Middletown Thrall Library Invites You to Go... BEYOND THE BESTSELLERS: Your Personal Guide to Interesting Books Not Necessarily Found on Bestseller Lists: Fall 2005 Edition

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Past Issues

Missed a past issue of Beyond the Bestsellers? Click below for previous BTBs and more reading recommendations:

Consider any of the titles below the next time you're looking for something interesting to read. To learn more about a book and check on its availablity within the library system, click a title link below.

Some book records in the library catalog have additional links you can click to learn more about the book and the author. Some titles even have chapter excerpts that you can read online!

Scroll down and browse by genre to begin!



GENERAL FICTION



Some titles to consider:

HISTORICAL FICTION

  • The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks - A woman, lonely for her husband, a Confederate soldier, and mourning her dead children, finds solace in transforming her Tennessee plantation into a hospital and cemetery.
  • Dancing in the Dark - Caryl Phillips - The story of vaudevillian, Bert Williams, is at the center of this biographical novel. Williams, America's first black superstar, was a composer, singer, dancer and comedian. The paradox of his genius and the stereotype he was forced to portray is explored in this loving portrait.
Other titles to consider:

MYSTERIES

  • Blood Knot by John Galligan. The second in Galligan's series of fly fishing mysteries featuring Ned "Dog" Ogilvie, a grieving father consumed with guilt, is grim but beautifully crafted and peopled with characters reminiscent of Faulkner.
  • For Edgar by Sheldon Rusch - A serial killer known as the Raven leaves clues from Edgar Allen Poe's stories. Special Agent Elizabeth Taylor Hewitt from the Illinois state police turns to her former lover, Scott Gregory, a Poe scholar, to help her decode the clues. Hewitt is a witty and intelligent protagonist.


SCIENCE FICTION

Some titles to consider:

THRILLERS

Some titles to consider:
  • The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez- After giving a rousing speech praising Atticus Finch and celebrating the importance of upholding the sacred rights of the innocent, A. Scott Fenney, a corporate lawyer at the top of his game, is assigned, much to his dismay, to represent a heroin addicted prostitute accused of murdering the son of a Texas senator. Fans of fast paced legal thrillers should enjoy this morality tale.
  • Thirteen Steps Down by Ruth Rendell - This horror filled stand alone psychological thriller is being hailed as one of Rendell's best works. Its evocative setting and surprise ending will not disappoint fans of the British chiller.