“Zeitoun” follows the nightmarish experience of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian- American, who stayed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Abdul, as he is called by friends and neighbors, became a hero, navigating the flood waters in a canoe to evacuate trapped residents and comfort others who stayed behind.

Canadian author Emma Donoghue has written one of the more unusual books you will ever read. A combination of sheer horror and a mother and son’s love, the book is written in the voice of 5-year old Jack, who has never known a world outside a locked shed where an abductor has held his “Ma” for seven years.

In her first book, “Real Life Liars,” Riggle examined the members of a family as they approached various crossroads in their lives. This time, it’s four adult women, three of whom shared high school dreams together while the fourth is the mother of one of the women.

Author Eric Jerome Dickey begs you not to judge his new book, “Tempted By Trouble,” by its cover.The dust jacket of his newest book shows an attractive young woman in a seductive pose — typical cover art for a vast majority of his books.

With an erudite and knowledgeable essay by music historian and archivist Michael Erlewine wrapped around stunning, never-before-seen black-and-white photographs by Stanley Livingston of virtually every major blues performer, the book is a one-of-kind tribute to a bygone era.

Those experiences all come together in Kittle’s new book, “The Blessing of the Animals,” which explores loss, divorce and the institution of marriage. Kittle says she is a favorite of book clubs; one reason for that is she raises a lot of questions about social issues in her books.

“Growing up, horror was something for guys,” she said. “I read Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, Stephen King.’’

Gruley’s second book, “The Hanging Tree,” is a masterpiece of detective fiction, with the right amount of blind alleys that leave the outcome always in doubt. The author, who is the Chicago bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, has topped his first book while capturing the essence of a hockey-crazy Michigan small town.

Some of the plotlines may be over the top, but Vernon uses them to convey the central themes of stereotyping, outsiders and survival. The book, set in rural Arkansas during a blizzard, finds the characters not only confronting their demons, but also committing acts of violence.

It’s easy to picture author Daniel Okrent at a large oak table, huddled over diaries, letters and old books and taking notes with a No. 2 pencil. After all, he spent five years researching his most recent book, “Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition.