M e n a c e by L . R . W r i g h t Set o n the S u n s h i n e C o a s t , t h i s is the a w a r d w i n n i n g author's final novel p r i o r to her death, a n d considered a m o n g her best. A y o u n g social w o r k e r rejects a s u i t o r a n d b e g i n s t o s u s p e c t t h a t she m a y h a v e a s t a l k e r ; m e a n w h i l e a l o c a l s e n i o r is n e a r l y r u n d o w n by a m o t o r i s t . Sergeant E d w i n a believes s o m e t h i n g very v i o l e n t m a y s o o n o c c u r i n the t o w n o f G i b s o n s . A p r i l F o o l by W i l l i a m D e v e r e l l A l i c e , I t h i n k (trilogy) by Susan Juby I h e a r d the o w l c a l l m y n a m e b y Margaret Craven A n o t h e r B C classic. A y o u n g priest, L a w y e r A r t h u r B e a u c h a m p has retired t o e n j o y r e t i r e m e n t as a h o b b y f a r m e r o n G a r i b a l d i I s l a n d , b u t he r e l u c t a n t l y heads back into c o u r t to defend a former client accused of rape a n d murder. M e a n w h i l e , Beauchamp's environmentalist w i f e has t a k e n residence in a tree o n V a n c o u v e r I s l a n d t o p r o t e s t the d e s t r u c t i o n o f a n eagle h a b i t a t . C o u r t r o o m thriller, classic w h o d u n i t , h u m o r o u s a n d fast p a c e d - D e v e r e l l is at the t o p o f his g a m e w i t h t h i s o n e ! H o m e by A n n i e Scoones O n e o f t h o s e b o o k s w h i c h is h a r d t o c l a s s i f y b u t easy t o e n j o y - a c o m b i nation of affectionate memoir, farm almanac and country cookbook. Rachel Brown, Parkgate S c o o n e s rescued the o r i g i n a l b u i l d i n g s of a heritage f a r m in N o r t h Saanich, lovingly restored them, a n d filled Sympathy by Dede C r a n e A r e c e n t l y r e t i r e d b a l l e t d a n c e r loses husband and child in an auto accident a n d has t o u n d e r g o a c o n t r o v e r s i a l new treatment for post traumatic stress d i s o r d e r . S o u n d s heavy, but Wendy Metcalf Roy, Parkgate this g r i t t y n o v e l is o f t e n f u n n y a n d ultimately a testament to the resilience of the h u m a n s p i r i t . Elizabeth Austin, Parkgate t h e m a n d h e r life w i t h rare l i v e s t o c k , h e i r l o o m plants, a n d a n eclectic assortm e n t o f l o c a l c h a r a c t e r s a n d interesting visitors. T o l d w i t h gentle h u m o u r a n d e n g a g i n g m o d e s t y , this is the perfect b o o k f o r a f e r r y t r i p t o the I s l a n d . G i r l s A r o u n d the H o u s e b y M . A . C . Far rant Q u i r k y , h u m o r o u s a n d slightly w h i m s i c a l - n o t i n the f u n n y c h i c k lit v e i n o f S o p h i e K i n s e l l a . N a r r a t o r M a r i o n deals w i t h life i n the s m a l l t o w n of Sidney, o n V a n c o u v e r Island: the g r o w i n g p a i n s o f h e r three teejj c h i l d r e n , her h u s b a n d , a n d her i i s m a t i c m o t h e r i n l a w . j ^ l s o fecj m e n d e d : her n o n - f i c t i o n ' p i e c e Turquoise Years". It gives y o c a r i c h l o o k at w h a t b i r l i f e ^ v a s ' growing up on t h ^ t s j i n d , and provides honest, nny insights^ Alicia Jinkerson Set i n S m i t h e r s B C , t h e series f o l l o w s the a n g s t - r i d d e n life o f t e e n a g e r A l i c e M c L e o d , w h o must endure constant from and m o r t i f y i n g e m b a r r a s s m e n t u n a w a r e t h a t he is d y i n g , is sent to a remote B C First N a t i o n s parish. Father M a r k ' s gentle e f f o r t s t o r e a c h a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g w i t h the K w a k i u t l c o m m u n i t y c o m p l e m e n t his o w n i n n e r s t r u g g l e t o c o m e t o t e r m s w i t h his s i t u a t i o n . her h i p p i e p a r e n t s . In b o o k t w o o f the series, M i s s S m i t h e r s , A l i c e e n t e r s t h e t o w n b e a u t y p a g e a n t as " M i s s R o d a n d G u n C l u b " . In the h i l a r i o u s c o n c l u s i o n t o the series, {Alice Realist Mcleod, at last), A l i c e M a c L e o d h a s " o f f i c i a l l y g r a d u a t e d f r o m the r a n k s o f the w e i r d l y m a r g i n a l i n t o t h e r e a l m o f the p r a c t i c a l l y n o r m a l " . I l o v e d these b o o k s f o r t h e i r w i t a n d d e p i c tion of small t o w n B C eccentricities. M o n k e ) Beach by E d e n R o b i n s o n G r o w i n g up in a remote H a i s l a v i l l a g e , L i s a m a r i e is v i s i t e d b y g h o s t s and s h a p e s h i f t e r s , a n d t o r m e n t e d bv a sense o f i m p e n d i n g d o o m . S h e u n d e r t a k e s a j o u r n e y w h i c h is as m u c h a p e r s o n a l q u e s t as a s e a r c h her b r o t h e r , m i s s i n g at s e a . C e n t r a l to the s t o r y are the s p i r i t u a l i t y o f her r e m a r k a b l e f a m i l y a n d t h e i r connection to the l i v i n g w i l d e r n e s s . P o i g n a n t a n d s o m e t i m e s f u n n y , t h i s is a h a u n t i n g story. Elaine Dickson, Parkgate L y n n V a l l e y M a i n L i b r a r y : 1 2 8 0 E a s t 2 7 t h Street, 6 0 4 . 9 8 4 . 0 2 8 6 Capilano Branch: 3045 Highland Blvd., 604.987.4471 Parkgate Branch: 3675 Banff C o u r t , 6 0 4 . 9 2 9 . 3 7 2 7 N o r t h V a n c o u v e r C i t y L i b r a r y : 121 W e s t 1 4 t h Street, 6 0 4 9 9 8 3450 for www.arts-alive.ca