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For about a month now, you’ve been on a mission.

You’ve been doing a bit of spying and stealth is the name of your game. Bravely, you’ve ventured forward in search of your prey, always aware, eyes constantly roving. You’re not sure what your target looks like, but you’re confident you’ll know it when you see it. Able to leap tall trees in a single bound, speedier than shoppers at a buy-one-get-one bin, more powerful than a seventy-five-percent-off sale, you’re invincible.

Whew. Holiday shopping is hard work.

So how about some relief? How about one-stop shopping at your local bookstore? Here are some great suggestions to get you going (and to shorten your gift-buying load)….

FICTION

Without a doubt, there’s someone on your gift list who loves a mystery. That means you’re going to want to wrap up “Heat Wave” by Richard Castle. When a real estate tycoon falls to his death on a New York City sidewalk, it’s obvious that he didn’t just fall. It’s up to Detective Nikki Heat to turn up the heat on NYC bad guys in this hard-bitten novel. Also try “The Big Wake-Up” by Mark Coggins (with a very noir 50’s cover).

Need a unique book for someone who loves the out-of-the-ordinary? Check out “Death Wish” by Nicole Cleaver. Following a tragedy, a woman escapes to another life where nobody knows her background, and she tries to put her life together. When she meets a man she’s sure she can love again, well, let’s just say your giftee will want to take a bite out of this unusual novel.

If your giftee loves historical novels, there are lots to look for this holiday season. “The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire” by C.M. Mayo is based on the true story of the reign of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. “Lady Vernon and Her Daughter” by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway is based on Jane Austen’s Lady Susan and is set in Regency England.

Does anyone ever outgrow their love of the classics? If your giftee is a fan of Robert Louis Stevenson, then your gift will be the favorite when you wrap up “Flint and Silver” by John Drake. A prequel to “Treasure Island”, this novel imagines what happened before John Silver and Joseph Flint met up in the classic. Hint: wrap it up along with a new copy of Stevenson’s book for arrrrgreat gift.

Maybe someone on your gift list is missing home. Show her you understand by giving her “Evenings at the Argentine Club” by Julia Amante. This is a book about family, generations, and loving those who love you. Also look for “Tell Me Something True” by Leila Cobo… that’s a book about family, secrets, and things you never, as a child, want to know.

What will the world be like two generations in the future? If you’ve got to find something for your favorite science fiction fan, then find “2045: A Story of Our Future” by Peter Seidel. This novel – part fiction, part call-to-action – will make your giftee think, and it might even scare him to action. For further hair-raising reading, wrap up “The Touch” by F. Paul Wilson, a novel about a doctor whose new powers of healing with at a frightening price.

What better way to celebrate the holidays than to read a book about Christmas? If that’s your sentiment exactly, then wrap up “Lakeshore Christmas” by Susan Wiggs. This seasonal romance is the story of librarian who needs a Christmas miracle. Hint: wrap it up for one of those gifts you need to give early. Another romance to try – although not a holiday novel – is “The Inheritance” by Tamera Alexander. Set in the untamed West, this is a novel about a young woman who moves to Colorado to make a fresh start and finds love.

If a little international intrigue and a fast-paced, complicated story is exactly what your giftee will love, then look for “Condemned” by Jon Nicholas Iannuzzi. Set in New York, Russia, Columbia and Romania, this novel takes its readers on a whirlwind tour of the dangers of drug trafficking, organized crime, street dealers, and corruption.

The holidays aren’t exactly the time for scary stuff, but if you’ve got a thrill-lover on your gift list, wrap up “Afraid” by Jack Kilborn. This novel (written by a popular author of mystery books) is the story of horror unleashed on a small town by an accident that was no accident. I won’t tell you who the author is, but sit down with a Jac(queline) Daniels before you open its covers.

GENERAL NONFICTION

Travelers – particularly those interested in old buildings and beautiful architecture – will love to read “Stories in Stone” by David B. Williams. This book discusses art, geology, old buildings, and more. If you’ve ever spied a gargoyle atop a building and wondered why he was there, borrow this book back after you give it

No doubt there’s a Drama Queen (or King) on your gift list. For her (or him), there’s no better gift than “How to Be Famous” by Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt. This tongue-in-cheek book gives step-by-step tips on getting your name in the tabs and becoming The One Everybody Talks About. Hint: not just for grown-ups, your teen may get a kick out of this book.

Trivia fans with a basketball interest will really enjoy reading “The Final Four of Everything”, edited by Mark Reiter and Richard Sandomir. This fun book is filled with argument starters and trivia on a variety of topics, including Lousy Husbands, Absurd College Nicknames, and Richard vs. Dick.  Another trivia-type book for fans of minutiae is “The Handy Geography Answer Book” by Paul A. Tucci and Matthew T. Rosenberg, which is also great for kids as well as grown-ups.

The holidays are a lousy time to be sick, but if you wrap up “Perseverance: True Voices of Cancer Survivors” by Carolyn Rubenstein, you can give the gift of encouragement. This book features the words and hopes of high school and college cancer survivors and though it sounds like a downer of a book, it’s not. What it is, though, is inspiring.

No doubt, there’s a country music fan on your gift list, and there’s no better gift to give than “The Garth Factor: The Career Behind Country’s Big Boom” by Patsi Bale Cox. Mostly about Garth, but containing other big names in country, this hefty book is a gift that will last awhile.

Sometimes, a book can take you to other places, and if someone on your gift list is always dreaming of a vacation, wrap up “Inventing Montana” by Ted Leeson.  For the past twenty years, Leeson and a group of friends have spent their summers in an old ranch house in Montana, fly fishing and enjoying life; this book is about their vacations. Hint: wrap it up with a gas gift card and hopes of a great get-away. Also look for “Climbing Woodall Mountain” by Mississippi authors Stuart Green and Gregg Parker. It’s a book about two friends and the very un-ordinary challenge they tackle, complete with room to journal your own great adventures.

This was the fortieth anniversary of Woodstock, and if you’ve got someone who still longs for summers of Peace and Love, wrap up “By the Time We Got to Woodstock” by Bruce Pollock. Complete with pictures and lots of memories, this book is groovy, man. Also look for “The Sixties” by Jenny Diski, which is a memoir as seen through the eyes of someone who lived through those psychedelic times; and “The Rock & Roll Book of the Dead” by David Comfort, which is a look at the lives of Hendrix, Elvis, Lennon, Joplin, and Morrison and their impact on our music.

While it may seem like an odd gift to give this holiday season, “Nontoxic Housecleaning” by Amy Kolb Noyes would surely be appreciated by anyone concerned about the environment. There are lots of good suggestions in here, all ideas that your going-green giftee will enjoy knowing. Also look for “Earth Talk” by E – The Environment Magazine and “Now or Never” by Tim Flannery. Both of these inexpensive (and quick-to-read) books will help your green-thinking giftee be even greener.

Looking for an unusual story for an unusual reader? Look for “Soul Survivor” by Bruce and Andrea Leininger with Ken Gross. Could young James Leininger be the reincarnation of a World War II fighter pilot? This true story is for your giftee to read and decide…

The new-ager on your list will no doubt be overjoyed by this trilogy from Brad Steiger: “Beyond Shadow World” is newly re-released and is the third volume in Steiger’s Shadow World trilogy in which he discusses spirits and the supernatural. Then there’s “Real Vampires, Night Stalkers, and Creatures from the Darkside,” a book that’s, well, it’s about the things that go bump in the night. And finally (this is my favorite), “Real Miracles, Divine Intervention, and Feats of Incredible Survival,” co-written by Sherry Hansen Steiger. This fun-to-read book is filled with amazing stories that are surprisingly inspirational, and would also be a good book for anyone who believes in angels.

If there’s a weather junkie on your gift list, here are two easy-to-give books: “Weather’s Greatest Mysteries Solved! by Randy Cerveny is a book about weather, history, and how one affected the other. This is a great book for science aficionados, too. Also look for “The Handy Weather Answer Book: Second Edition” by Kevin Hile. Better for kids or cumulonimbus neophytes, this book will also be welcome for people who love talking about the weather.

Why is it that dads and granddads are always so hard to buy for? If that’s your dad or grandpa, then here’s an easy gift – “Soldiers Once” by Catherine Whitney. This is the story of Whitney’s brother, a Vietnam veteran who had isolated himself from his family, and it’s the story of the brotherhood and politics. Also look for “Little-Known Wars of Great and Lasting Impact” by Alan Axelrod. It will make your military historian smile. One more --- Civil War buffs will relish “Josie Underwood’s Civil War Diary”, edited by Nancy Disher Baird. This book, written when the author was a girl living through the Civil War and sympathetic to the Union, gives a non-soldier’s-eye view of the War Between the States, and it can’t be missed.

Someone on your gift list always wanted to change the world, so why not wrap up a book about people who once did? “Before They Changed the World” by Edwin Kiester, Jr. is a book filled with mini-biographies of men and women who made a difference. Also look for “The Sharing Solution” by Janelle Orsi and Emily Doskow. This book, filled with useful ideas for saving money and community, really will make a difference and is a great group-gift.

Holiday get-togethers can be fun… or not. If you’ve just about had enough of one another, then have “How to Hug a Porcupine: Easy Ways to Love The Difficult People in Your Life” on your bookshelf, just in case. This cute book will give you step-by-step ways to cope during the holidays and all the way into the New Year.

Linguists and lovers of words will love ripping the paper off “Ifferisms” by Dr. Mardy Grothe. This book is part quotation, part word play, part anecdotal anthology, and all fun.

Would your giftee remember where he or she was forty years ago on a Sunday? Chances are, the answer would be: gathered with the family around the TV. In “Sundays with Sullivan” by Bernie Ilson, fans of Ed Sullivan and pop culture will see how this one show changed music and the way we think about it. This book includes a lot of pictures and even more memories for Baby Boomers and their parents. Also look for “Watching What We Eat” by Kathleen Collins, which is a book about cooking shows then and now.

So you’ve got a know-it-all pet lover on your gift list and you don’t know what to give. Look for “The Smartest Animals on the Planet” by Dr. Sally Boysen. This book is definitely not about humans; rather, it’s about birds who aren’t bird-brains, monkeys with better-than-human smarts, dolphins, rats, and more. Also look for “Guardians of Being” by Eckhart Tolle, art by Patrick McDonnell. This is one of those sweet gifty books that makes you want to go hug your four-legged family members.

Also, now out in paperback, animal lovers will want to read “The Daily Coyote” by Shreve Stockton, a true story of love, danger, and living with a creature that’s wild at heart, set in rugged Wyoming country. Wrap it up with “Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time” by Richard Conniff, which is a book about adventures with dangerous animals both in water and out.

Parents and dog lovers will want to read “Cowboy & Wills” by Monica Holloway. This is a story of a boy with autism and the pup who changed his life – and the life of his mother, who fell in love with a four-footed therapist. Hint: wrap it up with a box of tissue. That’s all I’m saying…

No doubt, you’ve got a free spirit on your gift list (or, maybe someone who longs to kick off her shoes and dance). You know who she is, and I know she’ll love “Don’t Miss Your Life!” by Charlene Ann Baumbich. This book weaves faith, fear of failure, and fun together in a guide for making a life worth living and laughing about. Hint: wrap it up with a fun toy or joke book and get ready to share the enjoyment.

If you know some lucky girl is getting an engagement ring this year, wrap up “The Everything Green Wedding Book” by Wenona Napolitano. This book of hints and tips isn’t your usual wedding book; instead, she’ll learn how to have an affordable wedding in an earth-friendly way. CAUTION: don’t spoil her surprise. Make sure she’s got the rock before giving this book.

Does it seem, every holiday, that a lively discussion of current events preceeds the feasting at your house?  If so, be sure to have “The Ultimate Peace: America’s Challenge in the Middle East” by Dr. Charbel E-H Moussa around. This book offers a unique look at what’s going on in the Middle East, as well as some suggestions to broker an end to war. Short and quick to read, it might settle (or ignite) more discourse.

If there’s a doctor in the house (or a future M.D.), wrap up “In the Land of Invisible Women” by Qanta A. Ahmed, M.D. This book is about a female doctor from Great Britain who, after being denied a visa to stay in the U.S., accepts a job working in Saudi Arabia for The Kingdom. Lush and exotic, this true story will appeal to anyone – doctor or not - who’s fascinated by this country half a world away. Also look for “Medicine, Miracles, & Manifestations” by Dr. John L. Turner. This book is a little different, in that it features a doctor’s thoughts on The Divine, the afterworld, and NDEs.

Your history buff will truly enjoy getting “Time of the Rangers” by Mike Cox. This hefty book is all about the Texas Rangers from the beginning of the 20th century through today. There are lots of pictures in this book, plenty of history, some cowboying, and – at over 400 pages – this is a gift that will last. Another book your history buff will love is “Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure” by Matthew Algeo. In this can-you-imagine? true story, Algeo tells about the trip that Harry and Bess Truman (yes, THAT Harry Truman) took all by themselves (no Secret Service) to visit friends and see the country. If you can believe it, they hoped not to be recognized. Fun, and a sign of those times, this book will appeal to anyone who loves quirky history.

More for your history fan: “The Great Depression: A Diary” by Benjamin Roth, edited by James Ledbetter and Daniel B. Roth is book featuring a diary written by a lawyer who watched the world crumble and rebuild around him. And “The Branch and the Scaffold” by western novelist Loren D. Estleman is a true story about the west’s “hanging judge” Isaac Parker, who enforced the law with the tail-end of a rope.

Your art lover probably won’t expect a book for a gift, so surprise him (or her) with “The Art of the Heist” by Myles J. Connor, Jr. This true story, as told by an art thief, is part biography, part adventure, part true crime, and all fun to read.

GLBT AUTHORS

Somebody on your gift list has a sense of humor. So wrap up “I Told You So” by Kate Clinton, because you know it will be a welcome present. This collection of essays is one of those books that will make your giftee call you to read passages aloud. Better yet, just borrow it back in the New Year.

If you know a child who loves dress-up, then pick up “10,000 Dresses” by Marcus Ewert, illustrations by Rex Ray. In this book, a little boy dreams of beautiful dresses, and even though Bailey feels like a girl, everyone tells him otherwise. This cute book is perfect for questioning kids ages 4 to 7.

If you’re looking for something very unique for someone on your gift list, look for “In Jupiter’s Shadow” by Gregory Gerard. This is a true story about secrets, devoutness, and what happens when someone pokes them both to learn more about himself.

The music fan on your gift list will definitely want to read “Deflowered: My Life in Pansy Division” by Jon Ginoli. An inside story of the first openly gay pop-punk band in America, it will appeal to anyone who played air (or real) guitar. Hint: wrap it up with a new CD or concert tickets.

Do you have a Drama Queen on your gift list? If so, give him (or her) more drama by wrapping up “The Collected Plays of Mart Crowley.” This book contains six complete plays, including “The Boys in the Band”, and it will make your theatre lover smile.

If your giftee loves a novel experience, then be sure to give “Lois Lenz, Lesbian Secretary” by Monica Nolan. This novel is, well, it’s about a lesbian secretary and the world of working women with passionate desires. Do I need to say that it’s humorous? Do I need to say that this is a book you give, if nothing but for the hilarious title and cool cover? More gifts to look for: “Where the Girls Are”, edited by D.L. King, (an anthology of lesbian erotica), and “Verge” by Z Egloff (a quirky story of love, bad decisions, and filmmaking).

And there you are: something for pretty much everybody you need to buy for, at tiny non-budget-busting prices. And if none of these books are perfect, be sure to ask your favorite bookseller for his or her expert help because, hey! That’s what they’re paid to know, right?

Season’s Readings!