If You Like Louise Penny, Try...

January 31, 2019 | kasarak

Louise Penny's most recent mystery title, Kingdom of the Blind, came out this past November. It continues the story of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his unique ability to use ingenious measures to solve a crime.

If you enjoy Penny's clever Chief Inspector Gamache, then you may enjoy the sleuths in the titles below.

The Cater Street hangman by Anne Perry
Also available in: e-book | large print

While the Ellison girls were out paying calls and drinking tea like proper Victorian ladies, a maid in their household was strangled to death. The quiet and young Inspector Pitt investigates the scene and finds no one above suspicion. As his intense questioning causes many a composed facade to crumble, Pitt finds himself couriously drawn to pretty Charlotte Ellison. Yet, a romance between a society girl and so unsuitable a suitor was impossible in the midst of a murder....

Look What's In Large Print: January 2019

January 24, 2019 | kasarak

January brings with it a lengthy list of new titles in Large Print. The full range of new Large Print offerings can be found here. This list is updated as additional titles are ordered. 

If you prefer to browse in-person at the library, new Large Print titles are displayed across the top of the shelves in the Large Print area as well as on the sides of each shelf range. Just look for the yellow "New" sticker!

Kingdom of the blind [large print] by Louise Penny
Also available in: print | e-book | audiobook | e-audiobook

When Armand Gamache receives a peculiar invitation to an abandoned farmhouse, he discovers that a complete stranger has named him one of the executors of her will. Still on suspension and frankly curious, Gamache accepts and learns that none of the three executors had ever met the elderly woman . . .

Liar, liar [large print] by 1947- James Patterson
Also available in: print | e-book | audiobook | e-audiobook

Detective Harriet Blue from Never Never is back. And she is hunting her brother's killer. Detective Harriet Blue is a good cop on the run, and now there is a price on her head. However, Harriet is not the only one who has gone rogue. A known killer roams free, searching for his next victim, and leaving a grisly trail to the scene of a long-abandoned cold case. As the police race to save one of their own, Harriet edges toward the dark side. At stake are her innocence and her freedom.

If You Like Cozy Holiday Mysteries, Try...

December 13, 2018 | kasarak
Duck the halls by Donna Andrews
Also available in: audiobook

When someone rigs a cage full of skunks in the choir loft of the New Life Baptist Church, Meg Langslow must stop holiday pranksters from destroying the annual pre-Christmas concert, but when murder enters the picture, Meg must save Christmas from a vengeful killer.

Christmas caramel murder by 1943- Joanne Fluke
Also available in: e-book | audiobook | large print

The holidays have arrived, and Hannah and her good pal Lisa have agreed to provide all the goodies for the town's annual production of A Christmas Carol. But before anyone can say "Bah, humbug!" a Santa-sized sackful of trouble ensues. Like the fact that Lisa's husband will be playing Mr. Claus to his ex-girlfriend Phyllis Bates' Mrs. Claus. Or that before the curtains even go up Phyllis is found dead in the snow-wearing a costume that the real Mrs. Claus would put on the naughty list. Soon after the suspects pile up faster than snowdrifts in a blizzard, while a merry murderer remains on the loose. With clues even harder to find, it might take a visit from ghosts of Christmas past to wrap up this mystery in time for the holidays.

Eggnog murder
Also available in: audiobook | e-audiobook

Eggnog murder : When a gift-wrapped bottle of eggnog proves to be a killer concoction for a Tinker's Cove local, all Lucy Stone wants for Christmas is to find the murdering mixologist who's stirring up trouble.
Death by eggnog : Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell has never cared much for Bar Harbor's grouchy town librarian, Agatha Farnsworth. But after the Scroogy senior has a fatal-- and suspicious-- allergic reaction to supposedly non-dairy eggnog, it's up to Hayley to ladle out some justice.
Nogged off : Julia Snowden's tenant Imogen Geinkes seems to be jinxed. Her poorly named 'Killer Eggnog' gives all her co-workers food poisoning at the holiday party. Now Julia has to get moving to catch the cold-hearted culprit.

Look What's In Large Print: December 2018

December 5, 2018 | kasarak
The next person you meet in Heaven [large print] by 1958- Mitch Albom
Also available in: print | audiobook

 

In this enchanting sequel to the number one bestseller The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom tells the story of Eddie's heavenly reunion with Annie--the little girl he saved on earth--in an unforgettable novel of how our lives and losses intersect. Fifteen years ago, in Mitch Albom's beloved novel, The Five People You Meet inHeaven, the world fell in love with Eddie, a grizzled war veteran- turned-amusement park mechanic who died saving the life of a young girl named Annie. Eddie's journey to heaven taught him that every life matters. Now, inthis magical sequel, Mitch Albom reveals Annie's story. The accident that killed Eddie left an indelible mark on Annie. It took her left hand, which needed to be surgically reattached. Injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie's life is forever changed by a guilt-ravaged mother who whisks her away from the world she knew. Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally found happiness. As the novel opens, Annie is marrying Paulo. But when her wedding night day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey--and an inevitable reunion with Eddie, one of the five people who will show her how her life mattered in ways she could not have fathomed. Poignant and beautiful, filled with unexpected twists, The Next Person You Meet in Heaven reminds us that not only does every life matter,but that every ending is also a beginning--we only need to open our eyes to see it.

When we were young [large print] : a novel by Karen Kingsbury
Also available in: print | audiobook

 

Married couple Noah and Emily have decided to call it quits, and Noah is leaving in the morning. Emily's friend Kari prays for a miracle. But deep inside, Kari knows she needs a miracle herself.

The clockmaker's daughter [large print] : a novel by 1976- Kate Morton
Also available in: print | audiobook

 

A love affair and a mysterious murder cast their shadows across generations, set in England from the 1860s until the present day.

If You Like International Travels as an Armchair Detective, Try...

November 15, 2018 | kasarak
The case of the missing servant : a Vish Puri mystery by Tarquin Hall

India!

Meet Vish Puri, India's most private investigator. Portly, persistent, and unmistakably Punjabi, he cuts a determined swath through modern India's swindlers, cheats, and murderers.In hot and dusty Delhi, where call centers and malls are changing the ancient fabric of Indian life, Puri's main work comes from screening prospective marriage partners, a job once the preserve of aunties and family priests.But when an honest public litigator is accused of murdering his maidservant, it takes all of Puri's resources to investigate. How will he trace the fate of the girl, known only as Mary, in a population of more than one billion? Who is taking potshots at him and his prize chili plants? And why is his widowed "Mummy-ji" attempting to play sleuth when everyone knows mummies are not detectives?With his team of undercover operatives -- Tubelight, Flush, and Facecream -- Puri ingeniously combines modern techniques with principles of detection established in India more than two thousand years ago -- long before "that Johnny-come-lately" Sherlock Holmes donned his deerstalker.The search for Mary takes him to the desert oasis of Jaipur and the remote mines of Jharkhand. From Puri's well-heeled Gymkhana Club to the slums where the servant classes live, his adventures reveal modern India in all its seething complexity.

Bruno, chief of police by 1947 January 23- Martin Walker
Also available in: audiobook

France!

Walker pens the first in a wonderful series that follows the exploits of Benoit Courreges, affectionately nicknamed Bruno, the chief of police in a small French village in the South of France where the rituals of the caf still rule.

The janissary tree by 1964- Jason Goodwin
Also available in: e-audiobook

Turkey!

It is 1836. Europe is modernizing, and the Ottoman Empire must follow suit. But just before the Sultan announces sweeping changes, a wave of murders threatens the fragile balance of power in his court. Who is behind them? Only one intelligence agent can be trusted to find out: Yashim Lastname, a man both brilliant and near-invisible in this world. You see, Yashim is a eunuch.He leads us into the palace's luxurious seraglios and Istanbul's teeming streets, and leans on the wisdom of a dyspeptic Polish ambassador, a transsexual dancer, and a Creole-born queen mother. And he introduces us to the Janissaries. For 400 years, they were the empire's elite soldiers, but they grew too powerful, and ten years ago, the Sultan had them crushed. Are the Janissaries staging a brutal comeback? The Janissary Tree is the first in a series featuring the most enchanting detective since Precious Ramotswe of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Splendidly paced and illuminating, it belongs beside Caleb Carr's The Alienist and the historical thrillers of Arturo Perez-Reverte.

Look What's in Large Print: November 2018

November 4, 2018 | kasarak
The dream daughter by 1950- Diane Chamberlain
Also available in: print | audiobook

When Carly Sears, a young woman widowed by the Vietnam war, receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970, and she is told that nothing can be done to help her child. But her brother-in-law, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells her that perhaps there is a way to save her baby. What he suggests is something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Carly has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage she never knew existed. Something that will mean an unimaginable leap of faith on Carly's part.

And all for the love of her unborn child.

The Dream Daughter is a rich, genre-spanning, breathtaking novel about one mother's quest to save her child, unite her family, and believe in the unbelievable. Diane Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of faith and science to deliver a novel that you will never forget.

The reckoning [large print] by John Grisham
Also available in: print | audiobook

Pete Banning was Clanton's favorite son, a returning war hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning in 1946. he rose early, drove into town, walked into the church, and calmly shot and killed the Reverend Dexter Bell. As if the murder wasn't shocking enough, it was even more baffling that Pete's only statement about it - to the sheriff, to his defense attorney, to the judge, to his family and friends, and to the people of Clanton - was 'I have nothing to say'. And so the murder of the esteemed Reverend Bell became the most mysterious and unforgettable crime Ford County had ever known.

Blowing the Bloody Doors Off : And Other Lessons in Life by Michael Caine

One of our best-loved actors Michael Caine has starred in a huge range of films from the classic movies Alfie, Zulu, and The Italian Job(the inspiration for the book title) to the Hollywood blockbusting Dark Knight trilogy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Cider House Rules. Caine has excelled in every kind of role--with a skill that's made it look easy.

He knows what success takes--he's made it to the pinnacle of his profession from humble origins. But as he says, "Small parts can lead to big things. And if you keep doing things right, the stars will align when you least expect it." Now in his 85th year--and more beloved than ever--he wants to share everything he's learned.

With brilliant new insight into his life and work and showcasing his wonderful gift for storytelling, Blowing the Bloody Doors Off is Caine at his wise and entertaining best.

Canton Seniors Book Discussion Group: December 27, 2018

kasarak

Please join us for laughter, warm drinks, and treats for our end of the year recap of our most loved (and hated!) books of the year. As a group, we read a number of interesting titles in 2018--come enjoy an hour with us and tell us what you thought. Bring a dish to share, and we hope to see you there!

Upcoming sessions

There are no upcoming sessions available.

The Great American Read: finale tonight!

October 23, 2018 | kasarak

The Great American Read wraps up tonight with the reveal of the book that was voted America's favorite.

Kicking off in May, this eight part documentary series hosted by Meredith Viera looked at 100 of America's best-loved novels. The PBS series explored the authors behind the novels, the role in which the titles shaped America, and offered testimonials from celebrities and other book lovers.

Approximately 7,200 people participated in the initial selection of the 100 titles, and participants were then encouraged to vote to narrow down the list first down to 40, then down to 10. The list contains a broad range of fictional titles, authors, time periods, countries, genres and subject matter.

If You Like Cozy Mysteries Featuring Animals, Try...

October 12, 2018 | kasarak

An amateur sleuth, an unsuspecting victim, a quirky supporting cast, and a trail of clues and red herrings are the main ingredients of a cozy mystery. The term “cozy” was coined in the late 20th century and, in a cozy, it is not that person alone who fights the battle for justice. Many times, the protagonist is surrounded by a group of family and friends (and animals!), who are cheering her on to solve the crime. Source.

Below are a few cozy mysteries that feature animals as integral characters...

Probable claws by Rita Mae Brown
Also available in: large print

Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her friends and animal companions pursue the threads of a mystery dating back to Virginia's post-Revolutionary past, when their 18th-century predecessors struggled with the challenges of the fledgling country. In the present day, Harry's new friendship with Marvella Lawson, doyenne of the Richmond art world, leads her to rediscover her own creative passions-- and reveals evidence of an all too contemporary crime.

The tell-tale horse : a novel by Rita Mae Brown

It’s February, prime foxhunting season for the members of Virginia’s Jefferson Hunt Club, when a shocking event alarms the community. A woman is found brutally murdered, stripped naked, and meticulously placed atop a horse statue outside a tack shop. The theft of a treasured foxhunting prize inside the store may be linked to the grisly scene, and everyone is on edge.

With few clues to go on, “Sister” Jane Arnold, master of the Jefferson Hunt Club, uses her fine-tuned horse sense to try to solve the mystery of this “Lady Godiva” murder. But Sister isn’t the only one equipped to sniff out the trail. The local foxes, horses, and hounds have their own theories on the whodunit. If only these peculiar humans could just listen to them, they’d see that the killer might be right under their oblivious noses–and that Sister could become the killer’s next victim. 

Canton Seniors Book Discussion Group: September 26, 2019

kasarak
Saints for all occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan
Also available in: e-book | audiobook | e-audiobook

A sweeping, unforgettable novel from The New York Times best-selling author of Maine, about the hope, sacrifice, and love between two sisters and the secret that drives them apart. Nora and Theresa Flynn are twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their small village in Ireland and journey to America. Nora is the responsible sister; she's shy and serious and engaged to a man she isn't sure that she loves. Theresa is gregarious; she is thrilled by their new life in Boston and besotted with the fashionable dresses and dance halls on Dudley Street. But when Theresa ends up pregnant, Nora is forced to come up with a plan--a decision with repercussions they are both far too young to understand. Fifty years later, Nora is the matriarch of a big Catholic family with four grown children: John, a successful, if opportunistic, political consultant; Bridget, privately preparing to have a baby with her girlfriend; Brian, at loose ends after a failed baseball career; and Patrick, Nora's favorite, the beautiful boy who gives her no end of heartache. Estranged from her sister and cut off from the world, Theresa is a cloistered nun, living in an abbey in rural Vermont. Until, after decades of silence, a sudden death forces Nora and Theresa to confront the choices they made so long ago. A graceful, supremely moving novel from one of our most beloved writers, Saints for All Occasions explores the fascinating, funny, and sometimes achingly sad ways a secret at the heart of one family both breaks them and binds them together.

Upcoming sessions

There are no upcoming sessions available.

Pages