“The Hit” by David Baldacci. As a highly skilled assassin, Will Robie is the man the U.S. government calls on to eliminate the worst of the worst, monsters committed to killing innocent victims. But now one of his colleagues has gone rogue, turning the gun sights on members of their own agency. Can he bring her in before her betrayal reveals a larger threat to the world?
“Bad Monkey” by Carl Hiaasen. Andrew Yancy has a human arm in his freezer. Yes, there may be a logical explanation to do with a boating accident, shark-luncheon, but Yancy suspects there is more suspicious plot underneath it all. In a story with wildly unpredictable events and characters, Yancy navigates through the obstacle course to solve the mystery.
“Threat Vendor” by Tom Clancy. For President Jack Ryan, Jr., the danger of a secret terrorist organization called The Campus has just hit home in a way he never expected. The treacherous group has just been discovered, and whoever knows it exists could be destroyed. But now, as two superpowers move ever closer to a final confrontation, President Ryan turns to The Campus for help… It is the only wild card he has left.
“Ladies Night” by Mary Kay Andrews. Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating. After she sends his pricey sports car straight into the swimming pool, she finds herself locked out of her palatial home and checking account. She soon befriends three others bewildered spouses in court ordered “divorce recovery sessions, and the members of the group soon bond and work together to deal with life’s unpredictable twists and turns.
Three titles by Linda Castillo. Castillo combines the Amish society with elements of suspense and mystery to create real page-turners with unexpected developments. In the first title, “Her Last Breath,” a speeding car slams into an Amish family in a tragic accident. But the routine crash takes an ominous turn, when evidence points to a sinister plot. Is Chief Kate Burkholder looking for a cold hearted killer?
The second Castillo title is “Pray for Silence.” Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her crew are called to the scene of a horrendous murder, an entire Amish family has been killed on their farm. She has few clues, no motive and no suspect. As a former Amish woman, Kate understands the separation of the Amish from the English, but this family seems to have some very dark secrets.
The last Castillo title is “Gone Missing.” Rumspringa is the time when Amish teens are allowed to experience life without the rules. But when a young teen disappears without a trace, the carefree fun comes to a sinister end, and fear spreads through the community. When the search turns up a different dead body, Chief Burkholder discovers links to the case that go back years. Can she solve the mystery and save the missing teen?
Sharon Sturgis is the librarian at the Ellinwood School/Community Library.