Huntington Public Library Adult Reading Challenge

  Michael Lobb, owner of a tin and pewter business, and several acres of land where mining is sought, was the only member of his family who didn't want to sell his business and land to a larger company that wanted to buy it. Eventually George brings in Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sargant Barbara Havers to help solve his murder, but they have problems of their own which have little to do with the case. After too many pages of information about mining, the dead man's sexual proclivities and family chaos, I decided this was my last Elizabeth George novel. I always found it a bit odd that she writes British mysteries and she's American.

  1942-- Paris, a dangerous city heavily occupied by the Gestapo was home to born and bred Paul Ricard, novelist of detective and spy fiction. On the street, a man was shot, running away from the Gestapo. Ricard tried to help him but the dying victim thrust a document into Ricard's shirt pocket --beginning his involvement with The Resistance... Alan Furst is not only a master of espionage. He is one of today's best novelists. His stories are excellent. His presentations of countries, their people and their culture are so skillfully done that the reader feels she is traveling with him. I've read all of his thrillers and am so glad I found this one, his most recent, in big print.

  A collection of interconnected short stories based in New England. The book's namesake story was adapted to film last year so I wanted to read it. These stories are filled with love, humor, and longing. Each story has some connection to at least one other in some way. Like a radio lab segment about a woman looking into the appearance of an extinct bird followed by the story of the man who took the photograph of that bird. An incredible book.

  This is a powerful story of friendship, set against several decades of the political climate and changes in the history of Tehran, Iran. Beginning in the 1950's and up through the 2020's, the story follows the lives of and very different paths of two women whose friendship with each other takes many surprising turns. A little drawn out, but moving just the same.

  A young girl, Leni, moves to the Alaskan wilderness with her family in the seventies. At first, her and her mother do not think they will ever adjust to the solitude and darkness, but they do, and when her abusive father leaves to work far away, they actually thrive. But the domestic violence worsens, until Leni's mom is forced to choose between her daughter and her husband.

  Sixteen year old Junie has been born and raised in slavery on an Alabama plantation. Her best friend is her master's daughter, but as they grow up, Junie has to come to terms with the fact that theirs is not a true friendship, but mistress and slave. The story follows Junie trying to free herself from her life of slavery, but can she leave behind those she loves for her freedom??

A dark and twisted psychological thriller! Nina has been keeping her mother (Maggie) chained in the upstairs bedroom for two years because of the horrible things her mother has done to her throughout her life. But as the story unfolds, one has to wonder if Maggie has been justified in her behavior. Is she just trying to keep Nina safe, or is she truly evil? Or is Nina the evil one? This book will have you shaking your head from beginning to end!  

  Follows the journey of ice dancing duo Kat and Heath, who become Olympic champions with a captivating on-ice chemistry, but whose partnership ends abruptly after a shocking incident at the Olympics. The audiobook is fabulous with a full cast of characters. Fun and mesmerizing, and the perfect time to read this book!

  Starts out with a somewhat plausible Orwellian view, then unfortunately transforms into sheer chaos.