Fireside Bookstore - Your Locally Owned Independent Bookstore

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Ralph Truitt, a wealthy business man in turn of the century Wisconsin, has everything a man could want – power, respect, money, prestige – everything but love. Overcome by his need for companionship, he places a newspaper ad for a “reliable wife,” - a simple, honest woman. Catherine Land answers his ad and the deception begins, for all is not as it appears. Catherine is plagued by her own demons, her own past, and her own ambitions. However, while plotting to poison her new husband and become wealthy widow, Catherine’s plans become derailed by Ralph’s own demons and complex machinations – and his very present past, in the form of his son, Antonio. Secrets are revealed and truth is illuminated for all three, with devastating consequences. A Reliable Wife is a mysterious glimpse into the workings of a man’s soul, a woman’s motivations and capacity for love, and a damaged child’s beliefs in a chaotic web of lies and deceit. Fans of Ron Rash’s Serena and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights will greatly enjoy this book!

Pursuit by Karen Robards

In this fast-paced thriller, Robards weaves a tale of corruption and danger at the highest level – the Oval Office. Jessica Ford is a rookie lawyer, working for a prestigious firm that has Capitol connections. Her boss, John Davenport, sends her on a deadly mission to rescue the First Lady Annette Cooper – from herself and the Secret Service. A terrible car accident, the death of the First Lady, and a faulty memory of the night of the meeting have Jessica running, unsure who to trust and what to believe. Only one person seems to have any answers – Secret Service Agent Mark Ryan. However, Ryan believes Jessica is hiding something herself – until the dead bodies start piling up. Caught in a web of conspiracy and deceit, betrayals and lies, Mark and Jessica struggle to find the truth and stay alive long enough to tell it while battling an attraction to each other that defies circumstances . Fans of Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Elizabeth Lowell, and Nora Roberts will enjoy this tautly paced thriller, with lots of twists and surprises.

Blood and Goo and Boogers, Too! By Steve Alton

This wonderfully detailed, interactive book details the circulatory and respiratory systems of the body. Lots of interactive parts, neat facts, and brightly illustrated pictures encourage the young reader to investigate the body. This book is ideal for 7-12 years old, for the simply curious or classroom use. *Also a great resource for parents to encourage science/biology exploration with their children, with accurate pictures and scientific explanations in layman’s terms for easy understanding.

Wink, the Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed
by J. C. Phillipps

In this brightly illustrated children’s book, themes of belonging, developing your strengths, and adaptation emerge through the eyes of Wink, a young ninja. When Wink is accepted to the prestigious Summer Moon School for Young Ninjas, he is thrilled. However, he soon learns that his abilities are a little different than what is expected at the school. Wink cannot be quiet or stealthy like a ninja should – so he gets sent home in disgrace quite often. One day, on his way home, Wink meets a family of circus performers and helps them with their acrobatics. Soon, Wink discovers that he can use his Ninja acrobatics and be noisy as part of the circus. As Wink accepts that he can chose his own path and adapt to make his good qualities stronger, he finds happiness and takes pride in his accomplishments. This is an adorable book about not fitting in and sometimes, having to take a different path to success. I really loved the “think outside of the box” theme of this book!