Reading Right Now:

               “Deadly Sting” by Jennifer Estep (8^th in the Elemental Assassin series which started with “Spider’s Bite”) continues Gin Blanco’s attempt to leave her past as an assassin behind, but there are just too many people who need killing and wrongs that need to be righted. These fun books which fall into the category of urban fantasy (which seems to just mean fantasy books set in a city) include giants, dwarves, vampires, and elementals (beings who have the ability to control air, fire, ice, and /or stone. If you haven’t read this series get started with “Spider’s Bite” and hurry because the ninth book “Heart of Venom” is coming out in late August.

On Hold Right Now:

               “City of Dragons” by Kelli Stanley is the first book in the Miranda Corbie mystery series (“City of Secrets” and “City of Ghosts” are the other two currently available). “City of Dragons” was a 2011 LA Times Book Prize Finalist. Miranda Corbie is a PI in 1940s San Francisco trying her best to bring justice whatever the cost. Ms. Stanley says about herself that she laughs easily and “credits reading Raymond Chandler with teaching her how to write.” A sense of humor and loves to read Chandler!? These books have got to be good!

Special Interest:

               People are always wondering why some people like to read and others don’t. Usually parents want to know how to make their children love to read. I wish I had an answer. For myself, I have always loved reading. My Mother did too. She set the example, but something inside of me was drawn to reading. I am never bored as long as there is a book by my side. A good book is great company and when you read a book you get inside the lives of interesting people and follow their adventures. In the case of a mystery, you help solve the puzzle of whatever problem they’ve gotten into. Mysteries are engaging, adventurous, suspenseful, and exciting. No matter what else I do for fun, I always come back to reading which completely takes me away from all my problems and transforms me into another world in a more complete way than movies, computer games, or just about anything else. Not everyone is going to fall in love with reading, but hopefully there will always be those who find reading as glorious as I do.

Reading right now:

 

“Suspect” by Robert Crais is proving enthralling. I love the parts about the detective’s dog and his bonding with his K-9 partner. Crais is best known for his Elvis Cole character (there are 13 books starring Elvis). Crais has written numerous scripts for TV shows such as Hill Street Blues, Quincy, Miami Vice, and L.A. Law.

            I actually managed to finish Anne Perry’s “Midnight at Marble Arch” this week before starting “Suspect.” It was really fascinating and I was driven to stay up late a few nights to finish it. It is book 28 of her Thomas Pitt series.

On hold right now:       

            I am still waiting for “The Hit” by David Baldacci. This is his sequel to last year’s “The Innocent” which introduced the Will Robie character. I love Baldacci’s books and in an embarrassment of riches see that he has another novel coming out in November. In a former life, Baldacci was an attorney. Luckily for all of us, he decided to start writing. His first book was made into a movie by the same name (“Absolute Power”). 

 

           

Special Interest:

            There are several mysteries to look forward to in May. On the top of my list is John Sandford’s “Silken Prey” (his 23^rd Lucas Davenport novel). Charlaine Harris’s new book “Dead Ever After” comes out in May and will be her 13^th Sookie Stackhouse book. Clive Cussler’s new “Zero Hour” will be his 11^th in the NUMA files series. Carolyn Hart’s latest is “Dead, White, and Blue” and will be the 23^rd in her Death on Demand series. “A Delicate Truth” is John le Carre’s new stand alone novel. Lizbeth Lipperman has a new series starting with “Heard It Through the Grapevine.” “Murder on Chelsea” is Victoria Thompson’s latest in her Gaslight mystery series.

            Two authors to note: Poppy Gee’s first mystery “Bay of Fires” looks noteworthy. As does the Richard Nottingham series written by Chris Nickson (“Broken Token” was the first in that series).

           

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.