I quit reading Patricia Cornwell because her writing kept getting darker and darker. However, she's a really good writer so I thought I'd give her another try with investigator Win Garano and Massachusetts DA Monique Lamont. Again, great writing but there's not one character in these books that I like.

It's so great to have authors and continuing characters that you know you can count on. Gideon Oliver, "The Skeleton Detective", by Aaron Elkins is one of those. It's also refreshing, because Gideon's personal life is good. He's married to a wonderful woman so the book can concentrate on the murder, or murders, and the bones on hand with a lot of information on growth factors, etc., without feeling like it needs more conflict in the form of his personal life. This latest is Skull Duggery, set in Mexico, and has a full roster of bones to identify.

Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow was wondrful-and sad. It's based on a true story of two brothers in NY who start out as very privileged kids in an upper-crust Fifth Ave home across from Central Park. They end up, very sadly, as home-bound, blind, paranoid, hoarders. This book is the biographical imagining of how that happened. Poignantly, beautifully written.

Another Linda Fairstein-The Bone Vault. I am enjoying her descriptions of how things work in the D.A.'s office of New York's sex crimes unit. She obviously writes from experience. However, I'm still having trouble with the depiction of her personal life.

Also, Cool in Tucson by Elizabeth Gunn. This series follows Tucson police detective Sarah Burke. She's smart and ambitious and I'm liking the character. I had read the next one in the series and read this one to fill in some gaps. Her personal life is difficult. She's divorced, her sister is an addicted single mother, her mom is getting older, and she loves her niece and worries about the best way to help and protect her from her mother.

Another Jane Haddam-Cheating at Solitaire. Finally, Gregor and Bennis are planning their wedding. Or rather, Donna, Bennis, the rest of the neighborhood is planning the wedding while Gregor just tries to escape and is befuddled by most of the activity. This book, however, only mentions the wedding planning. Gregor spend the duration in Margaret's Harbor, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts where filming is going on for a new movie starring a bunch of young pop stars hounded by voracious media. One of them is killed, and another "townie" is mutilated. Because of the celebrity in a small community which has never seen a murder, Gregor is called in to help out. As usual, a delightful book. The story is always good but Haddam has made Gregor's neighborhood so compelling, the best part of her books is always when they are involved.

The other author that I'm beginning to like more and more is Linda Fairstein. She's actually the prosecutor of crimes of a sexual assault and domestic violence, and has led the Sex Crimes Unit of the DA's office in Manhattan for 25 years. This gives her books a realistic tone. This one had the added benefit of involving academics at Columbia which is always fun. Although her main character is becoming stupider and stupider about her personal life. Let's hope she rectifies that.

I think I'm done with the John Rebus series by Ian Rankin. Just too gloomy.

I think I must have thought it was Mary Higgins Clark but this author is actually Mary Jane Clark. Dying for Mercy was an OK time-waster. After a gruesome suicide there are several staged killings in a very exclusive, guarded, safe neighborhood in New York. Are they connected and, if so, how? News anchor Eliza and her TV crew investigate.

Mary Daheim writes a continuuing series set in Alpine, WA located in the Cascade Mountain foothills. Events are chronicled and investigated by Emma Lord who owns the smalltown newspaper along with her staff and the local sheriff (and sometimes love interest) Milo Dodge. A charming, low-key cozy.

J.A. Jance has two continuuing series, both of which I love. One features J.P. Beaumont, a Seattle police detective, the other is Joanna Brady, an Arizona sheriff. She has written a couple of books where they manage to work together and I prefer them separate although I still enjoy the combination. The most recent is Fire and Ice. I haven't been able to figure out the meaning of the title!

Even Money by Dick Francis and his son Felix--'nuff said!

As a fan of Adrian Monk I got a kick out of Something Missing by Matthew Dicks. A serial burglar with OCD, Martin has a regular roster of "clients", he prides himself on the fact that he only takes things that won't be missed, and he comes to feel a friendship of sorts with the homeowners. The problems start, of course when, after years of second by second planning and organization, he his suddeny forced to deal with chaos and spontaneity. Fun,dfunny,and original.

I made the comment earlier about how nice it was that the author was allowing Adam Dalgleish a successful personal life. It looks like J.A. Jance may be allowing the same to Beaumont in Justice Denied. Beaumont is a Seattle police detective that I always look forward to reading. Obviously, I like series where I can come back to the same people over and over again and catch up with their lives. And I understand that conflict is necessary for a good plot, and personal conflict is necessary for an interesting character, it's still nice that the people you come to know in these series' are able to find happiness!

Border Songs by Jim Lynch. I don't know why I ordered it from the library. It's not something I would normally be interested in-Border Patrol along the US/Canadian border. I have several sites that send me titles to watch out for so it probably came from one of those. When I saw it my first reaction was that I'd read a few pages and then move on to something else. But I found it to be absolutely absorbing. The characters are so beautifully written that it's worth reading just for the character study. Brandon Vanderkool is severely dyslexic, so much so that when upset he may say entire sentences backwards. He's 6'8" tall and birds are the only creatures he totally understands and relates to. He is a true "gentle giant" and sees everything in his vicinity in absolute detail. He may have Asperger's to an extent but that is not made clear-it could be the result of his severe dyslexia and extraordinary observation of detail. You end up falling in love with him but all the other characters are just as well-written even though you may not get to know them as well. And----you end up thinking more about the problems of this particular border. While I understand it's necessary to define boundaries it hurts my heart that this particular border, just a couple of hours away from me, which I used to be able to cross with just a wave is now an emotional as well as bureaucratic nightmare.

Thanks for the comment about Greeley's "Irish" series. I'm still trying to decide whether or not to try one more. You're right, he can be such a beautiful writer it's frustrating when he seems to lose his way.

P.D. James, however, knows exactly what she's writing and sticks to it faithfully and well. I love the character of Adam Dalgleish. The Lighthouse had a terrific plot in a great setting and it's nice that Dalgleish may be allowed a happy ending, or at least happy interlude, in his personal life.

Another author with a continuing character that I can always count on is Martha Grimes' Richard Jury. This latest is Dust which refers to a club whee the upscale victim was last seen. My favorite part of the Richard Jury novels are in the interaction with his friend Melrose Plant, of which there was not enough, and his upstairs neighbor Caroline, whose relationship with Jury gets murkier and murkier. As always, though, great characters and worth the read.

I began reading Web of Evil by J.A. Jance only to remember that I had already read it-shoot.

Back to Andrew Greeley. I picked up Irish Whiskey from the library which I knew was part of a series not starring Father Blackie. I figured I'd just jump in midway through the series and, if i like it, I'd request the first ones. However, the librarian convinced me that I should really start at the beginning-that may not have been the best advice. The first one is Irish Gold and the only adjective I can find for it is overwrought. Obviously, well-researched, it is the mystery of who actually killed Michael Collins and why the grandparents of the main character left Ireland and could never return. Using verifiable history, of which there is little enough in Ireland, Greeley fabricates a story about the Troubles in Galway and interweaves it with the history of Dermot Coines' family. On top of this is the story of boy meets girl, etc. Probably enough plot for a book half its size, the irritating angst of Dermot and should he or shouldn't he love Nuala takes up the other half.

I had ordered two because the librarian was enthusiastic and I already knew I liked Greeley. And, I have to admit I liked the second one better. This one is Irish Lace. Nuala has moved to Chicago to work and to continue her angst-filled relationship with Dermot. For some reason, Greeley is turning her into a full-fledged "fey" character who sees visions, and understands truth behind events that the police and detective agencies can't ferret out. This series frustrates me because it always seems to be on the verge of actually being interesting and then goes of the deep end again. This one involves the American Civil War, a buried treasure in the form of a lost letter written by Lincoln, art heists, and funding of the Irish IRA. A little much.

Andrew M Greeley, so far, has been a sure thing for me. There's an engaging character, witty, intelligent writing, and a good mystery. I just finished two of them and one I enjoyed, the other-not so much-to use a phrase of the day. The Bishop and the Missing L Train was terrific. The Archbishop in Andalusia was boring. I have a feeling the fault lay with me. It felt more like a explanation of current and historical Spain rather than a good mystery. There wasn't much of Bishop Blackie and his world and I, frankly, have never been much interested in Spain-again my failing, probably not that of the book.

Twilight came out last year (2 years ago?) and then was made into a blockbuster movie, the town of Forks, WA, which is where it was set, is making a bundle off of tourism (and I say "Go Forks!"), other vampire movies and tv series' are jumping on the bandwagon, and everyone is vampire crazy. Twilight, the book and the movie, were awful with an awful premise of a sexy, sweet vampire, his close-knit mainstream vampire clan, and a really stupid teenage girl who likes being stalked by him-not a great role model in my opinion. And, I have to admit, that I've never found vampires to be either sexy, adventurous, or even particularly interesting so this trend bores and annoys me. I heard an interview on the radio with S.E. Hinton and was intrigued so I picked up her latest book called Hawkes Harbor. NOWHERE on the cover or the blurb does it say this is about a VAMPIRE!!! You know there is a mystery coming and, in spite of the fact that it just wasn't a very compelling start, I waded through about half of it anticipating the mystery behind Hawkes Harbor only to find out it was a vampire. That's where I gave up on the book.

Two books this time. One terrific, one just pleasant. I read another one by SJ Bolton and was so impressed that I found her first one-Sacrifice. The first one I read was full of really interesting facts about snakes as well as a well-written, flawed main character. This was similar in that the main character is, again, flawed but brilliantly brought to life. It, too, is filled with interesting facts about the topic which happens to be the field of obstetrics. I hope she keeps writing.

The other one which was a pleasant time-waster was Dead Man's Bones by Susan Wittig Albert. China Bayles lives in Texas and runs Thyme and Seasons, an herb shop in partnership with Ruby who runs the Crystal Cave, a new age shop, and a tearoom called Thyme for Tea. Each chapter is headed with a tidbit about an herb and its qualities. China, of course, in the course of her life, marriage, and businesses, knows several law officers and regularly gets involved in murder investigations.

As always, Michael Connelly gabs my attention and keeps it all the way to the end. This time it was again Jack McEvoy a reporter for the LA Times who is being downsized because all newspapers are in financial trouble. He commands a large salary because of his experience and knowledge, others with less experience and smaller salaries are being kept. So he decides to find a last big story to go out with a bang. A serial killer will do!

I was in the middle of The Book Thief when I mentionned to my older daughter that it certainly was depressing. She just laughed and asked me what I was expecting! It was about a young girl in Germany in the middle of the Second World War and it was narrated by Death. I think the message was supposed to be about the uplifting power of words and books-i was just depressed.

The next one was Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bible. I have a very high tolerance for tweaking religions and beliefs but this one was even over th top for me as far as mocking things religious. Couldn't quite finish it.

Another one I couldn't quite finish was The October Country. It's a collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury. My main problem is I really don't like short stories. I always feel shortchanged. I like really getting to know the characters and to follow their lives which is probably why I like continuing series. Even following an author you really like (for example, Dick Francis) allows you to find their own particular voice and feel some familiarity.

A couple more that were good but, did not make a huge impression. The Odds by Kathleen George. She did a good job of tying several story lines together. Four siblings have been abandoned and are surviving on their own, a teen boy dies of a suspicious overdose, Nick Banks is just our of prison, trying to work off a debt and has given food to the 4 kids, the narcotics police are tracking down leads. All this gets tied together by Colleen and her partner which would be fine but the author throws in some personal story lines that seem totally extraneous-Colleen's in love with her married boss who has just been diagnosed with cancer, her partner's marriage is on the rocks and will Colleen and her partner hook up?

The other one is Awakening by S.J. Bolton which I did enjoy. It's an English vet which always hooks me right off the bat. Disfigured by a childhood accident she is a recluse and the author does a good job of dropping hints about the accident without explaining it in full until towards the end. The plot revolves around snakes who seem to be swarming and deaths from snakebites where the concentration of venom is many times one snake. And we'll also throw in a couple of exotic, highly poisonous snakes. There is a lot of really fun info about snakes which seems to be mostly accurate.

A couple of weeks ago I read The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist. It's not a short book-268 pages but I finished it in one day-mostly because, while it was fascinating, it was also so disturbing that I just didn't want to have to spend any more time with it than just that one day. It's a dystopian society, although set in a current time frame. At the age of 50 you have to present proof that you are "needed" by someone-a husband who loves you, children who need you, and siblings don't count. If you cannot provide that proof then you are collected by a bus and taken to The Unit where your every need-food, shelter, entertainment, arts, medical, etc-is taken care of quite lavishly and to keep you in the best health possible. In exchange for this end-of-life care you agree to be used in medical experiments and harvested piece by piece to be donated to the "neededs" until, ultimately, your final donation. At the end we find out that the pool of childless men and women is decreasing and protected professions, such as teachers amd medical personnel, are now being taken if they were childless. And there is talk of even lowering the age limit. A very scary book.

Another Jane Haddam with her Gregor Demarkian Holiday mysteries. One of my favorite series-I just worry that she'll run out of holidays and there won't be any more Demarkian and Bennis Hannaford! I came to this series late and this is one of the earlier ones that I had not read. It's always satisfying to fill in gaps in the characters' histories. This holiday is Thanksgiving and is set on an authentic replica of the Mayflower-a pretty awful place to spend 2 or 3 days.

Here's another quick, pleasant, unimportant series-Mystery bookstore owner Annie Laurance and her new husband P.I Max Darling by Carolyn G Hart. It reminds me an awful lot of a grown-up Nancy Drew! The one I just finished was Honeymoon with Murder. Nothng I'd recommend as wonderful but a pleasant way to spend a few hours when you really don't want to engage too much brain power.

A quick update-New River Blues by Elizabeth Gunn. I think I liked this author and the detective Sarah Burke. There was a nice blending of showing how she's trying to balance home and work life. I will look for another by this author.

A couple of books worth listing here. One is a cozy mystery-just for fun. It's Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson. Goldy is a caterer in Aspen Grove, Colorado married to the town policeman. She's an on-going fun character in a town, as usual in these types of mysteries, full of all types of 'characters'. This also fits into the cozy niche of food mysteries and has a handful of recipes to go along with the story-some look good, some not so much, some just seem like too much work. In this book there are shady doings at the spa resort and a professional feud between Goldy and the spa owner.

The next one is more serious-The Scenic Route by Binnie Kirshenbaum. Sylvia finds herself alone, and suddenly jobless. On a whim she flies to Italy where she meets Henry, a rich, middle-aged expatriate in a marriage of convenience which is why hwe is rich. They take off on a grand tour of Europe and fall in love. Sylvia tells him, and by extension us, stories of her life-some funny, some sad, all thought-provoking.

A while ago I read Gilead by Marilynne Robinson which I thought was wonderful. The premise is a man who unexpectedly, and delightedly became a father late in life is now dying. His son is only 7 years old and he is writing a letter (this book) to give his son information about his life and words of advice, and love. The man is a preacher who, by nature is introspective, and kind. A beautiful, beautifully written book. One to keep and underline.
I wanted another by the same author and found Housekeeping. Also, well-written, but left me depressed and sad rather than uplifted. Two girls are left on their (previously unknown) grandmother's porch. Their mother goes on to commit suicide and they are raised-or rather raise themselves-first by their grandmother, then their bumbling great-aunts, then their eccentric aunt. The outcome is not a pretty one. Their background obviously has mental illness in it and after the grandmother, none of the adults has any idea about children.

Two more books by an author that I trust. Earl Emerson is a Lieutenant in the Seattle Fire Department and written a series with a firefighter by the name of Thomas Black. I've enjoyed that series. These latest two are not part of that series but I found tham engaging, even so. Both use the premise of a basically innocent person who finds himself in the position of looking guilty in comparison to a truly evil character who, nevertheless, is taken to be the innocent party. Both books still use a firefighter as protagonists, although only The Smoke Room, actually spends very much time in a fire station or at fire scenes. I enjoyed The Smoke Room more than the other, Primal Threat. Primal Threat seemed to take forever to end.

Another wonderful book before I begin some unknowns. Rat Race by Dick Francis.

I went to the library and picked up several books without knowing anything about them or the author. One of them is Hot on the Trail by Jane Isenberg. It's not a bad book-just not very engaging. It should have been a quick, fun easy read but, instead I find myself picking it up and then finding other things to do rather than read-definitely NOT my usual MO. I usually have dozens of other things to do but find myself reading instead. Then I started another one that I would like to have had last for days because the plot, characters, writing, everything is so good it's sad to finish. This one is High Stakes by, who else?, but Dick Francis.

A long time ago I discovered the Mitford series by Jan Karon. It's a very low-key, calm, pleasant, friendly series with Father Tim Kavanaugh who lives in Mitford, North Carolina and is filled with wonderful, quirky characters. The most recent has just come out, Home to Holly Springs, and it takes Father Tim back to his hometown of Holly Springs, Mississippi. It turns out that he has a dificult childhood and had vowed never to return and for 38 years he kept that promise. Then a letter arrives with just the two words-Come home. A thoroughly delightful series.

During the last visit to the library I picked up 2 other G.M. Fords along with Red Tide. They are No Man's Land and Blown Away. These both are Frank Corso books who I have just met. After No Man's Land I had decided that I was only so-so on this protagonist and I read Blown Away just because I had it. That was going to be the last one, however, there is a cliff-hanger on the very last page so now I'm going to have to find the next one just to get it resolved. That one was published in 2006 so I'm hoping it's already out-I'll just have to do a little research to find out the title.

OK-enough with the Bio-hazards. Two authors I like and a topic that I'm usually ok with. But for some reason, right now, I just have no desire to read any more bio-hazard terrorism. The first was Red Tide by GM Ford, the second was Invasion Procedures by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston. I don't even have anything to say about them. Moving on........

I was at the library and found the Dick Francis shelf so I picked up a couple. The first is Slay Ride which I realized I had already read-but it had been several years and Francis is a good enough writer to reread. This one is set in Norway so that's a bit of a twist for Francis. The second one is Silks-just as good as expected. This one was co-written by his son whose name I cannot remember right now.

I also picked up a few by G.M. Ford. He writes the Leo WAterman series and the Frank Corso series. The first one is called Nameless Night. The copywrite is 2008 and it's his first stand alone protagonist without a coming sequel. Paul Hardy has was a John Doe found almost dead, mentally disabled, and sent to an adult group home. After a car accident he awakens with a new face and no sign of being disabled other than no memory of his life before the group home. It then becomes a story of his search for who he used to be and Homeland Security gone awry.

One more really short-Stonefather by Orson Scott Card. I'm not usually a fantasy buff but I like Card's sci-fi so I thought I'd give it a shot-yep, I'm not really a fantasy buff. That said, if you are it's not too bad-and very short!

The last of the Haddams I picked up at my used book store is Stillness in Bethlehem. Obviously a Christmas holiday set in Bethlehem, Vermont which puts on a Nativity play similar to the Passion Play in Germany's Oberammergau. Gregor and his friend Bennis have brought their friend Father Tiber Kasparian for a much needed rest. There have been two deaths which everyone is trying to convince themselves are hunting accidents but it becomes more and more obvious to Gregor that they were murders.

I will definitely be looking for the rest of the Demarkian series.

The second Haddam I found at the used book store is Quoth the Raven-set at a small liberal arts college where Gregor has been scheduled to give a lecture on murder on Hallowen night. The lecture, obviously turns into a description of the murder of one of their own professors and a secretary which Gregor solves.

I don't think I have listed this author on this site, yet, although she is not new to me. Jane Haddam-her protagonist is Gregor Demarkian who gets labeled "the Armenian-American Hercule Poirot" which he hates. He's a former FBI Behavioural Science Agent. Not officially working for anybody, but because of who he is everbody knows him and asks him for help, which means he gets involved in all sorts of fascinating situations. A wonderful character. The cover calls it "a Gregor Demarkian Holiday Mystery." I thought I had read a couple that were not set during a holiday but it may have been that the characters are so well drawn and the mysteries so well crafted that the holiday is just a setting and not the most important part. The one I just finished was Precious Blood, taking place during Easter in the overwhelmingly Catholic city of Colchester, NY

Another by Ian Rankin-Hide and Seek. This one is set earlier than the previous one I read, however, I don't know if it's the first-the copyright sets it at 1990. The detective John Rebus is pretty much the same as the other one-maybe not yet quite as hard-bitten or depressive. Still on the streets of Edinburgh. This book contrasts the seamy side of the city with new businesses, new homes, prosperity. Rebus senses something wrong with a seeming overdose but has difficulty coming up with hard proof to even turn it into a "case". Again, well-written. Is it too gloomy to continue?

I've just finished a book that I think was captivating-Additions by Toni Jordan. The book jacket calls it an engaging romantic comedy-I would never have used those words. Certainly engaging, some romance, a witty heroine-but not in any sense what I would think of as a romantic comedy. Grace is an obsessive-compulsive counter. She has to count everything in her life. It's her way of examining, making sense of, and valuing her life. It sets bounderies and connections for her. She is well-educated, bright, witty, and a delight to get to know but without doubt the disorder interferes with her life. Unfortunately, the "cure" turns out to be worse than the "disease" and she comes to decisions about illness and health, what it means to be broken and what parts make her unique and fully herself. Here's hoping that Toni Jordan follows us this first novel with a second.

I put a book on hold at the library-wish I could remember where I heard of it! It may have been one of "Pearls Picks"-Nancy Pearl-longtime head of The Library System-wrote a couple of books-nationally known. Anyway, it was great choice. The Ha-Ha by Dave King. His first, and I hope, not his last.

Howard is a war vet who has not been able to speak for 30 years because of a severe blow to his head during war. He is of normal intelligence and, in his mind, can respond to everything he hears. However, he no longer has the ability to transform those thoughts into verbal or written words. He also cannot read.

A note at the beginning of the book describes a ha-ha as a boundary wall concealed in a ditch so that it does not intrude upon the view. Howard is a gardener at a convent and they have built a berm at the edge of their property with a ha-ha concealed in it. Howard, against the nuns wishes, likes the almost weightless feeling of driving the lawnmower almost to the top and controlling the curve and descent-very dangerous.

Howard finds himself as temporary guardian of the son of his highschool girlfriend and his life is not only turned upside down but, in a sense, re-opened. He has led a quiet, relatively solitary, peaceful, life since coming to terms with his situation-a life closed down because it seems much too difficult any other way. Only now is he realizing how lonely, sad, frustrated, and filled with rage he was. We hear all of Howard's thoughts and feelings while also seeing the limited way he can communicate with others. A beautifully written book.

I have a daughter who is planning on attending The University of St. Andrews in Scotland next year so I have been interested in all things Scots! While browsing the mystery shelves at my local used bookstore I found,just by accident, Ian Rankin-Set in Darkness. Detective Inspector John Rebus in Edinbourough Scotland-grumpy, loner, alcoholic, brilliant with intuition, somewhat of a loose cannon, not trusted or liked by the higher-ups. This seems to be a common charcteristic of police detectives in mystery literature. Although I lived in Ireland for several years, Scotland is a land unto itself and I am not very familiar with its vocabulary, customs, etc. I'm going to have to find other novels set in Scotland which aren't quite so dreary (also, hopefully set in summer rather than winter!). Although I did find Rebus and his protege Siobhan Clarke compellingly written and will look for the beginning of the series-this one is already several books along.

Frustrating-I posted a few days ago and obviously forgot to hit publish post because it doesn't seem to be here!

Oh, well. Another Dick Francis I found that I hadn't read-Decider. As usual-any Dick Francis is superb.

Also Margaret Truman, daughter of Harry S., writes a series called the Capital Crimes mysteries. Murders set in different places in Washington D.C. Always a fun read with a couple of terrific on-going characters who, nevertheless, don't figure prominently in the books-Mackensie and Anabelle Smith. The one I just finished was Murder at Union Station.

I'm going to hit publish post NOW!

I had picked up 3 The Cat Who...books at one time and whizzed through all of them quickly. The one I posted about last time was written in (I think) 2007. After zooming through two more-The Cat Who Talked To Ghosts(1990), and The Cat Who Robbed a Bank(2000), I have, unfortunately, come to the conclusion that the series should have ended before 2007. While still only mildly amusing, the earlier ones are worth a couple of hours of mindless entertainment, the last one was not.

There's a series of The Cat Who...books. Usually charming, low-key, mildly witty,with a non-threatening, easy to solve mystery. Very much of the cozy, not a lot happens variety but familiar and a fun, easy, mindless read. However, I just finished The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers and I'm afraid it took mindless too far. It bordered on boring. Oh well, it was a cute series while it lasted.

First Offense by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg-Not terrible, not terrific. Probably won't pick up another one by this author. It couldn't decide if it was a romance gone astray or a murder mystery.

I found one more Michael Connelly through Whatsonmybookshelf.com and now I have finished the Connelly series. Makes me kind of sad. I had gotten attached to Harry Bosch even as he has become more and more focused (and in danger of corruption himself) on "speaking for the dead" by way of "the true detective". Connelly has introduced another character that I hope he writes more of-The Lincoln Lawyer. His name escapes me right now but he is a criminal lawyer. He bought three Lincolns at a sale and has a driver so he can use the car(s) as his office as he races from one courthouse and jail to another.

A long time ago I picked up Alexander McCall Smith's The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, read a few pages and dropped it. I thought it was boring. But I was book shopping with my mom and she convinced me that it really was as charming, etc, as all the reviews so I tried again and forced myself to get all the way through it. I was right-it was boring. Not awful, just boring. But there it is listed on my blog.

Just a quick note right now. Book club selection for this month was The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. Slow start to get used to style of an earlier age then a quick, swash-buckling finish. Fun to read, not sure if I'm interested in any other Scarlet Pimpernel sequels.

Hallelujah-found another Dick Francis that I hadn't read before-Straight. No need to even talk about it-it's Dick Francis!

Michael Connelly-The Narrows. Harry and Terry McCaleb are back together again in a way. Harry has been called by Terry's widow. She is not certain that his death was actually a rejection of his new heart. But she is reluctant to go to the police and has asked Harry to look into it. It, of course, turns into a much larger situation than expected. He ends up in the Nevada California desert tangling with the Feds and on the trail of the Poet-the serial killer he had chased once before. Whether or not Terry's death is an accident, natural causes, or murder isn't revealed until the very end. We spend a little more time with Harry's daughter and Harry ends up back on the LAPD force. I will be sorry when I run out of this series!

I ran across another book on my bookshelf which I hadn't remembered reading. Constance read it and told me it was not worth the time. I read just a page or two and it bacame clear why I had not remembered it-the only question is-"why did I put it back on the shelf?!" Good title-the Celtic Riddle-bad book, by Lyn Hamilton.

Only a few more Michael Connellys left. This one-Lost Light-brought us back to Harry Bosch. He's now working freelance. He has a private detective badge but isn't using ut. He's fixated on a cold case that has haunted him for years. But he's finding out that, as hard as the work was with a badge, it's even harder without one. However, true to form he solves the case with much mayhem and also finds a daughter he didn't know he had. It's good to have Harry back.

It's always interesting to see what ads Google puts up at the top of my blog. They are chosen by some super-duper computer that analyzes the words and, theoretically, matches the words to appropriate ads. I wonder where the DUI ad came from!

Stephen White, WArning Signs. A psychologist, wrestling with the ethical dilemma of knowing, or at least suspecting, that his patient is giving him information that could be dangerous. Does he tell? Who does he tell? Does it make any difference that his wife who works for the D.A. might be a target? I enjoyed this one. However, he gave the wife MS which I thought was an extraneous bit of complication. I'll look for this author again.

Another Michael Connelly-Chasing the Dime. Left Harry Bosch and Terry Connelly, although the main character did have a sister who was killed by a serial killer dubbed the Doll Maker who was caught by Harry. So there was still that tie-in. I thought there were a few gaps in this book, especially at the end where the main character is the main (innocent, obviously) suspect and the detective is determined to get enough proof to arrest him. The author completly skipped the section where the detective was being convinced to put a wire on the suspect and allow him to sting the actual culprit.

I've been away a long time. The holiday season seems to have been busier than usual. So while I continued to read-because how do people make it through a day without reading?-I have not kept up here.

It was my turn to host the bookclub. Several months ago my daughter had recommended "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin (I'm hoping the spelling is correct, I no longer have it in front of me to check). I held off on reading it so I could read it fresh for bookclub. Mostly because I wanted to shake up the group a little. I didn't honestly expect anyone to read it from cover to cover and I certainly didn't expect anyone to like it. I certainly didn't expect it to engender much conversation. But I'm finding out that I like this group. It's true that only a few read it completely but they were all very engaged with the book and the ideas and were all more than capable of offering ideas, opinions, feelings. The discussion(s) that came out of it wide-ranging and lasted until almost midnight, which is remarkable considering that most of them are moms with small kids.

I'm looking forward to next club night-The Giver by Lois Lowry.

To keep this short I'm just listing some of the other books I've read:
The other two Lowry books which are companions although not sequels to The Giver-Gathering Blue and Messenger.
Another Michael Connelly-A Darkness More Than Night-A Terry Caleb book although it brings in Harry Bosch.
And City of Bones-Oh no! Bosch turns in his badge!