Adult Winter Reading Program 2018
“Read-a-Likes”
Our custom-made reading list is based on the most popular authors read by Wolfner Library patrons, while introducing new authors in a similar genre. The program will begin on January 22nd, 2018, and run until March 5th, 2018. Registration will open on Monday, January 8th, 2018.
Included in the program are books from 10 categories featuring a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction. Patrons may elect to enjoy the program by category or by individual title. Wolfner Library would like to thank the Library Users of Missouri for funding this year’s Adult Winter Reading Program.
Table of Contents
Christian Fiction Read-a-Likes
Historical Fiction Read-a-Likes
History Read-a-Likes
Horror Read-a-Likes
Legal Thrillers Read-a-Likes
Mystery Read-a-Likes
Pop Culture Read-a-Likes
Romance Read-a-Likes
Thrillers Read-a-Likes
Western and Adventure Read-a-Likes
Following are the categories and a list of books for each category.
Christian Fiction Read-a-Likes
If you’ve read every title by Janette Oke, Beverly Lewis or Karen Kingsbury, crack open a few of these heartwarming and timeless novels about love and life. Centered on the Bible and its lessons, these authors write Christian fiction with authentic details and engaging characters who face difficult problems as they experience spiritual growth.
Cape Light by Thomas Kinkade
DB 56704
Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time: 10 hours, 55 minutes.
First in a series of novels by the well-known landscape painter and his coauthor set in a Massachusetts community where everyone knows and cares deeply for one another. Introduces Jessica, recently returned; her sister, Emily, the mayor; the owners of the local eatery; and Reverend Ben, who counsels and consoles the residents. Cape Light series, book 1. 2002.
Finders Keepers by Catherine Palmer
DBC05382
Read by Grace Rogers. Reading time: 8 hours, 22 minutes.
Determined to provide a secure home for her adopted son, Nokolai, Elizabeth Hayes sets her sights on a lovely Victorian house in Ambleside, Missouri, for her thriving antiques business. Finders Keepers, book 1.1999.
The Honorable Imposter by Gilbert Morris
DB 39673
Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 11 hours, 55 minutes.
Gilbert Winslow has studied ministry in the Church of England, but his heart is not in it. He accepts Lord North's challenge to locate fugitive William Brewster and his band of Puritans in Holland. Winslow succeeds but, through a series of mishaps, finds himself on the Mayflower. It is at Plymouth that Winslow discovers his religious calling and his love. Prequel to The Captive Bride (DB 39679). House of Winslow series, book 1. 1986.
The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher
DB 74103
Read by Amy Rubinate. Reading time: 9 hours, 6 minutes.
After Julie Lapp's fiancé Paul Fisher postpones their wedding for a second time, Julie blames bachelor Roman Troyer--a beekeeper who travels among the Amish farms in Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives--for encouraging the communities' young men to remain single. Stoney Ridge Seasons series, book 1. 2012.
Naomi’s Christmas by Marta Perry
DB 78153
Read by Gabriella Cavallero. Reading time: 8 hours, 58 minutes.
Thirty-year-old Amish beekeeper Naomi Esch has spent fifteen years raising her siblings, but now that her father is remarrying, she must move out. Naomi stays with her brother while watching widower Nathan King's children. After rumors spread, Nathan proposes marriage--but Naomi wants to marry for love. 2012.
New Moon Rising by Eugenia Price
DB 10711
Read by Jerry Scales. Reading time: 9 hours, 34 minutes.
Horace Gould, dismissed from Yale for his part in a student rebellion, returns to the family plantation at St. Simon's Island, Georgia just before the Civil War, and becomes concerned about slavery. 1969.
The Pastor’s Wife by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
DB 67645
Read by Gail Nelson. Reading time: 7 hours, 16 minutes.
Houston. Twenty-nine-year-old Terrance Ellis, pastor of Lily Grove Missionary Baptist Church, was raised by his aunts Eva, Dorothy Mae, and Mamie after his grandmother's tragic death. Now the sisters are determined to find him a wife. Terrance falls for misunderstood church member Savannah McKinney, but his aunts disapprove. 2007.
Rekindled by Tamera Alexander
DB 66062
Read by L. J. Ganser. Reading time: 12 hours, 8 minutes.
Colorado Territory, 1868. Bostonians Larson and Kathryn Jennings move west, but a decade later, someone sabotages their homestead and Larson disappears. Kathryn, pregnant, trusts in God and takes a housekeeping job on a ranch. Larson, burned beyond recognition, returns but fears facing Kathryn. Then danger strikes. Fountain Creek Chronicles series, book 1. Rita Award Nominee. 2006.
The Victors by Jack Cavanaugh
DB 53143
Read by Davis Jonathan. Reading time: 14 hours, 9 minutes.
San Diego, 1941. Through the centuries, the Morgan family's spiritual heritage has waned. However, when Pearl Harbor is attacked, Johnny and Laura Morgan's four children are placed in situations that test their faith and endanger their lives. Sequel to The Allies (DB 45517). 1998.
Yellow Rose Bride by Lori Copeland
DBC00051
Read by Dorothy Blair. Reading time: 7 hours, 50 minutes.
Seven years ago, seamstress Vonnie Taylor's husband of twenty-four hours, Adam Baldwin, had their marriage annulled. Now she faces the ultimate indignity: sewing the wedding dress for his new intended! 2006.
Historical Fiction Read-a-Likes
If you love the riveting tales of Ken Follett, Alison Weir and Jeffrey Archer, you’ll enjoy the following selections. These authors present engaging characters with a sense of authenticity and personal engagement with historical figures and their lives.
Alexandra: The Last Tsarina by Carolly Erickson
DB 52906
Read by Suzanne Toren. Reading time: 13 hours, 29 minutes.
Account of the Russian empress who was the granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria. Describes Alexandra’s unhappy childhood; her determination to marry Nicholas, the man she loved; her struggle to support him emotionally; her desire to produce a healthy male heir; and her connection with Rasputin. 2001.
The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott
DB 78479
Read by Mare Trevathan. Reading time: 8 hours, 29 minutes.
LP 30248; 383 pages.
1832. Twenty-year-old Alice Barrow leaves the drudgery of her New Hampshire farm life to work in a factory in the mill town of Lowell, Massachusetts. Alice makes a close friend, becomes an advocate for workers' rights, and falls for the mill owner's son. But a murder complicates things. 2014.
The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor
DB 81158
Read by Mare Trevathan. Reading time: 8 hours, 58 minutes.
1912. Maggie Murphy leaves her small Irish village with thirteen others to travel to America on the Titanic. Seventy years later, Maggie reveals to her great-granddaughter Grace that she had been a passenger. Grace reevaluates her own life, as she uncovers hidden truths while writing Maggie's story. Some violence. 2014.
The Hours Count by Jillian Cantor
DB 85391
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 9 hours, 51 minutes.
LP 30793; 499 pages.
Millie Stein and her family move to the Knickerbocker Village in the 1940s and she becomes friends with Ethel Rosenberg. Millie's marriage to her husband Ed is rocky, and they are drawn deeper into the circle of Communists that live in the neighborhood. Some descriptions of sex. 2015.
Leaving Berlin by Joseph Kanon
DB 82028
Read by Peter Johnson. Reading time: 11 hours, 41 minutes.
Jewish writer Alex fled the Nazis for America, but past politics have left him vulnerable to the McCarthy witch-hunts. He bargains with the CIA to save his family, agreeing to act as their agent in his native Berlin. Some violence and some descriptions of sex. 2015.
Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiaverini
DBC02852
Read by Michele Potts. Reading time: 14 hours, 29 minutes.
LP 30225; 675 pages.
When Julia Dent met and married Ulysses S. Grant, she kept the slave woman who had been her companion and confidante. Julia taught Jule to read, and as Julia's eyesight failed, Jule became her mistress's eyes. But the distinctions between mistress and slave inevitably strained and altered their tenuous friendship. 2015.
Night of the Fox by Jack Higgins
DB 25960
Read by Janes DeLotel. Reading time: 8 hours, 22 minutes.
Tale of intrigue and deception set in World War II. Hugh Kelso, an American colonel who knows the secrets of the forthcoming D-Day, has washed up, wounded, on the Nazi-occupied island of Jersey in the English Channel. The Allies must rescue Kelso at all costs, and they assign British agents Harry Martineau and Sarah Drayton to the case. Bestseller 1986.
Pompeii by Robert Harris
DB 57646
Read by Gordon Gould. Reading time: 10 hours, 40 minutes.
Italy, A.D. 79. Pliny the Elder sends engineer Marcus Attilius Primus to Pompeii to investigate a water flow problem. Attilius examines the aqueduct, uncovers an embezzlement scheme, discovers the imminent eruption of the volcano Vesuvius, and attempts to rescue his new love. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2003.
Some Luck by Jane Smiley
DB 79659
Read by Lorelei King. Reading time: 14 hours, 50 minutes.
Iowa, 1920. Walter and Rosanna Langdon farm their land with an eye to the future of their children, Frankie, Joey, Lillian, Henry, and Claire. As the Depression, World War II, and the Cold War rip through their lives, oldest Frankie navigates family expectations and his own. Strong language and descriptions of sex. Last Hundred Years, book 1. 2014.
The Kingmaker’s Daughter by Philippa Gregory
DB 75395
Read by Annie Wauters Reading time: 13 hours, 41 minutes.
Anne, a kingmaker's daughter, becomes a pawn of her father's political machinations. But Anne gains real power when she weds Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and makes an enemy of Elizabeth Woodville, daughter of Jacquetta from The Lady of the Rivers (DB 74523). Some violence and some descriptions of sex. 2012.
History Read-a-Likes
History buffs who have read most every book by David McCullough, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Ron Chernow will enjoy these selections featuring highly engaging and very human portraits of some of America's most recognizable names. Delight in these inviting, meticulously researched, and superbly crafted histories that bring history alive with accurate detail.
The Bedford Boys: One American Town’s Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice
By Alex Kershaw
DB 66325
Read by Ray Foushee. Reading time: 9 hours, 29 minutes.
Journalist interviews survivors and townspeople of Bedford, Virginia, who lost twenty-two soldiers, originally from the local National Guard, who were the first troops at Omaha Beach on D-Day--June 6, 1944. Highlights life on the home front and the town's construction of the national D-Day Memorial in 2001. Violence. 2003.
Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship and Sacrifice by Adam Makos
DB 83006
Read by Dominic Hoffman. Reading time: 14 hours, 46 minutes.
Recounts the story of U. S. Navy aviator duo Lieutenant Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown, the first black carrier pilot. While much of America remained segregated, these two pilots joined forces from the very beginning and remained a team into the midst of the Korean War. Unrated. 2015.
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis
BR 12931; 3 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3.
DB 51469
Read by Annie Wauters. Reading time: 12 hours, 25 minutes.
Author of American Sphinx (DB 44729) explains the importance of a few prominent leaders in the development of democracy after the American Revolution. Describes significant contributions to the new nation made by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Bestseller. 2000.
Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill by Candice Millard
DB 86014
Read by Simon Vance. Reading time: 10 hours, 16 minutes.
LP 30812: 605 pages.
The author of Destiny of the Republic (DB 73787) provides a narrative of Winston Churchill's lesser-known exploits during the Boer War. Describes his capture and subsequent escape across hundreds of miles of enemy territory, with nothing but a wad of cash and a few pieces of chocolate. Some violence. 2016.
Our Man in Charleston: Britain’s Secret Agent in the Civil War South by Christopher Dickey
DB 82620
Read by Jeremy Gage. Reading time: 12 hours, 7 minutes.
Journalist Christopher Dickey recounts the work of Robert Bunch, who served as British consul in Charleston in 1853. His work also encompassed sending intelligence to the British government and working against his neighbors' plans for a new Confederacy, even on the brink of the American Civil War. Some strong language. 2015.
Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland
DB 84773
Read by George Holmes. Reading time: 16 hours, 26 minutes.
Recounts the period of Roman history that began after Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River in 49 B. C., plunging Rome into civil war. This period included figures such as Cicero, Spartacus, Virgil, and Augustus. Holland describes the twilight of the republic, and its violent transformation into an empire. 2003
A Santa Fe Trail: Its History, Legends, and Lore by David Dary
DB 53106
Read by Erik Synnestvedt. Reading time: 13 hours, 24 minutes.
Traces the development and decline of the nine-hundred-mile trade route that linked Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Examines its cultural and political heritage from the arrival of the Spanish settlers in the New World through its replacement by the railroad. Relates personal experiences of travelers. 2000.
A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben MacIntyre
DB 79245
Read by John Lee. Reading time: 11 hours, 2 minutes.
LP 30490; 565 pages.
Personal papers and never-before-seen British intelligence files are used to describe the treason committed by twentieth-century spy Kim Philby, who rose to head Britain's counterintelligence against the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War while secretly working for the enemy. Strong language. 2014.
With Wings Like Eagles: A History of the Battle of Britain by Michael Korda
DB 68678
Read by Ted Stoddard. Reading time: 10 hours, 9 minutes.
Emphasizes political battles that divided England's air force before World War II. Describes Fighter Command leader Hugh Dowding's efforts to train pilots, build Spitfires and Hurricanes, and establish defense systems using newly developed radar to combat Hermann Göring's Luftwaffe. Details aerial fighting over Britain in the summer of 1940. 2009.
A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age by William Raymond Manchester
DB 35941
Read by Bill Wallace. Reading Time: 12 hours, 45 minutes.
The author first outlines the period made chaotic by the waning authority of the Catholic Church, made turbulent by Martin Luther, made beautiful by Michelangelo, but, most importantly, made aware by Ferdinand Magellan. According to Manchester, it was Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe, when he proved the rotundity of a rotating earth, that shattered myths and ushered in a new age.
Horror Read-a-Likes
Horror fans who have read everything by Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Bram Stoker are in for a treat. The authors on this reading list offer appealing heroes and terrible villains straight from our darkest nightmares.
Ghost Stories of M. R. James by M. R. James
DB 11355
Read by Eric Zwemer. Reading time: 15 hours, 23 minutes.
Tales of the supernatural by a distinguished scholar and former provost of King's College in Cambridge, England. 1931.
The Haunted by Bentley Little
BR 19896; 4 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3. Volume 4.
DB 76267
Read by Barry Bernson. Reading time: 11 hours, 12 minutes.
Disgruntled with the neighborhood punks, Julian, Claire, and their children Megan and James move to the city's historic district. But something evil lurks in their new home. Claire believes someone is watching her, Megan receives dreadful texts, and James has bad dreams. Strong language and some violence. 2012.
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
BR 17064; 3 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3.
DB 64088
Read by John Haag. Reading time: 11 hours, 35 minutes.
Middle-aged rock star Judas Coyne collects morbid curios. He buys a haunted suit online and discovers that it belonged to Craddock McDermott, the deceased stepfather of one of Coyne's groupies. Over time, both Coyne's own motives and those of McDermott's ghost are revealed. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2007.
Hell House by Richard Matheson
BR 18208; 2 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DB 68106
Read by John Horton. Reading time: 8 hours, 43 minutes.
A wealthy media magnate offers a hundred thousand dollars to a physicist, a medium, and a psychic to investigate paranormal activity in the Belasco House on the Maine coast. Past attempts have led meddlers to madness, suicide, and murder. Violence, explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1971
The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
BR 17368; 2 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DB 57928
Read by Annie Wauters. Reading time: 8 hours, 29 minutes.
A collection of twenty-five unusual short stories by the author of "The Lottery." In the title piece, a village puts a terrifying twist on the luck of the draw. In "The Witch," a stranger on the train tells a chilling tale of murder to a small boy. Some violence. 1948.
The Lurking Fear: And Other Stories by H. P. Lovecraft
DB 18049
Read by David Palmer. Reading time 7 hours, 28 minutes.
Twelve classic tales of horror and the macabre. Includes 'Shadow over Innsmouth,' about a coastal village invaded by fiendish undersea creatures, and 'The Lurking Fear,' about the degeneration of an entire clan into hideous, subhuman cannibals. 1971.
The Other by Thomas Tryron
DB 59339
Read by Bruce Huntey. Reading time: 8 hours, 27 minutes.
1930s. In a small Connecticut town a series of bizarre events surround the once-well-to-do Perry family, whose male members have all died violently. The deaths seem mysteriously linked to twelve-year-old twins Niles and Holland. Some violence and some strong language. 1971.
The Right Hand of Evil by John Saul
DB 50896
Read by Gregory Gorton. Reading time: 12 hours, 21 minutes.
As alcoholic Ted Conway loses another job, his long-institutionalized aunt dies, leaving him an old house in a Louisiana town. The Conways soon learn of the dwelling's evil reputation and begin experiencing the horrors Ted's ancestors tried to escape. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. Bestseller. 1999.
Slade House by David Mitchell
BR 21335; 3 volumes of braille (UEB). Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3.
DB 82852
Read by Tania Rodrigues and Thomas Judd. Reading time: 6 hours, 56 minutes.
In a dingy alley, a small iron door is set in a brick wall. This is the door to Slade House, the home of the Grayer twins. Only those special people who receive invitations can find the house, but those that enter are never seen again. Some violence and some strong language. 2015.
Tomb by Paul F. Wilson
DB 22793
Read by Lou Briganti. Reading time 14 hours, 43 minutes.
A fast-paced occult thriller. Repairman Jack is a free-lance investigator who operates outside the law. An Indian diplomat commissions him to recover a necklace that was stolen from his grandmother, and as Jack delves into the diplomat's activities, he uncovers a complex scheme of horrifying dimensions. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1984.
Legal Thriller Read-a-Likes
If you get into the legal twists and turns of authors like John Grisham, Scott Turow and Michael Connelly, set a new precedent with our selection of legal thrillers, filled with dangerous secrets, fast paced action and courtroom drama.
Compelling Evidence by Steve Martini
DB 34895
Read by Ray Foushee. Reading time: 14 hours, 48 minutes.
Attorney Paul Madriani worked for Ben Potter's firm until Ben discovered Paul was having an affair with Ben's young, promiscuous wife, Talia. Now, a year later, shortly after Ben and Paul reconcile, Talia is accused of murdering Ben. Paul, who becomes Talia's attorney by default, knows his client's only hope is finding someone else with a stronger motive. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex.
Dead Even by Brad Meltzer
DB 46762
Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time: 12 hours, 59 minutes.
Manhattan assistant prosecutor Sara Tate swipes a burglary case from a senior lawyer, hoping a high-profile legal victory will help her avoid a layoff. But then she learns that her husband, Jared, is representing the defendant. Both Sara and Jared are secretly warned that a loss in court will put their spouse in danger. Strong language and violence. Bestseller.
Dead Irish by John T. Lescroart
DB 58133
Read by Fred Major. Reading time: 10 hours, 17 minutes.
San Francisco. Ex-cop Dismas Hardy, currently a bartender, unofficially investigates his friend Eddie Cochran's apparent suicide. Dismas, coping also with unresolved feelings for his ex-wife, identifies possible murder motives and examines the role of Eddie's compassionate, conflicted priest. Dismas Hardy series, book 1. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1989.
The Defense by Dudley W. Buffa
DB 62589
Read by Dan Bloom. Reading time: 11 hours, 10 minutes.
Oregon. At Judge Leopold Rifkin's request, attorney Joseph Antonelli defends Johnny Morel, who is accused of raping his own stepdaughter. Johnny is acquitted, but years later is killed. His wife, Denise, is convicted for his murder and then found dead--in Rifkin's study. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1997.
The Eleventh Victim by Nancy Grace
DB 69576
Read by Martha Harmon Padree. Reading time: 11 hours, 24 minutes.
Tired of dealing with killers, rapists, and drug dealers, prosecutor Hailey Dean leaves behind her legal career in Atlanta and moves to Manhattan. There she starts a new life as a therapist--but her patients are brutally murdered one by one. Hailey Dean series, book 1. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2009.
Gone but Not Forgotten by Phillip Margolin
DB 37310
Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 10 hours, 46 minutes.
In Hunter's Point, New York, three women disappear; the only traces are a black rose and a note saying "Gone, But Not Forgotten." Then the same note is found next to the bodies of the wife and daughter of attorney Peter Lake. The killer was supposedly caught but ten years later identical cases appear in Portland, Oregon. Is the man Betsy Tannenbaum is defending the long-vanished Peter Lake? Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller.
The Hidden Man by David Ellis
DB 69968
Read by Luke Daniels. Reading time: 10 hours, 36 minutes.
Attorney Jason Kolarich, who lost his wife and child in a car accident, is hired to defend his old friend Sammy Cutler from a murder charge. Sammy may have killed the long-ago kidnapper of his sister. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. Jason Kolarich, book 1. 2009.
Losing Faith: A Thriller by Adam Mitzner
DB 85722
Read by Barry Bernson. Reading time: 10 hours, 32 minutes.
Powerful Russian criminal Nicolai Garkov threatens to expose preeminent New York City attorney Aaron Littman's past affair with Judge Faith Nichols if Littman refuses to defend him in Nichols's court. Meanwhile, Nichols is informed that her Supreme Court nomination hinges upon Garkov's conviction. Littman's attempt to warn Nichols ends in murder. 2015.
Motion to Suppress by Perri O’Shaughnessy
DB 52073
Read by Mary Kane. Reading time: 12 hours, 18 minutes.
Attorney Nina Reilly and her son relocate to Lake Tahoe to recover from her divorce. Nina's first new case involves Misty, a promiscuous cocktail waitress accused of murdering her abusive husband. While Nina investigates, she and Misty are almost killed. Some violence and some strong language. 1995.
The Pardon: A Novel by James Grippando
DB 41625
Read by Ray Foushee. Reading time: 10 hours, 2 minutes.
Attorney Jack Swyteck pleads with his estranged father, the governor of Florida, to pardon a man scheduled to die that morning. The senior Swyteck refuses, because Jack won't reveal who proved to him that the prisoner was innocent. Two years later, the governor is paying a blackmailer for silence about the execution, and Jack is framed for murder. Jack Swyteck series, book 1. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex.
Mystery Read-a-Likes
Mystery fans who have read every word printed by the likes of Mary Higgins Clark, Janet Evanovich and David Baldacci will enjoy this list of lesser known authors. Discover these new detective series, some amateur, some professional, all compelling and intricately plotted.
Do You Want to Know a Secret by Mary Jane Behrends Clark
DB 47977
Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 9 hours, 38 minutes.
When television news anchor Bill Kendall doesn't show up for work one evening, Eliza Blake, morning anchor, takes over. Halfway through the broadcast, she is fed shocking news--Bill has been found dead. His death not only thrusts Eliza into an unwanted limelight, but also results in the uncovering of other deadly secrets.
Edge of Evil by Judith A. Jance
DB 61940
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 7 hours, 28 minutes.
When her L.A. network replaces television journalist Alison Reynolds with someone younger, she returns to her childhood home in Sedona, Arizona. There she begins an online therapy blog. After a friend's death is classified as suicide, Alison investigates. Ali Reynolds series, book 1. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2006
The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen
DB 49057
Read by Annie Wauters. Reading time: 11 hours, 21 minutes.
When the man who murdered Eve Duncan's daughter was executed, Eve lost the chance to find her daughter's body. Now, as a forensic sculptor, she reconstructs faces to identify juvenile skulls. When a billionaire wants to hire her to work on a mysterious adult skull, she reluctantly agrees. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 1998.
Indemnity Only by Sara Paretsky
BR 05281; web-braille not available.
DB 35223
Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 8 hours, 6 minutes.
First written in 1982. Detective V.I. Warshawski is approached by a mysterious client who wants her to find a missing girl. She promptly discovers the body of a murdered man, gets involved in a complicated insurance scam, and has to deal with some gangsters who want her off the case. Strong language. 1982.
Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay
DB 71782
Read by Alec Volz. Reading time: 14 hours, 3 minutes.
Following a lead in upstate New York, small-town reporter David Harwood visits an amusement park with his wife Jan and small son Ethan. After Ethan's stroller disappears with him in it, a frantic David finds him--only to realize that Jan is now missing. Violence and strong language. 2010.
New York Dead by Stuart Woods
DB 36337
Read by Chuck Benson. Reading time: 8 hours, 2 minutes.
New York police detective Stone Barrington happens to be looking up at the precise moment newswoman Sasha Nijinsky takes a nosedive from her twelfth-story balcony. Nijinsky, who amazingly survives the fall, is rushed to the hospital, but vanishes after her ambulance collides with a fire truck. Barrington is left with a possible homicide, possible suicide, possible kidnapping case. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1991.
Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt
DB 61089
Read by Christopher walker. Reading time: 7 hours, 6 minutes.
New York City defense attorney Andy Carpenter undertakes the appeal of a convicted killer whom his father prosecuted. When his father unexpectedly dies, Andy discovers the estate is worth twenty-two million. Andy searches for connections, while coping with a love triangle. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2002.
The Pallbearers by Stephen J. Cannell
DB 70814
Read by Scott Brick. Reading time: 8 hours, 55 minutes.
LAPD detective Shane Scully mourns the apparent suicide of Walter "Pop" Dix, who ran a group home where Scully lived in his youth. When Scully and other former foster kids meet again as pallbearers, they decide to investigate their mentor's death. Strong language and some violence. 2010.
The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner
DB 87707
Read by Annie Wauters. Reading time: 12 hours, 4 minutes.
Two and a half years ago, Tess Williams helped put her husband, serial killer Jim Beckett, a former police officer, behind bars. Now he's escaped, and as a desperate manhunt mobilizes, Tess hires ex-marine J.T. Dillon to teach her self-defense. Quincy and Conner series, book 1. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 1998
Tell No One by Harlan Coben
DB 52602
Read by Jeffrey Ashford. Reading time: 9 hours, 18 minutes.
New York City pediatrician David Beck's wife and lifelong sweetheart, Elizabeth, was tragically murdered eight years ago by a serial killer. Or so he thought. But the young doctor suddenly begins receiving mysterious e-mails containing information only Elizabeth would know. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2001.
Pop Culture Read-a-Likes
If you love the quirky and unconventional stylings of Malcolm Gladwell, Mary Roach and Bill Bryson, you’ll enjoy these titles that present diverse ideas from a pop culture perspective. With humor and wit, these authors make the obscure understandable in such topics as science, human behavior, western culture and travel.
Assassination Vacation by Sara Vowell
DB 61591
Read by Delany Collen. Reading time: 8 hours, 8 minutes.
Two mysteries, written in 2015 and 2016, feature widowed quilter Jillian Hart and her cats. In The Cat, the Sneak and the Secret, trouble ensues after about-to-be-married Jillian and Tom agree to let Tom's stepson Finn adopt a kleptomaniac cat. Also includes The Cat, the Collector and the Killer. Cats in Trouble series, books 7 and 8. 2016.
Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons of the Mind by Daniel Tammet
DBC04268
Read by Karen Gallagher. Reading time: 11 hours.
The author of the acclaimed memoir Born on a Blue Day digs deeper into the mind of the autistic savant--people like himself with astounding intellectual abilities and pronounced social limitations. He explores just how little it differs from the mind of the non-savant. Drawing upon neuroscience, linguistic, and personal experience, he illuminates the immense potential within all of us.
How to Dunk a Doughnut: The Science of Everyday Life by Len Fisher
DB 57722
Read by Steven Carpenter. Reading time: 7 hours, 51 minutes.
Physicist author uses mundane everyday events and anecdotes as vehicles to convey basic scientific concepts in an entertaining manner. Discusses how to dunk a donut, catch a fly ball, and use tools while explaining the underlying principles involved. 2002.
I Was told there’d be Cake by Sloane Crosley
BR 17792; 2 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DBC01326
Read by Joan Lunoe. Reading time: 7 hours, 5 minutes.
Essays that reminisce about growing up strange. Bestseller.
Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story by Chuck Klosterman
DB 62041
Read by John Lescault. Reading time: 7 hours, 20 minutes.
Writer for Spin magazine recounts his journey across America to investigate locations where rock stars died. Beginning at spots in New York City, he proceeds to the swamp where Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane crashed and the place where Kurt Cobain committed suicide, among many other sites. Strong language. 2005.
The Lost Continent: Travels to Small Towns America by Bill Bryson
DB 66259
Read by Guy Williams. Reading time: 11 hours, 30 minutes.
Writer describes his cross-country journey to revisit what he deems the "magic places" of his youth, beginning with his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, and including the Rocky Mountains. Reminisces about his childhood and his father as he recounts adventures across thirty-eight states and 13,978 miles. Some strong language. 1989.
Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
DB 54817
Read by Michael Russotto. Reading time: 8 hours, 35 minutes.
Account by a young, self-proclaimed gay of his unorthodox 1970s upbringing by his mother's psychiatrist. Describes how after her divorce his mother handed him over to the doctor's haphazard household. Conveys the traumatic repercussions of years without formal schooling or appropriate companions. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2002.
Something in the Air: Radio, Rock, and the Revolution That Shaped a Generation by marc Fisher
DB 64347
Read by Don Hagen. Reading time: 14 hours, 33 minutes.
Washington Post journalist chronicles the history of radio's impact on pop culture from the 1950s to the twenty-first century. Profiles "Top 40" deejays and describes rock programming's influence on youth, despite the growing popularity of television. Covers talk-radio hosts from Jean Shepherd to Howard Stern. 2007.
Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain by Steven Levitt; Stephen J. Dubner
DB 79388
Read by Richard Davidson. Reading time: 7 hours, 8 minutes.
The authors of Freakonomics (DB 60337) provide strategies for thinking outside of the box, including: being willing to say "I don't know", incentivizing rather than manipulating people, thinking like a child, and knowing when to quit. Bestseller. 2014.
The Thurber Album: A Collection of Pieces About People by James Thurber
DB 64558
Read by Lindsay Ellison. Reading time: 8 hours, 5 minutes.
Sixteen articles by American humorist James Thurber (1894-1961), all but one of which originally appeared in the New Yorker. Thurber offers comic portraits of relatives and friends as well as recollections of his boyhood in Columbus, favorite professors at Ohio State, and cub reporting at the Columbus Dispatch. 1942.
Romance Read-a-Likes
If you love the poignant love stories of Nicholas Sparks, Danielle Steel and Debbie Macomber, you’ll get into these romances that center around women's lives. These selections feature authors who write inspirational stories in diverse settings with strong heroines.
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
DB 67901
Read by Mitzi Friedlander. Reading time: 11 hours, 18 minutes.
Successful TV chef Augusta "Gus" Simpson is about to turn fifty when her show's format is changed and she has to share the stage with former beauty queen Carmen Vega. As Gus's daughters help Gus during a special live episode, Gus becomes attracted to the show's new producer. 2008.
Dream Country by Luanne Rice
DB 54048
Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time 12 hours, 26 minutes.
LP 32487; 557 pages.
Daisy Tucker flies to Wyoming to find her runaway sixteen-year-old daughter, Sage, whom she suspects will show up at her father's ranch. Once there, Daisy and her ex-husband, James, begin to reclaim the love they lost after Sage's twin brother, Jake, disappeared at age three. 16 pt. Plantin. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2001.
Dream Train by Charlotte Allen
DB 28359
Read by Mary O’Neal. Reading Time: 12 hours, 40 minutes.
A romantic adventure set aboard the Orient Express. For photojournalist Joanna James, a chance to ride the new Orient Express on a travel assignment means, not only an adventure, but the necessity to decide which one of two men she really loves. Along the way she makes many friends and arrives at some decisions about her future. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.
The Last Valentine by James Pratt
DB 46819
Read by Jim Zeiger. Reading time: 7 hours, 10 minutes.
Reporter Susan Allison interviews Neil Thomas about his parents' fifty-year love story to be aired on Valentine's Day. Being a cynic about true love, Susan is skeptical while she investigates Caroline and Neil's romance but gradually falls in love herself. Some violence. 1996.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
BR 19900; 5 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3. Volume 4. Volume 5.
DB 76161
Read by Jill Fox. Reading time: 12 hours, 58 minutes.
LP 30797; 629 pages.
Working-class English girl Louisa "Lou" Clark is hired as an aide to wealthy Will Traynor, a former mogul who has been paralyzed since a road accident. Lou tries to keep the embittered Will engaged with the world, while Will encourages Lou to expand her horizons. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2012.
The Orchard by Jeffrey Stepakoff
DB 77127
Read by Kate Kiley. Reading time: 9 hours, 15 minutes.
Workaholic Grace Lyndon is a sought-after flavor expert in Atlanta. After eating an apple from Dylan Jackson's organic orchard, Grace tracks down the grieving widower in rural Georgia. With the encouragement of Dylan's daughter Carter, Grace and Dylan begin a relationship. 2011
Philomena’s Miracle by Betty Nells
DB 21329
Read by Mimi Bedeman. Reading time: 5 hours, 7 minutes.
While Philomena is not really interested in a handsome doctor, she does see him as something of a challenge. But she is astounded to overhear the doctor tell his grandfather that he is going to marry her. Harlequin novel.
The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans
BR 13659; 4 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3. Volume 4.
DB 53067
Read by Michele Schaeffer. Reading time: 13 hours, 45 minutes.
Julia Bishop meets Ed Tully first but soon is introduced to his best friend and fellow forest firefighter Connor Ford. That summer a catastrophic fire forces Julia to choose between the two men she has come to love. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. Bestseller. 2001.
Summer Blowout by Claire Cook
BR 18134; 2 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DB 68006
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 6 hours, 8 minutes.
Make-up artist Bella Shaughnessy and her siblings work for their father's chain of beauty salons, which makes it difficult for Bella when her ex-husband starts dating her half-sister. But then Bella meets Sean Ryan, who gives her a great business idea. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2008.
Summer Moon by Jill Landis
DB 53732
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 10 hours, 13 minutes.
Kate Whittington, who grew up in a Maine orphanage, impulsively answers an advertisement for a mail-order bride for Reed Benton of Texas. But when she arrives, she discovers that her husband knows nothing about her. And he has just recovered his son who was captured by the Comanche years earlier. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2001.
Thriller Read-a-Likes
You’ve read all the thrillers in our collection? Think again! These ten titles will bring to mind the brooding romantic atmospheres created by Sandra Brown, the fast paced works of Robert Ludlum, and the mind-blowing plot twists of Gillian Flynn.
Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson
DB 73374
Read by Patricia Kilgarriff. Reading time: 11 hours, 40 minutes.
Forty-seven-year-old Londoner amnesiac Christine Lucas awakens every day believing she is young and single until her husband Ben tells her otherwise. When Dr. Nash has Christine keep a secret journal, she begins to suspect that Ben is lying. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2011.
Death Angel by Linda Howard
DB 67180
Read by Martha Harmon Pardee. Reading time: 10 hours, 17 minutes.
Drea Rousseau steals millions from her lover, drug lord Rafael Salinas, and escapes, but Salinas's assassin catches up with her. Sent back from the afterlife to redeem herself, Rousseau later seeks out the FBI to bring Salinas down--and falls in love. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2008.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
BR 20688; 4 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3. Volume 4.
DB 80635
Read by Louise Brealey, India Fisher, Clare Corett. Reading Time: 11 hours, 1 minutes.
LP 30230; 497 Pages.
Rachel's train commute to London passes her former house--now inhabited by her ex-husband and his new family. She also observes a happy young neighboring couple--but then the wife goes missing. Rachel believes she witnessed a critical clue, but her alcoholic blackouts make her an unreliable witness. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2015.
The Obsession by Nora Roberts
DB 84522
Read by Catherine Byers. Reading time: 15 hours, 17 minutes.
When Naomi was a child, her father was arrested for raping and killing dozens of women. Years later, Naomi changed her name and settled in a small town in Washington state. She's attracted to local Xander Keaton, but her past still haunts her. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2016.
Precious Thing by Collette McBeth
DB 80660
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 9 hours, 2 minutes.
Arriving at a press conference about a missing woman, London television reporter Rachel Walsh is shocked to see that it is for her childhood friend Clara, who had stood her up for drinks the night before. As the investigation continues, Rachel begins to question their entire past. Strong language and some violence. 2013.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
DB 78077
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 11 hours, 16 minutes.
LP 032809; 574 pages.
Attorney and single mom Kate is surprised to hear that her over-achieving fifteen-year-old daughter Amelia has been suspended from private school. Then Kate arrives to find Amelia dead after jumping from the school's roof and frantically tries to find out what happened. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2013
Rules of Deception by Christopher Reich
DB 67850
Read by Fred Major. Reading time: 13 hours, 19 minutes.
After his wife Emma is killed while skiing in the Alps, Doctors Without Borders surgeon Jonathan Ransom receives two Swiss baggage-claim tickets in her name. But when Jonathan picks up the bags, he comes under attack--and discovers that his wife was an undercover agent. Violence and strong language. 2008. Jonathan Ransom series, book 1.
Shiver by Karen Robards
DB 76077
Read by Shannon McManus. Reading time: 10 hours, 13 minutes.
LP 31272; 503 pages.
Car repossessor Samantha Jones finds undercover FBI agent Daniel Panterro in the trunk of a BMW--then is thrown in with him. After they escape, Samantha forces Daniel to retrieve her young son Tyler before they go into hiding. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2012.
Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
DB 50675
Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 16 hours, 33 minutes.
The CIA learns that foreign terrorists intend to assault the White House imminently. The Secret Service has only seconds to usher the president into his bunker, leaving others to be taken hostage. As officials dither, a CIA counterterrorism operative mounts a rescue. Mitch Rapp series, book 3. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.
Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon
BR 21421; 4 volumes of braille (UEB). Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3. Volume 4.
DB 83697
Read by Elizabeth Knowelden, Katharine McEwan. Reading time: 11 hours, 18 minutes.
Destructive habits cost Alex Dale a marriage and a journalism career. Then Alex discovers Amy Stevenson, who was found unconscious fifteen years ago after a merciless assault. Thought to be comatose, Amy is actually conscious but paralyzed, reliving the past. Alex begins visiting and then investigating. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. 2016.
Western and Adventure Read-a-Likes
If action and adventure are what you crave, then check out this list of ten authors who write like Louis L'Amour, Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy. You’ll enjoy the company of these strong heroes fighting for justice in western, military, and exotic settings.
The Buckskin by Elmer Kelton
DB 50220
Read by Ted Stoddard. Reading time: 10 hours, 17 minutes.
On the Texas frontier in 1840, the Comanche warrior Buffalo Caller claims a red-haired boy during a raid that kills many settlers. The orphaned boy, Rusty Shannon, is eventually rescued, grows up to become a Ranger, and--years later--has another encounter with Buffalo Caller. Texas Rangers series, book 1. 1999.
Cry of the Hawk by Terry C. Johnstone
DB 38639
Read by Fred Major. Reading time: 5 hours, 35 minutes.
A woman who calls herself Irma Welles hires cowboy Will Dryden to find her husband, Alfred. The trail leads to the Redstone ranch, where a young hand was just murdered. Will uncovers shady dealings that he has a hunch bear on Alfred's disappearance. Some descriptions of sex. Spur Award. 2008.
Hawke: An Alex Hawke Thriller by Ted Bell
DB 69282
Read by Michael Russotto. Reading time: 6 hours, 2 minutes.
Texas, 1859. Trailsman Skye Fargo is visiting his friend Tom Baker when raiders attack, killing Tom and his son and kidnapping Tom's wife, Greta. Accompanied by Greta's younger sister, Kristina, Skye sets out to save Greta and exact revenge. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1988.
Larry Bond’s First Team by Larry Bond; James Defelice
DB 72347
Read by Jim Zeiger. Reading time: 14 hours.
When radioactive waste from the former Soviet Union goes missing, a special unit called First Team led by CIA officer Bob Ferguson races to find it before it is used in a deadly attack on U.S. soil. First Team series, book 1. Violence and strong language. 2004.
Remember Santiago by Douglas C. Jones
DB 29194
Read by John Polk. Reading time: 10 hours, 53 minutes.
Historical novel using divergent viewpoints and eyewitness accounts to capture the mayhem and confusion that characterized the Spanish-American War. Drawn by a combination of happenstance and ill luck, attorney Eben Pay and his faithful Osage sidekick, Joe Mountain, encounter a host of characters during the brief U.S. invasion of Cuba. Some strong language.
Sandstorm by James Rollins
DB 64067
Read by Barry Bernson. Reading time: 15 hours, 39 minutes.
The Caribbean. British naval hero Alexander Hawke hunts down an experimental Russian submarine carrying ballistic missiles. The assignment brings Hawke into a deadly confrontation with three diabolical brothers who have overthrown Castro--and who murdered Hawke's parents’ years ago. Alex Hawke series, book 1. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2003.
Texas Hell Country by Jon Sharpe
DB 61674
Read by Patrick Downer. Reading time: 14 hours, 47 minutes.
After barely surviving a difficult mission, Milo Weaver transfers out of his post as a CIA assassin or "tourist." But when an old friend is suspected of espionage, Milo must leave his family and desk job to revisit his dark past. Milo Weaver series, book 1. Some violence and some strong language. 2009.
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
DB 69186
Read L. J. Ganser. Reading time: 18 hours, 39 minutes.
After someone bombs the British Museum, scientist Safia al-Maaz, archaeologist Omaha Dunn, and benefactor Lady Kara Kensington join Painter Crowe and Sigma Force to find the culprit. In Arabia they search for the legendary city of Ubar and the source of the attack. Sigma Force series, book 1. Violence and strong language. 2004.
Trouble at the Redstone by John D. Nesbitt
DB 70070
Read by Roy Avers. Reading time: 14 hours, 13 minutes.
In 1908, reclusive frontiersman Jonah Hook tells his and his silent wife Gritta's stories to a visiting journalist. Imprisoned during the Civil War, Confederate Hook's only chance for freedom is to become a galvanized Yankee fighting Indians. Gritta and the children run the Missouri farm until they are abducted, not by the expected Rebels but by an insane Mormon and his band. Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex.
Undercurrents: A Novel by Ridley Pearson
DB 28357
Read by James DeLotel. Reading time: 12 hours, 58 minutes.
A serial killer rapes and strangles his victims and carves crosses on their chests. At the same time, a copycat killer adds prolonged torture to the murders. Sgt. Lou Boldt of the Seattle Police Department puts together the evidence that provides a startling finale. Violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex.