Good morning or whenever you are reading this!  Just a note to say that a small box of different paperbacks has been added to the ones already at Finley Motors.  Remember that these PBs may be purchased and taken home or enjoyed there while you are waiting for your vehicle.  Donations are appreciated and may be added to the jar at the top of the book holder.  Here's another thing to remember:  If there is a certain type of book you like, there are many more of the same kind here in the library!  They may be checked out for a couple weeks and returned at no charge.  What a bargain!

A heartfelt thanks to the family of Ben Kvislen for their donation to the library of some of Ben's electronics.  The dream of the Library to have a computer available for our patrons to use is coming true, it seems, and we at the library are very grateful!  Watch this column for the grand unveiling...  They are also donating to the Library a printer so that you will--in time--have another place to get copies made.  The problem with that, of course, is that the Library  is only open twice a week for limited hours.  Wouldn't it be great to have Finley Library open every day just like the other businesses and services in town?  And as other towns have, for example Aneta and Cooperstown? 

Be sure to read this column weekly or check online at our website  ( finleypl.org ) to see if Finley Library has the book in which you are interested before you make a purchase.  It will save you money!!!!!! 

Come by and check us out!

Here's a couple reviews:

The Alpine Quilt by Mary Daheim.  (HC/LP)  (Emma Lord series #17)  (2005)  You, the reader, needn't be concerned that you have missed anything by having not read  any of the previous sixteen books in this "Cozy Mystery" series.  The author does refer to earlier times and events, but I never felt like I missed anything.  Emma Lord is the publisher of the weekly newspaper in Alpine, Washington, and as such she is into everyone's business!  She also works closely with the Sheriff on police matters.  (They also have a "relationship" of sorts.)  When a previous resident who has "made good" returns to town for a brief visit, everyone is surprised when she turns up dead!  Then there are a series of break-ins where not much is taken, but that cause much havoc among the residents.  Since this is #17 in the seines, the reader realizes that Emma has been helpful in solving earlier previous crimes and this one is no different.  When I picked this book up I had hoped there would be more on quilting, but not so--only a bit about copywriting your own patterns.  (Quilters, beware!)  The ending was very surprising and complicated--not something I  would have ever guessed even if I had been trying.  It is a fun bit of life, relationships, gossip and family secrets in a small town.  (Sound familiar?)  How can that be boring???

Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland.  (HC/RP and PB)  (Inspector Pekkala series #1)  (2010)  This book is not humorous!  (In this article two week's ago I said I had read that in a review.  It is not true.)  Inspector Pekkala, before The Russian Revolution in 1917, worked for Tsar Nickolai, but was taken prisoner when the Tsar and his family  were killed.  Pekkala was sent to Siberia where he "worked" a job very different than other prisoners.  At some point he was taken back to civilization and "used" to find the Tsar and his family's remains and his killer.  In finding the killer he also found the Tsar's treasure, believed to have been hidden before his death.  Much is made of Inspector Pekkala's loyalty to the Tsar and his family--all those against the Revolution (and even Many of those who do agree with the Revolution) respect him and think his return is miraculous, but not unexpected.  To them he is called "The Emerald Eye" because of a gift to him from the Tsar, and they think he can do anything and will not be "bought" or give up any information through torture.  Pekkala Is that kind of man, but all men have their limits as the reader will see.  There is friction between Pekkala and his brother, Anton, due to incorrect assumptions, but Anton  is not above using his relationship with "The Emerald Eye" for personal gain.  The crux of this novel--which seems like non-fiction--is finding the bodies and their killer, but knowledge of the treasure becomes the bargaining chip that leads to the ending.  The revelations in the last pages will point to what the next books in the series (the Library has #'s 1, 2, and 3.) will concern.  After the ending the author adds several pages outlining what really happened to the Tsar and his family.  My advise on this:  Read that part AFTER you finish the book as I think it would take away from the suspenseful nature of the novel.  Good writing and engrossing with good characterization, suspense, espionage (back in the old days type) and police procedural on the part of Pekkala make this book a good read for many!