Hurricane Punch

Hurricane Punch by Tim Dorsey, 368 pages

A conga line of hurricanes bearing down on the Florida peninsula, an Serge goal is ride each of them that rolls across the Sunshine State. Meanwhile a brutal serial killer is leaving victims at a disturbing rate, even for Florida, and has begun a stalking a sensitive crime journalist. Serge takes offense at this new serial killer and makes plans to stop him, while not out chasing hurricanes or collecting cool souvenirs and gadgets that is. Complicating matters is criminal profiler Agent Mahoney, who has just been released from a mental hospital after getting to deep into Serge's head. He believes that there is no second killer and Serge has snapped and is committing these murders without even knowing it.
This book will leave readers guessing as they try to figure out how seemingly unconnected plots will come together, and who is murdering who. Plus an old character resurfaces to add even more fun to an already fun packed book in this fun filled series

The Promise

The Promise by Ann Weisgarber
320 Pages

 The book opens in October 1899 with the death of Oscar William's wife.  She extracts a promise from Nan Ogden to look after her husband and child.  We move to August 1900 and Catherine Wainwright is in disgrace in Dayton, Ohio, having carried on an affair with her cousin's husband.  With limited choices she rekindles a relationship with Oscar and accepts his proposal via mail.  She travels to Galveston, Texas to get married and find a place in the Williams household.

What the reader knows (maybe) is that Galveston is going to be devastated by a hurricane which is described as the worst disaster to ever hit the United States with approximately 8,000 deaths.  In the book the disaster is not the main character but rather the delicate relationship between Oscar and Catherine is center stage as well as Catherine's relationship with Nan, who feels displaced.  Readers of historical fiction will most likely like this book.