Library Picks: Latest from Robert Ludlum, Michael Palmer

Get ready for a quartet of thrillers this week at . This week's Library Picks are:

Oath of Office by Michael Palmer

What if a well respected doctor inexplicably goes on a murderous rampage? When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree in his office, his business partner, staff and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself. The blame falls on Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Meacham years before as a counselor after John's medical license had been revoked for drug addiction. Lou knew that John was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and fought hard for his license to be restored. After hearing the news of the violent outburst, Lou is in shock like everyone else, but mostly he's incredulous. And when he begins to look into it further, the terrifying evidence he finds takes him down a path to an unspeakable conspiracy that seems to lead directly to the White House and those in the highest positions of power.

The Janson Command by Robert Ludlum

Reformed from his days of covert-operations, Paul Janson has set a new mission for himself. Working in partnership with champion sharpshooter Jessica Kincaid, he rehabilitates disenchanted agents and helps them create new lives outside of the violent intelligence sector. These former operatives then form a network of support for Janson when it comes to his other job – Janson also takes on independent assignments. For a fee, he'll use his skills to resolve international crises. But only those actions that he believes contribute to the greater good of all.

The Rum Diary (DVD)

Tired of the noise and madness of New York, journalist Paul Kemp moves to Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper. Adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Kemp becomes obsessed with the fiancee of Sanderson, a businessman involved in shady property development deals. When he is recruited by Sanderson to write favorably about his latest unsavory scheme, Kemp is presented with the choice to use his words for the corrupt businessman's financial benefit, or use them to take him down.

Take Shelter (DVD)

Curtis LaForche lives in a small town in Ohio with his wife, Samantha, and daughter, Hannah, a six-year-old deaf girl. When Curtis begins to have terrifying dreams, he keeps the visions to himself, channeling his anxiety into obsessively building a storm shelter in his backyard. His inexplicable behavior concerns those closest to him, but the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within his community can't compare with Curtis's privately held fear of what his dreams may truly signify.

To check out any of these books or movies, visit the library's website and reserve your copy straight from the online catalogue. Make sure you come back to Birmingham Patch next week, to see what else is new in the stacks.