New Bookmobile Novel Published in January 2014

As you might think, much of The Vengeance Squad Goes to England takes place in England. Well, some of it is in Scotland as well. I just liked the sound of England in the title instead of UK or United Kingdom.

However, the book begins and ends in Austin and ties in with more of my memories of the city. When I worked as a bookmobile driver for the Austin Public Library, the main library was in what is now called the Austin History Center. In my books, Liz, the director of library services has her office in the old building instead of the new one because she likes the feel of it.

This story begins with Liz learning that $100,000 has been stolen from the bookmobile fund. The thief has skipped town and is spotted in London. The vengeance squad (Liz, Tex, a wheelchair-bound librarian, and Chris, a computer nerd, are joined by Jane, a muscle-bound hospital chaplain who is also Tex's wife) heads for England to recover the stolen money.

It is a fun mystery with a little sadness thrown in for realism. It is also a love story as Chris and Angela examine ways to make a relationship work.

More Austin Memories in Love Lives On

The latest bookmobile novel, Love Lives On, takes place in Austin, Texas, mostly. So why the photo of Bruges, Belgium on the cover? Bruges is where Brian and Karen go for their honeymoon.

I said mostly Austin, because Brian goes back to California a few times to visit his parents. Mainly because the book is about Karen. Also, there are a few scenes in Sunset Valley, which is technically not a part of Austin even though it is surrounded by Austin. The married couple also stop in Hildesheim, Germany for a night.

After the wedding Karen moves into Brian's place on Mt. Bonnell Road near Dry Creek Cafe. If you read Where Love Once Lived, you know this is the place where the Combine rented a cabin when they were students at the University of Texas back in the 1970's.

There are scenes at the Austin History Center, a fictional law office on Congress Avenue, Allandale mall and references to the Austin Public Library, Travis County Courthouse, Wooldridge Park, MoPac, 35^th Street, Sun City Texas, Georgetown, Thundercloud Subs and Dr Pepper, a Texas favorite.

Several scenes take place in Clarksville, where Brian's best friend Phil lives with his wife Kay. His dad George, who played a prominent role in Where Love Once Lived, lives in an apartment out back and manages to help Karen in Love Lives On.