Ward D | Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden has an impressive resume and has written a lot of books that have been big sellers. The New York Times, Amazon, USA Today and others have acclaimed her work for having #1 sellers on their lists. That is part of the reason I wanted to read "Ward D," a story about a medical school stu…

A Flicker in the Dark | Stacy Willingham

The leading lady in Stacy Willingham's "A Flicker in the Dark" is Chloe Davis. The young lady has had a difficult life. Her father is in prison for a series of murders committed when Davis was 12. She was very close to her father and can’t believe he could take so many lives. While her dad is in pr…

First To Die | James Patterson

This week's entry on Rick's Reading List: First To Die by James Patterson.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz | Heather Morris

In April 1942, a Slovakian Jew named Lale Sokolov was forced into the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When the Nazis learned that he speaks several languages, Lale was put to work as a tattooist where he permanently marked his fellow prisoners. In the next two years, Lale witnesses barba…

A Wrinkle in Time | Madeleine L'Engle

Madeleine L'Engle wrote a masterpiece -- even though she never thought "A Wrinkle in Time" was very good at all. As a matter of fact, very few publishers thought much of it either. Dozens passed on her fanciful science fiction work that ended up being a top seller in children's literature and a win…

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store | James McBride

James McBride's novel "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" was one of the highly acclaimed works of 2023.  Critics swooned over the tale woven by McBride based in a portion of Pottsville, PA called Chicken Hill.  In the 1930's. Chicken Hill was largely inhabited by Jews and African American working c…

Ice | Amy Brady

Amy Brady is an historian and a journalist.  In her book "Ice," she investigates how frozen blocks of water have changed America.  From refrigeration to chilled drinks, medicine to skating rinks, she traces the history of something that happens naturally in the cold climates: water freezing and tur…

The House of Kennedy | James Patterson

James Patterson is an author I have read many times. Perhaps that's why I was anxious to read "The House of Kennedy," but after working through four generations of Kennedy's and countless familial tragedies, I found myself wanting more from Patterson. The book seemed like little more than a recitat…

The 6:20 Man | David Baldacci

David Baldacci's book "The 6:20 Man" features Travis Devine.  He is a West Point graduate, who after a couple of tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, finds himself back home looking for something a bit less exciting. That is how the 32-year-old winds up working as a junior associate in a Wall Street brok…

Horse | Geraldine Brooks

"Horse" is a book that has received so many honors from the critics, and after reading Gerardine Brook's novel, I can see why. It takes readers through three distinct eras of American history -- tied together by a magnificent thoroughbred named Lexington.  Lexington was one of the greatest racehors…