National Network for Equitable Library Service

Maggie runs a group that dubs voices for movies. She spends much of her time fending off her three pushy daughters, and gets her kicks with her far older Sicilian lover. Connie, on the other hand, has a taste for younger men. These two best friends are getting past their prime, which is why they plan to have one last great adventure. But on the road from Texas to California and back, the women get caught up in events beyond their control. Packing a .38 Special, they blaze their trail across the Southwest, bumping into one zany character after another.

Fourteen-year-old Tangy Mae tells of the brutal physical and mental abuse that her mother inflicts on her and her ten siblings.

When Jessilyn's parents begin raising her best friend as their own daughter, this kindness toward a dark-skinned orphan triggers threats and violence. While teetering on the brink of womanhood, Jessilyn must learn to be a shining light in a dark world.

Although Jessilyn and Gemma's friendship has weathered the storms of heartache and prejudice, the turbulent summer of 1936 threatens to shatter the ties that bind. After the hit-and-run death of a little girl, Gemma's explosive revelation could save an innocent man's life--but not without jeopardizing the livelihood of Jessilyn's family.

Hanna Beth has been caring for her aging husband--who suffers from Alzheimer's--and her developmentally challenged adult son for years on her own. But when she suffers a stroke, estranged stepdaughter Rebecca must take the reins. As she cares for her father and the step-brother she's barely met, Rebecca slowly begins to heal both herself and her family.

Spragg weaves the tale of Ishawooa, Wyoming, a city marred by the realities of modern life. Sheriff Crane Carlson is having enough trouble with his pot-addled and alcoholic wife when he finds a teen murdered in a meth lab. Violence seems to be exploding all over the small town, but even as the situation spirals out of control, Carlson finds moments of compassion and beauty.

Beautiful, calculating Undine Spragg wants more than anything to be stylish. Never satisfied, she is constantly planning her next social accomplishment. In her struggle, she encounters Ralph Marvell, a gentleman from the upper class, who falls helplessly in love with her. But the restless Undine is concerned only for her own well-being, and does not understand the feelings of those who surround her.

The Woodsman's Daughter is set in 19th-century rural Georgia. Dauntless teenaged beauty Dahlia is plagued by her hard-drinking father and his terrible secrets. Determined to make a better life for herself, Dahlia strikes out to raise her own family. But her life is haunted by tragedy, and she is never out of reach of fate's cruel hand.

Hazel Marie, former lover of Miss Julia's late husband, needs assistance in staging a beauty contest to determine who will reign as Miss Abbot County Sheriff's Department. Enter Miss Julia. She has plenty of advice for the contestants about maintaining their poise, showcasing their charm, and perfecting their stage presence. Doing her utmost to help the women, Miss Julia must also address concerns over her complicated relationship with her gentleman friend, Sam.

Police chief Cameron McDonald has lived in idyllic Wheelock, Massachusetts for most of his life, as has his beloved wife Allie. Their comfortable lives are thrown into tumult, however, when Cam's distant cousin Jamie arrives in town along with his wife's dead body. Jamie admits to the murder--a mercy killing to end the pain caused by a ravaging cancer. And now Cam is torn by his oath to uphold justice and his family obligations as chief of the Scottish McDonald clan.