Reading right now:

           

“The Escape” by David Baldacci. This is the third title in Baldacci’s John Puller series. Puller is a Military CID investigator who upon returning from Florida learns that his brother has escaped from prison. Puller finds himself on the wrong side of the law trying to find his brother and help him stay alive. Baldacci was a lawyer who lives in Virginia and writes amazing books. My favorite series is still the Camel Club. His books are exciting reads that you just want to take the day off and finish, but then you are so sad that they are done.

On hold right now:

            “Flesh and Blood” by Patricia Cornwell. This is her 22^nd book in the Kay Scarpetta series and, hopefully, a good one. I haven’t always been happy with Cornwell’s books which often get bogged down in family and personal issues that have grown tiresome over the years. Her latest finds her attempting to track down a serial sniper.

Other Mysterious Things:

New author Elisabeth de Mariaffi brings out her debut novel in January, 2015 which is called “The Devil You Know.” The book centers around rookie crime reporter Evie Jones who is haunted by the unsolved murder of her best friend. It’s a case that she can’t leave alone and one that she follows into territory that may get her killed.

            Known for his work on the TV series Monk and also for the books featuring Monk, Hy Conrad debuts a new series in January, 2015, called Amy’s Travel Mystery series. The first book in the series is called “Toured to Death” and features Amy and her Mother, who are travel agents with a nose for murder.

            In January, 2015, non-fiction writer Thom Hartmann’s new fiction series will start off with “Death in the Pines.” This first book in the Oakley Tyler series finds ex-PI Tyler running away to a cabin in the Vermont woods to retire in peace. Unfortunately, Jeremiah Smith finds him and asks him to save his newspaper reporter grandson who is under attack by a group of unknown men. After Smith is killed in a hit-and-run car accident, Tyler takes on the case which finds him in the middle of the genetic engineering controversy.

While Grant Jerkins’ 2015 novel “A Very Simple Crime” is slated to become a movie, his next novel is coming out in January, 2015. “Done in One” is a stand-alone novel about SWAT sniper Jake Denton and the difficult job he does.

Reading right now:

            “Die I Will Not” by Suzanne Rizzolo. English teacher Rizzolo writes a Regency London historical mystery series. This is the third in her series which started with “The Rose in the Wheel” and “Blood for Blood.” Her books center around lawyer Edward Buckler and Bow Street Runner John Chase. Rizzolo’s books have been called likeable, vivid, and intelligent. She brings Regency London to life with characters that you want to continue to get to know.

On hold right now:

            “A Fine Summer Day” by Charles Todd. This 17^th novel in the Ian Rutledge series comes out in January, 2015. Amazingly, Charles Todd is a pen name used by a Mother and son team writing together to achieve an amazing body of work which includes two separate series and some stand-alone novels. Inspector Ian Rutledge deals with major crimes in a post-World War I world while struggling to cope with his personal demons from the war. Todd’s second series stars Bess Crawford, a World War I nurse who solves mysteries. Two new books in the Crawford series came out in 2014, “An Unwilling Accomplice” and “The Maharani’s Pearls.” In August, 2015, they are planning on bringing out only their second stand-alone novel called “A Pattern of Lies.” This body of work is for those who like literate, historical mysteries.

Other Mysterious Things:

            “Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood” by William J. Mann. This true crime book reads like a mystery novel and is a great choice if you are a mystery reader who might like something different. It is about Hollywood actor and director, William Desmond Taylor’s murder in 1922 which remained unsolved until William Mann decided to solve his murder and write this fascinating book. The rights to the book have already been sold for TV.

            The winner of the Nero Award will be announced December 6, 2014. The Nero Awards are presented by The Wolfe Pack which is a society founded in 1978 to celebrate Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series. This year’s finalists include “Ask Not” by Max Allan Collins, “Three Can Keep a Secret” by Archer Mayor, “Murder as a Fine Art” by David Morrell, “A Study in Revenge” by Kieran Shields, and “A Question of Honor,” by Charles Todd.

Reading right now:

            “The Burning Room” by Michael Connelly. This is the 19^th Harry Bosch novel and they have all been fantastic. I love Harry Bosch and moving Bosch to LADP’s Open-Unsolved Unit with new partner rookie Detective Lucia Soto has given the series new life. This time Bosch catches an unusual cold case in which the victim dies after being shot nine years earlier. There’s no evidence, but there’s plenty of political complications. It’s hard to believe that anyone who loves mysteries hasn’t picked up the Bosch series, but if you haven’t yet read these run to the library and start at the beginning.

On hold right now:

            “Blue Labyrinth” by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Special Agent Pendergast is back in this 14^th book in the series. After one of Pendergast’s enemies ends up dead on his doorstep with a piece of turquoise in the deceased stomach, Pendergast chases the killer on a journey into his family’s past. This is an unusual and complicated mystery series which went a little off track for a while, but is now back on track with the regular characters back in great form trying to help Pendergast solve a complicated mystery filled with action and suspense.

Other Mysterious Things:

Let’s talk about Mary Higgins Clark! With her forthcoming book, “The Cinderella Murder,” she has been writing mystery and suspense novels since her first big hit in 1975 called “Where Are the Children?” Two of her books were made into films (“A Stranger is Watching” and “Where Are the Children?”) and other books were made into films for television. Clark is a survivor. She was raised by a single Mother because of the death of her Father when she was eleven. Her marriage ended early when her husband died of a heart attack in 1964. She was left to raise five children on her own (although she did remarry later). Writing saved her and through the years she has won many awards including the Grand Prix de Literature Policiere in France and she was chosen by the Mystery Writers of America as Grand Master of the 2000 Edgar Awards. As well as her stand-alone novels, Clark writes a series with her daughter Carol Higgins Clark. “The Cinderella Murder” was written with Alafair Burke (daughter of James Lee Burke). This is the first of a new series which centers on a television program featuring cold cases. The first cold case that the reality drama “Under Suspicion” covered was a huge success and the show helped solve the case. In picking the second episode, TV producer Laurie Moran decides the murder of UCLA student Susan Dempsey would be the perfect choice, but unexpected developments quickly arise.