What is Your Idea of Adventure?

On a recent trip to the vet, a middle aged couple was wrapping up thier visit. With a large, Black Lab in tow on a leash trailing behind them, the husband and wife began to climb into their full size, extended cab pickup truck. Watching them from inside of the office, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw the front and back doors of the truck swing open with the woman climbing into the back seat, the man into the driver's seat, and the Black Lab into the front passenger seat of the truck. As they pulled out of the parking lot, that Black Lab sat proudly, facing forward, clearly enjoying his adventure. You'll find your own version of adventure by paging through these new fiction titles from the Jasper County Public Library. Check these out!

An act of violence so horrific against 8 year old Michael literally leaves the little boy speechless. As he grows, he comes into his own, discovering that he can open any lock, anywhere, any time. This special talent makes Michael a hot commodity and in high demand. When a simple heist turns into a nightmare, Michael's life falls apart, and he decides to go back home to find the one true love of his life, and face the horrible past that took his voice in "The Lock Artist" by Steve Hamilton.

George Flynn is a seventeen year old, all around decent guy who has just relocated, along with his family, to DesMoines. Befriending the Schell sisters, George has found his niche in his new hometown. Emily is a free spirited, aspiring actress, and Katie is full of humor and wit despite her battle with multiple sclerosis. When tragedy strikes and upsets the delicate balance of their lives, George has to find a way to step up to the plate and help them through in "Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter" by Michael J. White.

Bandy Dorner has just returned home from Vietnam, and discovers that his life is in a shambles. His pregnant wife is leaving him for another man, and within minutes, a cop lies bloodied in the road and Bandy is headed for prison. Eighteen years later when he is released, Bandy returns to the family ranch and meets the teenage son that he never got a chance to know, and following close behind is Bandy's ex-wife, Iona. All three are changed, haunted by their past, but try to put together the pieces of their lives in "Then Came the Evening" by Brian Hart.

The real estate market is tough, but gets tougher for Jackie Swaitkowski when a client of his turns up dead. The mystery surrounding the untimey demise of his client leaves Jackie in search of clues, leading him on a dangerously rocky ride in "Short Squeeze" by Chris Knopf.

This article is dedicated to my Bo, a part Lab pooch with a heart as big as all outdoors who decided after a 12 year reign as captain of my heart that it was time to move on to explore his very own adventures over the rainbow. He would've loved to sit on the front seat of my car on our excursions, but was hard pressed to sit in the passenger seat of my little Toyota. Thanks for the memories, Bo. You were one of a kind.