Our Shelf Talker

I loved Olive Kittredge by Ms. Strout and as soon as I finished it I wanted to read something else by the author. This book is set in a small town in Maine and tells the story of a young minister struggling with the loss of his wife. He has two small children and the son goes to live with relatives and he continues to care for the daughter. She is traumatized by her mother's death and becomes mute and regresses in behavior and starts wetting the bed. The cruelty and intrusiveness of a small town is on display when people question whether the minister is having an affair with his housekeeper. This is a truly beautiful book about trying to survive a crisis.
- Rose from the Faith Middleton Show

Our Shelf Talker

I wanted to delve into mysteries a bit after some of Roxanne’s recent recommendations. I was able to find a book that Patterson had written himself, not farmed out, and the title refers to one of his main characters Alex Cross. While this was a diverting read, the appeal scares me. There was gore on every page and it seems that Cross gets beaten up and always comes back for more. I recognize how popular Patterson is with both men and women readers but I worry about the quality of the writing.
- Lee from the Faith Middleton Show