Powered by a book like {foo}
Recommendations based on Light a Penny Candleby Maeve Binchy
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Circle of Friends
by Maeve Binchy
A story of friendship, love, heartache, and acceptance set in a small Irish town.
Big, generous-hearted Benny and the elfin Eve Malone have been best friends growing up in sleepy Knockglen. Their one thought is to get to Dublin, to university and to freedom... On their first day ... (Goodreads)
Evening Class
by Maeve Binchy
A group of strangers come together to learn Italian, forging relationships, finding love and understanding.
Among the many evening classes starting all over Dublin is an 'Introduction to Italian'. On the surface it could be just one of hundreds in which some students will succeed and some will fall along ... (Goodreads)
The Glass Lake
by Maeve Binchy
A family drama set in a small Irish town, revolving around a mother's disappearance and the secrets that come to light.
Helen McMahon disappears when her daughter Kit is 12 years old, and it is suspected that she drowned in the local lake. Kit finds a letter from her mother and burns it before reading it, fearing that ... (Wikipedia)
The Simple Truth
by David Baldacci
A legal thriller involving a murder mystery, a wrongful conviction and the search for justice.
Twenty five years ago, Rufus Harms was convicted of a murder he believes he committed. But when his memory is jogged by a letter from the army, he has a shocking realization: he's not guilty. From ... (Goodreads)
The Thorn Birds
by Colleen McCullough
A powerful tale of forbidden love, set in rural Australia in the early 20th century.
The story begins in New Zealand on 8 December 1915, the fourth birthday of Meghann "Meggie" Cleary who is the only daughter of Padriac ("Paddy"), an Irish farm labourer, and Fiona ("Fee"), his wife. ... (Wikipedia)
Exodus
by Leon Uris
The story of the birth of Israel, following the lives of Jewish refugees from WWII to the establishment of the state.
In 1946 American foreign correspondent Mark Parker and American nurse Kitty Fremont reunite as old friends. Kitty is an American volunteer at the Karaolos internment camp on Cyprus , where thousands ... (Wikipedia)
Five Quarters of the Orange
by Joanne Harris
A gripping tale of a young woman's struggle to uncover the secrets of her past and confront her family's dark history.
The novels of Joanne Harris are a literary feast for the senses. Five Quarters of the Orange represents Harris's most complex and sophisticated work yet - a novel in which darkness and fierce joy ... (Goodreads)
Stone Cold
by David Baldacci
An ex-special forces team on a mission to discover the truth behind a mysterious death.
The #1 bestselling author of "The Collectors" and "The Camel Club" returns with STONE COLD, number 3 in the series. It's an unforgettable novel of revenge, conspiracy, and murder that brings the band ... (Goodreads)
I Don't Know How She Does It
by Allison Pearson
A working mother juggles career, family, and social obligations while trying to maintain her sanity.
Delightfully smart and heartbreakingly poignant, Allison Pearson's smash debut novel has exploded onto bestseller lists as "The national anthem for working mothers." Hedge-fund manager, wife, and ... (Goodreads)
A Painted House
by John Grisham
A young boy's journey of growing up on an Arkansas cotton farm, learning life lessons along the way.
"The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked ... (Goodreads)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith
An empowering story of female friendship, courage, and detective work in Botswana.
Precious Ramotswe has only just set up shop as Botswana's No.1 (and only) lady detective when she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. However, ... (Goodreads)
The Testament
by John Grisham
A billionaire's will creates a legal battle between his descendants and the townspeople who have been displaced.
In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions, ... (Goodreads)
Man and Boy
by Tony Parsons
A father's struggle to hold onto his son and his family amidst turmoil and tragedy.
HE HAD TO FACE THE TOUGHEST JOB OF HIS LIFE. AND HE NEVER ONCE THOUGHT HE'D BE ON HIS OWN. Harry had it all: a beautiful wife, an adorable four-year-old son, and a high-paying media job. But on the ... (Goodreads)
Saving Faith
by David Baldacci
A lobbyist uncovers a conspiracy involving a senator and a defense contractor. She must fight to expose the truth and save her own life.
The botched attempt on Faith's life led to an all-out hunt for her by three parties - the FBI, the CIA and her boss, Danny Buchanan. Fleeing for her life, Faith was not sure who she can trust, ... (Wikipedia)
Postmortem
by Patricia Daniels Cornwell
Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner, investigates a serial killer in Richmond, Virginia.
The novel opens as Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Virginia, receives an early-morning call from Sergeant Pete Marino, a homicide detective at the Richmond Police ... (Wikipedia)
The Cafe by the Sea
by Jenny Colgan
A woman returns to a remote Scottish island to find love and a new beginning.
Years ago, Flora fled the quiet Scottish island where she grew up – and she hasn't looked back. What would she have done on Mure? It's a place where everyone has known her all her life, where no one ... (Goodreads)
A Prayer for Owen Meany
by John Irving
A boy's search for faith, set against a backdrop of unlikely events.
The story is narrated by John Wheelwright, a former citizen of New Hampshire who has become a voluntary expatriate from the United States, having settled in Toronto , Ontario , Canada and taken on ... (Wikipedia)
A Woman of Substance
by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The rags-to-riches story of Emma Harte, who overcomes poverty and adversity to build a retail empire.
One of the top-ten bestselling novels ever written. “An extravagant, absorbing novel of love, courage, ambition, war, death and passion.” —,The New York Times, Barbara Taylor Bradford’s The Emma ... (Barnes & Noble)
Little Altars Everywhere
by Rebecca Wells
A Southern family struggles to find connection and understanding amidst their chaotic lives.
Little Altars Everywhere is a national best-seller, a companion to Rebecca Wells' celebrated novel Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Originally published in 1992, Little Altars introduces ... (Goodreads)
The Runaway Jury
by John Grisham
A jury trial where the jury's decision is up for sale as two sides battle for a multi-million dollar verdict.
Wendall Rohr and his team of tort lawyers have filed suit on behalf of plaintiff Celeste Wood, whose husband died of lung cancer , against the tobacco company Pynex. The trial is to be held in Biloxi ... (Wikipedia)
Watership Down
by Richard Adams
A group of rabbits embark on a treacherous journey to find a new home.
In the Sandleford warren , ,[b], Fiver, a young runt rabbit who is a seer , receives a frightening vision of his warren's imminent destruction. , When he and his brother Hazel fail to convince their ... (Wikipedia)
Sam's Letters to Jennifer
by James Patterson
A woman discovers a box of letters from her deceased husband, revealing his secret life.
Jennifer, who is still mourning the death of her husband, is rushed to her grandmother's side when she goes into a coma. Jennifer makes the shocking discovery while there of a packet of letters ... (Wikipedia)
The English Assassin
by Daniel Silva
An art restorer is tasked with investigating a murder related to a long-lost masterpiece.
Art restorer, Gabriel Allon, who also works part-time for 'The Office', a semi-official Israeli intelligence agency, accepts an assignment from an anonymous Zurich banker. Arriving at his villa , he ... (Wikipedia)
The Lady and the Unicorn
by Tracy Chevalier
A tapestry weaves the story of a noblewoman, her maid, and the mysterious unicorn. A tale of love, desire, and art in medieval France.
A tour de force of history and imagination, The Lady and the Unicorn is Tracy Chevalier’s answer to the mystery behind one of the art world’s great masterpieces—a set of bewitching medieval ... (Goodreads)
The Red Queen
by Philippa Gregory
The story of Margaret Beaufort, a woman who would stop at nothing to see her son crowned King of England.
Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found, here, The second book in Philippa's stunning new trilogy, The Cousins' War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and ... (Goodreads)
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
by Alexander McCall Smith
Mma Ramotswe's detective agency faces new challenges as she takes on a case of a missing person and navigates the complexities of love.
Mma Ramotswe talks with her fiance Mr JLB. Matekoni about the future of her assistant, Mma Makutsi, who seems to have difficulty finding suitable men. Later the two women discuss the same topic. At ... (Wikipedia)
Body of Evidence
by Patricia Cornwell
Crime thriller featuring a female medical examiner investigating a series of murders.
Kay Scarpetta, chief medical examiner of Virginia, gets involved in the case of a brutal stabbing death in Richmond of romance writer Beryl Madison. Then, Madison's greedy lawyer accuses Scarpetta of ... (Wikipedia)
Visions of Sugar Plums
by Janet Evanovich
A romantic comedy about a woman's search for love and the holiday surprises that ensue.
**A Stephanie Plum “In Between the Numbers” Christmas novel** It's five days before Christmas and things are not looking merry for Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum. She hasn't got a tree. ... (Goodreads)
The Husband
by Dean Koontz
A suspenseful tale of a man's desperate search to uncover the truth behind his wife's disappearance.
Mitch Rafferty, owner of a small landscaping business, receives a phone call from someone claiming to have kidnapped his wife Holly. The caller demands that Mitch pay two million dollars or Holly ... (Wikipedia)
The Bronze Horseman
by Paullina Simons
A sweeping epic romance set in Stalinist Russia, exploring the power of love amidst tragedy.
Librarian note: alternate covers for this edition can be found, here, and, here, and, here,. During the summer of 1941 the Metanov family are living a hard life in Leningrad. As the German armies ... (Goodreads)
