New Arrivals

ADULT FICTION

"Pirate Latitude: A Novel" by Michael Crichton - From one of the best-loved authors of all times comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal" - inside front cover

"Wrecker" by Clive Cussler - "Cussler, known primarily for his contemporary high-tech thrillers, steps back in time--more than a century, in fact--in this rousing sequel to the The Chase (2007). Van Dorn Detective Agency operative Isaac Bell returns, this time to track down a clever saboteur who's been dubbed the Wrecker. Seems the Wrecker has it in for the Southern Pacific Company, and he will stop at nothing, including murder, to keep the company from putting through a new railway line between San Francisco and northern California. Isaac is a sharply drawn series lead, and the story, as befits a railroad-themed thriller, moves at a brisk clip. In addition, there's a very nice surprise in the final scenes. Readers who have sensed a certain been-there-done-that feeling in some of Cussler's recent novels will be pleased to find a new spark here. More Isaac Bell novels would be most welcome."--David Pitt, Booklist

"The Given Day" by Dennis Lahane - "In a splendid flowering of the talent previously demonstrated in his crime fiction (Gone, Baby, Gone: Mystic River), Lehane combines 20th-century American history, a gripping story of a family torn by pride and the strictures of the Catholic Church, and the plot of a multifaceted thriller. Set in Boston during and after WWI, this engrossing epic brings alive a pivotal period in our cultural maturation through a pulsing narrative that exposes social turmoil, political chicanery and racial prejudice, and encompasses the Spanish flu pandemic--This story of fathers and sons, love and betrayal, idealism and injustice, prejudice and brotherly feeling is a dark vision of the brutality inherent in human nature and the dire fate of some who try to live by ethical standards. It's also a vision of redemption and a triumph of the human spirit. In short, this nail-biter carries moral gravity." -- Publisher's Weekly

MYSTERY

"The Birthday Present: A Novel" by Barbara Vine - "British master Vine (the pen name of Ruth Rendell), a life Labor peer who used her knowledge of politics in 2002's The Blood Doctor to explore the personal rather than the political ramifications of power, does both in this intricate novel, which charts the wreckage caused by Ivor Tesham, a Conservative member of Parliament, who concocts a kinky present for his married mistress--a mock kidnapping that results in a mixup of identities and murder. While nothing links the MP to the crime, the elitist Tesham, with his callous attitude toward people and public service alike, realizes justice may eventually catch up with him. Vine knows 'how we walk all the time on that thin crust that covers terrible abysses.' The consequences for the innocent victims of Tesham's recklessness provide the book's deep and genuine pathos. Full of psychological insight, this is an absolute must for Vine/Rendell enthusiasts--and those who have yet to encounter her genius."--Publisher's Weekly

"The Long Fall" by Walter Mosley - "Mosley leaves behind the Los Angeles setting of his Easy Rawlins and Fearless Jones series (Devil in a Blue Dress, etc.) to introduce Leonid McGill, a New York City private detective, who promises to be as complex and rewarding a character as Mosley's ever produced. McGill, a 53-year old former boxer who's still a fighter, finds out that putting his past life behind him isn't easy when someone like Tony 'The Suit' Towers expects you to do a job; when an Albany PI hires you to track down four men know only by their youthful street names; and when your 16-year-old son, Twill, is getting in over his head with a suicidal girl. McGill shares Easy's knack for earning powerful friends by performing favors and some of the toughness of Fearless, but he's got his own dark secrets and hard-won philosophy. New York's racial stew is different that Los Angeles's, and Mosley stirs the pot and concocts a perfect milieu for an engaging new hero and an entertaining new series"--Publisher's Weekly

ADULT NON-FICTION

"America's Prophet: Moses and the American Story" by Bruce Feiler - "To Feiler, one figure above all others symbolizes America--not a politician or a war hero but Moses. Feiler persuasively and entertainingly chronicles how Moses as action hero, Moses as role model has affected virtually every level of American society.--Feiler confidently concludes that the major themes of Moses' story continue to shape America and affect the lives of countless Americans, such as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Facsinating and thought provoking."--June Sawyers, Publisher's Weekly

JUVENILE NON-FICTION

"Dinosaurs in Your Backyard" by Hugh Brewster - "Gr. 3-5 This informative book..transports readers back to a time when North America was defined by substantially different coastlines and divided by a broad inland seaway. Introducing some of the dinosaurs living there, such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Diplodocus, and Broachiosaurus, the books uses double-page spreads that typically describe one animal in a paragraph of descriptive or dramatic text as well as a section of fast facts relating its size, weight, era, diet and range. Large, painterly illustrations set the tone, supported by smaller maps and photos of fossils. The occasional dramatic tooth-and-claw scene is more than balanced by the weight of accessible, interesting information provided in the illustrations as well as the text. A time line, a pronunciation guide, bibliographies, and a list of dinosaur exhibits in the U.S. and Canada conclude this colorful introduction to North American dinosaurs." Carolyn Phelan

"Dinosaur's in Action" by Matthews Rupert - "Gr 3-6 - Heavily illustrated, with emphasis on teeth, horns and color patterns, the book has immediate eye-appeal.The realistic, colorful pictures are accompanied by dig-site maps, comparative-sized diagrams, 'Wow!' boxes, and photos of existing fossils. The simple texts are arranged on topic spreads that open with a sentence or two in dark type, followed by up to three paragraphs each consisting of a few brief sentences. Each title contains a 'Dino Guide' table that lists creatures by period, providing pronunciation guidance and length, weight and diet information for the dinosaurs mentioned in the text...Reluctant readers will enjoy this offering."--Patrician Manning, School Library Journal

"The Pebble First Guide to Rocks and Minerals" by Zachary Pitts - "K-Gr 1...This compact and attractive introductory guide presents information through charts, maps and detailed and colorful photographs, with each spread devoted to one subject--one type of rock, for example. There are no full sentences here; just brief lists of 'fact bytes' to whet young readers' appetites. As acknowledged in an opening note to parents and teachers, early readers may need help with some words and in using the table of contents and back matter."--Amy Rowland, School Library Journal