Reading Right Now:

                “Blood Memories” by Barb Hendee. Hendee is a fantasy author probably best known for the books she co-writes with her husband J.C. Hendee (Saga of the Noble Dead). I’m enjoying the unusual take she has on vampires--much more vulnerable and isolated than other books with vampire characters. This is the first book in a series and so far I’m looking forward to more.

On Hold Right Now:

                “The Taken” by Vicki Pettersson is a paranormal thriller with dead PI Griffin Shaw and still living journalist Kit Craig. As an angel, Shaw is supposed to collect souls, but when thugs attempt to murder Kit Shaw decides to save Kit’s life. He makes a deal with her: He will help her discover who is trying to kill her if she uses her contacts to try to solve the mystery of his own death and the murder of the woman he loved.  Pettersson spent ten years with Trapicana’s Folies Bergere in Las Vegas when she decided to start writing. “The Taken” is the first book in her Celestial Blues series “The Lost” which is the second book in the series just came out in March.

Special Interest:

                There seem to be more and more authors writing fun, exciting, well-written crossover books that fall into both the fantasy and mystery genre. One of my favorite authors whose books fall into this category is Jim Butcher. Butcher has written 14 books starring PI Wizard Harry Dresden (first book was “Storm Front”). Another author is Darynda Jones whose PI main character just happens to also be the grim reaper (the series starts with “First Grave on the Right”). Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series starts with “Spider’s Bite” which combines the paranormal and suspense. In Sue Ann Jaffarian’s charming mysteries the main character can see ghosts (Ghost of Granny Apples series which starts with “Ghost a La Mode”).  Patricia Briggs’s series featuring Mercy Thompson provides plenty of suspense around things that go bump in the night (like werewolves and vampires) (first book is “Moon Called”). Devon Monk’s main character Allison Beckstrom traces illegal spells back to their casters (nine books available with the first being “Magic to the Bone”). One can’t help but mention PI John Taylor who battles monsters in the Nightside (author Simon R. Green, the first book is “Something from the Nightside”). In the meantime, Sophie Lawson works at the Underworld Detection Agency trying to save the world from evil elements (Hannah Jayne is the author, “Under Wraps” the first book in the series). And magic-shop proprietor Alex Verus uses his second sight to defeat powerful Dark mages in London (author Benedict Jacka, first book “Fated”).

Reading Right Now:

               “The Boyfriend” by Thomas Perry is his latest novel which I thought was a stand-alone novel, but it is really the second novel he has written with the Jack Till character who first appeared in “Silence.” After retiring from the LAPD, Till becomes a private investigator. When he takes on the case of a recently murdered young girl, he finds ties to other deaths of similar young women around the country. Not only does Perry write great books, he has an interesting background. He has a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Rochester and he has worked as a television writer and producer on Simon & Simon, 21 Jump Street, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

 

On Hold Right Now:

               “Silken Prey” by John Sandford. This is the 23^rd Lucas Davenport novel. I’ve enjoyed every one of these novels and can’t wait for the latest. John Sandford is the pseudonym of John Roswell Camp, an American author and journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize in journalism in 1986.

Special Interest:

From 2008-2012 Kenneth Branagh played Swedish sleuth Kurt Wallander on the Masterpiece Mystery series called “Wallander.” The series is based on Henning Mankell’s bestselling mystery series. Branagh is terrific as the brilliant detective who is fighting his personal demons. The series is exceptional.

Reading Right Now:

               “Airtight” by David Rosenfelt is full of plot twists and an emphasis on the importance of family. Rosenfelt is the author of the Andy Carpenter mystery series. There are now ten books in the series with the first being “Open and Shut” and number 11 coming out in July called “Unleased.” The Carpenter series is a fantastic and funny mystery series that shouldn’t be missed. In between writing that series, Carpenter has written five stand alone novels with “Airtight” being my favorite so far. In July, Rosenfelt’s first nonfiction book is coming out about his cross-country move from California to Maine where he planned to start a dog rescue foundation (on this cross-country trip he moved both his family and 25 dogs).

On Hold Right Now:

               “Midnight at Marble Arch” by Anne Perry arrives in April and is the 28^th novel in the Thomas Pitt mystery series. Perry writes Victorian mysteries that usually deal with people breaking the social mores of the time and paying a high price for it. Anne Perry was born Juliet Hulme and was convicted of participating in the murder of her best friend’s mother when they were teenagers. She changed her name when released from prison and has had tremendous success as a mystery writer since. The 1994 film “Heavenly Creatures” was based on the murder.

Take a look:

               The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association’s list of their “100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20^th Century” includes these five authors whom I’ve enjoyed:

White, Randy Wayne. Sanibel Flats

Crais, Robert. The Monkey's Raincoat

Hiaasen, Carl. Tourist Season

Pronzini, Bill. Blue Lonesome

Rozan, S.J. Concourse

Reading Right Now:

            “The Good Cop” by Brad Parks which is part of his award winning Carter Ross series. Ross, investigative reporter with the Newark Eagle-Examiner, is always in trouble with the local police, with his boss, and with the women in his life. The series is funny and suspenseful. I loved the first two books “Faces of the Gone” and “Eyes of the Innocent.” Wasn’t as thrilled with the third book, but have high hopes for “The Good Cop” which sounds really exciting and centers around a cop’s suspicious suicide.

On Hold Right Now:

            “The Boyfriend” by Thomas Perry which is a stand-alone novel and introduces Jack Till a retired cop who is now a PI. Perry is well known for his Jane Whitefield series (Jane helps people disappear). Bestselling author Thomas Perry has a good 20 novels under his belt, has won several awards, and the Independent Mystery Booksellers’ Association included “Vanishing Act” in its “100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century.”

Special Interest:

Ruth Ozeki may not be a mystery writer, but she is remarkable. If you want some amazing books to read pick up “My Year of Meats” and “All Over Creation.” Her new book “A Tale for the Time Being” just came out and I can’t wait to read it. I have waited forever for her to write a new fiction book. Her other two books dealt with food production (one with the beef industry and the other genetic engineering of food).

New books In April:

Susan Wittig Albert: “Widow’s Tears.” (21^st in the China Bayles series.)

David Baldacci: “The Hit.” (Second in the Will Robie series.)

Anne Perry: “Midnight at Marble Arch.” (28^th in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series.)

Aimée & David Thurlo: “A Time of Change.” (First in the new Navajo Rez Mystery Series.)

T. Jefferson Parker:  “The Famous and the Dead.” (Book six in the Charlie Hood series.)

Jacqueline Winspear: “Leaving Everything Most Loved.” (Tenth in the Maisie Dobbs series.)

Reading Right Now:

               “What Darkness Brings” by C.S. Harris is her 8^th book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series. The first was “What Angels Fear” and all have been really exciting and excellent reads. In her former life, Harris was a history professor so it should come as no surprise that this is an historical mystery series (set in Regency England).  In this latest installment, St. Cyr investigates the death of a notorious London diamond merchant in order to help his former lover whose husband is accused of the murder. St. Cyr and his new wife Hero find themselves drawn into a world where greed rules and anything can happen.

 

On Hold Right Now:

               Brad Parks’ “The Good Cop” is the fourth novel in the Carter Ross series. The first two were funny and thrilling. I wasn’t as thrilled with the third, but have high hopes for number four. The main character is an investigative reporter in Newark, NJ. The books are full of humor and action which turns out to be a great combination. If you want to start at the beginning of the series, read “Faces of the Gone.”

TV Action:

               If you need a little “silly,” it’s time to tune into “Psych.” The seventh season is under way, but you can always go back and watch from the beginning.

Reading Right Now:

               “Winter Break” by Merry Jones is proving a slower read for me than the first two novels in the Harper Jennings series (which started with “Summer Session”). But I still love the characters and there is certainly a lot going on. I am surprised that Jones already has the fourth novel in the series coming out in July 2013 (“Inside Eden” which sounds very exciting).  On her website, Jones says “all my books deal with some common themes. Each of them, even the humor books, focus on the unexpected aspects of life, roles and relationships. Suspense lies not just in not knowing what lurks in the cellar, but also in not knowing what lurks in the world around us, our romances, and our own subconscious minds. My characters, like the rest of us, never know what lies ahead.” An interesting viewpoint and a fine series—well worth reading.

On Hold Right Now:

               “Deadly Sting” by Jennifer Estep  just came out. I have consumed each of the Elemental Assassin novels and this is the 8^th (with the 9^th coming out in August). If you want to read this series, you should start with “Spider’s Bite.”  The main character is Gin Blanco, a touch, smart, strong, female character who happens to be a magical assassin. Even though she is an assassin, she manages to do a lot of good and as her character develops she is becoming more and more powerful.

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TV Action:

               I finally caught up with the first two seasons of “Game of Thrones.” I know everyone else is way ahead of me! I like the series—full of action, nudity, violence, passion, and complicated plot twists. Now I’m ready for the new season starting at the end of March, 2013 on HBO. Everyone knows by now that the series is based on George R. R. Martin’s series of books called “Song of Ice and Fire” and the first book in the series is “A Game of Thrones.” Take a look at his website to get a peak at what a unique and imaginative character Martin is (georgerrmartin.com).

Reading right now:

            “The Bughouse Affair” by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini takes place in 1890s San Francisco and is centered around the PI firm of Carpenter and Quincannon. John Quincannon is an ex-Secret Service agent and Sabina Carpenter is a former Pinkerton operative, together they form a partnership that gets them involved with murder. This is actually the fourth in the series with John Quincannon by Bill Pronzini which started with the book “Quincannon.” These are two really great mystery authors and so far I am really enjoying “Bughouse” and may have to go back to the beginning and read the whole series.

On hold right now:

            “A Study in Revenge” by Kieran Shields came out in January and looks like fun. The problem is that it seems to be the second book in what I assume is a series with Deputy Archie Lean which takes place in Portland, Maine, in 1893. The first book is “The Truth of All Things” so I guess I’ll have to find that first and start there. It looks like the books have paranormal/occult elements and involve witches.

Other Mysterious things:

            I finally started watching “Game of Thrones” an HBO series that I’ve been hearing about for some time, but haven’t watched until this past weekend. I caught up with season one and am hooked. No wonder so many people are going back to read the series of Science Fiction books by George R. R. Martin which the series is based on.