Staff Review: Moonlight Mile

Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane

Let me start by saying that this is a tough review for me to write. Moonlight Mile is the long awaited and possibly final entry in one of my all-time favorite crime fiction series. I opened this book with great anticipation, eager to spend a few hundred pages with familiar characters I had missed for some time. I closed it with rather mixed feelings about my old friends – it was great seeing them again, it brought to mind some good memories, but our best days together are in the past.

Dennis Lehane burst onto the “mainstream” fiction scene in 2001 with Mystic River, a book that saw great success in both bookstores and movie theaters. But before the success of that and his subsequent book, Shutter Island, Lehane had won a legion of followers in the crime fiction world for his series featuring private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. Starting with A Drink Before The War, Lehane introduced Kenzie, a wise-cracking, tough-talking Boston P.I., and his partner Gennaro, an equally tough character and his oldest friend. In this and the next five books in the series, Lehane treated readers to some of the best contemporary American crime fiction, with fully-realized, delightfully flawed characters, authentic portrayals of the gritty streets of South Boston, and page-turning plots that reveal the human costs of criminal actions.

Moonlight Mile opens several years after the end of Gone, Baby, Gone (which was also made into a movie), the crimes and characters of which were some of the most heart-wrenching Patrick and Angie had ever encountered. The pair have since settled down into a quieter, domestic life when Amanda McCready, the little girl who was kidnapped and then found by Patrick in Gone, Baby, Gone, disappears once again. She is now a teenager and Patrick’s role in her early childhood has forever bound him to her, so he feels compelled to take on the case and find her once again. The case unfolds with many of the hallmarks of Lehane’s writing – emotionally compelling characters, morally ambiguous situations, and an insider’s tour of working-class Boston.

So what’s my complaint? Compared to earlier entries in the series, Moonlight Mile seemed a little “thin” to me – the characters were closer to caricatures, the dialogue, usually raw and acerbic, came off as a bit forced, and the overall tone of the book seemed somewhat rushed, as if Mr. Lehane just wanted to get it over with. Fans of the series have been asking him for more than a decade to write another one, so he may have simply gotten tired of being asked about it on every single book tour for his other, stand alone novels.

After reading Moonlight Mile, I still consider Dennis Lehane to be one of the best authors writing today, regardless of genre. I still consider the Kenzie-Gennaro series to be one of the best contemporary crime fiction series. Even though the final book does not come highly recommended by me, the series as a whole certainly does. If you’re interested, here’s the series order:

• A Drink Before The War
• Darkness, Take My Hand
• Sacred
• Gone, Baby, Gone
• Prayers for Rain
• Moonlight Mile

Susan - Adult Services

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Here's to a Healthy 2011!

Need a little help getting started with your New Year’s resolution? Below, you’ll find thirty of LPL’s most popular books about healthy bodies and healthy relationships. Click on titles to view and reserve items in our catalog. Click on More about this book to see summaries and reviews.

If you’re looking for more, check out our current display featuring books about getting and staying healthy, and take a look at the full lists of our books and DVDs about nutrition, exercise, and relationships.

	Active Living Every Day by Steven N. Blair More about this book
	Banish your Belly, Butt & Thighs Forever!: The Real Woman's Guide to Body Shaping & Weight Loss by the editors of Prevention Health Books for Women More about this book
	The Birth of Pleasure by Carol Gilligan More about this book
	Connect by Edward M. Hallowell More about this book
	Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson More about this book
	The Dance of Intimacy: A Woman's Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships by Harriet Goldhor Lerner More about this book
	Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight by Peter J. D'Adamo with Catherine Whitney More about this book
	Eating Well for Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Food, Diet, and Nutrition by Andrew Weil More about this book
	Fitness over Fifty: An Exercise Guide from the National Institute on Aging More about this book
	Food as Medicine: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices, and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life by Dharma Singh Khalsa More about this book
	Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal: An A-Z Guide to Safe and Healthy Eating by Joe Schwarcz and Fran Berkoff More about the book
	The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit by Andrew Weil and Rosie Daley More about this book
	I Need Your Love--Is That True? by Byron Katie, written with Michael Katz More about this book
	The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney More about this book
	Mastering Miracles: The Healing Art of Qi Gong as Taught by a Master by Hong Liu with Paul Perry More about this book
	Mayo Clinic Diet More about the book
	Never Eat Alone and Other Secrets to Success: One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi with Tahl Raz More about this book
	The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning: Introduction to the Core Exercises by Sean P. Gallagher & Romana Kryzanowska More about this book
	Potatoes Not Prozac by Kathleen DesMaisons More about this book
	The Power of Charm: How to Win Anyone Over in Any Situation by Brian Tracy and Ron Arden More about the book
	Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight loss and the Myths and Realities of Dieting by Gina Kolata More about thisbook
	Skinny Bitch: A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous! by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin More about the book
	Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman More about the book
	Strength Training for Women: Tone Up, Burn Calories, Stay Strong by Joan Pagano More about this book
	Strong Women Eat Well: Nutritional Strategies for a Healthy Body and Mind by Miriam E. Nelson with Judy Knipe More about this book
	Superfoods Rx : Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews More about this book
	This Changes Everything: The Relational Revolution in Psychology by Christina Robb More about the book
	The Ultimate Ride: Get Fit, Get Fast, and Start Winning with the World's Top Cycling Coach by Chris Carmichael with Jim Rutberg More about this book
	What to Eat by Marion Nestle More about the book

Staff Review: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

It is the late 1970s in the Mississippi woods when Larry Ott, a white country boy, and Silas Jones, the son of a single black mother, establish an unlikely and short lived friendship. Larry's brutal father and the social demands of the time and place drive them apart, and after Larry is suspected in the murder of a neighbor girl, Silas leaves town. Twenty-some years later, “Scary Larry” remains under suspicion, a social pariah, and Silas returns to town and a job as constable, nicknamed "32" for the number he wore during his college baseball-playing days. When another girl goes missing, Larry is automatically suspected. Silas, who knows more than he let on about the earlier disappearance, thinks Larry is probably innocent. As he sets out to prove it, he uncovers other secrets and is forced to confront his own demons and reconcile the past.

In Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, Tom Franklin has written a tightly plotted and evenly paced mystery with fully realized characters. He displays a pitch-perfect ear for dialogue and sharply renders Southern lexicon and turns of phrase. This and his keen attention to detail place the reader firmly in the humid, kudzu-covered South. Readers should be aware, however, that racism and violence play an integral part in the story.

A self-described "Southern writer," Franklin won an Edgar Award for the title story in his collection of short stories, Poachers, and has written two novels, Smonk and Hell at the Breech. Born and raised in Alabama, he currently lives in Oxford, Mississippi and teaches creative writing at the University of Mississippi.

Maria - Community Relations

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50 Books, 150 Pages or Less: Part 3 of 3

Great novels don't have to be long. For anyone short on time or attention, here are some great reads with less than 150 pages.

Interested in other short reads? Come by the library and check out our Short Fiction display, or view all three parts of this list.

	When the Emperor Was Divine: A Novel by Julie Otsuka 143 pages Otsuka’s novel follows the internment of a Japanese-American family during World War II, with each of its five chapters narrated by a different family member. Publishers Weekly When the Emperor Was Divine a “heartbreaking, bracingly unsentimental debut,” while the New York Times wrote that “Ms. Otsuka's precise but poetic evocation of the ordinary that lends this slender novel its mesmerizing power.” More about the book
	The Messiah of Stockholm: A Novel by Cynthia Ozick 141 pages Lars Andemening is a descendant of Polish Jews. Orphaned during World War II, he grew up in Sweden. Twice divorced and estranged from his only child, Lars leads a solitary life with the growing conviction that he is the son of Bruno Schulz, a Polish writer killed by the Nazis. Reviewing it for the New York Times, none other than Harlold Bloom described Ozick’s novel as, simply, “brilliant”. http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/22/books/the-book-of-the-father.html?ref=bookreviews More about the book
	The Yellow Arrow by Victor Pelevin 92 pages A long distance train rushes across Russia toward a wrecked bridge. The train has no beginning or end and it is impossible to get off, but the passengers are apparently indifferent. According to Publishers Weekly, Pelevin’s novel of post-soviet anxieties “fuses pungent, visceral imagery reminiscent of Maxim Gorky with an absurdist comic outlook.” More about the book
	Death is Not the End: An Inspector Rebus Novella by Ian Rankin 73 pages In this swift, suspenseful introduction to Rankin’s hardened Edinburgh policeman, John Rebus receives a call from his high school sweetheart and agrees to track down her missing son. Publishers Weekly stated that in Death is Not the End, “Taut exposition, wry dialogue and deft plotting, together with an insider's view of the seedy underside of Edinburgh, combine to make a superior thriller.” More about the book
	The End of the Alphabet by C.S. Richardson 119 pages After a doctor gives Ambrose Zephyr one month to live, he and his wife embark on a whirlwind world tour, visiting all the places they love or have always wanted to see from A to Z--Amsterdam to Zanzibar. Kirkus Reviews stated that The End of the Alphabet “distills the essence of life and love,” and that, although the book could be read in a single sitting, it could “continue to resonate with readers for weeks, months, even years.” More about the book
	The Humbling by Philip Roth 140 pages In the 13th novel from Pulitzer and National Book Award winner Roth, an aging stage actor suddenly loses his talent, followed by his audience and his wife. Struggling to rebuild his life, he begins a disastrous relationship with a younger woman. NPR called The Humbling “a swift but piercing, uncluttered but nuanced morality tale,” while USA Today described it as “slim, bleak, and sexy.” More about the book
	Salt River: A Novel by James Sallis 146 pages John Turner--former soldier, policeman, convict, and psychotherapist--moved to rural Tennessee to escape his past. While serving as interim sheriff, a fatal car accident and a visitor from his past destroy his hard-won tranquility. Publishers Weekly called Salt River “sublime,” while Booklist stated that, “Like a tightly structured blues song, the melancholy tale finds resonance in every line and every prolonged chord.” Salt River is the third and final volume of the celebrated Turner series, which begins with Cypress Grove and Cripple Creek. More about the book
	As We Are Now: A Novel by May Sarton 133 pages Sarton’s harrowing exploration of growing old and unwanted was first published in 1973. After suffering a heart attack, 76-year-old Caroline Spencer is moved by relatives into a nursing home. As We Are Now is Caroline’s diary of her time there. Legendary critic Brooks Atkinson called Sarton’s novel “a masterly portrait of a woman’s loneliness, helplessness and despair.” More about the book
	The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil by George Saunders 134 pages In the first book-length work from acclaimed satirist Saunders, the country of Inner Horner--which is surrounded by the larger and more prosperous Outer Horne--is so small that it can only hold one of its seven citizens at a time. One day, Inner Horner inexplicably shrinks, leaving most of its current inhabitant in Outer Horner. Led by their president Phil, the Outer Hornerites declare an invasion in progress and the two countries go to war. Kirkus Reviews called The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil “a mind-bending work inviting readers to ponder the nature of parable and the possibilities of language.” More about the book
	The List: A Love Story in 781 Chapters by Aneva Stout 94 pages Stout’s funny, clever debut takes the form of a gift book, telling a tale of love lost and found and lost again in 781 second-person affirmations. For example, “373. You’ll waste lots of time trying to interpret his response.” Publishers Weekly wrote that The List: “offers all the guilty pleasures of chick lit,” and that, despite its length, it “has enough drama, emotional resonance and sharp throw-away lines to make it worth revisiting, either in part or whole.” More about the book
	The Jerusalem File by Joel Stone 147 pages In Stone’s acclaimed mystery, retired Israeli security service officer Levin leads a solitary life but agrees to follow the wife of an acquaintance. He becomes obsessed with his target and, after her lover dies mysteriously, she has a request of her own. The Jerusalem File is an expert combination of hardboiled mystery and insightfulportrait of modern Israel. More about the book
	Frontera Dreams: A Hector Balascoran Shayne Detective Novel by Paco Ignacio Taibo II 120 pages Paco Ignacio Taibo’s mysteries featuring the one-eyed existentialist detective Hector Balascoran Shayne are internationally renowned and wildly popular in the author’s native Mexico. This slim volume follows Shane north to the US-Mexico border, where he has gone to search for his vanished childhood sweetheart. Taibo’s novels are far from traditional mysteries, but they’re not to be missed. As one reviewer in the Washington Post Book World wrote,"Lovers of modern Latin-American literature should snap up [Taibo's work], as should mystery fans who like storytelling that's as fractured as the age they live in, and far more artful." More about the book
	Camera by Jean-Philippe Toussaint 122 pages Camera is both a comedy and a philosophical novel—simultaneously feather light and bleakly heavy. Toussaint’s Parisian narrator does very little—he considers taking driving lessons, probably falls in love, goes on a few short trips, and finds a camera. Some readers may be turned off by the novel’s relative lack of a plot, but for anyone who prizes inventiveness, there might not be a better book on this list. More about the book
	The Club of Angels by Luis Fernando Verissimo 135 pages A club of middle-aged gourmands meet monthly for lavish feasts. After each meal, one of them dies. The Club of Angels spent more than ten years on the bestseller list in the author’s native Brazil. Publishers Weekly called it a “swift and acidic portrait of a (literally) poisoned network of friendships,” with, “a bite that endures because of the great intelligence underlying it.” More about the book
	Inside Job by Connie Willis 99 pages Rob, professional debunker and publisher of Jaundiced Eye magazine, is forced to reconsider his beliefs after attending a séance with his ex-actress employee Kildy where the medium seems to be channeling HL Menkin. According to Booklist, “Willis, one of SF's most spirited writers, rounds on the New Age; pays tribute to a great, skeptical journalist; and affectionately parodies pulp fiction at its best in this irresistible entertainment.” More about the book
	Double Homicide by Jonathan and Faye Kellerman 147 and 133 pages Actually two books short novels packaged in one reversible volume, Double Homicide is a great introduction to two masters of crime fiction who happen to be married to each other. Two tales of murder and suspense set in two different cities. More about the book

Staff Pick: Get Me Out

Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank by Randi Hutter Epstien

Science meets snark in Randi Hutter Epstien’s Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank, an irreverent look at the often misguided struggle of humans to understand how we are conceived and born. Hutter, a physician and science writer who has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, and Daily Telegraph, blends humor with wonder as she recounts the history of pregnancy and childbirth in a conversational style.

Hutter’s tales hit a range of topics, from the mysterious secret of forceps deliveries (their closely guarded design was not known to the public, even after over 100 years of use, until the 1813 discovery of a set hidden in the attic of a home in England), to the migration of the birthing process from home to hospital during the 20th century. Along the way Hutter chronicles the origins of the use of anesthesia in childbirth, as well as the growth of the natural childbirth movement—interestingly pointing out that both methods, in different eras, have symbolized the empowerment of women giving birth. Epstein’s light tone takes a tender tack in the book’s tragic chapters; for instance, in describing early gynecological experiments on slaves in the antebellum United States, the author calls on readers to remember the ethical travesty of this research, and a chapter on the widespread use of drugs such as DES and Thalidomide illuminates, at times disturbingly, the fallibility of modern medicine in recent decades. The book’s final chapters address the rise in popularity of sonograms, sperm banks, and the C-section.

Get Me Out is an enlightening and amusing read, especially for those interested in past methods of childbirth. Among its many revelations is the extent to which the views of the medical establishment have varied over the years, and how different the standard procedures of today are from those employed just 50 or 100 years ago. The book provides a rich historical context for anyone who has experienced childbirth, either as a parent or a baby, which, by my calculations, includes just about everyone.

Dan - Collection Development

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