Death of a baritone

Karen Sturges

At the exclusive Long Island opera colony of singing legend Anna Varovna, residents are rehearsing their summer production of Cosi fan tutte. But Phoebe quickly sees that relations offstage are less than cozy, and Mozaart’s honeyed melodies soon give way to high-decibel melodrama. Then handsome baritone Frank Palermo is found dead of an allergy to the penicillin pill covertly planted among his vitamins – and Anna urges Phoebe to make some discreet inquiries. Could Frank’s recent joint of the Children of Truth cult have somehow earned him an early grave? And why did Frank, clutching his opera score as he died, scratch an X on the name “Amadeus”? Before Phoebe can make sense of it all, a fatal cacophony of love, lust, genius, and guilt reveals itself – and the tempo accelerates as death strikes again. – book cover.
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Winer Solstice

by Rosamunde Pilcher

When she leaves London for the pretty Hampshire village that she describes as "my geriatric bolt-hole"' Elfrida Phipps quickly feels at home. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog Horace and the friendship of the neighbouring Blundells - particularly Oscar - to ensure that her days include companionship as well as independence.

But unforeseen tragedy upsets Elfida's tranquillity. she takes refuge in a rambling house in Scotland, which becomes a magnet for various waifs and strays. It sounds a recipe for disaster. But somehow the group becomes greater that the sum of its ill-assorted parts and Elfida finds herself at the centre of a very magical Christmas. - book cover.
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The Fencing Master

by Arturo Perez-Reverte.

On the eve of Spain's september Revolution of 1868, while the regal Isabella consorts with her household cavalry and rumours and plots abound, Jaime Astarloa, master of the ancient art of fencing, conducts his life above such vulgarities. He prefers to concentrate on his modest but dignified and orderly existence as fencing teacher to the noblemen of Madrid and their sons. However Don Jaime finds his attnetion diverted by young Adela de Otero, who persuades him to take her on a a pupil. After one bout that leaves no question of her talent and skill, the master falls in love with his pupil. Erotic passion and political intrigue threaten to distract him from his quest for the perfect sword thrust, a survivor of a more gallant age, he does not fully comprehend. But if Don Jaime proves naive, her is no less resolute. It takes time for him to understand, but when he does, will he have the strength left for a duel which can only be to the death? - book cover.
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The secret history

Donna Tartt

"A scholarship student at an exclusive New England college, Richard unexpectedly finds kindred spirits in the the charismatic students of his ancient Greek class, children of privilege immersed in beauty and culture. But his new friends have a horrific secret.

When blackmail and violence threaten to blow their magic circle apart, Richard is drawn into a heart of darkness from which he may never return." -- book cover.
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Stories for Summer

This collection of short stories contains 14 great stories from the pens of F. Scott Fitzgerald, D.H. Lawrenec, Henry James, Sir Aruthor Conan Doyle, Katherine Mansfield and Oscar Wilde.

It includes such great stories as The Diamond as big as the Ritz (Fitzgerald), The garden path (Mansfield) and The model millionaire (Wilde)
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Larkin about Ireland

John Larkin

John Larkin travels to Ireland in search of his spiritual home, the one his father had left behind in the fifties. Instead he finds a nation undergoing tremendous change: from poor to rich, religious to secular, leprechauns to boy bands. Ireland is on the move, cutting deals, talking bollocks on mobile phones.

It's a hilarious and often poignant journey up Croagh Patrick, the holiest of holy mountains, around The Ring of Kerry, to Knock, home to the tackiest sourvenir shops in the world (and an apparition of The Blessed Virgin), and into pubs where the locals still end their days in a lively fall off a bar stool. -- book cover.

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Nice Girls Finish Last

Sparkle Hayter

At 37, with one failed marriage and several lousy dates behind her, Robin Hudson is still working on a new attitude - a positive mental attitude! Sure she's still toiling away in the tabloidesque special reports unit at All News Network for her loathsome bodd, Jerry Spurdle, but amidst the trumours of cutbacks she thinks a good attitude might improve her karma. Besides, she's added a new weapon to her personal defence system - a hot-glue gun with two settings, steam and spray - wo what could go wrong?

Then her gynaecologist is murdered and Jerry sends Robin to investigate a link with the S&M sex-club underworld. In the meantime, someone is taking potshots at ANN's male talent. Are the shootings connected to the murder of the doctor? To Robin? Her PMA hanging by a thread, Robin must solve the mystery - or she may never have another date. -- book cover.

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