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Dear Book Lover,
If you have been in the store lately, you might have already seen these reviews on our shelves. If not, do stop in and ask us what is new.
Also, if you have been in Bookshelf lately, you know we are doing our ARC (advance reader copy) giveaways for frequent buyers. As we are not renewing cards, you can get a free ARC when you spend $25.00, or $15.00 in the children's department. Or you can make a donation. Help us find a new home for all these ARCs.
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Adult Hardcover Fiction Readers
 Be Careful What You Wish For: Clifton Chronicles 4
by Jeffrey Archer
In this fourth book of Archer's saga, the reader will pick up where the last cliff-hanger left them at the end of Best Kept Secret. Who died in the fatal car accident: Sebastian or his best friend Bruno? As Emma Clifton becomes chairman of Barrington Shipping Company, it puts in place a sinister plan to destroy the family firm when Don Pedro Martinez places his "puppet" Alex Fisher in a seat on the board of directors. Fans of this twisting and turning series must read this segment of the saga that will keep you on the edge of your seat, taking the families into the 60's in a tale of love, revenge, ambition, and betrayal. Archer is a master storyteller and this latest novel in the saga will again leave you anxiously awaiting the conclusion which is promised for 2015. Highly recommended, but be sure to start with Only Time Will Tell. (St. Martin's Press, $27.99) Reviewed by Carol
 The Daring Ladies of Lowell
by Kate Alcott
In 1832, when Alice Barrow was twenty, she left her life on the family farm in New Hampshire seeking a new life and independence finding work at a cotton mill in Lowell, Massachusetts. The hard work and long hours as a "mill girl" did not discourage her, but placed her working beside other similarly determined girls where she formed a friendship with strong-willed Lovey Cornell. Working conditions at the mill were dangerous and Alice decided to represent the workers and take their grievances to the factory's wealthy owner, Hiram Fiske, where she comes to the attention of his eldest son, Samuel. A mutual attraction between them sets Alice to dreaming of a different future for herself until Lovey is found murdered, shattering her dreams and putting her in the middle of a sensational trial and the unrest that follows. Alice finds herself torn between conflicting loyalties: her commitment to the mill girls at the factory and her love for Samuel. Based on an actual murder and the trial that followed in 1833, Alcott's novel tells of a changing time in the American labor movement, while capturing the nature of love, loyalty and the power of friendship. Highly recommended. (Doubleday, $24.95). Reviewed by Carol
 I Always Loved You
by Robin Oliveira
In this historical novel, the author "paints" in words the lives of Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas as brilliantly as these two famous impressionists colorfully portrayed their subjects on painted canvases. Following the Civil War, young Mary moves to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming an artist. But after a decade of dedication to her studies, and then rejection by the Paris Salon of the piece she submits, she realizes at age 33 that recognition as an artist is not going to be easy. Mary admires the works of Edgar Degas; she studies them, wondering what it is that makes an artist an artist. She doesn't want to imitate, but needs to find her own "vision". As she is contemplating a return to Philadelphia at her father's request, a friend that Mary and Edgar unknowingly have in common introduces the two, setting off a relationship that is about to change both their lives. Oliveira "relights" the scenes of Paris' world of art and its artists during the latter 1800's and amazingly breathes life into Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas for her readers. I also highly recommend The Painted Girls by Marie Buchanan (now in paperback) another historical novel about the life of Degas and the novelist Emile Zola. (Viking, $27.95) Reviewed by Carol
 The Kept
by James Scott
In rural New York State during the winter of 1897, Elspeth Howell, a midwife,
returns home to find her husband and four of her children brutally murdered. Her surviving son, 12 year old Caleb, tends to the wounds he has mistakenly inflicted on his mother upon her surprise return before they embark on a journey to avenge the violent family tragedy, each with their own secrets: Caleb seeking revenge for the deaths of his siblings, Elspeth expecting to find punishment for her hidden sins. Their trek through a frozen wilderness brings them to a remote town where they hope to find the murderers, but they also find out about their own damaged selves. While this debut novel is not for the faint of heart, it will grab readers from the first page. A profound story from a writer to watch. (Harper, $25.99) Reviewed by Carol
 Kill Fee
by Owen Laukkanen
Suspense fans, are you looking for a new author that can bring you a page turning thriller? Then Owen Laukkanen is just the one! In his third dazzling mystery, Minnesota state investigator Kirk Stevens and FBI Special Agent Carla Windermere are sent on a cross-country trail that leads to a 21st century enterprise: a high-tech murder-for-hire social media website and its connection to the assassination of one of the state's wealthiest men. The "asset" to the Killswitch program is a young veteran traumatized by war who has been molded into a workable killer and is now eluding Stevens and Windermere. What is the connection between the victims the Killswitch program is hiring to be killed? And who is the man paying for the contracts? You won't want to miss this high-edged page-turning chase, but first read The Professionals and Criminal Enterprise (both now in paperback), where the author has created two memorable heroes involved in some strikingly original crimes that stand out in the mystery genre. (G.P. Punam's Sons, $26.95) Reviewed by Carol
 Mrs. Lincoln's Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini
During Mary Todd Lincoln's years in the White House as the wife of the President, she finds a political rival in Kate Chase. Kate's father, Salmon Chase, an ambitious lawyer and a former senator and governor of Ohio, has been appointed to Lincoln's cabinet as Secretary of the Treasury while having had even higher aspirations. Chase, three times a widower, has a beautiful and intelligent daughter, the second daughter of his second wife, who takes over the role as mistress of her father's household and hostess at his social gatherings, thus forming a father/daughter relationship bent on achieving a possible future presidency for him. Mary and Kate have much in common, but their rivalry never results in a friendship. Chiaverini's novel gives a lively picture of Washington City politics, both in the houses of government and in the family homes of its prominent leaders, set against the backdrop of the capital during the Civil War years. This is history woven together with good fictional narrative. (Dutton, $26.95) Reviewed by Carol
 The Museum of
Extraordinary Things
by Alice Hoffman In her latest novel, Hoffman invites her readers to fully experience three worlds: those of science, magic and literature. In New York City during the first two decades of the 20th century, Coralie Sardie is the young daughter of the impresario promoting the Coney Island freak show, "The Museum of Extraordinary Things". Coralie was born with an unusual deformity and becomes the Human Mermaid, appearing nightly in an underwater tank. The readers are also introduced to other performers including the self-educated Wolfman, the Portuguese Butterfly Girl, and the century-old tortoise. One night Coralie meets Eddie Cohen, a handsome Russian immigrant photographer who has run away from his Lower East Side Orthodox community and his job as an apprentice tailor. Eddie masters the art of photography and soon finds himself involved in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman's disappearance. Coralie, born unordinary, yearns for a life as a normal human being, hoping to see the true world away from her father's hold on her and her duties in the museum display. With a cast of colorful characters which I compare to those in The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, and The Golem and the Jinni, Hoffman weaves magic and romance with masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a tender story of young love with an ending that "sputters" with good tears. This promises to bring an interesting evening conversation to book groups. (Scriber, $27.99) Reviewed by Carol  Roosevelt's Beast by Louis Bayard
The author describes his latest novel as "a psychological fantasy built out of historical events and should not be confused with actual history". From Anchorage, Alaska in 1943, the wrecked and ruined 53 year-old Kermit Roosevelt, son of former president Theodore Roosevelt, recounts his dangerous adventure down the Rio de Divida (the River of Doubt). Bayard reinvents the 1914 Brazilian scientific expedition taken by TR, his son, and other members traveling deep into the Amazon jungle. TR and Kermit are kidnapped by a mysterious tribe and find themselves searching for an evil supernatural presence. This heart-of-darkness tale is an edge-of-your seat-thriller with all the twists and turns readers expect in a gripping novel. (Henry Holt, $27.00) Reviewed by Carol
 The Sea House
by Elisabeth Gifford
Gifford's short prologue to this novel pulled me in and didn't let me go until the last page, and then I wished for more from this poetic writer. A house on the remote windswept coast of the Outer Hebrides between Scotland and the Atlantic Ocean is the setting of a haunting tale that spans more than 130 years of lore and myths about mermaids, selkies, and sealmen. In 1992, Ruth and Michael, young newlyweds, move into the dilapidated Sea House and begin renovating it with hopes of starting a guest house and restaurant to attract tourists from the mainland. During the renovations, the bones of an infant are unearthed from beneath the floorboards, opening up two interweaving tales involving former residents of the Sea House. Ruth, with her own young personal demons, realizes she must follow a trail of secret stories in order to answer questions that lie in her past. A sweeping tale about how we heal ourselves by discovering our history. Highly recommended. (St. Martin's Press, $25.99) Reviewed by Carol
 The Secret of Magic
by Deborah Johnson
This is a passionate story portraying life in the South following World War II. Regina Robichard, a young black attorney, opens a letter addressed to her employer, Thurgood Marshall, at their New York NAACP office. The letter sender, famous reclusive author M.P. Calhoun, is asking the Legal Defense Fund team to investigate the murder of Joe Howard Wilson, a young black soldier who had recently been honorably discharged from the army. Regina is sent to Revere, Mississippi to seek out the truth behind the murder, and there she finds rage surrounding racism and parallels between life in Revere and Calhoun's book. How much of the book is based on reality, and does it have any connection to the murder? Unforgettable characters in a fictionalized account of an actual NAACP case from the 1940's. Part history, part mystery, fans of The Help will enjoy this southern gothic story, not wanting it to end. (Amy Einhorn Books/G.P. Putnam's Sons, $26.95) Reviewed and highly recommended by Carol and Erika
 The Swan Gondola
by Timothy Schaffert
A story-within-a-story begins when Emmaline and Hester Egan discover Ferret Skerritt's fall from a hot air balloon into their front yard. Ferret, a young waif raised as a thief has grown up to become a con-man and ventriloquist performing with his wooden dummy Oscar. The author writes a page-turner full of twists and surprises woven into a romantic mystical tale of love transformed into loss and spiritual reincarnation. The Omaha "World's Fair" of 1898 is the magical setting of midway attractions that bring Ferret and Cecily, a beautiful member of a traveling horror troupe, to quickly fall in love amidst the mysteries and magic of the fair. But their romance is too-good-to-be-true when a threat appears in the form of William Wakefield. Schaffert's research and historical detail -- clearly a fan of L. Frank Baum and The Wizard of Oz -- make for an enjoyable read for fans of Water For Elephants and The Night Circus. Highly Recommended. (Riverhead Books, $27.95) Reviewed by Carol
 The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
by Gabrielle Zevin
This perfect story for book lovers takes a look into the life of a 39-year-old widowed owner of a bookstore on a Martha's Vineyard-like island in the Northeast. A.J. Fikry has a rare copy of Poe's Tamerlane which is stolen from a locked bookcase (destroying his retirement fund) and he is then faced with a life changing event -- a two-year-old girl abandoned in his store. What does a simple man who never raised a child do with a toddler who immediately captures his heart? Can he cut the strings and abandon her to a foster home, or should he risk trying to make her a part of his life. Can A.J. Fikry turn lemons into lemonade? Zevin paints a vivid picture of what it's like to be a bookseller with a sensitive human side. The story made me laugh and occasionally brought a few tears, while being peppered throughout with literary quips every well-read book lover can identify with. This is a delightfully engaging novel I highly recommend. A must for book clubs. (Algonquin, $24.95) Reviewed by Carol Erika and Debbie also loved this novel; don't miss it!
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Adult Hardcover Non-Fiction Readers
 Dogtrippingby David Rosenfelt
Suspense author Rosenfelt has written this wonderful memoir about his move from Southern California to Maine. With 25 rescue dogs, 11 two-legged volunteers, and 3 rented RVs, Rosenfelt and his wife begin a trip they think they are prepared for. This adventure recounts moving animal companions across the U.S. with humor and warmth as Rosenfelt and his crew become "foster parents" to dogs to be placed with loving families. A laugh-out-loud romp for dog lovers who may want to adopt from their nearest shelter. A must read -- poignant and hilarious. You will also enjoy the author's mystery series featuring Andy Carpenter, a detective whose ride-along golden retriever is instrumental in solving Andy's cases. (St. Martin's Press, $25.99). Reviewed by Carol
The Hotel on Place Vendome
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
During the 1940 fall of Paris the Hotel Ritz became a "Switzerland in Paris". From Nazi occupied Paris, Berlin learned of the hotel's unique "Janus face". Years earlier the Ritz was partitioned -- a long corridor connecting what had once been two buildings -- one a small 18th century palace facing onto the Place Vendome and another more modern set of buildings with an entrance on a side avenue. That corridor would shape the destiny of those who spent time during the occupation in the salons and bedchambers of the Hotel Ritz. The Place Vendome side of the hotel with its gilded rooms would become the sumptuous residence of the high-ranking German officers. On the rue Cambon side of the hotel, the apartments, bars, and restaurant remained open to the public: citizens of France and neutral countries and select groups from high society to royalty who were allowed to stay in residence. Mazzeo's intriguing historical account traces the years of the Hotel Ritz from its heralded opening in 1898 as the modern center of the "new" Parisian era until its decline in the 1970's, mainly focusing on the events surrounding the Nazi occupation of Paris in the 1940's: Paris's posh circle of society, Germany's art-collecting binge, illicit affairs, collaboration with the enemy as a means of survival, organized resistance within the shadows of the Ritz, and post-war "gangsterism" and betrayal. Highly recommended nonfiction reading.(Harper, $26.99). Reviewed by Carol
Last Hours on Everest
by Graham Hoyland
This is definitely a book for fans of mountaineering history, adventure, and travel literature memoirs. On June 8, 1924, George Mallory and Sandy Irvine disappeared during their climb on Mount Everest. A mystery still hangs over what this expedition accomplished. Mallory's body was found on Everest in 1999, 75 years after his fateful climb. Was he ascending or descending the mountain that defied conquering? Although Irvine's body has never been brought off the mountain, it is believed a Chinese climber who died in a fall the next day may have discovered it in 1975. (HarperCollins, $26.99)
Reviewed by Carol.
 Little Demon in the City of Light
by Steven Levingston
In late 19th century France, a theory yet unproven questioned whether someone could be compelled through hypnosis to commit a crime violating their moral beliefs. In July 1889 Toussaint-Augustin Gouffe, expecting to spend a delightful evening with young Gabrielle Bompard, was instead murdered -- hanged-- by the young lady and her companion Michel Eyraud. The body was then disposed of on a riverbank, only to be discovered days later in a gruesome state. What followed was an international manhunt for those responsible for the crime, which became a drawn-out saga fueled by French and American newspaper reports impassioned by public opinion while frustrated investigation and interrogation was carried out -- rather typical in solving serious crimes during this time period in France. Was Gabrielle "mesmerized" during the time of Gouffe's murder, or was she a willing accomplice? Would the court find the "little demon" and her lover guilty of this heinous crime or would it acquit them without showing substantial evidence? For fans of historical true crime accounts such as Devil in the White City and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I highly recommend this well researched account of a stunning crime and the theory behind it. (Doubleday, $26.95)
Reviewed by Carol
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Gift Cards/Certificates and IndieBound
 Gift cards are always a welcome gift for a reader, who can then choose exactly what they want. Our booksellers are always ready with a great book suggestion for adults and children. 
IndieBound is about supporting Independent bookstores and other businesses, and celebrating what makes them unique. It's about reaching out, it's about raising awareness, and it's about taking pride in your community.
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Deborah Lane
Bookshelf Stores Inc
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