Summer Island by Kristin Hannah

Nora Bridge has to come to terms with mistakes made in her past. When she is in an accident, she needs to recuperate and her youngest daughter says she will stay with her. This could be a mistake as Ruby has an intense dislike for her mother who walked out on her family when Ruby was sixteen. Her sister Caroline seems to have come to terms with her mother's actions, but seems to be withdrawn and distant. What is going on in all their lives really? A poignant and moving story of love, forgiveness and acceptance.

Buried Prey by John Sanford

Back when Lucas Davenport was a rookie, a couple of young girls disappeared. He was determined to find them and didn't think the homeless man charged with the disappearance was guilty. Now, construction at an old building site has uncovered the bodies of the two girls and Lucas is on it. Pieces of the puzzle are fitting together and the killer of these two and probably more is about to be brought down. Fast-action, suspenseful and logical plot, a great read.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

It is time again for the Hunger Game, the 75th one, and the rules have been changed. The living victors from all the games in each district qualify. Wouldn't you know it, Katniss is the female contestant for District 12. Everyone is despondent. There are rumours of rebellion and President Snow is extremely angry with Katniss, looking at her as an instigator. Catching Fire is exciting from the beginning, weaving a tale of intrigue and fellowship like none other. A great second book.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In a place once known as North America, people in twelve districts are trying to survive, some better than others, its' Capitol a den of iniquity, selfishness, greed and cruel games. It is time for the "reaping." A selection process where two young teenagers, one a girl, the other a boy, are selected from each district to participate in the Hunger Game. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen has volunteered to go in her sister's place when her name was drawn and now surely faces her death. Swept along in the rush of preparing for the games, pampered, and seduced by the offer from the table of plenty, Katniss trusts no one, and struggles to keep her composure as the hours pass by until the Launch into the Game. A novel of romance, philosophy and suspense. Not a bad read.

Left for Dead by J. A. Jance

Life in southern Arizona is difficult. When deputy sheriff Jose Reyes is shot and left for dead while on the job, someone else is dumping the presumed dead body of a young prostitute close to the Mexican border. A curious chain of events draw these two events closer and closer, and only the stubbornness of a couple of police officers with the assistance of a former police academy classmate, Ali Reynolds, brings this mystery to its logical conclusion. An interesting plot.

Blood Storm by Bill Brooks

John Henry Cole, employed by Ike Kelly's Detective Agency in Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, arrives in town with a dead man in a dress on a horse. Before he has a chance to explain, Kelly sends John off to Deadwood in response to a letter he has received from an old flame regarding the deaths of three of her "girls." Deadwood is not an inviting place to be in the midst of winter, miners and gamblers trying to get ahead in this dreary mining camp. John seems to get off to the wrong start with the local sheriff right off the bat and things go steadily down hill after that. Encounters with Doc Holiday and Calamity Jane spice up his life, and a couple of bounty hunters who have it in for John keeps the reader turning the pages to learn what happens next. Hot in pursuit of the murderer or murderers, John doesn't give up. A great western read.

Storm Prey by John Sandford

Weather Karkinnen, surgeon and wife of investigator Lucas Davenport, arrives at the hospital early for a scheduled surgery on con-joined twins only to learn that the hospital's pharmacy has been robbed. The robbers aren't the sharpest tacks in the box and one of them assaults one of the pharmacists to the point of death, sending them on a Laural and Hardy-esque rampage of fear, second-guessing and murder. When one of the robbers fears that Weather has identified him as they were leaving the hospital, they import a hired gun to help with the damage control. Weather and Lucas are fearless as they continue to do their jobs while chaos surrounds them. An exciting and suspenseful tale of dumb and dumber trying to outwit the smart guys. A great little read.

Missing Child by Patricia MacDonald

Caitlin Eckhart's life starts falling apart after dropping her step-son Geordie at school. When the school calls later in the morning to question his non-attendance she frantically calls her husband, Noah, and other members of the family. As the search progresses, blame escalates and it appears that her past might catch up with her. A dark secret is uncovered. How is all this connected? A quick suspenseful read.

Miss Julia to the Rescue by Ann B Ross

Miss Julia doesn't want to go to Israel with the church group. Oh no, she sends hubby Sam off with the group and decides to renovate the house since little Lloyd will be moving back with his mother and J.D. and the twins. Miss Julia doesn't want Lloyd to go, but she knows she has to let go sometime. In the meantime, J.D. has gone missing on the job and Hazel Marie is anxious as to his whereabouts. Siccing Officer Coleman on Hazel's problem, Miss Julia has her hands full with carpenters, picking out carpet, wall paper (or should she paint) and getting one of those huge Williamsburg fire places put in what will be the library. Also, there is something funny going on out at Agnes Whittman's residence. Officer Coleman finds out J.D. might be in the hospital in a little town in West Virginia, so Miss Julia and Etta Mae are determined to go rescue him, but they are going to have to get past a sheriff, an overbearing nurse and get away from snake handlers, an accident waiting to happen. Meanwhile..... as you can imagine, things are getting to be a mess and Sam will be home soon. Funny, witty, and Miss Julia better than ever. A great read.

Winter Study by Nevada Barr

Park Ranger Anna Pigeon wishes she were home with her husband of four months in Mississippi. The freezing cold of Isle Royale in Lake Superior in January with no running water or electricity is not her idea of a good time. Sent there to learn about the wolf management on the island park, she joins the study team as well as two scientists from Homeland Security who seem to care less about the project. When the wolf packs begin behaving strangely and a very large wolf print is discovered, the human imaginations begin to run wild ranging fearful to anxious and angry. When a female team member is found savaged, Anna sets out to discover what is happening on this island refuge. Suspenseful, innovative, and informative writing creates a tale well worth reading.

Heartstopper by Joy Fielding

There is a lot of unrest in Torrance, Florida. An aging sheriff, who was unfaithful to his wife, an esteemed doctor who was also unfaithful to HIS wife, a wife-beater, a bunch of hormone racing teenagers and others who also have secrets of their own. A month ago a girl disappeared. Now another has disappeared and people are beginning to panic. Sheriff Weber is doing the best he can, with a new mayor breathing down his neck and anxious parents wanting their child found, but he seems over-whelmed with all the gossip and well-meaning advice poured at him. When a body of one of the girls is found, tension increases. Who is this sick murderer? Is is someone known to the individuals, a friend? Or is there a stranger in town? An interesting read.

The Pact: a love story by Jodi Picoult

Two neighboring families lives are completely torn apart when Emily Gold appears to have committed suicide. What has happened to cause this apparently happy teenager to chose suicide as a way to solve her problems? Her boyfriend seems at a loss to explain what has happened. Picoult weaves a tale of pain and love, and the lengths people will go for each other. Sad but good reading. Makes you think.

Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell

Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta interviews an inmate of the Georgia Prison for Women against the advice of her husband FBI criminal intelligence agent Benton Wesley. Kay wants to find out what really happened with her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, who has been murdered. Investigating a series of grisly deaths that she feels are related to the death of Fielding, she finds connections that puzzle her, causing her to question what forces are going on around her that she cannot see. Is the FBI really investigating her? What is going on with Marino, supposedly on vacation and DA Jamie Berger? Lots of questions, technology and dialogue. An ok read.

Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

Emma, a prima ballerina in London (2010), is devastated when she falls and injures her knee. Her dancing career is over and she is trying to decide what to do with herself. Her mother encourages her to travel to Australia to close down and sell her grandmother's property which has been left to her.

Beattie (Glasgow, 1929) must make a decision. She is pregnant and unwed. Through a series of circumstances, she travels to Australia with the father of Emma, her child (still unmarried) and proceeds to make what she can of her life. She eventually succeeds but not without struggles. Determined to have Emma know how much she loves her, even though they are apart, Beattie makes sacrifices. Freeman writes a tale of forbidden love, unconventional lives, family secrets, and a reflection of the life and times of Australia in the 1930's. A good read.

Hard Truth by Nevada Barr

Anna Pigeon doesn't get to spend much time with her new husband who is a sheriff in Mississippi. She is called to a job transfer and promotion as district ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park. New to the job, she finds the park rangers have been on an all out hunt for three young girls who disappeared on a religious retreat. When two of the girls appear a month later, filthy and barely dressed, they claim to have no memory of where they have been or what happened to them or the third girl.

Determined to do her job and solve the park problems, Anna finds her hands full with religious fundamentalists, a sadistic animal torturer, and more mystery that seems evil and sinister. A good suspenseful read.

11/22/63: a novel by Stephen King

Jake Eppping is an English teacher who makes extra money teaching GED classes. When one of the adults writes about the event that changed his life, Jake is touched. Later his friend Al, diner owner, shares that his storeroom has a portal to the past. Each time he enters the portal, the day and time are always the same and when he returns it is always two minutes later no matter how long he spends in the past. Al is on a mission to prevent the assassination of John Kennedy but is unable to continue and he asks Jake to take over for him.

Jake reluctantly agrees and George Amberson is his new identity. This story chronicles an individual (Jake) trying to correct (in his opinion) events that have happened in the past. While on this journey, he ponders the effect these corrections have in the outcome of the world in 2011. King writes a believable and suspenseful story, with the reader anxious to see the outcome. A great read.

Summer of Secrets by Charlotte Hubbard

Rachel Lantz's parents have a secret that shakes her foundation when it is discovered. Will her betrothed Micah Brenneman be able to survive her jealous heart? Will her mother and father be shunned when the elder's discover their secret? Who is the strange Englischer girl that appears at the cafe throwing everyone into a tizzy? Lots of secrets, mixed messages, and communication difficulties going on here. Makes for an interesting story with a twist.