Thrillers on the Ocean

Nick Cutter delivers a thrilling tale in The Deep. "A strange plague called the ‘Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys, then the not-so-small things, like how to drive or the letters of the alphabet. Their bodies forget how to function involuntarily. There is no cure. But far below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, a universal healer hailed as “ambrosia” has been discovered. In order to study this phenomenon, a special research lab has been built eight miles under the sea’s surface. But when the station goes incommunicado, a brave few descend through the lightless fathoms in hopes of unraveling the mysteries lurking at those crushing depths…and perhaps to encounter an evil blacker than anything one could possibly imagine." (from Amazon.com)

Devour is a suspenseful tale of survival by Kurt Anderson. "IT LURKS Deep beneath the ice of the Arctic Circle, something has awakened. A primordial creature frozen in time, it is the oldest, largest, most efficient predator that nature has ever produced. And it is ravenously hungry… IT HUNTS Thirty-five miles off the Massachussetts coast, a small research ship is attacked. All but one of its crew is killed by the massive serpentine horror that rises from the sea. The creature likes this human prey. The chewy outer hide. The tender saltiness within. And it wants more… IT FEEDS Responding to a distress signal, fishing-boat captain Brian Hawkins arrives in time to save the ship’s last survivor. But the nightmare is just beginning. A casino cruise ship carrying high-stakes passengers—and a top-secret cargo—becomes the creature’s blood soaked hunting ground. Desperate but determined, Hawkins goes after the biggest catch of the century." (from Amazon.com)

"In Black Horizon, a riveting and timely thriller drawn from tomorrow's headlines, New York Times bestselling author James Grippando brings back popular Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck in an international case involving a devastating oil spill that pits him against his most villainous adversaries yet. Three summers after the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, oil is again spewing into the ocean—from a drilling explosion in Cuban waters sixty miles off the Florida Keys, creating a politically complex and volatile situation. Representing an American woman whose Cuban husband was killed on the rig, Jack finds himself in dangerous waters when he discovers that his incendiary case may be lethally connected to his new wife Andi's undercover assignment for the FBI . . . and that the looming environmental catastrophe may have been no "accident" at all." (from Amazon.com)

The Delta Solution by Patrick Robinson is "an action-packed novel pitting Navy SEAL Mack Bedford (from Diamondhead and Intercept) against the Somali pirates operating off the southerly reaches of the lawless East African republic on the Indian Ocean. For the past three years, these heavily armed tribal brigands have been capturing and holding for ransom massive cargo ships, and violently demanding millions of dollars for their return. When the "Somali Marines" make a big mistake, seizing at gunpoint two United States ships and demanding a $15 million ransom for their return, hero Mack Bedford is deployed to obliterate them in the middle of the Indian Ocean, at all costs, once and for all." (from Amazon.com)

Joyce Carol Oates Thrills

The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror is a collection of short stories by Joyce Carol Oates. In the title story, a young boy becomes obsessed with his cousin’s doll when she dies from leukemia. As he gets older, he begins collecting “found dolls” from the surrounding neighborhoods. He stores his treasures in the abandoned carriage house on his family’s estate, but just what kind of dolls are these? In “Gun Accident,” a teenager is thrilled when her favorite teacher asks her to house-sit the old Colonial she lives in with her husband. When an intruder forces his way into the house, the fate of both their lives changes forever. “Equatorial” is set in the exotic Galapagos Islands where a wealthy American wife begins experiencing assaults on her knowledge of her charismatic husband. Just what are his plans for her? The last story is a biblio-mystery about the owner of a modest chain of bookstores who believes in some very unorthodox methods for business expansion. When his plan’s for the takeover of a rare bookstore in scenic New Hampshire devolves into a game of verbal to-and-fro, the consequences could be more than just business related. Joyce Carol Oates proves that she is the queen of chills and thrills with this collection.

Come Check Out Our Huge Selection of Large Print Titles!

Our library has a huge selection of Large Print titles for your reading pleasure - over fifteen thousand titles to choose from.  Biographies, romances, westerns, comedies, mysteries, action, thriller - both older favorites and brand new titles to enjoy.


We've already added thirty-seven new titles this month :

As Sure as the Dawn by Francine Rivers

By Your Side by Candace Calvert

The Cavendon Women by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Daughter of the Regiment by Stephanie Grace Whitson

The Dead Play On by Heather Graham

Don't Go Home by Carolyn Hart

Eeny Meeny by M. J. Arlidge

Emma's Secret by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Endangered by C. J. Box

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline

A Faith of Her Own by Kathleen Fuller

The Fall by John Lescroart

The Favorite Son by Tiffany Warren

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon

Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman

The First Wife by Erica Spindler

The Fixer by Joseph Finder

The Forever Bridge by T. Greenwood

Home of Our Hearts by Robin Jones Gunn

The Icing on the Corpse by Liz Mugavero

The Invention of Fire by Bruce Holsinger

Kickback by Ace Atkins

Mademoiselle Chanel by C. W. Gortner

One True Heart by Jodi Thomas

Playing with Fire by Deborah Mello

Pride V. Prejudice by Joan Hess

Puzzled Indemnity by Parnell Hall

The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell by William Klaber

Reservations for Two by Hillary Lodge

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

A Stitch in Crime by Cathy Elliott

A Stranger's Secret by Laurie Alice Eakes

The Ultimate Betrayal by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Vines of Entanglement by Lisa Carter

The Wedding Circle by Ashton Lee

Wilderness Rising by A. L. Shields

These and the rest of our newest Large Print titles can be found on the white shelves near the elevator on the top floor.  Happy reading!

Two Beautiful & Atmospheric Movies on DVD

I've had some time off recently and I've been able to watch some of our newest movies--two of which stand out more than the others. Calvary from Fox Searchlight Pictures and The Calling from Sony Entertainment Networks. Both of these haunting films have the element of mystery to them, but they are very much character driven stories.

Calvary begins with Father James--played by Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter Series)--listening to confession of the congregants of his small Irish town. Father James is a widower and former alcoholic who joined the priesthood after the death of his beloved wife. A man enters the confessional and tells Father James that in a week's time, he is going to kill the priest. The mysterious man gives the Father one week to get his affairs in order and tells him that the reason he is to die is because the would-be murderer was sexually abused by a priest when he was a boy. The murderer goes on to say that no one cares if a bad priest is killed, so he has chosen Father James precisely because he is a good man and priest. Even with this threat over his head, the priest must take care of his congregation as well as his emotionally fragile daughter who has come from London for a visit. Father James deduces who this man is, but the audience doesn't get to know until the next-to-last scene of the movie. Will the murderer go through with his plan? Will Father James flee or will he stay to take care of his flock? Some of the scenes and characters in this movie are hard to watch, but if you can stand a bit of cursing, some grit and gore (not too much), then you may just enjoy this darkly comedic tale of religion and faith and what it means to face your own Calvary.

The Calling stars Susan Sarandon as Hazel Micallef. She is a detective in a small Canadian town who has a drug and alcohol problem stemming from an accident that left her with severe back pain. The same accident took the life of her unborn baby, so, understandably, she is not the most religious or faithful person. When she goes to check on an elderly citizen, she finds the woman murdered in an unusual fashion. Soon, another murder takes place; this one looks like suicide, but there are a few similarities. Micallef's long suffering partner--played by Gil Bellows--and a rookie cop (Topher Grace), who has transferred from the city, are finding victims of a serial killer who is crossing Canada and whose modus operandi includes elements of a Christian mystical prayer that is supposed to raise the dead. The audience learns who the killer is about halfway through, but the reasons for the killings remains a mystery. This movie is beautifully rendered. The bleak landscape of the Canadian winter is an apropos backdrop for this atmospheric mystery/thriller.

If you are a fan of atmospheric mysteries, then you may enjoy both of these movies as much as I did.

Long Gone

I truly enjoy reading Alafair Burke's novels and her new one, Long Gone is another winner! True, she is the daughter of James Lee Burke, the author of the "Louisiana policeman turned private investigator" Dave Robichaux, one of my all-time favorite authors, but she has earned her place in the realm of great thriller writers with this novel. Alafair Burke writes a wonderful series about gutsy heroine Elie Haskell, but Long Gone is her first stand alone novel and it is a page-turner. The stories' basic premise is that struggling art major Alice Humphrey has been trying for months to get a job in New York City when she is suddenly offered her dream job of being a gallery owner in a new gallery in the Meatpacking District. Alice thinks the job is too good to be true and when she meets savvy gallery owner Drew Campbell and learns that the main gallery exhibitor will be a man with questionable artistic tastes, she hesitates about taking it. Although Drew tells Alice that the anonymous artists' work is a little edgy, Alice thinks that her dream of running her own gallery outweighs any objections she has to this anonymous artist's work. Alice is trying to balance her life being the daughter of a famous Academy-Award winning director and his leading lady, and her life seems just about perfect, until she walks into the gallery and finds the work gone, the owner dead on the floor and her dream job vanished. Alice is suspect number one until she teams up with an FBI agent and works to clear her name. There are at least three different stories tied together in this book and it makes the story an interesting read. I enjoy Alice Humphrey's character and admire her guts as she tries to discover the truth. The book has many twists and turns, especially at the end, and I think you'll find it very enjoyable!

Law Abiding Citizen

I have a friend who is a BIG fan of Gerard Butler, so naturally, I have to see every movie he plays in so I can discuss the particulars with her. His latest movie, Law Abiding Citizen, has just been published on DVD and is a 3-Day check-out movie at the library. The basic premise of the movie is that Gerard Butler plays the role of Clyde Shelton, an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter were brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (played by Jamie Foxx) is the up-and-coming Philadelphia prosecutor assigned to the case. Nick is forced to offer one of the suspects a lighter sentence in exchange for his testifying against his accomplice. Ten years later the killer who received the lighter sentence is found dead, and Clyde admits his guilt. Clyde then issues a warning to Nick that he needs to fix the flawed justice system or else other key players in the trial will die. Shelton soon follows through on his threats, orchestrating a string of murders from his jail cell. The movie is very intense, action-packed and full of surprises. Clyde is an ingenious killer and Jamie Foxx plays a great "good guy." It is refreshing to see Gerard Butler play the crafty criminal, and the special effects are wonderful. I think this movie would be great for any fan of taught, suspense-filled thrillers.

Faces of the Gone

I was really intrigued with the title of this book, which is one of the reasons I first picked it up! Faces of the Gone is a fast-paced thrill ride and the debut for author Brad Parks. Author Parks graduated from Dartmouth College and spent a dozen years as a reporter with The Washington Post and The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ). He currently writes novels and lives with his wife and two small children in Virginia. For more information on Brad Parks, visit his web site at http://www.bradparksbooks.com/. Faces of the Gone stars investigative reporter Carter Ross, an employee of the Newark Eagle-Examiner who is sent to the scene of a crime: four bodies stacked in a vacant lot with a single bullet wound in the back of each head. Ross is puzzled by the fact that the four victims have nothing in common--an exotic dancer, a drug dealer, a hustler and a momma's boy--and all resided in different parts of the city. The police eagerly pounce on the theory that the murders are revenge for a bar robbery, and Ross' paper prints the story, but Carter is determined to figure out the truth. Carter enlists the help of several newspaper employees and discovers that the victims do have one thing in common, but this discovery could get him killled. This book has a great "New Jersey flavor" and if you like Harlan Coben's books, you are sure to love Brad Parks!

Get Obsessed or have an Everest Adventure!

The library recently added two wonderful dramas to its DVD collection: Obsessed and Everest. Obsessed stars Beyonce' Knowles, Ali Larter and Idris Elba. When successful financial advisor Derek Charles (Idris Elba) moves into a new neighborhood with his loving wife Sharon (Beyonce' Knowles) and their young son Kyle, Derek believes he has the perfect life. Then, a new temporary employee, Lisa (Ali Larter) joins the firm and sets her sights on Derek. After several misunderstood encounters, Lisa's behavior begins to spiral out of control and it is up to Derek and Sharon to take charge of the situation and Lisa's outrageous behavior.

Everest is the chilling motion picture adventure based on a group of climbers' 1982 trip to Mt. Everest. When an unexpected solo mountain climb ends in catastrophe for John Laughlin (played by Jason Priestley), his fellow climber friends decide to follow his dream and conquer the world's tallest peak. The film examines their daily struggles to reach the summit, including the drama of accidents and rescues, the tragedies of death, and the challenges of dealing with the elements. The scenery in the film is beautiful and the events are harrowing. Both of these films are action packed thrillers that will leave you breathless.

Visit the Tunnels

Michelle Gagnon's debut mystery novel, The Tunnels, is an edge-of-your-seat story of suspense and intrigue. The setting of the story is an old, abandoned tunnel system lying beneath a prestigious New England college, that becomes the gruesome stalking grounds of a serial killer. When the bodies of two female students are found mutilated and oddly positioned in the tunnel labyrinth, in a darkly ritual manner, FBI Special Agent Kelly Jones is called in to help. Jones has tracked serial killers for ten years, but the killings that have occured at her alma mater have left her feeling unhinged. All of the victims have at least one glaring thing in common--they are all the daughters of powerful men. Special Agent Jones follows the killer as he spirals further down his dark path. Soon, Kelly realizes that the killer is taunting her and that in order to track him down, she must commit to going down a path she is not sure she'll return from. Kelly Jones is a great heroine--tough, committed and likable, and her attitude helps move along the action of the book. This thriller is definitely a story that you will have a hard time putting down!

Face of a Killer

One of the library's patrons recently suggested I read Face of a Killer by Robin Burcell. The patron had truly enjoyed the book's intensity and suggested the I might like it too--and she was correct, I did enjoy it. The book stars FBI forensic artist Special Agent Sydney Fitzpatrick, who uses her considerable skills to create portraits of killers. Sydney gets caught up in her own life when she begins to question the innocence of the man about to be executed for her father's murder, which occurred twenty years earlier. Her re-investigation of her father's death leads her to a trail of corruption by top U. S. officials and a deadly cover-up by the military and the National Security Administration. The more Sydney delves into her father's past, the more secrets and dark truths she finds, until she begins to realize that she knows nothing about her father's true life. This book is the first in the series starring Sydney Fitzpatrick and it's a story that all fans of tense mysteries starring strong women will want to read.

Find "The Bodies Left Behind"

Jeffery Deaver's The Bodies Left Behind is another great thriller from this esteemed author. Off-duty Deputy Brynn McKenzie is spending quality time with her husband and son when she receives notice than an abruptly cut-off 911 call has been made from an isolated vacation home in Wisconsin. She sets out to investigate the 911 call and stumbles into the path of two professional criminals, and the visitor, Michelle, who has been staying at the Wisconsin home. Brynn and Michelle flee into the woods in a race for their lives as they try to outrun the killers. Deaver creates a nice tension and contrast between the two female leads in this story --Brynn, the tough deputy with a checkered past and Michelle, the pampered city girl. Both women have to find a way to relate to each other so that they can survive being chased by the killers. The book is a thrill-a-minute ride and full of twists and turns. Fans of this book should also check out 24 Hours by Greg Iles, another heart-stopping, real-time adventure story!

Intent to Kill

In the mood for a gripping thriller? Look no further! James Grippando's Intent to Kill is a minute-by-minute thrill ride that will leave you breathless. The book stars Ryan James, a minor-league baseball player about to make his big break into the majors when his wife Chelsea is killed in a hit-and-run accident while driving to Ryan's last game of the season. Ryan must learn to raise his daughter while consumed with the fact that the police never found the drunk who ran Chelsea off the road on that fateful night. Ryan's entire world changes when he receives an anonymous tip on the third anniversary of Chelsea's death, and the tipster claims he knows who committed the homicide. Ryan must face some questions--did the tip come from Chelsea's autistic brother? Why did her brother withhold the information for three years? Ryan and Emma Carlisle, the prosecutor for Chelsea's case band together to unravel a cover-up reaching back to the night of Chelsea's death. This book is a rocking ride until the very last pages. If you like breathless, action-packed stories, this is the perfect book for you!

You Only Have Three Weeks...

Three Weeks to Say Goodbye is the latest thriller written by C. J. Box. The premise of the story is this: Jack and Melissa McGuane have spent many years and miserable moments trying to have a baby. Finally, they are able to adopt Angelina, a sweet baby who is all they have hoped for. Nine months after her adoption, however, the adoption agency calls with horrible news. Angelina's birth father, a teen, never signed away his parental rights and wants her back. The teen's dad is a powerful Denver judge who is willing to use all his power to make sure his son owns up to his own responsibilities and takes care of Angelina. Jack and Melissa decide to meed with Angelina's dad and grandfather face-to-face, and when they meet them they realize that there is something sinister about both men and that love for Angelina is not what is motivating them to get her back. Thus begins a terrifying game of intimidation and double cross in this book that will leave you breathless! This book is intense, and the action keeps you guessing until the very last page of the book. Jack and Melissa are wonderful parents who risk everything to keep Angelina safe and their terror and love for her is expertly communicated throughout the novel. C. J.Box is the author of the bestselling Blue Heaven and seven Joe Pickett novels, and currently lives outside Cheyenne, Wyoming with his family. Be sure to check out his website at http://www.cjbox.net/.

Have a Spy Over for Christmas!

The library’s Mystery Book Club recently held a “Murder Under the Mistletoe” Meeting, where members read mysteries set during Christmas and other Winter holidays. I really enjoy reading Christmas mysteries that are part of a series, but are a departure (of sorts) from an author’s usual fare. One of the best Christmas mysteries that I have read so far this year, is The Spy Who Came for Christmas by David Morrell. Morrell is a thriller author, and this title stars international spy Paul Kagan who is willing to risk his life to rescue a baby kidnapped by the Russian mob. Plot action takes place on Christmas Eve, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, during the beautiful, internationally known, annual Christmas lights celebration. Undercover agent Paul Kagan is an appealing hero –when the story opens he is wounded and on the run while sheltering a five-week-old infant under his jacket. The baby is the son of Palestinian Ahmed Hassan, who preaches peace in the Middle East, and is the target of the Russian mob because they wish to silence anyone who threatens their ability to make money from violence in the Middle East. This book is very engaging because Morrell has created the story as a contemporary version of the story of Jesus’ birth, and made it into a spy thriller. There is redemption at the end of the book and even Kagan has an epiphany which changes his life. The book is divided into four parts instead of chapters, and is relatively short. The action is intense and it is as much a “feel-good” Christmas story as it is a thriller. If you like this book, also try reading 24 Hours by Greg Iles. The action is this book takes place during a 24 hour time period, with each chapter taking place over one hour. Greg Iles is a native of Mississippi, who currently lives in Natchez. The story’s action begins in Madison, MS and involves the story of a psychopathic kidnapper who has never been caught and whose victims have never talked to the police. Doctor Will Jennings and his wife Karen race against time to rescue their son and bring the kidnapper to justice. Both 24 Hours and The Spy Who Came for Christmas have the same edgy action that compels you to stay up all night to finish the story!