On the shelves - Dec. 25

The books listed below are now available for checkout at the Clovis-Carver Public Library. The library is open to the public, but patrons can still visit the online catalog at cloviscarverpl.booksys.net/opac/ccpl or call 575-769-7840 to request a specific item for curbside pickup.

“Courting Misfortune” by Regina Jennings. Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she’s assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she’s sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri. When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children’s home. He’ll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm’s way. Calista doesn’t need the pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can’t let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.

“It Dies with You” by Scott Blackburn. For nearly a decade, 29-year-old Hudson Miller has made his living in the boxing ring, but a post-fight brawl threatens to derail his career. That’s when life delivers him another hook to the jaw: his estranged father has been murdered in what appears to be a robbery-gone-bad at his salvage yard. Soon after his father’s funeral, Hudson learns he’s inherited the salvage yard, and he returns to his Bible-belt hometown of Flint Creek to run the business. But the business is far more than junk cars and scrap metal. It was the site of an illegal gun-running ring. And the secrets don’t end there; a grisly discovery is made at the yard that thrusts Hudson into the fight of his life.

“Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six” by Lisa Unger. What could be more restful than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, spectacular views, a hot tub, and a personal chef. It’ll be three couples on this trip with good food, good company, and lots of R & R. But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past. How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?

“Kennedy’s Avenger” by Dan Abrams and David Fisher. On Nov. 24, 1963, two days after the killing of President Kennedy, Jack Ruby quietly slipped into the Dallas police station and assassinated the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Millions of Americans witnessed the killing on live television, and yet the event would lead to questions for years to come. It also would help to spark the conspiracy theories that have continued to resonate today. Under the long shadow cast by the assassination of America’s beloved president, few would remember the bizarre trial that followed three months later in Dallas.

“Foraging” by Mark “Merriwather” Vorderbruggen, Ph.D. Stumbling upon plump wild berries on a hike or discovering succulent fresh mushrooms on the forest floor can be a welcome surprise. Turn up these happy accidents to a whole new level with the only guide on foraging you’ll ever need!

“For the Table” by Anna Stockwell. Hosting a dinner party is a special kind of occasion. You welcome old and new friends into your home and gather around the table. You put out platters of food prepared just for that table of people, passing them around until everyone’s had their fill. This sense of sharing and togetherness feeds more than just bellies. It is what helps us stay connected and build lasting bonds with our chosen families.

— Summaries provided library staff