Reading right now:

“Cold Days” by Jim Butcher!--which is pretty much all that needs to be said. Jim Butcher’s first novel starring Harry Dresden came out in 2000 and was called “Storm Front.” In the beginning, Harry was just a wizard PI trying to make sense of his talent and abilities. Fourteen books later, Harry is the Winter Knight brought back from the “almost” dead by Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness.

The Dresden novels may not be traditional mysteries, but they have lots of mystery elements with a few special, supernatural features. The main character is someone you would love to know and the writing is compelling. Even if you aren’t into fantasy novels, you might want to give Dresden a try. (My new puppy loves Dresden as well!)

On hold right now:

            Peter Helton’s “Falling More Slowly” which is the first novel in his Detective Inspector Liam McClusky series. Helton currently has two mystery series going: the McClusky series and the Chris Honeysett series. Honeysett is a PI who happens to be an artist or an artist who happens to be a PI (the rent has to be paid somehow). Born in Germany, Helton moved to England in 1982. He too is an artist who was introduced to the world of mystery writing when a friend gave him “The Breaker” by Minette Walters.

 

(Oh! Maybe puppy just likes all books.)

Other Mysterious things:

            Enjoyed “A Wanted Man” where Jack Reacher is hitchhiking, happens on a kidnapping, and it’s all downhill from there. He is working on another Reacher book called “Never Go Back” to be released in 2013.

            Jeffery Deaver’s tenth Lincoln Rhyme novel is coming out in June, 2013—something to look forward to. I hope Rhyme has finally stopped trying to kill himself. Robert Crais also has a new novel coming out in January, 2013 called “Suspect” which is a stand-alone novel about LAPD cop Max Kent whose partner is a German shepherd. I am still waiting for “Two Graves” by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston. I am on the hold list. This is the 12^th book in the Pendergast series. Pendergast is a fascinating Sherlock Holmes-like character with a very complicated personal life.

            If you haven’t read “The Anatomist’s Apprentice” by Tessa Harris, read it now because her second book just came out (“The Dead Shall Not Rest”).  This historical mystery with Dr. Thomas Silkstone chronicles the start of forensic investigation.