New Fiction (continued)

Fiction

Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish. Milwaukee author Radish wrote this story about list maker Connie Nixon who never follows through on the list of her deepest desires. While searching through some boxes at home Connie discovers her daughter's secret job as a sex toy store owner. Impulsively jumping a plane to New York leads Connie to crossing some items off her list of desires.

Booomsday by Christopher Buckley. The author of Thank You For Smoking writes another comedy. In Boomsday Baby Boomers and their kids are at war over the upcoming costs of the aging Boomers and their mismanagement of Social Security. The solution? A pay-out. Receive your pay-out now and kill yourselves before you're 75.

Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. Izzy Spellman's family business is private investigating. So, it's good that Izzy and her family like invading people's privacy. Izzy wants to leave her job but has to take on a missing persons case to satisfy her parents.

Roma by Steven Saylor. A novel of ancient Rome by Saylor . Saylor has written some really good mysteries set in ancient Rome and his knowledge of Roman history and the detail he adds to those novels made them fantastic. This novel follows Roman history over a couple hundred years through two Roman families, one rich and one poor.

Color of Blood by Declan Hughes. We have Hughes' Wrong Kind of Blood which was published last fall. Wrong introduced Ed Loy. Born in Ireland Ed left for California and ended up a private investigator. After his mother's death Ed returned to Dublin, Ireland and decided to stay. Still working as an investigator Ed is asked by a prominent doctort to find his missing teenage daughter. The job seems easy until the girl's mother and former boyfriend are murdered.

We Shall Not Weep by Anne Perry. The three Reavley siblings are still involved in the Great War in both the French front and at home in London. A rape in the British lines and a terrorist in London are this book's troubles.

Inspirational Fiction

Summer of Light by W. Dale Cramer. Mick Brannigan is hurt on the job and cannot work. Losing his paycheck means his wife, Layne, now provides the sole income. What's more, Mick is now in charge of their three kids and the household.

Mysteries

Picasso Flop by Vince van Patten and Robert J. Randisi. van Patten is an interesting dude. The son of Dick van Patten, Vince has been a film actor (see him on DVD in Rock N Roll High School available at Lake Mills Library), a ranked tennis professional and is a world class poker player. Vince is also the tuxedoed guy in those Potawatomi casino adverts. Picasso received a starred review in Library Journal when ex-con and card ace Jimmy Spain is asked to watch over and teach a friend's card playing son. When the kid is accused of murder during a card tournament at Vegas' Bellagio Casino Jimmy has to clear the kid's name.

Probable Cause by Theresa Schwegel. Rookie Chicago cop Ray Weiss is from a family of cops and always wanted to be one. But life as a rookie cop is not as expected. Then it's Ray turn at "initiation". The initiation is the local cops' favorite, burglary. When Ray breaks into a store and finds a dead body the department's lack of rules and order give him reason for fear.

Cover-Up by Michele Martinez. Promoted on the cover as a suspense novel rather than a mystery. Local gossip reporter in NYC is found mutilated in Central Park. The federal prosecutor in charge of the case starts getting emails containing information about the crime scene.

Catered Valentine's Day by Isis Crawford. The cover says, "A Mystery With Recipes." Gerard says, "Ach, (gag) (gag), ach, ich."

Accidental Florist by Jill Churchill. Jane Jeffrey is getting married and her mother is going to run - ruin? - everything. Jane's fiance detective has her take a defense class where a dead body is found. Now Jill has to deal with a wedding and a homicide investigation.

Western

Texas Showdown by Elmer Skelton. Two novels by Skelton: Pecos Crossing and Shotgun.