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Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom FranklinIn 1970s rural Mississippi, two boys became friends despite their backgrounds. White, middle-class Larry Ott was an outcast because of his love of reading, especially horror novels. Poor, fatherless Silas Jones was saved from the ostracization of being black when he excelled athletically. However, their fragile alliance was sundered when Larry was the last person to see Cindy Walker before she disappeared. Twenty-five years later, Larry is still haunted by the past and shunned by the community. College educated Silas has returned a sports hero to become the town's Constable. When another girl goes missing, everyone remembers Cindy. Secrets, truths, responsibilities, and justice come tumbling out of the present as Larry and Silas begin to understand how their pasts have been interwoven. Franklin has written a fascinating study of character, race, and friendship. Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on January 8, 2015.
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The Alienist
by Caleb Carr
With psychology still in its infancy, alienist (psychologist) Dr. Laszlo Kreizler attempts to use criminal profiling to catch a serial killer of immigrant boys engaged in transvestite, homosexual prostitution. Kreizler enlists the help of crime reporter John Moore, who acts as the novel's narrator, two Jewish policeman (brothers) who are trained in early forensics, and a female interested in joining the police force all under the guidance of police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt. Carr discusses the political and sociological situation in 1896 New York as intensely and devotedly as he explores the investigation of the crime.
Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on February 12, 2015.
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The Accident by Chris PavoneNew York literary agent Isabel Reed finds a manuscript in her slush pile that she knows will be a best seller, if it doesn't get her killed first. The secrets the manuscript reveals about of media tycoon Charles Wolfe, who is on the eve of launching his political career, could end his aspirations. Wolfe has a rogue CIA agent in his employ and the ruthless determination to do whatever it takes to keep his past buried. As copies of the manuscript leak, the body count rises. Pavone mixes insights into the publishing world with elements of a typical political thriller and of an espionage novel to create an explosive adventure full of unique characters. Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on March 12, 2015.
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To many E. Forbes Smiley III was a charismatic, respected rare map dealer. In truth, he was a thief. He charmed librarians in America and England while stealing the maps they were charged with protecting. Although he started small, eventually his thefts funded a luxurious lifestyle. He stole for at least 4 years before being caught in 2005 outside Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Blanding reveals the worlds of rare map dealers, buyers, and rare manuscript libraries as well as the history behind the creation of some of these treasures. This modern day tale of true crime shows both sides of the coin: the suspense and intrigue of catching an art thief with the vicarious thrills as well as the allure of making a quick buck of being the thief. Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on April 9, 2015.
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When two white men rape his 10-year-old daughter, Carl Lee Hailey knows he can't count on the racist legal system of Canton, Mississippi to get justice for a black family. When Carl Lee takes justice into his own hands and kills the rapists, the town explodes. Carl Lee is defended by a white lawyer, Jake Brigance, in a case that makes everyone question their notions of race, vengeance, and justice. Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, and Kevin Spacey starred in this movie that was a critical and commercial success.
Criminal Spines will showing this movie on May 7, 2015.
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John Grisham is the master of legal thrillers, and A Time to Kill was his debut novel. A Time to Kill's Jake Brigance returns as another case rocks Ford County and reveals hidden secrets from its past. It is 1988 and Seth Hubbard has just committed suicide after writing a new, unwitnessed will which disinherits his entire family. Instead, Hubbard has left his entire $20 million fortune to his black housekeeper Lettie Lang, in a time of not so veiled sexism and racism. It is up to Jake to defend the will, against an army of lawyers from multiple fronts. As always, Grisham's legal insights are dead accurate, and his plots contain enough twists to keep the reader riveted. Canton, Mississippi, rife with racial tensions, is brought vibrantly to life and full of characters who feel true to life. Sycamore Row is Grisham at his finest.
Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on May 14, 2015.
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Cop Town by Karin SlaughterIn 1974, rookie Kate Murphy is partnered with the experienced, legacy Maggie Lawson within an Atlanta Police Department that has little use for women cops. The department is being rocked the actions of the Shooter, a cop killer who is hunting members of the APD. Maggie is determined to find the Shooter, despite the belief that women can't do real police work. In a town divided by race, a police department marred by politics, and an era in social flux, tracking a killer has never been more dangerous. This stand-alone police procedural is a great way to introduce new readers to best-selling Slaughter's gritty style and compelling way of writing characters.
Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on June 11, 2015.
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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by C. Alan BradleyBradley’s cozy mystery series brings to life an eleven-year-old heroine living outside an English village in the post-World War II era. Flavia de Luce, a chemical genius with a passion for poisons, discovers a man gasping his last breaths in the family cucumber patch. She traces the roots of his murder to a 30-year-old theft involving misdirection and stamp collecting. The eccentric members of her family as well as the quirky villagers attend Flavia's internal dialogues. Flavia’s cheerful gruesomeness, persistence inquisitiveness, and naïve intrepidness keep the intricate plot moving rapidly forward. The series continues with The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag.
Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on July 9, 2015.
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The Big Sleep
by Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler is a grand master of the hardboiled crime novel, and The Big Sleep is his first novel starring Los Angeles private investigator Philip Marlowe. Filled with duplicity, misrepresentation, and danger, The Big Sleep has made many lists of best books, including Time Magazine's List of 100 Best Novels.
General Sternwood calls in PI Philip Marlowe to stop a blackmail attempt against his youngest daughter Carmen. But it is Sternwood's oldest daughter, Vivian, who intrigues Marlowe. As he investigates Carmen's case, Marlowe stumbles into the world of pornography, kidnapping, and murder. Just as he thinks the matter is closed, the recent disappearance of Vivian's husband draws him back into the Sternwood family's web. Dark family secrets come to light as the femme fatale is revealed in this classic crime noir novel. Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on August 13, 2015.
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The Big SleepAfter discussing the book, come see the movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The Library of Congress added this film to the National Film Registry, declaring it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" in 1997. While remaining fairly true to the novel, the film has a different feel. Without Marlowe's first-person narration, the tone changes. The 1940s production codes regulations and limitations of the time also changed aspects of the original work. However, Nobel laureate William Faulkner lead the team creating the movie script, and The Big Sleep is widely accepted to be one of the best examples of film noir ever created. We will be showing the 1997 re-release of the 1945 film, which includes 18 extra minutes from what was shown domestically in 1945. This version is Howard Hawks original director's cut. Criminal Spines will showing this movie on August 20, 2015.
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Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Medicine, Madness & the Murder of a President by Candice MillardThe story begins with the presidential race of the 1880s which dark-horse James A. Garfield won. Garfield had a distinguished career as a university president, lawyer, general, and congressman. Charles Guiteau was a failed author, lawyer, and evangelist with delusions of grandeur. When Guiteau failed to be appointed to a post in the Garfield administration, insanity led him to believe that God meant him to kill Garfield. Guiteau shot Garfield four months into the President’s term during the summer of 1881. Garfield did not die immediately, but suffered a lingering death, poor medical care, and eventually died of infection in September. Millard includes information on the political and social realities of the times in a tale that makes for compulsive reading.
Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on September 10, 2015.
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Keepsake Crimes by Laura ChildsCriminal Spines will be discussing the entire cozy Scrapbook Mysteries series by Laura Childs in October, so participants are welcome to read any of this series! Memory Mine, Carmela Bertrand's scrapbooking shop, lies on the edge of New Orleans French Quarter. Unique New Orleans elements such as Mardi Gras, hurricane Katrina, tarot, and voodoo are often woven into the story or even the murder. While this cozy mystery series naturally appeals to scrapbooking hobbyist, the series is also filled with Southern humor and quirky New Orleans characters which broadens the appeal. Each volume includes not only scrapbooking tips but also recipes for Southern favorites.
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The Last Policeman by Ben H. WintersBen Winters poses a thought-provoking question: If you know the world is about to end, does justice still matter? In six-months, the asteroid Maia will strike the Earth and humanity's time will be over. Suicide has become epidemic. However, rookie detective Hank Palace is sure the man he has found hanging in a public washroom isn't actually a suicide but a murder. Despite the approaching apocalypse, and despite his apathetic superiors and coworkers, Hank is determined to get justice. In a world that has given up and is spinning out of control, Hank refuses to let the future, or the past, control his present. This trilogy continues with Countdown City. Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on November 12, 2015.
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Stolen by Lucy ChristopherSixteen-year-old Gemma is kidnapped from the Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian wilderness of the Outback. Her captor, a young man named Ty, who has been stalking her since childhood, believes that he is helping her escape the life she had before. The young adult novel is told in the form of a letter Gemma writes to Ty. Stolen is both an intense psychological case study and a love letter to the Australian outback, which becomes a character itself. Fast-paced and terrifying, this novel also provides fascinating descriptions of wilderness life and Australian flora and fauna. Christopher provides a thought-provoking look at Stockholm Syndrome, rich symbolism, and a sympathetic portrayal of Ty. Criminal Spines will be discussing this book on December 10, 2015.
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