Virginia Fay
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Bestselling Baldacci writes unexpectedly softhearted novel

Wish You Well” is set in 1940 New York City for the Cardinal family — made up of the celebrated writer Jack Cardinal, doting mother and wife Amanda, uncommonly clever 12-year-old Lou, and shy but soft-hearted seven-year-old Oz.

A “Skinny Dip” infused with a hilarious dose of danger

Jamaican pot, attempted murder, lies, sex and blackmail. Carl Hiaasen’s “Skinny Dip” covers all of this and more, offering a perfect combination of high comedy and subtle social commentary.

Karon’s small town novel makes the reader feel at home

Some might call San Luis Obispo a small town, but compared to Mitford, we live in a metropolis. Jan Karon’s “At Home in Mitford” paints the picture of a tiny town made up of a picturesque town square, idyllic Main…

First love inspires decades of Fitzgerald’s literature

Fiction masquerading as history can provide a fascinating take on an old story, especially when it focuses on the subject matter of already well-known literature.

Elegance is personified in French novel

Elegant. What images immediately spring to mind? Probably something along the lines of stately architecture or a high-class garment. A hedgehog, however, is not usually on this list.

“How to Cook a Tart” leaves a bitter aftertaste

A recipe for a tart seems as though it should be fairly straightforward instructions for how to make a pastry.

Love’s history is boundless

“The History of Love” is an ambitious title. It promises to be all-encompassing, thoughtful, wise, charming, inquisitive, comforting and not to be trite, insignificant, dishonest or insincere.

“Eat Pray Love” author weaves entrancing first novel

Lobster fishing — perhaps not the most scintillating of subjects for a romance novel at first glance, but Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Stern Men” proves that this unlikely profession does, in fact, provide the perfect backdrop for a novel that is so much more than a romance.

“Good in Bed” grabs attention and doesn’t let go

Claiming one’s own excellence in the bedroom is a pretty bold claim to make in a national publication. So is exposing your ex-girlfriends’s weight.

“Psychic Junkie” is habit-forming

Addiction is no laughing matter. In the case of Sarah Lassez’s “Psychic Junkie” however, it is nothing short of hilarious. “Psychic Junkie” is Lassez’s own memoir of her addiction to tarot cards and psychic readings.

“Water for Elephants” is an enchanting adventure

For the characters of Sara Gruen’s “Water for Elephants,” life in the circus is both the promised escape from seemingly insurmountable problems and the source of equally difficult, though more bizarre, predicaments.