Check it Out

Doug Bowler

Think spring and a few things spring to mind: renewal, weeds, change,

blooms, cleaning, eggs and fever.

In keeping with the season our library welcomes a new addition to the

staff and a good egg he is. Librarian Jim McCarty has signed on to head

the reference department, pleading a feverish desire to work tirelessly

to direct our patrons to the information they need and want.

Jim, who comes to us after working a the University of Arizona Library

and Stratford Academy, is looking forward to the change of working with

patrons of all ages in a public library.

He says, enthusiastically, it will add a spring to his step! So, stop

by the library, meet Jim and even renew acquaintance with the rest of us.

Spring also brings new and interesting fiction bestsellers. Just a few

of the popular authors and their new titles to look forward to reading

soon are: T. Jefferson Parker, “Black Water” Mary Higgins Clark,

“Daddy’s Little Girl” Janet Evanovich, “Hard Eight” Jean Auel, “Shelters

of Stone” Tony Hillerman, “Wailing Wind” Stephen King, “From a Buick 8.”

Like a well-tended garden, as our library’s collection grows, those

books that only rarely check out or are in poor physical condition must

be weeded. This spring we’re in the middle of a gentle shelf cleaning.

This is good news for those Lagunans who have discovered the literary

surprises and riches to be found in our Friends of the Library Book Shop.

Those titles we’ve chosen to weed are giving to the Book Shop in keeping

with the best recycling philosophy. In turn, the money earned from their

sale provides the library with funds to pay for our children’s summer

reading program, additional books, videos, magazines and new computers,

just to name a few. So, if it’s been a while since you’ve visited your

library or the Friend’s Book Shop to see what’s new, tis the bloomin’

book season -- please come by and check us out.

SH ‘Tell no one,’

Harlan Coben is the first author to win all three major mystery

writing awards: The Edgar, Shamas and the Anthony. If you enjoy a good

mystery story like me, you’ll love this one!

Dr. David Becks and his newlywed bride and childhood sweetheart,

Elizabeth, are vacationing at this remote family-inherited cottage and

lake property. He is knocked-out and she is abducted by unknown

assailants. A few weeks later, her battered body is discovered and

identified by her father and brother with the letter K branded on her

face. A serial killer with the same m.o. is her assumed killer. Cut and

dry, case closed. But the FBI and the New York Police Department are

trying to implicate Beck in the murder of his wife. Dr. Beck has never

gotten over this tragedy and blames himself for not protecting Elizabeth.

Eight years later, he starts receiving e-mail with certain phrases and

shared incidents only Elizabeth would know -- could she be alive?

This summary barely describes all the contributing characters,

subplots and submerged secrets developed within the story. I could not

put it down and plan on reading other novels by Coben.