Reading right now:

            “Blind Justice” by Anne Perry. So far this isn’t one of my favorite Anne Perry novels, but it is interesting and I love the characters. This is her 19^th William Monk novel. Earlier this year, she put out her 29^th Thomas Pitt novel. “Blind Justice” continues some of the elements that have appeared in her last couple novels in the series only this time Monk must work quickly to help family friend Judge Oliver Rathbone stay out of jail.

            As a teenager in 1954, Anne Perry (real name Juliet Hulme) was convicted of helping kill her best friend’s mother. At one time or another, there was lots of interest in the case especially when the movie “Heavenly Creatures” came out. Peter Graham revisits the case with his new book “Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century.” The book reexamines the case looking more at motive then previous books. The bio got good reviews for those of you who like some true crime once in a while.

On hold right now:

            “Bones of the Lost” by Kathy Reichs. This is Reichs’ 16^th Temperance Brennan book. In real life, Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the North Carolina Offices of the Chief Medical Examiner and also for a similar government department in Quebec. These are the books that the TV series “Bones” is based on.

Other Mysterious things:

            Everyone interested in mysteries should try some of the mystery novels with science fiction and fantasy (paranormal) overtones, I recently came across new author T. Aaron Payton’s “The Constantine Affliction.” This 2012 novel is a Steampunk novel about Pembroke Hanover, an aristocrat who assists police or private individuals in solving crimes, and E. Skye, a lady crusading journalist. In the first of what I hope is a series, Hanover and Skye uncover the truly monstrous nature of England’s most famous scientist.

            Casey Daniels has written nine Pepper Martin mysteries. When the series starts (with “Don of the Dead”), Pepper’s new job as a tour guild in a cemetery brings her in contact with the ghost of a Mafia don who threatens to make her life hell if she doesn’t find out who killed him. This is a really fun series with Pepper trying to cope with her abilities, difficult financial situation, and problematic love life.