Sunday, July 28, 2013


Reading right now:

 
           “The Black Country” by Alex Grecian is a fine follow up to “The Yard.” In the second installment of this historical murder series, the new Murder Squad detectives are sent to a small mining village where a family has disappeared, an eyeball was found in a tree, the town is sinking, and half the town is ill.

On hold right now:

            “What’s a Witch to Do?” by Jennifer Harlow which is the first in a new series called Midnight Magic. Mona McGregor is the High Priestess of a large coven in Virginia when she finds out that someone is trying to kill her in order to take over her job. Mona is warned by a sexy werewolf named Adam Blue who protects her while they try to determine who is behind the plot.

Of Interest (New Books coming out in August):

            “Guilt Edged” by Judith Cutler which is the sixth book in the Lina Townend mystery series. Townend is an antique dealer who usually uncovers crimes committed by others in her business, but this time finds herself accused of theft.

            “You Make Me Feel So Dead” by Robert J. Randisi is the eighth book in the Rat Pack mystery series. These books transport you back to the day when Frank Sinatra and “the Rat Pack” ruled entertainment and Vegas.

            “Flashpoint” by Ed Gorman is the fourth in the Dev Conrad series. Conrad is a political consultant working on Senator Robert Logan’s election when one of the women working on the campaign is murdered.

Monday, July 22, 2013


Reading right now:

Donna Andrews’ “The Hen of the Baskervilles” is the latest in the Meg Langslow series. This is a fabulous cozy series. Meg is great and her family is funny and quirky. The latest revolves around the local county fair where politics, competition, and murder flourish. If you haven’t read this series and you want to start at the beginning find “Murder With Peacocks” and read right through all 15 books in this great series. Ms. Andrews is one of those authors I watch for and always look forward to her latest book. She never disappoints.

 

On hold right now:

“Fifth Grave Past the Light” by Darynda Jones. This is the fifth book in the paranormal mystery series which stars Charley Davidson. Charley’s job as the grim reaper is keeping her really busy when a serial killer becomes active in her neighborhood and Charlie finds out her sister is next on his list. Do not miss this series! It is funny and sexy and suspenseful.

Of Interest (New Books coming out in July):

“Unleashed” by David Rosenfelt is out this month. This is the 11th great Andy Carpenter mystery. This is a great series full of laughs, dogs, and murder. What more could you ask for?

Vince Flynn died in June. It seems a good time to read his books and wait for “The Survivor” which comes out in October and is the 14th book in his Mitch Rapp series.

Jeff Abbott’s “Downfall” is the third book in the Ex-CIA agent Sam Capra series. The first book was “Adrenaline” which came out in 2010 and may soon be a movie.

Sunday, July 14, 2013


Reading right now:

            “The 9th Girl” is the fourth book in Tami Hoag’s Kovac/Liska series. Kovac and Liska are two Minneapolis detectives trying to enjoy New Year’s Eve when a dead girl falls from the trunk of a car into oncoming traffic. The victim is the ninth unidentified female to die in the Minneapolis area that year. While they struggle to place a name to their victim, they are also trying to decide if all their victims are the work of one serial killer which they are calling Doc Holiday because the deaths happen around a holiday.

On hold right now:

            “Let It Burn” is the 10th book in Steve Hamilton’s Alex McKnight series. Alex McKnight returns to Detroit to reconnect with a woman he cannot forget and ends up looking into an old case that he thought was long closed.

Of Interest (New Books coming out in July):

            John & Blaize Clement’s latest pet sitter cozy is out: “The Cat Sitter’s Cradle: A Dixie Hemingway Mystery. This is the eighth in what is an increasingly popular series.


            John Florio’s “Sugar Pop Moon: A Jersey Leo Novel” has been called riveting and gritty. It is both a mystery and a coming of age novel which takes place in both 1906 and 1930.

            The second in the Willie Black (crime reporter) series by Howard Owen called “The Philadelphia Quarry” just came out.

Monday, July 8, 2013


Reading right now:

            “Inferno” by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon is back. This time he wakes up in a Florence hospital with no memory of how he got there or what happened over the past two days. When someone shows up to kill him in the hospital, he goes on the run to try to solve the puzzle of who is trying to kill him and why.
               

On hold right now:

            “Death of a Robber Barron” by Charles O’Brien. This is the first in O’Brien’s new Gilded Age mystery series. In 1891 New York City, Mrs. Pamela Thompson becomes penniless when her husband invests in questionable copper stocks. Forced to take a job as a store detective, she finds that she is good at the job.

Of Interest (New Books coming out in July):

            “Care Homes are Murder” by Mike Befeler is the fifth book in his Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit series.

            “A Dangerous Fiction” by Barbara Rogan is the first in a new series which introduces Jo Donovan, a literary agent who also solves a few mysteries.

            John Dufresne’s “No Regrets, Coyote” revolves around Wylie “Coyote” Melville, a therapist and forensic consultant, who is called on to help solve the mystery surrounding the murder of five members of the Halliday family.

Other Mysteries of Interest:

            Before “Homeland,” Damian Lewis had a show called “Life.” The series was on for two seasons and is now available to stream on Netflix. Lewis plays Charlie Crews, a detective released from prison after serving 12 years for a crime he didn’t commit. The show (and the character of Charlie Crews) is quirky and fun. Well worth watching.