FAMILY DRAMA, HOLLYWOOD SCANDAL are at the core of the latest “Nappily” book from Trisha R. Thomas. SOLID B #beachread

UN-NAPPILY IN LOVE
St. Martin’s Press
2010

C.J. CHERRYH IS BACK with the 11th novel in the “Foreigner” series; full of political intrigue, but a bit slow. SOLID B

FOREIGNER #11: DECEIVER
Daw Books
2010

SPOOKY TECHNOTHRILLER has a Michael Crichton-goes-World Wrestling Entertainment attitude. Scary fun! B PLUS #beachread

ANCESTOR
Crown
2010

MEDITATIONS ON TORTURE, family dysfunction, and impending parenthood mix uncomfortably, despite fine prose. B MINUS

THE TICKING IS THE BOMB: A MEMOIR
Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
2010

BITTERSWEET COMEDY OF MANNERS transposes SENSE AND SENSIBILITY to today’s NYC almost-rich almost-literati. SOLID B

THE THREE WEISSMANNS OF WESTPORT
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
2010

ASTONISHING TRUE STORY reads like a thriller, but with a wealth of research. WWII British spycraft at its best! A MINUS

OPERATION MINCEMEAT: HOW A DEAD MAN AND A BIZARRE PLAN FOOLED THE NAZIS AND ASSURED AN ALLIED VICTORY
Crown Publishing Group (NY)
2010

KNITTERS AND NON-KNITTERS ALIKE can enjoy candid, funny book that spotlights 21st century knitting culture. SOLID B

SWEATER QUEST: MY YEAR OF KNITTING DANGEROUSLY
Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
2010

THE FASCINATING LIFE OF country megastar Tammy Wynette, told in a well-researched (despite hokey prose) book. SOLID B

TAMMY WYNETTE: TRAGIC COUNTRY QUEEN
Penguin Group (USA)
2010

BEAUTIFUL WRITING, as always from DeLillo, but an affectless, vague tale. Best stuff is describing others’ art. B MINUS

POINT OMEGA
Scribner
2010

LARGER-THAN-LIFE CHARACTERS abound in this inside look at NASCAR’s legendary 1979 breakout season. B PLUS #beachread

HE CRASHED ME SO I CRASHED HIM BACK: THE TRUE STORY OF THE YEAR THE KING, JAWS, EARNHARDT, AND THE REST OF NASCAR’S FEUDIN’, FIGHTIN’ GOOD OL’ BOYS PU
Little Brown and Company
2010