Historical Fiction December 2016 Calling All Patrons. . . Do you have a book you would love to recommend to other patrons? We would like to hear from you! Please click on the link below and fill out the form.  (Your title should be part of the Avon Lake Library collection.) The review may be posted in the library for patrons who are looking for book suggestions.    http://alpl.org/patron-picks/       "Ah, but that was a different story, from a different time. A different life." ~ from Melanie Benjamin's The Swans of Fifth Avenue   Recent Releases Crossing the Horizon: A Novel by Laurie Notaro In 1927, three women vie to be the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic: the Honorable Elsie Mackay, an earl's daughter who disobeys her family's wishes in order to follow her dreams; Mabel Boll, a wealthy widow who craves fame and adulation above all else; and Ruth Elder, a former beauty pageant winner from Alabama who's got her eyes on the skies. For another character-driven tale of daring women breaking barriers in the 1920s, check out Victoria Patterson's The Peerless Four, about a Canadian track and field team overcoming significant hurdles in pursuit of Olympic gold. The Devils of Cardona by Matthew Carr A local magistrate in late-16th-century Spain investigates the murder of a priest in his own church and discovers the clergyman, who was not well-liked, was embroiled in a complex and dangerous world comprised of greed, fanaticism and government policy. The Dig by John Preston "A succinct and witty literary venture that tells the strange story of a priceless treasure discovered in East Anglia on the eve of World War II. In the long, hot summer of 1939, Britain is preparing for war, but on a riverside farm in Suffolk there is excitement of another kind. Mrs. Pretty, the widowed owner of the farm, has had her hunch confirmed that the mounds on her land hold buried treasure. As the dig proceeds, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary find. This fictional recreation of the famed Sutton Hoo dig follows three months of intense activity when locals fought outsiders, professionals thwarted amateurs, and love and rivalry flourished in equal measure. As the war looms ever closer, engraved gold peeks through the soil, and each character searches for answers in the buried treasure. Their threads of love, loss, and aspiration weave a common awareness of the past as something that can never truly be left behind" Orphans of the Carnival: A Novel by Carol Birch Dreaming of fame, Julia Pastrana leaves her home in Mexico's Sinaloa state at the encouragement of an American carnival promoter. Despite her talents as a singer and dancer, Julia is mostly dismissed as a sideshow spectacle due to the hair that covers her face and body, the result of a genetic condition. Throughout her eventful life, Julia continues to seek recognition for her abilities, while longing for love and acceptance. Based on the life and career of a real-life 19th-century indigenous Mexican entertainer, this novel by the author of Jamrach's Menagerie may appeal to fans of similar books about Victorian circus performers such as Melanie Benjamin's The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb or Stacy Carlson's Among the Wonderful. The Second Death : A Mystery of Ancient Ireland by Peter Tremayne As the Kingdom of Muman prepares to celebrate the Great Fair of Cashel in A.D. 671 Ireland, Fidelma and Edulf must solve the mystery surrounding the death of a wagon driver and the rotting corpse found in the back of the wagon before the fair begins. New York City in the 1950s Searching for Grace Kelly by Michael Callahan Set in Manhattan's storied Barbizon Hotel for Women during the summer of 1955, this "deliciously stylish, retro" (Booklist) debut follows a trio of young women as they pursue their personal and professional goals. Smith College student Laura is a summer intern at Mademoiselle; working girl Dolly attends secretarial school while husband-hunting; and vivacious British import Vivian, an aspiring singer, peddles cigarettes at New York's famed Stork Club. Their bond, intensified by their shared living situation, is also tested by romantic complications involving men both eligible and unsuitable. If you enjoyed the period detail and heady atmosphere of Amor Towles' Rules of Civility or Fiona Davis' The Dollhouse, try Searching for Grace Kelly. The Swans of Fifth Avenue: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin In 1955, literary enfant terrible Truman Capote becomes the friend and confidant of Babe Paley, the glamorous "trophy wife" of a prominent media executive. Soon, Capote becomes a fixture in Babe's bevy of "swans" -- a veritable who's who of Manhattan socialites, including Slim Keith, Marella Agnelli, C.Z. Guest, and Gloria Guinness. But even Capote's genuine (or is it?) regard for Babe doesn't prevent him from gleefully gathering material that he'll turn into "La Côte Basque 1965," a roman à clef that will tear this close-knit circle apart. Secrets, scandals, and betrayals small and large drive this gossipy, high-drama tale from the author of The Aviator's Wife. Three-Martini Lunch by Suzanne Rindell Greenwich Village in 1958 is "a madman's paradise," explains aspiring writer Cliff Nelson. Disinherited by his wealthy family, Cliff dreams of literary stardom but spends much of his time bar-hopping. His story intersects with that of both Eden Katz, a Midwest transplant who's determined to have a career in publishing despite the industry's sexism and anti-Semitism, and African American writer Miles Tillman, Harlem-born and Columbia-educated, whose talent and ambition may not be enough to overcome society's prejudices. Reminiscent of Rona Jaffe's The Best of Everything, this novel evokes a bygone era through sparkling dialogue and rich period detail. Contact your librarian for more great books! Avon Lake Public Library 32649 Electric Blvd. Avon Lake, Ohio 44012 440-933-8128 alpl.org