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Mystery

Rabbits

October 4, 2021 by Tess Leave a Comment

Rabbits by Terry Miles
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

There’s a game being played – an ancient and dangerous game – but the vast majority of us have no idea it exists. If you’ve ever noticed a strange coincidence – you check your clock twice in a day, and both times it’s 4:44 – or a discrepancy – you see a famous work of art in a museum, but were sure the house in the painting had 2 windows, not 3 – you probably experienced a brief moment of déjà vu, maybe the Mandela effect, then moved on with your life. People who obsess over these connections, and investigate these conspiracies, are playing the game, which is called Rabbits.

K is one of these people. In fact, K’s a bit of an expert on Rabbits, which is played in numbered iterations. K’s approached by mysterious billionaire Alan Scarpio, rumored winner of the sixth iteration. Scarpio tells K there’s a problem with the game, they need to fix it, and the world as we know it is at stake if they can’t. Within the next few days Scarpio is reported missing, and K is thrust deep into the latest iteration of the increasingly deadly game of Rabbits. Follow the clues to save the world with K in this unique and fast-paced thriller.

Find Rabbits in the catalog

Filed Under: New for Adults Tagged With: Book, Conspiracies, Games, Gaming, Mystery, Thriller

Ararat

September 8, 2021 by Zoey Leave a Comment

Ararat by Christopher Golden
Format:  Book
Who it’s For:  Adults

After a huge avalanche forces Adam Holzer and Meryam Karga, a couple climbing Mount Ararat, to hunt for shelter in one of the mountain’s caves, they stumble upon what they believe to be Noah’s Ark. Thrilled by their finding, the couple visions of turning their luck into a best-selling biography. Inside the ark is a great coffin that rapidly becomes the primary interest of the crew. Speculating who might be inside, with theories stretching from Noah himself to other biblical figures–the crew, after a passing disagreement, makes the choice to break open the coffin. But instead of discovering Noah, a horrible, evil-looking, horned cadaver rests inside.

What could go wrong?

Quite a lot. Particularly when an invading strangeness runs its nails down everybody’s back; when the crew turns abnormally malicious, needy, or fearful. When the crew awakens screaming, mysteriously overwhelmed by long-buried childhood terrors. When people disappear.

Find Ararat in the catalog!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Series, Thriller

The Mysterious Benedict Society

September 6, 2021 by Andie Leave a Comment

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Format: Book
Who it’s for: kids, everyone

The Mysterious Benedict Society follows four children – Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance – as they join Mr. Benedict’s secret organization in an effort to defeat evil. After completing tests and solving puzzles, the four unlikely friends are brought together in an effort to solve the mysteries plaguing their little town. Why are people disappearing? What’s going on at the Learning Institute? Follow the adventures of these four unlikely friends as they work together to solve the mysteries.

This book was enjoyable from beginning to end! It was quick-paced with lots of little twists and turns and a strong found-family theme. While this is a children’s book, I’d recommend it for anyone of any age. If you like mysteries, I recommend giving this book a try!

The Mysterious Benedict Society is the first in the series, and has also been made into a TV show on Disney+.

Find The Mysterious Benedict Society in our catalog! 

Filed Under: Recommended for Kids Tagged With: Adventure, Book, Mystery

The Darkwater Saga

July 30, 2021 by Kimberle's Korner Leave a Comment

Recommended Series
Series Title: Darkwater Saga by Patrick W. Carr
First Book: The Shock of Night
Who it’s for: Teens & Adults

Brief Synopsis: A clean (no sex, gore, or swearing) medieval fantasy mystery with twists & turns, warring religions, gifted peoples, secret societies, battles between forces of good & evil, and complex characters that make one feel all the emotions set in one epic story told in 4 parts.

Review: The Darkwater Saga takes place in the fictional kingdom of Collum. Our hero is Willet Dura, a reeve, aka the King’s investigator. He fell in love with a Lady of the realm; so as a favor the King has made Willet a Lord; now they may marry. Willet is not a well-respected Lord or noble since he was not born to it and works a regular job. Willet is also looked down on and basically thought to be a little crazy because he survived a night in the Darkwater Woods. Everybody knows folks die or come out insane after a night in the Darkwater. 😬😨😱 Willet is even more suspect because he cannot remember his time in the Darkwater. Despite these difficulties, Lord Willet Dura is content as a typical working man.

Now the fantasy aspect comes in to play because in Collum there are people who are gifted. After Willet’s time in the Darkwater, he sometimes wakes up with blood on his clothes and no memory of how it got there. All Willet knows is that there is sure to have been a murder. A great thing for an investigator but is it a gift or a curse?

If one starts with book 1, The Shock of Night, many aspects of this world are not fully explained until almost the end of the book. I believe the author, Patrick W. Carr, wrote the free prequel, By Divine Right because some readers wanted more world building before they jumped right into the adventure. I learned about the prequel after reading book 1. The prequel is available on most major ebook platforms for free!😁👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

In Collum, there are folks that are gifted. They are the upper class in society. Gifts of uncanny physical strength, music, mental ability, and other talents can be passed down in families. A relative typically inherits gifts but sometimes they go to an apprentice. The gifted can give it to them before they die. Most gifted train their successors so they know how to use their gift properly. Sometimes gifts can “go rogue” when the gifted person is unable to pass it on their appointed successor. That is what happens to our hero, Lord Willet Dura in The Shock of Night.  Willet wakes up with mystery blood on his clothes and knows he will be investigating a murder. For the first time, Willet finds the victim still alive. The stranger lives just long enough to pass his gift to Willet.  A gift that comes with additional responsibilities which Willet soon discovers he would rather not have. The dying man belonged to a group called the Vigil. The Vigil is a group of gifted individuals who seek to vanquish the evil in their world. They are like magical Navy Seals or very limited in power X-men.  Willet does not like this whatsoever but he has a mystery to solve. 🕵️‍♂️

Thus begins the epic adventure of Lord Willet Dura saving the kingdom of Collum from evil. There are many heartaches. At times, it seems like all hope is lost but good does triumph…eventually. Many battles against evil forces will ensue. Some characters will die or be seriously injured. All of them will have injuries to their soul. Miracles will happen. Revelations will be brought to light. Many (unlikely) lifelong friendships will be formed as Willet is joined/joins others to fight the evil that is trying to engulf the kingdom of Collum. They do win in the end. But every win was hard won with blood, sweat, and tears aplenty.😫😭

If you read Sharon Kay Penman’s 4 book series of medieval mysteries featuring Justin de Quincey as the investigator, you will like Lord Willet Dura and his investigative style. If you enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies, you will enjoy the medieval adventure, magical happenings, and teamwork found in this series.  I read this series because I liked his Sword and the Staff series. While looking for something similar to Stephen R. Lawhead, I discovered Patrick W.Carr under the tag of Christian fantasy. A Christian publisher, Baker, publishes Carr’s books but neither of his series are what I think of as Christian fiction. Carr’s books are clean and have few things in them that might offend a Christian but are definitely not what I would classify as a Christian fantasy novel like say C.S. Lewis. I recommend the series to teens and adults that can handle violence, character deaths, and hard emotions. None of the books are standalones.  All the novels pickup right where one book ends. Luckily, the series is finished and no need to wait a year or more for the rest of the story.🎉😀

Patrick W. Carr’s Darkwater Saga is available on Hoopla!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Action, Adult, Adventure, Adventure Fiction, Character-Driven, Clean, Fantasy, Friendships, Good vs Evil, Historical, Historical Fiction, Historical Novel, Investigation, Kingdoms, Medieval, Mystery, Trilogy, War, Young Adult

The Vanishing

July 14, 2021 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

The Vanishing coverThe Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

This first book in a new series doesn’t disappoint! It has all the great elements of a fun and fast paced read. There is mystery, suspense, paranormal elements, action, and a hot romance.

As teenagers, Catalina Lark and Olivia LeClair witnessed a murder and had a bazaar supernatural experience in a cave in their hometown of Fogg Lake. According to everyone in town, there was no body; so there was no murder. Fast forward 15 years, and Catalina and Olivia are running their own investigation agency. For two women who can read auras and sense events past and present, let’s just say the investigation business is going well.

Their lives are quickly upended when Olivia goes missing; and an interesting man named Slater shows up from The Foundation, a secretive supernatural organization. Catalina and Slater set out to find Olivia, and who is responsible for the murders of 2 collectors of supernatural artifacts. These events are linked, and may lead Catalina and Slater to the Fogg Lake murderer from 15 years ago.

Find it in the catalog.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Auras, Female Detective, Female Friendships, Mystery, Paranormal, Psychic, Romance

Piranesi

July 6, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Format: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Adults

Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller (Circe, Song of Achilles), Piranesi is the story of the titular character who lives in a labyrinth-like House with countless rooms, statues, and even an ocean trapped inside. Through Piranesi’s journal entries, we learn about the Tide, the 13 skeletons he cares for, and the Other, the only other living human Piranesi encounters. 

It’s best to go into this book knowing little about it, so I won’t give too much away, but as we learn of Piranesi’s discoveries in the House and his interactions with the Other, something starts to feel a bit off. Where (and what) is the House? Who is Piranesi? Who is the Other? 

It takes a bit of effort to get through this book – it’s not long (under 250 pages, far shorter than Clarke’s 700+ page Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell), but it’s chock full of symbolism and metaphor. Take the time to read slowly to appreciate the references and uncover the mysteries of the House and the Other with Piranesi.

Find Piranesi in the catalog.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Fantasy, Mystery

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