1. DEATH MASKS by Jim Butcher. #5 Harry Dresden paranormal series. Once again Harry races through the book on 20 minutes sleep chasing bad guys, trying to earn enough money to stay out of the poorhouse, and to keep one step ahead of the White Council. In this book, Harry is challenged to a duel to the death by a warlord vampire of the Red Court, is hired by a Vatican official to recover the Shroud of Turin, which has been stolen by an international mob of religious artifacts thieves known as the Churchmice, and must deal with the return of Susan, his girlfriend who has been turned into a sort of ‘half a vampire’ and who has been away from Chicago for a year. Quick-paced, full of Harry’s usual wit and wisdom, and enjoyable as always. A.
2. AMAGANSETT by Mark Mills. Historical mystery set in coastal NY after WWII. This book was a slow starter; I nearly gave up after 40 or 50 pages, but I’m glad I didn’t because at some point I found myself totally sucked in and the book got very difficult to put down. Story of a young socialite found drowned off the coast of Long Island, hauled in by two fishermen when her body became tangled in their nets. The medical examiner lists it as an accidental drowning, but Deputy Hollis has a ‘feeling’ that she didn’t die of natural causes although there are no overt signs of foul play. He’s ordered to leave the case alone but investigates on his own. Told from the perspective of Hollis as well as Conrad Labarde, one of the fishermen who found the body. Lots of flashbacking and backstory explanations which did get a little tedious over time but also helped to really flesh out the main characters. It’s only this extensive flashbacking that caused me to lower the grade slightly. Otherwise, excellent story! B+
3. BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD by Sean Chercover. I started reading this book and after just a few pages, thought to myself, “Oh no! It’s a MOB book!” Mob books and movies are definitely not my favorites. As in, I would not knowingly pick one up. LOL But I kept reading for a few more pages, and the next thing you know, I was coming up for air at the end of chapter nine. This is the best hardboiled PI mystery that I’ve read in a long time, mob book or no. PI Ray Dudgeon is a likable, if doomed character with a set of very interesting friends and acquaintances, some of whom are affiliated with the Chicago “Outfit” as we’re told the Mafia are referred to there. Excellent book. Fast-paced, well-plotted and with well-fleshed characters, it’s hard to believe that it’s a first novel. A+
4. THE LAST JUDGEMENT by Iain Pears. #4 Jonathan Argyll “art history” mystery in which ghosts of the past float up to haunt Flavia and Jonathan as they try to figure out how a painting that Jonathan bought figures into two murders and a multitude of other curious incidents. Enjoyable read as always, as our two intrepid heroes jaunt across Europe chasing answers about an obscure and unimportant painting, The Death of Socrates, and the people who owned it in the past. Tied in with Nazi war criminals, Resistance members, and people who aren’t what they seem, the painting is causing Jonathan more trouble than he ever dreamed possible. A.
5. FROM TIME TO TIME by Jack Finney. Sequel to Finney’s time-travel classic, Time and Again, this book begins with Simon Morley, our intrepid hero, back in the 1880’s, the time he chose to stay in at the end of the first book. But something happens that spurs him to temporarily leave his wife Julia and their son Willy in 1882 and head back to modern times—and then again to another time altogether! While I mostly enjoyed this book, I felt it got a bit draggy and repetitive in spots and it wasn’t quite as compelling a read as Time and Again. The book raises some interesting questions: if you could go back in time and change a few small things that would ultimately change the course of history (would that be the future?) and affect the world you live in today in unfathomable ways, would you? I give this one a B.
6. THE MAGICIAN’S GUILD by Trudi Canavan. Black Magician trilogy Book 1, about a teenage girl named Sonea, a commoner who gets caught up in a protest against the Magicians on Purge day. When she becomes very angry and throws a rock that breaches the Magicians’ magical barrier, it’s obvious that Sonea must have latent magical power. Soon everyone is searching for her—from the Guild itself to fellow slum-dwellers, eager for the reward that turning her in would bring. Sonea is shuttled from hiding place to hiding place by a small group of friends while trying to make sense of her new-found magic power—only to discover just how dangerous it can be when she has no idea how to control it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The writing style kept you reading on and on, and while it contains many of the elements that make up other fantasy books and is not a terribly unique story-line, I thought it was a very well-told story and the author was able to make her characters and settings come to life. A.
7. THE MUGGER by Ed McBain. #2 in the 87th Precinct police procedural series, this book is an oldy moldy! It’s older than I am, and that’s pretty darned old. LOL I’ve read many of these years ago and am now in the process of re-reading them all and will eventually catch up with the newer ones. This book features a mugger who wears sunglasses at night, robs women of their money, slugs them in the face and then bows at the waist and says, “Clifford thanks you” before running off. It’s a foregone conclusion that things are going to go beyond mugging at some point, and they do. The book is a bit dated (this WAS written in 1956 after all!) so there were some things I had a good chuckle about, like a Detective 2nd Grade making just over $5k a year, and other things that were sort of annoying—like a stool pigeon who talks constantly in that 50’s hip slang, daddy-o, you dig? (I kept thinking of him as Maynard G. Krebs! LOL) But it was a quick, enjoyable read and I look forward to the rest of the series. B+
8. THIRTY-THREE TEETH by Colin Cotterill. #2 Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery, set in 1970’s Laos. Dr. Siri is the reluctant 72-year-old national coroner in post-Vietnam war Laos, as well as the current embodiment of an ancient Hmong shaman. Thus, he sees ghosts and hears spirits which help him in his mystery-solving. With his devil-may-care attitude, he is often bordering on running afoul of the new Communist regime in Laos, mostly because he would love nothing more than for his superiors to remove him from office and let him retire in peace. As with the last book, several mysteries and sub-plots join forces to make this a full and interesting book. Full of ‘woo woo’ (supernatural stuff) so if you don’t like that sort of thing, you may as well just stay away from this one. Except that Dr. Siri is such a delightful character I would recommend him to anyone! A.
9. DEAD SOULS by Ian Rankin. #10 Inspector Rebus British police procedural. For some reason, I had a hard time getting into and getting through this book. Rebus investigates the disappearance of the 19-year-old son of some old school friends from Fife, and the whole issue of “MisPers” (missing persons) is explored. While that is happening, he also contemplates the suicide death of a fellow officer who seemed to have it all going for him, and Rebus believes he was murdered for some reason. Then the subject of paedophiles and childhood abuse comes up, with that theme running through several cases, old and new. The book seemed a bit ‘bloated’ though, the storylines getting sidetracked from time to time, and this detracted from the story rather than enhancing it as sometimes is the case. Usually when I pick up a Rebus book, it’s hard for me to put it down and I’m done in a day or two. This one, I would read a couple dozen pages and become distracted, set it aside to go read something else for awhile and it took me nearly a week to get through it. C+
10. THE LAST JEW by Noah Gordon. Historical fiction taking place in 1480’s to early 1500’s during the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Many converted to Catholicism rather than leave, but many who converted (‘conversos’) were later hunted down by the Inquisition, persecuted and burned at the stake. This is the story of Yonah Toledano, teenage son of a master silversmith who is separated from his family during their hasty flight from their home. His father is killed, his younger brother, aunt and uncle flee to who knows where, and Yonah finds himself totally alone, to the point where he feels like the last Jew in Spain. As he wanders from town to town, farm to farm, working manual labor jobs and staying in each place for only a few seasons (occasionally a few years until trouble managed to find him again) and eventually apprenticing himself to a physician in Saragossa, pretending outwardly to be Christian but inside still trying to stay true to the memory of his father and remain a Jew, Yonah meets many fascinating people and has many adventures. Absolutely wonderful story, very atmospheric and moving, and with an appropriate ending. A+
11. AGATHA RAISIN AND THE FAIRIES OF FRYFAM by M.C. Beaton. #10 Agatha Raisin mystery in which Agatha (once again fleeing Carsely to try to escape the memory of her beloved James who is still “away”) ventures off to rent a cottage in the little Norfolk village of Fryfam. It’s not long before Agatha’s out of sorts, a murder has occurred and she’s tangled up right in the midst of it. Meanwhile, little mysterious lights keep appearing in her garden, and the neighbors, a superstitious lot, attribute them to ‘the fairies’ since this is such an ‘old country’ and all. A typical, light enjoyable Agatha Raisin book. B+
12. CROWNER’S QUEST by Bernard Knight. #3 in the Crowner John historical mystery series set in 1190’s Devon, UK. A priest is found hanged in the privy behind his home, at first presumed a suicide but upon further investigation, it’s obvious someone else did the deed. Why would anyone kill such a quiet, mousy little man who was happiest in the church library poring over history books, especially on a holy day such as the Eve of Christ’s Mass? When a second murder takes place a few days later, Crowner John de Wolfe begins to see the connections though of course his brother-in-law the Sheriff would disagree and seems to be deliberately trying to keep the coroner from investigating fully. Political intrigues and women troubles plague the Crowner in this book and a simple little murder is never quite what it seems. Enjoyable historical mystery with refreshingly realistic characters. A.
13. GIRL IN HYACINTH BLUE by Susan Vreeland. Historical fiction, actually a book of short stories that follow a painting from modern times back to the painter and the subject of the painting. It's many different stories and varied lives woven into one tale. I like stories like this that follow an object (a painting, a house, a place) through history, and Vreeland did this one very well, able to narrate a story from the perspective of a wide variety of characters, from a modern-day math professor in the USA to a French Lady in the time of Louis XIV, to a Dutch farm wife. I enjoyed it very much and will be looking for more from this author. A.
DNF: SHADOWMANCER by G.P. Taylor. Fantasy book that was (to me) childishly and amateurishly written. Gave it a good 40 pages but couldn’t get interested in the story or the characters and the author’s writing style I just found annoying.
Cheryl
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
JANUARY READING:
1. THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hossieni. Story of a young man from Afghanistan, what it was like growing up there in the 70’s and then fleeing to America during the turmoil and wars. Also a story of love, betrayal, forgiveness and hope. I enjoyed the book for its richness of cultural detail and because I felt totally immersed in Amir’s world, although I have to admit that his constant reference to his ‘shame’ and ‘cowardliness’ etc. grew old and wearying after awhile. The ending was actually good (I was worried I’d be disappointed, as so many books seem to do at the ending lately) and I enjoyed the book. Not as “outstanding” as the hype would have you believe, but still a great read. B+
2. JACK, KNAVE & FOOL by Bruce Alexander. #5 Sir John Fielding historical mystery set in 1770’s London and centering on the Bow Street Court. As usual with this series, several mysteries entwine to make an interesting mix. Annie, the cook, is learning to read and also joins a local choir. Jeremy begins reading his law books as his responsibilities for Sir John grow greater, and he feels much shame when he lets a prisoner escape. When it is brought to light later that the prisoner has a 12-year-old daughter, Jeremy gets involved with trying to help them. Meanwhile, Sir John is certain that the nephew of a prominent citizen has killed him off, but is unable to prove it—yet. As always, an excellent entry in the series. A.
3. THE RIDDLE OF THE THIRD MILE by Colin Dexter. #6 in the Chief Inspector Morse series set in Oxford. In this book, an Oxford don goes missing and Morse is contacted by the Vice-Headmaster. A body later turns up, of course, but how did it get to where it was found and who would so savagely mutilate it? And is it really Dr. Browne-Smith’s body after all? Enjoyable read, as all the Morse books have ever been for me. One of my favorite series. A.
4. THE WINTER KING by Bernard Cornwell. #1 in the Arthurian trilogy. Told from the point of view of Derfel, a servant of Merlin—actually a captured Saxon slave freed by the powerful Druid. Derfel later becomes one of Arthur’s warrior captains. Set in 480 A.D., the story tells of the wars and strife of the times—various British tribes against one another, against the Saxons, against the Franks, Christians against the Pagans, etc. and weaves Cornwell’s own brand of history with legend as his unique story of Arthur, Mordred, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the like is painted on the canvas. I quite enjoyed his telling of the first part of the tale and plan to collect this set in hardcover for my Keeper shelf. A.
5. BIRDMAN by Mo Hayder. Serial killer/ thriller set in London, about a necrophiliac who kills and mutilates prostitutes. Not for the faint of heart, but quite a riveting tale with the usual angst-driven police inspector with a tormented past that colors his way of thinking and doing things. (Is there not a ‘normal’ detective anywhere on the planet, I ask? LOL) Very difficult to put down. A.
6. ALL SHE WAS WORTH by Miyuki Miyabe. Japanese mystery about a police detective currently on medical leave and a private investigation he undertakes for his nephew, whose fiancée has disappeared after an argument they had. The investigation leads Honma into the murky world of excessive credit card debt, bankruptcy, identity theft and murder. Very enjoyable read—I always like getting immersed in the culture of a different country and enjoy the authenticity that an author who is a native of that country provides. The mystery was also very intriguing, and I liked the main character a lot. Unfortunately, I believe the author doesn’t write series books, just stand-alones, but I enjoyed this enough to seek out more by the same author even though I probably won’t be meeting the main character again. A-.
7. THE FIELD GUIDE (SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. Children’s fantasy about 3 kids who move into their great-aunt’s old house with their mother and discover a secret room, a riddle that leads to a book and ‘something in the walls’ that turns out to be something not quite of this world and seems determined to get them in trouble. A bit ‘young’ for my taste (I read it in less than an hour) but still enjoyable tale. B.
8. SABRIEL by Garth Nix. #1 in the Abhorsen fantasy series, and…WOW! I absolutely loved this book and found it very difficult to put down. This book has been on my shelf for months if not years. My daughter recommended it to me at least a year ago. Why did I not listen?? LOL Sabriel, daughter of The Abhorsen, a powerful necromancer who fights the dead, finishes high school in Anglesierre on the other side of the magical wall and is summoned to her birthplace, The Old Kingdom, by the spirit of her father. She has become the Abhorsen until she can free his spirit from Death…IF indeed she can do so. Under-trained, unknowledgeable about what’s been happening in her homeland, she sets out on a journey to save her father and meets some interesting characters and creatures along the way. A+
9. CROWN IN DARKNESS by Paul C. Doherty. #2 in the Hugh Corbett medieval mystery series, in which the Chancellor sends Corbett north to Scotland to investigate the death of their King Alexander. An accident? Or a carefully plotted murder? This is a short book (under 200 pages) and yet it seemed to take me quite awhile to read. I find the writing style a bit plodding and difficult to get through, and my mind wandered a lot. The subject matter and detail did keep me interested enough to complete it, though. There are certainly many historical mystery series that I enjoy more and I’m not sure when I will get back to this one. C+
10. BLIND TO THE BONES by Stephen Booth. #4 in the Ben Cooper/Diane Fry British police procedural series set in the Peak District. The disappearance of a college student two years ago ties in with a present-day murder as Ben and Diane investigate (mostly separately) the goings-on in the tiny village of Withens. Ben and Diane continue to each deal with their own demons as well. I really do not like Diane Fry as a character, but I am beginning to understand her more with each book. I love this series and this book was no exception. This one is, IMO, the best so far. A+
11. SOURCERY by Terry Pratchett. #5 in publication order of the Discworld fantasy books, this one again features Rincewind, the Luggage, Librarian, etc. as they speed away from Ankh-Morpork with the Archchancellor’s wizard hat. The hat asked to be stolen, you see, to keep young Coin, a true Sorcerer who walked into the Univesity and proclaimed himself Archchancellor, from putting it on. As always, Pratchett’s books make me laugh out loud, and also make me read slowly because sometimes one of his puns or jokes won’t hit me til several pages later—then I have to go back and read it again to make sure I got it! LOL A.
12. THIRD PERSON SINGULAR by K.J. Erickson. #1 in the Marshall “Mars” Bahr mystery series set in Minneapolis. When a high school senior from the wealthy suburb of Edina is found murdered in an unlikely area of Minneapolis, Mars looks desperately for suspects, but none are forthcoming. Several months later, new clues come to light and the investigation takes off once again. I enjoyed this first entry in the series, getting to know “Mars” and the supporting cast of characters. Erickson paints a vivid picture of Minneapolis and from what I can tell (I’m not a native of the city but I do live in the ‘burbs now) fairly accurate, too. There were a few little bits and bobs here and there that grated on my nerves, and I did figure out the bad guy well ahead of time, but still enjoyed it and will read more. B+.
13. WIT’CH FIRE by James Clemens. First in the “Banned and the Banished” fantasy series in which Elena, a young farm girl in Alasea discovers (with the help of her Uncle Bol) that she is the Wit’ch long prophesied to help the world slip out from under the dark rule of Lord Gul’gotha. She ends up banded together with a bunch of people and creatures of legend, they sworn to protect her and she only longing for the simple farm life she once had. Quite enjoyable and while there are some clichéd plotlines similar to many epic fantasy tales, it’s also sufficiently different to keep it interesting for the most part. There’s a fair bit of graphic violence and gory creatures and such, so best not for those prone to nightmares. LOL B+.
14. THE EVE OF ST. HYACINTH by Kate Sedley. #5 Roger the Chapman mystery set in 1270’s England in which Roger once again gets involved with the Plantagenet brothers: King Edward, George of Clarence and most especially Duke Richard, whose life is found to be in danger once again. Roger is enlisted to join the Duke’s household by Timothy Plummer to help find the mastermind behind a plan to assassinate Richard and the trail leads them to France and potentially another war. As always, enjoyable read with enough historical detail but a writing style that doesn’t get bogged down in minutiae. A.
15. DEATH OF A SNOB by M.C. Beaton. #6 in the Hamish MacBeth cozy Scottish police procedural series, in which Hamish, bereft of plans for the Christmas holiday, takes up the invite of a friend of Priscilla’s and joins her at her health farm on a lonely island to investigate whether or not someone is trying to kill her. Someone DOES die, but it’s not Jane—it’s Heather, one of her houseguests. Was Heather murdered because she was Heather or because someone thought she was Jane? Supt. Blair writes off the murder as an accident but Hamish knows better and eventually gets his man. As usual, a quick, light and enjoyable read. B+
16. NO MAN STANDING by Barbara Seranella. #5 Munch Mancini mystery, read this month in honor of the author at her untimely passing. Not that I need my arm twisted to pick up a Munch book!! In this installment, Munch’s friend Ellen’s mother and step-father are brutally murdered the day before Ellen is released from prison. Is this a message to Ellen? And will Ellen get the message or will Munch be dragged into yet another intrigue? And with Detective Rico Chacón investigating the murders, will Munch really mind being involved in the investigation? Another great read in this series, smack full of authenticity and a down-to-earth protagonist that you’re pulling for all the way. A.
DNF: BAD MOVE by Linwood Barclay. You know when you’re only in chapter 3 and already skimming, it’s not a good sign.
Cheryl
1. THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hossieni. Story of a young man from Afghanistan, what it was like growing up there in the 70’s and then fleeing to America during the turmoil and wars. Also a story of love, betrayal, forgiveness and hope. I enjoyed the book for its richness of cultural detail and because I felt totally immersed in Amir’s world, although I have to admit that his constant reference to his ‘shame’ and ‘cowardliness’ etc. grew old and wearying after awhile. The ending was actually good (I was worried I’d be disappointed, as so many books seem to do at the ending lately) and I enjoyed the book. Not as “outstanding” as the hype would have you believe, but still a great read. B+
2. JACK, KNAVE & FOOL by Bruce Alexander. #5 Sir John Fielding historical mystery set in 1770’s London and centering on the Bow Street Court. As usual with this series, several mysteries entwine to make an interesting mix. Annie, the cook, is learning to read and also joins a local choir. Jeremy begins reading his law books as his responsibilities for Sir John grow greater, and he feels much shame when he lets a prisoner escape. When it is brought to light later that the prisoner has a 12-year-old daughter, Jeremy gets involved with trying to help them. Meanwhile, Sir John is certain that the nephew of a prominent citizen has killed him off, but is unable to prove it—yet. As always, an excellent entry in the series. A.
3. THE RIDDLE OF THE THIRD MILE by Colin Dexter. #6 in the Chief Inspector Morse series set in Oxford. In this book, an Oxford don goes missing and Morse is contacted by the Vice-Headmaster. A body later turns up, of course, but how did it get to where it was found and who would so savagely mutilate it? And is it really Dr. Browne-Smith’s body after all? Enjoyable read, as all the Morse books have ever been for me. One of my favorite series. A.
4. THE WINTER KING by Bernard Cornwell. #1 in the Arthurian trilogy. Told from the point of view of Derfel, a servant of Merlin—actually a captured Saxon slave freed by the powerful Druid. Derfel later becomes one of Arthur’s warrior captains. Set in 480 A.D., the story tells of the wars and strife of the times—various British tribes against one another, against the Saxons, against the Franks, Christians against the Pagans, etc. and weaves Cornwell’s own brand of history with legend as his unique story of Arthur, Mordred, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the like is painted on the canvas. I quite enjoyed his telling of the first part of the tale and plan to collect this set in hardcover for my Keeper shelf. A.
5. BIRDMAN by Mo Hayder. Serial killer/ thriller set in London, about a necrophiliac who kills and mutilates prostitutes. Not for the faint of heart, but quite a riveting tale with the usual angst-driven police inspector with a tormented past that colors his way of thinking and doing things. (Is there not a ‘normal’ detective anywhere on the planet, I ask? LOL) Very difficult to put down. A.
6. ALL SHE WAS WORTH by Miyuki Miyabe. Japanese mystery about a police detective currently on medical leave and a private investigation he undertakes for his nephew, whose fiancée has disappeared after an argument they had. The investigation leads Honma into the murky world of excessive credit card debt, bankruptcy, identity theft and murder. Very enjoyable read—I always like getting immersed in the culture of a different country and enjoy the authenticity that an author who is a native of that country provides. The mystery was also very intriguing, and I liked the main character a lot. Unfortunately, I believe the author doesn’t write series books, just stand-alones, but I enjoyed this enough to seek out more by the same author even though I probably won’t be meeting the main character again. A-.
7. THE FIELD GUIDE (SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. Children’s fantasy about 3 kids who move into their great-aunt’s old house with their mother and discover a secret room, a riddle that leads to a book and ‘something in the walls’ that turns out to be something not quite of this world and seems determined to get them in trouble. A bit ‘young’ for my taste (I read it in less than an hour) but still enjoyable tale. B.
8. SABRIEL by Garth Nix. #1 in the Abhorsen fantasy series, and…WOW! I absolutely loved this book and found it very difficult to put down. This book has been on my shelf for months if not years. My daughter recommended it to me at least a year ago. Why did I not listen?? LOL Sabriel, daughter of The Abhorsen, a powerful necromancer who fights the dead, finishes high school in Anglesierre on the other side of the magical wall and is summoned to her birthplace, The Old Kingdom, by the spirit of her father. She has become the Abhorsen until she can free his spirit from Death…IF indeed she can do so. Under-trained, unknowledgeable about what’s been happening in her homeland, she sets out on a journey to save her father and meets some interesting characters and creatures along the way. A+
9. CROWN IN DARKNESS by Paul C. Doherty. #2 in the Hugh Corbett medieval mystery series, in which the Chancellor sends Corbett north to Scotland to investigate the death of their King Alexander. An accident? Or a carefully plotted murder? This is a short book (under 200 pages) and yet it seemed to take me quite awhile to read. I find the writing style a bit plodding and difficult to get through, and my mind wandered a lot. The subject matter and detail did keep me interested enough to complete it, though. There are certainly many historical mystery series that I enjoy more and I’m not sure when I will get back to this one. C+
10. BLIND TO THE BONES by Stephen Booth. #4 in the Ben Cooper/Diane Fry British police procedural series set in the Peak District. The disappearance of a college student two years ago ties in with a present-day murder as Ben and Diane investigate (mostly separately) the goings-on in the tiny village of Withens. Ben and Diane continue to each deal with their own demons as well. I really do not like Diane Fry as a character, but I am beginning to understand her more with each book. I love this series and this book was no exception. This one is, IMO, the best so far. A+
11. SOURCERY by Terry Pratchett. #5 in publication order of the Discworld fantasy books, this one again features Rincewind, the Luggage, Librarian, etc. as they speed away from Ankh-Morpork with the Archchancellor’s wizard hat. The hat asked to be stolen, you see, to keep young Coin, a true Sorcerer who walked into the Univesity and proclaimed himself Archchancellor, from putting it on. As always, Pratchett’s books make me laugh out loud, and also make me read slowly because sometimes one of his puns or jokes won’t hit me til several pages later—then I have to go back and read it again to make sure I got it! LOL A.
12. THIRD PERSON SINGULAR by K.J. Erickson. #1 in the Marshall “Mars” Bahr mystery series set in Minneapolis. When a high school senior from the wealthy suburb of Edina is found murdered in an unlikely area of Minneapolis, Mars looks desperately for suspects, but none are forthcoming. Several months later, new clues come to light and the investigation takes off once again. I enjoyed this first entry in the series, getting to know “Mars” and the supporting cast of characters. Erickson paints a vivid picture of Minneapolis and from what I can tell (I’m not a native of the city but I do live in the ‘burbs now) fairly accurate, too. There were a few little bits and bobs here and there that grated on my nerves, and I did figure out the bad guy well ahead of time, but still enjoyed it and will read more. B+.
13. WIT’CH FIRE by James Clemens. First in the “Banned and the Banished” fantasy series in which Elena, a young farm girl in Alasea discovers (with the help of her Uncle Bol) that she is the Wit’ch long prophesied to help the world slip out from under the dark rule of Lord Gul’gotha. She ends up banded together with a bunch of people and creatures of legend, they sworn to protect her and she only longing for the simple farm life she once had. Quite enjoyable and while there are some clichéd plotlines similar to many epic fantasy tales, it’s also sufficiently different to keep it interesting for the most part. There’s a fair bit of graphic violence and gory creatures and such, so best not for those prone to nightmares. LOL B+.
14. THE EVE OF ST. HYACINTH by Kate Sedley. #5 Roger the Chapman mystery set in 1270’s England in which Roger once again gets involved with the Plantagenet brothers: King Edward, George of Clarence and most especially Duke Richard, whose life is found to be in danger once again. Roger is enlisted to join the Duke’s household by Timothy Plummer to help find the mastermind behind a plan to assassinate Richard and the trail leads them to France and potentially another war. As always, enjoyable read with enough historical detail but a writing style that doesn’t get bogged down in minutiae. A.
15. DEATH OF A SNOB by M.C. Beaton. #6 in the Hamish MacBeth cozy Scottish police procedural series, in which Hamish, bereft of plans for the Christmas holiday, takes up the invite of a friend of Priscilla’s and joins her at her health farm on a lonely island to investigate whether or not someone is trying to kill her. Someone DOES die, but it’s not Jane—it’s Heather, one of her houseguests. Was Heather murdered because she was Heather or because someone thought she was Jane? Supt. Blair writes off the murder as an accident but Hamish knows better and eventually gets his man. As usual, a quick, light and enjoyable read. B+
16. NO MAN STANDING by Barbara Seranella. #5 Munch Mancini mystery, read this month in honor of the author at her untimely passing. Not that I need my arm twisted to pick up a Munch book!! In this installment, Munch’s friend Ellen’s mother and step-father are brutally murdered the day before Ellen is released from prison. Is this a message to Ellen? And will Ellen get the message or will Munch be dragged into yet another intrigue? And with Detective Rico Chacón investigating the murders, will Munch really mind being involved in the investigation? Another great read in this series, smack full of authenticity and a down-to-earth protagonist that you’re pulling for all the way. A.
DNF: BAD MOVE by Linwood Barclay. You know when you’re only in chapter 3 and already skimming, it’s not a good sign.
Cheryl
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