Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

  Black-Eyed Susans: A Novel of Suspense by Julia Heaberlin. Ballantine Books, 2015. Adult fiction/mystery. 

At 16, Tessa was left for dead in a ditch of black-eyed Susan flowers with bodies of other girls. She survived. The man convicted of the crimes is on death row. But, is he really the one guilty? Now, as an adult, Tessa has a teenaged daughter of her own and has tried hard to forget her past. Even with lots of counseling, she still hears those other "Susans" in her head. Tessa must deal with someone who seems to be planting black-eyed susan flowers in strategic places. Is someone after her?  Estranged from her childhood friend, Lydia, Tessa works with a handsome attorney, a smart forensic investigator, and others to find the truth so that she will be able to live her future and maybe prove who is the truly evil criminal.

(I started out reading Julia Heaberlin because she writes about Texas. It's hard now to explain to friends who have daughters with teenaged daughters that I am on a kick reading novels about teenage girls who disappear!)

Good as Gone by Amy Gentry

  Good as Gone: A Novel of Suspense by Amy Gentry. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. Adult fiction/mystery.

Julie's parents and sister Jane have lived years after eight year old Julie was apparently abducted from their home. At age 21, Julie appears on the doorstep. Is this really Julie? Where has she been?

Set in Houston, the settings ring true. Mom is an English professor and her drive to work is one that you could practically follow along the freeway as described in the book. A megachurch set in the Astrodome in many ways mirrors a real church set in another abandoned sports' venue. Different chapters about young women seem disconnected, but mesh together as the suspense builds.  The story will make readers think twice about abductions, kidnappings, sexual predators, and how families who experience any of these can continue to function and find ways to heal. 

How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny

  How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. Minotaur Books, 2013. Adult mystery.

In case you have not become hooked on this series, you might like to start with the first ones and read in order. I just found this title and jumped in. I now plan to go back and read all of them. While I did not recognize any of the characters or have background knowledge, the plot was easy to follow. The writing is exquisite; details of the people and places make it easy to imagine them. Read slowly and savor the details with your own cup of hot chocolate.

Set in Quebec in the Christmas season, Gamache finds refuge in the tiny village of Three Pines. The quaint place has no Internet, no wifi, and little to recommend it except the quirky residents and the local pub. Providing a "time out" for Gamache and several others who are embroiled in a mystery surrounding a national scandal and a dangerous plot that will kill hundreds, Three Pines is truly a character in its own right.  One of the most famous women in the world has disappeared and Gamache must find out what has happened. The woman's connections to Three Pines and its residents provide the basis for much of the story.

Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

 Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes. Scholastic, 2018. Children's chapter book. Middle grade fiction.

When Paloma's mother receives funding to go to Mexico for several weeks, Paloma becomes the heroine of her own mystery ala Nancy Drew! A typical middle schooler, Paloma is feisty, smart, and makes new friends. Gael and his sister, Lizzie, a female mariachi musician, need to find enough clues to help their father. Handsome Tavo and his wealthy parents are the ones who have funded the trip. As Paloma takes language and culture classes and visits the home of the famous artist Frida Kahlo, she is intrigued by a locked room, a missing ring, and the strange fortune teller and Limping Man who seem to appear at the most impossible times. Who can Paloma really trust? Will her curiosity get her into real trouble in Mexico? A perfect blend of cultures, mystery, and friendship!

The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

 The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Illustrated by Ryan Andrews. Candlewick, 2018. Children's chapter book, fiction.

Lowen, age 12, carries around a lot of guilt about the death of his friend, Abe. Lowen is a budding cartoon illustrator. He has an older brother and sister, a mom and a dad. They live in Flintlock until the family applies to "win" a house for a dollar in Millville. The mill is gone, the houses are in terrible shape, and the town wants families with children who can work there and help revitalize the community. Lowen and his older brother, Clem, are enthusiastic, but their sister does not want to leave her friends. When the family sees the house, they realize what a job lies in store for them in order to get it habitable and make it a true home. Is the family up to it? Can Lower find a new life and friends to help him come to terms with his grief and loneliness? 

I read a lot of children's books. It's unusual to find a new plot with captivating characters, distinct setting, and so much heart. This book will win over the most jaded reader! The illustrations, black and white, are marvelous, but few. The narrative is so well written that readers will be able to picture the characters and towns, but some readers will no doubt draw their own accompanying illustrations as they read. 

Playing Dead, A Novel by Julia Heaberlin

 Playing Dead, A Novel by Julia Heaberlin. Random House, 2012. Mystery.

With her father now dead and her mother slipping into dementia, Tommie McCloud faces a dilemma that life on a Texas ranch with her sister and brother and parents never prepared her to experience. A letter arrives that asks, "Do you really know who you are?" It claims to be from a woman in Chicago who thinks she is Tommie's mother. Her real father, supposedly, is a Mafia crime boss! Tommie assembles a diverse cast of her own and her father's friends to help her find out the truth. Is she really the little kidnapped girl, Adriana, from over thirty years ago?

Racing through Texas and drinking Dr. Pepper, Tommie is as Texan a heroine as can be imagined. Readers will enjoy the ride as they follow clues and sort through for the truth as Tommie becomes more and more involved in danger. What can she believe? Whom can she trust?

This is the debut novel of  Julia Heaberlin. She has written several other titles now, but catch her as she began with this one.

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13.

 Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13. Written by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, 2018. Children's picture book.

A childlike retelling of the complicated work and the life of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, this colorful picture book will enchant both children and adults. Known for her accuracy and leadership, Johnson calculated the numbers for the Friendship 7 that took John Glenn into space. She worked on the Apollo 11 where men first walked on the moon. But, when Apollo 13 had an explosion, everyone come to know the famous words by astronaut Jim Lovell, "Houston, we have a problem." Katherine Johnson redid the flight pattern to one that would take the astronauts around the far side of the moon and require them to burn off fuel at certain intervals. With her instructions, they were able to return safely to Earth. A humble person, she did not want to take credit and always said that she worked on a team. But, readers will agree that Katherine Johnson was really a star herself.