Cornerstone Books is pleased to announce the worldwide release of Brunonia Barry's The Lace Reader. Come join us on July 29 for an evening reading and reception for Brunonia at The House of the Seven Gables. Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets today. See the Events Page for more details.

All of the Whitney women can read the future in a piece of lace. All but Towner, who has vowed never to use her gift after a terrible tragedy. But her resolve is tested when her beloved Great Aunt Eva, Salem's original lace reader, disppears and Towner must find the truth in the swirling pattern of the lace...

"In Brunonia Barry's captivating debut, Towner Whitney, a dazed young woman descended from a long line of mind readers and fortune tellers, has survived numerous traumas and returned to her hometown of Salem, Mass., to recover. Any tranquility in her life is short-lived when her beloved great-aunt Eva drowns under circumstances suggesting foul play. Towner's suspicions are taken with a grain of salt given her history of hallucinatory visions and self-harm. The mystery enmeshes local cop John Rafferty, who had left the pressures of big city police work for a quieter life in Salem and now finds himself falling for the enigmatic Towner as he mourns Eva and delves into the history of the eccentric Whitney clan. Barry excels at capturing the feel of smalltown life, and balances action with close looks at the characters' inner worlds. Her pacing and use of different perspectives show tremendous skill and will keep readers captivated all the way through." - Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

The Lace Reader is set in Salem, Masschusetts, its neighboring towns, and the islands that were once part of it, from Marblehead up to the coast to Ipswich, Gloucester and the top of Cape Ann.

We are a full service bookstore, carrying bestsellers, all book genres as well as games, music, video, greeting cards, and gifts. Coffee and baked goods are sold in the cafe and we have a (free) wi-fi hotspot, widescreen TV and working fireplace. We host many events, including author signings, live music, book clubs, movie nights and discussion groups. Stop by and visit us -- we're open 7 days a week.

Also know that you can order items directly from this website and have them shipped or held as you prefer. Visit our online store! In addition, we can research books for you, including hard-to-find, used and out-of-print books -- just let us know what you are looking for and we'll track it down.

We love to host events with the community in mind, so please contact us if there's something you'd like to sponsor at the store. Check out the events page or the column to the left for all the details on this month's events!