Talking Book Topics--May-June 1997

Books for Adults--Fiction

Books listed in this issue of Talking Book Topics were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including biographies, classics, gothics, mysteries, romances, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection.In this listing, books on flexible disc are labeled with the code FD and cassette books with the code RC. All disc books have been recorded to play at the speed of 8 rpm; the cassette books play at 15/16 ips. Cassette titles marked with a dagger (+) were produced earlier on flexible discs. To order disc or cassette books, contact your cooperating library.

Note: For the information of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurrence, as in "some strong language."

Ester Ried's Awakening RC 39927
by Isabella Macdonald Alden
read by Mimi Bederman
2 cassettes
Although Ester Ried pledged her life to Jesus as a child, somehow in the years since, the joy of that pledge has faded. She is tired of the sameness of her days working in her mother's boarding house and jealous of the carefree lives of the guests and her siblings. Then the Christian cousin who has been corresponding with Ester invites her to New York for her wedding and exposes Ester to a truly religious lifestyle. 1870.

As in a Mirror RC 39928
by Isabella Macdonald Alden
read by June Carter
2 cassettes
When well-to-do John Stuart King hears a stirring sermon about the treatment of tramps, he decides the only way he can write his planned novel about a tramp is to live as one for a while. After a time on the road, King is hired on by farmer Roger Elliot. Although King is engaged to his cousin, he soon becomes entranced by Elliot's devout schoolteacher daughter, Helen. But she would not approve of his identity sham, despite his good intentions. 1897.

Daring Illusion RC 39930
by Christina Cordaire
read by Ellen Frost
1 cassette
The death of the earl of Winston and his wife leaves their children penniless. To save Castle Winston, the children come up with a plan to rent the castle for the summer, while they fill the roles of servants. Needing at least one older person, they are delighted when their widowed sister-in-law, Rosalind, comes to live with them. But when their tenant arrives, he is none other than Viscount Moreland, whom Rosalind knew a long time ago. 1994.

Gloria: A Diary RC 39931
by Joseph F. Girzone
read by Anne Mullen
1 cassette
Although very popular in school, Gloria often feels she has no one to talk to about her feelings. But then one day Gloria finds that God will listen to her, and does she have questions for him! In her talks with God, Gloria discusses her feelings about God and Jesus, the party she had that got out of control, her schoolwork, and her future. When a knee injury puts her in the hospital, she turns to God for more help. For high school and older readers. 1982.

Revolutions of the Heart RC 39933
by Marsha Qualey
read by Don Emmick
1 cassette
At seventeen, Cory Knutson finds her small-town life taking some dramatic turns. Everybody knows about everybody else in Summer, Wisconsin, so they all know that Cory put a big hole in Dawn's store window and is working to pay for it. But that is only the beginning of her problems: her mother dies, and when Cory begins dating a Native American, her brother and the entire town object. For junior and senior high readers. 1993.

The Year of the Virgins RC 39942
by Catherine Cookson
read by Arnie Warren
2 cassettes
England in the 1960s. Winifred and Daniel Coulson's thirty-one-year marriage is falling apart. But the outside world has no idea. After all, they are wealthy Catholics from the best part of town, and it just wouldn't do for others to know. Winifred is overly possessive of their youngest son, and on the day of his wedding an accident occurs that rocks the family completely and hastens its disintegration. 1993.

Borderliners RC 39943
by Peter Høeg
read by June Carter
2 cassettes
The "borderliners" are a trio of residents on probation in a private school in Copenhagen in the 1970s: Peter, who rebels against institutions; his girlfriend, newly orphaned Katarina; and a younger boy, August, who killed his abusive parents. The frightened children realize they are subjects of an experiment and attempt to find out the nature of "the plan." 1994.

I Would Have Loved Him if I Had Not Killed Him RC 39945
by Edgard Telles Ribeiro
read by Phil Regensdorf
2 cassettes
Guilhermina was all of fourteen when she was given in marriage to the Honorable Carlos Augusto Maia Macedo, then sixty-six years old. She spent the next seven years planning his death. Years later Guilhermina discovers Andrea, a grandniece, who becomes her confidante and beneficiary. Andrea meets up with an old lover and filmmaker, and together they research Guilhermina's story with the plot of a screenplay in mind. 1990.

Flight #116 Is Down RC 39946
by Caroline B. Cooney
read by Marilyn Gleason
1 cassette
Because most residents of remote Nearing River work in New York, there are few adults around during the day. So seventeen-year-old Patrick is trained as an emergency medical technician. But he doesn't get to use his lifesaving skills, and boredom prevails for him and other teens, including Heidi, a lonely rich girl. Then one Saturday evening, everything changes when Flight #116 crashes on Heidi's estate. For junior and senior high readers. 1992.

Blood Saga RC 39948
by Will Camp
read by Arnie Warren
1 cassette
In 1878 three men approach Rueben Child's humble cabin in New Mexico Territory. To his wife's horror, they calmly gun him down so they can take his land. She writes their names on a handkerchief and flees with her small son, Virgil. Two decades later on her deathbed, Virgil's mother gives him the scrap of cloth and asks him to bury her next to his father. When Virgil finds his hometown, he also finds his father's murderers. Strong language and violence. 1994.

Kentucky Straight RC 39949
by Chris Offutt
read by June Carter
1 cassette
Nine stories set in an Appalachian community. The author, who knows the Kentucky hills firsthand, is a storyteller, and the characters he describes could be kin. In "The Leaving One," an old man returns years after he is accused of being a devil for saving his daughter when a preacher all but drowns her in a creek baptism. In "Smokehouse," a man in need of whiskey ends up in a deadly card game. Some strong language. 1992.

Michelle RC 39954
by Eva Gibson
read by Graci Ragsdale
1 cassette
Michelle Ann (Micky) Strand has lived in several homes since her mother deserted her. But now that she is living with the Middletons, Micky believes she will finally be happy. Micky's friendship with neighbor Joel Brentwood and a near drowning bring long-suppressed memories to the surface with surprising results. For junior and senior high readers. 1984.

Ned Christie's War RC 39955
by Robert J. Conley
read by Phil Regensdorf
1 cassette
In 1887, Ned Christie rides to Tahlequah to take part in the council meeting of the Cherokee Nation. Like others, Ned is upset that whites seem to be taking control of the Nation and plans to speak out against it. But before the meeting occurs, he drinks some illegal whiskey with a friend and sleeps it off outside. When a lawman is shot nearby the next morning, Ned begins a long battle as a hunted man. Violence. 1990.

The Curse of the Cockers RC 39960
by Gerald Hammond
read by Phil Regensdorf
1 cassette
Three Oaks Kennels owners John and Beth Cunningham have just returned from the local pub and a celebration of Hogmanay when they receive a phone call telling them there has been an accident at the pub. Their friends Isobel and Henry witnessed a hit-and-run that left a man dead and a cocker spaniel abandoned. Before long another friend, Angus Todd, stands accused of murder, and John finds himself facing a psychopath. Some strong language. 1993.

Others See Us RC 39967
by William Sleator
read by Dick Jenkins
1 cassette
While riding his bike near his family's summer estate, sixteen-year-old Jared falls into a swamp filled with toxic wastes. After cleaning himself up, he begins getting strange images in his mind, and he realizes that he has suddenly acquired the ability to read the thoughts of other people. With this power, he learns disturbing things about his family, especially about his pretty cousin and his grandmother. For high school and older readers. 1993.

Journey of the Sparrows RC 39970
by Fran Leeper Buss
read by Sharon Lauve Komorn
1 cassette
Life in El Salvador was unbearable for the Acosta family after Papa and daughter Julia's husband were killed. So while Mama and the baby hide in Mexico, fifteen-year-old Maria, Julia, their little brother, and a stranger flee to the States nailed in a crate on the back of a truck. Because this is illegal, they have to be very careful. But with the help of kind people, they begin a new life in Chicago. For high school and older readers. 1991.

Mojave Crossing RC 39972
by Louis L'Amour
read by Phil Regensdorf
1 cassette (Reissue)
Set in the late 1870s. Cowboy Tell Sackett has no problem carrying thirty pounds of gold, but the hard part is ahead when he has to cross the desert. While he waits for a ferry to cross the Colorado River, he meets trouble in the form of a beautiful black-eyed young woman and a gang with eyes on his gold. 1964.

The Vanishing RC 39977
by Tim Krabbé
read by Arnie Warren
1 cassette
While Rex Hofman is stopped at a gas station in southern France, his girlfriend, Saskia Ehlvest, goes to buy refreshments and disappears. Not satisfied with the police investigation, Rex begins one of his own and becomes obsessed with finding Saskia. Years later a stranger approaches Rex with an offer of information about Saskia and a price tag that Rex accepts. Subject of both a Dutch and an American film. 1993.

Stone of Farewell: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Book 2 RC 40338
by Tad Williams
read by Erik Sandvold
6 cassettes
Simon and his allies now possess the sword Thorn, essential to their defeat of the evil forces of King Elias of Osten Ard. King Elias has banded together with the Storm King, and they plan to end any hope Prince Josua has of taking over the throne. Both forces will meet many problems before they come face to face at the Stone of Farewell. Sequel to The Dragonbone Chair (RC 40337). For high school and older readers. 1990.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes RC 40522
by Chris Crutcher
read by John Lescault
2 cassettes
Eric Calhoune is a chunky swimmer on his high school team. His best friend is Sarah Byrnes, who is severely scarred from childhood burns. When Sarah is hospitalized after going into a trance-like state in class, Eric tries to draw her out, while reminiscing about how they banded together against the cruelty of other students and how he panicked that he'd lose her when he started losing weight. Strong language. For high school and older readers. 1993.

The Road to Wellville RC 40674
by T. Coraghessan Boyle
read by Conrad Feininger
4 cassettes
Battle Creek, Michigan, 1907. C.W. Post and Dr. John Harvey Kellogg are becoming famous for their breakfast cereals. Post has a diner, and Kellogg has opened a spa, where he extols the value of healthy eating and exercise to cure "autointoxication"--too much meat and too much sex. Will and Eleanor Lightbody have come for the cure, but Will almost dies taking it. And Charles Ossining wants to get a piece of the cereal business. Some strong language. 1993.

The Stranger from the Sea: A Novel of Cornwall, 1810-1811 RC 40684
by Winston Graham
read by Patrick Horgan
3 cassettes (Reissue)
Eighth novel in the Poldark family saga. War with France and the mental instability of King George III require Ross Poldark's presence in London. During his absence from Cornwall, the lives of his children, Jeremy and Clowance, are profoundly changed by the arrival of a handsome castaway. Prequel to The Miller's Dance (RC 41904). 1981.

The Queen from Provence: The Plantagenet Saga, Volume 6 RC 40686
by Jean Plaidy
read by John Horton
2 cassettes (Reissue)
Historical novel about Eleanor of Provence, a beauty without a dowry, who nevertheless wins the heart of King Henry III of England. Precocious Eleanor soon dominates her husband and, through him, England itself. Sequel to The Battle of the Queens (RC 38826). 1981.

The Loving Cup: A Novel of Cornwall, 1813-1815 RC 40687
by Winston Graham
read by Patrick Horgan
3 cassettes (Reissue)
The tenth novel in the Poldark family saga focuses on the children of Ross and Demelza. The attractive Poldarks of Cornwall are flourishing in post-Napoleonic euphoria and feeling the first stirrings of the Industrial Revolution. The second generation, raised to make free choices even when they defy convention, are involved in liaisons, romantic and otherwise. Sequel to The Miller's Dance (RC 41904). 1984.

There's Nothing to Be Afraid Of: A Sharon McCone Mystery RC 40709
by Marcia Muller
read by Pam Ward
2 cassettes
P.I. Sharon McCone's friend Carolyn Bui, director of the Refugee Assistant Center, asks Sharon to help investigate strange doings at the Globe Apartment Hotel in San Francisco's Tenderloin area. The neighborhood has been taken over by Vietnamese immigrants trying to make a living and by those who prey on them. Apparently someone wants them to leave, for there has been a murder. Strong language. 1985.

Ask the Cards a Question RC 40746
by Marcia Muller
read by Pam Ward
1 cassette
Private investigator Sharon McCone arrives home late one night to find her apartment building full of police. Lieutenant Greg Marcus, who is still trying to get Sharon to marry him, informs her that her neighbor Molly Antonio has been murdered. Sharon finds herself investigating in her own neighborhood and soon uncovers blackmail and big-time crime right under her nose. Strong language. 1982.

Edwin of the Iron Shoes RC 40747
by Marcia Muller
read by Pam Ward
1 cassette
Someone has been vandalizing a group of antique stores in San Francisco, and the owners think it's part of a ploy to force them out. Sharon McCone of All Souls Legal Cooperative has been investigating, but now the crimes have escalated to the murder of antique dealer Joan Albritton. Sharon joins forces with police lieutenant Gregory Marcus to crack the case. Strong language. 1977.

South to Destiny: This Land, This Time, Volume 4 RC 40850
by Dobrica Cosic
read by Ed Blake
3 cassettes
Conclusion of the epic quartet set in Serbia during World War I. As the battle drags on, the Serbian soldiers are once again almost surrounded by enemy forces. This time, without Allied assistance and joined by refugees, they stage a mass exodus southward across the mountains toward the Albanian coast. Retreat costs thousands of lives, and those who survive are content just to be alive. Sequel to Reach to Eternity (RC 40849). 1981.

Generation Warriors RC 41103
by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
3 cassettes
Fleet Commander Sassinak leads a motley team of allies, both lightweights and heavyworlders, in pursuit of the planet pirates who enslaved her as a child. But Sassinak's passionate vendetta, her reluctance to follow orders, and her investigations of the super rich may generate more trouble than she and her friends can handle. Sequel to The Death of Sleep (RC 41102). For junior and senior high and older readers. 1993.

Earthborn: Homecoming, Volume 5 RC 41188
by Orson Scott Card
read by Carole Jordan Stewart
3 cassettes
Five hundred years after reaching Earth, the descendants of Nafai have repopulated it, while Shedemei, the only survivor of the original travelers, remains in orbit with the ailing Oversoul computer. As the humans try to get along with two other intelligent races that evolved during humanity's absence, Shedemei continues to search for the Keeper of Earth. Sequel to Earthfall (RC 41167). 1995.

Sons of an Ancient Glory: An Emerald Ballad, Volume 4 RC 41306
by B.J. Hoff
read by Terry Donnelly
3 cassettes
The Fitzgeralds in Ireland and the Whittakers and Burkes in America have had their faith tested time and time again as each family faced more than its share of tragedy and sorrow. But there have been good times, too, as children were born and love was rekindled. Now new people are arriving and will change the families' lives forever. Sequel to Land of a Thousand Dreams (RC 41305). 1993.

Tuesday the Rabbi Saw Red RC 41383
by Harry Kemelman
read by Barry Bernson
2 cassettes (Reissue)
Rabbi Small is happy with his part-time teaching job at a small college until a nasty colleague is killed by a bust of Homer. Some strong language. 1973.

A Song for Silas RC 41473
by Lori Wick
read by Mary Woods
1 cassette
Wisconsin, 1889. Life has not been kind to Amy Nolan lately. Four years ago her mother died, and several months ago her fiancé ended their engagement. Now Amy's father, Grant, has broken his leg just as planting season begins. In answer to their prayers, Silas Cameron, who helped them when Mrs. Grant died, has come to their aid again. But soon the brotherly feeling that Amy and Silas had before begins to change. Sequel to A Place Called Home (RC 41472). 1990.

Child of the Dead RC 41506
by Don Coldsmith
read by Jill Ferris
2 cassettes
Running Deer, the aging matriarch of an eighteenth-century Native American tribe, mourns over the death of her husband and sees no point in living any longer. As a final act, she leaves her people and goes to care for a small girl, the lone survivor of a neighboring tribe killed off by smallpox. Both Running Deer and the child survive the disease and eventually rejoin the tribe where they make a new life together and face new challenges. 1995.

Across the Sea of Suns RC 41574
by Gregory Benford
read by Gary Tipton
3 cassettes
In the mid twenty-first century, Nigel Walmsley leads the first human interstellar mission to contact an alien civilization and to learn about a terrible peril that threatens the galaxy. Even as this mission is carried out, Earth's oceans are infested with dangerous alien life forms that disrupt ocean-going travel and commerce. Second novel of the Galactic Center series, sequel to In the Ocean of Night (RC 41573). Some strong language. 1984.

The Black Gryphon: The Mage Wars, Book 1 RC 41577
by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon
read by James DeLotel
3 cassettes
Skandranon is the finest and most noble of the race of gryphons created by the sorcerer Urtho to be his champions and defend his realm. Now the evil mage Ma'ar advances against Urtho with his own cruel birds of prey, and Skandranon is sent to spy on the invaders, while his human friend, Amberdrake, anxiously awaits his return. Prequel to The White Gryphon (RC 41578). 1994.

Gate of His Enemies: The Appomattox Saga, Book 2 RC 41580
by Gilbert Morris
read by Mitzi Friedlander
2 cassettes
The war has come, and Deborah Steele, a member of the northern branch of the Rocklin clan, finds herself in a precarious position. She is in love with Dent Rocklin, a Confederate soldier. Deborah has also accepted responsibility for the family of Noel Kojak, who is fighting for the North. As war rages, Deborah is torn between her loyalties to the North and to Dent Rocklin. Sequel to A Covenant of Love (RC 41579). 1992.

Fireblossom RC 41616
by Cynthia Wright
read by Madelyn Buzzard
3 cassettes
1876. Madeleine Avery and her family have left Philadelphia and come to Deadwood, a mining camp in the Black Hills, to be with her father. Also new in town is Daniel Matthews, who is trying to forget his failure to prevent Custer's attack on the Indians. When Madeleine learns she has an Indian half-sister, she and Daniel set out to locate Sun Smile and find romance along the way. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1992.

The Collected Stories of Max Brand RC 41617
by Max Brand
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
Max Brand was just one of more than twenty pseudonyms used by Frederick Schiller Faust during his years of writing between 1917 and 1944. Eighteen of his more than nine hundred short stories are included in this collection. Only a few are westerns, and one, "A Special Occasion," is autobiographical. Some strong language. 1994.

The Pardon RC 41625
by James Grippando
read by Ray Foushee
2 cassettes
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. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Desperate Measures RC 41626
by David Morrell
read by Roy Avers
2 cassettes
Since his son's death from cancer, newspaperman Matt Pittman's life has been in quick decline. He quits the obituary job he was demoted to and prepares his suicide. Then his friend and former boss requests that he prepare one last obituary for an ailing political figure Pittman investigated years earlier. Pittman reluctantly agrees but is soon accused of murdering his subject. Strong language and violence. 1994.

The Final Judgment RC 41627
by Richard North Patterson
read by Mitzi Friedlander
3 cassettes
Caroline Masters has just been appointed as a judge with the U.S. Court of Appeals when she receives a call asking her to return home. Her niece, Brett Allen, has been accused of murder, and they would like Caroline to defend Brett. It has been twenty years since Caroline left New Hampshire, and as she prepares a defense for her niece, Caroline must deal with an unresolved past that still haunts her. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1995.

Hardware RC 41633
by Linda Barnes
read by Madelyn Buzzard
2 cassettes
Tall, red-haired P.I. and cab driver, Carlotta Carlyle, from Snapshot (RC 38241), decides to buy a computer for her detective business. Meanwhile, her lover and part-owner of the cab company, Sam Gianelli, is convinced his office is being bugged by the Organized Crime Task Force because he is the son of a mobster, and Carlotta is asked to find out who is beating up the cabbies of Boston. Strong language and some violence. 1995.

Last Chance for Glory RC 41634
by Stephen Solomita
read by Bruce Huntey
2 cassettes
Young, retarded panhandler Billy Sowell is arrested for murdering a woman and persuaded to confess. Later a successful attorney agrees to work pro bono to clear Sowell's name and hires investigator Marty Blake. Blake's search turns up alcoholic retired cop Bela Kosinski, who arrested Sowell. Kosinski decides to help inexperienced Blake untangle the cover-up that put Sowell away. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

A Certain Justice RC 41636
by John T. Lescroart
read by Ray Foushee
3 cassettes
In San Francisco, a black man seen killing white accountant Michael Mullen gets off on a technicality. At Mullen's wake, his friends retaliate by lynching a black man they wrongly assume is stealing a BMW. Horrified, Kevin Shea attempts to cut the man down to save him. Shea fails, and a picture of his attempt seems to show him as the leader of the lynch mob. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Power of Pinjarra: Australian Destiny, Book 2 RC 41670
by Sandy Dengler
read by Graeme Malcolm
2 cassettes
Marty Frobel grew up on a cattle ranch in Australia's outback. Pearl Fowkes came to the outback when her father became a preacher. Pearl and Marty quickly become friends. As the years go by, Marty turns his attention to running his own cattle station, Pinjarra, and Pearl feels the need for a better life than one in the outback. But they will meet again. Sequel to Code of Honor (RC 41655). 1989.

The Furies RC 41695
by Suzy McKee Charnas
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
3 cassettes
Alldera leads a band of free fems back to Holdfast to conquer her male former masters. She finds that most of the men have killed off one another and that the greatest enemy she now faces is dissension among her fellow fems. Alldera must now learn how to apply her skills to secure a new and just future for both genders. Sequel to "Walk to the End of the World" and "Motherlines" (RC 41694). Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Stardust and Shadows RC 41702
by Janelle Taylor
read by Ilona Dulaski
4 cassettes
In this sequel to Moondust and Madness (RC 41701), earthling Jana Greyson has fallen in love with her captor, starship commander Varian Saar, who has confessed his love and proposed marriage. But Jana awakens to find she is the wife of Varian's nemesis and half-brother Ryker--or is he Varian pretending to be Ryker? Prequel to Starlight and Splendor (RC 41703). Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1992.

Cruel April: A Dave Garrett Mystery RC 41712
by Neil Albert
read by Bob Moore
2 cassettes
Disbarred attorney turned private eye Dave Garrett, from Burning March (RC 39795), is waiting for his lover, Kate McMahan, at the Philadelphia airport. She is leaving her husband to be with Dave, but she isn't on the plane. When Dave learns her luggage and ticket came without her, he begins a three-day search for Kate that puts his life at risk again and again. Strong language and violence. 1995.

The Winshaw Legacy; or, What a Carve Up! RC 41722
by Jonathan Coe
read by Steven Carpenter
3 cassettes
The Winshaw family of Yorkshire hires Michael Owen to write the family's biography. He has been cautioned that the family consists of "the meanest, greediest, cruellest bunch of backstabbing penny-pinching" people on earth. Michael makes some unusual discoveries, including a possible connection to his own life. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1994.

A River Town RC 41726
by Thomas Keneally
read by Corrie James
3 cassettes
Irishman Tim Shea came to Australia hoping to make a new life for himself. He becomes a shop owner in the town of Kempsey in the Macleay Valley, marries, and has two children. But in the summer of 1898, a sequence of events almost destroys Tim. He is greatly affected by the death of a young woman, the orphaning of a little girl, and the threat of plague. Some strong language. 1995.

Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Mirror Image RC 41739
by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik
read by Jim Zeiger
3 cassettes
After the cold war, Moscow Minister of the Interior Dogin has lost an election, but he is not about to give up all power: he has a secret command center in St. Petersburg with reconnaissance and surgical strike capabilities. Dogin's group will have a rival operations center to contend with: the Washington, D.C., National Crisis Management Center. Strong language and violence. Bestseller 1995.

Only Love RC 41742
by Elizabeth Lowell
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
2 cassettes
Passing through Echo Basin, wanderer Whip Moran is attracted to Shannon Conner. Shannon lives in a remote cabin with bounty hunter Silent John. What Whip and the townsfolk don't know is that Silent John is Shannon's great-uncle, not her husband, and he has been gone for many seasons. Shannon is running out of supplies but resists taking help from men who want sex in return. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1995.

Hour of the Rose RC 41752
by Christina Skye
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
2 cassettes
Nicholas Draycott has asked his long-time friend Michael Burke to help locate an urn full of microfilm buried on Nicholas's English estate. Also searching for the urn is American archaeologist Kelly Hamilton, who has second sight. But others also want the urn, and Michael and Kelly soon find themselves involved with the Draycott Abbey ghosts and entangled in a web of deceit and betrayal. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Shadow's End RC 41757
by Sheri S. Tepper
read by Mary Woods
3 cassettes
A mysterious force sweeps across the galaxy depopulating colonized worlds. Only the backwater planet Dinadh seems to be immune. Linguist Lutha Tallstaff is sent to investigate Dinadh's cultural and religious practices, which may be a key to the immunity. Her mission also leads her to Leelson Famber, the noted adventurer, who happens to be her former lover and the father of her son. Together they face a mystery of cosmic importance to humankind. 1994.

True Betrayals RC 41762
by Nora Roberts
read by Mary Woods
3 cassettes
The day she receives her divorce decree, Kelsey Byden, twenty-six, gets a startling letter. It is from the mother she had been told died when Kelsey was a toddler. Naomi Chadwick had been sent to prison for killing a man and didn't want young Kelsey to know. Kelsey agrees to visit Naomi at her Virginia horse farm but must fight an attraction to the man she believes is her mother's lover. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Dark Wing RC 41778
by Richard Herman
read by Jim Zeiger
4 cassettes
Returning to the Pentagon from his grandfather's funeral, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Pontowski III has decisions to make. He loves flying, he feels trapped in Pentagon bureaucracy, and he refuses to use influence to further his career. So Matt takes the minor job of deactivating a fighter squadron that ends up in major combat in China. Sequel to Call to Duty (RC 41460). Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1994.

Frontier Lady: Lone Star Legacy, Volume 1 RC 41788
by Judith Pella
read by Madelyn Buzzard
3 cassettes
Deborah grows up in Virginia, but the Civil War takes a toll on her family and friends, and so she joins the Stoners, distant relatives, in Texas. She is supposed to marry Leonard Stoner, a young man set to inherit a fortune. Deborah ignores the warnings of her friends who advise her to flee Texas at her first chance, and now she stands accused of murder. Prequel to Stoner's Crossing (RC 41789). 1993.

Flaunting, Extravagant Queen RC 41812
by Jean Plaidy
read by Laura Giannarelli
3 cassettes
Fictional account of the life of Marie Antoinette. Wed at fifteen to the withdrawn and awkward young Dauphin, dainty Antoinette was accustomed to charming those around her, but she had no such effect on her husband, Louis XVI. A spirited nature won her criticism at court, and, though she produced an heir, rumors of her extravagance outraged an impoverished populace. Sequel to The Road to Compiègne (RC 41811). Some descriptions of sex. 1957.

Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics RC 41822
by Anonymous
read by Michael Stanton
3 cassettes
Parallels Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. When Jack Stanton, a southern governor, makes a run for the presidency, he recruits Henry Burton as his deputy campaign manager. At first Henry sees the opportunity to gain an insider's view of politics as a welcome distraction. But the business of politics soon builds a formidable backdrop to Henry's personal identity crisis. Strong language. Bestseller 1996.

The Passionate Enemies RC 41825
by Jean Plaidy
read by Anne Hancock
3 cassettes
The death of his only son leaves Henry I worried about the future of the throne. His spirited daughter, Matilda, who is married to the doddering emperor of Germany, and his scheming nephew Stephen begin their plots for succession. Now enemies, their passion for power is matched by their passion for each other, which was kindled long ago. Sequel to Lion of Justice (RC 40330). Some descriptions of sex. 1976.

Pink Vodka Blues RC 41828
by Neal Barrett Jr.
read by Gary Roan
2 cassettes
Russell Murray, an alcoholic writer for the Chicago Literary Times, wakes up badly hung over in a hotel room with a young woman he can't recall meeting. Two thugs break in, shoot the girl, and take off after Russ. He escapes only to wake up in a detox institution, where he remembers that before all this happened, his boss had sent him on a strange errand involving a briefcase. Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1992.

The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the Blues RC 41839
by Harry Harrison
read by John Polk
2 cassettes
Jim diGriz, twenty-fifth-century con man and thief, faces certain execution for attempted robbery on the planet Paskönjak, where they believe in penalty first and trial later. Fortunately, at the last minute, the Galactic League steps in and offers him a deal. He can gain his life and freedom if he undertakes a dangerous mission to infiltrate a prison planet and recover a priceless alien artifact. 1994.

Pretty Boy Floyd: A Novel RC 41848
by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
Charley Floyd is a good-looking farm boy needing money to support his wife and baby boy. After his first bank robbery, he just can't help buying a fancy flivver, fine jewelry, and an expensive suit, which draw the law's attention. His good looks, common background, generous spending, and politeness to hostages make him a folk hero, despite his topping the FBI's Most Wanted list. Violence and some descriptions of sex. 1994.

The Hellion RC 41850
by LaVyrle Spencer
read by Carol Dines
2 cassettes
Tommy Lee Gentry is known as a hell-raiser in his hometown of Russellville, Alabama. He has been married three times, drives fast cars, drinks, and almost always has a woman with him. He has never been happy, but there is a chance for things to change. Rachel, his childhood sweetheart, is free again. Descriptions of sex. 1984.

Jessie: A Novel Based on the Life of Jessie Benton Frémont RC 41852
by Judy Alter
read by Mitzi Friedlander
3 cassettes
After her husband's death, Jessie Benton Frémont begins writing about her life of involvement in nineteenth-century politics, issues, and adventures. Jessie sees her life in three stages: as the daughter of Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri; as the wife of John Charles Frémont, explorer, soldier, senator, and presidential candidate; and as a historical writer and ghostwriter for her father and her husband. 1995.

The Jericho Iteration RC 41859
by Allen Steele
read by Roy Avers
2 cassettes
A year after an earthquake has devastated the Midwest, reporter and computer hack Gerry Rosen attempts to put his life back together amid the ruins of his native St. Louis. After the federal government establishes martial law in the city, Rosen puts himself in danger when he uncovers information about a government conspiracy and a powerful secret weapon that threatens the country's safety. Strong language. 1994.

The Jeweled Spur: The House of Winslow, Book 16 RC 41860
by Gilbert Morris
read by Mitzi Friedlander
2 cassettes
Laurie Winslow, eighteen and bored with life in the late-1800s military post at Fort Grant, Arizona, is delighted when she gets a chance to pursue her desire to write by attending college. But after a year, she must stop and earn some money. While working for Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, she is reunited with an old friend, Cody Rogers, who is running from a troubled past. Sequel to The Gallant Outlaw (RC 39753). 1994.

Hidden Fires RC 41863
by Sandra Brown
read by Madelyn Buzzard
3 cassettes
Lauren Holbrook, daughter of a preacher, leaves her North Carolina home and comes to Texas to work for Ben Lockett. But when she arrives, she learns that Ben died that very morning. Now what is she to do? When Ben's wife, Olivia, asks Lauren to enter an in-name-only marriage with son Jared, Lauren agrees but suspects the motives behind the request. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1982.

Finder RC 41870
by Emma Bull
read by John Polk
2 cassettes
Young runaway Orient comes to Bordertown, a crossroads between the real world and Elfland where both elves and humans live and science and magic mix in strange ways. But Bordertown has typical urban problems, and Orient uses his knack for finding lost objects to help tough female cop Sunny Rico solve a grisly murder and confront other sinister mysteries. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 1994.

Summer of Love RC 41871
by Lisa Mason
read by Madelyn Buzzard
3 cassettes
A time traveler from the twenty-fifth century is sent to track down an individual crucial to the preservation of the time stream. His mission takes him to the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury district during the 1967 "summer of love" where he meets Susan Stein, a fourteen-year-old runaway who has come to San Francisco to sample the flower-child experience. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Shadow of a Dark Queen: Serpentwar Saga, Volume 1 RC 41872
by Raymond E. Feist
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
The reptilian Pantathians have invaded Midkemia and are amassing in the land of Novindus to begin a war of conquest. Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of the Isles, Erik Darkmoor and his friend Rupert stand convicted of murder, but they are spared on the condition that they undertake a desperate mission against the Pantathians. Violence. 1994.

Mint Julep Murder RC 41877
by Carolyn G. Hart
read by Ann Hodapp
2 cassettes
Death on Demand bookstore owner Annie Darling, from Southern Ghost (RC 39667), is acting as author liaison at the Dixie Book Festival on Hilton Head Island. Mint Julep publisher Kenneth Hazlitt generates a lot of anger with his proposed book, which promises to feature the festival's five medallion-winning authors in a not-so-flattering light. When Hazlitt is poisoned, Annie is shocked that she is the prime suspect. Some strong language. 1995.

The Tea Planter's Bride RC 41879
by Rosemary Rogers
read by Mitzi Friedlander
3 cassettes
Born to a gypsy dancer and an Englishman, Celia Penmaris is living with her late father's bishop cousin and his wife, Gertrude, in England. In 1892, Gertrude is shocked to learn that Celia's father's will stipulates that Celia be turned over to her aunt Willie. Celia is to come out in society, and Willie has just the escort for her: her stepson Grant Hamilton. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1995.

Phoenix Rising RC 41881
by John J. Nance
read by Mitzi Friedlander
3 cassettes
Elizabeth Sterling, an investment banker, helps Ron Lamb get the needed financing for his new airline--Pan Am. In fact Elizabeth is so good at her job that Ron persuades her to join the company as chief financial officer. But shortly after starting work at Pan Am, Elizabeth finds herself fighting to save the airline from the "accidents" that plague it. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1994.

Absolute Power RC 41882
by David Baldacci
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
At sixty-six, with several jail terms behind him, Luther Whitney has decided this will be his last robbery. Everything goes according to plan--until Christine Sullivan comes home unexpectedly. Luther quickly hides in the walk-in safe and discovers it contains a one-way window. Soon Luther finds himself witnessing a brutal murder involving the president of the United States. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1996.

A Southern Exposure RC 41886
by Alice Adams
read by Mitzi Friedlander
2 cassettes
To renew their lives after the Stock Market crash and the depression, the Baird family hopes they can find refuge from a stale Connecticut existence by moving to a small southern town. The South seems to offer a simpler, somewhat "exotic" life. In reality, their new community is much more complex and rich and perhaps truly offers the Bairds a new start, but a different one from what they expected. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Tangled Roots RC 41888
by Taffy Cannon
read by Jill Fox
2 cassettes
When flower-grower Shane Pettigrew is killed, the police arrest his boyhood friend Adam Chandler. Adam's gun was found near the corpse, as was a wrapper from his favorite chewing gum. Adam's pregnant wife, Julie, calls her sister, Nan Robinson of the California bar association. Nan discovers that Adam had motive--he had just learned of an affair between Shane and Julie--but Julie swears he's innocent. Some strong language and some violence. 1995.

The Hellfire Club RC 41890
by Peter Straub
read by Mitzi Friedlander
4 cassettes
Symptoms of menopause and nightmares about her service in Vietnam become the least of Nora Chancel's problems when she is kidnapped by a serial-killer neighbor. On the run, the unlikely pair collect evidence that Nora's husband's family-owned publishing company was once involved in a murder. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1996.

Maybe This Time RC 41896
by Barbara Bretton
read by Ann Hodapp
2 cassettes
Television personality Christine Cannon, divorced from Joe McMurphy for six years, is surprised when he and his new wife turn up on her doorstep asking for help. Joe has married the daughter of a king in order to get her out of her country. But Joe is not prepared for the problems created by a new wife, especially one who is pregnant. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

Trail of Secrets RC 41912
by Eileen Goudge
read by Mitzi Friedlander
3 cassettes
Years after Ellie's baby is stolen from her, her grief is compounded by infertility and a series of failed adoptions. When another adoption possibility arises, Ellie risks more heartbreak and even losing her husband to try again. What she doesn't realize is that the birth mother is her own long-lost daughter. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.

Katherine RC 41932
by Anchee Min
read by Yolande Bavan
2 cassettes
Zebra Wong's red-lipsticked American teacher, Katherine, represents everything about the West that Shanghai is not. Katherine is comfortable in her perfume and seductive clothing, in her passions and political naivete. Zebra grew up during the Cultural Revolution, loving Mao, but now Chinese society has reformed itself, leaving life complicated and often dangerous. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

The Brandons RC 41938
by Angela Thirkell
read by Patricia Kilgarriff
2 cassettes (Reissue)
The chief characters in this light tale of English country-house life are Mrs. Brandon, a middle-aged widow with two grown children, and her husband's aunt, Miss Brandon, who threatens to leave her money elsewhere if she is not given the attention she feels is her due. 1939.

The Diamond Age RC 41956
by Neal Stephenson
read by Mary Kane
4 cassettes
Mid-twenty-first-century Shanghai is home to myriad social tribes, including a neo-Victorian upper class that maintains its power through information technology. When young Nell gets a stolen educational computer designed by a neo-Victorian engineer, she is introduced to a magical realm and goes on a quest that will have far-reaching effects for her own life and the future of her world. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Reservation Blues RC 41962
by Sherman Alexie
read by Norman Fitz
2 cassettes
Thomas Builds-the-Fire is an unlikely rock band leader: he is a little goofy looking and is kind and considerate. But he has the guitar of blues great Robert Johnson, and its music compels others to join the group Coyote Springs. The band's tale includes some wild stories about others in the Spokane tribe and is told with wry humor, mysticism, and warmth. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

Shortgrass Song RC 41964
by Mike Blakely
read by Robert Sams
4 cassettes
With its buffalo hunts, trail drives, Indian wars, and shoot-outs, the Texas range country gives young Caleb more adventure than he could have imagined back in Pennsylvania. His parents' former role in the underground railroad brings them the help of Buster, a runaway slave. On his westward journey, Buster's meeting with the Arapaho completes the scene for this saga of the Holcomb family, early Texas ranchers. Some violence. 1994.

Face of an Angel RC 41974
by Denise Chavez
read by Ilona Dulaski
3 cassettes
Soveida Dosamantes, a waitress at El Farol restaurant in the small New Mexico town of Agua Oscura, has learned from her mother the Mexican tradition of servitude to husbands and to God. A divorcée and widow, she has also learned to survive with humor and to treasure what life offers, including family and a slightly crazy community. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Pandora's Clock RC 41988
by John J. Nance
read by David Hartley-Margolin
3 cassettes
After American 747 flight 66 leaves Germany, a passenger has a heart attack. Pilot James Holland is shocked when London refuses to let him make an emergency landing. The passenger was exposed to a mysterious virus and no country (not even the United States) wants to handle a possible epidemic. Doctor Sanders of the CIA is Holland's only real ally, but Sanders must convince the pilot of that in time to save him. Strong language and violence. Bestseller 1995.

Come to Grief RC 41990
by Dick Francis
read by Bob Askey
2 cassettes
Private investigator Sid Halley has put his friend on trial. It took days of inner turmoil for Sid to act on his findings that Ellis Quint, also a former jockey, was mutilating young horses. But that is just the beginning of Sid's problems. He himself becomes the victim of a smear campaign, and on the day Sid is to testify, Ellis Quint's mother commits suicide and his father attacks Sid. Some strong language. Bestseller 1995.

The Web RC 41992
by Jonathan Kellerman
read by David Hartley-Margolin
3 cassettes
While their house is rebuilt, child psychologist Alex Delaware, his lover, Robin Castagna, and their dog, Spike, accept an invitation to spend a few months on an island. Their host is aging Dr. Moreland, who wants Alex to help him turn a career's worth of notes into something publishable. But Alex soon suspects there is a more pressing reason he has been summoned. Some strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1995.

Into the Fire RC 41997
by David Wiltse
read by Chuck Benson
2 cassettes
Serial killer Darnell Cooper is about to be released from prison. His cellmate, Swann, has endured being Coop's lover and confidante, and now he wants revenge. Swann knows of victims the police haven't connected to Coop. And he knows Coop will kill again. He contacts FBI agent John Becker, from The Edge of Sleep (RC 37626), who is still troubled by his ability to think like a serial killer. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Run! RC 42003
by Patricia Wentworth
read by Jim Zeiger
2 cassettes
Rolls Royce salesman James Elliot is driving a company car when he gets lost in a thick fog. Stopping at a house for help, James is shot at as a young woman urges him to run. After they escape, the woman tells James such an outrageous story that he leaves in disgust. When he meets her again at his cousin's party and then a coworker mistaken for James is killed, James begins to take the woman seriously. Some violence. 1938.

Choices RC 42004
by Mary Lee Settle
read by Yvonne Fair Tessler
4 cassettes
Reminiscing with a box of memorabilia, Melinda Kregg reflects on the choices she has made in her eighty-two years. After her ruined father killed himself, Melinda turned her back on Richmond high society and began a lifetime of social and political action. During a turbulent century, her heart led her to a coal strike in Kentucky, the Spanish Civil War, wartime London, and the civil rights movement. Strong language and some violence. 1995.

The Trickster RC 42005
by Muriel Gray
read by David Hartley-Margolin
4 cassettes
After a troubled youth, Canadian Indian Sam Hunt has abandoned his tribal ways, married a white woman, and taken a job at a ski resort. But when the malevolent god, the Trickster, takes on animal forms and begins mutilation killings, Sam is forced to draw on his shaman training to avoid being accused of the murders himself. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Katharine, the Virgin Widow RC 42006
by Jean Plaidy
read by Jill Ferris
2 cassettes
A fictional account of Katharine of Aragon, who weds Arthur, heir apparent to England. Because they are too young to consummate their marriage, Arthur's death leaves Katharine without position. Intrigue in the Spanish and English courts further complicates her fate. Who will the bold Henry, Arthur's younger brother who has admired Katharine, take as his queen? Sequel to Uneasy Lies the Head (RC 37986). Some descriptions of sex. 1993.

Children of the World RC 42009
by Martha Stephens
read by Yvonne Fair Tessler
3 cassettes
Widowed Margaret Barker has long worked for a Georgia juvenile court. As she worries over the cases before the judge, Margaret thinks back to her own troubled childhood and marriage. Her mother was slow and her three siblings retarded. When Margaret's father left them for another woman, Margaret's grandmother took in only her. Later Margaret managed to create a safe home for her own children despite her abusive husband. Some strong language. 1994.

Eye Killers RC 42010
by A.A. Carr
read by Bob Askey
3 cassettes
Albuquerque high school student Melissa Roanhorse is approached by a mysterious man named Falke. The next day at school, Melissa fights off teachers concerned with her bizarre behavior and disappears. Teacher Diana Logan seeks out Melissa's Navajo grandfather, Michael, to help her track down Melissa, who has been chosen as the next wife for vampire Falke. Michael must remember tribal methods to combat the evil. Strong language and violence. 1995.

Watch Me RC 42014
by A.J. Holt
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
3 cassettes
After FBI agent Jay Fletcher blows a serial murder case by illegal computer searching, she is sent to New Mexico to track an arsonist. There she uses her computer program to identify another serial killer and then murders him. Through his computer, she discovers Special K, a bulletin board for serial killers. Meanwhile an ex-agent searches for a killer he has known about for years. Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

A Stranger in the Mirror RC 42019
by Sidney Sheldon
read by David Hartley-Margolin
2 cassettes (Reissue)
Toby Temple is a very popular comedian, but he hasn't been able to find love. Meanwhile aspiring actress Jill Castle's career is going nowhere, and her true love, David Kenyon, has been forced to marry someone else. When Toby falls for Jill, she sees a chance to get back at Hollywood for not accepting her. Her plan works perfectly for a while, but then disaster strikes. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1976.

You Can't Catch Me RC 42020
by Rosamond Smith
read by David Hartley-Margolin
2 cassettes
A psychological thriller about Tristram Heade, who steps off the train in Philadelphia and unwittingly into the identity of Angus Markham. The hotel staff, his possessions, even a beautiful woman who appears at his door all identify him as the unknown Markham. The woman, Fleur, who is also Zoe, tells a bizarre tale of an abusive husband. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Ronicky Doone's Reward RC 42021
by Max Brand
read by Bob Askey
2 cassettes
There is a feud going on in Twin Springs, and Ronicky Doone, who has just ridden into town, finds himself in the middle of it. Years ago, Steve Bennett tried to put Al Jenkins out of business, but Al left town and struck it rich in the Alaska gold fields. Now Al is back. He is putting a lot of money into the dying town, and he wants his land back from Steve. Most of the town's people back Al, but not Ronicky. Strong language and violence. 1922.

Wonder Boys RC 42023
by Michael Chabon
read by David Hartley-Margolin
2 cassettes
English professor Grady Tripp picks up his buddy and editor, Terry Crabtree, at the airport. The fat joint he smokes while waiting begins an absurd weekend. Then Crabtree, a stolen tuba, and a tag-along transvestite are loaded into Tripp's 1966 Galaxie. The hapless Tripp loses the only copy of his novel manuscript, but the farcical weekend provides all new material. Stong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

This Side of Judgment RC 42026
by J.R. Dunn
read by David Hartley-Margolin
2 cassettes
A woman's mutilated corpse is found in Montana, and a suspect is arrested, but Ross Bohlen of the Computer Subversion Strike Force in Washington, D.C., knows they got the wrong man. He thinks the murder was done by a chiphead--one of a group of people who had computer chips installed in their heads. Recently, an unforeseen horrible condition called Pelton's has been taking over the chipheads one by one. Strong language and violence. 1994.

Octopussy: The Last Great Adventures of James Bond 007 RC 42029
by Ian Fleming
read by Jim Zeiger
1 cassette
In the title story, James Bond has tracked down Major Smythe, who killed Bond's German friend for gold years earlier. After Smythe confesses, Bond tells him he has a week before he will be arrested. Smythe takes one last lunch to the octopus he has been feeding in the ocean. Other stories are "The Living Daylights" and "The Property of a Lady." Violence and some strong language. 1965.

When She Hollers RC 42030
by Cynthia Voigt
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
1 cassette
One morning Tish warns her stepfather, Tonnie, that she is carrying a knife at all times. Her mother ignores the conversation. As Tish walks to school with the knife tucked in her boot, she thinks about Miranda, the classmate who hanged herself last week. Tish knows she and Miranda shared the same problem, but Tish doesn't want to die. Some strong language. For high school and older readers. 1994.

McNally's Puzzle RC 42037
by Lawrence Sanders
read by Chuck Benson
2 cassettes
Archy McNally, Discreet Inquiries Department of McNally and Son, has been asked to look into some unusual incidents plaguing Hiram Gottschalk. Gottschalk, owner of Parrots Unlimited, a recent widower and father of twin girls and a rather "undisciplined" son, believes his life is in danger. Some strong language. Bestseller 1996.

Spring Collection RC 42040
by Judith Krantz
read by Ann Hodapp
3 cassettes
Ex-model Justine Loring now has her own modeling agency, and three of her models have just been chosen to star in the first showing of clothes by new designer Marco Lombardi. Lombardi is backed by Jacques Necker, the father Justine has never met. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1996.

Archangel RC 42053
by Michael Conner
read by John Stratton
2 cassettes
An alternate history novel depicting a world of the late 1920s after a devastating plague has killed a great number of white people while leaving blacks unaffected. White reporter Danny Constantine and black cop Dooley Willson investigate a weird series of vampire-like murders and discover a diabolical connection to a mysterious radio broadcaster and a brilliant physician working on a cure for the plague. Violence and strong language. 1995.

The Raven Ring RC 42054
by Patricia C. Wrede
read by Patricia Kilgarriff
2 cassettes
Eleret Salven, a young warrior woman from the mountains of Cilhar, learns of her mother's death in battle, and it falls to her to travel to the city of Ciaron to claim her mother's effects. For unknown reasons, others are interested in one of her mother's possessions, and Eleret faces unexpected danger and intrigue. Fantasy adventure set on the world of Lyra. For senior high and older readers. 1994.

Three Complete Novels: Lights, Laughter, and a Lady, Love in the Moon, Bride to the King RC 42057
by Barbara Cartland
read by Yolande Bavan
3 cassettes
In the first novel, Minella Clinton-Wood seeks the help of a childhood friend when she is left destitute by her father's debts. In Love in the Moon, Lady Lang has plans to avenge her mother's ostracism from her family by teaching her grandparents a lesson. In Bride to the King, Zosina is married to a king by prearrangement, but falls in love with the king's regent. 1981.

Vertical Run RC 42062
by Joseph R. Garber
read by Nick Sullivan
2 cassettes
After jogging to work, executive vice president Dave Elliot is dressing in his office on the forty-fifth floor when the company president comes in to shoot him. Elliot escapes, only to find the building is swarming with men--all with orders to kill him. His Vietnam training keeps him alive and hidden, but unless Elliot can figure out why he has been targeted, he may not survive. Strong language and violence. 1995.

The Return of Merlin RC 42065
by Deepak Chopra
read by George Holmes
3 cassettes
The tale begins with the end of Camelot. Evil magician Mordred destroyed the kingdom, but Merlin promised Arthur that the power for good would remain. The scene shifts to twentieth-century England, where odd happenings reveal that the powers of Camelot resume the ancient battle. The author writes that his magical tale "is about waking up the wizard that sleeps deep within all of us." Violence and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

Heavy Weather RC 42068
by Bruce Sterling
read by L.J. Ganser
2 cassettes
In the year 2031, the cumulative effects of global pollution and ecological breakdown have distorted weather patterns. A disparate group of tornado freaks calling themselves the Storm Troupe track a series of ever bigger killer tornadoes across the Texas plains. As they wait to "bear witness" to "the big one," they not only face danger, but must overcome their own personal conflicts to keep their band together. Strong language. 1994.

The Little Town Where Time Stood Still and Cutting It Short RC 42069
by Bohumil Hrabal
read by Ed Blake
2 cassettes
Two novellas. "Cutting It Short," told by Maryska, portrays life in a small Czechoslovakian town in the early 1930s. Francin, the town's brewery manager, is unable to control his wife Maryska's scandalous behavior, especially when Uncle Pepin comes to live with them. The second novella, told by their son, picks up eight years later as everyone in the town adjusts to the coming of communism. Strong language. 1993.

With Extreme Prejudice RC 42071
by Fredrick Barton
read by John Stratton
3 cassettes
New Orleans film critic Mike Barnett uses alcohol to ease the loss of his attorney wife, Joan, who was hit and killed by a car a year ago. When Mike's house is burglarized, the only thing missing is a file from a case Joan had been working on for years. As Mike meets resistance in inquiring about the case, he begins to realize Joan's death was not an accident. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1993.

The Night Trilogy: Night, Dawn, The Accident RC 42074
by Elie Wiesel
read by Ken Kliban
2 cassettes (Reissue)
"Night" is the story of a Jewish boy who is deported with his family and community from Hungary to the horrors of the infamous Auschwitz. In "Dawn," Elisha, the sole survivor of his family, becomes a Jewish terrorist in Palestine and is ordered to execute an Englishman. In "The Accident," a concentration camp survivor tries to rebuild his life in New York City. Some violence and some descriptions of sex. 1975.

Orchids and Diamonds RC 42075
by Rosalind Laker
read by Cecelia Riddett
2 cassettes
Having finished her schooling, Juliette Cladel returns to Paris to become a designer for her sister Denise, owner of the House of Landelle. She falls in love with Count Nikolai Karasvin, but fate is not kind to Juliette and Nikolai. Each is forced into a loveless marriage, and Juliette leaves Paris to work for Fortuny in Italy before fate once more steps in. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Tripoint RC 42078
by C.J. Cherryh
read by J.P. Linton
3 cassettes
Tom Hawkins, a young crew member of the family starship Sprite, grows up with the stigma that he was conceived by rape. Even after twenty-five years, his mother still plots revenge. Tom's father captains the rival ship Corinthian, and as luck would have it, Tom is shanghaied aboard. There he comes face to face with his father for the first time. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

A College of Magics RC 42081
by Caroline Stevermer
read by Barbara Caruso
3 cassettes
Fantasy adventure set in an alternate Edwardian Europe. Faris Nallaneen, the young duchess of Galazon, arrives at Greenlaw College on the French coast, where she has been banished by her wicked uncle. The college teaches magic, and Faris learns of her special destiny as one of the four guardians of the North. She must learn her magical skills well to free her kingdom, defeat her enemies, and mend a magical rift. 1994.

Royal Road to Fotheringay RC 42082
by Jean Plaidy
read by John Horton
3 cassettes
A fictional account of Mary Stuart, born to be queen in a turbulent Scotland. Escaping to safety in France, she meets and marries Fran‡ois, the future king of France. Later, her love for the lustful Bothwell makes her a suspect in the murder of her second husband, Darnley. Meanwhile, Elizabeth I of England plots to wrest power from Mary. Some descriptions of sex. 1955.

A Division of the Spoils RC 42083
by Paul Scott
read by Patrick Horgan
5 cassettes (Reissue)
Postwar India with its feudal economy, its variety of religious sects, and its nationalistic spirit is the subject of this panoramic novel. Merrick, a British police officer, symbolizes the moral decay of the British, while Kasim, a young Muslim, represents moral responsibility. Sequel to Towers of Silence (RC 32516) and prequel to Staying On (RC 12356). 1975.

The Famous DAR Murder Mystery RC 42097
by Graham Landrum
read by Margaret Strom
2 cassettes
Members of a Virginia chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution are tracking down a century-old gravesite when they find a body. The police write the man off as a transient, but the ladies know differently. He has manicured hands and a glorious tan. Each of the "daughters" explains her part in determining who the dead man was, who killed him, and why. 1992.

The Queen of Puerto Rico and Other Stories RC 42100
by Joe Frank
read by Gary Telles
1 cassette
Frank, of National Public Radio, offers seven stories and a play. In the title story, Nick, seventeen, is vacationing on St. Thomas, where he falls in love with a lady dressed in pink but ends up in bed with a homosexual seducer. In "Fat Man," Aaron, who as a student stole brownies from Howard Johnson's, is unable to become a productive adult. Some descriptions of sex. 1993.

House Rules RC 42103
by Heather Lewis
read by Kimberly Schraf
2 cassettes
When fifteen-year-old Lee is kicked out of boarding school, she takes up with Tory, another horsewoman. Tory offers drugs, rough sexual treatment like Lee had received from her father, and an introduction to a third woman who uses drugs and sex in a heightened cruelty toward Lee. Can Lee find her way out of this destructive life on the horse-show circuit? Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994.

Batman: The Ultimate Evil RC 42110
by Andrew Vachss
read by Michael Consoli
1 cassette
Batman is frustrated that his battle against crime is not enough. As billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman meets social worker Debra Kane, who claims child abuse is the root of crime. Intrigued, Batman goes after child porn only to learn from his trusted servant, Alfred, that Batman's mother had been after this same group when she died. Some strong language and some violence. 1995.

Stitches in Time RC 42115
by Barbara Michaels
read by Mary Kane
3 cassettes
Rachel Grant is working on her doctoral thesis on the art of women's garments prepared for important rites of passage. An antique shop where Rachel works receives an old bridal quilt, and soon Rachel becomes involved in strange misdeeds. It seems that evil magic has been stitched into this quilt rather than the usual protective magic, and the evil magic is luring Rachel into grave danger. Some strong language. 1995.

Saving Grace RC 42116
by Lee Smith
read by Michele Schaeffer
2 cassettes
Gracie, eleventh child of a poor itinerant preacher, loves her stern father and her spiritual mother, but she doesn't love Jesus. And she is ornery and contentious. She tries to be a good daughter and then a good preacher's wife, but the death of her third baby hardens her heart. She turns against her strict life, searching for her spirit, but grace does not come easily. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.

The Headmistress RC 42120
by Angela Thirkell
read by Anne Flosnik
2 cassettes (Reissue)
The Belton family has owned Harefield Park in Barsetshire for generations, but now they must relinquish their home because of rising debts. Fortunately Miss Sparling, headmistress of the Hosiers' Girls' Foundation School, is looking for a new home for the school and is delighted with Harefield Park. Miss Sparling has great plans for the school and for her life. Then she meets two dignified gentlemen who are romantically inclined. 1943.

Miracles in Maggody RC 42125
by Joan Hess
read by Madelyn Buzzard
2 cassettes
Televangelist faith-healer Malachi Hope arrives in Maggody, Arkansas, for a week-long revival. He also plans to buy some acreage there to build a theme park. Then the high school girls' basketball coach kills herself after requesting a meeting with Hope. Soon after, Hope's wife is found dead. As police chief Arly Hanks works through the puzzling cases, other Maggody citizens take Hope's cures over their doctors' advice. Some strong language. 1995.

Until Forever RC 42128
by Johanna Lindsey
read by Jill Fox
2 cassettes
History professor Roseleen White is trying to get her exam papers graded before she leaves for a long weekend trip, but the package sitting beside her desk is tempting her to open it. Inside is the sword known as Blooddrinker's Curse, which she has gone to great lengths to obtain. Quite a surprise awaits Roseleen when she does open the box. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1995.

Guardian RC 42129
by John Saul
read by Roy Avers
2 cassettes
MaryAnne Carpenter is arguing with her adulterous husband when she receives word that her best friend Audrey has died, leaving MaryAnne guardian of Audrey's adolescent son Joey. Once in Idaho with her own two children, MaryAnne learns of the odd circumstances surrounding both Audrey's death and that of Audrey's wealthy rancher husband earlier the same day. Could moody Joey be involved in these and other recent violent deaths? Strong language and violence. 1993.

In the Presence of the Enemy RC 42138
by Elizabeth George
read by Mitzi Friedlander
4 cassettes
Dennis Luxford, editor of The Source, receives a note saying: "Use page one to acknowledge your firstborn child, and Charlotte will be freed." Dennis's world is turned upside down, but so is that of Eve Bowen, a member of Parliament with whom he had a brief affair eleven years earlier. Strong language. Bestseller 1996.

Something the Cat Dragged In RC 42216
by Charlotte MacLeod
read by Gordon Gould
2 cassettes
When Betsy Lomax's cat, Edmund, brings home the toupee of retired professor Herbert Ungley, the tenant in Betsy's downstairs flat, Betsy knows something is amiss. Sure enough, she finds Ungley's body behind the Balaclavian Society clubhouse. The police in the small New England town think it was an accident, but Betsy calls in agriculture professor Peter Shandy, who has solved local crimes in the past. 1983.

The Unknown Shore RC 42222
by Patrick O'Brian
read by Graeme Malcolm
2 cassettes
Toby Barrow, who has studied with a surgeon and is now a rather overeducated but innocent young man, and his friend Jack Byron, who has some experience aboard ships, have signed on board the Wager--part of Commodore Anson's fleet. But as they round Cape Horn, a fierce storm separates them from the rest of the ships. Thus their tale becomes one of survival as only a handful of the crew are left to sail on to Valparaiso. 1959.

Blind Justice: A Sir John Fielding Mystery RC 42229
by Bruce Alexander
read by George Holmes
2 cassettes
Based on the life of the blind eighteenth-century justice Sir John Fielding, who, with novelist Henry Fielding, founded the Bow Street Runners. Known for his fairness, Sir John enlists the aid of Jeremy Proctor, an unjustly accused young boy whom Sir John has taken into his home. The case involves the double murder (by poison and gunshot) of Lord Goodhope. 1994.

Poison RC 42249
by Kathryn Harrison
read by Laura Giannarelli
3 cassettes
Francisca de Luarca, daughter of a silkworm farmer, lies in prison accused of witchcraft. Above her in another cell, Maria Luisa, wife of King Carlos II, is slowly dying of poison, her punishment for having failed to become pregnant. Francisca recounts the stories of both women, presenting a portrait of life during the Spanish Inquisition. Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Inagehi RC 42253
by Jack Cady
read by Dani Carr
2 cassettes
"Faith was the thunder, Hope was the wind, and Charity the bright robes of lightning that thunder wore." Thus opens the mystery of the seven-year-old murder of Harriette's father, thought an accident at the time. It's 1957 and her mother has just died with the secret of his death. Thirty-year-old Harriette returns to the North Carolina hills to face her Cherokee heritage and its mysticism and to investigate. Some strong language and some violence. 1994.

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