Gossip certainly isn't anything new, claims Joseph Epstein, but we seem to be carrying it to incredible new heights, thanks in part to the media. The child is the only witness to her uncle's grizzly murder –– one of a rash of such crimes –– but she is unable to talk about the incident. In her 10th investigation, 'The Chalk Girl,” Mallory finds herself drawn to the charming little girl found wandering alone in Central Park. Kathleen grew up to become a prickly loner, certainly one of the most challenging members of New York's Special Crimes Unit and a truly gifted detective. In 1994, Carol O'Connell introduced Kathleen Mallory, an unusual woman who had been adopted by an NYPD policeman when she was an 11-year-old streetwise homeless kid. The mismatched duo ends up traveling the globe together on one crazy adventure after another, ending finally at the Republican National Convention where Horkman, despite being a Democrat, is nominated for president. He crosses paths with curmudgeonly Jeffrey Peckerman when he calls Peckerman's daughter offsides during a game. One of the heroes of our tale is pet shop owner Phillip Horkman, who also referees for the local youth soccer league.

So what do you get when two comic geniuses join forces to write a novel? Probably something like 'Lunatics,' the collaboration between Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry and Emmy Award-winning TV screenwriter Alan Zweibel.

‘Lunatics’ by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore masterfully recreates the long and vibrant story of this most sacred patch of earth in 'Jerusalem: the Biography.” It has stood at the heart of many major conflicts and has been the beloved destination of pilgrims for centuries. ‘Jerusalem: The Biography’ by Simon Sebag Montefioreįor over 3,000 years, Jerusalem has been the touchstone of the world's great religions. He presents 'Lennon: The Man, the Myth and the Music –– the Definitive Life.” Since he is already the subject of several massive biographies and numerous magazine articles, is there really anything more that can be said about John Lennon? NPR music critic Tim Riley talked to Lennon's friends and enemies as well as his family and business associates, and in so doing, he uncovered never-before-seen memoirs and government documents to bring a fresh and fascinating look into the life of the seminal musician. ‘Lennon: The Man, the Myth and the Music –– the Definitive Life’ by Tim Riley

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