There was a rumor a few years back that the best-selling Irish storyteller Maeve Binchy was going to pack it in and retire. Well, that rumor itself can be retired, because Binchy is back with a new novel entitled "Nights of Rain and Stars." Fans of previous Binchy hits such as Circle of Friends, Quentins and Scarlet Feathers won't be disappointed. Nights of Rain and Stars is set in a Greek island village, where a group of international travelers and local residents become bound by tragedy. The book revolves around Andreas, the aging owner of a watering hole who spends his days ruing the emigration of his son, who fled to the U.S. following a bitter argument. Then there is Elsa, a German journalist with both personal and professional secrets. Of course, there is also an Irish character, a nurse named Fiona, who is globetrotting with a lover who (according to many of her friends and family) is the wrong person for her. Another character from Ireland has also trekked to this island for true love, only to watch things fall apart quickly. Through these and other characters with long, complicated pasts, Binchy weaves a tale that is propelled by a single awful event. A fire breaks out in the village leaving more than 20 people dead, and forces the Greek locals to tend to the tourists who believed they would uneventfully pass through this resort village. Inevitably, as always in Binchy, bonds are formed, tested, broken, and strengthened. Sure, if you were never a fan of Maeve Binchy, "Nights of Rain and Stars" may come across as contrived, or even downright hokey. But clearly Binchy has a certain kind of appeal, and for her millions of fans, Nights of Rain and Stars is yet another page-turning charmer. ($25.95 / 304 pages / Dutton)