Book of the Week (10/20/2025) and more...

Welcome back to Frost Heaves, New Hampshire, where the coffee's strong, the winters are longer, and common sense is about as rare as a reasonable property tax bill.

In this delightful new collection, Yankee humorist Fred Marple returns with more tales from New England's most charmingly unpredictable town. When the Loon Lodge decides to raise funds with a duck race, nobody counted on the ducks having their own agenda. Young Albert Cooper discovers that prize sows and romance don't mix, And when Millard Tuttle spots a certain red-suited fellow in distress, Christmas in Frost Heaves takes an unexpected turn.

From the church basement to the town square, Pastor Woodstead questions his calling while a champion bingo player meets her match in an overly chatty newcomer. Plus, catch up on all the local news through Fred's signature "News Nuggets" and police reports that prove truth really is stranger than fiction.

Fred Marple has been called the Garrison Keillor of New England and the voice of New Hampshire as Bert & I once were to Mainers. Nobody captures small-town Yankee life with more warmth and wit.

Whether you're a longtime New Englander or just wish you were, Udder Nonsense serves up the perfect blend of gentle humor, quirky characters, and the kind of storytelling that makes you feel right at home-even if home has more than its share of stubborn livestock and well-meaning folks with questionable judgment.-- Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Ken Sheldon was a pre-med art major at the University of New Hampshire. The medical schools of America were not amused, which is why he's a writer today. Ken is the creator of Frost Heaves, a comedy show set in the mythical town of the same name, winner of a "Best of New Hampshire" award. He is also a freelance writer and editor, with articles published in numerous magazines ranging from Acoustic Guitar to The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Join Ken at Gibson's Bookstore on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 6:30 pm where he will be discussing his latest book!

   

When WWII comes for her family, Sarah thinks she’s ready. She’s had training, after all, coming of age in Poland during World War I.

In 1920, Sarah leaves behind the ruins of Poland for France, full of youthful hope and ambition. Jewish immigrants are welcome, and soon, she’s built the Perfect French Life. In the postcard-pretty Alsatian town of Colmar, she runs a thriving clothing store, gaining a reputation as a stylish and savvy businesswoman. She has three adorable children, a gorgeous husband, and a close extended family. Sarah’s legendary sixth sense for trouble grows through the 1930s as Germany gathers strength under a frightening, new nationalist party. Everyone around her insists that France is doing all it can to avoid another war. But Sarah calls upon the lessons she learned in World War I. Stockpile essentials. Have an escape plan. And always be ready to run, hide, lie...whatever it takes to protect those you love. 

From the Great War in Poland to the long-contested borders of Alsace to the remote refuge Sarah finds in the Cévennes mountains, The Shopkeeper of Alsace is an uplifting tale of family, love, resilience, and one unstoppable woman. Perfect for fans of We Were the Lucky Ones, The Nightingale, and The Alice Network, this dramatic debut brings to life a little-known corner of wartime history—and an inspiring real-life heroine you’ll cheer for. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Laura Knoy is an award-winning journalist. She founded New Hampshire’s most widely respected and recognized public radio program, “The Exchange,” which she hosted for 25 years. Laura has also worked at the national level, newscasting, hosting, and reporting for NPR. Today, she’s an in-demand narrator, podcaster, and public speaker. In her free time, Laura can be found reading or somewhere in NH’s great outdoors.

Join Laura at one of the following upcoming events promoting her new book:

Wednesday, November 12, 2025- Authors on Main- Concord, NH

Monday, November 17, 2025- Beliveau Arts Series- Manchester, NH

Tuesday, November 18, 2025- Lit at the Lounge- Portsmouth, NH

Thursday, November 20, 2025- Authors at the Pope with White Birch Books- North Conway, NH

   

Old guys don’t always play nice. Lawrence Peters arrives at the historic Beachmere Inn in Ogunquit, Maine, with two simple goals: win the first ever regional ping pong tournament and save his crumbling marriage. But, when a fellow competitor is found brutally murdered at the start of the event, Peters’ plans—and his future—are thrown into chaos. As suspicion spreads and secrets surface, Peters must navigate old rivalries, his rocky marriage, and a relentless investigation. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Mark Okrant is an author and professor emeritus of tourism management at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. Research has taken him to South Dakota, New Hampshire, Maine, Alaska, Canada, and Romania. He is past president of the Travel and Tourism Research Association. He is the author of fifteen books, including murder mysteries, non-fiction books, and one tourism planning textbook.

Join Mark at Gibson's Bookstore on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 6:30 pm where he will be discussing his newest novel!

   

The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly by Meredith Tate

Winter by Patricia Fargnoli

Peregrine Spring: A Master Falconer's Extraordinary Life with Birds of Prey by Nancy Cowan 

   

Arthur Oakes is a reader, a dreamer, and a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters, exceptional library, and beautiful buildings. But his idyll—and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot—is shattered when a local drug dealer and her partner corner him into one of the worst crimes he can imagine: stealing rare books from the college library.

Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for comfort and help. Together they dream up a wild, fantastical scheme to free Arthur from the cruel trap in which he finds himself. Wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren suggests using the unnerving Crane journal (bound in the skin of its author) to summon a dragon to do their bidding. The others—brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen—don’t hesitate to join Colin in an effort to smash reality and bring a creature of the impossible into our world.

But there’s nothing simple about dealing with dragons, and their pact to save Arthur becomes a terrifying bargain in which the six must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow every year—or become his next meal. --Publisher's blurb

About the Author:

Joe Hill is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels (King Sorrow, The Fireman, NOS4A2, Horns, Heart-Shaped Box), fiction collections (Strange Weather, Full Throttle, 20th Century Ghosts), and a comic-book series (Locke & Key). Much of his work has been adapted for film and TV. Joe Hill lives in Exeter, NH.