Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

 

 

Late, Late at Night  by Rick Springfield (for review) ~ In a searingly candid memoir which he authored himself, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Rick Springfield pulls back the curtain on his image as a bright, shiny, happy performer to share the startling story of his rise and fall and rise in music, film, and television and his lifelong battle with depression.   In the 1980s, singer-songwriter and actor Rick Springfield seemed to have it all: a megahit single in “Jessie’s Girl,” sold-out concert tours, follow-up hits that sold more than 17 million albums and became the pop soundtrack for an entire generation, and 12 million daily viewers who avidly tuned in to General Hospital to swoon over his portrayal of the handsome Dr. Noah Drake. Yet lurking behind his success as a pop star and soap opera heartthrob and his unstoppable drive was a moody, somber, and dark soul, one filled with depression and insecurity. In Late, Late at Night, the memoir his millions of fans have been waiting for, Rick takes readers inside the highs and lows of his extraordinary life. By turns winningly funny and heartbreakingly sad, every page resonates with Rick’s witty, wry, self-deprecating, brutally honest voice. On one level, he reveals the inside story of his ride to the top of the entertainment world. On a second, deeper level, he recounts with unsparing candor the forces that have driven his life, including his longtime battle with depression and thoughts of suicide, the shattering death of his father, and his decision to drop out at the absolute peak of fame. Having finally found a more stable equilibrium, Rick’s story is ultimately a positive one, deeply informed by his passion for creative expression through his music, a deep love of his wife of twenty-six years and their two sons, and his life-long quest for spiritual peace. 

 

To Have and to Kill: A Wedding Cake Mystery (Wedding Cake Mysteries)  by Mary Jane Clark (for review) ~ Piper Donovan never imagined that decorating wedding cakes could be so dangerous! A struggling actress with no immediate prospects and a recently broken engagement, Piper moves back in with her parents to take stock of her life. She steps tentatively into the family bakery business, and finds herself agreeing to create the wedding cake for the acclaimed star of a daytime television drama. But soon, someone close to the bride-to-be is horribly murdered and it seems that somebody is ruthlessly determined to stop the wedding. With the help of her former neighbor, Jack, a handsome FBI agent with a soft spot for the gorgeous cake-maker, Piper moves closer to the truth. As she narrows in on a suspect, Piper realizes that it's hotter in the kitchen than she may be able to handle. Release date: December 28, 2010

 

A Little Death In Dixie  by Lisa Turner (for review) ~ The Blues were born out of need, anger and pride. Murder comes from those same dark places. Memphis has both. One of Memphis' most seductive and notorious socialites has vanished. Either she's off on another drunken escapade or the disappearance is something much more frightening. What begins as an ordinary day's work for Detective Billy Able quickly grows into a complex spider's web of tragedy, mystery, suspicion, and sordid secrets including a few of Billy's own. With the help of Mercy Snow, the estranged sister of the missing socialite, Billy follows a twisted trail of human frailty and corruption to disturbing truths that undermine everything he thought he knew about himself and the people he loves. "Memphis, the Mississippi River, and the underbelly of human nature they're all exposed in the dark brew of this fast-paced Southern Gothic suspense.

 

Desperate Choices  by Kathy Ivan (for review) ~ When psychic Theresa Crawford's former beau walks into her New Orleans New Age shop, she senses trouble. Big trouble. Max Lamoreaux hasn't come to discuss their relationship—the private investigator is on a case, and he needs Theresa's help.Max's godson is missing. The police have declared Tommy a runaway, but Max's gut tells him otherwise. While he's highly skeptical of Theresa's abilities, her visions provide the only clue as to who's taken Tommy. The longer Max works with Theresa, the harder it is to resist his desire for the sexy woman. As they inch closer to finding Tommy, Max and Theresa also discover that time hasn't diminished their powerful attraction. But Theresa harbors her own dark secrets from her past. Secrets that broke them up before—and could drive them apart again, unless Theresa can learn to trust Max with everything...

 

Under the Mercy Trees: A Novel by Heather Newton  (for review) ~ Martin Owenby has lost his way in life. Thirty years ago, he left his hometown of Solace Fork in Western North Carolina to come to New York City, with dreams of becoming a famous writer and leaving the pain and shame of his turbulent past behind him. Now he barely scrapes by editing technical manuals, and his existence revolves around cheap Scotch and weekend flings with equally damaged men. When Martin receives word that his older brother, Leon, has gone missing from the Owenby's farm, he must return to Solace Fork to help his family in their search. But going back means facing his past-a past filled with regrets, a past that includes Liza Barnard, the girl whose heart he broke; his family, who never understood him; and his best friend, who has faithfully kept the home fires burning in case Martin ever decided to return. As the mystery surrounding Leon's disappearance deepens, so too do the weight and guilt of three decades' worth of unresolved differences and unspoken feelings. Martin will learn the hard way that home isn't a bad place to be. Under the Mercy Trees is a novel at once devastating and tender, and the Owenby's tale of family, love, and redemption is as soul-warming as it is sorrowful. Release date:  January 18, 2011

 

The Lies That Bind: A Bibliophile Mystery  by Kate Carlisle (for review) ~ Book restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright returns home to San Francisco to teach a bookbinding class. Unfortunately, the program director Layla Fontaine is a horrendous host who pitches fits and lords over her subordinates. But when Layla is found shot dead, Brooklyn is bound and determined to investigate-even as the killer tries to close the book on her for good. Release date: November 2nd.

 

An Uplifting Murder: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie, Marcus Mystery Shopper)  by Elaine Viets (for review) ~ On Josie's latest assignment, her former teacher-now working in a lingerie shop-is in need of some serious support when a customer is found murdered. Unfortunately, the teacher's alibi is flimsier than the camisoles she sells, so Josie will need to bust out her sleuthing skills to expose the real killer...Release date: November 2