The Book Rack NewsletterIt just makes sense to buy your books at The Book Rack!

Vol 11, #7July 2018

563-355-2310

Store Hours: 10:00 - 6:00 Daily (except New Years Day, Easter, July 4,Thanksgiving and Christmas)

http://www.thebookrackqc.com/BookRackQC@Gmail.com

Trivia for JulyWhat was Scarlett O'Hara's real first name in Gone With

The Wind?”

For the answer see below!

$25 Gift Certificate Winners!In January 2018 we began giving away two $25.00 Gift Certificates to BookRack account holders each month. The names are selected randomly from

all our registered customers who have registered and/or had a trade orpurchase since 1 January 2016. All a winner has to do is read the

newsletter and find your name listed below, then come in and claim yourreward. No purchase is required and you don't have to register separately

from your initial account registration.

The July 2018 winners are:

JoAnn Baker

Larry CederstromCongratulations!

Just call or stop at the store on or before July 31 to claim yourprize: a $25 gift certificate from The Book Rack.

July Holidays and Events at The Book Rack:

National anti-Boredom Month National Cell Phone Courtesy MonthJuly 4 – Independence Day – Celebrate safely!7 – Chocolate Day – Every month needs one of these10 – Teddy Bear Picnic Day14 – Pandemonium Day17 – Yellow Pig Day - a mathematician's holiday celebrating yellow pigs and the number 17 20 – National Moon Day – Celebrates Neal Armstrong's walk on the Moon.25 - Culinarians Day - a special day for anyone who cooks 28 – National Day of the Cowboy – Read a western today30 – International Day of Friendship

Authors whose books we need for our otherCustomers

David Baldacci * Lee Child * Harlan Coben * Clive Cussler

Kristin Hannah * Elin Hilderband * Any Classics

Jim Butcher * Louise Penny * Stephen King

Terry Pratchett * CJ Box

If you have paperback books by these authors and you'rewilling to part with them, please bring them in.

Book Reviews

The Late Show by Michael Connelly (2017)

Renee Ballard, a fierce young detective fighting to prove herself on the LAPD's toughest beat--the Late Show.Renee Ballard works the midnight shift in Hollywood, beginning many investigations but finishing few, as each morning she turns everything over to the daytime units. It's a frustrating job for a once up-and-coming detective, but it's no accident. She's been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor. But one night Ballard catches two assignments she doesn't want to part with. First, a prostitute is brutally beaten and left for dead in a parking lot. All signs point to a crime of premeditation, not passion, by someone with big evil on his mind. Then she sees a young waitress breathe her last after being caught up in a nightclub shooting. Though dubbed a peripheral victim, the waitress buys Ballard a way in, and this time she is determined not to give up at dawn. Against orders and her partner's wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the investigations intertwine, Ballard is forced to face her own demons and confront a danger she could never have imagined. To find justice for these victims who can't speak for themselves, she must put not only her career but her life on the line. Propulsive as a jolt of adrenaline and featuring a bold and defiant new heroine.It's been a few years since I last read Connelly. He's one of our more popular authors and I prefer to introduce more obscure authors to you. OK. I do read Lee Child, Don Winslow and other best sellers. But I mainly like to read authors new to me. Back to Connelly... This police procedural is thrilling. Renee Ballard is a determined, knowledgeable, daring cop with whom you'll quickly bond. It was one of the quickest reads I've had. I just had a hard time putting it down. If you are already a Connelly fan, here's a new protagonist to add to your favorites. If you're not already a Connelly fan, you need to get one of his books and you'll be hooked. The Late Show would be a good one to start you love affair with him. I give it an A!

Blood and Guile by William Hoffman(2000)

Blood and Guile begins with a seemingly simple, albeit unfortunate, hunting accident. Walter B. Frampton II, the bemused, slightly effete yet dogged lawyer from the earlier Hoffman novels, returns in this beautifully written, character-driven story of secrets and deceptions. An attorney in the Tidewater town of Jessup's Wharf, Va., Walter joins his two oldest friends, Drake Wingo and Cliff Dickens, on a grouse-hunting trip to Drake's rented land in the West Virginia mountains. Also along is Wendell Ripley, an unassuming member of a peaceful religious cult and the owner of the rented property, which Drake hopes to purchase. Cliff inadvertently kills Ripley while shooting at a bird, but a wily county sheriff, Bruce B. Sawyers, comes up with a different scenario and arrestsCliff, Walter's client, for murder. Despite Cliff's protestations of innocence, Walterdoubts that he's telling the truth. As Walter investigates the case on his own, he discovers a side of the dilettante Cliff he never suspected. He also learns that the ties between Drake and Cliff are sinister and powerful, leading to a dramatic,sad and very human climax. A fine writer, Hoffman will appeal to readers who appreciate literary fiction. He imbues his mystery with lyrical evocations of the haunting, overgrown West Virginia mountains and shows the beauty of the placid Tidewater farming and horse country, as well as threats to it by greedy outsiders. He also creates believable characters, courtly, articulate and wise. Yetbeneath that patina of respectability lie hidden torments.

A well done murder mystery, but a little slow paced. I give it a B-.

The October List by Jeffery Deaver (2013)

A novel in reverse with photographs by the author.Publisher's commentary:Gabriela waits desperately for news of her abducted daughter.At last, the door opens.But it's not the negotiators. It's not the FBI.It's the kidnapper.And he has a gun.How did it come to this?Two days ago, Gabriela's life was normal. Then, out of the blue, she gets word that her six-year-old daughter has been taken. She's given an ultimatum: pay half a million dollars and find a mysterious document known as the "October List" within 30 hours, or she'll never see her child again.A mind-bending novel with twists and turns that unfold from its dramatic climax back to its surprising beginning, THE OCTOBER LIST is Jeffery Deaver at his masterful, inventive best.

Critics seemed endeared with the reversal of the chapters, but I found it awkward as a reader. I had a hard time keeping the flow straight. That said, the story was typically Deaver – very good. I give it a B, lower than Deaver's norm, mostly because of the reversal.

Designated Daughters ( Deborah Knott Mystery #19 ) by Margaret Maron (2015)

When Judge Deborah Knott is summoned to her ailing Aunt Rachel's bedside, she assumes the worst. Thankfully when she arrives at the hospice center she learns that Rachel hasn't passed; in fact, the dying woman is awake. Surrounded by her children, her extended family, and what seems like half of Colleton County, a semi-conscious Rachel breaks weeks of pained silence with snippets of stories as randomly pieced together as a well-worn patchwork quilt. But the Knott family's joy quickly gives way to shock: less than an hour later, Aunt Rachel is found dead in her bed, smothered with a pillow.

Who would kill a woman on her deathbed? Was it an act of mercy, or murder? As Deborah and her husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, investigate they cross paths with an unlikely set of suspects: Rachel's longtime minister; her neighbor, the respected local doctor; the friendly single father who often sought her advice; and perhaps the most puzzling party of all, the Designated Daughters, a support group for caregivers that Rachel's own daughter belongs to.

Soon Deborah and Dwight realize that the key to solving this case is hidden in Rachel's mysterious final words. Her mixed-up memories harbored a dark secret-a secret that someone close to them is determined to bury forever.

A fine mystery! The ending was surprising and plausible, which I appreciate.

One of the reviews said it well. “This book has plenty of suspense and the characters are well done. One of Ms. Maron's strengths is the believability of hercharacters. They add to the story and don't distract the reader with useless red herrings”. I give it a B+. If you like Marcia Muller, Sue Henry or Joan Hess, you may well like Maron.

The Humanoids by Jack Williamson (1949)

”To serve and obey, and protect men from harm.” On the far planet Wing IV, a brilliant scientist creates the humanoids--sleek black androids programmed to serve humanity.

But are they perfect servants--or perfect masters?

Slowly the humanoids spread throughout the galaxy, threatening to stifle all human endeavor. Only a hidden group of rebels can stem the humanoid tide...if it's not already too late.

Fist published in Astounding Science Fiction during the magazine's heyday, The Humanoids--science fiction grand master Jack Williamson's finest novel--has endured for more than fifty years as a classic on the theme of natural versus

artificial life.

A short classic but filled with action, thoughtful dialogue and intrigue. What might the future hold for humans as robots evolve into androids and take over more of the labor now performed by humans? Frightening or exciting? This little book give one perspective I found “interesting.” I give it a B+.

Firewall, a Kurt Wallander novel by Henning Mankell (1998)

A body is found at an ATM the apparent victim of heart attack. Then two teenagegirls are arrested for the brutal murder of a cab driver. The girls confess to the crime showing no remorse whatsoever. Two open and shut cases. At first these two incidents seem to have nothing in common, but as Wallander delves deeperinto the mystery of why the girls murdered the cab driver he begins to unravel a plot much more involved and complicated than he initially suspected. The two cases become one and lead to conspiracy that stretches to encompass a world larger than the borders of Sweden.

Another terrific police procedural by Mankell. He is so good at crafting complex scenarios that keep you glued to your seat as you read the case, anxious to findout what the end results will be. I give Firewall an A. If you've not read Mankell you really need to give him a try if you like thrillers, police procedurals of just a good story.

Trivia for JulyWhat was Scarlett O'Hara's real first name in “Gone With

The Wind?”

Answer:

Katie

Recent and Upcoming New Releases:Check out the prices following the title of the book. Those prices are the publisher's prices. The Book Rack price is normally 20% lower. When you pick it up at the store there is no shipping cost, though we can also ship it to you. Order now by calling the store or stopping in. We do ask for prepaymenton all special orders.

You can also add any of these titles to your request list. Some will come in soon and others may take a while, but most will get to you eventually.

Hardcover and Trade PaperbackSandra Brown – Tailspin – 27.00

Gail Carriger – Competence: The Custard Protocol, Bk 3 – 26.00

Colleen Coble – The House at Saltwater Point – 15.99

J.P. Delaney – Believe Me – 27.00

Heather Graham – Pale As Death – 26.99

Elin Hilderbrand – The Perfect Couple – 28.00

Alice Hoffman – The Rules of Magic – 16.00

Lisa Jackson – Liar, Liar – 26.00

Iris Johansen – Double Blind – 28.99

Karen Kingsbury – In This Moment – 15.9914

Johanna Lindsey – Marry Me by Sundown – 26.00

Debbie Macomber – Cottage by the Sea – 27.00

Susan Mallery – When We Found Home – 26.99

James Patterson – Texas Ranger – 28.00

Tracie Peterson – In Dreams Forgotten – 15.99

Preston & Child – The Pharaoh Key – 28.00

Sharon Sala – In Shadows – 26.99

Maggie Sefton – Dyeing Up Loose Ends – 26.00

Daniel Silva – The Other Woman – 28.99

Alexander McCall Smith – The Quiet Side of Passion – 25.95

Sean Spicer – The Briefing: Politics, the Press, and the President – 28.99

Danielle Steel – The Good Fight – 28.99

Ann Tyler – Clock Dance – 26.95

Susan Wiggs – Between You & Me – 26.99

Mass Market Paperback

Sandra Brown – Seeing Red – 9.99

Michael Connelly – The Late Show – 9.99

Nelson DeMille – The Cuban Affair – 9.99

Julie Garwood – Wired – 7.99

Heather Graham – Pale as Death – 8.99

Andrew Gross – The Saboteur – 9.99

Elin Hilderbrand – The Identicals – 7.99

Fern Michaels – Truth or Dare – 7.99

Sharon Sala – In Shadows – 7.99

James Rollins – The Demon Crown – 9.99

Susan Wiggs – Map of the Heart – 7.99

Stuart Woods – Quick & Dirty – 9.99