One Hundred Names

March 15, 2014
Telling other people's stories isn't just about entertainment or news. Reporter Kitty Logan is about to learn that it's about love, too. After she publicly accuses an innocent teacher of having sexual relations with two students, Kitty's journalistic career lies in tatters. TV show Thirty Minutes has dropped her, vigilantes are vandalizing her door every day, her landlord wants her out, and her best friend has accused her of being a self-centered bully. Worse, her mentor, the brilliantly idiosyncratic Constance Dubois, is dying of cancer. Constance and her husband run Etcetera, a magazine devoted to real stories, not fashion trends or celebrity gossip. Without Constance's support, Kitty will likely lose her job there, as well. But just before she dies, Constance sets Kitty on a mission to write the story she never got the chance to write herself. It's the journalistic chance of a lifetime, but all Kitty has is a list of 100 names. Constance left her no direction, no thesis, no idea of why anyone is on the list, much less what they might have in common. When Kitty begins to call them, no one on the list has ever heard of Constance, either. Determined to honor her friend's memory, Kitty diligently continues the interviews, and soon she finds herself immersed in their extraordinarily ordinary stories. Her world quickly populates with a sweet old lady, a painfully shy butterfly expert, a hairstylist besieged by marriage proposals, an ex-convict with a mysterious new talent, an extremely dedicated gift buyer and two displaced workers seeking fame. As she staves off inquiries from her editor, Kitty buys just enough time to let this quirky crew help her fix not only her moral compass but also her love life. Ahern (How to Fall in Love, 2013, etc.) once again spins a charming tale of redemption and romance.

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May 1, 2014

Irish journalist Kitty Logan scrambles to save her job at a popular magazine as she recovers from a double whammy of loss. After being let go from her television gig because of her part in a libelous story that ruined a man's reputation, she suffered the death of her mentor Constance, founder of the magazine that is Kitty's remaining employer. The scandal has severely tarnished her professional reputation, and Kitty is given one last chance to develop an unexplained story idea left behind by Constance. A list of 100 names, with no contact information and no apparent connection, is all she has to work with. As Kitty races against her deadline to track down the people on the list and determine how they are linked, she slowly begins to regain her confidence. Although a concluding scene bringing together all the people Kitty has found is slightly implausible and saccharine, there is a satisfying and cheering resolution to the mystery of how the names are tied together. VERDICT A sweet read with humorous language, charming characters, a touch of romance, and just the right amount of mystery. For fans of Sarah Jio, Jill Mansell, or Sophie Kinsella.--Emily Byers, Tillamook Cty. Lib., OR

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2014
Ahern's (The Time of My Life, 2013) latest is a redemption tale centered on a reporter who has suffered a startling fall from grace. Ambitious young journalist Kitty Logan made the mistake of believing two women who claimed they were seduced in their teens by a handsome high-school teacher, and ruins the man's life. Disgraced after the truth comes to light, Kitty loses her television job. The new editor at the magazine where Kitty got her start wants to let her go, too, but Kitty manages to get a reprieve when she comes up with the perfect tribute for her recently deceased mentor, Constance, who founded the magazine and gave Kitty her big break. Kitty tackles her assignment with gusto, tracking down 100 people on a list Constance left behind and searching for the link that connects them, including a lovelorn hairdresser, a feisty octogenarian, and a grieving father. Though none of them know Constance, or each other, Kitty manages to draw out their unique stories. This heartwarming tale won't disappoint Ahern's many fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)