The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian

Chip Linton had a good life - a successful airline pilot at a northeastern airline with a loving, successful wife and happy 10-year old twin daughters. One day a flock of unlucky geese change all that. As his plane's engines die as they suck in a flock of geese, he is calm, focused, and chooses to emergency land the plane on nearby Lake Champlain, fully anticipating a Sully Sullenberg moment. Luck, however, is not on his side, and his plane's wing catches a wave, causing the initially-smooth landing to morph into a careening, plane-breaking disaster in which 39 passengers are killed.

Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Chip and his family relocate to a small, quiet New Hampshire town to aid in his recovery. While he and his family, wife Emily and daughters Hallie and Garnet settle in, many of the townspeople seem to take an unnatural interest in the girls. As Chip deals with some ghosts of his own from his crash, Emily attempts to keep a hold on working, the girls, their strange new home with a creepy history, and Chip's apparent downward spiral into insanity.

Bohjalian does a masterful job of creating a sense of dread with this story. As Emily struggles between needing the support of her new friends and a growing feeling of unease with their ways, she also remains unaware of Chip's close calls with causing physical pain to her and their children as the paranormal forces sink their claws deeper and deeper into him. As the group of herbalists surrounding Emily and the girls seem to grow more and more bizarre and malevolent with their rituals, Emily's maternal instincts kick in...but is it too late? Creepy mulit-dimensional novel with a dark, harsh ending.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

This time of year is perfect for curling up with a hot mug of tea and a truly terrifying ghost story. Heart-Shaped Box fits the bill nicely. Jude Coyne is an aging rock and roll star with a taste for the morbid - so when he is tipped off about a "ghost" that inhabits a recently deceased man's suit for sale on an internet auction site, he can't resist. The suit arrives - in a black, heart-shaped box - a few days later. Jude, his live-in girlfriend, Georgia, and his personal assistant, Danny have no idea what is in store for them.

The ghost wastes no time making himself known to the inhabitants of the house, not only making personal appearances, but also infiltrating the dreams of the occupants of the house, as well as transmitting his voice over the radio and TV. Jude, a wee bit disturbed by all of this undead activity in his home, discovers that the dead man just happens to be the stepfather of his previous girlfriend, who committed suicide when their relationship ended. Presumably, the ghost has come back with the intention of enacting revenge on Jude - by goading Jude into killing not only himself, but also anyone who tries to help him.

As Jude and Georgia attempt to outlast the ghost, Jude is also trying to outrun his dying father, a cold and abusive man, who is on his deathbed in rural Louisiana, and who he has not seen in over 30 years. As Jude and Georgia flee his farm in an effort to solve their ghostly predicament, they grow closer to figuring out a way to not only outsmart their ghost, but also determine what really happened to Jude's former flame. Through this all, Jude learns to grow up and see what is really important in his life...but is it too late?

I really enjoyed this book, I thought the ending was surprisingly upbeat considering the subject matter. If you enjoy feeling the hair stand up on the back of your neck, give this one a try. It is interesting to note that the author, Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. He seems to have the same gift for story telling that his father does.

The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin by Joe McGinniss

Regardless of your political perspective, I believe just about everyone can agree that Sarah Palin is a very provocative - yet mostly irrelevant - figure on our current national radar. Joe McGinniss had planned on spending the summer of 2010 in Alaska conducting research and interviews on a book about Palin. By sheer luck, he was offered the opportunity to rent the home right next door to the Palin's.

While much was made of this "stalking" behavior by Palin and the media, it was really a non-event. McGinniss stuck to his promise to not spy or creep out the neighbors, living quietly next door, leaving often to meet up with other Alaskans or travel to other locations to do research. What results is an interesting read that I had difficulty putting down.

It seems that most people have already formed an opinion of Palin and I'm not sure this book will change anyone's mind - those who like her will call this book "gossip," while those who are not fans will say, "I knew it!" One thing I know for sure - I would love to sit down for a cup of coffee with Joe McGinniss to hear his impressions of Alaska and the people who live there.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Brunonia Barry has, in her first novel, written an ambitious tale of family, tradition, mental illness, witches, romance, and just about anything else you can think of. The end result, for the members of our Three Rivers Book Club, ranged from something that people "loved," "hated," or, were "thoroughly confused by."

Towner Whitney, living in California where she house sits and reads screenplays, returns to her hometown of Salem Massachusetts when she learns that her beloved "Aunt" Eva has gone missing. Towner has a complicated relationship with her relatives there - her mother, May, her brother, Beezer and her Aunt Emma and Uncle Cal. We learn that Towner (whose real name is "Sophya,") also had a twin sister who committed suicide while still in her teens.
Towner comes from a long line of lace readers, including Eva - who can divine the future by reading the patterns in lace - but chooses not to utilize her gift, as disastrous things have happened when she has. However, the similarities between lace reading and Towner's life are always there, haunting her.

This is not a book to be read quickly or lightly. There is so much to like about this book - Salem, Massachusetts as a setting is a character in its own right. I will not spoil the ending here, but only say that I felt as if I needed to read the entire book again as the (surprise)ending was revealed. The book shifts around from first person to third person - be warned that when in first person, the perspectives are not entirely reliable - and was a little clunky to read. If you enjoy books with a historical or paranormal slant, give this one a try.

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

When nervous flyer Emma Corrigan is on a turbulent flight, she unwittingly spills embarassing details about her life to the handsome American sitting next to her, thinking either she would never see him again or they were going to die in a fiery crash. When he turns up the next day as the owner of the company she works for, she is completely floored.

As her boss, Jack Harper continues to show an interest in Emma's life, seemingly tormenting her with the (mostly) little white lies that she has based her life on, and as she responds to his interest, she begins to live a more honest, less duplicitous existence, beginning with splitting up with her seemingly "perfect" boyfriend and dating Jack.

While this chick lit tale is as formulaic as they come, Emma and Jack are both very likable characters - Emma is sweet, her little lies are things many of us can relate to, and very funny. Of course, Jack is ruggedly handsome, very sexy and also very droll. This quick read is a fun book with a satisfying ending just perfect if you are looking for a little pick-me-up!

The White Devil by Justin Evans

Looking for a creepy ghost story to get you in the Halloween spirit? Look no further than Evans' second book, The White Devil.

Andrew Taylor, a 17 year-old American, is enrolled in the prestigious Harrow School of London after he is expelled from his elite prep school in the U.S. for drug abuse. Shortly after his arrival at the school, Andrew witnesses the murder of one of his peers by a sickly and odd-looking fellow. The murderer is not located, and as strange situations seem to follow Andrew, he becomes an object of scrutiny, particularly after his past comes to light.

Renowned poet and cynical alcoholic Piers Fawkes is the unlikely housemaster of Andrew's dorm and also writer and director of a play that features Lord Byron, one of Harrow's more famous alumni. Andrew, who bears an uncanny resemblace to Byron, is cast in the lead role, and Fawkes finds himself drawn to the young man.

Evans has crafted a spooky and well-written story, with elements of history, poetry, paranormal and romance all wrapped up in one tragic, ghostly tale.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Liesel Meminger has just watched her little brother death and burial in a strange town when her mother deposits her with her new foster parents in the small town of Molching, Germany and disappears. Needless to say, Liesel has some trouble adjusting to all the changes in her 9-year-old life, waking up every night in her new home with a nightmare. Luckily, her new Papa, Hans Hubermann, is a gentle, kind man, who takes Liesel under his wing, sitting up with her every night when she has her nightmares, eventually using this time to teach the illiterate child to read. His wife, Rosa, is rough around the edges, and while Liesel grows to love her as well, she is closest to her Papa.

Liesel, the Book Thief, stole her first book at her brother's burial - The Gravedigger's Handbook - when it fell out of the grave digger's pocket. Hans teaches her to read with this book and doesn't ask too many questions when she comes home with other books, but reads them along with her. Words become of utmost importance and comfort in Liesel's life.

Growing up in wartime Germany, Liesel is witness to many acts of cruelty, but also acts of great courage and kindness. Her neighbor, best friend, and co-conspirator, Rudy, is her loyal companion and continuously demonstrates his willingness to to anything for her. Zusak shines the light on the other side of Nazi Germany - not everyone was a goose-stepping idiot, there were plenty of good-hearted folks living within the regime.

The tale is narrated by Death himself, who is quite taken by Liesel the first time he meets her, when he collects her brother's soul. Through his telling, occasional asides and foreshadowing, we get to know and love Liesel (and sort of get a kick out of Death.) The writing in this book is absolutely lovely in its imagery, language, and style. Zusak has written an unforgettable book about the Holocaust, about life, about love and friendship, and also about death. Who could resist a book where books are so crucial to the story line? This book is actually marketed towards Young Adults; however, it is a wonderful read for adults and older teens alike. Do yourself a favor, stick with the beginning which can be a little daunting to get into, have the tissues handy, and dive right in to this book. You'll be glad you did.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

Silas "32" Jones and Larry Ott were friends once upon a time, growing up in rural Mississippi. Larry was a quiet, nerdy white kid who loved to read; Silas, an African American was a star baseball player at the local high school. One night, both of their lives changed forever when a girl that Larry had taken on a date disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Although Larry was never charged with a crime, he was ostracized by his community, where he lived a solitary life with only one friend - the strange and troublesome Wallace Stringfellow. Although Silas escaped the area for several years following the girl's disappearance, he ends up back in town as the constable.

When another young woman goes missing, Larry is immediately under suspicion, and when he is almost fatally attacked, everyone (but Silas) assumes he had it coming. Silas does a little investigating on his own, knowing that Larry is not a murderer, as Silas has a little secret from that night long ago...

This is a quiet novel with memorable characters and enough intrigue to keep me interested. Overall, there were more questions left unanswered than answered - the author did offer some quick and dirty explanations behind some of the mysteries; however the final result, although satisfying, felt a little rough around the edges.