January Staff Picks

Do you have reading goals for the new year? Whether you are hoping to carve out time to get through a book or two, or plan to dig into several, the staff at Crawfordsville District Public Library have recommendations each month to help you find some great reads. We also have movie and TV recommendations, too!

If you are looking for a great mystery, you can’t go wrong with Ivette’s pick this month. It is one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time. “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt (FIC Tar) combines “mythology, peer pressure, murder, teacher-student relationships, and a dose of mystery make a great background for this psychological fiction. Young Richard Papen joins a group of eccentric, clever, unapproachable upper-class students at a New England college. Their Classics professor is a charismatic, well-to-do hermit. Papen will find himself in a world out of control when behaviors slip gradually from obsession and corruption into betrayal and evil.”

Another good mystery that mixes in clever humor is Bryanna’s pick “Matchmaking for Psychopaths” by Tasha Coryell (FIC Coryell): “The character development in this book is spot on, and the building tension kept me enthralled throughout the whole story.” If you enjoy Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins’s dark thrillers, check out Mary’s pick, “Lime Juice Money” by Jo Morey (FIC Morey), which follows “a woman in a volatile relationship living 5000 miles from home in the jungle. This story is a twisted story of raw love, betrayal, corruption, and greed.”

Prefer historical fiction? Don’t miss Susan’s recommendation: “Before We Were Yours” by Lisa Wingate (FIC Win). This beautifully written bestseller moves from 1939 Memphis to present day South Carolina and is based on a notorious real-life scandal.

Susanna’s pick this month is a childhood favorite. “Howl’s Moving Castle,” which is both an original book by Diana Wynne Jones (YA FIC Jon) and a Ghibli movie adaptation (DVD ANIME FIC How), are beloved modern fantasy classics. Susanna also recently enjoyed the audiobook version on Libby narrated by Jenny Sterlin.

Christie also recommends a highly beloved fantasy story, “Firefly” (DVD TV FIC Fir). She says, “If you’ve never dived into the Firefly TV series, you are missing out on a funny, action packed space drama that will leave you wanting more…sadly there is no more!” When this series was cancelled after only one season, the outcry from fans was enormous. See what all the fuss was about and check it out!

In honor of Dick Van Dyke’s 100th birthday last month, Brenda highly recommends reading: “100 Rules for Living to 100” by Dick Van Dyke (791.45028092 Van Dyke, D.): “I loved this book! Dick Van Dyke shares his wisdom with such humility and charm! Growing up watching the Dick Van Dyke show and his movies, I always admired his positivity, big smile, and quick wit. It’s hard to believe he is 100 years old and still entertaining.”

Find these titles and more on display on the first floor of the library through the end of the month. Make sure to also sign up for our library’s Winter Reading program, available through the end of January. Adults can visit the second floor or cdpl.beanstack.com to get started. Kids and teens can visit the Youth Services Desk to pick up their reading chart. The library’s open hours this winter are Monday-Thursday 10am-8pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 1-5pm.