Library New Items

No one likes to be made fun of, and no one likes a 'Me First' attitude. Dragon Tales: Playing Fair Makes Playing Fun explores these common childhood behaviors and, through engaging and playful episodes gives children creative ways to learn consideration.

"With her career as a concert pianist at an end, Joanna Vaughn comes home to Sweetwater Crossing, widowed and unsure what the future holds when the arrival of a pair of newcomers stirs up a decades-old mystery, a shocking revelation, and the chance for true love"-- Provided by publisher.

Una niña enfrenta sentimientos contradictorios de vergüenza y amor por su abuela mexicana en esta conmovedora historia de la autora ganadora de los premios Newbery y Pura Belpré, Donna Barba Higuera.

Jumpstart reading success with this big collection of bilingual books correlated with Guided Reading Level B. Easy-to-read stories in English and Spanish help emergent bilingual readers build early literacy skills.

"Give English Language Learners the support they need in reading with these irresistible little books featuring text in English and Spanish. Written to correlate with Guided Reading Level C, these simple, predictable stories feature high-frequency words, rhyming, repetition, and helpful illustrations on topics kids love. Perfect as a bilingual resource for early learners or for introducing English speakers to a new language"-- Provided by publisher.

"Sometimes the power of love... A.J. Grayson has come a long way from adopted orphan to fast-rising executive at a cutting-edge technology firm. Now an anti-terrorist agency wants to use the revolutionary artificial intelligence system she developed to thwart a plot against Jafir's monarchy-and handsome, dynamic Damon Toca, the region's newly crowned king. . . . can be the most seductive weapon of all. In six short months, Damon has gone from gallery owner to controversial politician. When his cabinet hires A.J. Grayson-without his consent-he gets ready for a battle. Expecting a computer geek, and skeptical of A.J.'s highly touted secret invention, he is stunned to find a strong-minded beauty who arouses much more than his suspicions. But someone in his inner circle is in league with a treacherous adversary who threatens his throne, his nation's tenuous peace . . . and his future with a woman he'll risk everything to have and to hold"-- Publisher's description.

"It is Valentine's Day, and there are lots of hap-pea hearts for the peas to give away."--Provided by publisher.

Through photography and essays, this book is a celebration of one of America's most valuable and iconic rivers and a warning demonstrating the river is a bellwether of overuse and climate change.

"The ultimate book for the sandwich connoisseur (or even the sandwich curious): nearly 100 recipes spanning the centuries, from the most well-known to obscure but delicious sandwiches. Ah, sandwiches. They're everywhere. But what's the story behind the club, the Cuban, or the hot brown? Through his various social media platforms, Barry Enderwick (@sandwichesofhistory) has been exploring all things sandwich for years. In Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook, for the first time, he has taken the source material for dozens of sandwiches and painstakingly recreated them--staying as faithful as possible to every original sandwich, while providing much more guidance on successfully making each one. From the classics, like the Cucumber Tea Sandwich or The Sophisticated Club Sandwich, to the out-of-the-box, like The Hot Chicken Tuna Sandwich and the Mock Banana Sandwich, Barry provides not only recipes, but interesting information and fun facts that pertain to them"-- Amazon.com.

"Beloved actress Naomi Watts opens up about the challenges she faced upon reaching early menopause in this empowering, fun, and practical guide to menopause and aging, all based on the latest advice from hormone experts, doctors, and nutritionists"-- Provided by publisher.

"When Bigfoot loses the valentines he meant to send to his fellowmonsters in hiding, scouts from all over the world come together todeliver the letters."--Provided by publisher.

An introduction to the approximately 60-mile C2C Trail connecting Oregon's Willamette Valley to Ona Beach on the central Oregon coast. Six detailed sections explore the history, geology, and wildlife, along with trail conditions and permit requirements for using the trail, which includes both private and public land holdings.

"At 40, cartoonist Paco Roca has finally achieved his childhood dream -- to spend all day at home in his pajamas! However, his blissful, loungewear-clad reverie is beset with a host of mundane problems: He dreads small talk with 'the world's biggest bore,' but his excuses and white lies are finally catching up with him. When good friends breaks up, taking either side could lead to social disaster. The simple mission to change his train ticket descends into an impossibly complicated, Kafkaesque affair. And worst of all, his partner keeps hanging the toilet paper roll the wrong way! In the vein of sitcoms like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Roca's comic vignettes brilliantly satirize the pesky pitfalls of modern-day life. Like most of us, Roca's alter ego just wants to be liked and to do the right thing, but finds that through crippling indecision, cowardly behavior, and the absurd machinations of the universe, he is usually thwarted. The ensuing situations he finds himself embroiled in are as hilarious as they are often painfully relatable"--Provided by publisher.

"Klara -- who's always thought of herself as a little different, a sneaker in a world full of kitten heels and polished boots -- is feeling a disconnect these days. She has type 1 diabetes, currently works in a dead-end job, and is in desperate need of a change. When her dad falls ill, Klara begrudgingly agrees to help run his small construction company while he recovers, even though it means moving back home and pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone to the extreme. Alex has been a shell of himself since his brother died in an accident. He's unemployed, has bills piling up, and is distant from friends and family. His therapist is encouraging him to keep things manageable by setting up a calendar, checking off tasks each day, and looking for work to help get him back on his feet. When an ad pops up for a carpenter position at a small construction company, he jumps at the chance to take a step forward. Klara's and Alex's stories unfold through a series of miscommunications in this clever and witty novel from debut author Ally Zetterberg that's about finding acceptance and even love in unexpected places." -- Back cover.

"It's been years since Meena separated from her husband, Nikhil . . . years since they first laid eyes on each other in their home state of Texas, years since they spontaneously wed in Las Vegas and she felt true happiness. Now a high-powered lawyer on Capitol Hill and ready to move on (at least, she thinks so) with another successful lawyer, Shake, Meena has returned to Texas. This time, finally to obtain a divorce. But there’s one thing Meena didn't account for: a hurricane forming in the Gulf, veering right toward them and giving them no choice but to hunker down in the home they had built together. Suddenly, she finds herself trapped amid gale-force winds and pelting rain with the man she once loved. As they spend more time together, Meena begins to remember everything that drew her to Nikhil: his small-town charm, his thoughtful nature . . . his absurdly good looks. But being with Shake makes sense to her. He's steady, ambitious, and wants exactly what she wants. So she'll stick to her plan, come hell or high water. But will her windswept heart make the right choice, once the eye passes over and the storm settles?"-- Provided by publisher.

"Celebrated stage actress Mona Zahid wakes up on Thanksgiving morning to the clamor of guests packed into her Manhattan apartment and to a wave of dread: her in-laws are lurking on the other side of the bedroom door; she's still fighting with her husband; and in just a few weeks she will begin rehearsals as Shakespeare's Cleopatra, the hardest role in theater. In an impulsive burst, Mona bounds out the door with the family dog in tow ("I forgot the parsley!" is her lame excuse) to find her estranged mentor, Milton Katz, who was recently forced out of the legendary theater company he founded amid accusations of sexual misconduct. Mona's escape turns into an overnight adventure that brings her face-to-face with her past, with her creative power and its limitations, and ultimately, with all the people she has ever loved. Beguilingly approachable and intricately constructed, at once funny and sad and wise, Mona Acts Out is a novel about acting and telling the truth, about how we play roles to get through our days, and how the great roles teach us how to live."--Amazon

"Millie has never taken the expected path. Her childhood love for bugs and science led her to entomology, and her role as a curator, inspiring museum visitors every day. It's her dream to run her own department--so when a rare director position opens, she is determined nothing will distract her from her goal. Especially not Finn, her grumpy coworker with his permanent scowl, electric blue eyes, and endless supply of astronomy ties. Not that she's spent time noticing any of those things. Finn doesn't mean to glare at everyone, but he's juggling his role at the museum, navigating the grief of losing his sister, attempting to make his nieces smile, and trying not to ruin dinner for the fifth night in a row. He can't afford to let anything slip, and certainly doesn't need more to deal with--especially not Millie literally stumbling into him, with her bright smile and sunny optimism. He bugs her. She's too starry-eyed for him. They want nothing to do with each other. But with Finn on the interview committee, avoidance is impossible. And Millie soon realizes it's one thing when a job is on the line. It's quite another when it's her heart"-- Provided by publisher.

"When Miss Camilla Pierpont is thrust into the company of the irritating Mr. Owen Chesterfield, her prim and proper life in Gilded Age New York takes an unexpected turn. After reluctantly agreeing to help his debutante sister, she finds herself relying on Owen's help in a way that makes her reconsider her vow never to marry"-- Provided by publisher.

"An ornithologist at Manhattan's American Museum of Natural History, Elsa Reisner is tasked with cataloging a country Gothic estate. Once there, she bonds with the house's other occupants, including an intriguing carpenter from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is swept up in a treasure hunt for a priceless heirloom"-- Provided by publisher.

"At eighteen, Bailey Williams bolted from her strict Mormon upbringing to a Marine recruiting office to enlist as a 2600--a military linguist. But the first language the Marine Corps taught her wasn't Arabic, Farsi, or Dari. It was how Marines speak to, and about, women. There are only three kinds of women in the Marine Corps, she was told: you can be a bitch, a dyke, or a whore. Determined to prove she's not whatever it is the men around her believe a woman to be, Private Williams turned to an eating disorder, intending to show her discipline through the visible testament of bone. She ran endurance distances on an increasingly Spartan diet, shoving through her own body's resistance. Pushed to the brink by a leadership and a culture that demands women shrink themselves, she finally looked to the women around her, and began to wonder what else she was losing. Quietly but inexorably, the power of other women's stories whispered an alternative path to what it means to be a woman, and a warrior. Hollow is a story for anyone whose identity has been prescribed to them--and has dared question if there is another way to live" -- Provided by the publisher.

Bonny Reichert avoided engaging with her family's Holocaust history until, in midlife, she unexpectedly confronted it while writing an article. Her father's survival in Auschwitz-Birkenau was a backdrop to her upbringing, but a transformative experience in Warsaw--a perfect bowl of borscht--sparked a journey to explore her culinary roots. This journey intertwined with her personal life, from her childhood in the restaurant business to the challenges of marriage, motherhood, and her eventual path to becoming a chef. In her memoir How to Share an Egg, Reichert reflects on pivotal life moments through the lens of food. From her baba Sarah's knishes to her father's comforting scrambled eggs, cuisine serves as a symbol of joy, survival, and identity. The book blends poignant stories of scarcity and abundance with her quest for self-discovery, exploring how her personal experiences connect to her family's legacy. It's a moving meditation on heritage, resilience, and the role of food in shaping identity.

"When journalist Annabelle Tometich picks up the phone one June morning, she isn't expecting a collect call from an inmate at the Lee County Jail. And when she accepts, she certainly isn't prepared to hear her mother's voice on the other end of the line. However, explaining the situation to her younger siblings afterwards was easy; all she had to say was, 'Mom shot at some guy. He was messing with her mangoes.' They immediately understood. Answering the questions of the breaking-news reporter--at the same newspaper where Annabelle worked as a restaurant critic--proved more difficult. Annabelle decided to go with a variation of the truth: it was complicated. So begins The Mango Tree, a poignant and deceptively entertaining memoir of growing up as a mixed-race Filipina 'nobody' in suburban Florida as Annabelle traces the roots of her upbringing--all the while reckoning with her erratic father's untimely death in a Fort Myers motel, her fiery mother's bitter yearning for the country she left behind, and her own journey in the pursuit of belonging." -- Publisher annotation.

Educar a un hijo no es tarea fácil, y menos ante la confusión de los mitos que rodean a la crianza. Al considerar la teoría del apego y los más recientes descubrimientos de las neurociencias, es posible entender cada fase del desarrollo emocional del infante, comprender sus conductas y la manera en que va construyendo las conexiones neuronales que le permitirán responsabilizarse de su comportamiento. Siguiendo esta línea, Teresa García Hubard sostiene que, lejos de criar con castigos y desde una posición de autoridad, los padres deben aprender a construir una relación empática con sus hijos, centrada en la conexión emocional, sustentada en el diálogo y la confianza. Luego de que atravesamos una pandemia desde la primera edición de este libro, es necesario hablar del papel protagónico que tienen hoy las pantallas y la tecnología en la vida de los seres humanos, por ello, se incluye un nuevo capítulo sobre nuestra relación con estas para tomar mejores decisiones respecto a su papel en la educación de los hijos. Con este libro, los padres comprenderán que, al educar desde el amor, la comprensión y la empatía, podrán disfrutar de una crianza menos estresante y, sobre todo, formar niños y niñas con seguridad en sí mismos y frente al mundo.-- from Amazon.com

1957, England. Young Queen Elizabeth II is finding her way in postwar Europe, trying to repair friendships with foreign governments. Advised by her father's old courtiers, the Queen suspects that they may not have her best interests at heart. One of them is trying to sabotage her public appearances: that much she is sure of. When two bodies turn up in Chelsea, the Queen finds herself unwillingly used as the alibi for somebody very close to her. With the reputation of the monarchy at stake, Elizabeth knows she can't face these challenges alone. She needs support from someone she can trust. Therefore, she enlists the help of an ex-code breaker, Joan McGraw, to uncover the truth. But as Elizabeth and Joan are uncovering secrets from the past, the clock is ticking, and they are in more danger than they know.

"In June 1993, a group of young guerrilla filmmakers spent four weeks making Horror Movie, a notorious, disturbing, art-house horror flick. The weird part? Only three of the film's scenes were ever released to the public, but Horror Movie has nevertheless grown a rabid fanbase. Three decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big budget reboot. The man who played 'The Thin Kid' is the only surviving cast member. He remembers all too well the secrets buried within the original screenplay, the bizarre events of the filming, and the dangerous crossed lines on set that resulted in tragedy. As memories flood back in, the boundaries between reality and film, past and present start to blur. But he's going to help remake the film, even if it means navigating a world of cynical producers, egomaniacal directors, and surreal fan conventions--demons of the past be damned. But at what cost? Horror Movie is an obsessive, psychologically chilling, and suspenseful feat of storytelling genius that builds inexorably to an unforgettable, mind-bending conclusion." -- Provided by publisher.

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there's no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it's impossible to know who to trust. Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves--her dragons, her family, her home--and him. -- Provided by publisher.

Based on the author's poem, follows a group of children as they playfully explore the natural world.

"Presenting a clarion call to the aging to awaken before they die, Kamla K. Kapur explores how we can become warriors on the spiritual path in order to embrace and prepare for the truth of our mortality and the ultimate triumph of conscious living and dying. Set in both California and India, Kapur shares her inner adventure to navigate the hazardous battlefield of aging with the aid of spiritual guides that pilot her to safety. She offers hard-won wisdom on the art of resting, happiness, and letting go in order to achieve vitality, satisfaction, and joy in the life we are fortunate to still have. Revealing the arc of her own self-discovery, she examines her shadows, fears, anxieties, and regrets, decluttering her mind of disempowering thoughts and reframing and co-creating her reality with the powerful tool of unconditional self-love. She describes how to confront, express, and embrace your darkness, consciously and honestly, to move forward into the ever greater wholeness of being. Drawing on stories from a variety of cultural traditions, Kapur demonstrates the power of self-examination, vigilance, and intentionality to have a successful old age. She offers numerous strategies, tools, and ways of thinking to ensure mental, physical, and spiritual strength so we can meet aging's challenges and transform from the people we once were to the ones we are becoming on the penultimate stage of earthly life."--Publisher description.

In Reading Arendt in the Waiting Room, Jonathan Foiles, a licensed psychotherapist and lecturer at the University of Chicago's Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, explains how philosophy can help us respond to these deep questions and communal worries about modern life. Read how Søren Kierkegaard can speak to feelings of helplessness in the face of police violence, how Hannah Arendt can help us rethink the seemingly unavoidable problem of a warming planet, and how social advocates like Jane Addams and Dorothy Day can offer hope and resolve in a world that sometimes seems like it's already ended.

"People on the Louisiana bayou mark the seasons of the Cajun calendar with traditions, emotions, and gatherings around the table to feast. In this highly anticipated next book from the author of the James Beard Award-winning Mosquito Supper Club, Melissa Martin shares a year of celebrations, both big and small, through 100 traditional Southern Louisiana recipes that combine humble ingredients, such as onions, potatoes, and peppers, and the local bounty, including shrimp and crabs. Made-to-share recipes like Carnival Crawfish Boil and Etouffee ring in the New Year and kickstart the Carnival season, which is a time for abundance and decadence. Lent unfolds with simple, fresh foods like Cabbage Slaw and Fried Fish Collars. Summer ushers in the bright bounty of shrimp season. Families and friends band together in October for boucheries, feasting on Smoked Sausage and Deer Tamales, then gather with loved ones for hearty homey holiday dishes like Fried Turkey, Holiday Dressing, and Red Velvet Cake. With illuminating sidebars and stunning photography, Martin illustrates what Cajun people already know: the table is a place for restoration, nourishment, and, most importantly, communion"-- Provided by publisher.

Inspired by her Greek-Cypriot roots and Greek travels, Georgina has collected recipes that are easy, bursting with flavour and sure to be cooked on repeat. With fewer ingredients and less stress, the recipes include familiar Mediterranean classics, as well as plenty of Greek-influenced dishes with Georgina's twists.

"Orcs prepare for battle against high Elves, Dwarves retreat to the mountains and men march to the sea to reclaim crumbling fortresses. Fortunes are decided. Kingdoms are lost. Entire worlds are created. This book will teach you to bring your fictional realm to life with simple step-by-step instructions on how to draw authentic fantasy maps. Set the stage for adventure by illustrating domains, castles and battle lines, mountains, forests and sea monsters! Learn to create completely unique and fully functional RPG maps time and time again on which your world can unfold"-- Source other than Library of Congress.

Adapted from Melissa Leapman's Indispensable Stitch Collection for Crocheters, this beautiful, comprehensive, and easy-to-tote stitch pattern companion is a must-have for your crochet project bag!-- Publisher description.

"From the New York Times bestselling presidential biographer comes the greatest untold story of the Civil War: how two American presidents faced off as the fate of the nation hung in the balance--and how Abraham Lincoln came to embrace emancipation as the last, best chance to save the Union"-- Provided by the publisher.

Manga For Dummies teaches you the basics of drawing in the manga style. This step-by-step guide shows you how to apply the basic rules of manga figure drawing, whether you're a complete beginner or a professional artist. You'll learn how to create manga characters, from rough sketch through final rendering. Simple drawing exercises help you build and develop your skills. Plus, you can add interest and depth to your drawings with ideas and techniques from a manga pro. This book also covers how to create scripts and storyboards, so you can tell a great manga story from start to finish.

The buffalo was the center of Sioux life. After hunting buffalo on horseback, the Sioux people would use every piece of the animal, making food, beds, clothing, storage boxes, and even sleds from the ribs! Discover how the Sioux people lived on the Great Plains with this accessible introduction. Learn about the Sioux creation story, life in the village as a kid, the importance of their feathered headdresses, and more. This updated edition provides the most up to date and accurate information on the Sioux people of past and present. The back of the book includes a section on Sioux life today, proper names for all of the Sioux tribes, and an excerpt from the Lakota pipe ceremony. Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and for over 40 years has brought the richness of Native American culture and heritage to thousands of children for over 40 years as teacher and children's book author. Her First Americans books introduce young readers to the many diverse and unique Native American nations that first called this land home.

"From renowned mental health expert and speaker Dr. Gabor Maté, Scattered Minds explodes the myth of attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD) as genetically based--and offers real hope and advice for children and adults who live with the condition." -- Amazon.com

The Seminoles are known as "the people who never surrendered." As White settlers continued to encroach on their land, the Seminoles moved farther and farther into the Florida Everglades and adapted to their new environment with their hard work and ingenuity. And after defending their land in three Seminole wars, they never signed a formal peace treaty with the United States. This accessible nonfiction picture book introduces the Seminoles' early history, daily way of life, ceremonies, and more. Learn how they adapted to the Florida Everglades and their unique cultural practices, like their flat roll hairstyle and the role of an ever-burning fire in the annual Green Corn Dance. This updated edition provides the most up to date and accurate information on the Seminole people of past and present. The back of the book includes a section on Seminole life today. Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and for over 40 years has brought the richness of Native American culture and heritage to thousands of children for over 40 years as teacher and children's book author. Her First Americans books introduce young readers to the many diverse and unique Native American nations that first called this land home.

Sonic is back on Planet Mobius, using his supersonic speed and teenage irreverence to thwart the comedically despicable Dr. Robotnik. Sonic₂s idolizing little buddy, Tails, tags along on every fast-action, gag-driven adventure.

"Your favorite PBS KIDS friends love to use their imaginations and their hands to make all kinds of art using paint, fabric, clay and more for their fabulous creations. Daniel makes tie-dye shirts with his friends. Lyla and Luke construct a train using household materials. Donkey creates her own sculpture for the Someplace Else art show. Zadie and JunJun repurpose pants. Watt explores an art museum and paints a mural with his class. And much more hands-on fun!" -- Publisher's description from container insert.

Inspire a love of reading and enjoy tales featuring favorite PBS KIDS bookworms. Daniel Tiger and O the Owl read together at the library. Then, Alma shares books with her community. Plus, Buster reads to win prizes, Watt and Windy visit the library, Rosie helps Mom set up for story time at the bookstore and much, much more.

"In this omnibus, which collects Three Daughters, High Soft Lisp and more, Luba, Petra, and Fritz are moving on to the next phases of their lives and careers...and showbiz comes calling. In Three Sisters, which collects the graphic novels Luba: Three Daughters, High Soft Lisp, and more, the children are growing up and lovers have come and gone (and come and gone again). Luba, Petra, and Fritz are moving on to the next phases of their lives and careers, which puts their own pasts and relationships in perspective -- and, since they've all settled in Los Angeles, showbiz comes calling. Venus shoots a backyard superhero movie, Fritz becomes a B movie actress, and children's TV show host Doralís has the grandest of finales. Black & white illustrations throughout." --Amazon.com.

The sixth volume of The Complete Love and Rockets Library is the third collection of writer-artist Gilbert Hernandez's Palomar main storyline. "Poison River" is a dizzying period piece often hailed as one of Hernandez's masterpieces. It traces the pre-Palomar childhood of Luba, her teenage marriage to gangster Peter Rio, the secrets behind her mysterious mother, all the way up to her subsequent escape and arrival in Palomar. This story introduces a number of characters and themes that occupied later issues of Love and Rockets (including Luba's mother Maria and her sinister guardian angel Gorgo), and is a riveting page-turner besides, with lots of sex, drugs, guns, politics, and women who can crack walnuts with their stomachs. "Love and Rockets X," set in the early 1990s, takes us from plush Beverly Hills to the dangerous east side and introduces us to a dizzyingly diverse cast of characters, including a lowlife rock 'n' roll band, a "posse" of Black youths, a ditzy Hollywood mom and her spoiled son, a gay activist filmmaker and his rebellious, half-Iraqi daughter, and a group of racist thugs whose violent attack on an older woman sets the plot in motion -- as well as bringing in several older characters, including a couple of Palomar expatriates.

What happens when you are forced to let go of the things you love the most? What are you left with?In her stunning debut short story collection, The Goodbye Process, Mary Jones uses her distinctive voice to examine the painful and sometimes surreal ways we say goodbye.The stories--which range from tender and heartbreaking to unsettling and darkly funny--will push you out of your comfort zone and ignite intense emotions surrounding love and loss. A woman camps out on the porch of an ex-lover who has barricaded himself inside the house; a preteen girl caught shoplifting finds herself in grave danger; a Los Angeles real estate agent falls for a woman who helps him detach from years of dramatic plastic surgery; a man hires a professional mourner to ensure his wife's funeral is a success. Again and again, Jones's characters find themselves facing the ends of things: relationships, health, and innocence. Arresting, original, and beautifully rendered, this story collection packs a punch, just the way grief doesknocking us off our feet.

"A stymied reporter in his early thirties embarks on an investigation of three unconnected suicides. All he has to go on are photos of the faces of the dead. Other suicidies begin to proliferate, while a colleague in the archives sends him historical justifications of self-murder by thinkers of all sorts: Diogenes, David Hume, Emile Durkheim, Margaret Mead. His investigation becomes an obsession, and he finds himself ever more attracted to its subject as it proceeds." -- Back cover.