September 07, 2008
Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain, 4
Book description:When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can't be one of Gretchen's—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman's identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can't focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.
Archie hadn't seen her in two months; he'd moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he's relieved. He knows he's the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.
Review: Sweetheart is the sequel to Heartsick. For me, the main draw of this series is Archie’s sick obsession with Gretchen. It is fascinating to see how low his obsession takes him. If you like that aspect of the series, Sweetheart delivers. I do wish that Gretchen was as well developed a character as Archie. She didn’t come off as particularly deep or even scary here. I hope she’ll be more developed in future books. I enjoyed Susan’s character and her murder mystery subplot but the mystery was not as well done as the one in Heartsick. Even though I did not like this book as much as the first one, I still can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.
Category, Mystery|
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August 07, 2008
Big Boned by Meg Cabot, 3 1/2
Book description: Life is reasonably rosy for plus-size ex-pop star turned Assistant Dormitory Director and sometime sleuth Heather Wells. Her freeloading ex-con dad is finally moving out. She still yearns for her hot landlord, Cooper Cartwright, but her relationship with "rebound beau," vigorous vegan math professor Tad Tocco, is more than satisfactory. Best of all, nobody has died lately in "Death Dorm," the aptly nicknamed student residence that Heather assistant-directs. Of course every silver lining ultimately has some black cloud attached. And when the latest murdered corpse to clutter up her jurisdiction turns out to be her exceedingly unlovable boss, Heather finds herself on the shortlist of prime suspects—along with the rabble-rousing boyfriend of her high-strung student assistant and an indecently handsome young campus minister who's been accused of taking liberties with certain girls' choir members.
With fame beckoning her back into show business (as the star of a new kids' show!) it's a really bad time to get wrapped up in another homicide. Plus Tad's been working himself up to ask her a Big Question, which Heather's not sure she has an answer for . . .
Review: Big Boned is the third Heather Wells mystery book. As with the other books in the series, the mystery is light and the writing is fun. I was worried that the strange insta boyfriend Heather obtained at the end of the second book would make this one less enjoyable. Fortunately, I was satisfied with the twists Heather love life took in this book. I thought this was going to be the last book in the series but Meg Cabot’s website says she’s planning two more. I’ll be sure to pick them up because there is still a lot of potential in this series.
Category, Mystery|
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January 10, 2008
Real Murders by Charlaine Harris, 3 1/2
Book description: Though a small town at heart, Lawrenceton, Georgia, has its dark side-and crime buffs. One of whom is librarian Aurora "Roe" Teagarden, a member of the Real Murders Club, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. It's a harmless pastime-until the night she finds a member killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss. And as other brutal "copycat" killings follow, Roe will have to uncover the person behind the terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects-or potential victims.
Review: Real Murders is the first installment in the Aurora Teagarden series. It’s not as well plotted as the mysteries that Harris writes today but it was a quick and entertaining read. I like the main character enough to continue reading the series.
Category, Mystery|
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September 30, 2007
An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris, 4
Book description: Hired to find a boy gene missing in Doraville, North Carolina, Harper Connelly and her brother Tolliver head there-only to discover that the boy was only one of several who had disappeared over the previous five years. All of them teenagers. All unlikely runaways.
All calling for Harper.
Harper soon finds them-eight victims, buried in the half-frozen ground, all come to an unspeakable end. Afterwards, what she most wants to do is collect her fee and get out of town ahead of the media storm that's soon to descend. But when she's attacked and prevented from leaving, she reluctantly becomes a part of the investigation as she learns more than she cares to about the dark mysteries and long-hidden secrets of Doraville-knowledge that makes her the next person likely to rest in an ice-cold grave.
Review: An Ice Cold Grave is the third book in the Harper Connely series. It is also my favorite book in the series by far. The murder mystery is intricate and kept me guessing. The characters’ personal lives are also see some nice development. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
Category, Mystery|
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August 29, 2007
A Secret Rage by Charlaine Harris, 3 1/2
Book description: Former New York City model Nickie Callahan is looking forward to the easy life when she moves to the sleepy college town of Knolls, Tennessee. But the women of Knolls are not safe. And as Nickie gets swept up in a string of brutally violent crimes, she must take matters of justice into her own hands.
Review: A Secret Rage is one of Charlaine Harris’ early works and has recently been reprinted. This isn’t one of Harris’ better novels but it held my interest. I usually won’t read books where rape is prominently featured in the plot but the subject is handled well here. Most of the details of the rape are left out and the focus is on how the victims cope. The mystery is average and it is easy to guess the culprit. It’s interesting to go back and read one of Harris’ earlier books because I could see a lot of what I liked about the Lily Bard series here. If you are a Charlaine Harris fan, A Secret Rage is worth a look.
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August 14, 2007
And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander, 4
Book description: For Emily, accepting Philip's proposal was an easy way to escape her overbearing mother. And when Philip dies on safari soon after their wedding, she feels little grief; she had barely known him. Now, nearly two years later, she learns that her husband was very different from the man she thought she had married.
Eager to find out more, Emily begins to study the priceless Greek statues her husband collected. Her search leads to the British Museum, where she discovers that a ring of forgers is stealing artifacts from the Greco–Roman galleries. Solving the crime will lead to more discoveries about Philip and cause Emily to question the role in Victorian Society to which she, as a woman, is relegated.
Review: If And Only to Deceive is any indication of Tasha Alexander’s writing ability, I think I’ve found a new author to watch. This character driven mystery is set in the Victorian era and features a strong female main character. Most of the book follows Emily’s attempts to find out who she really is after the husband she never really knew dies. What I enjoyed most about this book was how Emily slowly came to know her dead husband. The mystery was predictable but I enjoyed all the details about Greek and Roman art. I’ll definitely be reading the next book in the series.
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July 08, 2007
Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong, 4 1/2
Book description: Regulars at Nadia’s nature lodge don’t ask what she does in the off-season. And that’s a good thing. If she told them, she’d have to kill them. She’s a hit woman for a Mafia family. Tough and self-sufficient, Nadia doesn’t owe anyone any explanations. But that doesn’t mean she always works alone. One of her contacts has recruited her in the hunt for a ruthlessly efficient serial killer cutting a swath of terror across the country. The assassin is far too skilled to be an amateur—and the precision of the killings is bringing the Feds much too close to the hit man community for comfort.
To put an end to the murders, Nadia will have to turn herself from predator to prey as she employs every trick she knows to find the killer. Before the killer finds her…
Review: Exit Strategy is the first in a new series from the author of the Women of the Otherworld series. The main character, Nadia, is layered and very interesting to read about. Most of the side characters are just as interesting. Particularly Jack, Nadia’s assassin mentor and Dee, a long time assassin with unknown loyalties. The murder mystery was well done also. This is one of the best books I’ve read all year and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
Category, Mystery|
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Borrower of the Night by Elizabeth Peters, 3 1/2
Book description: Meet art historian Vicky Bliss, She is as beautiful as she is brainy--with unassailable courage, insatiable curiosity, and an expertise in lost museum treasures that often leads her into the most dangerous of situations.
A missing masterwork in wood, the last creation of a master carver who died in the violent tumult of the sixteenth century, may be hidden in a medieval German castle in the town of Rothenburg. The prize has called to Vicky Bliss, drawing her and an arrogant male colleague into the forbidding citadel and its dark secrets. But the treasure hunt soon turns deadly. Here, where the blood of the long forgotten damned stains ancient stones, Vicky must face two equally perilous possibilities. Either a powerful supernatural evil inhabits this place. . .or someone frighteningly real is willing to kill for what Vicky is determined to find.
Review: Borrower of the Night is the first book in the Vicky Bliss mystery series. This was a fun mystery with a bit of a gothic feel to it. I enjoyed the art history aspect as well. Vicky is a solid main character that I can’t wait to read more about. The secondary characters are all well written but not particularly likable.
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February 10, 2007
Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, 4
Book description: Life’s tough for Dexter Morgan. It’s not easy being the world’s only serial killer with a conscience, especially when you work for the Miami police. To avoid suspicion, Dexter’s had to slip deep into his disguise: spending time with his girlfriend and her kids, slowly becoming the world’s first serial killing couch potato.
Then a particularly nasty psychopath starts cutting a trail through Miami — a killer whose twisted techniques leave even Dexter speechless. When his sister Deborah, a tough-as-nails cop, is drawn into the case, it becomes clear that Dexter will have to do come out of hiding and hunt the monster down. Unless, of course, the killer finds him first. . .
Review: Dearly Devoted Dexter is the sequel to Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Everything I liked about the first book is still present here. Dexter remains an interesting, dark character. The mystery is this book is just as good as the one in the first book. I’m glad Dexter’s adversarial relationship with Doakes was explored more. The ending left me wondering where the series would go from here. I’ll be picking up the third book in the series when it comes out in August.
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January 26, 2007
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, 4
Book description: Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He’s a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likeable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened–of himself or some other fiend.
Review: Darkly Dreaming Dexter has a very interesting main character. Dexter is a serial killer who only kills people who really deserve it. I love books with good anti-heros and I so rarely find them. There’s also a solid mystery here. If you like anti-heroes and dark mysteries you should definitely give this a look.
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December 14, 2006
Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot, 4
Book description: Former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College—a career that does not require her to drape her size 12 body in embarrassingly skimpy outfits. She can even cope (sort of) with her rocker ex-boyfriend's upcoming nuptials, which the press has dubbed The Celebrity Wedding of the Decade. But she's definitely having a hard time dealing with the situation in the dormitory kitchen—where a cheerleader has lost her head on the first day of the semester. (Actually, her head is accounted for—it's her torso that's AWOL.)
Surrounded by hysterical students—with her ex-con father on her doorstep and her ex-love bombarding her with unwanted phone calls—Heather welcomes the opportunity to play detective . . . again. If it gets her mind off her personal problems—and teams her up again with the gorgeous P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives—it's all good. But the murder trail is leading the average-sized amateur investigator into a shadowy world. And if she doesn't watch her step, Heather will soon be singing her swan song!
Review: Size 14 Is Not Fate Either is the second Heather Wells Mystery. I think this is my favorite Meg Cabot series right now. The title and back cover blurbs make the series seem gimmicky but it really isn’t. Heather is a likeable heroine and the focus is not on her weight. This series also has a large cast of colorful side characters. The mystery in this installment was slightly weaker than in the first book. It was still engrossing but it was very easy to guess the killer. I look forward to the next in the series.
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November 22, 2006
House of Many Shadows by Barbara Michaels, 4
Book description: Meg Rittenhouse fears she is losing her mind. The doctors tell her the strange and disturbing hallucinations she's been experiencing ever since her accident are all in her head, and that, with a little rest, the haunting visions will vanish. But accepting an invitation to stay with her cousin in the country may be the worst decision Meg has ever made. Here, in a remote old house miles from anywhere, the terrible sights and sounds have gotten even worse. Suddenly eerie black shapes dance in the shadows—mocking Meg, haunting her . . . threatening her. And the presence of kind, considerate Andy Brenner, the caretaker, both reassures her and terrifies her—because Andy also sees these dark specters .
Review: The House of Many Shadows is a solid ghost story. It has a contemporary setting but it feels timeless as all good gothic stories do. The romance is good too but the resolution came out of no where. Andy makes a great beta hero and his flaws make him believable. Anyone who likes ghost stories and beta heroes should try this.
Category, Mystery|
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November 06, 2006
Sons of the Wolf by Barbara Michaels, 4
Book description: Ada and Harriet had never met anyone like Mr. Wolfson, the strangely magnetic, darkly funny man who was to be their new guardian. Who, confined to a wheelchair and flanked by two fierce dogs, both welcomed and intimidated the girls. And who had two equally mysterious sons, Julian and Francis—one was as good-natured as the other was evil. But evil, as Harriet soon discovered, ran rampant through Abbey Manor and the surrounding moors. Especially in the moonlight...
Review: I picked Sons of the Wolf up on a whim and I’m glad I did because I love a good gothic story. The book is told in diary format from Harriet’s POV. I like diary format books but the format did make the end anti-climatic. The characters were all interesting and the best part of the story was watching Harriet’s opinion of the characters change over time. There’s only a little romance but what little there was worked for me. I also liked the gothic mystery vibe in Michales’ writing so I’ll be reading more by her.
Category, Mystery|
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October 14, 2006
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers, 4 1/2
Book description: When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the "Gaudy," the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obsentities, burnt effigies and poison-pen letters -- including one that says, "Ask your boyfriend with the title if he likes arsenic in his soup." Some of the notes threaten murder; all are perfectly ghastly; yet in spite of their scurrilous nature, all are perfectly worded. And Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with only the tiniest shreds of clues to challenge her powers of detection, and those of her paramour, Lord Peter Wimsey.
Review: Gaudy Night is the 12th book in the Lord Peter Wimsey series but it can be enjoyed if you’ve read Strong Poison and Have His Carcase, which follow Peter’s relationship with Harriet Vane. It took me a while but I’m finally hooked on this series. Gaudy Night is different from the other books in the series because it’s told from Harriet’s point of view. This gives Harriet more depth than she had in pervious books. The mystery is as layered as usual but it’s also quite different from the earlier mysteries because it doesn’t involve murder. Sayers writes a lot about feminism and marriage in this book and, even though it was published in the 1930's, these ideas still resonated with me. The romance, of course, is my favorite part of the book. Harriet finally begins to see Peter differently and this leads to one of the most satisfying romances I’ve read in a long time. Busman’s Honeymoon is up next.
Category, Mystery|
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October 12, 2006
Grave Surprise by Cahrlaine Harris, 3 1/2
Book description: At the request of anthropology professor Dr. Clyde Nunley, Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver come to Memphis to give a demonstration of Harper’s unique talent. And what better place to have that demonstration than in a very old cemetery?
Dr. Nunley doesn’t bother to hide his scepticism, especially when Harper stands atop a grave and senses two bodies beneath her—one of a centuries-dead man and the other of a young girl, recently deceased. When the grave is opened, Harper’s claim is proven true. The dead girl is Tabitha Morgenstern, and eleven-year-old abducted from Nashville two years previously—a child whom Harper had tried, and failed, to find. The coincidence raises suspicions about her among the police—so she and Tolliver undertake their own hunt to find the killer. They make a nocturnal visit to the cemetery, hoping that Harper can sense something further about the murder.
And then, the next morning, a third dead body is found in the grave...
Review: Grave Sight is the second book in the Harper Connelly series. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book but it still held my interest. I liked reading about Harper’s abilities and her weird relationship with her stepbrother. The mystery fell a bit flat for me this time. I guessed the murderer very early on and I’m not the kind of mystery reader who actively tries to guess who the killer is. Still, I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Charlaine Harris so I’ll keep reading this series.
Category, Mystery|
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October 10, 2006
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers, 3 1/2
Book description: The mystery writer Harriet Vane, recovering from an unhappy love affair and its aftermath, seeks solace on a barren beach -- deserted but for the body of a bearded young man with his throat cut. From the moment she photographs the corpse, which soon disappears with the tide, she is puzzled by a mystery that might have been suicide, murder or a political plot. With the appearance of her dear friend Lord Peter Wimsey, she finds a reason for detective pursuit -- as only the two of them can pursue it.
Review: Have His Carcase is the eighth book in the Lord Peter Wimsey series and the second to feature Harriet Vane. It can stand on its own but would probably be more enjoyable if you read Strong Poison first. I listened to this on unabridged audio. The narrator, Ian Charmichael, did a great job with all the accents which added a lot of color to the characters. I liked that the mystery had a lot of layers but it dragged in parts. Listening to the book probably made those parts seem longer than they were. Harriet and Peters’ romance doesn’t advance too much here but I loved their scenes together. Especially their lighthearted joking about Sherlock Holmes. I’ll be moving on to Gaudy Night next.
Category, Mystery|
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September 17, 2006
Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers, 3 1/2
Book description: Mystery novelist Harriet Vane knew all about poisons, and when her fiance died in the manner prescribed in one of her books, a jury of her peers had a hangman's noose in mind. But Lord Peter Wimsey was determined to find her innocent--as determined as he was to make her his wife.
Review: I tried reading the first book in this series, Whose Body?, some time ago. While I liked the Lord Peter character, I didn’t become emotionally invested in the book so I set it aside. I decided to skip ahead to Strong Poison where Lord Peter’s love interest, Harriet Vane, is introduced. This is the sixth book in the Lord Peter Whimsey series but it stands quite well on its own. I liked the beginning of this book when the mystery is set up but the resolution was less interesting. There isn’t a whole lot of romance here but the dynamic between Lord Peter and Harriet is fun. Sayers writes great dialogue as well. I’m not quite hooked on the series yet but I’ll keep reading to see what happens with the romance.
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April 29, 2006
A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King, 4 1/2
Book description: The dawn of 1921 finds Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes’s brilliant young apprentice, about to come into a considerable inheritance. Nevertheless, she still enjoys her nighttime prowls in disguise through London’s grimy streets, where one night she encounters an old friend, now a charity worker among the poor. Veronica Beaconsfield introduces Russell to the New Temple of God, led by the enigmatic, electrifying Margery Childe. Part suffragette, part mystic, she lives quite well for a woman of God from supposedly humble origins.
Despite herself, Russell is drawn ever deeper into Childe’s circle. When Veronica has a near-fatal accident–and turns out to be the fourth bluestocking in the group to meet with misadventure after changing her will–Russell and Holmes launch a quiet investigation. But the Temple may bring the newly rich Russell far closer to heaven than she would like.…
Review: A Monstrous Regiment of Women is the second book in the Mary Russell series. Holmes has a scaled back role in this and I would have liked to see more of him. Still, Mary is certainly an interesting enough character to hold this series on her own. The mystery also seemed like less of a Holmes style mystery but was interesting enough in its own right. I’ll be reading the next book in this series.
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April 27, 2006
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King, 5
Book description: In 1915, long since retired from his observations of criminal humanity, Sherlock Holmes is engaged in a reclusive study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. Never did he think to meet an intellect to match his own–until his acquaintance with Miss Mary Russell, a very modern fifteen-year-old whose mental acuity is equaled only by her audacity, tenacity, and penchant for trousers and cloth caps.
Under Holmes’s tutelage, Russell hones her talent for deduction, disguises, and danger: in the chilling case of a landowner’s mysterious fever and in a kidnapping in the wilds of Wales. But her ultimate challenge is yet to come. Soon the two sleuths are on the trail of a murderer whose machinations scatter meaningless clues…but whose objective is quite unequivocal: to end Russell and Holmes’s partnership–and their lives.
Review: I was trying to explain the plot of this book to a friend earlier. She thought the idea of pairing Sherlock Holmes with a teenage female sidekick was absurd. She’s probably right but that doesn’t stop this book from being completely awesome. The same great mystery plots found in the original series are present in this book. However, this book is much more character driven. Mary is an interesting and likeable main character. Through her we see a still brilliant but more human Holmes. These characters are well matched and I look forward to reading more of this series.
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January 02, 2006
Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, 
Heather Wells rocks! Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two -- and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.
The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen -- not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives -- even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective!
But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .
Size 12 is Not Fat is the first book in Meg Cabot’s new mystery series. It’s actually the perfect blend of chick-lit and mystery. The chick-lit element was definitely there but it was never so strong I found myself not taking the mystery seriously. Heather, much like all of Cabot’s heroines, is just a normal woman with some crazy weird elements to her life. Think Mia from The Princess Diaries but all grown up. I really liked Cooper, the P.I. love interest, and his dynamic with Heather. I’m sure their relationship will be interesting over the course of the series. The secondary cast of characters is fun as well. The is one of the better Cabot books I’ve read and I look forward to the next in the series.
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October 10, 2005
Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris,
Book description: Harper Connelly has what you might call a strange job: she finds dead people. She can sense the final location of a person who's passed, and share their very last moment. The way Harper sees it, she's providing a service to the dead while bringing some closure to the living-but she's used to most people treating her like a blood-sucking leech. Traveling with her step-brother Tolliver as manager and sometime-bodyguard, she's become an expert at getting in, getting paid, and getting out fast. Because for the living it's always urgent-even if the dead can wait forever.
Review: Grave Sight is the first in a new series from the writer of the Southern Vampire series. It?s the perfect mix of her mystery and horror books and I loved that it had the gritty supernatural crime solving vibe that I miss from the earlier Anita Blake books. Harper and her step-brother/partner Tolliver are interesting characters and I can?t wait to see which direction Harris decides to take their relationship. I?ll be eagerly anticipating the next in this series.
Category, Mystery|
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July 21, 2005
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb, 
Book Description: In a world of danger and deception, she walks the line--between seductive passion and scandalous murder... Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all--and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire--and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about--except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.
Review: Naked in Death is the first book in the popular In Death series. It’s a good start to a series. I like Eve Dallas, the main character, a lot and the light sci-fi elements make the setting different enough to be interesting. I also found myself getting more and more interested in the murder mystery as the book went along. The romance sub-plot wasn’t bad either. I’ll be reading more of this series.
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July 24, 2004
Shakespeare's Counselor by Charlaine Harris, 9
Book Description: Cleaning woman and karate expert Lily Bard is a woman with a complicated past. Trying her best to cope with her terrifying memories and horrible nightmares, she decides to join a weekly group therapy session in her hometown of Shakespeare, Arkansas. At first, Lily can hardly believe the number of her fellow Shakespeareans that share her life experiences. As it turns out, the group members' feelings aren't the only things that need sorting out -- they assemble for a session and find a woman dead, killed in bone-chilling fashion and deliberately left on display to send a twisted message. Who would commit such horrendous crime, and who is the intended recipient of the message?
Review: This is my favorite book in the series. The mystery was the most interesting one yet and all the character stuff the previous books were leading up to finally came together. I suppose this could be considered a fitting end to the series but I still really hope the author writes more. If you like mystery or just books with strong female heroines then I highly recommend this series. Do what you can to track it down. You won’t regret it.
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June 22, 2004
Shakespeare's Trollop by Charlaine Harris, 8 1/2
Book Description: Shakespeare, Arkansas, is home to endless back roads, historic buildings, colorful residents--and the occasional murder. It is also home to Lily Bard, the local karate expert/cleaning woman with a particular knack for finding skeletons in closets. But when the local woman of ill repute is found murdered, being familiar with her dirty laundry could make Lily the next Shakespearean to die.
Review: This is one of the better books in the series. The mystery revolves around characters that have been in the series for a while so I was more emotionally invested in it. Lily remains one of the most interesting heroines I've ever read about and I'm sad that there's only one more book after this one.
Category, Mystery|
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June 17, 2004
Shakespeare's Christmas by Charlaine Harris, 8
Book Description: In Shakespeare's Christmas, Lily's third appearance, she heads home to Bartley, Arkansas--always an uncomfortable scenario for the introverted Lily--for her sister Varena's Christmas wedding. But Lily's got more to worry about then being a bridesmaid for a sister to whom she's no longer close. Soon after she arrives in Bartley, Lily's private-detective boyfriend shows up too, and not just for moral support: He's investigating a four-year-old unsolved kidnapping. Try as she might, Lily can't help but get involved when she discovers that the case hits dangerously close to home--for Varena's new husband is the widowed father of a girl bearing a remarkable resemblance to the vanished child.
Review: I didn't like this one quite as much as much as the last one but it was still really good. It was nice to read about Lily's family although they weren't as interesting as I thought they'd be. I also kind of missed the usual Shakespeare setting. The mystery was interesting even though I figured out who the villain was early on. I still just really love the characters in this series and I can't wait to find out more about them in the next book.
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June 14, 2004
Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris, 8 1/2
Book Description: Lily Bard was running from shattering memories when she moved to Shakespeare, Arkansas. Now cleaning houses pays her bills. Working out helps her heal. Still protecting her scars, she hides a hard body and impressive skill at martial arts under baggy sweats. And nobody knows how strong she is until racial violence has her looking behind closed doors for a killer--doors to which a housecleaner might have the key.
When Lily uses her training in goju to help a black man jumped by white teens, she does it for justice...only to hear he's been abducted and beaten to death a few weeks later. Then a bodybuilder is killed at her gym. Both incidents jar Lily's need for security and refuge. Looking into closets, sweeping under rugs, she soon uncovers enough dirt to confirm that something sinister is growing in her adopted town. Getting involved could endanger her life. But Lily is seeing a new man and dreaming new dreams. And no one can make this strong woman run again.
Review: I'm really getting hooked on this series. Lily is still kick ass as ever and the mystery is more interesting than in the last book. There were also some exciting developments in Lily's love life. I'll be reading more of this series soon.
Category, Mystery|
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May 18, 2004
Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris, 8
Book Description: Lily Bard is a loner. Other than the day-to-day workings of her cleaning and errand-running service, she pays little attention to the town around her. But when her landlord is murdered, Lily is singled out as the prime suspect, and proving her innocence will depend on finding the real killer in quiet, secretive Shakespeare.
Review: Usually the mystery genre isn't really my thing but this book is an exception. The mystery itself wasn't really anything special but the heroine is the most interesting character I've come across in a long time. I can't really say anything more about her without giving too much away. Fans of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series should give this series a try.
Category, Mystery|
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November 10, 2003
Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich, 6
Christmas has caught Stephanie Plum unawares this year. The holiday is only a few days away and she doesn't have presents or a tree. What she does have is a strange man in her apartment. She's not too rattled because, lets face it, this isn't the first time she's found a strange man in her apartment. His name is Diesel and he seems harmless enough and is even willing to help Stephanie track down bail hopping toy maker, Sandy Claws. But when they find Sandy, Diesel may not be too willing to hand him over.
This Stephanie Plum side story takes place between the 8th and 9th books but can really be read at any time. Unless you are fanatical about avoiding spoilers. I liked this one for the most part. Stephanie and Christmas cheer make a hilarious combination. There were even a few scenes that had me laughing uncontrollably. However, I wasn't overly fond of the plot. It was a bit preposterous even for Stephanie Plum. Fans of the series will surly enjoy this book and it's also good for relieving holiday stress.
Category, Mystery|
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August 27, 2003
Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich, ****
In the eighth book of the Stephanie Plum series, Stephanie must track down a missing mother and daughter. Her task isn't made easy with the woman's ex and violent landlord breathing down her neck. Stephanie also seems to be having bad luck with animals lately. She must fend off snakes, spiders, geese, and a lunatic in a bunny suit. Also, with Morelli out of the picture, Ranger steps up his pursuit of Stephanie.
The thing that I love about this series is that it's dependable. You can always count on Stephanie blowing up a few cars and the Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger love triangle will probably never be resolved. It's also the only series that I can think of that is repetitive with out becoming boring or going down in quality. With Stephanie Plum you always know that you are going to get a zany, fun, mystery and that's a good thing.
Category, Mystery|
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July 31, 2003
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich, ****
In the seventh Stephanie Plum adventure, Stephanie goes after geriatric court dodger Eddie DeChooch. Despite the fact that DeChooch is so old he can hardly see, Stephanie still can't catch him. The plot thickens when loveable stoners, Dougie and Mooner, go missing and Stephanie seems to be the only one willing to find them. As if all that wasn't enough, Stephanie's family wants her to start planing her wedding to Morelli and she isn't even sure if they are engaged!
The Stephanie Plum series is wacky, fun, and entertaining and this installment is no different. The thing I love most about this series is that Stephanie is a totally incompetent bounty hunter with out being dumb and insulting to women. The characters are fun as well and Stephanie, Morelli, and Ranger's love triangle is addictive. If you are looking for something to brighten your mood then I highly recommend this series.
Category, Mystery|
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April 28, 2003
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, *****
In the middle book of the Hannibal Lecter series, FBI trainee Clarice Starling is given the odd task of questioning Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter to build up a psychological profile on him. Lecter's answers get Clarice involved with the hunt for a serial killer known as only Buffalo Bill. What started as an odd but safe assignment may lead Clarice to catch a killer or it may end her career or even her life.
I can't really say much about the plot of this book but you've probably seen the movie anyway. This is probably one of the best books I've ever read. It really sucks you in and won't let you go till you're finished. Harris has an interesting way with characterization. A simple, unimportant fact about a character can render you emotionally connected to them. You'll like this book if you like the movie. You'll like this book if you like thrillers. You'll like this book if you are just a fan of well written books. Whatever, just get it!
Category, Mystery|
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March 15, 2003
A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice, ****
I liked this book. It's not the best book I've ever read but it's far above average. Christopher Rice's style is descriptive with out getting stale and it has just a touch of gothic. I also liked most of the characters. Usually in books that switch POVs there are a few characters that bore me to tears but I didn't really have that with this book. A few of them could have been developed a little better though. The plot was also interesting enough to hold my interest through out the whole book but it can be a bit jumbled in places. There were also a few typos. If he used an editor they need to get smacked. My favorite scene is when Stephen's boyfriend breaks up with him because Stephen didn't share his dots with him when they went to see a move. So then Stephen buys a huge box of dots and leaves them on his door. There are more dramatic scenes in the book but that one is just so funny and cute I can't help loving it.
Overall this is a good first novel. Christopher has all the makings of a great writer. His skills just need to be polished a bit. Slash fans should enjoy this book a lot. If you aren't a slash fan you might not like it too much but it is still worth reading. I'm defiantly going to read his next novel. Hopefully it'll be even better than this one.
Category, Mystery|
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