NOBELIST V.S. NAIPAUL travels in Africa asking people about their beliefs; this should be better than it is. B MINUS

THE MASQUE OF AFRICA: GLIMPSES OF AFRICAN BELIEF
Knopf Publishing Group
2010

SPOOKY GANGSTER DYSTOPIA is at the heart of Darren Shan’s first urban fantasy for adults. Some fine moments. B MINUS

CITY #01: PROCESSION OF THE DEAD
Grand Central Publishing
2010

NEUROSCIENCE AND STAGE MAGIC brought together in this remarkable book. Fascinating topic, clear writing! A MINUS

SLEIGHTS OF MIND: WHAT THE NEUROSCIENCE OF MAGIC REVEALS ABOUT OUR EVERYDAY DECEPTIONS
Holt, Henry & Company, Inc.
2010

RUTH RENDELL, grande dame of psychological thrillers, with a novel of manners–really, really creepy manners. B PLUS

PORTOBELLO
Scribner Book Company
2010

SURPRISINGLY DELIGHTFUL, quirky history of chemistry told as the story of the periodic table of elements. Fun! B PLUS

THE DISAPPEARING SPOON: AND OTHER TRUE TALES OF MADNESS, LOVE, AND THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD FROM THE PERIODIC TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS
Little Brown and Company
2010

CHELSEA HANDLER, doing what she does. If fart jokes and family dysfunction and grossouts make you laugh, get it! B PLUS

CHELSEA CHELSEA BANG BANG
Grand Central Publishing
2010

ANOTHER ADVENTURE for Cotswolds sleuth Agatha Raisin (her 21st!) in this stylish neo-cozy mystery with flair. B PLUS

BUSY BODY (AGATHA RAISIN SERIES #21)
St. Martin’s Press
2010

BIG-PICTURE LOOK at the Voyager space missions offers historical and social context, fine writing and research. A MINUS

VOYAGER: SEEKING NEWER WORLDS IN THE THIRD GREAT AGE OF DISCOVERY
Penguin Group (USA)
2010

CLEVERER THAN AVERAGE pink-covered novel about women’s friendships, family dramas, career choices. B PLUS

OVEREXPOSED
St. Martin’s Press
2010

QUIRKY, WARM-HEARTED memoir by a top food writer tells tales of cooking, life, love–and shares great recipes! B PLUS

SPOON FED: HOW EIGHT COOKS SAVED MY LIFE
Riverhead Books
2010