Death and Daisies

Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower

Summary: National bestselling author Amanda Flower returns with her second floral Magic Garden mystery, perfect for readers of Paige Shelton and Sheila Connolly.

Florist Fiona Knox left behind her gloomy life for a magical garden in Scotland, but a murder on her shop's opening day spells doom.

Fiona Knox thought she was pulling her life back together when she inherited her godfather's cottage in Duncreigan, Scotland--complete with a magical walled garden. But the erstwhile Tennessee flower shop owner promptly found herself puddle boot-deep in danger when she found a dead body among the glimmering blossoms. One police investigation later (made a trifle less unpleasant by the presence of handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig), and Fiona's life is getting back on a steady, though bewitched, track. Her sister Isla has just moved in with her, and the grand opening of her new spellbound venture, the Climbing Rose Flower Shop in Aberdeenshire, is imminent.

But dark, ensorcelled clouds are gathering to douse Fiona's newly sunny outlook. First, imperious parish minister Quaid MacCullen makes it undeniably clear that he would be happy to send Fiona back to Tennessee. Then, a horrific lightning storm, rife with terribly omen, threatens to tear apart the elderly cottage and sends Fi and Isla cowering under their beds. The storm passes, but then, Fi is called away from the Climbing Rose's opening soiree when Kipling, the tiny village's weak-kneed volunteer police chief, finds a dead body on the beach.

The body proves difficult to identify, but Kipling is certain it's that of the parish minister. Which makes Fiona, MacCullen's new nemesis, a suspect. And what's worse, Isla has seemed bewitched as of late...did she do something unspeakable to protect her sister? The last thing Fiona wanted to do was play detective again. But now, the rosy future she'd envisioned is going to seed, and if she and Craig can't clear her name, her idyllic life will wilt away in Death and Daisies, national bestselling author Amanda Flower's second enchanting Magic Garden mystery.

Angie’s comments: Death and Daisies is best enjoyed after reading Flowers and Foul Play, the first in the Magic Garden series. It is a lovely cozy mystery with plenty of side plots and charm. 

Recommended for readers who like cozy mysteries.

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The Book of Snakes

The Book of Snakes: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World by Mark O'Shea

Summary: For millennia, humans have regarded snakes with an exceptional combination of fascination and revulsion. Some people recoil in fear at the very suggestion of these creatures, while others happily keep them as pets . Snakes can convey both beauty and menace in a single tongue flick and so these creatures have held a special place in our cultures. Yet, for as many meanings that we attribute to snakes--from fertility and birth to sin and death--the real-life species represent an even wider array of wonders.

The Book of Snakes presents 600 species of snakes from around the world, covering nearly one in six of all snake species. It will bring greater understanding of a group of reptiles that have existed for more than 160 million years, and that now inhabit every continent except Antarctica, as well as two of the great oceans.

This volume pairs spectacular photos with easy-to-digest text. It is the first book on these creatures that combines a broad, worldwide sample with full-color, life-size accounts. Entries include close-ups of the snake's head and a section of the snake at actual size. The detailed images allow readers to examine the intricate scale patterns and rainbow of colors as well as special features like a cobra's hood or a rattlesnake's rattle. The text is written for laypeople and includes a glossary of frequently used terms. Herpetologists and herpetoculturists alike will delight in this collection, and even those with a more cautious stance on snakes will find themselves drawn in by the wild diversity of the suborder Serpentes.

Angie’s comments: I loved this book for the photographs that are made to be actual size.  Some of the snakes are so small and some so big it was fun to flip through the pages comparing the sizes. Almost all of the book is devoted to a page for each species featured, but the beginning has a nice introduction to snakes. 

Recommended for anyone interested in snakes.

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Dark Water Rising

Dark Water Rising by Sharon Sala

Summary: Sam and Haley Quaid buried their ten-year-old son and then ended their marriage, all in one week. It wasn't a volatile divorce, but three years later, except for trading Christmas cards, Sam and Haley have completely lost touch...until a dramatic weather report sets their paths on a collision course once more.

Tropical Storm Gladys is heading straight toward coastal Texas, and locals are anxious as they prepare for potential devastation. Haley, a Realtor, has an appointment to show a property and is determined to keep it, but a hurricane isn't the only looming danger: news reports talk of two prisoners who've escaped from a nearby penitentiary only a few miles from the house Haley's headed for.

When Sam's phone rings with his ex-wife's number, he immediately remembers the card he gave her when they parted on the courthouse steps. If you ever need me, call and I'll be there. She hasn't called in three years, and Sam is sure this can mean only one thing: Haley is in danger, and it's up to him to save her.

With her trademark emotional intensity and breakneck pacing, Sharon Sala returns with a harrowing story of danger, loyalty and the lengths we'll go to protect the people we love most.

Angie’s comments: Dark Water Rising has its share of violence, suspense and romance. The action was the star of the plot, while the romance was a nice counterpoint. 

Recommended for readers who like action-filled romances.

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Nurses

These books feature fictional nurses. Sara Ackerman The Lieutenant's Nurse Request this item Daniel Mason The Winter Soldier Request this item Request this item in large print David Casarett The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel Request this item If you want any more suggestions or ideas, please call or come in the library today!

Healing Hearts

Healing Hearts by Sarah M. Eden

Summary: Wyoming Territory, 1876

As the only doctor in the frontier town of Savage Wells, Gideon MacNamara knows his prospects for a bride are limited. The womenfolk in town are either too young, too old, or already spoken for. So, being a practical man, he decides to take advantage of the matchmaking service of the day--mail-order brides--and sends away for a woman with nursing experience.

When Miriam steps off the stagecoach in Savage Wells, she sees a bright future in front of her. But when the town--and Gideon--meets her, ready for a wedding, her excitement quickly turns to horror. Somehow Dr. MacNamara's message had gotten turned around. He didn't want a nurse, he wanted a wife. When she refuses to marry him, she finds herself stranded in Savage Wells with some very unhappy townspeople.

But Gideon is not like the other men Miriam has met. Embarrassed by the misunderstanding, he offers her a job, and the two begin an awkward--and often humorous--dance of getting to know each other as they work to care for the people of their town. Romance blossoms between the two, but when a former medical associate of Miriam's arrives in town, Gideon and the other townsfolk must rally around Miriam to protect her from a dangerous fate. Gideon and Miriam must decide if they are willing to risk their hearts for each other even as buried secrets are brought to light.

Angie’s comments: This is a clean romance, with a wonderful relationship at the center. The characters address many serious issues, especially relating to mental health and women's rights. There are plenty of secrets as well, which were intriguing. Although the second in a series, you don't have to read the first one to enjoy this book.

Recommended for readers who want "clean" romances that have emotional intimacy. 

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