The Death Dealer by Heather Graham

Genevieve O'Brian has been spooked by bizarre slayings and fearing for her mother, who belongs to the Poe Society, she hires PI Joe Connolly, a close friend that she wishes were closer... Joe thinks he is hearing dead people speak and questions his sanity. A lot of background on Edgar Allen Poe in this narrative of murder and suspense, plus a little paranormal goings on. An OK read. Sandy Penton

Stagecoach Graveyard by Thom Nicholson

Marty Keller is a bounty hunter. Hired by nearly broke Stagecoach company owner Malcolm O'Brian to stop the attacks on his freight and stage line, Keller takes pity on O'Brian and decides to stop the outlaws for good. A pretty good read. Sandy Penton

Never Far From Home by Mary Ellis

Young Emma Miller, having started her own wool busisness, causes concern in her family when she is attracted to neighboring Englisher young James Davis, also from a family of sheep farmers. Wanting to be independent, to educate herself further in order to do a good job of raising sheep, Emma struggles to find her place in the Amish world. A good read. Sandy Penton

A Widow's Hope by Mary Ellis

Widow Brown is moving to Ohio with her sheep. Staying with her sister and brother-in-law (who's not very happy about this turn of events) Hannah makes the acquaintance of Seth, also a widower with a small daughter who hasn't spoken since her mother's death. Ellis spins a compelling tale of individuals trying to find out and do God's will. A good read. Sandy Penton

The 47th Samurai by Stephen Hunter

A backwards glimpse into World War II finds the fathers of Bob Lee Swagger and Philip Yano engaged in a battle to the death, opposing each other. Philip Yano seeks Bob Lee out, looking for the legendary sword his father carried in battle. Sharing their stories, Bob promises to try to find the sword and return it to Philip. Thus begins Bob Lee's immersion into Samurai history, a search for the sword, a trip to Japan and murder. Swagger fans will find another exciting, enthralling tale of action and dedication, well worth the read. Sandy Penton

Snake in the Glass by Sarah Atwell

Emmeline Dowell has a glass-blowing business in Tucson and has just returned from Dublin with bad news for her brother Cam. When she tells him his lady love Allison is not and may not be returning to Tucson, he storms out of Em's apartment saying only that he has a small job he needs to finish up. Meanwhile, a body is found in the desert that in turn connects to the arrival of a strange little professor, Denis Ryerson, wanting to use her glass oven to process peridot stones. Atwell contrives a neat little mystery while throwing in bits of information about the peridot gem stones. Not a bad read. Sandy Penton

Anna's Return by Marta Perry

Anna jumped the fence three years ago and now she returns with a one-year-old daughter. Staying with her brother Joseph and his family, she strives to fit in again with the Amish community. But she has secrets: she is not the birth mother of Gracie and she doesn't plan to stay.

On the surface, Anna seems compliant, her family forgiving her, surrounding her, making her feel safe. Childhood friend Samuel, also a fence-jumper returned, befriends Anna, knows the acclimation back into the community is not as easy as she would have people believe. He draws her out, learning part of her secrets and finds himself falling for her. Will Anna be safe here? Will she stay or disappoint her friends and family and leave again? A good end to the series. Sandy Penton

Rachel's Garden by Marta Perry

Rachel Brand, widow of one year, is trying to keep her farm going and raise her two daughters. Her brother-in-law, Isaac and her father want her to sell the farm. Her late husband wanted the farm to be their future and Rachel is stubborn. She wants to have a greenhouse (Ezra's gift to her) and sell plants, become a nursery. Gideon Zook, who was with Ezra when he fell to his death, wants to help Rachel, and she reluctantly lets him. Someone lets the horse out of the stall, loosens some of the roofing causing a leak and tampers with Gideon's windmill. Will Rachel succeed or will she give in to the pressure to sell the farm. Will Gideon forgive himself for Ezra's fatal accident? There is a lot of lessons about forgiveness in this heart-warming story. A good read. Sandy Penton

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

A narrative of black women (maids, family caretakers) in the South during the early sixties. Twenty-two-year old Skeeter arrives home after graduating from college to discover her childhood companion, Constantine, is no longer in the home and no one will tell her what happened. Skeeter's social life has taken an adjustment in that all her girlfriends are already married and raising families and she doesn't quite feel that she fits in anymore. Taking a journalism job with the newspaper, she has to rely on Aibileen (her friend Elizabeth's maid) to answer the homemaker questions for the column she is to write.

Aibileen has many years of experience raising white people's children (she is on her seventeenth) and when her son is killed two years previously, she has an ache in her heart that two-year-old Mae Mobley fills and she treats her like a daughter. Minnie is Aibileen's close friend, short, fat and sassy, and between the two of them, the reader gets some pretty clear ideas about their life at that time. A very well written novel based on some of Ms. Stockett's own experiences. Sad but hopeful reading. Sandy Penton

Big Girl by Danielle Steel

Victoria Dawson, heroine, manages to overcome a thirty years of not fitting in, feeling like the "other" sister, and not worthy of her parents love. Steel does a great job of exploring the effects of subtle verbal abuse and what happens when parents don't seem to have their priorities straight. Victoria emerges victorious in this sensitive novel of women's issues in todays world. A good read. Sandy Penton

Blood Vines by Erica Spindler

Alexandra Clarkson has been having nightmares, now she is having terrifying visions of blood and fire, writhing bodies. When her dysfunctional mother commits suicide, Alex feels she is adrift in the world, with no family or childhood memories. The mummified body of a child is discovered and Detective Daniel Reed is called to investigate. When the telephone number next to a news article found in Alex's mothers home about the body leads Alex to call, it is to Reed. This leads to the discovery that Alex's mother was once married to Harlan Sommer, a prominent vintner of Sonoma County. Seeking to know more about her past, Alex asks questions and disturbing events begin happening. Is the body of the babe her brother? Is Harlan Sommer her father? Can Alex trust herself with Reed? Spindler writes a mystifying thriller. Hated to see it end. Sandy Penton

Spring's Renewal by Shelly Shepard Gray

Spring's Renewal is the second in the Sugarcreek series, picking up the story of scarred Amish schoolteacher Clara Slabaugh. Caring for her widowed mother (two sisters had married and moved away) Clara has resigned herself to living alone and no chance of marriage. When Tim Graber arrives to help his aunt and uncle with their spring planting and chores, he is drawn to Clara and realized that the girl he left at home may not be the one for him. A compelling and heart-warming story that leaves the reader satisfied at the end. A good read. Sandy Penton

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Evanovich still has Stephanie Plum in the thick of things along with cohort Lula and office manager Connie this go 'round. Vinnie has been kidnapped and the ransom asking is $786,000 dollars (with interest accruing) due to his gambling vice. The ladies have a week to raise the cash, collect a few FTA's (Failure to Appear), experience a run in with Mr. Jingles the alligator and eat a few donuts. Don't want to give all the surprises away, Sizzling Sixteen is earthy, funny and Stephanie Plum at her best. Read it today! Sandy Penton

Running Around (and Such) by Linda Byler

A refreshing peek at Amish life through the eyes of a fifteen-year-old, Lizzie Glick. Written for teens and based on true experiences from an Amish writer, adults will find this series intriguing as Lizzie goes through the pangs of growing up Amish with it's constraints and her many questions. Her temper and dislike of housework gets her into hot water with Mom and Dat. Approaching her sixteenth birthday, she is anxious about stepping into the next stage of her life, meeting boys, going to singings, and learning to work outside the home. (Some yummy recipes are included...) Looking forward to the next book in the series. Sandy Penton

Innocent by Scott Turow

Judge Rusty Sabich awakes to find his wife dead beside him. The sequence of events that follow raise many questions in the minds of his son Nat, the police and Prosecuting Attorney Tommy Molto. From the prologue to the end, this book is a fascinating page-turner with psychological twists and turns, exploring the thoughts and actions of the characters involved. A must read if you like suspense, mystery. Sandy Penton

Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Summer Steadman, bereaved widow, having lost her husband and four children to typhoid fever on the empty plains of Kansas, accepts the offer extended by Mennonite widower Peter Ollenburger to tutor his convalescing son. Sawyer spins a tale of humans dealing with their fears and insecurities that everyone can relate to. A heart-lifting and inspirational story. Sandy Penton

The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver

Fans of Lincoln Rhyme will love this one. There is some maniac running around playing with electricity, causing killer arc flashes and using this silent, invisible weapon to kill people. The question is why and where will he, or they, strike next? To add more stress to Rhyme's life, the Watchmaker has appeared in Mexico and he is doing double duty helping authorities there also. Rhyme's physical limitations begin to take a toll.... A really good read. Sandy Penton

Somewhere to Belong by Judith Miller

Iowans know about the Amana Colonies, and now you can read about them. Twenty-0ne year old Johanna Ilg is shocked when she returns to her home to find three visitors from the "outside world" in her parents parlor. Dr and Mrs Schumacher and their daughter, Berta, who would be living in three of the upstairs rooms of their house. Miller spins a tale of a life different than most, explaining the customs and traditions of the colonists compared to those outside the colonies. Johanna finds her hands full with a rebellious, spoiled Berta, as well as finding out her parents have some plans and secrets of their own. Intriguing. Sandy Penton

Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin

A novel of the Supreme Court justices to titillate your fancy. You have Sarah Woodruff on death row in Oregon for killing her lover, John Finley. A series of appeals has led to the Federal Supreme Court and questions about John Finley's background. Subtle and not so subtle threats stirs the curiosity of Brad Miller, Keith Evans and Justice Felicia Moss which leads to the hiring of Dana Cutler to investigate further. Margolin writes another intriguing novel about the government and the all too humans who run it. A good read. Sandy Penton

The Rule of Nine by Steve Martini

This novel continues with corruption and murder rampant in Paul Madrianiland. Hit man known as the Mexicutioner is teamed up with the Old Weatherman who wants to go out in style with vigilante-type justice. The assassin tends to want to get personal about some of his hits and make the intended victim suffer rather than "get in and get out" as you might say. Martini keeps the reader on their toes with a good read. I recommend. Sandy Penton

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

A smarmy little tale about three people looking for love in all the wrong places. Ralph Truitt, widowed for 20 years has advertised for "A Reliable Wife." Catherine Land answers the ad and after a short correspondence, arrives in the cold of winter in rural Wisconsin. But, she is not what she seems to be. Anthony Truitt (Ralph's son), also known as Tony Moretti, has been found in St Louis living a life of immoral pleasure. Bring the three together and one might assume you would get a twisted love story of sorts. Read if you must. Sandy Penton.

Never Change by Elizabeth Berg

Myra Lipinski, spinster at 51,has a dog, Frank, and a career as a visiting nurse. Things change her predictable life when she is assigned a new patient, a face from the past. Chip Reardon, high school classmate, has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and has returned to his hometown to spend what time he has left. Under Myra's care past as well as current events are examined and explored, weaving a poignant tale of regrets and new beeginnings. A good, but sad, read. Sandy Penton.

Going Rogue An American Life by Sarah Palin

If you are the least bit interested in what goes on behind the scenes during a political campaign or even local politics, Sarah Palin gives her version of her life as a native Alaskan, Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Governor of Alaska, and Vice Presidential candidate with John McCain. Palin comes across as a truly independent soul, one who will fight the good fight for what is right to the last. God-loving, motherhood is very important, and very interested in the plight of her fellow Alaskans, Palin battles Big Oil and wins, not one to "sit down and shut up" as she puts it. She knows going in that the race for one of the top seats in government is not going to be easy, but her family and friends support her and she gives it an honest try. But trying to be honest is not easy in the world of politics. With another election coming up, it will not hurt the voter to read about Sarah and her experiences. Perhaps it will even make a difference in the future of our wonderful United States of America. I urge everyone to read this biography. Sandy Penton.

In Memory's Kitchen A Legacy from the Women of Terezin by Cara de Silva

Cara de Silva relates the story of Mina Pachter, imprisoned in a concentration camp at Theresienstadt (Czech republic) during the 1940's. Mina, with the women there, tried to maintain a normalcy, for them, by remembering recipes and creating a cookbook after a fashion. When a person reads between the lines, one senses the deprivation the women suffered, the cruelty they were subjected to, and how their thought processes were affected by the imprisonment. A short read, a lot of recipes, heartbreaking. Another look at the atrocities of concentration camps. Sandy Penton.

Cemetery Dance by Preston & Child

Nora Smithback and husband William are celebrating their first year of marriage and her success at the museum. When she returns from a trip to the bakery, she finds her husband brutally murdered and is attacked by the intruder as he is leaving. Pendergast enters the scene when elements of voodoo start appearing and the suspect is someone who had died two weeks prior to the murder. Preston and Child spin a chilling tale of mystery and intrigue. A good read. Sandy Penton