For readers who love North Carolina literature, a new season of "N.C. Bookwatch" kicks off at 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 11, with Frances Mayes, author of "A Year in the World."

If you miss the Friday night episode, which appears on UNC-TV, an encore presentation will appear at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 13.

Now, on to this week's books.

Cockatiels at Seven

By Donna Andrews

Thomas Dunne, 2008, $23.95

Donna Andrews returns with another of her delightful cozy mysteries featuring Meg Langslow.

Meg agrees to babysit her friend's toddler, Timmy. But when Karen doesn't return at the end of the day to pick him up, Meg gets concerned. Since Karen isn't answering her cell phone, Meg starts her own little investigation into the situation.

Meanwhile her father and his buddy, Dr. Montgomery Blake, a zoologist, seem to be up to something that Meg is sure will turn out to be trouble.

I love the characters in Andrews' books and look forward to their continuing adventures.

Death of a Rug Lord

By Tamar Myers

Avon, 2008, $6.99

I can never seem to decide which of Myers' series I like best.

This book features Abigail Washburn, a Charleston, S.C., antiques dealer.

I thought this book started off a bit slow, but it picked up in the second half as Abby and her mother set out in search of Oriental rug counterfeiters after Abby is duped with a fake.

I'll look forward to the next Tamar Myers book no matter which protagonist it features.

Temple of the Two Jaguars

By Edward Curry

Merlin and Associates, 2008, $15

Ryan Keshaw joins an expedition in search of the Maya Rosetta Stone in spite of the strange dreams he's had featuring himself as a Mayan medicine man.

Dr. Allison Lea Shelton, an archaeologist on the expedition, thinks that perhaps these dreams will help lead them to the stone.

As might be expected, Ryan and Allison become attracted to each other.

There are bandits from today and warriors from another age, so there's plenty of action.

When they reach the Temple of the Two Jaguars, Ryan and Allison find themselves in a life-and-death situation.

This is Curry's first novel and was perhaps in need of some smoothing of dialogue, but it has a good plot.

Contact Faye Dasen at fdasen@thepilot.com or 693-2475.