Bookmarks

Here are some books that have crossed our desks recently.

HARDBACKS

"DARE TO DIE," by Carolyn Hart, William Morrow, $24.95

This is the 19th Death on Demand mystery with Annie and Max Darling at the helm. The arrival of a mysterious young woman stirs up more than just gossip in the couple's hometown. A former resident, her appearance throws the town out of sorts. Things get worse when an uninvited guest comes to the Darling's party at the pavilion.

— Jessica Harrison

"SHE ALWAYS KNEW HOW: Mae West, a Personal Biography," by Charlotte Chandler, Simon & Schuster, 317 pages, $26 (nf)

The iconic, buxom star of stage and screen with the tremulous singing voice and sensuous speaking voice — who wrote all her own famously salacious one-liners ("When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better") — cut a notorious figure in the 1930s and is now the subject of yet another biography.

But this one is worth noting as it consists primarily of first-person observations made by West during a series of interviews conducted shortly before her death in 1980. Chandler makes herself part of the story but doesn't feel intrusive, and the book is an easy read on someone who made a career of challenging censors and prudes.

— Chris Hicks

"LOUKOUMI'S GOOD DEEDS," by Nick Katsoris, Dream Day Press/NK Publications, $15.95 (f)

In this picture book for preschool children, Loukoumi, a fluffy lamb, discovers how easy it is to make other people happy by doing something nice. Loukoumi is joined by her friends Gus the Bear, Fistiki the Cat, Dean the Dog and Marika the Monkey. A CD featuring the voices of Jennifer Aniston, John Aniston, Olympia Dukakis, Gloria Gaynor, Alexis Christoforous and others is the best part of this series that benefits St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

— Jessica Harrison

"WINTERGIRLS," by Laurie Halse Anderson, Viking, 278 pages, $18 (f)