The Ultimates, volumes 1 and 2 by Mark Millar

Marvel’s Ultimate line is an attempt to solve many of the problems casual readers have with comic books and comic book collections, sometimes called graphic novels. The Ultimate line takes the characters who exist in Marvel’s mainstream books and strips them back down to their essence, taking out most of the continuity that has creeped up over the years, and making their origins more believable to 21st century science – more genetic engineering and less radiation.

The Ultimates are Marvel’s attempt at bringing the Avengers in to the Ultimate line of comics. All in all, it’s a successful attempt, at least in the first series. (The Ultimates lasted only 13 issues, collected in to the two volumes. There have been subsequent collections, Ultimates 2 and Ultimates 3, that have been less successful) You don’t need to know anything about the comic book characters to understand what’s going on in this book, they reintroduce everyone (with one exception; the Hulk – and even with him, they give enough of an explanation so that you don’t get lost). Certainly, fans of Marvel are more likely to notice some of the similarities and differences between this and normal Marvel stories, but it is not needed.

Ultimates is, by nature, an ensemble cast, but it focuses on Captain America. This Captain America is a very patriotic, fairly conservative, but ultimately a friendly guy who has been given powers by an experiment that let him be an ultimate soldier. He’s also one of the few characters with powers that is, more or less, still balanced. Iron Man is an alcoholic, though a functioning one. Thor is a deranged medical student... or maybe a Norse God. Giant Man and Wasp are in an abusive relationship, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are kind of ickily all over each other for a brother and sister... you need Captain America to hold on to in this story, because believe it or not, he’s the every man you feel your connection to.

In the end, the story is fairly straightforward comic book fare, but its well done, and the takes on these characters is a bit more realistic and updated than a lot of other comic book stories. If you’ve been thinking of getting in to super-hero comics, this isn’t a bad place to start. You could also consider volume 1 of Ultimate Spider-man or volume 1 of Ultimate X-men. - Reviewed by John

The Novels of Ariana Franklin

If you like, historical fiction, mysteries or just plain good writing, I highly recommend Ariana Franklin. She is described by Karen Harper, author of the Elizabeth I mystery series, as "bold, brilliant... the medieval answer to Kay Scarpetta and the CSI detectives." She is as good as Ellis Peters and is a winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award. A former journalist herself, Franklin writes with the immediacy of journalism. She does meticulous research and seamlessly matches fiction with fact. Start by reading Mistress of the Art of Death when you will be introduced to her heroine Adelia, who is doctor and medieval pathologist - not a common or safe career for a woman. Follow with City of Shadows and you will be left poised for more. Be warned, however, today's torture is nothing compared to medieval torture and she leaves none of the cruelty and horror of those times out of her writing. Highly recommended and TCPL has both books. - Reviewed by Sally

The Sinner by Petra Hammesfahr

The Sinner, a psychological thriller by German author Petra Hammesfahr, was a haunting page-turner that was difficult to put down. The mystery revolves around Cora Bender, a young mother who suddenly and inexplicably stabs a man during a family outing at the lake. Her sudden attack on this newlywed who was necking with his wife on a nearby blanket horrified the onlookers and puzzled the police detective-in-charge, Inspector Grovian. Based on the evidence - witnesses and Cora's own admission of guilt - it should be an open-and-shut case.

However, good mysteries don't work that way. Inspector Grovian, puzzled by Cora's apparent lack motive for the murder, was intrigued. Whatever Grovian's reasons - professional pride, guilt over his relationship with his own daughter (who, like Cora, was in her twenties), Cora's alternating fits of apathy, despair, terror and arrogance - the Inspector probed and pried to explain the crime.

Meanwhile, Cora descends into a deep, black hole of memories that almost surface but cannot emerge clearly enough to explain the murder.

Author Hammesfahr continually reels out clues. In the beginning, I savored the story and followed the leads to piece it together. After about 100 pages, though, I needed to know the answer and could not put the book down.

The Sinner - as one might suspect from the title - is loaded with sex overshadowed by religious fanaticism and psychological trauma. It flirts with incest and sadomasochism. It drew me into Cora's deep well of pain and, like the Inspector, I could not figure her out until the very last page.

I highly recommend it for curious adults who enjoy suspense and a well-written mystery. TCPL also owns a copy of The Sinner in German. - Reviewed by Joyce

Victorian London Street Life in Historic Photographs by John Thomson

This book was originally published as Street Life in London in 1877. The photographs aren’t quaint or pretty, but document real people in real places. John Thomson, the photographer, and Adolphe Smith interviewed some of the people in the pictures and wrote sympathetic descriptions of their lives. As is noted in the preface, this is a new perspective on the poor.

The first photograph is titled “London Nomads” and it tells almost the whole story: the wooden caravan ‘home on wheels’ with a couple of kids peeking out the door, adults with worn clothes, tired faces and the bare earth beneath their feet. They wander about, making money when they can.

Perhaps saddest of all is the picture of one of the “Crawlers.” They are generally old women who have fallen into extreme poverty and live sometimes in the workhouse and sometimes in an available doorway. There are many more photographs that make Victorian London come alive for a moment. - Reviewed by Nancy