Dunlap Library: The Associate, Cruel Intent, The Treasure

The following is a few new books that can be checked out at the Dunlap Library.

The Associate, by John Grisham
Kyle McAvoy grew up in his father’s small-town law office in Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential. But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesn’t want—even though it’s a job most law students can only dream about. Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed. With an unforgettable cast of characters and villains—from Baxter Tate, a drug-addled trust fund kid and possible rapist, to Dale, a pretty but seemingly quiet former math teacher who shares Kyle’s “cubicle” at the law firm, to two of the most powerful and fiercely competitive defense contractors in the country—and featuring all the twists and turns that have made John Grisham the most popular storyteller in the world, The Associate is vintage Grisham.

Cruel Intent, by J.A. Jance.
As if remodeling an old mansion near picturesque Sedona, Ariz., isn’t stress enough for Ali Reynolds, the plucky former TV newscaster must also deal with cybernetic lonely hearts, frustration and murder in bestseller Jance’s new thriller. After serial killer Peter Winter claims his fifth victim, who happens to be the unfaithful wife of Ali’s contractor, Bryan Forester, homicide detective Dave Holman suspects Bryan did it. At considerable personal risk, Ali has to clear Bryan in order to get her house ready for Thanksgiving dinner with her gossipy, meddling mother, Edie; her son, Chris; Chris’s amputee fiancée; sometime boyfriend Holman; and the rest of her cozily predictable entourage.

Death Of A Gentle Lady, by M.C. Beaton.
Full of the author’s trademark zest and wit, bestseller Beaton’s 23rd Hamish Macbeth mystery finds the 50-year-old Scottish detective taking pity on a beautiful Turkish maid named Ayesha in danger of being deported, and asking her to marry him. When Ayesha goes missing and her employer, Mrs. Gentle, turns up murdered, Hamish discovers that his bride-to-be wasn’t exactly who she claimed to be. The villagers thought Mrs. Gentle was a sweet old lady, but why would such a nice woman be the target of blackmail? Threaded throughout the ever-twisting plot of the murder investigation are the ongoing saga of Hamish’s love life and the vendetta against him of his nemesis, Detective Chief Inspector Blair. Beaton fans will be delighted.

Mounting Fears, by Stuart Woods.
President Will Lee is having a rough week. His vice president just died during surgery. Confirmation hearings for the new vice president are under way, but the squeaky-clean governor whom Will has nominated may have a few previously unnoticed skeletons in his closet. And Teddy Fay, a rogue CIA agent, is plotting his revenge on CIA director Kate Rule Lee—the president’s wife. Plus there are some loose nukes in Pakistan that might just trigger World War III if Will’s diplomatic efforts fall short.

Doggie Day Care, by Laurien Berinson.
Melanie Travis thought her sleuthing days were behind her. She has a new baby to take care of – not to mention five Standard Poodles – and Aunt Peg is getting Davey ready for his debut as a junior showman. These days, the closest Melanie gets to detective work is scoping out the scene at the local doggie day centre for her friend Alice Brickman. As Melanie learns, it’s a dog’s life at the Pine Ridge Canine Care Centre – and life is good. The dogs are living large with a team of groomers and handlers at their bark and call. Everyone seems blissfully happy. Everyone canine, that is. For Melanie soon discovers there are some simmering resentments among the Pine Ridge staff and when Steve Pine, the centre’s charming, good-looking co-owner, is found shot to death on the floor of his office, there’s no shortage of suspects. His sister Candy stands to inherit their lucrative doggie day care operation. His neighbor, Adam Busch, still blames Steve for paving the way for the other businesses that now exist in the once quiet, all-residential town. And then there’s Lila Bennington, the disgruntled client who wanted to sue Steve following an embarrassing ‘incident’ involving a Shih Tzu and a Beagle mix. And lastly, the string of female customers Steve bedded and jilted. But which of these, suspects was desperate enough to commit murder?

Hey There (You With The Gun In Your Hand): A Rat Pack Mystery,
by Robert Randisi.
It’s 1961 and Las Vegas is still the place to be. Eddie Gianelli, pit boss at the Sands Casino, now considers the Rat Pack his friends. And this time, his friend Frank Sinatra wants him to help Sammy. Someone has an embarrassing photo of Sammy and wants $25 grand for it. All Eddie has to do is make the pay-off and collect the photo. Easy, right? But at the rendezvous, in place of a blackmailer, Eddie finds a dead body greeting him instead. Pretty soon Eddie and New York torpedo Jerry Epstein are up to their elbows in bodies. There’s a double-cross going on. Could the presence of the Secret Service mean that JFK is somehow involved? Celebrity cameos with Buddy Hackett and Marilyn Monroe add to the glamor. It’s certain the stars are out, and it’s up to Eddie to see that they don’t fall from the sky.

Mounting Fears, by J.A. Jance.
President Will Lee is having a rough week. His vice president just died during surgery. Confirmation hearings for the new vice president are under way, but the squeaky-clean governor whom Will has nominated may have a few previously unnoticed skeletons in his closet. And Teddy Fay, a rogue CIA agent, is plotting his revenge on CIA director Kate Rule Lee—the president’s wife. Plus there are some loose nukes in Pakistan that might just trigger World War III if Will’s diplomatic efforts fall short. It’s up to President Lee—with some help from Holly Barker, Lance Cabot, and a few other Stuart Woods series regulars—to save the world, and the upcoming election.

On The Grind, by Stephen J. Cannell.
Scully is unceremoniously dismissed from the LAPD after striking a plea bargain to avoid prosecution for blackmailing a movie actress, Tiffany Roberts, who was seeking a hit man to off her unsavory husband. Outraged at reports that Scully slept with Roberts, Scully’s wife, who’s chief of detectives, throws him out. Eventually, the ex-cop lands an entry-level job in Haven Park, a city known for the most corrupt police department in California. The stakes rise after the detective’s new colleagues on the Haven Park police force recruit him to hobble the political aspirations of a reform candidate for mayor.

Plum Spooky, by Janet Evanovich.
Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys. Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground. Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel. Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs. Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.

Show No Fear, by Perri O’Shawnessy.
Set in 1990, O’Shaughnessy’s intriguing 12th legal thriller to feature crusading lawyer Nina Reilly, takes a look at Nina’s early career. An attractive single mom, Nina lives with her preschool-age son, Bob, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., where she works as a paralegal while pursuing a law degree. She worries about her mother, Ginny, who’s struggling with a circulatory disease and recovery from a botched acupuncture treatment. When Nina’s ex-lover, criminal defense attorney Richard Filsen, resurfaces after four years, demanding a paternity test and shared custody of Bob, Nina seeks help from her current crush, Jack McIntyre, and his sexy girlfriend, Remy Sorensen, who’s angling for a judgeship. Everything explodes when first Richard and then Ginny are murdered. There are some surprising twists involving the ambitious Remy. Nina’s first brush with a future love, detective Paul van Wagoner, adds spice.

The Treasure, by Iris Johansen.
Set largely in 12th-century Europe, this intricately plotted historical romance from bestseller Johansen, is replete with majestic castles, ruthless assassins and gentlemen rogues. Two star-crossed lovers become unwilling participants in a deadly struggle for control of an artifact that could contain the very secrets to immortality itself. Ex-assassin Kadar Ben Arnaud wants nothing more than to live a quiet life in Scotland with the love of his life, former slave Selene Ware. But when Arnaud is summoned by his old master to collect on a promise he made years earlier, he’s honor-bound to leave the safety of his home and embark on a perilous journey to steal a priceless treasure from a stronghold in Tuscany. When Ware is kidnapped, Arnaud finds himself forced to embrace the darkness of his past in order to save her. The smoldering relationship between Arnaud and Ware will keep romance fans turning the pages.

Eat This, Not That: Supermarket Edition, by David Zencenko.
With tens of thousands of products crammed into the walls of the neighborhood supermarket, trying to find a reliable snack, pantry product, or frozen dinner can be a serious challenge for the time-strained consumer. The Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide changes all of that, offering discerning shoppers everywhere a simple plan for finding the healthiest foods for them and their families. Beyond homing in on the best and worst in the world of packaged foods, the Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide scours the aisles to help you pick the most nutrient-packed produce, the leanest, tastiest cuts of meat, exotic cheeses that double as healthy snacks, and the best contaminant-free fish the ocean has to offer.