Mysteries

Rough Justice

Intrigue in the halls of power, blood in the streets— the master of suspense returns with a novel of dark passion and darker deeds.

After almost two score books, Higgins knows how to fire up a thriller,” wrote Publishers Weekly about the author’s latest book, The Killing Ground. “It’s all pure Higgins: almost every shot hits square between the eyes, and all the characters are hard lads indeed.” But none of them harder than the heroes—and villains—of Rough Justice.

Dispatched by the President to report on the state of still troubled Kosovo, his trusted agent Blake Johnson runs into a military man there named Harry Miller, who has the same task from the British Prime Minister. They band together just in time to stop a Russian officer from torching a mosque—or rather, Miller stops him, with a bullet to the forehead.

This action will have considerable consequences, not only for Miller and Johnson and their associates, including Britain’s Sean Dillon, but for a great many people, all the way to the top of the governments of the United States, Britain, and Russia. Death begets death, and revenge leads only to revenge, and before the chain reaction of events is done—from Kosovo to London to Beirut to Ireland to Moscow—there will be plenty of both.

Rich with all the ingredients that have made the author justly admired, Rough Justice is further proof that, in the words of the Associated Press, “When it comes to thriller writers, one name stands well above the crowd—Jack Higgins.”

Hot Mahogany (Stone Barrington)

One night at Elaine’s, Stone Barrington—back in Manhattan after chasing down the bad guys in the Caribbean—meets Barton Cabot, older brother of his sometime ally, CIA boss Lance Cabot. Barton’s career in army intelligence is even more top secret than his brother’s, but he’s suffering from amnesia following a random act of violence. Amnesia is a dangerous thing in a man whose memory is chockfull of state secrets, so Lance hires Stone to watch Barton’s back. As Stone discovers, Barton is a spy with a rather unusual hobby: building and restoring antique furniture. The genteel world of antiques and coin dealers at first seems a far cry from Stone’s usual underworld of mobsters, murderers, and spies. But Barton also is a man with a past, and one event in particular— in the jungles of Vietnam more than thirty years earlier— is coming back to haunt his present in ways he’d never expected. Stone soon finds out that Barton, and some shady characters of his acquaintance, may be hiding a lot more than just a few forged antiques.

Little Brother

Creation in Death (In Death)

The 25th In Death novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author

The Arctic Incident (Artemis Fowl, Book 2)

Eoin Colfer's bestselling antihero is back in Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident--the superb sequel to the hyper-hyped Artemis Fowl, shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year. The Arctic Incident sees the slightly older, perhaps slightly more mellow arch-criminal Artemis recovered from his last adventure, richer now that he has his half of a hoard of fairy gold, and happier since the Clarice Starlingesque superfairy Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon returned his mother's ailing mind to full health.

But there is still much unfinished business: Artemis Fowl Sr. disappeared when a daring escapade designed to free his family from their criminal--not to mention deeply lucrative--past and move the family's assets into legitimate enterprises went horribly wrong. Held captive by the Mafiya (the Russian organized crime syndicate) for over two years, he has been declared officially dead, but Artemis Jr. knows in his heart (yes, he does have one) that his beloved father is still alive, and he is determined to find him. Meanwhile Captain Short is temporarily on assignment to Customs and Excise as punishment for letting Fowl separate her and her People from their gold and is finding her stakeout duties a little dull. It soon becomes obvious that the pair have need of each other's considerable skills, and before long they are on track for an adventure that will ultimately have far-reaching consequences for both of them.

If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be disappointed by the second. Initially the pace is a little slower, and the slightly more mellow Artemis is certainly a tad unnerving at first (particularly as one of the things that made him such an unusual character was the fact that there was something distinctly unlikable about him), but once the sparks between Holly and Artemis begin to fly, and the adventure that tests their endurance to their emotional, physical, and intellectual limits begins, the pages just keep on turning.

The high-tech hocus pocus, the complex underworld, and the James Bond-style storyline will keep even the most reluctant reader enthralled. Add to the mix a fair dollop of humor, the occasional sprinkling of right-on commentary about the state of the planet, and enough hooks in the story to ensure you will be clamoring for the next book. This chilling, thrilling adventure is a seriously cool (in more ways than one!) must-read for anyone age 9 and older. --Susan Harrison

Eoin Colfer's bestselling antihero is back in Artemis Fowl: TheArctic Incident--the superb sequel to the hyper-hyped Artemis Fowl, shortlisted forthe Whitbread Children's Book of the Year. The Arctic Incident sees theslightly older, perhaps slightly more mellow arch-criminal Artemis recoveredfrom his last adventure, richer now that he has his half of a hoard of fairygold, and happier since the Clarice Starlingesque superfairy Captain Holly Shortof the LEPrecon returned his mother's ailing mind to full health.But there is still much unfinished business: Artemis Fowl Sr. disappeared when adaring escapade designed to free his family from their criminal--not to mentiondeeply lucrative--past and move the family's assets into legitimate enterpriseswent horribly wrong. Held captive by the Mafiya (the Russian organized crimesyndicate) for over two years, he has been declared officially dead, but ArtemisJr. knows in his heart (yes, he does have one) that his beloved father is stillalive, and he is determined to find him. Meanwhile Captain Short is temporarilyon assignment to Customs and Excise as punishment for letting Fowl separate herand her People from their gold and is finding her stakeout duties a little dull.It soon becomes obvious that the pair have need of each other's considerableskills, and before long they are on track for an adventure that will ultimatelyhave far-reaching consequences for both of them.If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be disappointed by the second.Initially the pace is a little slower, and the slightly more mellow Artemis iscertainly a tad unnerving at first (particularly as one of the things that madehim such an unusual character was the fact that there was something distinctlyunlikable about him), but once the sparks between Holly and Artemis begin tofly, and the adventure that tests their endurance to their emotional, physical,and intellectual limits begins, the pages just keep on turning.The high-tech hocus pocus, the complex underworld, and the James Bond-stylestoryline will keep even the most reluctant reader enthralled. Add to the mix afair dollop of humor, the occasional sprinkling of right-on commentary about thestate of the planet, and enough hooks in the story to ensure you will beclamoring for the next book. This chilling, thrilling adventure is a seriouslycool (in more ways than one!) must-read for anyone age 9 and older. --SusanHarrison

Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1)

Eoin Colfer describes his new book, Artemis Fowl, as "Die Hard with fairies." He's not far wrong.

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Of course, he isn't foolish enough to believe in all that "gold at the end of the rainbow" nonsense. Rather, he knows that the only way to separate the little people from their stash is to kidnap one of them and wait for the ransom to arrive. But when the time comes to put his plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall, pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to get her back.

Fantastic stuff from beginning to end, Artemis Fowl is a rip-roaring, 21st-century romp of the highest order. The author has let his imagination run riot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in an outrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter has done for wizardry. But be warned: this is no gentle frolic, so don't be fooled by the fairy subject matter. Instead, what we have here is well-written, sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude to make it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. --Susan Harrison

Eoin Colfer describes his new book, Artemis Fowl, as "DieHard with fairies." He's not far wrong.Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind inhistory. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divestthe fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Of course, he isn't foolish enough tobelieve in all that "gold at the end of the rainbow" nonsense. Rather, he knowsthat the only way to separate the little people from their stash is to kidnapone of them and wait for the ransom to arrive. But when the time comes to puthis plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall,pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements PoliceReconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf)who will stop at nothing to get her back.Fantastic stuff from beginning to end, Artemis Fowl is a rip-roaring,21st-century romp of the highest order. The author has let his imagination runriot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in anoutrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter hasdone for wizardry. But be warned: this is no gentle frolic, so don't be fooledby the fairy subject matter. Instead, what we have here is well-written,sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude tomake it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. --SusanHarrison

Point Blank (Alex Rider Adventures)

When an investigation into a series of mysterious deaths leads agents to an elite prep school for rebellious kids, MI6 assigns Alex Rider, fourteen-year-old reluctant spy, to the case. Before he knows it, Alex is hanging out with the sons of the rich and powerful, and something feels wrong. Very wrong. These former juvenile delinquents have turned well-behaved, studious-and identical-overnight. It's up to Alex to find out who is masterminding this nefarious plot, before they find him. The clock is ticking-is Alex's luck about to run out?

A Northern Light

It's 1906 and 16-year-old Mattie Gokey is at a crossroads in her life. She's escaped the overwhelming responsibilities of helping to run her father's brokedown farm in exchange for a paid summer job as a serving girl at a fancy hotel in the Adirondacks. She's saving as much of her salary as she can, but she's having trouble deciding how she's going to use the money at the end of the summer. Mattie's gift is for writing and she's been accepted to Barnard College in New York City, but she's held back by her sense of responsibility to her family--and by her budding romance with handsome-but-dull Royal Loomis. Royal awakens feelings in Mattie that she doesn't want to ignore, but she can't deny her passion for words and her desire to write.

At the hotel, Mattie gets caught up in the disappearance of a young couple who had gone out together in a rowboat. Mattie spoke with the young woman, Grace Brown, just before the fateful boating trip, when Grace gave her a packet of love letters and asked her to burn them. When Grace is found drowned, Mattie reads the letters and finds that she holds the key to unraveling the girl's death and her beau's mysterious disappearance. Grace Brown's story is a true one (it's the same story told in Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy and in the film adaptation, A Place in the Sun), and author Jennifer Donnelly masterfully interweaves the real-life story with Mattie's, making her seem even more real.

Mattie's frank voice reveals much about poverty, racism, and feminism at the turn of the twentieth century. She witnesses illness and death at a range far closer than most teens do today, and she's there when her best friend Minnie gives birth to twins. Mattie describes Minnie's harrowing labor with gut-wrenching clarity, and a visit with Minnie and the twins a few weeks later dispels any romance from the reality of young motherhood (and marriage). Overall, readers will get a taste of how bitter--and how sweet--ordinary life in the early 1900s could be. Despite the wide variety of troubles Mattie describes, the book never feels melodramatic, just heartbreakingly real. (14 and older) --Jennifer Lindsay

The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4)

Criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl is back.and so is his cunning enemy from Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, Opal Koboi. At the start of the fourth adventure, Artemis has returned to his unlawful ways. He's in Berlin, preparing to steal a famous impressionist painting from a German bank. He has no idea that his old rival, Opal, has escaped from prison by cloning herself. She's left her double behind in jail and, now free, is exacting her revenge on all those who put her there, including Artemis.

The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart Trilogy, Book 1)

"Her name was Sally Lockhart; and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man." Philip Pullman begins his Sally Lockhart trilogy with a bang in The Ruby in the Smoke--a fast-paced, finely crafted thriller set in a rogue- and scalawag-ridden Victorian London. His 16-year-old heroine has no time for the usual trials of adolescence: her father has been murdered, and she needs to find out how and why. But everywhere she turns, she encounters new scoundrels and secrets. Why do the mere words "seven blessings" cause one man to keel over and die at their utterance? Who has possession of the rare, stolen ruby? And what does the opium trade have to do with it?

As our determined and intelligent sleuth sets her mind to unraveling these dark mysteries, she learns how embroiled she is in the whole affair. As riveting and witty as the sensational "penny dreadfuls" of Victorian England (but thousands of times better written), Pullman's trilogy (including The Shadow in the North and The Tiger in the Well) will have readers on the edges of their seats. Ruby is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson

In search of clues to the mystery of her father's death, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart ventures into the shadowy underworld of Victorian London. Pursued by villains at every turn, the intrepid Sally finally uncovers two dark mysteries--and realizes that she herself is the key to both.

"In Dickensian fashion, Pullman tells the story of 16-year-old Sally Lockhart, who becomes involved in a deadly web of events as she searches for a mysterious ruby. The novel is a page turner, peopled with despicable hags, forthright heroes, and children living on the underbelly of 19th-century London. The story's events are exciting, with involved plotting. Settings and characterizations are exquisitely drawn. The first entry in a planned trilogy."--(starred) Booklist. Reading level: 6.7.