see more pictures

Has anyone else noticed that poor, frazzled, lost-its-glitter, eyes crossed, worn-out-and-should-be-replaced Santa Claus, on our front lawn? Not my lawn, personally, I mean the Library's lawn.

Poor thing----he looks, with his eyes crossed, like he's had "tee many martoonis" and as for his red costume----let us be charitable and say he needs to turn it in for replacement!

Well, I feel much better so we'll continue on with the Fiction column and its holiday offerings, as in "No Enemy But Time", by William Harris, and it has to do with a Nazi spy planted on Savannah, Ga. shores, many years ago, and the present time of becoming a strong local figure and well known---but not his past.

He also becomes a father figure for a young politician who, while out diving with his friends, comes across a sunken submarine from years ago. Locked in its hull are secrets that, when brought to light, will have the ability to destroy lives.

I doubt this will be in the running for Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but it IS a "good read" and will furnish Mr. Harris with more audience for his next book.

"Blackwood Farm", by the renowned Anne Rice, is a Book of the Month Club selection and the locale shifts from Blackwood Farm and its dark Sugar Devil Swamp, to present-day New Orleans, from ancient Pompeii to 19th cent. Naples, Italy.

The principal person in the story----outside of bringing back the legendary vampire, Lestat----is Quinn Blackwood, who feels that he has been haunted by a mysterious malignant force, called Goblin, "a spirit from a dreamworld that Quinn can't escape and that prevents him from belonging anywhere."

 

When Quinn is made a vampire, Goblin becomes even more terrifying than ever-----Quinn becomes terrifying. So, Quinn seeks out Lestat in the hopes of freeing himself from Goblin and finding some peace in his world and soul.

Ms. Rice says it is a story of loss and the search for love, "of secrets and destiny." I think she has written "another Anne Rice" book, it will do well in sales, and if YOU are an Anne Rice fan of her vampire series, please come in and check this out.

Michael Palmer's new book, "Fatal", will be good news to the readers who enjoyed his previous books and know that his medical knowledge comes first-hand and his suspense will only build throughout the story. Palmer is a doctor and so when he writes about medical problems, he knows whereof he speaks!

His main character, Matt Rutledge, returns to his hometown to open a practice and, while there, to settle a private score with Belinda Coal and Coke Company where his father worked. Matt wants to expose their violations for health and hazard conditions and when his love, Ginny, died of a cancer not often seen, his quest turns bitter. He believes that the company does not dispose of its waste carefully and safely, and dubs the cases he sees as "Belinda Syndrome".

Soon, two other women enter his life; Nikki Solari , a coroner, who comes to attend a friend's funeral and Ellen Kroft, a schoolteacher and all 3 of these people hold a piece of the puzzle they have to solve before more deaths occur. Palmer is an entertaining storyteller and this title, too, is a Mystery Guild selection and highly praised.

An author whom I've always liked, Martin Cruz Smith, ever since reading "Gorky Park", is back with a new offering to the reading public---"December 6"----and it promises to be a well-told, thoughtful tale. It concerns the upbringing (very important, here) of Harry Niles, raised in Japan with respect for elders, Christian upbringing, and able to steal with the best of them----police looking on him with disfavor, a mistress who would rather kill him than lose him---and everyone wonders who he really is.

Is he a spy for America or someone doing the bidding of the emperor? This is the day before Pearl Harbor and it's time for Harry to decide. This story has history PLUS good storytelling and the details are well thought-out i.e. "Harry's father, the pastor Roger Niles, knew about Heaven and Hell but not so much about the here and now." He and his parents were laughed at and disliked, in Japan, for "The Ten Sins Of Being Gaijin"----foreigners----and Harry knew it.

How he handles the situation and its perils and pleasures--in Japan---make for an engrossing story. Come in and see what you can get out of a quick read of several paragraphs.

As the reindeer's hooves make noises on your roof, quickly----grab a "dead body" book! I would, facing a cold winter's night--AND make a fire---AND put the phone on busy signal so I'd be sure of privacy! May I suggest, dear readers, "The Last Kashmiri Rose", by Barbara Cleverly, set in 1922 in a town 50 miles out of the city of Calcutta, in India.

The year is 1922, and in March of the previous 5 years, the wife of a cavalry officer, from a certain regiment, has been murdered----and each one died in the manner she most hoped she would not; one was from a snake bite, one was from a fire, the third from a fall, a death by drowning while the fifth was from slashed wrists. While they COULD have been ruled accidental deaths, on their graves from their death's date, small red roses appear on all the graves.

It is the last "golden days" of the British rule of India and the very early days of the independence of India so the latest murder, coupled with the arrival of Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands adds up to an investigation and understanding of the two cultures as well as the crimes themselves.

Who did the murders of the women and why? The end of the month of March is quickly approaching and Joe and his Indian police confederate use the new Western idea of psychological profiling to try and unmask and stop a serial killer. If you like the genre of historical mysteries-----some set back in medieval times, even further back than that----you'll like this one. I liked what I read of it but then I find this fairly new mystery setting, in ancient times, not only entertaining but I learn a lot of how people dressed, ate, and thought. So, try this book, along those lines, and see what you think.

I'm off to finish Christmas shopping (what in Heaven's name is "Figgy Pudding"? Like Plum Pudding?) and will resume our columns next year! Meanwhile, do look at our poor Santa Claus in front of the library, and hope he'll be retired for NEXT Christmas! The rest of this season, let us say to ourselves the soothing ancient Latin words---"Dona Nobis Pacem" which translates (from the 16th century) "Grant Us Thy Peace" and feel ourselves relaxing. Enjoy!