Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

Since a serial killer stopped terrorizing local citizens in the 1990's, nothing much happens in the rural burg of Painters Mill, Ohio, which is just how Chief Kate Burkholder likes it. After years of experience in the more urban setting of Columbus, Ohio, she jumped at the chance to become the police chief of her hometown. Her past as a member of the local Amish community has given her a unique perspective and ability to act as a go-between between the private Amish community and the "English."

When one of her officers responds to a "loose cattle" call and instead finds the nude body of a young woman in the snow, Kate's peaceful existence comes to an abrupt halt. Not only is the murder reminiscent of the serial killings that took place in the '90's, but it brings Kate's history crashing back to her, including a secret that she, her brother and sister have kept all these years. When the town calls in outside help, Kate is resistant, fearing her secret will be exposed after 16 years, but as bodies continue to turn up, she must face her fear in order to solve the gruesome crimes.

John Tomasetti has been to hell, and does not seem to want to leave. Since losing his partner and family a few years earlier, his life has continued in a downward spiral, thanks to his steady diet of booze and painkillers. When he is assigned to work on the Painters Mill murders, he knows it is his last chance. Can Kate overcome her fear and mistrust to work with Tomasetti?

This is the first book in a promising new series featuring Chief Kate Burkholder, and I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of John Tomasetti as well. Despite the Amish connection, this is definitely NOT a cozy mystery - the grisly details, salty language and sexual situations and references are not for the faint of heart. Kate is a great heroine - strong yet vulnerable, principled yet hesitant, and damaged yet hopeful. I look forward to seeing more from this series. Fans of this book may also like Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series or Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series.

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Family secrets lie just beneath the surface in this suspenseful debut novel, set in contemporary small town Iowa. 7 year-old best friends Calli and Petra are closer than most girls that age - Calli, a selective mute since the age of 4, relies on Petra to be her voice, while Petra seems to instinctively know what Calli needs at any given time. When both girls disappear from their homes one hot summer morning, no one anticipates how the day will end.

When Deputy Sheriff Louis finds out about the missing girls, he immediately sets out on the case. While his history with Calli's mother, Toni, complicates his involvement, he has no intention of backing off the case. Toni, along with Petra's parents, anxiously await news as Calli's brother and other volunteers search for the girls in the woods. Griff, Calli's father is supposed to be away on a fishing trip; however he did not get away that morning as planned. Could he be responsible for taking the girls? What other secrets will be uncovered throughout the course of the search?

While there are some plot holes in this story, overall it is a mesmerizing read. Told from multiple viewpoints, including silent Calli's, the short chapters and increasing tension keep the pages turning. Fans of Jodi Picoult or Anita Shreve will appreciate this novel, as well as anyone who is looking for a quick and engrossing family drama.

The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

This non-fiction selection focuses on 11 women from the town of Ames, Iowa, who have maintained their friendship since at least high school. Now in their late forties, the women have spread all over the country, and their lives have all taken different directions, yet they remain bonded as a group.

Zaslow, who co-wrote The Last Lecture with Randy Pausch and also pens the Moving On column for the Wall Street Journal, selected this group of women and their friendship based on their, well, averageness. Representing the last wave of the baby boomers, growing up in the Midwest, Zaslow felt these women's experiences would connect with a large number of people.

While the book features this group of women, including more intimate portraits of 4 of them, it also includes some data and information on the very nature of friendships, particularly comparing women's friendships with men's friendships, and the tendency for women's relationships to stand the test of time. He also includes some studies on the benefits of maintaining friendships over long periods of time.

I have to say I did not really love this book. I did not really connect with any of the women, (although some of them seem like perfectly lovely people) and I think most of us already know that women stay more connected in their friendships than men. There were some interesting, poignant and humorous anecdotes, observations and dynamics from the group, but the whole work just did not resonate. This could be an interesting choice for book clubs, however. There is a reader's guide and other information at: http://www.girlsfromames.com/

Time to read some fiction!

The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson

Amy Dickinson, best known as an advice columnist and contributor to NPR, has written a lovely little book detailing her life as a member of a female-dominated extended family - the "queens" of her hometown, tiny Freeville, New York.

A unique feature of her family is that the few men in it tend to pack up and leave town, which was the case with both Amy's father and her husband (although her husband did maintain a relationship with their daughter, Emily.) For the most part, women in her family have had to fend for themselves. The bits and pieces that Dickinson shares regarding her female relatives are few and far between, I would have loved to hear more about them.

The book is basically snippets of a life - from her childhood to marriage to motherhood, to welcoming love into her life after a long dry spell. Dickinson does not delve too deeply, yet manages to share some deeply personal moments. I really enjoyed this book - Dickinson's voice is funny and familiar, as well as warm and inviting. Again, I would have really enjoyed hearing more about her amazing mother and other female relatives, perhaps there will be another book in Ms. Dickinson's future! For further information on "Mighty Queens," go to: http://www.themightyqueensoffreeville.com/

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Reverend Clare Fergusson, the newly installed Episcopalian minister in upstate Miller's Kill, New York, has a lot to learn about the community, so when she discovers a newborn baby in a cardboard box near the church, she takes the opportunity to align herself with a married couple from her congregation who are interested in adopting the baby. Unfortunately, when the baby's mother, Katie, is discovered murdered, the husband of the couple turns out to be Sheriff Russ Van Alstyne's number one suspect.

Clare and Russ discover they share a background in the military as well as a common interest in solving the crime, and they form sort of a "good cop - bad cop" team, with Clare taking on a more human interest in the involved parties and Russ sticking to the facts. Their friendship grows beyond their common interests, however, as the mystery behind who murdered Katie grows when her father is also found murdered. When Clare finds herself in imminent danger, it is Russ who discovers her whereabouts and attempts to come to her aid before she becomes an additional fatality.

While I wouldn't label this book a cozy mystery, it isn't terribly gruesome or violent, and it does feature some mild swearing. It is an engaging, intelligent plot with memorable characters, and features a charming small town with some not-so-charming crimes. Russ and Clare are both likable and worthy as the hero and heroine, but Russ's marriage throws a little wrench into their blossoming friendship. Best of all, it is the first in a series, so if you like this particular book, it is easy to figure out what to read next!

True Colors by Kristin Hannah

The Grey family has always been an important fixture in the town of Oyster Shores, Washington, since their great-grandfather helped found the town in the 1800's. The three sisters, Winona, Aurora and Vivi Ann, are following in the footsteps of generations past, tied to the town by the family ranch and each other. They have learned to stick together through thick and thin.

Since the death of their mother when the girls were teens, their father has been distant and unflinching with high expectations of his daughters. Winona, who never took to life at the ranch, went on to become a lawyer, Aurora married and had twins, but the beautiful Vivi Ann loved the ranch and was a natural horse woman, earning the approval of her father, much to Winona's consternation. Adding to Win's jealousy is the fact that her childhood crush, Luke, comes back to town and is immediately smitten with Vivi Ann. When Vivi Ann's actions betray her lack of feelings for Luke, Winona takes the opportunity to betray her sister in the hopes of winning Luke's favor.

As the women grow older, rifts continue between Vivi Ann and Winona, while Aurora tries to keep everyone together. Eventually, Win has the opportunity to help her sister in a legal matter in which she had previously refused involvement. Will this bring the family back together? Will Win's father ever accept her for who she is? Will Win ever get over herself?

Hannah's talent is writing about women for women. This book immediately sucked me in, but then sort of dried up in the middle before picking up speed again. The ending was fairy tale quality, but it will leave readers happy. Kristin Hannah is a great choice for summer reading - if you like True Colors, try one of her many older titles, such as Firefly Lane, Distant Shores, or On Mystic Lake.

The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard

Abby and Mitch, high school sweethearts devoted to one another, were about to take a very big step in their relationship when the fates intervened, altering their lives forever. While heading downstairs to Abby's father's medical office for some protection, Mitch witnesses Abby's father, a respected doctor, and his best friend's father, the sheriff, bring in the frozen young body of a beautiful young woman. Before he can recover from the shock of what he sees, he is further traumatized when he witnesses Abby's dad covering the girl's face with some plastic bags and battering it with a baseball bat. The next morning, Mitch has unexpectedly left town, leaving Abby and his best friend, Rex, hurt, confused and dealing with his unexplained absence.

Fast-forward 18 years: Abby is a small-business owner, still single, and still affected by Mitch's disappearance all those years ago. She is dating Rex's n'er-do-well brother, Patrick, who may be responsible for the Virgin's death. Rex has taken over as the sheriff of the county, his father's old job, and is also still at a loss over Mitch's absence. The body of the young girl whom Mitch had seen at Abby's house was never claimed, but the town raised enough money to bury her with a large headstone. Over the years, she became known as the "Virgin" around town, and was even rumored to perform miracles for people from beyond the grave. With the advent of the internet, the "Virgin's" reputation has grown, and people come from all over to ask the deceased woman for help.

After all the years of the mystery of the Virgin simmering just under the town's surface, Abby, Rex, and Mitch are about to be reunited to discover the truth of the crime once and for all. What they discover shocks and sickens them and the entire town of Small Plains. Will anyone else have to die in order to keep the secret of the Virgin safe?

Nancy Pickard tells an intriguing tale of suspense in this quick read. Although some of the plot seems a bit contrived and hard to fathom, I was still into the book enough to stick with it through the end. The story begs the question of how far one will go to protect a friendship, a family and a town. The use of miracles in the book illustrates how one person's miracle is another person's tragedy, and how, in the end, people will reap what they sow.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Dewey Readmore Books, a shivering, bedraggled tiny orange kitten, found out what good luck and wonderful, kind library staff and patrons were all about. From the first few words of the book, it is almost impossible not to be drawn into this true story of a kitten who fell upon great fortune - good people and a satisfying place to call home: a library - despite an inauspicious introduction to the library and his library friends.

Dewey is more than a story of hardship or of a kitten triumphantly rescued from death’s door on a frigid, icy Iowa morning. Rather this is a story of life, and lives, and how intertwined lives can become. This is a book that reminds us that animals can snuggle their way into our hearts and lives even if we didn’t intend it to happen; they can easily connect with us in ways we never expected.Dewey shared his 18 years with so many in Spencer, IA. He taught many valuable lessons, such as be happy with what you have, and share your unique gifts of love. Dewey speaks to some of the mysteries of life, libraries, and a very special “someone.”A wonderful, easy and pleasant read, of course, for animal lovers, and especially cat lovers.


Thanks to Paula N. for the review!

Need a little romance?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a stalwart among Romance authors, and her book, Dream a Little Dream is one of her finer efforts.

Rachel Stone is at the end of her rope - a broke, single mother whose car just gave up on the outskirts of the town she was run out of a few years earlier. Desperate for a job to support her son, she forces her services on the first person she meets up with - the cold and ruthless Gabe Bonner, a member of one of the most respected families in town. While Gabe at first rebuffs her offers, he gradually realizes what a tough spot she is in, and allows her and her son to work at the drive-in he is fixing up and move into his grandmother's cottage while she gets back on her feet.

It turns out that Rachel is anything but welcome in Salvation, North Carolina. Her deceased husband was a television preacher who bilked thousands out of their hard-earned money, then died in a plane crash while trying to escape the country. Everyone suspects that she is living off of the money that he absconded with; trouble is, the money was never found and she doesn't have it, so she is hoping to find it to take care of her son. Will Rachel be able to overcome the obstacles in her life and find happiness again? Will the people of Salvation forgive her and welcome her back? Do Gabe and Rachel find happiness again?

This is a sweet story, but also contains plenty of spice for those of us who don't like our love stories TOO clean! Funny at times, heartbreaking at times, this is a romance that delivers beyond expectations! I should also mention that although this is a book from Phillips' "Chicago Stars" series, it stands on its own just as well.

Torie O'Shea Mysteries

The latest entry in the Torie O'Shea mystery series by Rett Macpherson, is the book Blood Ballad. This is the 11th book in the series, so I'll try not to include any spoilers in the review - this is a series you want to try and read in order!

Torie O'Shea is a genealogist and local historian in a small Missouri tourist town who seems to find herself in trouble more often than not. What I like about her the most is that she is a real woman - struggling with her weight, dealing with family issues, and her life in small-town America. In this particular book, Torie somehow finds herself spending the night in the woods with one of her least favorite people, as she reluctantly participates in New Kassel's first Birding Olympics. As is bound to happen, a dead body ends up bringing Tori's night to an end, but is only the beginning of a new mystery involving a recording sent to her from the deceased person, her ancestors and a historical unsolved disappearance.

One of the highlights of these books for me is the humorous relationship between Torie and her stepfather, Colin. While they clash over just about everything, and neither one is bashful in their exasperation with the other, Colin is still one of the first people Tori turns to when she's in trouble. Which is a lot.

Overall, the Torie O'Shea mysteries are great cozy mystery reading - there is little if any graphic violence, the characters are quirky and entertaining, and the books always end with a satisfying conclusion. There are a few in the series that I felt were not up to MacPherson's usual quality, but on the whole, this is an enjoyable and very readable series. I would definitely recommend reading the books in the order they were written so changes in Torie's family, friends and neighbors can be followed coherently.