and the CIA, which no longer trusts his loyalty, when he becomes a prime suspect in two bombings in Los Angeles. Be warned, this novel is not for the squeamish: the torture sequences and bombing descriptions are graphic and chillingly real.

The First Counsel by Brad Meltzer
A young White House lawyer, Michael Garrick, begins dating the President's daughter, Nora Hartson. Michael thinks he can handle the pressures of the White House and all the power. Then, while together late one night, he and Nora witness something they were never meant to see—and become ensnared in a secret scheme by a White House insider that includes betrayal and murder.

Gatekeeper by Philip Shelby
Hollis Fremont has been at a dream job in Paris at the American Embassy for three months. She's also having an affair with a high-ranking embassy official. Soon events are set in motion that plunge her into the midst of a plot to kill a presidential candidate, and she realizes that she cannot trust anyone around her. No damsel in distress, Hollis puts her own life at risk to stop the assassination attempt.

The Good Son by Michael Gruber
Somewhere in Pakistan, Sonia Laghari and 8 fellow members of a symposium on peace are being held captive by armed terrorists. Sonia, a religious woman and Jungian psychologist, has become the de facto leader of the kidnapped group. Meanwhile her son Theo, an ex-Delta soldier, uses his military connections to find and free the victims.

Hawke by Ted Bell
Alexander Hawke is a daring, dashing, and handsome billionaire adventurer who occasionally does “favors” for the U,S, and British governments. In the first of the series, Hawke heads for the Caribbean on a secret mission to locate an experimental stealth submarine, which has fallen into the hands of an unstable government planning a strike against the U.S.

The Inside Ring by Michael Lawson
Following an assassination attempt that wounds the president and kills his closest friend, General Andy Banks, the Secretary of Homeland Security, who had warned the Secret Service about the attack, initiates an investigation. He goes to Joe DeMarco, a fix-it man who’s never dealt with something of quite this magnitude.

The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
In the first Gabriel Allon novel, the Israeli intelligence chief recalls Gabriel and Jacqueline to eliminate a top Palestinian terrorist, who is part of a plot to halt peace talks by assassinating Yasir Arafat. The former agents were once lovers, and their pasts and enemies come back to haunt them as the terrorist begins his campaign of murder. Silva has covered Middle East politics as a journalist and CNN producer.

Last Snow by Eric Lustbader
Jack McClure, Special Advisor and closest friend to the new U.S. president, takes on a personal mission along with his official one—keeping his two incompatible companions (Annika Dementieva, a rogue Russian FSB agent, and Alli Carson, the President's daughter) safe and finding those responsible for murdering an American senator who was supposedly on a political trip to the Ukraine.

The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor
In the first of the Scot Harvath series, a group of Secret Service agents is massacred in Utah and the president of the United States is abducted. Surviving agent Harvath vows to avenge his murdered colleagues and find the kidnappers. The terrorists publicly demand $500 million and privately insist that an anti–fossil fuel proposal in Congress be killed.

The Machiavelli Covenant by Allan Folsom
While investigating the murder of a former girlfriend, her child, and her congressman husband, former LAPD detective Nicholas Marten stumbles upon a secret, illegal bioweapons program. He also finds himself allied with another man trying to foil a cabal bent on creating a new world order—the U.S. president himself, John Henry Harris.

The Man with the Baltic Stare by James Church
Inspector O, the wily North Korean police detective, is ordered out of retirement to Pyongyang. His task is to cover up a crime of passion committed by the young leader of a transitional government vital to a tenuous peace agreement between the two Koreas. Inspector O finds his life threatened when the case tests his loyalties.

Metzger’s Dog by Thomas Perry
Veteran CIA operative Ben Porterfield is ordered to recover some top-secret papers (revealing government-sponsored research on "psywar": how to wreak havoc, panic, and mayhem in assorted Latin American nations) from the terrorists who seized them while stealing $1 million worth of cocaine.

Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods
In the aftermath of his vice president's unexpected death, President Will Lee finds his efforts to select a replacement hampered by a rogue CIA agent's vengeful plot against the first lady and a nuclear threat in Pakistan. To make matters worse, the new VP chooses becomes entangled in a love triangle that could ruin Lee’s re-election bid.

Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn
The National Counterterrorism Center is struck by a series of devastating explosions with catastrophic results. With three al Qaeda terrorists still at large, CIA superagent and counterterrorism expert Mitch Rapp must thread his way through the naysayers on Capitol Hill—and silently, swiftly, do what he must for the sake of his country and the pursuit of honor.

Quantico by Greg Bear
Just a handful of years from today, global terrorism has escalated out of control. When the political situation in the United States becomes balanced against the administration, only three FBI agents and one bio-terror expert are left to deal with a domestic terrorist, who has started telling certain fanatics that he can make gene-keyed anthrax to destroy their hereditary enemies .

The Rules of the Game by Leonard Downie
Journalist Sarah Page uncovers evidence of appalling corruption in defense contracts related to the War on Terror, to private security contractors, and to government involvement in torture, rendition, and murder. Her findings puts her life at risk. Meanwhile, President Susan Cameron must choose between her political future and the nation's well-being after learning of Sarah's discoveries.

The Twelfth Imam by Joel C. Rosenberg
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Iranian-American CIA operative David Shirazi must infiltrate and disrupt Iran's nuclear weapons program, leaving no trace of U.S. involvement. When he learns of a prophet called the Twelfth Imam, proclaiming himself a messiah, Shirazi worries that a war of apocalyptic proportions may be in the offing.

The Walls of Jericho by Jon Land
When a serial killer stalking Jericho threatens peace talks between Palestine and Israel, a Palestinian detective and an Israeli Shin Bet agent must set aside their differences to stop the killer before he destroys the talks. The two soon discover that there is something more sinister behind the murders and their forced collaboration.

Read-alike Guides - Jodi Picoult

 If you like the works of Jodi Picoult, you might enjoy one of these books:

Halfway House by Katharine Noel
Angie is a diligent student and all-star swimmer, but her entire world changes when it becomes apparent that she is mentally ill in a story of how families live through crisis. Noel considers the ways manic depression touches each member of the family with an uncanny ability to convey the disease as experienced by the patient.

Home Fires by Luanne Rice
Anne has just lost her young daughter in a tragic accident and her husband to another woman. With her world in upheaval, Anne returns to the secluded island hometown that her sister never escaped. A fire in the women's ancestral home drives Anne to rescue the one object she holds most dear and to be rescued by Thomas Devlin, a scarred firefighter with his own unfortunate past.

Mothers and Other Liars by Amy Bourret
Bourret also writes compellingly about sympathetic characters faced with agonizing ethical decisions. In this debut novel, Ruby never dreamed that she had done anything wrong by rescuing Lark, an infant abandoned at a truck stop. What decision will she make years later when she sees Lark's picture in the newspaper as a missing child?

Past the Bleachers by Chris Bohjalian
Bohjalian is another New England author who favors close examination of hot button issues in small town settings. After Bill Parrish loses his young son Nathaniel to leukemia, he fills the void in his life by coaching a local Little League team and becoming attached to a mute boy, Lucky, who eerily reminds Bill of his own lost son.

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline
A bestselling author of legal thrillers, Scottoline seems to excel at stand-alone domestic suspense as well. Volunteering at her daughter's school so that she can keep an eye on a bully, Rose faces a difficult choice when her daughter is tormented at the same time an explosion occurs in the cafeteria, a situation that causes Rose to be blamed for the bully's injuries.

Stolen by Susan Lewis
Lewis writes compelling, emotional tales about sensational subjects with understated execution. Lucy’s parents have always been there for her, and when she moves to the country to take over their thriving auction business, she knows she's made the right decision. Then, quite suddenly, she discovers a shocking truth that forces her to question everything she has ever known.

Testimony by Anita Shreve
A New England boarding school is rocked in the wake of a sex scandal in which participants were caught on videotape, a situation that derails the innocence and best intentions of students, parents, and others in life-shattering ways. Shreve offers sensitive portrayals of her characters in emotional stories with psychological depths.

A Theory of Relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Readers with a preference for observing how families in turmoil deal with shocking situations will appreciate this novel of grieving grandparents locked in an anguished custody battle for the sole surviving daughter of parents lost in a car accident. Also try Mitchard’s The Deep End of the Ocean, Oprah’s first book club selection.

Truth and Consequences by Alison Lurie
University director Jane Mackenzie is dismayed when her injured husband falls for Delia, a beautiful writer who has recently joined the center's staff. The situation is complicated when Jane develops feelings for Delia's husband. Lurie explores what happens when the truth isn't always told, as well as the consequences of our every choice in this engrossing, wonderfully written novel.

While I Was Gone by Sue Miller
Miller’s stories have a more literary quality and delve more deeply into character's emotions. Here, Jo Becker is supremely content with her life, and she doesn't talk about the summer of 1968 when she walked away from another husband, another family and into a completely different identity only to be jerked back to her previous life after the brutal murder of her best friend.

Books by Picoult you shouldn’t miss:

My Sister’s Keeper
Conceived to provide a bone marrow match for her leukemia-stricken sister, teenage Anna begins to question her moral obligations in light of countless medical procedures and decides to fight for the right to make decisions about her own body. The drama unfolds from the points of view of Anna, her parents, the self-absorbed lawyer, the court-appointed guardian ad litem, and Anna’s troubled older brother.

Nineteen Minutes
Peter Houghton, an alienated teen who has been bullied for years by the popular crowd, brings weapons to his high school one day and opens fire, killing 10 people. Alex Cormier, the judge assigned to Peter's case, tries to maintain her objectivity as she struggles to understand her daughter, Josie, one of the surviving witnesses of the shooting.

Sing You Home
Ten years of infertility issues culminate in the destruction of music therapist Zoe Baxter's marriage, after which she falls in love with another woman. They want to start a family, but Zoe’s ex, Max, stands in the way. Picoult explores both gay rights and the legal aspects of fertility treatment in this novel, which includes a CD of folk songs she wrote with Ellen Wilber.

Samuels Says - "Which books feature your favorite mystery?"

This month for our display, we asked the staff: "Which books feature your favorite mystery?" Here are our picks—we'd love to hear yours too!

Michal:

Vanish with the Rose by Barbara Michaels (LP F Mic)
Stitches in Time by Barbara Michaels (F Mic)
Wait for What Will Come by Barbara Michaels (F Mic)
Into the Darkness by Barbara Michaels (F Mic)

“I like Barbara Michaels!”

Code Orange by Caroline Cooney (YAF Coo)
Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy (JF Cas)
The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright (JF Wri)
Skateboard Tough by Matt Christopher (JF Chr)
Locked in Time by Lois Duncan (YAF Dun)
I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan (YAF Dun)

Ben:

Locked On by Tom Clancy (F Cla)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (F Doy)
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (F Har)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (F Lee)
The Godfather by Mario Puzo (F Puz)
The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy (F Cla)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (F Sto)
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (F Har)
From Russia, with Love by Ian Fleming (F Fle)
Time and Again by Jack Finney (F Fin)

Joan 1, the Mystery Queen:

List of Authors—Agatha Christie (F Chr), Elizabeth George (F Geo), Spencer Quinn (F Qui), P.D. James (F Jam), Ellen Crosby (F Cro), David Rosenfelt (F Ros), Mary Higgins Clark (F Cla), Margaret Truman (F Tru)
The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (F Smi)
The Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley (F Bra)

Jeanne:

List of Authors—Deanna Raybourn (F Ray), Sue Grafton (F Gra), Lisa Lutz (F Lut), Patricia Cornwell (F Cor), Janet Evanovich (F Eva), Dorothy Cannell (F Can), Tasha Alexander (F Ale)
The Chet and Bernie series by Spencer Quinn (F Qui)
The Hank the Cowdog series by John Erickson (JF Eri)

Betty:

Baring Arms by Jo-Ann Power (F Pow)
Dog on it: a Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn (F Qui)
Play Dead by David Rosenfelt (F Ros)
Gone to the Dogs by Susan Conant (F Con)

Boo:

Where are They Now by Mary Higgins Clark (F Cla)
The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark (F Cla)
First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones (F Jon)
Embrace the Grim Reaper by Judy Clemens (F Cle)
Vineyard Shadows by Philip Craig (F Cra)
Emily and Einstein by Linda Lee (F Lee)
Knock by Catherine Coulter (F Cou)
Anything by: Agatha Christie or M.C. Beaton

Kristin:

The Case of the Missing Books: a Mobile Library Mystery by Ian Sansom (F San)
Silent in the Grave: a Lady Julia Grey Mystery by Deanna Raybourn (F Ray)
Nemesis and The Snowman from the Inspector Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbø (F Nes)
Where the Shadows Lie by Michael Ridpath (F Rid)
The Merlot Murders: a Wine Country Mystery by Ellen Crosby (F Cro)
In the Woods, The Likeness, and especially Faithful Place by Tana French (F Fre)
Grave Sight: a Harper Connelly Mystery by Charlaine Harris (F Har)
Heat Wave: a Nikki Heat Mystery by Richard Castle (F Cas)
Jar City: a Reykjavik Thriller by Arnaldur Indriðason (F Ind)
A Fatal Grace: a Three Pines Mystery by Louise Penny (F Pen)
And the classic… And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (F Chr)

Melissa:

Dog on it: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn (F Qui)

Great on Audio too!!

Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen (F Adl)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: book one of the Millennium series by Stieg Larsson (F Lar)
Hercule Poirot’s Casebook by Agatha Christie (F Chr)
Devil’s Food Cake Murder: a Hannah Swensen Mystery with Recipes by Joanne Fluke (F Flu)
Crunch Time: a Goldy Schulz Mystery by Dianne Mott Davidson (F Dav)
Rain Fall: the John Rain Series by Barry Eisler (F Eis)
Killing Floor: a Jack Reacher Mystery by Lee Child (F Chi)
Any Ridley Pearson (F Pea) especially The Walt Fleming series
Killer Weekend: a Walt Fleming Mystery by Ridley Pearson (F Pea)
The Complaints by Ian Rankin (F Ran)
Any Jeffery Deaver (F Dea) especially The Lincoln Rhyme series
The Broken Window: a Lincoln Rhyme Mystery by Jefferey Deaver (F Dea)

Tamara:

Thud! : a Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett (F Pra)
Heat Wave, Naked Heat, and Heat Rises all by Richard Castle (F Cas)
The Secret of the Mansion: a Trixie Belden Mystery by Julie Campbell (JF Cam)
The Big Over Easy: a Nursery Crime Mystery by Jasper Fforde (F Ffo)
Shades of Gray by Jasper Fforde (F Ffo)

Tamara’s favorite authors:

Agatha Christie- All of hers, especially the Miss Marple Mysteries (F Chr)
Tamar Myers- Den of Antiquity series and most of the Pennsylvania Dutch Inn series (i.e. Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth and No Use Dying Over Spilled Milk) (F Mye)
Diane Mott Davidson– the entire Goldy Schulz Mysteries series (i.e. Catering to Nobody) (F Dav)
Carolyn Keene– all the classic Nancy Drew Mysteries (JF Kee)
Jim Butcher– The Dresden Files series (F But)
Jasper Fforde– The Thursday Next series (i.e. The Eyre Affair) (F Ffo)
John J Lamb – The Bear Collectors Mystery series ( F Lam)
Rex Stout – The Nero Wolfe series (F Sto)
John Grisham– all

Joan 2:

Waking Hours by Lisa Wiehl (F Wie)
Don’t Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon (F McM)
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: a Flavia De Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (F Bra)
Soulless: a Parasol Protectorate Mystery by Gail Carriger (F Car)
The Merlot Murders: a Wine Country Mystery by Ellen Crosby
For Better, For Murder: a Broken Vows Mystery by Lisa Bork (F Bor)
Till the Cows Come Home: a Stella Crown Mystery by Judy Clemens (F Cle)
The Explorer’s Code by Kitty Pilgrim (F Pil)
Death on Tour: a Jocelyn Shore Mystery by Janice Hamrick (F Ham)
Haunted Ground: a Nora Gavin Mystery by Erin Hart (F Har)
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (F Mor)
Real Murders: an Aurora Teagarden Mystery by Charlaine Harris (F Har)
Shakespeare’s Landlord: a Lily Bard Mystery by Charlaine Harris (F Har)
Grave Sight: a Harper Connelly Mystery by Charlaine Harris (F Har)
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (F Lut)
Embrace the Grim Reaper by Judy Clemens (F Cle)
Deja Dead: a Temperance Brennan Mystery (Bones) by Kathy Reichs (F Rei)

Reading Lists - Kristin on Nordic Crime Fiction

Since Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo hit the United States, there has been a growing interest in Scandinavian crime fiction here. I've done a bit of reading in the genre, though I'm looking forward to doing a lot more. (I'm especially fond of Norwegian author Jo Nesbø.) I decided to put together a list for other fans of the genre, focusing on authors whose work we own here at Samuels.

The definition of "Scandinavia" in this case isn't quite accurate. From what I read, strictly speaking Scandinavia is only Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. However, Finland and Iceland are sometimes grouped with Scandinavia because of their historic and/or cultural ties, in which case they're more accurately called the Nordic countries. I've included them too.

This is just a brief, and by no means comprehensive, list. For more Nordic crime, I would recommend starting with Glass Key award winners. The Glass Key, named after the Dashiell Hammett novel, is given every year by the members of the Crime Writers of Scandinavia (Skandinaviska Kriminalsällskapet) to a crime novel written by a Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, or Swedish author. Each country's members put forth a candidate novel, making up the shortlist.

Now without further ado, I give you a briefly annotated list of Nordic crime fiction available at Samuels Library.

Denmark

Adler-Olsen, Jussi - His first (and so far only) book to be translated into English is The Keeper of Lost Causes, the first in a series about chief detective Carl Morck. The Copenhagen detective is recovering from what he thought was a career-destroying gunshot wound when he is assigned to Department Q, a newly created unit charged with solving cold cases. I haven't read this yet, but I like the sound of the cold cases, the twisty plot, and the touch of humor that Glass Key winner Adler-Olsen is said to possess.

Davidsen, Leif - Davidsen won the Glass Key for Lime's Photograph, a political espionage thriller about Danish expat Peter Lime, who makes his home in Madrid and his living as a paparazzo. Lime takes one photo too many and finds himself in prison; when he is released, it is to discover his wife and daughter have been murdered and his archives burned. Lime's suspenseful search for answers leads him to Moscow, Berlin, and  his own past. Sounds exciting!

Høeg, Peter - I understand that Høeg's Glass Key winner Smilla's Sense of Snow is a must read in the genre. Smilla Qaavigaaq Jasperson is an unemployed glaciologist from Greenland living in Copenhagen. When her six-year-old neighbor falls to his death and no one is willing to suspect foul play, Smilla begins her own investigation. She is a rebellious, stubborn, tough, fearless Eskimo woman with an uncanny sense of direction, a love of Isaac Newton's theories, and a gift for mathematics. She treasures her aloneness, successfully hiding her vulnerability under a near-impenetrable facade of aggressiveness. What a character!

Jungersen, Christian - In Jungersen's only novel translated into English, The Exception, four women employed at the Danish Centre for Genocide Studies are receiving death threats. They suspect a Bosnian torturer and war criminal is the culprit, but then they discover that it could be someone in their very midst. Again, this is another book I haven't read yet, but it sounds like a masterpiece of psychological suspense.

Norway

Fossum, Karin - Fossum writes a series about Inspector Konrad Sejer. The second in the series and first to be translated into English, Don't Look Back, won the Glass Key. Here, the residents of a small village northwest of Oslo are torn asunder by the murder of a much-loved 15-year-old girl. Sejer, an aging, secretive cop still grieving for his late wife, must probe the psychological ticks of members of the seemingly idyllic community to solve the crime. I hear great things about this series.

Holt, Anne - Holt has written two series and several stand alone novels, though many haven't been translated. Her Stubo/Vik series follows the partnership of Norway police commissioner Adam Stubo and troubled FBI profiler Johanne Vik. Personally, I'm really looking forward to the first book to be translated into English from her Hanne Wilhelmsen series, which is coming out on December 27. In 1222, travelers on the Oslo to Bergen train are stranded by a blizzard in a decrepit hotel, where one of their number begins killing off the rest. I love a good locked room mystery!

Nesbø, Jo - I have to try not to get carried away when I talk about Nesbø's Harry Hole series. Hole is a classic loose cannon in the police force, with few close friends and unorthodox methods. He's a smoker and an alcoholic, always in the process of recovery or relapse, which puts his boss, Bjarne Møller, in difficult situations when he's forced to save his brilliant detective's job. In my opinion, Harry is one of the best-written characters I've ever read, and Nesbø's novels are intricately plotted, fascinating, and strongly written. The first in the series, The Bat Man, won the Glass Key. The first translated into English is The Redbreast.

Sweden

Jungstedt, Mari - I chose to include Jungstedt because her novels are set on the island of Gotland, which makes a nice change from Stockholm. The series features Detective Superintendent Anders Knutas and the journalist Johan Berg. (Jungstedt herself has worked as a journalist for many years.) In the title we own, The Inner Circle, students working on an archaeological dig to uncover an ancient Viking fortification become caught up in a web of horror when a young woman turns up dead, naked, and hanging from a tree, the victim of a ritual killing. Dark enough for you?

Läckberg, Camilla - Läckberg's American debut and first in the Erica Falck/Patrik Hedstrom series is The Ice Princess. After she returns to her small west coast hometown, Fjällbacka, biographer Erica Falck learns that her friend Alex was found in an ice-cold bath with her wrists slashed. She researches her friend's past in hopes of writing a book and joins forces with Detective Patrik Hedstrom, who has his own suspicions about the case. I like the premise of a professional and an amateur working together, plus it sounds like there may be a bit of romance. Also, there are many empty houses in the small village's off-season, and I've read that the quiet creates a chilling atmosphere in which silence drives suspense. Sounds awesome.

Mankell, Henning - Mankell won the inaugural Glass Key in 1992 for Faceless Killers, the first novel in his Kurt Wallender series, and was an international bestseller before Steig Larsson had been published. Inspector Wallander works in the southern town of Ystad,  has few close friends, and is known for his less-than-desirable lifestyle—too much alcohol and junk food, too little exercise, and some anger issues. He  investigates on a very personal level, throwing himself into catching criminals and going against the orders of his superiors to try to solve a case. In Faceless Killers, he finds himself coping with a wave of anti-foreigner sentiment when he is put in charge of the investigation into the brutal murders of an elderly couple.

Marklund, Liza - Some mystery/thriller readers might recognize Marklund as the coauthor of James Patterson's Postcard Killers. She has also written her own series about journalist Annika Bengtzon. In the American debut of the series, Red Wolf, a journalist is murdered in the northern Swedish town of Lulea during the freezing winter. Annika suspects that the killing is linked to an attack against an air base in the late sixties. Against the explicit orders of her boss, Annika continues her investigation of the death, which is soon followed by a series of shocking murders. With terrorism and communist splinter groups abounding, this sounds like quite an exciting read.

Sweden seems to dominate the Nordic crime genre, so I've only detailed a few authors here. Also try: Karin Alvtegen,  Åke Edwardson, Kjell Eriksson, Lars Kepler, Åsa Larsson, Steig Larsson, Håkan Nesser, Leif Persson, Anders Roslund, Maj Sjöwall & Per Wachlöö, and Helene Turseten.

Finland

So far I haven't been able to find any Finnish crime authors in our collection, but they might be hiding from me! If you're looking for something from Finland, let me know!

Iceland

Arnaldur Indriðason - A two-time Glass Key winner, Arnaldur Indriðason has written a few stand-alone books and 11 novels featuring Detective Erlendur. (Icelanders are called by their first names since their second name is a patronymic.) In his American debut, Jar City, Erlendur Sveinsson investigates the murder  of an elderly man named Holberg, who was found with a cryptic typed note reading, "I am HIM." Murder in Iceland is rare, and Erlendur is just coordinating his probe when two other crimes demand his attention: the assault of geriatric twin sisters in their home and the disappearance of a bride shortly after her wedding. Sounds like the type of moody, psychological, twisty Nordic mystery that we love!

Ridpath, Michael - Okay, so Ridpath is actually British, but I included him because I recently read his book Where the Shadows Lie, which takes place in Iceland. I thought he did really good research and the book felt Nordic, so it gets a special guest spot on the list. Sequestered to the Icelandic Police Force after a drug cartel puts a bounty on his head, former Boston detective and native Icelander Magnus Jonson is forced to confront difficult truths while investigating rumors about a priceless ancient manuscript. Norse mythology, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, details of life in Reykjavik, stunning settings, an interesting detective... I thought this was a real winner, and I'm looking forward to the next installment, 66 Degrees North.

Samuels Says - "Which books give you that holiday spirit?"

This month for our display, we asked the staff: "Which books give you that holiday spirit?" Here are our picks—we'd love to hear yours too! 

Jeanne:
The Homecoming: a novel about Spencer’s Mountain by Earl Hamner (F Ham)
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, illustrated by P. S. Lynch (JF Hen)
Christmas with Southern Living (394.2 Chr)
Snowy Night with a Stranger by Jane Feather (Paperback Romance F)
A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas (F Kle)
A Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco (EF Pol)
Home for the Holidays by Johanna Lindsey
The Nutcracker – American Ballet Theatre and Mikhail Baryshnikov production
(Vid / DVD 792.8 Nut)

Joan 1:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (JF Dic)
Christmas Jars and Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason Wright (F Wri)
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans (F Eva)
The Christmas Books by Charles Dickens (F Dic)
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (F Hen)
Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark (F Cla)
One Shenandoah Winter by T. Davis Bunn (F Bun)
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg (F Fla)
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (F Gri)
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci (F Bal)

Katie:

Country Living: Merry and Bright: 301 Festive Ideas for Celebrating Christmas from the editors of Country Living (745.594 Cou) “I really like this one”
The Golden Book of Desserts by Carla Bardi and Rachel Lane (641.8 Gol)
Christmas with Southern Living-2008 and up (394.2 Chr)
Everything Christmas by David Borden (394.26 Bor)
Simple Pleasures for the Holidays by Susannah Seton (394.26 Set)
Seriously Simple Holidays by Diane Rossen Worthington (641.568 Wor)
Swedish Christmas Crafts by Helene S. Lundberg (745.594 Lun)
American Christmas edited by Chuck Williams (641.5686 Ame)

Boo:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (F Dic)
White Christmas (DVD and Vid F Whi)
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (F Gri)
Six Geese a-Slaying by Donna Andrews (F And)
Christmas Gifts That Always Fit by James W. Moore (F Moo)
A Blue and Gray Christmas by Joan Medlicott (F Med)
A Chesapeake Christmas by Sheryl Woods (F Woo)
Hot Flash Holidays by Nancy Thayer (F Tha)
Seven Stars of Christmas by Claudia Martin (JS Mar)

Joan 2: I like when the story just happens to take place during a holiday!

Enchanted, Inc. series by Shanna Swendson (F Swe)
Till the Cows Come Home, the Stella Crown series by Judy Clemens (F Cle)
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson (F Sam)
Shakespeare’s Christmas by Charlaine Harris (F Har)
Home in Time for Christmas by Heather Graham (F Gra)
The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank (F Fra)
The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts (F Rob)
Without a Backward Glance by Kate Veitch (F Vei)
The Last Noel by Michael Malone (F Mal)
Silver Bells by Luanne Rice (F Ric)
The Christmas Wish by Richard Siddoway (F Sid)
The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern (F Ahe)
The Next Queen of Heaven by Gregory Maguire (F Mag)
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown (F Bro)
Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith (F Smi)

Kristin:

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (F Gri)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (YAF Row) Yule Ball!!
Ice by Linda Howard (F How)
Not Enough Beds! by Lisa Bullard (E Bul)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (E Seu)
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (E Bri)
     + The Snowman (JF DVD Sno), the 1982 animated version!
The Snowman by Jo Nesbø (F Nes)
Chocolat by Joanne Harris (F Har)
Shakespeare’s Christmas by Charlaine Harris (F Har)
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman (YAF Pul)
Miracle on 34th Street (DVD F Mir)

Michal:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (JF Dic)
Snow Angel by Jean Marzollo (E Mar)
Jan Brett’s Snowy Treasury by Jan Brett (E Bre)
Sam the Snowman by Susan Winget (E Win)

Melissa:

Christmas in the Adirondacks by William H. H. Murray (F Cassette Mur)
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (818.5402 Sed)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (F Alb)
Christmas with Southern Living (394.2 Chr)

Ben:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (F Dic)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (E Seu)
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore (J 811 Moo)
Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann (JF Hof)
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (E All)
The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman (E Til)

Betty:

`Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore (E Moo)
Dashing Through the Snow by Mary and Carol Higgins Clark (F Cla)
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci (F Bal)
Any Martha Stewart holiday book!
Any current magazine!
Listen to some music on our Holiday CDs! (781.723)

Kathy:

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo (E Dic)
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (F Hen)
It’s a Wonderful Life (DVD F Its)
Miracle on 34th Street (DVD F Mir)
The Santa Clause (DVD F San)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (JF DVD Cha)

Anna:

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry (E Bar)
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (JF Tay) “A great way to learn about Hanukah!”
The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett (J 784.4 Twe)
The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Gennedy Spirin (J 784.6 Twe)
Silent Night, Holy Night: a Song for the World by Werner Thuswaldner (J 784.6 Thu)
Cats and Carols by Lesley Anne Ivory (J 784.6 Ivo)
Good King Wenceslas by J. M. Neale (J 782.28 Nea)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Fred Coots (J 782.42 Coo)
Any:
Holiday cooking and baking books
Holiday decorating and craft books
Christmas music books in 782s

Tamara:

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (F Hen)
A Foxfire Christmas by Eliot Wiggington (394.2 Fox)
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (F Pra)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (JF Dic)
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie (F Chr)
The Penny Whistle Christmas Party Book by Meredith Brokaw (793.21 Bro)
The Flying Latke by Arthur Yorinks (E Yor)
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett (YAF Pra)
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder (JF Wil)
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (F Dic)
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (JF Bur)

DVDs :

The Santa Clause 1 and 2, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, A Christmas Wish, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Christmas Child: a story of coming home, A Christmas Story, The Red Shoes, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, The Polar Express.

Christmas CDs:

Look for CD 781.723

What should YOU read next?

A few weeks ago, a patron came to the reference desk and told me that she had just finished all seven books in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. (That's quite an accomplishment—we're talking thousands and thousands of pages!) The eighth in the series has an anticipated publication date of sometime in 2012, but that's just too long to wait for a good book to read! That's why she asked me my all-time favorite question: "What should I read next?"

It can take a few minutes to find a book or two when you ask the reference staff for a recommendation, and probably some trial and error too. But our goal is for you to leave with another book that you're excited to read. In this patron's case, she left with two! She also inspired me to prepare an entire list of read-alikes for the next Outlander fan looking for a good read. (See our last post.)

The point of this little anecdote is to make sure you know that we want to help you—yes, you— find your next favorite book.The next time you're in the library and looking for a good book to read, ask for assistance at the reference desk. Give us a few minutes, and we'll send you home with something new to try. If you prefer, you can give me a few weeks, and I'll create an entire annotated reading list like I did for the Outlander reader.

Please come ask us for reading recommendations! We're waiting for you!