Ozarkers boast bevy of new books

Ozarkers are known as good storytellers, and several Ozarks-based authors are proving it with their recent books.

Looking for something with an Ozarks' flavor? Consider this sample, most from the Springfield-Greene County Libraries' shelves and at thelibrary.org/catalog.

The Ozarks is the setting for "The Code of the Hills" by Missouri State University law instructor Nancy Allen, a former assistant Missouri attorney general and assistant prosecutor.

Ambitious prosecutor Elsie Arnold is thrown into a high-profile incest case riddled with holes, but she fights to protect the young victims even as her personal life starts to unravel. To uncover the truth, she must break the code of the hills.

Springfield native Brandy Colbert's debut, young adult novel is "Pointe." The Missouri State University graduate has worked as an editor for several national magazines and currently is a copy editor for both formats. In "Pointe," Theo is overcoming trauma and becoming an elite ballet dancer. When her oldest friend Donovan returns after spending years with his kidnapper, Theo relives memories about his abduction and his abductor. The book's theme: learning how to let go of even our most shameful secrets.

Springfield-based author Ethan D. Bryan tells 20 stories of the intersection of baseball and faith in his 2012 book, "Run Home and Take a Bow: Stories of Life, Faith, and a Season with the Kansas City Royals." "What can baseball teach us about living in the way of Jesus?" Bryan asks.

"The Weight of Blood" by Laura McHugh, of Columbia, borrows from her Ozarks' sense of place to weave a haunting mystery about a young woman's search to solve the long-ago disappearance of her mother and the recent murder of a friend.

Finally, the e-book "Thursdays at Coconuts" debuted Aug. 14 by Springfieldian Beth Carter. A group of 30-something Midwestern women meets every Thursday for drinks while they humorously cope with issues from OCD, a tragedy, homosexuality to stroke. The Central High School alum promises to weave in a recognizable scene — and some real first names — from her high school days.

Submitted by Kathleen O'Dell, community relations director, Springfield-Greene County Library District.