A String Of Beads

The Native American rescue artist goes back on the job in “another excellently engineered thriller” from the New York Times–bestselling mystery author (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review). After two decades protecting innocent victims on the run, and a year after getting shot on the job, Jane McKinnon, née Whitefield, has settled into the quiet life of a suburban housewife in Amherst, New York. But that all changes when she sees all eight female leaders of the Tonawanda Seneca clan parked in her driveway in two black cars. Jimmy, a childhood friend of Jane’s from the reservation, has been accused of murdering a local white man. But instead of turning himself in, he’s fled, and no one knows where he’s hiding. At the clan mothers’ request, Jane retraces a walking trip she and Jimmy took together when they were fourteen in hopes that he has gone the same way again. But it turns out the police are the least of Jimmy’s problems, and soon enough Jimmy and Jane are on the run together in this “first-rate suspense” novel from the Edgar Award–winning author (Booklist, starred review). “Whitefield is an indelible figure—whip-smart, resourceful, brave and big-hearted.” —The Seattle Times “Jane Whitefield is unique in the annals of detective fiction. She is a throwback to a tribal world, still loyal to the beliefs of the Seneca Indians and still adhering to the call of a lost era. Thomas Perry has once again resurrected a remarkable character who seems imbued with a strange immortality and an unusual morality, and he is to be congratulated.” —The Washington Times

A young girl describes how she and her grandmother make jewelry from all kinds of beads. Includes information about the history of beads.

What Mama Didn t Tell Me About Menopause is a funny and poignant look at a particularily difficult time for a woman. You ll laugh, cry and even have some A-HA moments as you read this book again and again."

The Native American guide is hunted for her knowledge in this “tour de force” thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author of Vanishing Act (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Jane Whitefield of the Seneca Nation has spent years helping desperate people disappear. But now she is about to become the hunted one. When James Shelby is unjustly convicted of his wife’s murder, Jane spirits him out of the heavily guarded criminal court building in downtown Los Angeles. Then, within minutes, Jane is kidnapped. The person who killed Shelby’s wife now wants him dead, and Jane’s captors will put her through excruciating torment to discover his whereabouts. Though Jane manages to escape, she is wounded and weak, thousands of miles from home without money or identification . . . and hunted by both police and criminals. Attempting to rejoin Shelby and get to safety, Jane is caught in a waking nightmare, as many of the pursuers she has eluded for years gather to bid on her capture in a multimillion-dollar auction. The winning bidder buys the chance to access Jane’s memory, and the locations of everyone she has helped disappear. “Fans of Jane Whitefield know what to expect from this fearless Indian guide in Thomas Perry’s quick-witted capers: cunning strategies, clever disguises, ingenious escape tactics and breathtaking cross-country chases. Perry delivers to order in Poison Flower.” —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

Siam at the turn of the 19th century. Four families in the southern peninsula of Siam (Thailand) are tied together by ambition, revenge, love and tragedy.

Eleanor Wiley and Maggie Oman Shannon have taken an ancient practice and made it new. A String and a Prayer recounts the history and symbolism of prayer beads, teaches basic techniques for stringing beads and a host of other objects into prayer beads, and offers a variety of prayers and rituals to use those beads on a daily basis. Beads have appeared throughout history. Prayer beads are used in the spiritual practices of cultures as diverse as the African Masai, Native Americans, Greek and Russian Orthodoxy, as well as the religious rituals of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism. But prayer is highly personal. By infusing prayer beads with personal associations, we can keep our spirituality fresh. The beads are a device to help build and rebuild meaningful ritual in our lives. With myriad ideas about what makes objects sacred and where to find sacred objects -- from the personal, perhaps beads from a grandmother's broken rosary, to the unusual, maybe seashells from far away found in a thrift store -- A String and a Prayer offers many suggestions for different ways that beads can be made and used, exploring the creative roles they can play in our relationships, ceremonies, and rituals. "You are the expert, trust yourself. Let the instructions be a guide to your own creativity," write the authors.