STAFF PICKS: THE BEST OF 2009

THE STAFF OF THE ADULT FICTION DEPARTMENT AT NILES PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS CREATED ITS LIST OF THE "BEST NOVELS OF 2009."

STAFF PICKS—BEST OF 2009

A GATE AT THE STAIRS—MOORE, LORRIE
A SMALL TOWN GIRL WORKS AS A NANNY IN A MIDWEST COLLEGE TOWN

A TRACE OF SMOKE—CANTRELL, REBECCA
SET IN 1931 BERLIN, A CRIME REPORTER SEEKS OUT THE STORY BEHIND HER BROTHER’S DEATH

BEAT THE REAPER—BAZELL, JOSH
A YOUNG HITMAN ENTERS THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM AS A MEDICAL INTERN

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER—WEINER, JENNIFER
TWO GIRLHHOD PALS RECONNECT FOLLOWING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

BLACK FRIDAY– KAVA, ALEX
FBI PROFILER MUST PREVENT A TERRORIST PLOT TO ATTACK THE MALL OF AMERICA ON BLACK FRIDAY

BORDER SONGS–LYNCH, JIM
QUIRKY BORDER PATROL AGENT’S SUCCESSFUL BUSTS ON THE CANADIAN/US BORDER

FEAR THE WORST—BARCLAY, LYNWOOD
CONNECTICUT CAR SALESMAN IN SEARCH FOR HIS DAUGHTER WHO MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED FROM HER SUMMER JOB

THE HELP—STOCKETT, KATHERINE
A SOCIAL ACTIVIST COLLECTS THE STORIES OF BLACK WOMEN IN JACKSON, MS. RAISING THE CHILDREN OF WHITE FAMILIES

HEROIC MEASURES—CIMENT, JILL
A WEEKEND IN THE LIFE OF AN ELDERLY COUPLE AND THEIR DACHSHUND HOPING TO SELL THEIR EAST VILLAGE APARTMENT AFTER 45 YEARS

HOME SAFE–BERG, ELIZABETH
A POPULAR AND PROLIFIC WRITER HAS LOST THE ABILITY TO WRITE FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND

HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET—FORD, JAMIE
A CHINESE AMERICAN IN SEATTLE IN 1986, HAVING LOST HIS WIFE TO CANCER, REFLECTS ON HIS LIFE IN AMERICA DURING WWII

ICE LAND—TOBIN, BETSY
SET IN ICELAND IN A.D. 1000, THE STORY IS A FLIGHT THROUGH SCANDINAVIAN MYTHS

NEW TRICKS—ROSENFELT, DAVID
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ANDY CARPENTER TAKES ON A CANINE CLIENT WHO IS CONNECTED TO THE MURDER OF AN EXEC. IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

STARDUST–KANON, JOSEPH
A RECENTLY RETURNED WWII CORPSMAN TRAVELS TO HOLLYWOOD TO INVESTIGATE THE UNEXPLAINED DEATH OF HIS BROTHER

STILL ALICE—GENOVA, LISA
AN ESTEEMED HARVARD PSYCHOLOGIST COPES WITH THE ONSET OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE--BRADLEY, C. ALLEN
IN A SLEEPY ENGLISH VILLAGE IN 1950 AN 11-YEAR OLD SCIENCE PRODIGY DISCOVERS A MURDER AND SEEKS TO SOLVE THE CRIME

TWENTIES GIRL—KINSELLA, SOPHIE
A MODERN STORY ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN TWO GIRLS. HOWEVER, ONE OF THEM IS A GHOST FROM THE 1920’S

VANISHED—FINDER, JOSEPH
A CORPORATE INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST INVESTIGATES THE DISAPPEARANCE OF HIS OLDER BROTHER

THE VINTAGE CAPER—MAYLE, PETER
A LAWYER INVESTIGATES THE THEFT OF A FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD LAWYER’S TREASURED AND EXPENSIVE WINE COLLECTION

WOLF HALL—MANTEL, HILARY
THE STORY OF HENRY VIII AND HIS CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH IN HIS DESIRE TO DIVORCE HIS QUEEN AND MARRY ANNE BOLEYN IS TOLD THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF HIS CLOSEST ADVISOR

WORST NIGHTMARES—BRIANT, SHANE
A SUCCESSFUL WRITER FINDS AN UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPT THAT TELLS THE STORY OF THE HOMICIDAL ‘DREAM HEALER’ WHO SNARES HIS VICTIMS VIA HIS WEBSITE