Coffey County Library

“House of Velvet & Glass” by Katherine Howe

Set in Boston in 1915, where a young woman stands on the cusp of a new century, torn between loss and love, driven to seek answers in the depths of a crystal ball.
Still reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister on the Titanic, Sibyl Allston is living a life of quiet desperation with her taciturn father and scandal-plagued brother in an elegant town house in Boston’s Back Bay. Trapped in a world over which she has no control, Sibyl flees for solace to the parlor of a table-turning medium.
But when her brother is suddenly kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Derby, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium’s scrying glass.
From the opium dens of Boston’s Chinatown to the opulent salons of high society, from the back alleys of colonial Shanghai to the decks of the Titanic, The House of Velvet and Glass weaves together meticulous period detail, intoxicating romance, and a final shocking twist that will leave readers breathless. (amazon.com)

For more new items available at the Coffey County Library click on our May New Items List

5:41 Stories from the Joplin Tornado by Randy Turner

“At 5:41 p.m. May 22, 2011, the deadliest single tornado to hit the United States in 50 years tore its way through Joplin, Missouri. By the time it completed its murderous course, 160 lives were lost, and those who survived have stories they can tell for the rest of their lives. Two veteran southwest Missouri reporters, Randy Turner and John Hacker, share some of those stories in 5:41. The book features photos taken by Hacker within moments of the deadly tornado and details about some of the horrific moments that came to symbolize May 22, 2011, in Joplin, Missouri. The book includes the following: -First person stories of the horrors of the tornado -Photographs taken moments after 5:41 -The obituaries of those who died May 22 or later from injuries received in the tornado -Details from three hospitals that served the community well, including one that was hit by the tornado -The nightmarish experiences of those who had just graduated from Joplin High School moments before the tornado destroyed the building. -The outpouring of volunteering that made Joplin stand for hope in the days after May 22. -The complete text of the Joplin Tornado Memorial Service held at Missouri Southern State University, including the speeches by President Barack Obama, Gov. Jay Nixon, and Rev. Aaron Brown -The final National Weather Service report -The heroes who gave their lives to save others This book offers a revealing look at the day that changed Joplin, Missouri, forever.” (www.amazon.com)

For more new items available at the Coffey County Library click on our April New Items List