Library Journal articles from January 2005

Library Journal archives from January 2005

Access by Google: the new initiative only enhances what we can give our users.(editorial)(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... IF NICHOLSON BAKER WAS UPSET OVER THE digitization of newspapers, he must be quaking at Google's latest announcement of a partnership with five of the great research institutions to scan their libraries' print collections as digital files and...

Watch out, Kansas City! A qualified, credentialed librarian is always your best bet.(blatant berry)
January 1, 2005... ENRIQUE CHAURAND, A BENIGHTED TRUSTEE OF the Kansas City Public Library (KCPL), MO, called it "thinking outside the box" when the library board there decided to consider a nonlibrarian to run KCPL. He told the Kansas City Star that the library...

Can't make them think!(feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... John Berry's editorial... declares that it has been the traditional mission of public libraries to fill in the void of enlightened discussion by abandoning the passivity of merely offering access to collections ("To Inform Democracy," LJ...

Reviews are for sale.(feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I was taken aback by Francine Fialkoff's editorial "Reviews for Sale" (LJ 11/1/04, p. 8). I wonder how many reviews are not for sale--that is, are born out of disinterested desire to bring to public attention worthwhile, interesting, new points...

Reviews unnecessary.(feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... "The point is that not all of those books need or merit a review..." (Francine Fialkoff, "Reviews for Sale," Editorial, LJ 11/1/04, p. 8). Amen!!! Let's needlepoint that on a cushion and send it to Haworth Press.--Nancy Crossfield, Mgr., Lib....

Let 'em join our club.(feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I read John Berry's column about the reaction of the LIS world to Michael Gorman's view that there is a "crisis" in LIS education (John Berry, "Don't Dis the LIS 'Crisis'," Blatant Berry, LJ 10/1/04, p. 10).... When the field can answer this...

More "L" courses.(feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I agree with John Berry's "Don't Dis the LIS 'Crisis'" (Blatant Berry, LJ 10/1/04, p. 10). The American Library Association (ALA), through its Committee on Accreditation, must insist on more traditional library courses like cataloging;...

Burden to practitioners.(feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I just read John Berry's "Don't Dis the LIS 'Crisis'" (Blatant Berry, LJ 10/1/04, p. 10).The one thing he didn't mention is the viewpoint of those who hire new LIS graduates. At my institution we have begun talking about the problem of the new...

"Librarian on the Loose" boosts Michigan auction.(front desk)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... How do you spice up a library conference auction? The Michigan Library Association in October auctioned off a "Librarian on the Loose" action figure, based on librarian Nancy Pearl, plus a photo album documenting a tour in which the figure...

In 2005 out.(front desk)
January 1, 2005... IN 2005 OUT Downloadable audio Free CDs Library schools Library jobs East Coast directorships West Coast vacancies Sensible shoes Sensible shoes Google Scholar ACRL...

Heard.(front desk)
January 1, 2005... "Welcome to the Schoogle Era.... I think a significant number of library-world databases have just become marginal niche products."--ERIC HELLMAN, PRESIDENT, OPENLY INFORMATICS, INC., ON LAUNCH OF GOOGLE SCHOLAR, WEB4LIB, 11/19/04

Top 5.(front desk)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Out-of-Print Books, 2004 1 The New Soldier, edited by John Kerry 2 Sisters, by Lynne Cheney 3 Sex, by Madonna 4 The Holy Innocents, by Gilbert Adair 5 Disco Bloodbath. by James St. James SOURCE: BOOKFINDER.COM

Censorship empowered?(front desk)
January 1, 2005... "I'm concerned... that the extrement right contends they were responsible for the outcome of the election and the administration now owes them something." --Judith Krug, director, American Library Association Office for Intellectual...

Google to digitize 15 million books: librarians mostly hail project but raise questions about effects; also, Google Scholar launches, offers links behind paywalls.(lj news)
January 1, 2005... Librarians mostly lauded an ambitious Google program to digitize as many as 15 million books from five prestigious libraries. Still, they wonder how the plan, announced last month, will affect libraries and publishers. Dennis Dillon, associate...

E-rate gets congressional fix.(lj news)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... On December 8, just before the 108th Congress adjourned, the Senate passed H.R. 5419, which offers a temporary fix of the accounting problem that stalled E-rate discounts for schools and libraries. On August 3, the Schools and Libraries...

Buffalo PLs OK'd, Salinas closing, Tulsa says no.(Budget Roundup)
January 1, 2005... The 52-branch Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (BECPL), NY, threatened with a shutdown after the county proposed cutting 75 percent of its operating funds (see News, LJ 11/15/04, p. 15ff.), will cut services and staff but not close...

Midwinter meeting stirs debate: should ALA cut back and meet only once (plus virtually)?(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Is the American Library Association's (ALA) Midwinter Meeting worth the bother? The issue stirred vigorous debate last month on the ALA Council's electronic discussion list. Councilor Kate Corby pointed out that "meeting twice uses a lot of...

John's Island, SC, gets first library.(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... John's Island, SC, gained its first library, a branch of the Charleston County Public Library, which had its grand opening on October 26. Located near Charleston, SC, the sea island library serves resort areas Kiawah and Seabrook and...

PA blocks city Wi-Fi projects: Philadelphia exempted; PLs in San Diego, Chicago, Miami add Wi-Fi.(LJ News)
January 1, 2005... When Philadelphia announced ambitious plans to extend wireless access throughout the city (see News, LJ 11/15/04, p. 14ff.), some wondered when industries would protest. Indeed, local phone companies got a state bill passed that gives them...

New panel to aid DC Public Library: also, increased board energy may push $170 million rebuilding plan.(LJ News)
January 1, 2005... A plan to save the decaying District of Columbia Public Library is underway. Mayor Anthony Williams has appointed a 32-member group, including former New York Public Library president Vartan Gregorian, New York Public Library director of...

Publishers unveil patientINFORM: seen as response to NIH open access plan; is suit possible?(LJ News)
January 1, 2005... With the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) plan to open up access to the research endorsed by Congress (see News, LJ 12/04, p. 22), a nascent collective of commercial STM publishers and medical groups announced their own plan for increased...

Phoenix PL adds Internet staff: new position to hear unblocking requests; data to be saved 30 days.(LJ News)
January 1, 2005... After mandating that adults had no right to turn off Internet filters at the Phoenix Public Library (see News, LJ 10/1/04, p. 18ff.), city officials have agreed to spend $175,000 for a librarian and three FTE paraprofessionals to help manage...

CA announces building awards: 12 of 72 public library projects get funded as part of $80m pot.(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The third and final round of library construction fund recipients has been announced by the California Library Construction and Renovation Board. Seventy-two communities competed for the more than $80 million remaining from the $350 million...

Bill funds copyright "Czar".(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The recent omnibus spending bill passed by Congress contains a small item that may have a disproportionately large impact--$2 million to fund what some press reports are calling a "copyright czar." The position would be appointed by the...

No override on NY library funds.(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... After meeting December 6 and 7, the New York State Legislature left town without restoring the $4.478 million in library aid and $337,500 in state funding for the New York Public Library's Science, Industry and Business Library and CUNY...

Florida PL bans adults from kids' area.(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Orange County Library System (OCLS), Orlando, FL, has become one of a handful of libraries to ban adults unaccompanied by children from loitering in the children's areas throughout its 14 branches. Marilyn Hoffman, OCLS'S community...

Elsevier STM head Jongejan leaves.(LJ News)(Arie Jongejan)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Arie Jongejan, CEO of Elsevier's Science & Technology Division, has been replaced. In a brief statement, Erik Engstrom, recently installed CEO of Elsevier, and Gerard van de Aast, CEO of Reed Business, announced that Jongejan has "decided to...

Consortium starts library temp agency.(LJ News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System (CMRLS), Shrewsbury, has launched BiblioTemps, a temporary staffing agency for its members--250 public, academic, school, and special libraries in Central Massachusetts. Carolyn Noah,...

Clinton library opens to fanfare.(LJ News)
January 1, 2005... Amid much pomp, pageantry, security--and umbrellas--the William J. Clinton Presidential Center officially opened November 18 in Little Rock, AR. As many as 50),000 people were joined by numerous celebrities and one sitting and three former...

Temple University Libraries.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Larry Alford is now newly created Vice Provost for Libraries and University Librarian, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, effective February 15. He was Deputy University Librarian, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Colorado State Library.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Brenda Bailey-Hainer, Director, Networking and Resource Sharing, Colorado State Library, Denver, is the new Vice President of the Board of Trustees, Bibliographical Center for Research, Aurora, CO. She is a 2002 LJ Mover & Shaker.

Kansas State Library.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Christie Pearson Brandau has been named State Librarian of Kansas, Kansas State Library, Topeka, effective February 2005. She was State Librarian of Michigan since 2000. Until a new Michigan State Librarian is found, Deputy State Librarian...

Cuyahoga County Public Library.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Nick Cronin has been promoted to Manager, Olmsted Falls Branch, Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL), OH, replacing Mark McKinstry, who was promoted to Manager, Brooklyn Branch, CCPL. Cronin was Regional Adult Services Manager, Fairview Park...

San Diego County Library.(people)
January 1, 2005... Marilyn Crouch has retired as Director, San Diego County Library, after serving for almost nine years in the position, ending a 28-year career in librarianship.

Idaho State Library.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Ann Joslin has been appointed Idaho State Librarian, Idaho State Library, Boise, after the resignation of Charles Bolles, who had served for 24 years in the position and who will continue with the library as Director of Library Development....

Santa Clara County Library.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Rosanne Macek has been promoted to Community Librarian, Morgan Hill Branch, Santa Clara County Library, CA. She was Children's Program Librarian in the branch.

Ramsey County Library.(people)(Susan Nemitz)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Susan Nemitz is the new Director, Ramsey County Library, MN, succeeding Alice-Jo Carlson, who retired on January 7. Nemitz was Associate Dean, Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

University of Tennessee.(people)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Carol Tenopir, Information Sciences Professor, College of Communication and Information, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the second annual Internation Information Industry Awards....

Obituary.(people)(Helen Nelson)(Obituary)
January 1, 2005... Helen Nelson, former Head Librarian, Oceanside Public Library, CA, has died at the age of 74. She was Head Librarian for 25 years, retiring in 1994.

Ebrary's ISIS creates e-collections: will allow librarians to integrate varied content and provide context.(infotech)
January 1, 2005... Librarians today need to work with electronic documents like they work with print: create collections, develop context, and make these collections easily accessible to their communities. ebrary's ISIS (Integrates Scalable Information System),...

WebFeat patents metasearch: competitors claim technology is public; court case could follow.(Industry News)
January 1, 2005... In a move that surely will reverberate throughout the field, WebFeat December 13 announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted it a patent on its "methods and technology for managing the authentication and session management...

GIS information joins VIEWS: vendor and service group now has an even dozen members.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The ranks of VIEWS, a 2004 initiative by vendors and library service organizations aimed at enabling web services among disparate library applications, have swelled to an even dozen, thanks to the recent addition of GIS Information Systems....

Ovid improves usage reports: information from SilverPlatter service now COUNTER-compliant.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Ovid Technologies announced December 7 that online usage reports supplied through the SilverPlatter Internet Service are now compliant with the international COUNTER (Counting Online Usage of NeTworked Electronic Resources) Code of Practice, an...

Israeli Holocaust database online: Yad Vashem list of victims' names and other information available.(Industry News)
January 1, 2005... Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial and scholarly repository in Israel, is now offering the Central Database of Shoah (Holocaust) Victims' Names online (www.yadvashem.org).The database includes the names and supplemental information on...

Project MUSE unveils updates: new price structure and expanded titles for 2005.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Project MUSE has announced its updated collections and new pricing model for 2005. Pricing alterations are, according to MUSE, a result of an "extensive study conducted by industry consultants that evaluated trends and issues regarding online...

Bob Walton joins Dynix Board: librarian and industry veteran will maintain academic position.(Infotech People)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Dynix has appointed librarian and automation industry veteran Bob Walton to its Board of Directors. He comes to the post following a recent yearlong stint as board chair of Ex Libris USA and after serving from 1992 to 1999 as the executive VP...

EBSCO promotes Howell.(Infotech People)(Beth Howell)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... EBSCO Publishing has named Beth Howell VP of human resources. A vital contributor with EBSCO for more than a decade, Howell was the company's director of customer satisfaction from August 1999 to October 2004.

Scopus vs. Web of Science.(E-Views And Reviews)
January 1, 2005... ALEXANDER STREET PRESS HAS acquired Classical Music Library (reviewed LJ 1/04, p. 176), and the possibilities for integrating audio with Alexander Street's text- and image-based databases are intriguing. The company seeks suggestions from...

When popular goes public.(Digital Libraries)
January 1, 2005... As librarians, we are in the business of serving the public. Perhaps the public happens to be those who live in a particular city or county, or study at a college or university, or work at a certain organization. No matter where we work, we...

Virtual reference: alive & well: reports of the early demise of chat reference are unfounded.(Infotech Feature)
January 1, 2005... The value of virtual reference services has been questioned in recent articles, including two by Steve Coffman and Linda Arret--both early adopters of the service. They wonder if virtual reference can ever be self-sustaining without being...

Susan Nutter: North Carolina State University Libraries'.(Librarian Of The Year 2005)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... After entering as a "bit player" among feudal lords, she became an honored, celebrated campus leader. Building and repositioning the library, Susan Nutter brought it from what one senior professor called "an embarrassment" to its current role...

Best books 2004.
January 1, 2005... Another year, another best books list. And such lists certainly can stir controversy. This year's National Book Award (NBA) nominees in fiction were decreed too precious by many publishing and media folk, who promptly turned around and chided...

Tipping point: budget trends have improved, with smaller gains for hours and materials.(Budget Report 2005)
January 1, 2005... After several years of budget sluggishness, libraries now report a definite uptick in fiscal support and one that's expected to continue healthily next year. Overall library budgets are projected to grow over the next year, according to...

A good night's sleep.(Collection Development / Sleep Disorders)(books on sleep disorders)(Bibliography)
January 1, 2005... Humans spend about one third of their lives sleeping. Indeed, we can live longer without food than we can without sleep. (Adults require an average of six to nine hours a day.)Yet despite decades of research, scientists still aren't entirely...

Stuck at the bottom.(Nextgen)
January 1, 2005... THESE DAYS, IT SEEMS EVERYONE IS talking about the state of library education. Well, I don't know what to say about libraries, librarianship, and library school. I'm not ready to take a stand on the direction of the profession. I don't know if...

Filtering is not the answer.(BackTalk)
January 1, 2005... AWHILE BACK, I GOT A GLIMPSE OF the new filtered library world when a patron asked me for online information on Atlanta-area hospitals. We pulled up a list on USA/Business Reference, but we were blocked from seeing a full record on one hospital...

Prepub alert.
January 1, 2005... FICTION ALISON, JANE. Natives and Exotics. Harcourt. May 2005. 272p. ISBN 0-15-101201-6. $23. A Scottish gardener flees to the Azores, his great-great-granddaughter to Australia, and her granddaughter to South America. Yet wherever...

Breaking the mold.(Mystery)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Librarians sometimes cateogrize mysteries in easily recognizable subdivisions (police procedural, private-eye novel, etc).While these categories seem to hold up, the newer investigators-like Brad Oeagley's ancient Egyptian"clerk of...

Berry, Linda. Death and the Walking Stick: a Trudy Roundtree Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... BERRY, LINDA. Death and the Walking Stick: A Trudy Roundtree Mystery. Five Star: Gale. Jan. 2005. c.262p. ISBN 14104-0209-6. $25.95. Shortly after she accidentally kills a stranger-to-town man in a traffic mishap, a little old lady suddenly...

Brennan, Thomas. The Debt.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... BRENNAN, THOMAS. The Debt. Five Star: Gale. Jan. 2005. c.252p. ISBN 1-59414-276-9. $25.95. While showing a well-known horror writer their NYC "beat," partners Steve Burnett and Sam Hollis are ambushed by a thief at their favorite deli. The...

Celine, Marie. Dishing Up Death: Gourmet Pet Chef Mystery Featuring Kitty Karlyle.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... CELINE, MARIE. Dishing Up Death: Gourmet Pet Chef Mystery Featuring Kitty Karlyle. Beachfront. Feb. 2005. c.242p. ISBN 1892339-95-1. $25. Pet chef Kitty serves "killer" meals to the pampered canines of upscale L.A. residents: braised lamb,...

Geagley, Brad. Year of the Hyenas: a Novel of Murder in Ancient Egypt.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... * GEAGLEY, BRAD. Year of the Hyenas: A Novel of Murder in Ancient Egypt. S. & S. Feb. 2005. c.288p. ISBN 0-74325080-X. $23. When an unnoteworthy, nearly blind Theban priestess of Osiris from the west side of the Nile turns up dead on the...

James, Dean. Baked to Death: a Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... JAMES, DEAN. Baked to Death: A Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery. Kensington. Apr, 2005. c.256p, ISBN 07582-0487-6. $22. This engaging series sleuth (Decorated to Death) happens to be a romance writer, British-village celebrity, and gay vampire of...

Lehane, Con. What Goes Around Comes Around: a Mystery Featuring Brian McNulty.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... LEHANE, CON. What Goes Around Comes Around: A Mystery Featuring Brian McNulty. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Feb. 2005. c.304p. ISBN 0-312-32298-4. $23.95. Long-time-no-see friend John, now regional hotel manager, offers NYC bartender Brian...

Martin, Nancy. Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die: a Blackbird Sisters Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... MARTIN, NANCY. Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die: A Blackbird Sisters Mystery. NAL. Mar. 2005. c.272p. ISBN 0-451-21395-5. $19.95. M With major debt as motivation and closets of vintage designer clothes as inspiration, formerly old-monied...

McCoy, Ken. Mad Carew.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... McCOY, KEN. Mad Carew. Allison & Busby, dist. by International Pubs. Marketing. Jan. 2005. c.280p. ISBN 0-7490-8310-7. $25.95. M Sam Carew, ex-police, works in his father's construction company in grungy Unsworth, England, and runs a...

Peterson, Linda. Edited to Death.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... PETERSON, LINDA. Edited to Death. 21st Century Publishing, dist. by Ingram. Jan. 2005. c.221p. ISBN 0-9722624-3-1. $23. M Happily married housewife Maggie, who writes articles part-time for a chic little San Francisco magazine, finds her...

Stroby, Wallace. The Heartbreak Lounge.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... STROBY, WALLACE. The Heartbreak Lounge. St. Martin's. Feb. 2005. c.336p. ISBN 0-312-30095-6. $22.95. M When he obtains early release after seven years in a Florida prison, Johnny Harrow embarks on a vengeful reign of terror. His first...

Beaton, M. C. Death of a Bore: a Hamish Macbeth Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... BEATON, M. C. Death of a Bore: A Hamish Macbeth Mystery. Mysterious. Feb. 2005. c.248p. ISBN 0-89296-795-1. $23.95. M After a writer moves to the Scottish village of Lochdubh and initiates a well-attended writing circle, then browbeats the...

Dickinson, David. Death of a Chancellor.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... DICKINSON, DAVID. Death of a Chancellor. Carroll & Graf. Jan. 2005. c.320p. ISBN 07867-1492-1. $25. M Someone murders the Chancellor of Compton Cathedral shortly before the special 1901 event marking a thousand-year anniversary. When it...

Lordon, Randye. Son of a Gun: a Sydney Sloane Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... LORDON, RANDYE. Son of a Gun: A Sydney Sloane Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Feb. 2005. c.288p. ISBN 0-312-29131-0. $23.95. M NYC private investigator Sloane (East of Niece) tests her skills after her godchild's father, a police captain,...

McKevett, G. A. Murder a la Mode: a Savannah Reid Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... McKEVETT, G. A. Murder a la Mode: A Savannah Reid Mystery. Kensington. Jan. 2005. c.272p. ISBN 0-7582-0460-4. $22. M Some friends of food-loving PI Savannah Reid (Cereal Killer) have arranged for her to participate in a reality TV show...

Murphy, Shirley Rousseau. Cat Cross Their Graves: a Joe Grey Mystery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... MURPHY, SHIRLEY ROUSSEAU. Cat Cross Their Graves: A Joe Grey Mystery. HarperCollins. Jan. 2005. c.320p. ISBN 0-06-057808-4. $24.95. M Cat sleuth Joe arid tabby friend Dulcie go to work on another murder case--that of a retired film star new...

Myers, Tamar. Assault and Pepper: a Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... MYERS, TAMAR. Assault and Pepper: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes. NAL. Feb. 2005. c.240p. ISBN 0-451-21394-7. $19.95. M Mennonite innkeeper Magdalena Yoder (Thou Shalt Not Grill) readies herself for her church's annual chili...

Spencer, Sally. The Butcher Beyond.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... SPENCER, SALLY. The Butcher Beyond. Severn House. Jan. 2005. c.232p. ISBN 0-7278-6140-9. $28.95. M Detective Chief Inspector Woodend's vacation in Spain is interrupted when he witnesses the suspicious death of a fellow vacationer. Helped...

Bloom, Elizabeth. See Isabelle Run.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... * BLOOM, ELIZABETH. See Isabelle Run. Mysterious. Mar. 2005. c.259p. ISBN 0-89296-785-4. $22.95. M When her society groom runs away with her best friend on what was supposed to be their honeymoon trip to Fiji, Isabelle Leonard attends her...

Bruen, Ken. The Magdalen Martyrs.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... BRUEN, KEN. The Magdalen Martyrs. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Mar. 2005. c.288p. ISBN 0-312-31645-3. $22.95. M This third entry in Bruen's Jack Taylor series (The Killing of the Tinkers) is arguably the bleakest to date, but also the best. When...

Gleeson, Janet. The Serpent in the Garden.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... GLEESON, JANET. The Serpent in the Garden. S. & S. Feb. 2005. c.352p. ISBN 0-7432-6005-8. pap. $14. M When portraitist Joshua Pope agrees to paint the wedding portrait of wealthy widower Herbert Bentnick and his sultry Caribbean fiancee...

Gruber, Michael. Valley of Bones.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... * GRUBER, MICHAEL. Valley of Bones. Morrow. Jan. 2005. c.448p. ISBN 0-06057766-5. $24.95. M There is a thin line between deep religious faith and madness. Emmylou Dideroff visits with saints and quotes the scripture by heart, but did she...

McGown, Jill. Unlucky for Some.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... McGOWN, JILL. Unlucky for Some. Ballantine. Jan. 2005. c.320p. ISBN 0-345-47655-7. $22.95. M The new entry into McGown's Lloyd/ Hill series (Death in the Family 2002) is a puzzler that will keep the reader guessing until the end. A woman...

Rankin, Ian. Fleshmarket Alley.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... RANKIN, IAN. Fleshmarket Alley. Little, Brown. Feb. 2005. c.464p. ISBN 0-316-09565-6. $22.95. M After taking a detour with a thriller featuring a female assassin (Witch Hunt), the Edgar Award-winning Rankin returns to the gritty police...

Todd, Charles. A Cold Treachery.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... TODD, CHARLES. A Cold Treachery. Bantam. Jan. 2005. c.373p. ISBN 0-553-80349-2. $25. M Todd's latest Ian Rutledge mystery is set in a bleak, isolated Scottish village called Urskdale. Five members of the Elcott family have been found...

Prepub mystery.(Bibliography)
January 1, 2005... BAANTGER, A.C. DeKok and Murder by Melody. Speck. May 2885 224p. ISB 0-9725776-9-6. Pap. $13. In the second, newly translated release of the highly acclaimed European series, a triple murder gets Amsterdam Inspector DeKok solving puzzles...

Graphic novels.
January 1, 2005... This issue's column features a succession of books that together cover the history of comics in the United States and Japan. Brian Walker's The Comics Before 1945 surveys the early history of American comic strips, which is generally reckoned...