Recommended by Book Den East
“The President’s Plane is Missing” by Robert J. Serling (1967) – Still a fascinating glimpse into what happens when the unthinkable happens. And why it doesn’t happen. Suspense and mystery for those interested in the secret workings of government and airplanes. ($12)
“Devil Take All” by Martin Caidin (1966) – This book pits a team of four twistedly brilliant, murderous kidnappers against the National Security Agency’s vast resources of smart people, computers, infrared detectors, and other secret stuff. A novel of violence and suspense, with the nation’s security at stake. ($12)
“Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl – The perfect vest-pocket collection to replace that damn Kindle on your next air trip. Five clever Hitchcockian pieces (including one about a nasty bookseller, and, of course, the title story, where the police eat the evidence). ($7)
Five complete novels by classic mystery writer Dashiell Hammett: “Red Harvest,” “The Dain Curse,” “The Maltese Falcon,” “The Glass Key,” and “The Thin Man,” are offered in one nice, hardback volume. ($25)
“Murder on Martha’s Vineyard” by David Osborne (1989) is one of the early trend-setters for crime fiction with a Vineyard twist. Here comes a brilliant, hard-nosed grandmother to solve some Vineyard murders. ($10)
Recommended by Bunch of Grapes
“Visitation Street” by Ivy Pochoda – It is summer on the waterfront in the Red Hook neighborhood, Brooklyn. Two 15-year-olds, Val and June, are hot and stir-crazy. They set sail on a plastic pink raft one night. The next morning, Val is discovered half dead under a pier. June is missing. Has she drowned or has something more happened? Val cannot or will not tell what happened that night. The neighborhood is filled with colorful characters that know the girls. What do they know and who is involved? A Dennis Lehane imprint.
“Leaving Everything Most Loved,” a Maisie Dobbs Mystery by Jacqueline Winspear – In the summer of 1933, Maisie Dobbs seeks to broaden her horizons by traveling to India. Scotland Yard needs her help to unravel the case of an Indian woman, Usha,
whose body was found two months earlier. The trail of the person who shot her has gone cold. Maisie is to meet Maya, the dead woman’s friend, but she too is found dead, killed in the same Manner as Usha. A fine historical mystery.
“No Regrets Coyote” by John Dufresne – The police think that Chafin Halliday has slaughtered his wife and three young children before killing himself. Wylie “Coyote” Melville, a volunteer forensic consultant, has other ideas. He doubts the typed letter left behind. The crime scene seems more staged than real. When he decides that Halliday is the victim rather than the murderer, Coyote expands his search into the Florida underworld.
“Crime of Privilege” by Walter Walker – What is a lowly Cape and Islands deputy district attorney to do? On one side, he is pressured by the family of a rich and powerful senator from Massachusetts to protect its members from the consequences of their often outrageous behavior and deeds. On the other side, the father of a young girl who was found dead with her head bashed in years before, wants the crime to be solved. Can he follow the senator’s hush money around the world to find witnesses to solve this puzzle?
“The Silent Wife” by A.S. Harrison – Psychotherapist Jodie is content with her life. She works a bit, spending most of her time preparing gourmet meals in her luxurious apartment, walking the dog, and taking classes. She knows that her husband, Todd, often cheats on her, but she prefers to ignore it. That is until he meets the beautiful Natasha, who demands that he leave his wife. Jodi has a few nasty tricks of her own that she will use to protect her carefully ordered existence. Great choice for lovers of Gone Girl.
