Fiction

Life Without Summer: A Novel
By Lynne Griffin
Writer Tessa is consumed with grief when her daughter Abby, who was playing outside at her preschool, is killed by a hit and run driver. In an effort to cope with her pain, she starts meeting with a therapist whose journal entries intertwine with the ones written by Tessa and tell the parallel story of her family struggles. As the two stories evolve, the bond between the women grows and their lives become defined by the search for the guilty driver. An absorbing and emotional story with unexpected turns. ~Judie
ISBN 978-0312383886

Bird in Hand: A Novel
By Christina Baker Kline
Alison is driving home from a friend’s book publishing party in New York City when she has an accident which leaves a boy dead. Although she didn’t cause the accident, she’s haunted by guilt and finds her husband Charlie strangely unsupportive and distant. As the novel evolves, the story of her marriage and her author friend’s marriage bounces back and forth in time, revealing a complicated past and present. The characters and descriptions are thoughtful and revealing. ~Judie
ISBN 978-0688177249

The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel
By Garth Stein
I loved this book narrated by Enzo, the dog and best friend of Denny Swift. Denny is an avid race car driver who brings Enzo home as a puppy and gradually expands their family to include a wife and daughter, a house and a sports car. As their lives take some difficult turns, Denny’s strength is tested and Enzo listens and encourages him wordlessly as he observes the many human complications and despairs about his inability to speak and his lack of opposable thumbs, which he longs for and looks forward to having in his next incarnation as a man. Recommended for all of us who love dogs and fast cars! ~Judie
ISBN 9780061537967

The Undomestic Goddess
By Sophie Kinsella
Samantha Sweeting, an up-and-coming young attorney working in a prestigious British law firm, is stunned to hear that she misplaced a file and cost the firm millions of dollars. In her shocked state, she boards a train and ends up in the countryside where she approaches a house seeking help and ends up being mistakenly hired as the new housekeeper. Completely lacking in domestic skills, Samantha makes the best of it and ends up discovering a wealth of new talents along with some surprising information about her former law firm. Clever and fun. ~Judie
ISBN 978-0385338691

The Secret Scripture: A Novel
By Sebastian Barry
The Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital is closing, and senior psychiatrist William Grene has to evaluate his patients to determine which ones can resume life in society. The oldest is Roseanne Clear, aged 100, institutionalized for most of her adult life. Although guarded with Dr. Grene, Roseanne writes about the passions, disappointments and tragedies of her life in a journal she keeps hidden under a floorboard, and reveals herself to be a surprisingly joyful individual. This lovely novel is a multiple award winner. ~Suzanne
ISBN 978-0143115694

Sacred Hearts: A Novel
By Sarah Dunant
Because the exorbitant price of dowries in 16th century Ferrara, Italy, has made it impossible for even wealthy families to marry off all of their daughters, only the most beautiful girls get husbands. The others become nuns. The plot of this novel, set in the liberal convent of Santa Caterina, involves an unhappy novice, an elderly nun transported by mystical visions, Vatican reforms and political infighting. An excellent choice for historical fiction fans. ~Suzanne
ISBN 978-1400063826