Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Around the World in 80 Murders: Middle East and Arab Countries

Around the World in 80 Murders: Middle East and Arab Countries: From the RA for All blog:
"Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Middle East and Arab Countries

A Woman in Jerusalem by Abraham B. Yehoshua
The body of a woman killed in a terrorist bombing is claimed by the Human Resources manager of the bakery where she worked. Who was she and why did she come to Jerusalem?

The Mosaic of Shadows by Tom Harper
Byzantium, 1096. A mysterious assassin releases an arrow aimed at the emperor, but he has more than just a man in his sights. A keystone of a crumbling empire, the emperor is the solitary figure holding all the enemies in check. And if he falls, the mightiest power in Christendom will be torn apart.

My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk
In Istanbul, in the late 1590s, the Sultan secretly commissions a great book: a celebration of his life and his empire, to be illuminated by the best artists of the day - in the European manner. But when one of the miniaturists is murdered, their master has to seek outside help. Did the dead painter fall victim to professional rivalry, romantic jealousy, or religious terror?

Night Falls on Damascus by Frederick Highland
In 1930s French controlled Syria, a police inspector, investigating the gruesome murder of woman known as a social reformer, finds that she apparently had a dark side. But rather than a gruesome crime of passion, this murder seems to have political overtones of a kind more sinister and elusive than originally believed.

Murder in Jerusalem by Batya Gur
A woman's body is discovered in the wardrobe warehouses of Israel Television, and a tangled and bloody trail of detection begins through the corridors and studios of Israel's official television station, and through the fears, loves, and contradictions of the people who work there.

The Last Prophecy by Jon Land
Sixty years after making a bizarre discovery under a body-filled trench in a Nazi concentration camp, the survivors of the medical unit responsible are being systematically murdered, and a massacre in a Palestinian village could be tied to the killings.
Assassins of Athens by Jeffrey Siger
The body of the teenage son of one of Greece’s wealthiest wheeler-dealers is found behind a seedy gay bar. Within days his family flees the country. As bodies start dropping, it is increasingly difficult to dismiss hints of a colossal conspiracy—one that might stretch to the loftiest levels of Athenian society as well as way back into its bloodstained past.

A Darker God by Barbara Cleverly
In 1928 in Athens, archeologist Sir Andrew Merriman directs a production of Aeschylus's Agamemnon in the Athenian amphitheatre. During a dress rehearsal, Sir Andrew replaces the dummy in the bathtub stabbing scene. He is dead with a knife to his heart as his wife and his former lover watch the practice session.

House Justice by Mike Lawson
An American defense contractor goes to Iran to sell missile technology, and the CIA knows all about it thanks to a spy in Tehran. But the story is leaked to an ambitious journalist and the spy is burned, brutally tortured, and executed.

City of Veils by Zoe Ferraris
When the body of a brutally beaten woman is found on the beach in Jeddah, the city's detectives are ready to dismiss the case as another unsolvable murder, chillingly common in a city where the veils of conservative Islam keep women as anonymous in life as the victim is in death.



"

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Staff Picks for June

At our staff meetings we take a few minutes to talk about the books we are reading. This is a list of recent favorites.

STAFF PICKS for June



Beach Reading

June 21 marks the first day of summer, the season to relax at the beach or another vacation spot and enjoy a good, long read! A great beach book means different things to different readers--you might prefer a crime thriller, a tender romance or a heart-wrenching tale of friendship and family. For those searching for a literal beach book, Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank arrives this month, just in time for a sandy getaway. Frank captures the lowcountry scene like no one else in the tale of one woman who finds sanctuary and rebirth in the South Carolina waters of her childhood. With a cast of charming characters and Frank's signature wit, Folly Beach is the perfect combination of breeze and passion.



This Is a Book



This Is a Book
By Martin, Demetri
2011-04 - Grand Central Publishing
9780446539708 Check Our Catalog

From the renowned comedian, creator, star and executive producer/multiple title-holder of Comedy Central's "Important Things with Demetri Martin" comes a bold, original, and rectangular kind of humor book. …More

Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me



Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me
By Handler, Chelsea
Author Chelsea's Family, Friends
2011-05 - Grand Central Publishing
9780446584715 Check Our Catalog

Friends, family, and co-workers who have all been tricked by Handler into believing stories of total foolishness and into behaving like total fools write about them for the first time. …More

1st to Die



1st to Die
By Patterson, James
2001-03 - Twtp Assorted
9780759544307 Check Our Catalog

Imagine a killer who thinks, "What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?"--and then goes far beyond it. Now imagine four women --a police detective, an assistant DA, a reporter, and a medical examiner --who join forces as they sidestep their bosses to track down criminals. Known as the Women's Murder Club, they are pursuing a murderer whose twisted imagination has stunned an entire city. Their chief suspect is a socially prominent writer, but the men in charge won't touch him. On the trail of the most terrifying and unexpected killer ever, they discover a shocking surprise that turns everything about the case upside down. …More

The White Queen



The White Queen
By Gregory, Philippa
2010-04 - Touchstone Books
9781416563693 Check Our Catalog

The #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author of "The Other Boleyn Girl" presents the first book in a new series set amidst the tumult and intrigue of England's passionate family feud, The War of the Roses. …More

The Sky Is Everywhere



The Sky Is Everywhere
By Nelson, Jandy
2011-03 - Speak
9780142417805 Check Our Catalog

Lennie Walker, a 17-year-old bookworm and band geek, spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But after Bailey suddenly dies, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life. …More

Original Intent: The Courts, the Constitution, & Religion



Original Intent: The Courts, the Constitution, & Religion
By Barton, David
2004-03 - Wallbuilders Press
9781932225266 Check Our Catalog

…More

Cutting for Stone



Cutting for Stone
By Verghese, Abraham
2009-02 - Knopf Publishing Group
9780375414497 Check Our Catalog

BookPage Notable Title

A stunning debut novel from the author of "My Own Country": an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, fathers and sons, doctors and patients, exile and home. …More

Death of the Liberal Class



Death of the Liberal Class
By Hedges, Chris
2010-10 - Nation Books
9781568586441 Check Our Catalog

The liberal class is facing an untimely demise of its own making. In this provocative new work Chris Hedges explains how liberals sold us out, bankrupted the country and now face a crisis of their own.
…More

God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World--And Why Their Differences Matter



God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World--And Why Their Differences Matter
By Prothero, Stephen
2010-05 - HarperOne
9780061571275 Check Our Catalog

The "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Religious Literacy" makes the provocative argument that the differences between the world's religions are far greater than we have acknowledged--and that we ignore this at our own peril. …More

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self



Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self
By Evans, Danielle
2010-09 - Riverhead Books
9781594487699 Check Our Catalog

This electric debut story collection focuses on African-American and mixed-race teens, women, and men struggling to find their place. Striking in their emotional immediacy, the tales are based in a world where insecurities of adolescence and young adulthood, and the tensions within family are the biggest complicating forces in one's sense of identity and the choices one makes. …More

Around the World in 100 Days



Around the World in 100 Days
By Blackwood, Gary
2010-11 - Dutton Children's Books
9780525422952 Check Our Catalog

Picking up where "Around the World in Eighty Days" leaves off, Harry Fogg, the son of Phileas Fogg, has just made a wager of his own. Harry bets that he can drive a steam-powered motorcar all the way around the world in only 100 days. …More

Ice Haven



Ice Haven
By Clowes, Daniel
2005-06 - Pantheon Books
9780375423321 Check Our Catalog

BookPage Notable Title
Clowes, who received an Oscar( nomination for the screen adaptation of his graphic novel "Ghost World," weaves a multi-layered tale that, while it owes a debt to "Our Town," is ultimately based on and inspired by the case of Leopold and Loeb. Illustrations.
…More

The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster's Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture



The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster's Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture
By Kendall, Joshua C.
2011-04 - Putnam Adult
9780399156991 Check Our Catalog

BookPage Notable Title

From the author of "The Man Who Made Lists" comes an absorbing biography of Noah Webster, whose name is synonymous with the dictionary he created, but whose life story is not nearly so ubiquitous. …More

The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds: A Tale of Espionage, the Silk Road, and the Rise of Modern China



The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds: A Tale of Espionage, the Silk Road, and the Rise of Modern China
By Tamm, Eric Enno
2011-04 - Counterpoint LLC
9781582437347 Check Our Catalog

Chronicling his retracing of the route taken through China in 1906 by Baron Gustaf Mannerhein, who was charged by Czar Nicholas II to secretly collect intelligence on China's Qing Dynasty, Tamm delivers a tale of espionage, the Silk Road, and the rise of modern China. …More

Before I Fall



Before I Fall
By Oliver, Lauren
2010-03 - Harper
9780061726804 Check Our Catalog

BookPage Notable Title

A terrible accident takes Samantha Kingston's life. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she relives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined. …More

Exley



Exley
By Clarke, Brock
2010-10 - Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
9781565126084 Check Our Catalog

BookPage Notable Title

The bestselling author of "An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England" returns with another wry and insightful novel about truth and reality, this time featuring the alternating voices of a confused young boy and his slightly unstable therapist. …More

Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life



Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life
By Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly
1998-04 - Basic Books
9780465024117 Check Our Catalog

From the author of "Flow" comes an illuminating guide to improving the quality of our lives through stimulating challenges. Though they appear simple on the surface, the lessons in "Finding Flow" are life-altering. …More

Finding Nouf



Finding Nouf
By Ferraris, Zoe
2008-06 - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)
9780618873883 Check Our Catalog

2009 Alex Award

A finely detailed literary mystery set in contemporary Saudi Arabia, Ferraris's debut centers on Nouf ash-Shrawi, a 16-year-old girl who disappears into the desert three days before her marriage and is later found dead and several weeks pregnant. …More

How to Avoid Mistakes When Applying for Citizenship

How to Avoid Mistakes When Applying for Citizenship: From the USA.gov blog: "The naturalization ceremony is one of the most memorable moments in the life of many immigrants. In this formal ceremony, a person pledges allegiance to the United States and becomes a naturalized citizen.
But getting there is not easy. There are appointments to keep and tests to take. The process can be long and it’s easy to forget a document or signature, which can lead to delays. Some mistakes might even cost the applicant hundreds of dollars in lost costs.

The following tips will guide you through the application process so that you can become a citizen as quickly and easily as possible.

Double check the application


One of the most common mistakes when applying for citizenship is filing the N-400 application with omissions or mistakes, according to Nancy Guerrero, an immigration officer with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS.

“A lot of people focus too much on studying the 100 questions on the citizenship test, but they sometimes forget to double check the application before filing it,” she said.

To avoid mistakes, she recommends applicants:

  • Go over the application in detail to make sure it was filled out correctly and truthfully, especially if someone else helped complete the form
  • Make sure to include all documents pertinent to the N-400 application such as copies of both sides of the legal residency card and two identical color photographs
  • Include the correct application fee in a check or money order

Send additional documents


Once the application has been sent and accepted by USCIS, the applicant needs to interview with an immigration official where he or she will take a test about US civic life, as well as a basic English competency test.

Guerrero says the immigration officer will give the applicant a letter at the end of the interview and might request additional documents. If that’s the case, the person needs to comply with the request within the specified time and include the letter he or she received. Otherwise, the application might be delayed.

“This will help the paperwork move a lot quicker,” said Guerrero.

Make sure you meet special requirements


Some immigrants are exempt from taking the English test and might even take the civic test in their native language. These exceptions are given to people who:

  • Are 50 years or older when applying for citizenship and have lived in the United States as legal permanent residents for more than 20 years
  • Are 55 years or older when applying for citizenship and have lived in the United States as legal permanent residents for more than 15 years
Immigration officials offer a word of caution for people who want to take advantage of these exceptions: don’t send in your application if you don’t fully meet the requirements, even by one day. They say they often get applications from people who are about to qualify. Unfortunately for them, the application is returned and the application fee is not refunded.

“This happens quite frequently,” said Guerrero.

You can learn more about how to prepare for the application process by watching this video that outlines the five most common mistakes people make.

If you are ready to apply for citizenship visit USCIS.gov or call 1-800-375-5283.
"

Summer Is an Ideal Time for Community Service

Summer Is an Ideal Time for Community Service: From the USA.gov Blog: "Summer camps and summer school are not the only stimulating activities young people can do to have a productive summer. Another attractive option is to do volunteer work.

There’s no shortage of opportunities nationwide to do charitable work, from food banks and clothing drives, to community emergency preparedness and health events. No matter what you choose, it’s relatively easy to join a group of people working for a good cause.

Below you’ll find some of the resources available, whether you are looking to join a charitable group, create your own volunteer project or participate in long-term volunteer work.

How to Become a Volunteer


There are plenty of opportunities to do volunteer work, and Serve.gov is a great place to start your search. This is a website created by the federal government as part of a nationwide initiative that seeks to promote community service.

Serve.gov can help you:

  • Search for volunteer opportunities by topic of interest and geographical area
  • Learn about volunteer work available in your community
  • Get contact information for organizations seeking volunteers
  • Share your experience with others

How to Create Your Own Volunteer Project


You can also create your own volunteer project tailored to the needs of your community. This might be a good opportunity for parents and children to share a positive and stimulating activity.

Serve.gov has several toolkits to help you create a community campaign such as a food bank. The guides offer step-by-step instructions on how to build your own community project.


These toolkits can teach you how to:

If you start your own project, you can also use Serve.gov to promote your initiative and to look for volunteers.

Long-Term Volunteer Work


For some, volunteering is a commitment that goes beyond the summer. There are federal programs that offer volunteer work both in the United States as well as in foreign countries:

  • AmeriCorps is a network of domestic volunteer programs that features full time volunteer work in different parts of the country. Here you’ll find opportunities in the areas of urban and rural development, infrastructure improvement and emergency assistance
  • Peace Corps offers full-time volunteer work in other countries for periods of about 27 months. Volunteers get to work in different areas of interest and in several parts of the world
"

Monday, June 6, 2011

Around the World in 80 Murders: Eastern US and Canda

Around the World in 80 Murders: Eastern US and Canda: From the RA for All Blog: "To kick off Novel Destinations-- our Adult Summer Reading Program-- which begins today, I will be posting the "Around the World in 80 Murders" lists Betty and I compiled. There are 8 lists with 10 books each. All are owned by the BPL and were picked both for their quality and their sense of place.

Our goal is to literally take you around the world beginning on the Eastern shores of North America and traveling west. Enjoy.


Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Eastern US and Canada

Barrington Street Blues by Anne Emery
Monty Collins, an attorney in Halifax Nova Scotia, solves mysteries with the help of his friend, Father Burke. Here, Collins represents the families in a murder suicide case but soon comes to find that it is more likely a case of double murder, and he is the prime suspect!
The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen
Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli are on the case again. This time, two nuns are found brutally beaten, one fatally. The case is complicated by Isles and Rizzoli’s status as lapsed Catholics and their problematic love lives. This is a satisfying addition to the popular, gritty series.

The Purrfect Murder by Rita Mae Brown
Mary Minor 'Harry' Haristeen and her feline sleuthing partners, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter solve mysteries in the small-town of Crozet, Virginia. In their 16th cozy outing, they investigate their friend when he is implicated in the murder of his most annoying client.

The Highly Effective Detective by Richard Yancey
After his mother’s death, Teddy Ruzak fulfills his life-long dream to open his own PI business in his hometown of Knoxville, TN. He begins with a simple case: who ran down a flock of baby geese with their SUV? But he soon learns he may have bitten off more than he can chew. This novel is both suspenseful and humorous; a winning combination.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
Dexter is a splatter analyst for the Miami-Dade police department, but he is also an antisocial, sociopathic serial killer who kills serial killers. Dexter himself is surprisingly engaging and charming. He is what makes this book, and the entire series, stand out.

The Julius House by Charlaine Harris
Not all of Harris’ novels are filled with vampires. In the Aurora Teagarden mystery series, our heroine, a librarian turned real estate agent in Georgia, moves into a new home with her new husband—a house formerly inhabited by a family who disappeared into thin air. While trying to solve the mystery, she also uncovers some not so great facts about her new husband. This is a fun and suspenseful read.

Green Grown the Victims by Jeanne M. Dams
Hilda Johansson is a full time housekeeper and part-time sleuth in early 1900s South Bend, Indiana.In this outing, Hilda is entangled in the case of a murdered politician. This series has much to offer for both mystery and historical fiction fans.

American Detective by Loren D. Estleman
Amos Walker is a hard boiled PI in Detroit, Michigan. In this outing, Amos is hired by a retired Tigers pitcher to help keep his money safe, but when the ball player’s daughter is found dead things get complicated for everyone. This gritty mystery is a must read for noir fans.

Dead Time by Eleanor Taylor Bland
Marti MacAliste is a black female detective in a fictional town outside of Chicago. In this series debut, Marti is called to investigate the murder of a mentally ill woman. Along with trying to find out who killed the young woman and why, Marti and her new white, male partner are also learning how to work together. Join this excellent mystery series at its start.

Wolf Pass by Steve Thayer
It is 1962 in Kickapoo County, Wisconsin and Deputy Sheriff P.A. Pennington, a Catholic, is running for Sheriff in a mostly Protestant community. They don’t trust him, so when a double murder involving one of Pennington’s former lovers, is committed, Pennington becomes the prime suspect. Pennington’s past in WWII comes under scrutiny, until a sexy, Scotland Yard detective with ties to his past comes to his rescue.


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Around the World in 80 Murders: Western US and Canda

Around the World in 80 Murders: Western US and Canda: From the RA for All Blog: "
Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders
Western U.S. and Canada

St. Louis Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton,
Anita Blake is home in St. Louis, trying to live a normal life – for a vampire hunter, that is. Then a vampire from her past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It's hard to kill a god.

No Reservations Required by Ellen Hart
Two victims in the twin cities who were murdered within an hour of one another were killed by the same gun. No one can figure out the motive that ties both homicides, except sleuthing Minneapolis Times food critic Sophie Greenway.

Mercy Kill by Lori Armstrong
A former Black Ops army sniper trying to adjust to life on her family’s farm in South Dakota finds herself in the middle of a controversy over an underground pipeline that results in a friend’s murder.

The Bookman’s Promise by John Dunning
When a former Denver homicide cop turned antiquarian book dealer investigates the provenance of a signed first edition by Sir Richard Burton, he also finds he has to investigate a murder.

Arizona Dreams by Jon Talton
A deputy sheriff in Phoenix loves the challenge of solving cold cases, like a 40-year-old murder confession. Then there is a fresh corpse that may have a link to another series of crimes involving real estate fraud, as well as murder.

Borderline by Mark Schorr
Portland’s reputation as America’s safest small city may be at risk when it is discovered that a string of suspected criminals have been murdered without explanation. Is a vigilante serial killer who targets criminals at work here?
Name Withheld by Judith A. Jance
A prominent Seattle biotech executive is found floating in Elliott Bay. He died, not by drowning, but from a bullet hole in the back of the head. It turns out too many people are eager to take responsibility for the crime. Undoubtedly, the victim was not a very nice guy.

The 8th Confession by James Patterson
First, there was the 'perfect' double homicide, the murder of San Francisco's most celebrated society couple. Then there is another slaying. the victim, a populist preacher with a local following. The Women’s Murder Club has their work cut out for them.

Borderline by Nevada Barr
On vacation in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, a ranger on leave spots the body of a pregnant woman caught at the foot of some rapids. Then, a sniper kills the couple's guide and a fellow rafter. Not a very good start to a vacation.

Among the Departed by Vicki Delany
The successful search for a missing boy in the woods near the British Columbian town of Trafalgar also uncovers a human bone that may belong to a man who disappeared years earlier.


"

Around the World in 80 Murders: Mexico, Central America, and South America

Around the World in 80 Murders: Mexico, Central America, and South America: From RA for All Blog: "
Sleuth your way around the world, explore novel destinations, and help catch a killer as you go…Around the World in 80 Murders

Mexico and Central America

Grave Secretsby Kathy Reichs
While investigating an old massacre in a Guatemalan village, a forensic archeologist begins to uncover evidence of a new one. What happened, she wonders, to the four missing girls of Guatemala City and who was the woman on the phone, screaming until her last breath?

Fallen Idols by J. F. Freedman
Walt Gaines is a prominent archaeologist, husband of thirty years, and father of three. But after his wife is murdered near an ancient Mayan ruin, he cuts off nearly all contact with his family. Now Walt's sons decide to perform an excavation of their own.

Down Among the Dead Men by Robert Gregory Browne
Five Catholic nuns were brutally murdered in a grisly house of horrors in the Mexican desert. A freelance journalist looking to revitalize his career knows this will be a terrific subject for a true crime book, but he learns there may have been a sixth victim, an American woman whose body has disappeared, and he has to find her…..

Desert Blood by Alicia Gaspar de Alba
By the summer of 1998, over a hundred mangled bodies have been found dumped in the desert outside of Juarez, Mexico. Most of the dead are poor Latino women, and inhabitants on both sides of the border are terrified. A young woman’s sister is missing and, despite her growing fear, she must try to find her.

Skull Duggery by Aaron Elkins
A forensic anthropologist on vacation in Mexico is asked to help the local police chief by examining the mummified remains of what appears to be a murder victim. One skeleton swiftly leads to a second—and from there smack into a secret someone will apparently kill to protect.
Beneath a Panamanian Moon by David Terrenoire
An ex-spy/piano player takes a job at a fading luxury hotel in Panama City, where ongoing paramilitary training appears to be building to an unknown event planned for New Year's Eve. The previous piano player got eaten by a shark that increasingly appears to have had help.

South America

Bel Cantoby Ann Patchett
Somewhere in South America, a band of gun-wielding terrorists breaks into a birthday party for the vice president and takes the entire party hostage. The drawn-out hostage situation comes to seem normal until the inevitable rescue attempt occurs, with astonishing consequences.

Buried Strangers by Leighton Gage
In the Brazilian rain forest, a sheepdog discovers a human bone. This discovery leads to a secret cemetery in a park near Brasilia that contains more than three dozen corpses, including those of 24 children who have been buried in family groups.

Resurrecting Midnight by Eric Jerome Dickey
An assassin-for-hire’s latest assignment takes him to Argentina to obtain and secure a package, a package that many will kill for and that many will die for. This package is now in the possession of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, a team of ruthless mercenaries led by an assassin simply known as The Beast.

Innocence by David Hosp
Operating solo in the legal world after leaving a prestigious firm, Boston lawyer Scott Finn accepts a dangerous assignment involving an attack on a policewoman and an El Salvadoran immigrant with ties to one of South America's most notorious gangs.

The Hunters by W.E.B. Griffin
Acting on orders from the president, the presidential agents team travels to Uruguay to find out who ordered the murder of an American diplomat involved in an oil-for-food scandal. Who is responsible? Most likely, the people higher up in the money chain, those willing to risk anything to keep their secrets from being revealed.


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