National Network for Equitable Library Service

The young Reverend Nate Thicke has made quite the reputation for himself,but when he falls in love and gets married, he swears to become a one-woman man. Most of his congregation forgives him for his past sins, but some aren't quite ready to give the Reverend a second chance.

Mankell tells the story of a young African orphan adopted by a Swedish man and whisked away to his new father's country. There the boy, dubbed Daniel, finds himself swallowed by a bizarre landscape of snow and mud. Always in his mind are thoughts of his murdered parents, calling him back to Africa. But Daniel's path is marked by tragedy, and his homecoming seems an impossible dream.

Schlink offers the tale of old friends who come together for a remarkable reunion. One of the group is a convicted murderer and terrorist, fresh out of prison and joined by his devoted sister. But another guest has remained true to the cause that might spell trouble for them all.

Essie Mae Richardson means the world to the residents of the Braxton Park subdivision. So when she dies, all the hard work she did to rebuild fraying relationships and bolster broken families begins coming undone. But there are some who won't let her efforts go to waste, and they will fight to keep this angel's legacy alive.

Closing in on 40, the sometimes misstepping Adrian Mole faces a host of unpleasantries--just one of which is his escalating number of nocturnal visits to the loo. Meanwhile, on the marriage front, it might be fair to say that his once-passionate relationship with his wife has grown just the tiniest bit stale, and contact with his former lover, Dr. Pandora Braithwaite, is certainly not helping matters.

A great sense of relief washes over widow Isabel Delancey when she inherits the Spanish House. Now she and her two children will have a home after being forced out of London. But the house is coveted by other interested parties, and now Isabel is caught up in their machinations.

Genealogist Nigel Barnes is recruited by Scotland Yard to investigate a group of puzzling, vicious murders. The victims all bear a message carved into their bodies that appears to refer to a series of 19th-century stabbings for which the killer may have been innocent.

Oscar-winning actress Paige Carson sashays off to London to try her hand at Shakespeare and prove she deserves more than bimbo roles. But stage acting isn't what the pampered star expected, and neither is her snooty landlord Ed. Still, an unlikely romance begins to blossom.

Midwife-sleuth Sarah Brandt is surprised by her mother's desire to attend s�eances in an undesirable section of New York City. During one dark session, death strikes a participant while all are holding hands around the table. Now it's up to Sarah--and her detective sergeant friend--to deliver her mom from scandal and ferret out the murderer.

In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years.