The dark tide, by Andrew Gross

Karen's husband is killed in an explosion at Grand Central, a terrorist attack. A year later, watching footage of that awful day, she glimpses him -- after the explosion, hurrying away from the scene. Meanwhile, a detective is investigating hit-and-run accident that seems to be linked to Karen's dead husband; other people are looking for him too, claiming that they are owed hundreds of millions of dollars. Gross does a nice job of keeping you guessing.

Without a backward glance, by Kate Veitch

Another book about a motherless family, but unlike The Rope Walk, these children are grown up , dealing with their father's growing dementia, and beginning to put the pieces together about how their mother's abandonment affected them all: handsome James, studious Robert, fly-away Meredith, and Deborah, the "good one," along with their children. James is at a dinner party when he finds himself talking about how his mother left on Christmas Eve; the next day, one of the guests calls him and says, I know that woman; she's my mother's best friend.
This book sweeps you along as you learn the family's secrets.

The rope walk, by Carrie Brown

An immersion in childhood, done with delicacy and intensity. Ten-year-old Alice lives in Vermont with her professor father and five older brothers, and inhabits a dreamy world of her own until a boy her age comes to stay with the family. Theo is a whirlwind of activity, leading Alice into what she starts to call the real world. There is the giddiness of unthinking youth, coupled with the sadness of a neighbor's illness, leading to a remarkable act of heroism by the two youngsters. This is a book for grownups, but you'll feel young again reading this.

More than it hurts you, by Darin Strauss

I like big fat books, and this is one; however, I found myself skipping to the end, to find out how it ended. Strauss takes on the topic of Munchausen by proxy, from the viewpoint of the attending doctor, the mother, the husband, and the lawyer. Also the attending doctor's father. Too many characters with no real significance, for me.

Death angel, by Linda Howard

I really like the way Howard portrays her main characters. Drea, formerly Andrea, is a drug dealer's mistress. Escaping from him, and from a hired hit man, her car runs off the road and hits a tree. From here, the book takes on a weird angle, but Drea, now Andie, stays true to her own character. I liked it.

Olive's ocean, by Kevin Henkes

Racine's own Kevin Henkes writes a banned book? His young adult novel, "Olive's Ocean," made it to number three on the 2007 list; "Sexually explicit, offensive language." I went back and re-read it, and even knowing what I was looking for -- I didn't find it. A twelve-year-old girl and her family spend two weeks at the beach. The girl is pondering becoming a writer, wondering about a girl named Olive who was hit by a car and died, and dealing with her first crush. Hmmm. You read it; what do you think?
http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2008/may2008/penguin.cfm

Friend of the Devil, by Peter Robinson

Chief Inspector Alan Banks and Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot are investigating different murders that are linked by past serial killers, including a husband-and-wife team, the Paynes. Lucy Payne, the infamous "Friend of the devil," has been murdered. These are terrific characters and a complex story. If you haven't read any of his previous works, you're in for a real treat -- start at the beginning with "Gallows View" and enjoy! I especially like to learn what music Robinson's characters listening to, and in fact, Robinson's website (www.inspectorbanks.com) now has a playlist link. What fun!