Favorite authors and bizarre plots

Our latest book order has a baseball novel by John Grisham, the next in the Murder 101 series by Maggie Barbieri, the conclusion of Gail Carringer's steampunk/paranormal Parasol Protectorate series, no. 11 in James Patterson's Women's Murder Club and more books by popular authors.

Now for the bizarre plots:
In Taft 2012 by Jason Heller, William Howard Taft completely disappears in 1912, reappears on the White House lawn 100 years later and ends up running for president as a third party candidate. Perfect for the election year, this satirical novel examines how politics has changed over the last century and how we might reclaim some of our past in order to move forward.

Blueprints of the Afterlife by Ryan Boudinot imagines the age of FUS (the second word is up and the 1st and 3rd are obscenities), a hallucinogenic, post-apocolypic world where people are connected to a medical internet where they can download hormones and enzymes wirelessly, but also allows their systems to get hacked by DJs who turn them into robots and force them to watch reality tv. The main character is an Olympic medal-winning dishwasher who has been instructed by his future brain to write a book that will be read by the Last Dude. Reviewers call the book crazy, original and funny.

Find more books, for many different tastes, below.    

Andrews, Ilona. Fate's Edge. Ace Books. 11/29/2011. Fantasy

Atkins, Ace. Robert B. Parker's Lullaby. Putnam Adult. 5/1/2012.

Balogh, Mary. The Proposal. Delacorte Press. 5/1/2012. Romance

Barbieri, Maggie. Physical Education.(Murder 101 Mysteries) Minotaur Books. 11/22/2011. Mystery

Bennett, Alan. Smut: Stories. Picador USA. 1/3/2012.

Bond, Larry. Larry Bond's Red Dragon Rising: Shock of War. Forge. 1/3/2012.

Boudinot, Ryan. Blueprints of the Afterlife. Grove Press. 1/3/2012.

Bradford, Barbara Taylor. Letter from a Stranger. St. Martin's Press. 3/27/2012.

Burrowes, Grace. Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish. Sourcebooks Casablanca. 10/4/2011. Romance

Burrowes, Grace. The Soldier. Sourcebooks Casablanca. 6/1/2011. Romance

Burton, Mary. Before She Dies. Zebra Books. 2/1/2012.

Carriger, Gail. Timeless. Orbit. 3/1/2012.

Deveraux, Jude. Moonlight in the Morning. Pocket Star Books. 12/27/2011. Romance

Eccles, Marjorie. Broken Music. Minotaur Books. 11/22/2011. Mystery

Eden, Cynthia. Angel of Darkness. Brava. 12/1/2011. Romance

Edwards, Louisa. Some Like It Hot. St. Martin's Press. 11/29/2011. Romance

Estep, Jennifer. Spider's Revenge. Pocket Books. 9/27/2011. Fantasy

Evans, Chris. Ashes of a Black Frost. Gallery Books. 10/18/2011. Fantasy

Fitzhugh, Bill. Exterminators: An Assassin Bug Thriller. Poisoned Pen Press. 1/3/2012. Mystery

Fluke, Joanne. Cinnamon Roll Murder. Kensington Publishing Corporation. 3/1/2012. Mystery

Freethy, Barbara. Garden of Secrets. Pocket Star Books. 9/20/2011. Romance

Giardina, Anthony. Norumbega Park. Farrar Straus Giroux. 1/31/2012.

Gideon, Nancy. Hunter of Shadows. Pocket Books. 11/29/2011. Romance

Goodman, Jo. A Place Called Home. Zebra Books. 12/1/2011. Romance

Graham, Heather. The Unseen. Mira Books. 3/27/2012.

Grisham, John. Calico Joe. Doubleday Books. 4/10/2012.

Hamilton, Laurell K. Kiss the Dead. Berkley Publishing Group. 6/5/2012.

Hanson, Victor Davis. The End of Sparta. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. 10/11/2011.

Heller, Jason. Taft 2012. Quirk Books. 1/17/2012.

Hornby, Simonetta Agnello. The Nun. Europa Editions. 12/27/2011.

Jama-Everett, Ayize. The Liminal People. Small Beer Press. 1/10/2012. Sci-Fi

James, Bill. I Am Gold. Countryman Press. 12/5/2011. Mystery

Kay, Francesca. The Translation of the Bones. Scribner Book Company. 1/3/2012.

Kovacs, Ed. Storm Damage. Minotaur Books. 12/6/2011. Mystery

Leon, Donna. Beastly Things: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery. Atlantic Monthly Press. 4/3/2012. Mystery

Luckett, Jacqueline E. Passing Love. Grand Central Publishing. 1/25/2012.

McDonald, Craig. El Gavilan. Tyrus Books. 12/18/2011.

McGivering, Jill. The Last Kestrel. HarperCollins UK. 1/1/2012.

Michaels, Kasey. A Midsummer Night's Sin. Harlequin Books. 11/22/2011. Romance

Patterson, James. 11th Hour. Little Brown and Company. 5/7/2012.

Perini, Robin. In Her Sights. Montlake Romance. 11/29/2011. Romance

Rash, Ron. The Cove. Ecco Press. 4/10/2012.

Robinson, Kim Stanley. 2312 (Firsttion). Orbit. 5/22/2012. Sci-Fi

Russell, Paul. The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov. Cleis Press. 11/8/2011.

Saer, Juan Jose. Scars. Open Letter. 12/13/2011.

Sandford, John. Stolen Prey. Putnam Adult. 5/15/2012.

Shapiro, Alan. Broadway Baby. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. 1/24/2012.

Smith, Brad. Red Means Run. Scribner Book Company. 1/10/2012. Mystery

Solomita, Stephen. Angel Face. Severn House Publishers. 11/1/2011.

Stanton, Steve. The Bloodlight Chronicles: Reconciliation. ECW Press.
9/1/2010. Sci-Fi

Stein, Leigh. The Fallback Plan. Melville House Publishing. 1/3/2012.

Sturges, P. G. Tribulations of the Shortcut Man. Scribner Book Company. 2/7/2012.

Szalay, David. Spring. Graywolf Press. 1/17/2012.

Terenzio, Rosemarie. Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss. Gallery Books. 1/24/2012. Biography

Trigiani, Adriana. The Shoemaker's Wife. Harper. 4/3/2012.

Weber, David. How Firm a Foundation. Tor Books. 9/13/2011. Sci-Fi

Woodman, Richard. Ship for the King. Severn House Publishers. 11/1/2011.

Based on a communist fairy tale

Once upon a time in the USSR, the people were promised prosperity greater than that of the U.S. We know that this story does not have a happy ending, but Red Plenty by Francis Spufford has a fascinating premise. Booklist says, "If you think that a novel about the planned economy of the USSR from the 1950s through the 1970s would be boring, think again." Bureaucrats, economists, and scientists, both real and fictional, combine to show the tragic, yet sometimes hilarious, history of a "utopian" experiment that failed miserably.

There's a new medical novel written by CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta called Monday Mornings. (Doesn't he have enough to do?) Good reviews so far, it sounds like it will appeal to fans of ER and Gray's Anatomy.

The Reeducation of Cherry Truong by Aimee Phan tells the story of the relationships between a multi-generational family of Vietnamese immigrants. Booklist says "Touching on the events of the Vietnam War, cultural assimilation, reconciliation, forgiveness, and redemption, Phan crafts an epic tale. Through Cherry's eyes, the complex country of Vietnam is lovingly explored in immense, realistic detail."   

Find more up and coming books below!   
 
Anshaw, Carol. Carry the One. Simon & Schuster. 3/6/2012.

Ashworth, Jenn. Cold Light. HarperCollins. 10/16/2012.

Bell, Ted. Phantom: An Alex Hawke Novel. William Morrow & Company. 3/20/2012.

Chaon, Dan. Stay Awake. Ballantine Books. 2/7/2012. short stories

Chung, Catherine. Forgotten Country. Riverhead Books. 3/1/2012.

Cramer, Dale. The Captive Heart. Bethany House Publishers. 1/1/2012.

Desanti, Carole. The Unruly Passions of Eugenie R. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH). 3/27/2012.

Donatich, John. The Variations. Henry Holt & Company. 2/28/2012.

Dryden, Alex. The Blind Spy. Ecco Press. 3/20/2012.

Edwardson, Ake. Sail of Stone. Simon & Schuster. 3/13/2012.

Gebbie, Vanessa. The Coward's Tale. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. 2/28/2012.

Gray, Shelley Shepard. Missing: The Secrets of Crittenden County, Book One. Avon Inspire. 3/20/2012.

Green, Jane. Another Piece of My Heart. St. Martin's Press. 3/13/2012.

Gupta, Sanjay. Monday Mornings. Grand Central Publishing. 3/13/2012.

Hall, Parnell. $10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles. Minotaur Books. 1/31/2012. Mystery

Harrison, Kim. A Perfect Blood. Harper Voyager. 2/21/2012.

Kazinski, A. J.  The Last Good Man. Scribner Book Company. 3/6/2012.

Lansdale, Joe R. Edge of Dark Water. Mulholland Books. 3/25/2012.

Lewis, Beverly. The Fiddler. Bethany House Publishers. 4/10/2012.

Long, Kelly. An Amish Wedding. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 11/29/2011.

Perry, Thomas. Poison Flower: A Jane Whitefield Novel. Mysterious Press. 3/6/2012.

Peters, Ralph. Cain at Gettysburg. Forge. 2/28/2012.

Phan, Aimee. The Reeducation of Cherry Truong. St. Martin's Press. 3/13/2012.

Polites, Taylor M.  The Rebel Wife. Simon & Schuster. 2/7/2012.

Rice, Patricia. The Lure of Song and Magic. Sourcebooks Casablanca. 1/1/2012. Romance

Rogers, Morgan Callan. . Viking Books. 1/19/2012.

Rose, M. J. The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense. Atria Books. 3/13/2012.

Rosenfelt, David. Heart of a Killer. Minotaur Books. 2/14/2012.

Schulman, Audrey. Three Weeks in December. Europa Editions. 1/31/2012.

Spufford, Francis. Red Plenty. Graywolf Press. 2/14/2012.

Steinhauer, Olen. An American Spy. Minotaur Books. 3/13/2012.

Thompson, James. Helsinki White. Putnam Adult. 3/15/2012.

Tuccelli, Jessica Maria. Glow. Viking Books. 3/15/2012.

Ward, Katie. Girl Reading. Scribner Book Company. 2/7/2012.

White, Kate. So Pretty It Hurts: A Bailey Weggins Mystery. Harper. 3/20/2012.

White, Randy Wayne. Chasing Midnight. Putnam Adult. 3/6/2012.

Wilson, Susan. The Dog Who Danced. St. Martin's Press. 3/13/2012.

Winspear, Jacqueline. Elegy for Eddie: A Maisie Dobbs Novel. Harper. 3/27/2012. Mystery

Murderous Puppets, Go Down with the Ship

Could a puppet have committed a murder in The Memory of Blood by Christopher Fowler? It's a witty and suspenseful Golden-Age style British mystery featuring the Peculiar Crimes Unit- they solve cases that are too strange for regular police operations. The detectives investigate the creepy history of Punch and Judy shows.

 It's the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and you can slip back into that time through The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott. An aspiring seamstress gets a chance to wait on a world-renowned fashion designer during an ocean journey. Unfortunately, it's on the Titanic. History, courtroom drama and romance combine to make an engaging read.

In The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau, a Muslim boy is rescued by an American soldier during a botched military operation and is sent to live in the United States where he does not thrive, despite a well-meaning foster family and therapy. A chance meeting between the boy and the soldier's grieving mother reveals that there is even more tragedy to the story. "A sobering and accomplished read meant to prick the conscience; highly recommended," says Library Journal.

See what else will be appearing on the New Fiction shelves at Schlow below.    


Ahmed, Saladin. Throne of the Crescent Moon. Daw Books. 2/7/2012. Fantasy

Alcott, Kate. The Dressmaker. Doubleday Books. 2/21/2012.

Barnard, Robert. A Charitable Body: A Novel of Suspense. Scribner Book Company. 1/3/2012. Mystery

Bisson, Terry. Any Day Now. Overlook Press. 3/1/2012.

Blake, James Carlos. Country of the Bad Wolfes. Cinco Puntos Press. 1/31/2012.

Bova, Ben. Power Play. Tor Books. 1/3/2012. Sci-Fi

Brown, Dale. Tiger's Claw. William Morrow & Company. 8/14/2012.

Caldwell, Laura. Question of Trust. Mira Books. 2/21/2012.

Cameron, Peter. Coral Glynn. Farrar Straus Giroux. 2/28/2012.

Clark, Cassandra. A Parliament of Spies: A Mystery. Minotaur Books. 1/31/2012. Mystery

Cole, Myke. Shadow Ops: Control Point. Ace Books. 1/31/2012.

Dau, Stephen. The Book of Jonas. Blue Rider Press. 3/15/2012.

De Jonge, Peter. Buried on Avenue B. Harper. 7/24/2012.

D'Iachenko, Serhii. The Scar. Tor Books. 2/28/2012. Fantasy

Duncan, Alice. Ancient Spirits. Five Star (ME). 2/8/2012. Mystery

Dunn, Matthew. Sentinel: A Spycatcher Novel. William Morrow & Company. 8/7/2012.

Ebersohn, Wessel. Those Who Love Night. Minotaur Books. 1/31/2012. Mystery

Edwards, Selden. The Lost Prince. Dutton Books. 8/16/2012.

Epstein, Leslie. Liebestod: Opera Buffa with Leib Goldkorn. W. W. Norton & Company. 2/13/2012.

Erickson, Steve. These Dreams of You. Europa Editions. 1/31/2012.

Fairstein, Linda. Night Watch. Dutton Books. 7/10/2012.

Fowler, Christopher. The Memory of Blood: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery. Bantam. 3/27/2012. Mystery

Frankel, Laurie. Good-Bye for Now. Doubleday Books. 8/7/2012.

Fultz, John R. Seven Princes. Orbit. 1/3/2012. Fantasy

Garwood, Julie. Sweet Talk. Dutton Books. 8/7/2012.

Gorman, Ed. Blindside: A Dev Conrad Mystery. Severn House Publishers. 1/1/2012. Mystery

Gregory, Susanna. Mystery in the Minster. Little, Brown Young Readers. 11/1/2011. Mystery

Grossman, Paul. Children of Wrath. St. Martin's Press. 2/28/2012. Mystery

Hambly, Barbara. Ran Away. Severn House Publishers. 12/1/2011. Mystery

Hillenbrand, Laura. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. Random House Large Print Publishing. 11/16/2010. Large Print Nonfiction

Houellebecq, Michel. The Map and the Territory. Knopf Publishing Group. 1/3/2012.

Jacobs, Jonnie. Paradise Falls. Five Star (ME) 3/7/2012. Mystery

Jaffarian, Sue Ann. Gem of a Ghost. Midnight Ink. 2/8/2012. Mystery

Jahn, Ryan David. The Dispatcher. Penguin Books. 12/27/2011.

Jance, J.A. Judgment Call: A Brady Novel of Suspense. William Morrow & Company. 7/24/2012.

Kluge, P.F. The Master Blaster. Overlook Press. 3/29/2012.

Kowalski, David. The Company of the Dead. Titan Books (UK). 3/13/2012. Science Fiction

Leonard, Elmore. Raylan. William Morrow & Company. 1/17/2012.

McComas, Mary Kay. What Happened to Hannah. William Morrow & Company. 2/7/2012.

Robertson, Imogen. Anatomy of Murder. Pamela Dorman Books. 2/16/2012. Mystery

Shrier, Howard. Boston Cream. Vintage Books Canada. 1/31/2012. Mystery

Thompson, Victoria. Murder on Fifth Avenue. Berkley Publishing Group. 5/1/2012. Mystery

Vincent, Norah. Thy Neighbor. Viking Books. 8/2/2012.

White, Stephen. Line of Fire. Dutton Books. 8/7/2012.

Williams, Mazarkis. The Emperor's Knife. Night Shade. 11/29/2011. Fantasy