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A Christmas gathering : a novel
by Anne Perry
A beautiful spy’s clandestine message complicates the holidays at a friend’s country home for a newly married former head of the London Special Branch, who would prevent history from repeating itself. By the best-selling author of the William Monk series.
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Guilty not guilty
by Felix Francis
A volunteer horseracing steward finds his life upended by sensational media allegations about the violent death of his beloved wife and his dangerous efforts to clear his name by capturing the true killer. By the author of Crisis.
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A minute to midnight
by David Baldacci
A high-action sequel to Long Road to Mercy continues the story of FBI agent Atlee Pine in the remote wilds surrounding the Grand Canyon in Shattered Rock, Arizona.
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December Feature: Winter Tales |
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Aunt Dimity, snowbound : Snowbound
by Nancy Atherton
Trapped by a blizzard with two other stranded backpackers in Ladyhouse Abbey, the magnificent home of the late Lucasta DeClerke, Lori Shepherd is faced with a plot to steal a priceless DeClerke family heirloom, an unstable caretaker, and the haunting presence of Lucasta, an enigmatic madwoman whose ghost lingers amid the house's dark secrets.
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The Ice Princess
by Camilla Läckberg
Scandinavian Crime Fiction. With this atmospheric U.S. debut, which won France’s Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for Best International Crime Novel, Camilla Läckberg joined a long list of Scandinavian authors to watch. In this leisurely paced tale, biographer Erica Falck returns to her tiny hometown of Fjällbacka after her parents' unexpected deaths...and stumbles across the body of her childhood friend, Alexandra. It's unclear whether Alexandra's death was suicide or murder, but the town seems to be hiding plenty of deadly secrets. Joining Erica in her attempts to find the truth behind Alexandra's death is Detective Patrik Hedström in this 1st in a popular series.
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In the Bleak Midwinter
by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Mystery. Clare Fergusson, a former Army helicopter pilot, is the new -- and the first female -- priest of the Episcopal church in Millers Kill, New York. Shortly after her arrival, Clare finds herself immersed in cold and snow...and trouble. After finding a newborn babe on the church doorstep one night, Clare takes the infant to the hospital, and the police are soon involved. Married police chief Russ Van Alstyne works the case, and discovers more than just the murdered body of the baby's young mother: he finds he's attracted to Clare. As in Louise Penny's books, the Clare Fergusson/Russ van Alstyne series, of which this is the 1st, blends elements of the cozy mystery with that of the police procedural and features polished prose and well-drawn characters, though these books do have more of a romantic theme.
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Winter's Child
by Margaret Coel
Mystery. Arapaho lawyer Vicky Holden witnesses her friend and fellow lawyer Clint Hopkins run down by a truck during a blizzard; while others think it was an accident, Vicky believes it was murder. Since she had just teamed up with Hopkins to help a Native American couple hoping to adopt an abandoned white child they've raised for five years, Vicky works that case and checks into the hit and run. Along with her friend, Jesuit priest Father John, she unravels a disturbing connection between the child, the lawyer's death, a missing Arapaho wanted by the cops, and very old secret. Though this is the 20th and last entry in the John O'Malley and Vicky Holden mysteries, newcomers can easily begin here.
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Winter at the door : a novel
by Sarah Graves
A debut entry in a suspenseful series begins the adventures of Jake Tiptree's onetime helper, Lizzie Snow, who takes over as Eastport's police chief only to find herself stalked by a deadly adversary from her past. By the best-selling author of the Home Repair Is Homicide series.
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The wolf in winter : a Charlie Parker thriller
by John Connolly
An exclusive Maine community built around the ruins of an ancient church is investigated by a driven Charlie Parker after the death of a homeless man, a case that causes Charlie to be violently targeted by secret-keeping citizens.
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Starring: Classic Authors |
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| The Tale of Hill Top Farm: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig AlbertWhat happens: In 1905, following the death of her beloved fiancé, author and animal lover Beatrix Potter purchases a Lake District farm. Just after her arrival, an elderly neighbor suddenly dies and several items go missing from local buildings. Potter as well as various animals (who converse amongst themselves) look into the two mysteries.
Series alert: This is the charming 1st entry in a delightful cozy historical mystery series by veteran author Susan Wittig Albert. |
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| Locked Rooms: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. KingWhat happens: In 1924, Mary Russell and her much-older husband, Sherlock Holmes, arrive in Mary's hometown of San Francisco.
The problem: The visit causes Mary unexplained anxiety and strange dreams...and the couple wonder if the car accident that killed Mary's family years ago was actually murder. When they meet Dashiell Hammett, a struggling writer who supplements his income with detective work, the trio team up to find out.
Series alert: This 8th in a popular series (the 1st is The Beekeeper's Apprentice) is well-researched and provides loads of atmosphere. |
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| Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell1854 London: Author and opium addict Thomas De Quincey is promoting his controversial satirical essay about 40-year-old killings when someone replicates the murders, making him Scotland Yard's top suspect. Luckily, his strong-willed daughter Emily helps him search for the real killer.
About the author: Well known for his adventure novel First Blood (the basis for the film Rambo), author David Morrell has written a variety of books, including the fast-paced, thoroughly researched Thomas De Quincey trilogy, of which this is the series opener.
Who it's for: Though this book is set across the pond and several decades earlier, fans of Caleb Carr's The Alienist should try it. |
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| The Dante Chamber by Matthew PearlStarring: Christina Rossetti, Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, and Oliver Wendell Holmes.
What happens: In 1870 London, grisly murders related to the work of Dante occur just as they did five years earlier in Boston (see The Dante Club). With her brother Dante Gabriel missing, Christina enlists the help of others to find him before he becomes a victim or is arrested for the crimes.
For fans of: compelling, suspenseful, and well-plotted literary mysteries. |
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| A Talent for Murder by Andrew WilsonStarring: "Queen of Crime" and young mother Agatha Christie, whose husband is having an illicit affair, causing her to be threatened by a blackmailer who wants Agatha to kill his wife.
Why you might like it: It offers an intriguing explanation of what Christie was doing when she disappeared for 11 days in December 1926.
Try this next: If you like this 1st in a series, pick up Nicola Upson's atmospheric Josephine Tey mysteries, which also feature a real mystery author turned fictional detective. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Forsyth County Public Library 660 W 5th Street Winston Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-3030www.forsythlibrary.org |
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