In the affluent town of New Bethlehem, Connecticut where everyone and everything appear perfect, there are still flaws. Best friends Belle and Devon plan a swingers party by invitation only and the couple pairing, although made to look random were very much thought out and arranged. Greed, addictions, marriage problems, drugs, physical abuse and money cannot escape even the shiniest of towns. When Alex Hunter, New Bethlehem’s sweetheart and ex NFL quarterback is found murdered in his living room, the shocking truth is revealed. The story leading up to the reveal of the murderer is entertaining, but the big reveal at the end will surprise you. This book is a must read.

Typical Coben thriller. He keeps you hanging until the final pages.

This fascinating and emotionally charged historical fiction taught me so much I never knew. 1676 Massachusetts Bay Colony, a Puritan village, is attacked and massacred by American Indians: almost all are killed in hideous ways, a few are taken hostage. Mary Rowlandson was one of those taken captive. She was a real person fictionalized for this novel. The book details her new life living among the indians. We see how she adapts, and ultimately discovers her true self, and how, after she is returned to her old life her adjustment is very difficult. She is a changed person. Excellent reading. Very thought provoking.

A "whisper sister" is the slang term for a female bartender during

I actually liked this book. Although a few of the reveals made the book more formulaic and the twists could have been said at the beginning and it would not have detracted from the story in any way. The characters were all deeply flawed, and not likeable. I understand the appeal but it can make it hard to read from their perspective. This is a good book if you are someone who is okay with, or preferably likes, endings that are not cut and dry.

The latest in the Robert Langdon series set in Prague. Unlike the previous books in the series, this one focused heavily on current and future scientific achievements rather than religious and ancient stories. While there were references to The Golem, this was not the overall driving point for the plot. I found this particular book harder to grasp compared to the others because of the difficulty level of science that was being described. The concept of life after death is an age old question that has never been solved. Instead of focusing on the spiritual aspects of this question, Brown went in the opposite direction and used science to prove that there is some sort of life after death because your consciousness is simply changing vessels. One of the main takeaways is how consciousness is what signifies life. A section that stuck with me is when they describe what a life is. A body that’s functioning but has no brain activity is widely considered to be dead by the medical standard. Yet a body without most of its function but a fully functional mind is without a doubt alive. In the book, they use Stephen Hawking as an example of a non functional body and how as a society no one would consider pulling the plug on him because of his incredibly functioning mind.

A non-Jewish British journalist, who has covered the MidEast extensively, is outraged by the extensive anti-Israel, pro-Hamas demonstrations that took place immediately after the atrocities Hamas committed on Oct 7, weeks before Israel began its counter-offensive in Gaza. Interviewing people on all sides, he warns about the "theology" of terrorist groups and the impact they are having -- and the dangers they pose -- to Western societies. Powerful reading; MUST reading for all Americans.

About a month ago, I was invited to attend a Book Share with the author, Maureen Reid. I was drawn by our similar backgrounds. Maureen is an excellent presenter who began writing in her seventies. The first book is ‘BECOMING HERSELF’ and takes place in upstate New York. It is Historical Fiction inspired by her grandmother. Everything at home took second place to reading this book. Unfortunately, most local libraries do not have a copy so you have to ask the librarian to request a copy from Rockville Center. I purchased from the publisher and hope more libraries will invite Maureen to present and will purchase a few copies.

The story is set on Nantucket Island. Darcy lives there and leads an active, complicated life by getting involved with her neighbors, one of which is her ex-husband. There is a lot of drama and secrets. Enjoy!

7/19/26 Slow to start, this book takes place on beautiful Balboa Island in California in 1956. Three women, with different problems come together over tennis. The story then takes off… they become friends and work together to solve each others problems; which because of the times , were secrets. I really enjoyed this story of female friendship and how it can transcend social expectations when you have the support of people around you!