“Strangers in Death” by J.D. Robb

“Strangers in Death” by J.D. Robb
2008, G.P. Putnam’s Sons
ISBN: 978-0-399-15470-6

It’s easy to pick up books in the library if you zoom right in on a favorite writer. J.D. Robb is Nora Roberts, but, as J.D. Robb she’s writing futuristic detective stories and the person who is the focal point of all of those stories is Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

It is the year 2060 in New York City and crime is the same there as it is in our own days. Motives just don’t change.

A man, prominent in the community, respected for his work dies in what appears to be a kinky sex session gone horribly awry.

You get to hang onto every twist and turn in the story as Eve, her husband Rourke, and her team of detectives search for motive and for a killer. This is a terrific story.

“The Mulberry Tree” by Jude Deveraux

“The Mulberry Tree” by Jude Deveraux
2002, Atria Books
ISBN: 0-671-01421-8

“The Mulberry Tree” by Jude Deveraux takes a wealthy woman, a protected and isolated woman named Lillian and turns her world upside down when her husband dies. She and her husband had loved each other and had a fairy tale marriage. Lillian’s husband Jimmie was one of the wealthiest men in the world, but he left his wife a ramshackle house to live in. The rest of his wealth went to his brother and sister.

This is a story of what happens to Lillian, who has to change her name and go into hiding to avoid the press and Jimmie’s siblings who would take from her even the falling down house. She has no interest in fighting the will and wants only to curl into a ball. But, there is a mystery here and gradually she finds out just what has been going on.

As Lillian comes back and makes a life for herself you will be fascinated to follow along.

We tend to think that people who have it all don’t need anything else. This story will show you something else.

I enjoyed “The Mulberry Tree” as I have other books I’ve read by Jude Deveraux.

“Daring to Dream” by Nora Roberts

“Daring to Dream” by Nora Roberts
1996, Jove Books
ISBN: 0-515-14290-5

Nora Roberts writes a lot of trilogies. I can understand why. The stories about folks are just so interesting that you can’t squeeze them all into one book. It just wouldn’t be right. So, in “Daring to Dream” Nora Roberts begins a trilogy about 3 friends who grew up together.

You’ve got Laura, Margo and Kate. You’ve got the Templeton family who runs beautiful and exclusive hotels all around the world. Laura is the daughter in that family. Kate is the distant relation who as a child lost her own family and came to be a part of the Templeton family and Margo is the housekeeper’s daughter. The three girls grew up together and consider themselves to be more sisters than friends.

Margo had gone away at the age of 18 to make a name for herself. She knew that Mr. and Mrs. T (the Templetons) would have been happy to help her, but she didn’t want their help. She didn’t want to accept the help of anyone and on her own did become a famous model. Except, it all went horribly wrong.

This is the story of what happens when Margo comes home to pick up the pieces and when she and Josh, Laura’s brother, find themselves attracted to each other.

Terrific story. I’m looking forward to getting the next 2 books to read.

“True Believer” by Nicholas Sparks

“True Believer” by Nicholas Sparks
2005, Warner Books
ISBN: 0-446-53243-6

“True Believer” by Nicholas Sparks is a terrific love story in only the way that Nicholas Sparks can write them. You just can’t go wrong with him telling a story to you. It feels that way too, just you and the book and shut out the rest of the world while you devour this book.

Jeremy Marsh is worldly and works as a free-lance writer who has come to excel at uncovering hoaxes. His latest expose was in the field of the paranormal, specifically with a channel. Interestingly enough, that’s what I do, so finding this particular book was doubly interesting to me. In any case, he receives a letter inviting him to come expose a ghost story in a sleepy little town in North Carolina.

Ghostly lights is what they are. They show up in a haunted cemetery. Jeremy takes the bait and is drawn into the lives of people who have an entirely different rhythm to their lives than he does.

He also meets Lexie who is the librarian and is in much the same boat as he is in as far as a satisfying love life goes. Neither expects much to happen. He is only there to do the story for a few days. She is not at all interested in having a short fling. But, you never know what’s going to happen when sparks fly and souls cleave together.

As always, the sign of a really good book for me is when I cry at the end. And, I cried with this book a long time after it was finished.