The Printed Page

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

A small change to Read It Forward. I’ve been finding new homes for my books with other bloggers and have enjoyed doing so this last year. This 2nd year of RIF brings one small change. Due to decreased buying budgets in my smaller library system and limited book collections I’ve decided to donate those books sent to me that aren’t ARCs. Books marked as ARCs will still be passed along to fellow book bloggers. This change in RIF also brings an update to my MM layout. I wanted you to better be able to distinguish between those books being donated to the library and those available through RIF.

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RIF: Donating to library
The Breath of Allah by Tempest O’Rourke (new-to-me author/publicist contact)

The appearance of an ancient Koran—one of the original twelve transcribed after Mohammed’s death—sparks questions about the authenticity of current Islamic practices and teachings. A deadly race begins as the American who inherited the historic text works to keep it safe while being hunted by the CIA, Islamic terrorists, and Jewish Secret Police. As the death toll rises, a mysterious Muslim prophet appears—a prophet who might be the leader Islam needs to restore peace among its followers. Together, the American and the prophet endeavor to reveal the true meaning of Mohammed’s Breath of Allah, but to do so they must overcome the deadly agendas of extremist clerics and terrorists, who are willing to silence the true Koran at any cost.

RIF: Donating to library
The Clouds Roll Away (Raleigh Harmon, book #3) by Sibella Giorello (publicist contact)

Raleigh Harmon’s life seems as impossible to solve as the high-profile case she’s pursuing.

Closing her assignment with the FBI’s Seattle office, forensic geologist Raleigh Harmon returns to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia, expecting a warm welcome. Instead she finds herself investigating an ugly cross burning at a celebrity’s mansion and standing in the crosshairs of her boss at the Bureau. And the deeper Raleigh digs into the case, the murkier the water becomes…until she’s left wondering who the real victims might be.

To make matters worse, Raleigh’s personal life offers almost zero clarity. Her former confidant is suddenly remote while her former boyfriend keeps popping up wherever she goes. And then there’s her mother. Raleigh’s move home was supposed to improve Nadine’s fragile sanity, but instead seems to be making things worse.

As the threads of the case begin crossing and double-crossing, Raleigh is forced to rely on her forensic skills, her faith, and the fervent hope that breakthrough will come, bringing with it that singular moment when the clouds roll away and everything finally makes sense.

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What books came into your house last week? You have the choice of using inlinkz or Mr. Linky. With inlinkz you can include a book cover if you’d like along with the link to your Mailbox Monday post (clicking on the image takes you to the blog post.) Duplicate links will not count toward the fundraising efforts.

Don’t forget to fill out either inlinkz or Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out a link feature.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

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Read It Forward details

At first it seemed like a series of accidents plagued Vienna’s Court Opera. But after a singer is killed during rehearsals of a new production, the evidence suggests something much more dangerous. Someone is trying to murder the famed conductor and composer Gustav Mahler. Worse, Mahler might not be the first musical genius to be dispatched by this unknown killer.

Alma Schindler, one of Mahler’s many would-be mistresses, asks the lawyer and aspiring private investigator Karl Werthen to stop the attacks. With the help of his new wife, Berthe and his old friend, the ground-breaking criminologist Hans Gross, Werthen delves into Vienna’s rich society of musicians to discover the identity of the person who has targeted one of Austria’s best-known artists. Soon Werthen discovers that Mahler might not be the first musical genius to be dispatched by this unknown killer. With the recent deaths of Johann Strauss and Johannes Brahms, the investigators fear a madman is killing the great musicians of Vienna.

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Earlier this month I read Mr. Jones’ 1st Viennese mystery, The Empty Mirror, and found it to be a very good historical mystery. Therefore I’m expecting good things from Requiem in Vienna. Because this is a historical mystery (1890s) the reader is treated to criminology in its infancy. Much different solving crime back then compared to the high-end wizardry today’s CSI techs have handy.

Title: Deliver Us From Evil
Author/website(s): David Baldacci
406 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication date: April ‘10
Genre: Suspense/thriller
Review book or pleasure reading: Pleasure reading
New-to-me author: Oh no, Mr. Baldacci has been on my favorite authors/auto-buy list since his very 1st novel Absolute Power
Would I recommend this book: You betcha
Would I read more from this author: Absolutely
Journal notes: Pleasure reading – no review.

Evan Waller is a monster. He has built a fortune from his willingness to buy and sell anything . . . and anyone. In search of new opportunities, Waller has just begun a new business venture: one that could lead to millions of deaths all over the globe.

On Waller’s trail is Shaw, the mysterious operative from The Whole Truth, who must prevent Waller from closing his latest deal. Shaw’s one chance to bring him down will come in the most unlikely of places: a serene, bucolic village in Provence.

But Waller’s depravity and ruthlessness go deeper than Shaw knows. And now, there is someone else pursuing Waller in Provence-Reggie Campion, an agent for a secret vigilante group headquartered in a musty old English estate-and she has an agenda of her own.

Hunting the same man and unaware of each other’s mission, Shaw and Reggie will be caught in a deadly duel of nerve and wits.

Deliver Us From Evil was provided to me by Miriam at Hachette Book Group. I was not paid and this book is being passed along to the another book blogger through Read It Forward

Evan Waller is a monster. He has built a fortune from his willingness to buy and sell anything… and anyone. In search of new opportunities, Waller has just begun a new business venture: one that could lead to millions of deaths all over the globe.

On Waller’s trail is Shaw, the mysterious operative from The Whole Truth, who must prevent Waller from closing his latest deal. Shaw’s one chance to bring him down will come in the most unlikely of places: a serene, bucolic village in Provence.

But Waller’s depravity and ruthlessness go deeper than Shaw knows. And now, there is someone else pursuing Waller in Provence—Reggie Campion, an agent for a secret vigilante group headquartered in a musty old English estate—and she has an agenda of her own.

Hunting the same man, unaware of each other’s mission, Shaw and Reggie will be caught in a deadly duel of nerve and wits.

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Time to dive into the newest offering from one of my favorite authors.

Title: Bellfield Hall: Or, The Observations of Miss Dido Kent (Dido Kent, book #1)
Author/website(s): Anna Dean
300 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: February ‘10
Genre: Historical mystery
Review book or pleasure reading: Pleasure reading
New-to-me author: Yes
Would I recommend this book: Definitely
Would I read more from this author: Yes; I’m looking forward to reading the Dido Kent mystery which appears to be A Gentleman of Fortune
Journal notes: Pleasure reading – no review though I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had spending time with Dido as I don’t usually enjoy old english style mysteries.

In September 1805, Dido journeys to Bellfield Hall, the country seat of the Montague family, at the request of her niece, Catherine, who’s upset that her fiancé, Richard Montague, has suddenly broken their engagement and taken flight. Soon after arriving at Bellfield Hall, Dido learns of an even more distressing event—the discovery of the body of an unknown young woman in the shrubbery. In the Miss Marple tradition, Dido observes the residents of Bellfield Hall closely, questions the servants, and interviews local shopkeepers. Excerpts from letters the likable Dido writes to her sister further illuminate her sleuthing methods. Several red herrings keep the reader and Dido guessing. Regency fans will look forward to the next installment..

Bellfield Hall was provided to me by Bridget at Minotaur Books. I was not paid and this book is being passed along to the another book blogger through Read It Forward

Title: The Last Child
Author/website(s): John Hart
416 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: March ‘10
Genre: Suspense
Review book or pleasure reading: Pleasure reading
New-to-me author: Yes
Would I recommend this book: Most definitely
Would I read more from this author: I have another of Mr. Hart’s novels, The King of Lies, on my Kindle right now. I imagine it’ll be moving towards the top of the TBR pile.
Journal notes: Pleasure reading – no review. I will say this: I couldn’t put it down and the author took me places I never expected Johnny’s story to go.

Thirteen year-old Johnny Merrimon had the perfect life: a warm home and loving parents; a twin sister, Alyssa, with whom he shared an irreplaceable bond. He knew nothing of loss, until the day Alyssa vanished from the side of a lonely street. Now, a year later, Johnny finds himself isolated and alone, failed by the people he’d been taught since birth to trust. No one else believes that Alyssa is still alive, but Johnny is certain that she is—confident in a way that he can never fully explain.

Determined to find his sister, Johnny risks everything to explore the dark side of his hometown. It is a desperate, terrifying search, but Johnny is not as alone as he might think. Detective Clyde Hunt has never stopped looking for Alyssa either, and he has a soft spot for Johnny. He watches over the boy and tries to keep him safe, but when Johnny uncovers a dangerous lead and vows to follow it, Hunt has no choice but to intervene.

Then a second child goes missing . . .

Undeterred by Hunt’s threats or his mother’s pleas, Johnny enlists the help of his last friend, and together they plunge into the wild, to a forgotten place with a history of violence that goes back more than a hundred years. There, they meet a giant of a man, an escaped convict on his own tragic quest. What they learn from him will shatter every notion Johnny had about the fate of his sister; it will lead them to another far place, to a truth that will test both boys to the limit.

The Last Child was provided to me by a publicist at Minotaur Books. I was not paid and this book is being passed along to the another book blogger through Read It Forward

Title: The Empty Mirror (Viennese Mystery, book#1)
Author/website(s): J. Sydney Jones
310 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: January ‘10
Genre: Historical mystery
Review book or pleasure reading: Pleasure reading
New-to-me author: Yes
Would I recommend this book: Definitely
Would I read more from this author: I have book #2 in the series, Requiem in Vienna, sitting on my review shelf right now. I’m very much looking forward to reading the second book.
Journal notes: Pleasure reading – no review though the author presents an intriguing premise of tying seemingly random fictional murders to factual historical events.

Fin-de-siecle Vienna comes to life in this colorful historical thriller featuring the artist Gustav Klimt

It’s the summer of 1898 and Austria is transfixed by a series of brutal murders. When renowned painter Gustav Klimt’s female model becomes the fifth victim, the artist is fingered as the culprit. Klimt’s lawyer, Werthen and his friend, the famed criminologist Inspector Gross must delve into a nationwide conspiracy in order to acquit the unusual and unpredictable artiste. With an unmatched knowledge of Vienna’s history, culture, and politics, J. Sydney Jones introduces a gripping new mystery series set in a cosmopolitan city at the height of its artistic and social importance.

The Empty Mirror was provided to me by Bridget at Minotaur Books. I was not paid and this book is being passed along to the another book blogger through Read It Forward

In September 1805, Dido journeys to Bellfield Hall, the country seat of the Montague family, at the request of her niece, Catherine, who’s upset that her fiancé, Richard Montague, has suddenly broken their engagement and taken flight. Soon after arriving at Bellfield Hall, Dido learns of an even more distressing event—the discovery of the body of an unknown young woman in the shrubbery. In the Miss Marple tradition, Dido observes the residents of Bellfield Hall closely, questions the servants, and interviews local shopkeepers. Excerpts from letters the likable Dido writes to her sister further illuminate her sleuthing methods. Several red herrings keep the reader and Dido guessing. Regency fans will look forward to the next installment.

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Ms. Dean is a new-to-me author. Before I’ve even posted this I’m halfway through reading Bellfield Hall. I love Ms. Dido and this promising series is sure to be one I’ll be keeping up with.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Finally this week’s MM post. Crazy doings in the Larsen house this weekend. Callie kitty got a bit too close to one of her housemates and took a claw to the eye. She’ll be fine. And the Internet is back from its vacation. I think it took a hint from last week’s blog theme and decided that the beach looked mighty inviting. We were in Vegas so my Internet service also took a little R&R.

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The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato (new-to-me author/thank you to Kimm at My Eclectic Reads for sending me her copy)

In this exhilarating cross between The Da Vinci Code and The Birth of Venus, an irrepressible young woman in 15th-century Italy must flee for her life after stumbling upon a deadly secret when she serves as a model for Botticelli…
When part-time model and full-time prostitute Luciana Vetra is asked by one of her most exalted clients to pose for a painter friend, she doesn’t mind serving as the model for the central figure of Flora in Sandro Botticelli’s masterpiece “Primavera.” But when the artist dismisses her without payment, Luciana impulsively steals an unfinished version of the painting–only to find that somone is ready to kill her to get it back.
What could possibly be so valuable about the picture? As friends and clients are slaughtered around her, Luciana turns to the one man who has never desired her beauty, novice librarian Brother Guido. Fleeing Venice together, Luciana and Guido race through the nine cities of Renaissance Italy, pursued by ruthless foes who are determined to keep them from decoding the painting’s secrets.

The Executor by Jesse Kellerman (new-to-me author/Shelf Awareness) (UK Cover)

Things aren’t going well for Joseph Geist. He’s broke. His graduate school advisor won’t talk to him. And his girlfriend has kicked him out of her apartment, leaving him homeless and alone. It’s a tough spot for a philosopher to be in, and he’s ready to give up all hope of happiness when an ad in the local paper catches his eye. ‘Conversationalist wanted’, it reads. Which sounds perfect to Joseph. After all, he’s never done anything in his life except talk. And the woman behind the ad turns out to be the perfect employer: brilliant, generous, and willing to pay him for making conversation. Before long, Joseph has moved in with her, and has begun to feel very comfortable in her big, beautiful house. So comfortable, in fact, that he would do anything to stay there – forever.

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What books came into your house last week? You have the choice of using inlinkz or Mr. Linky. With inlinkz you can include a book cover if you’d like along with the link to your Mailbox Monday post (clicking on the image takes you to the blog post.) Duplicate links will not count toward the fundraising efforts.

Don’t forget to fill out either inlinkz or Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out a link feature.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

***

Read It Forward details

Due to a trifecta of events in our household such as no Internet service at home, my work schedule and a pet medical emergency this monring Mailbox Monday will post Monday this week. See you all tomorrow