The Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window

By A.J. Finn

There is a new sub-genre that seems to be gaining popularity. Domestic thrillers. Recent titles that would fit this description are The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl, and The Woman in Cabin 10.  Add to that list-

The Woman in the Window. (there seems to be a feminine theme with the titles here.)  :) The main character has severe agoraphobia. This is defined as a disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives the environment to be unsafe with no easy way to get away. These situations can include open spaces, public transit, shopping malls, or simply being outside the home. 

After a traumatic incident,which I won't spoil for you here, Anna spends her days inside watching her neighbors, watching her collection of Hitchcock DVDs, taking pills,  and drinking wine. A new neighbor helps her out and comes inside to spend some time. This one night only friendship ends quickly when Anna witnesses something horrible while looking in her neighbors house. Her new friend is murdered, but is it really what she thought she saw? A meeting the next day has her being called crazy, and introduced to someone who says she is "that" woman, but Anna knows the lady is obviously an imposter. She does have a fascination with film noir, so did she imagine everything? The P.O.V. character goes back and forth between present day, and describing the incident from the past which all becomes clear at the end. This book is filled with a cast of neighbors, her tenant in the basement, and all of the people who assist her in her day to day life. So, lots of suspects.  It was suspenseful and felt like the Alfred Hitchcock movies, and I could not put it down!! I loved the old thriller movie references and the quotes! I did not guess the ending (which is always an awesome surprise in books like these) This was a great read! This book is found in the Adult Fiction section at the library. 

Need To Know

 Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

Before you hit the third page of this book, you know something is not right. Not at all. Viv, who works for the CIA, seems to have it all. A loving husband, happy marriage, four kids. Her days are long and hard, but she works hard for her family and furthermore, for her country. She is loyal and true. Her job is to work the Russian spectrum, looking for cells and spies here in America. And then, and then --

To say more would spoil this book and the excitement, suspense, and surprises for others. The writing is superb. Yes, at times you can almost tell what is going to happen next, but even if you may figure out a thing or two, there are still plenty of shockers in this book. I could not put this book down. At times I was on the edge of my seat while reading. Viv isn't perfect and that what makes this story even more authentic. But this is a fun, nerve-wracking, edgy book.

This is a debut novel for author Karen Cleveland. Cleveland knows her stuff as she was a CIA analyst, just like Viv. If you were put in Viv's shoes, I wonder what YOU would do?

Find out for yourself -- if you enjoy intrigue, mystery, Russian spies, CIA workings, the whole spy versus spy thing, and just a plain good story, this is a book you would enjoy. I know I did.

Amazon Review

Olympic Teen Scene...."Minute to Win It!"

Join us for our Book Club tonight!

Teen Book Club TONIGHT!

Enchantment

                                                      

Enchantment

by Orson Scott Card

A story filled with adventure, romance and magic. When Ivan was a little boy he stumbled upon a clearing in the forest. There he saw a beautiful princess, atop a pedestal, asleep. Something in the leaves scared him away. Years later he returns to the same clearing where he awakens princess Katerina. He is then transported to a land that vanished a thousand years ago.
Orson Scott Card creates a new world transforming the timeless story of Sleeping Beauty into an original fantasy.
This book can be found in adult fiction. 

The Fifth Doll

The Fifth Doll by Charlie N. Holmberg

Matrona has grown up in a unique village. Isolated and very traditional, Matrona spends most of her time working hard to please her parents. She is in the midst of preparing for her arranged marriage when she finds herself inside the house of the tradesman, Slava, and discovers the nesting dolls. Each doll represents a member of the village, and Matrona soon discovers that they are more than what they seem. She finds herself the unwilling apprentice to Slava and is required to open each of her own dolls every three days.

Charlie Holmberg, author of The Paper Magician series, has a talent for writing unique books. For the most part the stories she writes feel new and different from any story written before. The Fifth Doll was one that doesn't exactly fit this description, as it does feel similar to The Giver in a lot of ways, it was still different enough that it's not obvious where the story is going. 

Holmberg is very good at keeping readers interested in the story. While the book isn't a work of genius, you still feel the need to get to the end to find out what on earth is going on. The struggle of this book is that there aren't many characters that are extremely likable, and the difference in age between the love interests is a little uncomfortable. But the pages continued to turn. There was almost a sense of urgency to find out why this little town was so odd, and how everything would be resolved. In the end, it was certainly an absorbing read that doesn't get a rest until it is completed.

The Fifth Doll can be found in the adult fiction section.