Central Kansas Library System

Gifted fifteen-year-old Francisco Guzman has become an internationally renowned concert pianist, touring the world under the auspices of his music conservatory. That gives his mother, Posadas County Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman, plenty of reason to worry--and that's magnified when she learns that he's in Mexico's crime-ridden Mazatlan for a concert series where he may be the target for scam artists and kidnappers. Estelle's worries go from bad...

Eleven-year-old Jerome Mason goes to live with his aunt and cousins following the death of his mom, and although Aunt Geneva tries to make him feel welcome, Jerome misses his mother and his piano which has been sold to cover expenses, and the only person who seems to understand his feelings is Mr. Willie, a man who does odd jobs to support himself while living in the carriage house of an empty, dilapidated mansion.

A young Afro-American girl recalls the life story of her grandfather who performed in vaudeville and played piano for the silent movies.

"Lysandros Drakakis always gets what he wants, and he's never stopped wanting beautiful pianist Rio Armstrong! A fake engagement to please his family is the perfect opportunity to uncover the reason why she walked away from their powerful connection... and to indulge their still-sizzling desire under the Mediterranean sun. But Rio's heartbreaking revelation changes the stakes-- he's given her his ring, now Lysandros finds himself wanting to give Rio...

"Famed for its natural beauty and rich history, Sardinia in 1968 is notorious, too, for the bandits who kidnap wealthy landowners for ransom. Eleven-year-old Alba Fresu's brother, and her father, Bruno, are abducted by criminals who mistake Bruno for a rich man. After a grueling journey through the countryside, the two are eventually released--but the experience leaves Alba shaken and unable to readjust to normal life, or to give voice to her inner...

"Sparkly and charming Natalie Fincher has it all - a handsome new husband, a fixer-upper cottage of her dreams, and the opportunity to tour with the musical she's spent years writing. But when her husband suddenly dies, all her hopes and dreams instantly disappear. Two and a half years later, Natalie is still lost. She works, sleeps (well, as much as the sexually frustrated village foxes will allow), and sees friends just often enough to allay their...

In the wake of his parents' separation, ten-year-old Billy seems to have continual conflicts with his father, who is also his basketball coach, but his quiet, younger brother Ben, a piano prodigy, is having even more trouble adjusting, and only Billy seems to notice.

The internationally famous bandleader Peter Duchin's six decades of performing have taken him to the most exclusive dance floors and concert halls in the world. He has played for presidents, kings, and queens, as well as for civil rights and cultural organizations. But in 2013, Duchin suffered a stroke that left him with limited use of his left hand, severely impacting his career.

Martijn is an idealistic Dutch pianist who travels to Morocco to help start a food bank program for malnourished children. Within moments of his arrival, however, Martijn is abducted by a group of terrorists, injected with a debilitating drug, and imprisoned. Under the threat of death, Martijn engages in a mental chess match with Ahmat who is trying to learn his captor's true objective and avoid a horrible fate.