Great Teen Suspense Reads

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

Suspense. The death of her older brother, Oren, has only heightened Lo’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies, which now include wandering through “Neverland,” the dangerous neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, where Oren died of a drug overdose. While exploring Neverland one night, Lo narrowly avoids being shot; when she later discovers that she stumbled upon a young woman’s murder, Lo becomes obsessed with finding the girl’s killer. In The Butterfly Clues, debut novelist Kate Ellison offers not only a fast-paced suspense story, but also a realistic portrayal of a heroine with complex issues.

Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Thriller. Like Lisbeth Salander of the bestselling adult novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Noa Torson is a smart and tough computer hacker. As a runaway teenager, Noa thrives living “off the grid” — until the day she wakes up on an operating table with no memory of how she got there. Noa teams up with fellow hacker Peter to discover what happened to her, but the pair soon becomes the target of a dangerous corporation determined to keep them from exposing its deadly secrets. This action-packed, blood-pumping techno-thriller is the 1st book in the Persefone trilogy.

Erebos: It’s a Game. It Watches You by Ursula Poznanski

Thriller. Like many of the students at his London high school, Nick Dunmore becomes caught up in a complex and completely addictive role-playing computer game called Erebos. But when Erebos requires its players to perform increasingly violent acts in real life, Nick and his friends investigate who is controlling the game — and eventually discover its twisted purpose. This fast-paced cyberthriller, originally published in Germany, will appeal to fans of role-playing games as well as anyone who enjoys a great suspense story.

Double by Jenny Valentine

Thriller. For homeless 16-year-old Chap, the opportunity to impersonate a boy missing for the past two years seems too good to be true. But when Chap, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the long-lost Cassiel Roadnight, joins the Roadnight family, he discovers that his dream life may end as a nightmare. As Chap unravels the family’s secrets, he wonders what really happened to Cassiel — and if the other boy’s fate will soon become his own. This nail-biting thriller offers readers plenty of twists and turns before reaching its surprising — and satisfying — conclusion.

By the third grade she had conquered reading and spent much of her childhood either with books or on her way to and from the public library. Before long her school librarian was suggesting that she should write for boys and girls when she grew up. The idea appealed to her, and she decided that someday she would write the books she longed to read but was unable to find on the library shelves, funny stories about her neighborhood and the sort of children she knew. And so Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, Ellen Tebbits, and her other beloved characters were born.

When children ask Mrs. Cleary where she finds her ideas, she replies, “From my own experience and from the world around me.” She included a passage about the D.E.A.R. program in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (second chapter) because she was inspired by letters she received from children who participated in “Drop Everything and Read” activities. Their interest and enthusiasm encouraged her to provide the same experience to Ramona, who enjoys D.E.A.R. time with the rest of her class.

Mrs. Cleary’s books have earned her many prestigious awards, including the 2003 National Medal of Art from the National Endowment of the Arts and the 1984 John Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. Her Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 were named 1978 and 1982 Newbery Honor Books, respectively.

Among Mrs. Cleary’s other awards are the American Library Association’s 1975 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Catholic Library Association’s 1980 Regina Medal, and the University of Southern Mississippi’s 1982 Silver Medallion, all presented in recognition of her lasting contribution to children’s literature. In addition, Mrs. Cleary was the 1984 United States author nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, a prestigious international award.

Equally important are the more than 35 statewide awards Mrs. Cleary’s books have received based on the direct votes of her young readers. In 2000, to honor her invaluable contributions to children’s literature, Beverly Cleary was named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress. This witty and warm author is truly an international favorite. Mrs. Cleary’s books appear in over twenty countries in fourteen languages and her characters, including Henry Huggins, Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, and Beezus and Ramona Quimby, as well as Ribsy, Socks, and Ralph S. Mouse, have delighted children for generations. And her popularity has not diminished.

According to Connie Cooley, 1st vice president for the Southlake Historical Society, the labor of love has been a joint effort between the organization and the city.

“The Southlake Library has been an exceptional partner to the Society over the years. As we completed a transcription, Kerry McGeath and his staff catalogued and shelved

the interview for us,” she says, noting the next step is to transfer the oral histories to CD and DVD formats, and make them available online.

Currently, there are five oral histories available for check-out at the Southlake Public Library. Each set contains a cassette tape and transcript; the most recent oral history also contains a VHS tape:

1. Claude Shivers was born 1917 in the Dove community where his family had farmed since his great-grandfather arrived in 1854. Alno Bailey’s family had settled in the White’s Chapel community by 1860 and owned a dairy and grocery store. Alno was born on the family farm in 1909. The two met while attending school at the 1919 Carroll School and married in 1927. They farmed land that still belongs to their descendants here in Southlake.

Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve

2. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Day Higgins was the daughter of long time Lonesome Dove Baptist Church pastor, William Day, who traveled to the Dove community in 1911 from Tennessee to follow the call into the ministry. Lizzie Higgin’s recollections include the day to day activities of farm life in the early 1900s here in now-Southlake.

3. Joseph Holt Hicks was born in 1912 and moved to Grapevine with his family when he was five years old.  He recalls the comings and goings of Bonnie and Clyde, including that Easter Sunday morning in 1934 when they, or members of their gang, gunned down two motorcycle patrolman on Dove Road in now-Southlake.

4. Ralph Evans and his wife, Linda (Sipes) Evans, moved to Southlake in 1965 when the population was about 600. The couple joined White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in 1970 and continue as members today. Ralph was elected to the city council in 1988 and served five terms before retiring in 2004. His recollections give a clear picture of how Southlake became the city it is today.

Cooley adds there are several more oral histories that have been done and are currently being transcribed. They will be added to the collection at the library:

• Jack D. Johnson – First superintendent of Carroll ISD.
• Dr. Bobby Jones – Grandson of Bob Jones.
• Wanda Stowe – Niece of Owen Brumlow who owned large parcels of property in Southlake and Brumlow Road is named after.
• Marilyn Tucker – Purchased property from Bob Jones and owned land where Bob Jones Nature Center currently is located.
  • Lavon Baird – First postmistress in Southlake.
  • Jack Cook – Sixth generation resident of Southlake.

“We hope to continue to do oral interviews and have a list of people we’d like to document. There are still a few old-timers around,” says Cooley.

For more information about the oral histories, go to www.southlakelibrary.com.

April & Oliver

April and Oliver are cousins, used to be best friends, and might be soul mates. But April, a damaged barkeep who dallies with dangerous men, and Oliver, a musical prodigy who’s made sensible decisions all his life, are estranged, and are only brought together again when April’s brother is killed in a car accident. The renewed friendship between the apparent opposites is tentative, fraught with desire and fear on both sides, and complicated by others in their lives — a fiancée for Oliver, and the violent T.J. for April. There are no easy answers in a story like this, but the author’s “poetic style and grasp of emotion” (Publishers Weekly) makes the tale of April and Oliver compelling.

Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel

As her 60th birthday approaches, famous arbiter of style Valerie Wyatt finds herself alone. So too does her hard-working chef daughter, April, who is herself nearing her 30th birthday with a successful restaurant to show for it — but no love life. But life has surprises in store for both of them, and a chance encounter in an elevator and a romantic indiscretion lead to new chances at love. As in her other novels, author Danielle Steel delivers high drama, sad stories, and happy endings for her strong female characters. Grab it if you’ve got a hankering for romance and women reevaluating their priorities.

Child of Vengeance

Years ago, Bennosuke’s father, the renowned warrior Munisai, abandoned his home for the battlefield. Although his uncle (and guardian), the monk Dorinbo, nudges Bennosuke towards the religious life, the 13-year-old wants nothing more than to follow in his father’s footsteps. When Munisai returns, Bennosuke learns the terrible truth behind his father’s departure — and strengthens his resolve to become a true samurai. Based on the life of 17th-century warrior-poet Musashi Miyamoto, whose achievements include creating the two-bladed sword technique of kenjutsu and authoring The Book of the Five Rings, this gripping biographical novel skillfully evokes a time, place, and way of life that should appeal to fans of historical fiction set in feudal Japan, such as James Clavell’s Shogun.

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin

In 1927, Charles Lindbergh is a national hero who has just completed his famous trans-Atlantic flight. Since he could have any girl, shy Anne Morrow is astonished when the dashing aviator invites her to go flying with him and, after a whirlwind courtship, proposes marriage. But the glamorous couple’s jet-setting life veers violently off-course after the abduction and murder of their infant son. Hounded by the press, the Lindberghs flee to Germany just as Hitler comes to power. As domineering Charles strives to mold Anne into a docile helpmeet, Anne attempts to assert her independence, instigating a battle of wills. But the specter of World War II soon dwarfs their domestic troubles. Booklist, in a starred review, calls The Aviator’s Wife ”fictional biography at its finest.”

The Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

Shipped across the Narrow Sea in 1001 C.E. to marry the much-older King Æthelred of England, 15-year-old Emma of Normandy has little idea of what awaits her in her new home — and, when she arrives, does not like what she finds. Her husband neither loves nor trusts her, his inner circle plots against her, and both her Norman nationality and her Danish ancestry fuel suspicion among her new subjects, especially as Æthelred’s army battles the invading forces of Swein Forkbeard, King of the Danes, for control of England. Based on events from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, this 1st book in a planned trilogy follows the life of a spirited girl as she learns to be a queen.

May Garelick’s rhythmic text explores what happens to various animals when it rains. Where do they go? What do they do? Nicholas Wilton’s illustrations are a rich visual experience that haunt the reader like an illusive dream.

Inch by Inch by David Mallet

“Inch by Inch, Row by Row, Gonna Make This Garden Grow!” This picture book version of a favorite popular song charts the faithful progress of a young boy who overcomes every obstacle “rock and weeds and a hungry old crow” and makes his garden overflow with bounty. Included are the song lyrics set to music for guitar and piano.

The Rain Came Down by David Shannon

In this simple, funny picture book, Caldecott Honor Artist David Shannon captures the chaos that follows an unexpected downpour. Once upon a sunny day, the sky clouded over, and the rain came down. The chickens squawked, the dog barked, the baby cried, the traffic snarled, the groceries fell, and still, the rain came down!

The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

The toast of 1893 Newport society, Cora Cash is beautiful, clever, and very, very rich. She’s also in need of a suitable husband, which prompts Cora’s domineering mother to drag her to England to trade their family’s money for a title. Nothing less than a duke will do for Cora, and the handsome Duke of Wareham, known as “Ivo,” appears to fit the bill. But the pampered heiress is unprepared for the reality that lies beneath the fairy tale façade. Depicting circumstances similar to those that inspired the marriage of the Earl and Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey, The American Heiress combines “flavors of Edith Wharton, Daphne du Maurier, Jane Austen, Upstairs, Downstairs, and a dash of People magazine” (Kirkus Reviews).

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

Sterne, the magnificent Edwardian manor house belonging to the family of Charlotte Torrington Swift, is on the verge of ruin. Although most of the servants have decamped, Charlotte remains steadfast in her determination to celebrate her daughter’s 20th birthday in style. Disrupting her plans are some uninvited and decidedly unwelcome guests: the stranded survivors of a railway accident who must be lodged at the house until the Great Central Railroad can make other accommodations. But that’s not the worst part. One traveler, Charlie Traversham-Beechers, knows much more than is seemly about Charlotte and her family. Will he bring their world crashing down around them? If you enjoy satirical depictions of high society full of unexpected twists and turns, don’t miss this darkly humorous novel.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

In 1924, celebrated poet Robbie Hunter shot himself during a house party at Riverton Manor. But what really happened that night? A young filmmaker wants the truth, and the answer lies with Grace Reeves Bradley, a 98-year-old nursing home resident once employed as a maid to Riverton’s aristocratic Hartford family. As Grace recalls her early years in service and the events that led to that fatal night, she also reveals long-buried secrets concerning Robbie and the Hartford sisters — as well as her own connection to the family. Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca in both atmosphere and style, The House at Riverton should also appeal to Downton Abbey fans who enjoy faithful recreations of life during the late Edwardian Era, World War I, and the 1920s.

Insane City by Dave Barry

A dark comic masterpiece—the first solo adult novel in more than a decade from the Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times–bestselling author.

Seth Weinstein knew Tina was way out of his league in pretty much any way you could imagine, which is why it continued to astonish him that he was on the plane now for their destination wedding in Florida. The Groom Posse had already sprung an airport prank on him, and he’d survived it, and if that was the worst of it, everything should be okay. Smooth sailing from now on.

Seth has absolutely no idea what he’s about to get into. In the next several hours, he and his friends will become embroiled with rioters, Russian gangsters, angry strippers, a pimp as big as the Death Star, a very desperate Haitian refugee on the run with her two children from some very bad men, and an eleven-foot albino Burmese python named Blossom. And there’re still two days to go before the wedding.

As it turns out, it’s not smooth sailing, it’s more like a trip on the Titanic. And the water below him is getting deeper every minute. By the end, amid gunfire, high-speed chases, and mayhem of the most unimaginable sort, violent men will fall, heroes will rise, and many lives will change.

Seth’s, not least of all.

Bringing Up Baby Howard Hawks directs Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant in this beloved screwball comedy about a madcap heiress and the leopard who helps her entangle a handsome paleontologist. Although it failed to earn a single Oscar nomination in 1939, “Bringing Up Baby” has become a true standard of the comedy genre. Who can resist Hepburn, Grant, and a supporting cast that includes Charlie Ruggles, Barry Fitzgerald, and May Robson?

You Can’t Take It with You  The Best Picture winner in 1939 would be this sentimental comedy from Frank Capra, which stars Jean Arthur, Jimmy Stewart, and Lionel Barrymore as the leads in another cast packed with treasures. Spring Byington was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the matriarch of the eccentric Sycamore clan, and the movie earned seven nominations in all, with a win for Capra’s direction joining the Best Picture award.

Jezebel  Bette Davis beats Vivien Leigh to the Civil War ball by a year with this costume melodrama from director William Wyler. Along with Davis, who won Best Actress for her role, the film stars Henry Fonda, George Brent, and Fay Bainter (who won for Best Supporting Actress), while Max Steiner provides the Oscar-nominated score.