When the body of a homeless girl washes up in a pond in Central Park, it’s up to Assistant DA Alex Cooper, along with her steadfast detective team Mika Chapman and Mercer Wallace, to delve into the long-forgotten chambers in the heart of Manhattan. Linda Fairstein’s new thriller, Death Angel, is the 15th in a series chronicling the investigations of Alexandra Cooper, prosecutor in charge of the special victims unit in New York city. Once again, Ms.

Though she has less renown, a Seuss rival is in town. Her new book’s blue and it’s green and it’s got a clever rhyme scheme.

Blue In Your Hair, Green On Your Chair by Ellen Wolfe brings readers into the mind of a child deciding on a birthday gift for her father. After interrogating her inner circle, which includes Mom, stuffed animals and a friend, for ideas about what to give Dad for his big day, Ruby finally decides to go with her own idea ­— to create lots of paintings, like the ones she sees during museum excursions with her father.

The Tisbury Amphitheatre sits nestled in the woods just off State Road, by the Lake Tashmoo overlook. It’s well hidden, unless you know where to look. Follow a narrow path into the woods and soon you will encounter a clearing. At the foot of the hill, 11 actors in simple costumes stand ready to begin their production of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV. The dirt stage is bare, save for a picnic table and a few wooden crates. There are not nearly enough actors to play all the roles in the show. It is a simple production, and that’s just how director Scott Barrow wants it.

For 13 years, nine artists have been meeting to discuss their work and offer constructive criticism. They share a passion for art and the desire to grow as artists. And they’ve continued to grow closer over the years.

Every bookstore, no matter how old, has a story behind it.

Edgartown Books is no exception.

Last year, after what some thought could be the end of an iconic Island bookstore, Edgartown Books on Main street reopened for business under new ownership. And the denouement is still being written.

So what would you do if the opportunity arose to expand this recently revived and popular Edgartown business?

If you’re Susan Mercier, manager, you open a coffee bar and café directly behind the bookstore, and you title it such, Behind the Bookstore, or btb.

“I hope you got a lot of money, ’cause this ain’t gonna be cheap,” Walter barked at me as I pulled myself into the cab of his well-used tow truck.

When Labor Day weekend ends and the vast sea of tourists and summer residents begin to trickle home, Island businesses and restaurants feel the pinch. With so much of the Island’s consumer population disappearing, it isn’t always easy to keep turning a profit. For some, the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival might be the solution. Established six years ago, the Food and Wine Festival gives restaurants and businesses the chance to continue their commercial success into the shoulder season.

Nutrient-dense but encumbered by a bad rap for the cholesterol in their yolks, eggs amount to near perfection for ecology-minded farmers. Every part of an egg is useful right down to crushing the shells for a fine abrasive suitable for scrubbing pots and pans when mixed in a little dish soap. You could mix the crushed shells with a little egg white and make yourself a nice facial mask.

When James Brown said, “Maceo, I want you to blow!” Maceo Parker got down to business with his soulful saxophone. Mr. Parker has played with the best and now he’s bringing his funky sound to Flatbread tonight, August 2.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are available at Alley’s General Store, The Green Room, Aboveground Records, Corner 5 or online at ticketsmv.com.

Vineyard Gardens continues its tradition of merging the beauty of nature with artistic merit. Each Friday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. the nursery hosts a Gallery in the Gardens event, featuring a new artist each week.

Tonight, August 2, Valentine Estabrook shares the spotlight with the foliage. There will be champagne, too.