Last weekend I jetted off to visit the loving husband who was working in Denver. I’m not a good traveler, but everything went smoothly this time. Once I make it to my destination airport safely, I take one of the commuter vans from the airport to my destination hotel ... usually “Super Shuttle” because I’ve found them to be quite reliable. I always give the Super Shuttle driver a decent tip because I’m deeply grateful when I reach the hotel alive. On this trip I had an unusual “it’s a small world” experience when I left my hotel. The Super Shuttle stops at the Hyatt every 20 minutes en route to the airport. At approximately 7:40 a.m. on Tuesday, I hopped into my Super Shuttle for the arduous journey to the Denver Airport. Being the only passenger, I felt compelled to make small talk with the van driver. We visited and he asked me where I was from. I replied, “Minnesota.” The conversation continued as follows: Him: Where in Minnesota? Me: Way in the southwest corner. If you know where Sioux Falls, S.D., is, I’m about 30 miles east of there. Him: In Luverne? Me: Yes! How do you know about Luverne? (incredulously) Him: I worked in Sioux Falls at Hutchinson’s for eight years before I moved here. Do you know Dave Hauge? He was my trainer and good friend. Me: Yes, he’s on the Library Board and the City Council. Him: Oh, he finally got elected to something! We continued visiting until we arrived at the airport. He gave me his name and I promised to call Dave and say “hello.” So what are the odds? Out of all the commuter vans and all of the hotels in Denver, I would get a driver who knew one of my Library Board members. Fact is stranger than fiction. Speaking of fiction, I’ve got some new books for you. “Big Bad Wolf,” by James Patterson. Alex Cross' family is in terrible danger — at the same time that his new job with the FBI brings him the scariest case of his career. A team of kidnappers has been snatching successful, upstanding men and women right before their families' eyes — possibly to sell them into slavery. Alex's knowledge of the D.C. streets, together with his unique insights into criminal psychology, make this mind-bending case one that only he can solve — if he can just get his colleagues to set aside their staid and outdated methods. With unexpected twists and whiplash surprises, this is another brilliantly irresistible novel from America's best-selling suspense writer. “Last Lessons of Summer,” by Margaret Maron. Heir to her family's successful children's book and merchandising business, Amy Stedman arrives in North Carolina with the task of clearing out the house of her deceased grandmother — whose murder remains unsolved. While sorting through her grandmother's things, Amy begins to reflect on her own marriage to a man who seems more in love with her legacy than with her. Similarly, Amy's mother's marriage to her father, a brash young businessman and opportunist — was filled with doubt and deceit. Furthermore, soon after Amy was born, her mother, Maxine, killed herself. Or did she? Now, in her grandmother's house, the memories of the deaths of these two women play menacingly with Amy's mind. Was her mother's death really a suicide? And if not, can Amy escape her family's killer? Bird Alert: In honor of Children’s Book Week my pet bird, Barkley, will be visiting the Library on Thursday and Friday. Stop by and say “hi.” Spike will be there, too.
