Library News: Mystery, suspense available on CD

Salley B. Davidson
Director of the Marion County Library
Special to the Star & Enterprise

Published: August 29, 2008

You let us know you were ready to make the switch from audio books on cassette tape to audio books on CD, and we were ready to make the move. Though we still have a generous collection of cassette audio books, we are now only purchasing the CD format and unabridged editions. You may see some of the locations for the older cassette format listed as “storage,” but we will happily retrieve them for you to check out. The titles that follow are the latest novels on CD that we have received and it’s a varied mix of different mystery and suspense genres. Those titles marked with an asterisk * are also available in print format.

*Smoke Screen, by Sandra Brown ~ [12 compact discs, unabridged] … Perennial New York Times best-selling author Sandra Brown takes her audiences on mesmerizing trips of suspense and romance with her finely crafted thrillers. Smoke Screen finds her in top form as she spins a yarn of political intrigue in which good friends become sworn enemies, villains become heroes, and nothing is quite what it seems … Five years ago, a fire erupted at the Charleston, South Carolina, police station. Thanks to the hard work of four officers, only seven people died. But were the policemen truly heroes? One of the charred bodies showed signs of assault … now firefighter Raley Gannon is determined to discover the truth …

The Laughter of Dead Kings, by Elizabeth Peters ~ [8 compact discs, unabridged] … The author of the bestselling Amelia Peabody novels returns with the long-awaited final installment in her series featuring art historian Vicky Bliss, back for the first time in more than a decade. Who stole one of Egypt’s most priceless treasures? The brazen crime bears all the earmarks of one Sir John Smythe, the international art thief who is, in fact, John Tregarth, the longtime significant other of Vicki Bliss. But John swears he’s retired, not to mention innocent, and he vows to clear his name by hunting down the true criminal. Vicki’s faith in John leaves her no choice but to set out for the Middle East, where dark days and myriad dangers await them and each uncovered clue seems to raise even more questions for the fearless Vicki … A spectacular performance by narrator Barbara Rosenblatt, Peters’ personal favorite narrator for her work, that complements this delightful mystery.

*Foreign Body, by Robin Cook ~ [10 compact discs, unabridged] … New York Times best-selling author Robin Cook is the master of the medical thriller. During a study break, UCLA medical student Jennifer Hernandez is shocked to learn that her grandmother died during surgery in New Delhi. Devastated, and desperate for answers, Jennifer takes emergency leave from school and heads to India, where relations with local officials go from sympathetic to sour as she presses for more information. With the discovery of other unexplained deaths, followed by hasty cremations, Jennifer reaches out to her mentor, New York City medical examiner Dr. Laurie Montgomery, who has her own deep connection to Maria … This gripping novel of suspense is narrated by George Guidall, one of the industry’s most acclaimed readers and veteran of 40 years in theatre.

Devil Bones, by Kathy Reichs ~ [8 compact discs, unabridged] … This is the 11th book in Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series. Filled with all the clinical realism her legions of fans expect, this exquisitely crafted novel is “not for the fainthearted,” according to the author. In a house under renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a rather grisly discovery, a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and cauldrons containing beads, feathers and other relics of religious ceremonies. In the center of the shrine is the skull of a teenage girl. Meanwhile, on a nearby lakeshore, the headless body of a teenage boy is found by a man walking his dog. Led by a preacher turned politician, citizen vigilantes blame devil worshippers and Wiccans and begin a witch hunt, intent on seeking revenge. Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, “five-five, feisty, and 40-plus,” is called in to investigate, and a complex and gripping tale unfolds in this deadly mix of voodoo, Santeria, and devil worship …

*The Mercedes Coffin, by Faye Kellerman ~ [9 compact discs, unabridged] … Best-selling author, Faye Kellerman’s mysteries featuring Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Peter Decker and his super-sleuth wife, Rina Lazarus, are fast-paced, thrilling police procedurals. When a brutal crime rocks the L.A.P.D., Decker is tasked with solving the case. Billionaire genius Genoa Greeves never got over the shocking death of her favorite teacher, Bennett “Dr. Ben” Alston Little, murdered execution-style and stuffed into the trunk of his Mercedes Benz. No arrests were ever made. Fifteen years later, the high-tech CEO reads about another execution-style murder. The case is eerily similar and Genoa offers the L.A.P.D. a substantial financial “incentive” if justice is finally served. Lieutenant Peter Decker resents having to commit valuable manpower to a 15-year-old open case. Still, the recent murder does bear a disturbing resemblance to Dr. Ben’s case and Decker can’t help but wonder about a connection … This relentlessly suspenseful tale, told by a master, races through a dangerous metropolitan world, where truth and justice are fine lines between life and death.

Recorded Books gives everyone a great way to multi-task with pleasure, or to completely relax and not even have to hold the book. Come check us out!