Fast Falls the Night

Fast Falls the Night by Julia Keller

Welcome back to Acker's Gap, West Virginia.

 In 2012, author Julia Keller created the first book in her series about a place in the hills of Appalachia where good, decent folks struggle every day to survive. These people bleed poverty, despair, and the unbearable fact that finding a way out is easier said than done.

In  A Killing in the Hills, readers are introduced to Bell Elkins, the strong, determined prosecutor who, after some soul-searching, returns to her hometown, hoping she can make a difference. She and her sister, a convicted felon, are haunted by childhood abuse and the hurt and shame that accompanies being a poor, outcast adolescent. It seems that no matter hard you try, success is hard to achieve when the odds are against you."The past always has the last word".

This latest installment takes place in a 24 hour period as Acker's Gap deals with an onslaught of heroin overdoses unlike anything they've ever experienced before. One by one, the victims fall like dominoes as they consume a bad batch of the drug laced with a deadly additive. Along with law enforcement, Bell and her colleagues race to expose and arrest a local who has forfeited a conscience for the almighty buck,  and a chance to escape this forsaken town.

Inspiration for the story came from the real account of a rash of drug overdoses in Huntington, West Virginia, Keller's hometown. With tormented, unforgettable characters, and page-turning sub-plots, the author tackles a topic that plagues cities and villages across our nation. Whether you choose to start your journey in Acker's Gap with this latest book, or go way back to the beginning, be assured you won't soon forget Bell and the sorrow and hope her stories bring.

Thanks, Julia, for ending this one with so many burning, unanswered questions about what's next for Bell after her sister's shocking revelation. We look forward to the continuing saga about a weary, broken town in "this beautiful heartbreak of a world".  

Glass Houses

Glass Houses by Louise Penny

There is an eerie, hooded figure dressed in black, lurking in the town square of  the quiet little village of Three Pines, Quebec. Perhaps, the people say, it is a prank from the leftover celebration festivities of Halloween. But as time goes on, the ominous, dark shape remains, day into night, never moving, simply staring, and the people begin to whisper and wonder; what evil has permeated their calm, peaceful lives?

The sinister scenario takes a deadly twist when murder takes a life in the dank root cellar of the church basement. Months later, Chief Armand Gamache testifies in court at the trial of the individual arrested for the crime, recalling how his wife found the corpse, dressed in the same cloak as the mysterious form that silently stood watch over their sleepy little town.

 As perspiration drips down his face in the oppressively hot courtroom, Gamache tells the prosecutor that in Spain the "dark thing" was said to be a"Conscience", capable of hunting down and shaming perpetrators of dastardly deeds. The courtroom spectators squirm in their seats. If true, which one of their neighbors is hiding a dreadful secret? The trial continues while Gamache carefully weighs his words, fully aware that his decision to commit perjury puts him on a dangerous precipice that could ruin his career and reputation. Only he and a handful of confidantes are aware of a far greater threat to the world than the frightening body in black.

If you are a Louise Penny fan, the Three Pines series will be quite familiar. If not, then by all means, take this opportunity to become a fan of her writing and meet the quirky, memorable cast of characters she has created. ( Don't forget the informative author notes at the conclusion. ) Penny writes a multi-layered plot dealing with a relevant topic. Deliciously unsettling at times, this one is a bewitchingly good mystery.

Map of the Heart

Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs

The arrival of a mysterious package takes a widow with an aching
heart on an adventure to France, where secrets from her father's past are waiting to be uncovered.

Camille Adams vows that she and her troubled daughter, Julie, are going to live a quiet, risk-free life in their Delaware coastal town, since a freak accident claimed her beloved husband's life five years ago. She spends days in a darkroom, using her photography skills to develop precious film that clients bring to her in the hopes of capturing memories long forgotten. She's oblivious to Julie's encounter with bullies at school or the significance of her daughter's declining self-esteem, until an alarming incident opens her eyes to reality.

Reluctantly, Camille agrees to leave the security of her tranquil town and  spend the summer with her ailing father and Julie in Provence, the place he called home as a child. The beauty and peacefulness of France begin to heal her broken heart, especially when she's in the presence of a handsome naval officer. Julie is exuberant in her new surroundings, making new friends, and experiencing the thrill of living life without fear.

Slowly and methodically, Camille's father begins to piece together the fragmented parts of what he remembers growing up in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Stepping back in time reveals astonishing facts about his courageous mother, and the sacrifices she made during the dark days of War. By taking a look into what came before, a family finds the strength to face what lies ahead.

An emotional, mellow, romantic story that satisfies the wanderlust in all of us.