Queen Anne Books

Wally Lamb fans have waited a long time for this next novel, and the good news is they won't be disappointed. I've intentionally stayed away from Lamb's heart breaking themes, so I embarked on this 700+ page book with some trepidation. In no time, I was firmly placed in this engrossing story barely able to set it down between readings.

The Hour I First Believed delves into grief and sorrow, family history, random acts of violence, the psychology of recovering from trauma, and hope and resilience. The characters are utterly real and convincing. Nothing is candy-coated in this story.

Caelum Quirk and his wife, Maureen, move to Littleton, Colorado shortly after their marriage. He takes a job at Columbine High School as an English teacher. Maureen is a high school nurse. In April 1999, Caelum returns to his home of birth in Three Rivers, Connecticut to see his aunt who has just had a stroke. She is his last remaining relative. On the day of the Columbine shootings, Maureen climbs in a cupboard in the school library as two students carefully carry out a violent and murderous killing spree. Fully expecting to be shot, she etches a love note to Caelum in the wood cabinet for him to find. She survives, but suffers endless trauma and psychological damage.

Eventually, Caelum and Maureen leave Littleton and all the reminders of the killings to return to the Quirk family farm in Three Rivers. There is more tragedy to come as Maureen struggles to regain her footing. At the same time, Caelum embarks on a personal journey instigated by the discovery of a collection of old diaries, newspaper clippings, and letters in a bedroom of the family home. As Maureen pieces together a future, Caelum learns the truth of his own past and those who preceded him. There are incredible revelations in all of this and Caelum is forced to deal with his anger, resentment, guilt and fear. Central to both Maureen and Caelum's eventual recovery is Velvet, a former Columbine High student.

There's enough sorrow in this book to last a lifetime, but the human spirit perseveres and in the case of The Hour I First Believed, actually discovers faith and hope. ~Wendee

I have always been a fan of spy novels. They have everything required to keep you reading way past your bedtime – deceit, adventure, intrigue, and fascinating characters. John Le Carre’s A Most Wanted Man is by far the best I have read in years, if not ever. It is the story of Issa, a half-Russian, half-Chechen Muslim who shows up in Germany and is suspected of terrorism by the intelligence agencies of multiple countries. Helping him are his German attorney, Annabel Richter, and a British banker, Tommy Brue, whose bank holds an account set up by Issa’s criminal father. There is also, of course, a multitude of spies – German, British, and American – all with different agendas and secrets of their own. The major spy character is Gunther Bachmann, a German who is ethical but often hard and unforgiving. The most fascinating aspect of this book is the relentless drive of the individuals whose job it is to prevent another major terrorist attack. That is their singular focus, and they will let nothing deter them, particularly the lawyers and their antiquated notion of innocent until proven guilty. In this post-9/11 world, the lines have become blurred and spying is a harsher and more frightening game. Let’s just say that the Americans are not the good guys at the end of this book, but we can hope things will change after November 4th. ~Torrie

As I write this, the Presidential election is just around the corner and the tension is palpable! So, who couldn’t use a little laughter? Goodnight Bush by Erich Origen and Gan Golan is an unauthorized parody of Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and is a fitting tribute to the presidency of George W. Bush (depending on your political leanings, of course). For example, just take a close look at the cover. Note the Florida ballot box burning brightly in the fireplace with ballots ready on the hearth. On the mantle is a church, the Capitol building and a scale tipped towards… you guessed it, the church! Very clever but not for everyone. ~Patti

Remember Gallop! the "Scanimation" picture book by Rufus Butler Seder that was such a hit last year? Well, Seder is back this year with Swing! celebrating kids and sports. Seder created the technology behind both books which creates motion as you turn each page. When you open the cover, you see the baseball player take a swing with the bat and then the ball flies directly at the reader. I think my favorite spread is the cyclists -- make them move back and forth, back and forth. Terrific!

Another book classified as amazingly fun is ABC3D by Marion Bataille -- trust me, this is not an ordinary alphabet book or even pop-up book. It is an extraordinary work of art as well as a pop-up, alphabet book. First there is the lenticular cover -- that's pretty cool in itself. The red, white and black palette used throughout adds to the sophistication. But it's the ingenuity behind the alphabet that is so engaging. Some pop, some move over, some transform to make a new letter. "U" is just plain beautiful. Check out the display copy, you'll be impressed. ~Patti

Langley-Hawthorne’s main character, Ursula Marlow, is a young Edwardian woman who is at once strong willed and naïve. This book is set in an era full of contradictions which include Woman’s suffrage, industrial revolution, workers rights, and a resistant older generation seeing the changes as a decline in their civilization.

The story begins with a friend being accused of murder and Ursula Marlow sets out to prove that she is innocent, but that is just the beginning. As she digs deeper she discovers it’s all connected to the past.

Full of unpredictable twists and turns, I found this a thoroughly entertaining mystery that I could not put down. If you have enjoyed the “Maisie Dobbs” series by Jacqueline Winspear then you will most definitely want to read this first book in the series. ~Mara