Make these Great, New Fiction Tltles Part of Your Summer "To Do" List

Anyone who is old enough to remember the Ray Rayner Show is old enough to remember that one of the trademarks of that children's show was Ray Rayner's jumpsuit, filled with papers that were his own personal "to do" lists. You knew the show was over when all of the papers on Ray Rayner's coveralls were gone. Are you a list maker, or do you throw caution to the wind?

Here, you'll find a list; but this list is one you won't want to ignore, because in it, you'll find the key to summer relaxation...a new fiction title from the Jasper County Public Library. Here are just a few of the new books you'll find among "lists" of many others!

There are always three sides to every story. In "Above the Law" by Tim Green, nothing is as it appears when an illegal Mexican immigrant is shot to death on a ranch outside Dallas, Texas. The shooter is a well respected young Senator who tearfully and convincingly claims that the shooting was a tragic hunting accident. When the victim's sister-in-law comes forward telling a different tale, Casey Jordan, an attorney from the local legal aid clinic, takes on the case, determined to uncover the truth. But, the real truth is that the popular Senator is a wily and vindictive opponent, and will stop at nothing to save himself.

When you win the lottery on the very worst day of your life, it's time to go into hiding. That's exactly what Lucy Parker does in "Good Luck" by Whitney Gaskell. With a cheating boyfriend, a failed career, and now a media circus at her heels, all that Lucy Parker wants to do is become invisible. Escaping to Palm Beach to stay with an old college friend, Lucy does her best to put her notoriety behind her, but no matter how discreet she tries to be, her past catches up to her, and just when she's ready to give up and cash it all in, fate intervenes, giving Lucy a glimpse of what she's really worth.

Seeing things from the perspective of a four legged canine is what "Nose Down, Eyes Up" by Merrill Markoe is all about. Narrated by one of four dogs owned by Gil, this hilarious romp of a book is the story of "Jimmy" the dog, and how he shares his knowledge of people with all the other dogs in the neighborhood. Gil, Jimmy's owner, finds his pet's lectures to be ingenious, and comes up with the idea to take Jimmy's show on the road and merchandise his advice on the Internet. This, combined with Jimmy's realization that he is adopted and that Gil is not even the same species as him, brings the canine-human existence under scrutiny, while at the same time, leaves no doubt of the bonds that are forged as humans and "man's best friend" co-exist.

Thanksgiving dinner is ready and Eve feels abundantly blessed as she shares the perfect holiday feast with her family. When a phone call interrupts their peaceful meal, Eve's husband, Jonathan, retreats to their bedroom to take the call. Irritated by his lack of hospitality, Eve walks in on what looks like a very intimate conversation with her husband and a woman that she later learns is named Laney. Jon swears that there's nothing physical between he and Laney, but can a man and a woman be "just friends?" Find out in "Love and Other Natural Disasters" by Holly Shumas.

If you have a paper trail following you everywhere you go, you're in good company. As long as that paper trail is inevitable, you may as well add one more stop to your list, and that is a trip to JCPL, where you'll be glad with all of the new fiction on the shelves that the list goes on and on!