• Kathy Wade, Entertainer/jazz educator:

        1st to Die by James Patterson (Little Brown & Co.; $26.95).

        “This is James Patterson's first of a new (mystery) series. What makes this one really different is that it's about four women.

        “One of them's a lieutenant for the homicide squad; one of them is the second-in-command coroner at the morgue; the third is the DA; and the fourth woman is a press person.

        “It's a great book. Some of it is formula, but the way he deals with four people, all from different backgrounds, makes it really interesting.”

        • Jonathan Lippmann, Founding member of 98 Degrees who now leads Christian-pop vocal group True Vibe:

        Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes' (Crossway Books; $15.99).

        “It talks about the man's role and pretty much breaks down how we think. It talks about how to stay focused on your life and God, and keep your priorities straight. A lot of times in marriages people put their family first, ahead of their wife, or they put their job first.

        “It's a Christian book, but I'd recommend it to anybody if they believe in God. Heck, I'd recommend it to an atheist.”

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