There are lots of dangerous jobs out there. Police officers, firefighters, military personnel; all of these folks could be in physical peril on any given day. Protective gear helps; but when your chosen profession is babysitting, there is no protective gear. Your best source of protection is thinking fast on your feet, because, as cute as toddlers and little children are, their bodies are all elbows and knees, and they move at the speed of light, usually in an unexpected burst of energy. Take, for example, zipping up a toddler's coat. You're bent over, concentrating on the task at hand, and in a split second, your tongue is on fire becuase you didn't have protective gear around your open mouth, and, for whatever reason, the child decided to use that moment to test the springs on the bottoms of their feet and take a flying leap straight up into the air. Your tongue just got in the way of "friendly fire." It is an occupational hazard. Next time a coat needs to be zipped, or your mouth is in close proximity to a leaping three year old, your tongue should also be zipped up. At the end of the day, the best way to cure whatever ails you is to pick up a good book, and put your feet up. At the Jasper County Public Library, we have just the prescription you need in these new fiction titles.
In "The Brutal Telling" by Louise Penny, secrets are revealed and chaos reigns supreme in Three Pines when a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro. Could the beloved bistro owner, Olivier, be responsible in some way for the brutal murder? Frantically trying to outrun the clues as the investigation closes in, time is running out for Olivier and the little village of Three Pines must brace itself for the ugly truth, in this the fifth installment of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series.
In a time when the truth of one financial debacle after another finds its way into the headlines, best selling author, James Grippando has captured the essence of the destruction of financial institutions in his newest novel featuring thirty one year old Michael Cantella. Michael is a rising star at Wall Street's premier investment bank, Saxton Silvers. In an instant, however, his world is turned upside down when the love of his life, Ivy Layton, disappears on their honeymoon in the Bahamas. Four years later, after rebuilding his life, Michael logs onto his computer to check his investments only to find his assets liquidated, along with the message, "Just as planned," xoxo. Could the key to this financial debacle be the missing Ivy? Find out in "Money to Burn" by James Grippando.
As a self made "Master of the Universe," Adam March has it all; high powered job, beautiful wife, and a glamorous circle of friends. When a painful past comes calling, Adam's world begins to crumble, and he loses everything; his job, his wife, and the life he's worked so hard to build. Working in a soup kitchen to complete community service, Adam meets Chance, a pit bull bred to fight. As the lives of man and dog intersect, both discover the amazing power behind the man/dog relationship, saving one another in the most unexpected of ways in "One Good Dog" by Susan Wilson.
Meg Wynne Thompson is a self made beauty, and a most unpopular bride. When she turns up dead on her wedding day, the local manicurist, Penny Brannigan, vows to find the killer, and discovers that several people, some on the bride's guest list, were gunning for Meg. Will the trail go cold, or will Penny catch the killer? Find out in "The Cold Light of Mourning" by Elizabeth J. Duncan.
Physical peril; yes, danger lurks around the bend every day. Zipping up coats, changing diapers, and getting in close enough proximity to that little bundle of joy with an uncontrollable desire to take flight at the most unexpected of moments are all potentials for physical peril; and if you don't believe me, just ask my tongue.
