Allan and Ellen lead a meeting of the Senior Advisory Board. If you are interesting in getting involved in Senior or Boomer projects at the Library, please call Allan at (732) 721-5600 ext. 5042.

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Librarian Tim recommends Cross by Ken Bruen (M Bruen, New Books)

When Cross opens, we hardly recognize Jack Taylor. He's sober, relatively lucid, and has been offered an absurd amount of money to sell his Galway apartment. It's not all sunshine and light, though. Cody, the young man Jack has come to see as nearly an adopted son, lies in a coma from a bullet meant for Jack, who feels deep remorse and guilt. Bruen revels in guilt throughout the Taylor novels and Cross is no exception. Irish guilt and Catholic guilt all play a part, with the ghosts of Jack's past haunting him even as he makes plans to leave Galway forever and move to America. Jack's sort-of friend, Ridge, a local policewoman, asks his help in solving a perplexing and brutal murder. A young man has been murdered by crucifixion, a method of death deeply symbolic in Catholic Ireland. Jack stumbles along the first half of the novel, dealing with personal demons before he gets around to attacking the case in question, but Bruen's deeply sympathetic portrayal of Taylor and modern Ireland in general is gripping in its own right. The real action takes place in the final third of the novel, where Jack solves the murder in his own unique way. It wouldn't be a Ken Bruen novel if there weren't a few maddening twists to the tale, this used to frustrate me, but know I know it's just part of his story-telling style. Like John Burdett and James Lee Burke, Bruen is one of the finest and most unflinching crime novelists of today, and this is one of his best stories to date. It is a dark tale not for the faint of heart, but the good stuff never is.

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The Suburban weekly posted a very nice photo of the fencing program that was held at the Library last Saturday.

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Librarian Tim Recommends: Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff (YA Ruff)

Jane Charlotte is arrested for murder in Las Vegas. She admits to the killing, but claims that it was in the process of an investigation she was taking part in on behalf of the secret evil fighting organization called Bad Monkeys. A police psychologist is called in to see if she is telling the truth or is merely delusional. She recounts the story of her wild child life, before being recruited to join the organization and her adventures with the Bad Monkeys. The book starts out slowly, but builds to a fever pitch of crosses and double crosses. There's an admirable mix of science fiction, superhero fantasy and spy thrillers at work here, but Ruff gets a little too tricky for his own good in the book's frenetic final third. Still, those who are willing to suspend belief for a good yarn may enjoy.

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On Wednesday evening the students from Paula Eisen's Middle School class hosted a reception to display and discuss their artistic creations on display in the Library.

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The Old Bridge Library's Craft Club is displaying some of their creations during the month of March. The club meets at 1:00 p.m. every Thursday, and is open to all.

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Tuesday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. Don't miss tonight's Citizenship Workshop. Learn how to become an American citizen and have your imigration questions answered. This program is presented by Debby Alter, Director of Immigration & Refugee Services, Jewish Family & Vocational Service of MIddlesex County.

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Librarian Hannah recommends: Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer By James L. Swanson

This book has it all: murder, intrigue, suspense and a sense of history. Swanson has written an engrossing narrative detailing the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent escape and search for his killer, John Wilkes Booth. The reader is brought back in time to the 1860s with a day by day, hour by hour account of the manhunt. The book is remarkable in that it reads as though it were a work of fiction, but of course it is not. Swanson has meticulously researched the subject and has included medical, investigative and historical details that add interest and make this book difficult to put down or forget.

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The Old Bridge Schools are displaying their artwork in the Library during Youth Art Month.

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Darren celebrates Read Across America Day in grand style.

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A busy Sunday in the Library's Children's Department: Jeanne leads a reading of The Cat in the Hat while Mary looks up information for a patron.

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Psychic Barbara Lee led a program on Saturday.

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