Plaster and Poison: A Do-It-Yourself Mystery by Jennie Bentley

Avery and Derek have finished remodeling the house on Becklea Drive and now are waiting for it to sell.  Until that time when they can buy another fixer upper they have been hired by the owner of the local Bed and Breakfast, Kate, to remodel the carriage house.  Kate and Wayne plan to live there after they are married rather than living in the B & B.  With a two month deadline, Derek has begun his work on the remodel and Avery has planned the decor.  One morning when checking the loft area they were shocked to find Kate's ex-boyfriend  who was very dead.  Soon after that Derek's step sister disappeared.  This small town of Waterfield, Maine, has had a murder case with each house Derek and Avery have given new life.   It does tend to slow things down when they need to suspend work until the investigation is over.  Who killed Gerard and what happened to Beatrice?  Did she just leave or was she kidnapped?  Friends and relatives tried to account for her whereabouts so they could find her.  They even wondered if Beatrice was involved in Gerard's death.  Someone in Waterfield must know what is going on. 

Place a hold today!

~Beth H.

Three on a String Comes to the Library, November 2011

Three on a String Comes to the Library, November 2011, a set on Flickr.

What a fabulous show! Three on a String is the full package: talent + comedy = entertainment.

The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart

When Gabrielle was young she and her mother had entered a Shaker community to live and grow in peace and harmony.  Through a gift of the Spirit, Gabrielle had a vision of a fire in the barn and because of this she was able to direct someone to the spot where one of the brothers was trapped.  The doctor who rescued Nathan treated the burns and stayed with this Shaker brother giving treatments and exercise for his legs.  According to the rules of the community, Dr. Scott was an outsider who must have permission to speak with members of the Shakers so they would not be exposed to worldly influences.  Dr. Scott met Gabrielle when she was attending Nathan after the fire.  Their opportunities for communications were limited but he made a point of seeing her later when he came to check on Nathan's progress.  It was after Gabrielle and Dr. Scott met in the woods that she was put under months of constant supervision.  During that time Dr. Scott joined the Kentucky Militia to fight redcoats and Indians in the northern territories.  His thoughts went often to the beautiful girl in the Shaker community and she thought often of him, too.  Her ever present guard did not trust Gabrielle but could not know what went on in the mind of her charge.  Would Gabrielle endure and be trusted again and would Dr. Scott survive war and continue in his efforts to bring Gabrielle away from the Shakers?

The Outsider is available in the catalog in book, large print, and book-on-CD format.

~Beth H.

Half Broke Horses

This past month the Oxmoor Page Turners, the Homewood Public Library's very own book group, read Jeannette Walls's Half Broke Horses. Walls gained fame for her 2006 memoirs, The Glass Castle. In the Glass Castle, Walls tells the story of her troubled childhood with her parents, Rex and Rosemary Walls. In Half Broke Horses, which was released in 2009, Walls writes a fictional portrayal of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith. "A true life novel", is what Walls calls the heartwrenching story of her grandmother's life. Lily Smith is one heck of a woman. From riding 500 miles on horseback at the age of 15 to become a teacher to running a moonshine operation, Lily was determined to survive. Walls decided to write Half Broke Horses from Lily's perspective. This really helps the reader dive into Lily's story and understand her strength and spirit.

If you haven't read The Glass Castle, don't worry! You will fall in love with characters and want to pick up with their story in The Glass Castle.
To place a hold on Half Broke Horses, click here.

If you are interested in joining the next meeting of the Oxmoor Page Turners, we will be meeting on Tuesday, December 13th at 6:30 PM in the Lucretia M. Somers Boardroom. We will be discussing Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.

Here's to Friends by Melody Carlson, The Four Lindas book 4

Abby, Caroline, Janie and Marley have reconnected in Clifden, Oregon, after years of living in other parts of the country.  As each experience challenges such as a strained marriage, the remodel of the family house, a long distance romance and abandonment of a child, the four Lindas are support for each other.  Abby has opened the doors of her bed and breakfast but business is slow which is frustrating.  Why isn't Paul more enthusiastic about her hard work and dreams?  Maybe Bonnie is more than a business associate to him.  Sylvia and Leah appear at a perfect time to help care for Hunter but is Sylvia competing with Marley for Jack's attentions?  And when Lisa arrived at Janie's home obviously needing help in kicking her addiction, the Lindas and their other friends come together in caring fashion.  Convincing Lisa to work at rehab was another challenge.  Life was looking bleak until the Lindas opened up to each other for help and strength.

Reserve it.

~Beth H.

Veterans Day

On Veterans Day we take a moment to honor those who have served our country in its defense both domestically and overseas. The children's staff here at HPL wants to pass along some of the following titles, which highlight children's roles in protecting our country, to you as you celebrate the freedom we all enjoy.

Just as a reminder the library will be closed Veterans Day, November 11, 2011.

The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter
To reserve this title click here.

The Wall by Eve Bunting
To reserve this title click here.

When Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Ghost Stories Meet

"New heating and cooling equipment has saved the Homewood Public Library thousands of dollars a year. It hasn't done anything about the ghosts, though."

Read the full article on the Energy.gov website.