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    		•  November paperback releases offer good choices for reading groups

    REVIEWS BY JULIE HALE

    Cover The Murder Room
    Commander Adam Dalgliesh, James' beloved investigator, returns in this riveting follow-up to her previous book, Death in Holy Orders (2001). A small, private institution in London devoted to the years between the First and Second World Wars, the mysterious Dupayne Museum contains a particularly disturbing exhibit called the Murder Room, which commemorates the most sinister slayings of that historical period. Called upon to investigate the murder of one of the museum's trustees, Dalgliesh learns that the victim was attempting to close the museum contrary to the desires of its staff and the rest of the trustees. The plot thickens as the murderer prepares to strike again, using the true crimes from the Murder Room as inspiration. Where matters of the heart are concerned, Dalgliesh's budding romance with Emma Lavenham, the beautiful young Cambridge professor whom James introduced in Death in Holy Orders, continues to grow. With fully realized characters and a masterfully developed plot, The Murder Room —the author's 16th novel—was a national bestseller in hardcover. Intricate and suspenseful, it's James at her finest. A reading group guide is available in print and online at www.readinggroupcenter.com.

    Cover The Bedford Boys
    A New York Times bestseller, this thoroughly researched narrative is a gripping account of the historical events that inspired the movie Saving Private Ryan. Journalist Kershaw tells the poignant story of a group of soldiers from Bedford, Virginia, who were among the first men to die on the beaches of Normandy in World War II. When the National Guard was activated in 1940, 103 young men left Bedford to serve their country. On D-Day, 34 members of that group were with Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division when they hit the beach at Normandy. Nineteen of the men died there almost immediately. This courageous bunch of small-town boys represented a cross-section of the little Virginia community that is now home to the national D-Day Memorial. Captain Taylor N. Fellers came from an affluent Bedford family. Frank Draper Jr. was a star athlete from the less affluent part of town. John Wilkes was the company's leading sergeant. With the help of diaries, letters and interviews with family members, Kershaw, whose previous books include Jack London: A Life and Blood and Champagne: The Life and Times of Robert Capa, has produced a first-class historical narrative that history buffs will love. A reading group guide is included in the book.

    Cover Secrets of the City
    Roiphe's latest novel initially appeared, Charles Dickens-fashion, as a serial in the New York Jewish newspaper The Forward. In short, tightly connected chapters, she tells the suspenseful story of Mel Rosenberg, the mayor of an unnamed metropolis, who is coping with a multitude of problems, including a malfunctioning welfare system and an insufficient city budget. Racial conflicts also dog his administration, keeping the population in a state of high tension. When animals all over town—in the park and at the zoo—start to die mysteriously, the pitch of citywide hysteria reaches new heights. The mayor's personal life is equally troubled. He loves his wife Ruth, but is distracted by the attentions of an attractive newspaper reporter. Jacob, his lawyer son, is married to a shoplifter. Mel's daughter, Ina, a scientist, is struggling to make her life with her husband Sergei work. To further complicate matters, Sergei's immigrant brother Leonid is involved in a series of sketchy transactions that could ruin the family. The author of seven novels, Roiphe is an expert at portraying the complexities of family dynamics. A timely, quick-moving narrative that explores modern-day relationships, the nature of public scandal and life in the big city, her newest book is written with intelligence, compassion and wit. A reading group guide is included in the book and available online at www.crownpublishing.com.


    Has your club recently read an excellent book that sparked good group discussion? If so, BookPage would like to hear about it. Contact us at reading@bookpage.com with a description of the book and the reasons for your recommendation. We'll pass the top choices along to our readers.

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