Recommended Reads: Dennis Lehane, Barabara Delinsky, and Hank Phillipi Ryan

The Perkins Library is hosting a Book and Author Brunch featuring award-winning author Dennis Lehane with Barbara Delinsky and Hank Phillippi Ryan. The brunch is from 10:00 to noon on Thursday, October 6 in Dwight Hall at Perkins School for the Blind. A book signing will follow. A $5.00 donation is requested.

Dennis Lehane, author of Mystic River, Shutter Island, and Gone Baby Gone will speak about his work and answer questions from patrons. Lehane will be joined by author Barbara Delinsky, whose books include Escape, While My Sister Sleeps and Coast Road. Also on hand will be Hank Phillippi Ryan, award-winning investigative television journalist and author of the Charlotte McNally mystery series.

RSVP to 617-972-7240, 1-800-852-3133, or library@perkins.org to reserve your spot. Newtonville Books will be at the event to sell copies of the authors' books for signing.

Recorded cassette (RC or RCM), digital book (DB or DBM), braille (BR), and large print (LT) copies of these authors' books are available from the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Please contact the library to order any of these items.

Dennis Lehane

A Drink Before the War
RC 50609
Boston private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are hired by two senators to investigate missing government files taken by their African American cleaning lady. Only they soon discover that the stolen goods are more racy than office work, and the cleaning lady turns up dead. Violence and strong language. 1994.

Boston Noir
DBM 1172
A drowning in Boston Harbor, kidnappers on Beacon Hill, clueless armed robbers in Quincy: the eleven original short stories gathered in this anthology illuminate the darkest corners of the Hub.

Coronado Stories
LT 6586
The best-selling author of the Shamus Award-winning A Drink Before the War presents a compilation of some of his best previously published short works, in a volume that includes an original short tale and the story, "Until Gwen," which has been adapted for the New York stage as the drama, Coronado.

Darkness, Take My Hand
RC 50409
Boston private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro stumble upon a decades-long string of horrifying murders committed by a pair of serial killers. Worse, the crimes originated in the sleuths' old neighborhood and involve people they've known all their lives. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.

Gone Baby Gone
DB/RC 68819
PI Patrick Kenzie and his partner and lover, Angie Gennaro, take the case of Amanda McCready, a four-year-old girl missing from Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. They encounter drug dealers, pedophiles, and shady cops--and face a decision that threatens their relationship and careers. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1998.

Moonlight Mile
DB 71851, LT 11305
Twelve years after finding kidnapped Amanda McCready in Gone, Baby, Gone, investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are married and parents of four-year-old Gabriella. Then Amanda's aunt shows up and tells Patrick that Amanda, now a sixteen-year-old honors student, is missing again. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2010.

Mystic River
DB/RC 51758, LT 570
Sean, Jimmy, and Dave were eleven when Dave was briefly abducted from a Boston slum. Twenty-five years later, ex-con Jimmy's daughter is murdered and Dave becomes a suspect. Sean, now a homicide detective, is assigned to the case. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2001.

Prayers for Rain
RC 48721, LT 409
The apparent suicide of former client Karen Nichols bothers private investigator Patrick Kenzie. He enlists his sidekick, Bubba Rogowski, and former partner Angie Gennaro to probe the circumstances surrounding the death. Their search reveals Karen's streak of bad luck that was more than coincidental. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller.

Sacred
DBM/RCM 782, BR 11352
Boston PIs Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro are still reeling from a tragic case when billionaire Trevor Stone convinces them to get back to work. Stone, who is dying of cancer, wants to find his grown daughter, who is missing. Kenzie's mentor was already sent after her, but he has vanished too. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex.

Shutter Island
DB/RC 56046, BR 14802, LT 9995
The events of four strange days in late summer 1954, when two U.S. marshals arrive on tiny Shutter Island to investigate a female patient's disappearance from a locked room in the asylum for the criminally insane. And that is only one aspect of the case. Some strong language. 2003.

The Given Day
DB/RC 68066, LT 9029
Boston, early twentieth century. Policeman Danny Coughlin goes undercover to infiltrate Bolsheviks and anarchists who are recruiting immigrants and workers to cause civil strife. Soon Danny sympathizes with their plight, befriending his family's Irish maid and an African American fugitive. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2008.

Barbara Delinsky

A Special Something
LT 1754
To Leslie Parish, the male model in the cologne ad looked just about perfect, so when her wealthy brother insisted she have something special for her birthday, she jokingly pointed to the ad and said "I'd like him."

A Woman Betrayed
RC 58106
Life for Laura Frye, a thirty-eight-year-old restaurateur, is turned upside down when her husband, Jeff, disappears, and the IRS wants him for tax fraud. With her assets frozen, Laura looks for help to Jeff's older brother--and her former lover. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1991.

A Woman's Place
RC 44942
Wife, mother, and entrepreneur Clare Raphael is the model of a successful woman. Then her life is shattered when she is served with divorce and eviction papers. As Clare struggles for her rights in a biased court system, she receives needed support and succor from her business partner. Strong language and descriptions of sex.

Bronze Mystique
LT 5988
The only men in Sasha Blake's life lived between the covers of her bestselling romances. She wrote about passionate, loving heroes who'd rish everything for a woman. No such man really existed . . . Till Doug Donohue rescued Sasha the night her motorcycle crashed.

Cardinal Rules
LT 4079
Rule #1: Never Get Involved. Corrine Fremont has always lived by this rule. Determined not to become like her irresponsible and selfish parents, Corinne has never dropped her guard in her professional or personal life. She's all business all the time. That is, until she gets an opportunity too enticing to ignore. Rule #2: Never Resist Temptation. Maverick businessman Corey Haraden conducts his love life the same way he does business with enthusiasm. Corinne isn't like the women he usually dates, but she intrigues him. That's why he offers her a job she can't refuse to tempt her. Rule #3: Rules Are Made to be Broken.

Coast Road
DB/RC 46755
When his ex-wife, artist Rachel Keats, falls into a coma after a car accident, overworked architect Jack McGill retreats to Big Sur to take care of his fifteen- and thirteen-year-old daughters, Samantha and Hope. Once there Jack realizes how much he's missed his family and tries to regain their love. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller.

Escape
LT 12363
Emily Aulenbach is thirty, a lawyer married to a lawyer, working in Manhattan. An idealist, she had once dreamed of representing victims of corporate abuse, but she spends her days in a cubicle talking with victims of tainted bottled water--and she's on the bottler's side.

Facets
LT 215
Writer Hillary Cox and jewelry magnate John St. George are engaged, until he announces on national television that he is marrying another woman. Determined to destroy him, Hillary must compete with John's half-sister Pam, who wants to ruin him by seizing control of Facets, their family's gem business.

Family Tree
DB 63515, BR 16907, LT 7012
After interior designer Dana Clarke and her husband, Hugh, a lawyer from a prominent New England dynasty, have a baby girl with African American features, Dana searches for the father she never knew. The couple uncovers long-held family secrets and prejudice. Commercial audiobook. 2007.

Father of the Bride
LT 3818
Russ Shaw was returning to St. Louis for the first time in twenty-five years at the request of his daughter. Diane wanted him to give her away at her wedding, but Diane's mother strongly objected. When the bride's parents confronted each other, the problem was obvious: their love had burst into flame once more.

First Things First
LT 2118
Chelsea Ross was devoted to finding missing children. But Samuel Prescott London, the son of a weathy Boston socialite, was not the usual runaway, he was a forty year old executive. Discovering Samuel's hideaway out side Cancun, Mexico, was simple for Chelsea. Dealing with love at first sight was not. Samuel's tanned, muscular physique, his easy going manner, his unmistakable virility, instantly captivated her. And the moment he touched her, Chelsea knew what she had been searchin for all her life.

First, Best and Only
LT 3357
As a teenager, Marni Lange had loved Brian Webster with a consuming passion until a tragic accident tore them apart. When they are reunited fourteen years later, they realize they cannot change the past, but can they build a future?

Flirting with Pete
LT 7488
When Casey Ellis, a thirty-four-year-old psychotherapist, inherits a Boston townhouse from her psychologist father, who never acknowledged her, she begins sifting through papers he left behind. Her discovery of a story about a young woman abused by her father sets Casey on a path to family and love.

Having Faith
LT 3825
Faith Berry is on the fast track in legal circles. Sawyer Bell is a colleague and a friend of Faith's from way back and now they're representing opposing clients in a complicated and messy divorce case. They find the battle irresistible. Until one night changes everything and they cross the line between friends and lovers. It's an action that leaves Faith facing her single biggest challenge as she finds herself questioning everything she has always wanted and in the process, desiring more.

Lake News
RC 48617
Cabaret pianist-singer and part-time teacher Lily Blake is shocked by the outcome of her dinner conversation with newspaper reporter Terry Sullivan about her long-term acquaintance with newly named Cardinal Rossetti. The resulting scandal sends Lily fleeing to her hometown of Lake Henry, New Hampshire, where reporter John Kipling offers help. Bestseller.

Looking for Peyton Place
DB 61610, BR 16621
Thirty-three-year old novelist Annie Barnes returns to her hometown in New Hampshire after her mother mysteriously dies. The locals fear that Annie will denigrate their town, which was the basis for Peyton Place. Instead Annie discovers environmental pollution and falls in love. 2005.

Moment to Moment
LT 216
Russ Ettinger didn'know the name of the delicate woman he'd found gasping for breath by the side of the road, or why she'd disappeared while he was fetching his car. But he did know she aroused in him an overwhelming urge to love, cherish and protect. Dana Madison didn't want protection. She'd gotten quite enough of that from her parents. What Dana wanted was to be loved as the strong, independent woman she'd become. She wondered if Russ, or anyone, could possibly do that.

Montana Man
LT 7142
Hoping to secure a life for her newborn daughter, Lily Danziger leaves her past behind her, only to become trapped in a blizzard, forcing her to request help from a handsome stranger named Stetson.

More than Friends
LT 5879
Close friends, the Maxwell and Pope families reside in a "perfect" suburban neighborhood, but their idyllic lives are unexpectedly shattered by a moment that can never be erased, and the families are forced to put their trust in each other and in themselves to the supreme test.

Not my Daughter
DB/RC 70719
High school principal Susan Tate is appalled to discover that her seventeen-year-old daughter Lily and Lily's two best friends have carried out a pact to get pregnant at the same time. The townspeople blame Susan, a single mother who had Lily at seventeen, and question Susan's parenting skills. 2010.

Passion and Illusion
RC 39608
Talk-show hostess Monica Grant isn't looking where she is going when she walks out of the bookstore, but she doesn't expect to have someone barrel into her and knock her down. The next thing she knows she is being helped up by Michael Shaw, the policeman chasing the pickpocket who collided with her. For the next few weeks, Monica is pursued by both the cop and the pickpocket. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.

Secret of the Stone
LT 4419
Paige Mattheson is reputed to be as beautiful as the alabaster sculptures she creates and just as cold. An intensely private person, she is perfectly happy living by herself, her only passion her work. That is, until Jesse Dallas walks into her life. Paige's fierce desire for Jesse both exhilarates and terrifies her. And after spending 6 glorious weeks with him, she is a woman passionately in love.

Shades of Grace
RC 45383
Grace Dorian, sixty-one, is nationally known for her advice column. Her daughter Francine and granddaughter Sophie help manage Grace's empire from their Connecticut home. But things begin to crumble when, at times, Grace becomes confused. A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease sets in motion a chain of events that leads to romance and uncovers shocking secrets. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.

Straight from the Heart
LT 2678
Heather Cole had an urgent reason for seeking Robert McCrae, but the renowned heart specialist distracted her from her purpose with his marvelous bedside manner and in no time they were dating steadily.

Suddenly
RC 38868
Tucker, Vermont, is a small, quiet community, and Paige Pfeiffer, pediatrician, and her medical partner Mara O'Neill are respected citizens. But Mara, who has had to contend with many pitfalls in her life, commits suicide, leaving Paige to care for Mara's newly arrived adoptive daughter. As Paige and her friends work to understand Mara's death, Paige also finds meaning in her own life. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller.

The Dream Unfolds
LT 7125
Builder Gideon Lowe and interior designer Christine Gillette share a dream to develop the estate into the most elegant condominium on the Atlantic seaboard. When dreams are backed by power, even adversaries can become lovers.

The Forever Instinct
LT 4347
A 5 day backpacking excursion in the New Hampshire woods was the last place Jordanna Kirkland expected to see Patrick Clayes. He had virile good looks, great charm, real depth, and he was her ex-husband's professional rival. Their trek had barely begun before Jordanna was captivated. In the wildreness, they could toss out all restraint and caution. But they realized that back in the city, reality awaited. They would go back to their separate lives and that would be the end of it. Or would it?

The Outsider
LT 1862
A woman living alone on a tiny island is rescued by a man of mystery who tests her courage and challenges her heart by his passionate demands.

The Real Thing
LT 600
Thanks to a match-making friend, two strangers searching for the same thing--solitude--find themselves stranded on an island together, forced to co-exist.

The Secret Between Us
DB/RC 66558, LT 8328
Sixteen-year-old Grace and her mother Deborah Monroe, a divorced doctor, are driving home when Grace runs over her history teacher Cal McKenna. Deborah sends Grace on her way and takes responsibility for the accident. The deception harms their relationship and causes repercussions in the community. Some strong language.

The Stud
LT 4110
A favor: A very personal favor. Not something that the president of a large chain of successful department stores is used to asking for and certainly not from her best friend's older brother. But then, Jenna McCue has never gone looking for stud services before. And yet, when you t hink about it, is it really such a big favor. Spencer Smith's a professional adventurer, he might look on this as one. After all, he'd be doing somthing he's never done before and it would only take a few minutes of his time with a test tube in a doctor's office. And then she would have a baby. The ultimate adventure. Spencer's not sure he wants to father a baby but if he agrees, it would be the old fashioned way.

The Summer I Dared
DB/RC 58542, LT 20
While visiting her aunt's small Maine island, Manhattan homemaker Julia Bechtel survives a ferry collision, as does divorced lobsterman Noah Prine. United by the tragedy that killed nine, Julia and Noah investigate the accident, reevaluate their lives, and find solace together. Some explicit descriptions of sex.

The Woman Next Door
LT 2500
On a charming cul-de-sac in suburban Connecticut, three close-knit couples come undone when a neighbor--a lovely, unattached widow--turnsup pregnant. Could the father be one of the husbands?

Three Wishes
RC 48087
Bree Miller, hit by a jeep, recovers after a near-death experience. She remembers being granted three wishes. After the third comes to pass, however, she will die. Tom Gates, the reclusive author who was driving the car that struck Bree, helps her through recuperation. When they fall in love, Bree's wishes begin to come true. For senior high and older readers.

Together Alone
RC 42812
As September approaches in a small northeastern town, three women send their last children away to college and begin plans for their future. Kay's husband is more amorous than ever; Celeste, who is divorced, advertises for romance, adventure, and sex; and Emily, whose husband travels, wonders how to fill her empty days. Then Brian, a widower with a young child, rents a room from Emily. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller.

Twilight Whispers
LT 219
Katia Morell and Jordan Whyte first met as children, when Katia was the daughter of the Whytes' housekeeper. As adults, they meet again when Jordan's brother dies mysteriously. A full-scale passion soars between them, and though Katia and Jordan know their love will certainly lead to heartbreak, neither can resist its intoxicating allure.

Uplift: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors
LT 6760
Bestselling author Barbara Delinsky, whose own life was dramatically shaped by her mother's breast cancer as well as her own, creates with this book exactly the kind of resource she wished had existed at the time of her treatment. You won't find medical advice or technical matters discussed in this unprecedented book. What readers will find are all the things that only the women have already been there can tell us, from nitty-gritty tips on even the smallest details of daily life to inspiring personal anecdotes that by turns amuse, comfort, and instruct. Suriviors share their answers to questions like: "Are there certain foods that are best for treatment days?: "When it comes to leaning on my friends, how much is ' too much'?" "How can I still feel feminine?"

Variation on a Theme
LT 220
Although he'd already heard a great deal about Rachel Busek, nothing prepared Jim Guthrie for the beautiful flutist's gentle grace. A rough-hewn private investigator, Jim is nearly overwhelmed with the urge to love and protect her. And Rachel is both amazed and delighted at the ease with which Jim slips into her life. Yet as quick passion gives way to leisurely love, Rachel finds herself holding back. Troubling pieces of her past remain a mystery even to her, and keep her from trusting her heart. Now, she must either discover the truth about her past or risk losing the first man in her life worth keeping.

Vineyard
LT 221
Although he'd already heard a great deal about Rachel Busek, nothing prepared Jim Guthrie for the beautiful flutist's gentle grace. A rough-hewn private investigator, Jim is nearly overwhelmed with the urge to love and protect her. And Rachel is both amazed and delighted at the ease with which Jim slips into her life. Yet as quick passion gives way to leisurely love, Rachel finds herself holding back. Troubling pieces of her past remain a mystery even to her, and keep her from trusting her heart. Now, she must either discover the truth about her past or risk losing the first man in her life worth keeping.

While My Sister Sleeps
RC/DB 68602, BR 18382
When Molly Snow's older sister Robin, a self-centered marathoner and Olympic hopeful, falls into a coma during a run, Molly guilt-trips about working at the family's garden nursery instead of accompanying Robin that day. Confronting multiple problems--and a paternity secret--Molly helps her family cope with Robin's incapacity. 2009.

Hank Phillipi Ryan

Prime Time: A Charlotte McNally Mystery
DBM/RCM 989, BRM 1403, LT 11394
Seasoned Boston television journalist Charlotte McNally puts her job, heart, and life on the line to investigate a very intriguing email lead. Soon she runs into Josh Gelston, so handsome, so helpful. Can she trust him? The author is an award-winning investigative reporter at Boston's NBC affiliate.

Air Time: A Charlotte McNally Mystery
DBM 1130, LT 11558
When savvy TV reporter Charlotte McNally goes undercover in the glamorous world of high fashion, she discovers that when the purses are fake, the danger is real, and no can be trusted. Written by an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, this fast-paced thriller takes readers behind the scenes of prime time news.

Face Time: A Charlotte McNally Mystery
DBM 1139, LT 11480
Veteran TV reporter Charlotte McNally has explosive evidence to free an innocent woman from prison. The trouble is that now Charlotte -- and someone she lives -- is the real killer's next target.

Drive Time: A Charlotte McNally Mystery
DBM 1251, LT 11756
In her fourth fast-paced outing, television reporter Charlotte McNally has a car scam scoop, complete with high-speed chases and hidden-camera footage, that is pure ratings gold, but it soon becomes clear that her personal and professional lives are on a collision course. Revenge, extortion and murder may leave her alone again -- or even dead.