Mary, Mary

Author:     James Paterson

Category:     Fiction     

Reviewer:     Jan Woodcock

Department/Position:     Library/Media

Summary: FBI agent Alex Cross is on vacation with his family at Disneyland when he gets a call from the Director. A well-known actress was shot outside her home in Beverly Hills. Shortly afterward, an editor for the Los Angeles Times receives an e-mail describing the murder in vivid detail. Alex quickly learns that this is not an isolated incident. The killer, known as Mary Smith, has done this before and plans to kill again. Right from the beginning, this case is like nothing Alex has ever confronted. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more frightening? And particularly baffling, how could a woman be capable of these vicious crimes? Members of Hollywood’s A-list fear they’re next on Mary’s list, and the case grows by blockbuster proportions as the LAPD and FBI scramble to find a pattern before Mary can send one more chilling update.

Recommended Audience:     Young Adult and Adult – A continuation of the Alex Cross series.

Rating:     4

This book is available in the AHS Library

The Eye of the Wolf

Author:     Margaret Coel

Category:     Fiction     

Reviewer:     Jan Woodcock

Department/Position:     Library/Media

Summary: Father John O'Malley is  alarmed on receiving a cryptic voice-mail message that leads him to a century-old battlefield and three newly slain Shoshones. Could these be revenge killings for the bloody battle that took place between the now co-existing Arapahos and Shoshones? When a client of Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden, Frankie Montana, is accused of the murders, Vicky's law partner and lover, Adam Lone Eagle, urges her to pass Montana to the attractive new lawyer in town. Past experience sets off her warning bells, and Vicky begins to wonder about Adam's interest in the beautiful blond newcomer. The wary familiarity between Vicky and Father John continues even as the two are drawn into an expanding circle of death.

Recommended Audience:     Young Adult and Adult An interesting read for those who enjoy Western and Arapaho Nation history.

Rating:     4

This book is available in the AHS Library

The Perfect Shot

Author:     Elaine Alphin

Category:     Fiction     

Reviewer:     Jan Woodcock

Department/Position:     Library/Media

Summary: Brian's girlfriend, Amanda; her sister; and their mother are shot to death in their garage. The girls' father is put on trial for the crime. On the day of the murders, however, Brian saw something that he thinks might affect the case. The story is told in flashbacks as he struggles for his life after being shot–as readers will suspect–by the true killer. What might have been a straightforward mystery grows richer as Brian compares Amanda's father's situation to the 1913 Leo Frank murder case he is researching for class. Another thread follows the arrest of Brian's friend and basketball teammate Julius, one of the few African Americans in their small Indiana town. Brian must also cope with pressure from his father to excel in basketball, and with his overwhelming grief over Amanda's death. Sports fans will enjoy the basketball elements throughout the story.

Recommended Audience:     Young Adult – A great read for those who enjoy a good mystery and a suspenseful tale.

Rating:     5

This book is available in the AHS Library

S is for Silence

Author:     Sue Grafton

Category:     Fiction     

Reviewer:     Jan Woodcock

Department/Position:     Library/Media
Summary:The daughter of a neglectful mother has been haunted by her mother's disappearance from a Fourth of July celebration when the daughter was only seven years old. Part of the intrigue from this case comes from Grafton's sensitive portrayal of the psychological consequences of neglect. Millhone doesn't have much hope for the case but starts digging. Grafton juxtaposes flashbacks to 1953, when the mother disappeared, with the current investigation, giving different points of view on the woman.

Recommended Audience:     Young Adult and Adult – The reader should be aware that there is some sexual content in this book.     

Rating:     3

This book is available in the AHS Library